Joe Cormier:  

Here is a snapshot of what the last 20 years have been like for me and my family. After high school I went to Grossmont College and played some football while earning my AA degree in general education. I attended San Diego State for a couple of semesters and then Errin and I got married and started a family. I put school on hold for a while and started working in law enforcement as a Deputy Sheriff for San Diego County. In 1995 we bought our first home on the same street that I grew up on (close to Granite Hills High). By this time Errin and I had two kids Broc and Kaila who were four and one in 95. Over the next five years I became involved in coaching my kids team sports while balancing work and family. Through that time we were fortunate enough to be able to have Errin be a fulltime stay home mom. Errin is very good at what she does and it has been a total blessing. I wish all stay at home moms knew how great of an impact they are making in the lives of their children for generations to come. I can not overlook how my life changed dramatically in June of 1996. A good friend and neighbor invited me to a Promise Keepers event that was being held at Qualcom Stadium. I accepted Jesus Christ as my personal savior at that event and nothing has been the same. With this decision came great relief and an overwhelming feeling of forgiveness. In the last 12 years of my walk with Christ I have grown and matured through him. By no means has this decision made my life easy. On the contrary it has made it much more difficult. The world and all that is in it makes it a difficult battle to draw closer to our savior. Knowing this I still accept the challenge and battle on. Those of you who have been on this journey know what I am talking about. I know that I am far from perfect but the beautiful thing is that I am forgiven because of the debt that he paid in full. This journey has taught me that as individuals we are either growing or dieing there is no inbetween. I am the first to promote and practice balance within life but I know that for me moderation feels like weekness. In other words moderation is for sissies! In 1996 I also reclaimed my birth name of Cormier along with reestablishing a relationship with my biological father and his side of the family (thanks for opening my eyes Errin). I added this because all who will read this will know me as Joe Schulmeister. Believe me it is strange all of the sudden having a different last name at the age of 26 (Thanks Errin for the hours of dedication in completeing all of the paperwork). In 2000 Errin and I decided that it was time to go on an adventure and step out of our comfort zone. We looked for months and then decided to move to Boise, Idaho. By July 1st of 2000 we were living in our new home which was in Meridian, Idaho just 12 miles west of Boise. The first year was difficult being away from family and friends but it has been a true blessing. The outdoor activities, change of seasons and the slower pace have been refreshing. On Sept. 6th 2001 our third child Ashlyn was born just five days prior to 9/11. I remember taking Broc and Kaila to school on the morning of 9/11 and hearing the news on the radio. It was strange not seeing a plane in the sky for two days. In January of 2002 I sustained an off duty injury that forced me out of law enforcement for three years. Our family went through a lot for a long period of time. The lord brought us through that trial and we all learned a great deal from it. During my time out of law enforcement I worked at a local high school. For a couple of y...Expand for more