Easter Blessings

So for Easter my parents decided to come to our place and cook for us. It was a sweet blessing to say the least.

My dad grilled ribs and chicken and my mom made 2 of Francisco's favorite dishes. After lunch my mom and I listened to Francisco and my dad snore as we cleaned up the dishes.

Here are some pics of the day....

As I was uploading the pics I realized that I didn't even take that many pictures. Where's the grandma? Where am I? :) We're there you just can't see us!

Catch!

So this one is funny. Francisco and I were doing the "toss a grape and catch it with your mouth" game. Not sure if you all played that with popcorn or whatever. But the point is you throw it up in the air to the other person and the other person catches it with their mouth.

Well we were all done and Francisco chucks a grape at me and it seriously landed exactly how I am pictured. So I wasn't playing, I was just looking at him and this is what the result was when he chucked it at my face. This is the original pic...I made him take a pic so I could prove it to you all. It cracks me up! We laughed for a while after that.

Breast milk anyone?

So contrary to what some people may think....I am a fairly organized person and I can't stand it when things are unorganized for me because then I can not efficiently do the things I need to do. So anyway, as some of you know I take care of children during the day. Things run pretty smoothly for the most part. Each have their own spaces designated for their things and nap time...so I am not running around trying to find a diaper or pacifier.

Anyway, Francisco and I's room has been designated the room for just the babies. None of the toddlers are to enter....that way the baby's bottles and pacifiers do not get put in the mouths of the toddlers.

Well this week we started taking care of Ella and she is almost 2 months old. Last night I realized (a little too late) I forgot to remover her bottle from our night stand. Just as I looked up my son was downing a bottle of someone else's breast milk. Um, not so cool.

I think Francisco still has not kissed him since. Oh my child...you can never underestimate what he will do. He always makes me more aware that I need to be more organized:) Or maybe more on my toes:)

My boy

Okay what is up with this face? He is definitely my boy:) I love him.

Sylvia

Oh and we can not forget to share pics of Ms. Sylvia Broffitt with you all. She is an absolute delight! We only get her one to two times a week in the mornings, but Guillermo absolutely adores her.

Life Realization

Now more than ever in my life I have realized how quick time passes by. After having a child I have become prisoner to time. There is just not enough time in my life. I see my baby growing and discovering new things and I suddenly find myself drifting off in the thoughts of him someday marrying and having his own children. I completely skip the preschool, grade school, high school, and I am right on to marriage and children. Oh wow! Despite the fact that this may seem like an obsession, I am glad I have realized that my time hear on earth with my child and others is precious....far more precious than working long hours just to pay for materials I may desire to have.

After what seemed like would never happen in my life, in May 2005 I graduated with a degree in nursing. Since then I have not passed my state boards in order to become a licensed nurse. Although I know the desire is still there I have put that part of my life on hold for a bit. I chose to stay home with Guillermo and in doing so I decided to take care of a few children. I have discovered the passion I have to teach and to nurture children. The Lord has blessed me with a few families and I realize my part in sharing Christ with the children and also the parents. It is a rare opportunity to be able to have a direct impact on the whole family, having one on one time with each person is something I love.

Anyway, here are some pictures of our friends. Guillermo absolutely loves each one of them!

Mackie and Emma (after I did their hair)...they are my after school girls. These girls have become like a part of our family and they love Guillermo so much (the feelings are mutual). I know I will miss them a lot when they no longer need a sitter.

This is Alec and Guillermo. We actually have not seen Alec for a month because he just had a new baby sister...who we are so excited to meet in about a week! Alec is such a sweet kid. He calls Guillermo, "Elmo". That is his way of pronouncing Guillermo:) So cute.

**So my whole point of this post, besides introducing you all to our friends was also to say that I love what I am doing in life. I know the Lord has called me to this right now and I am so thankful. And although I have a huge school loan (that could be paid off easier if I were a nurse), the Lord has not only provided for our basic needs, but he has blessed us richly. He has given us beyond what we need. We never go without food, shelter, clothes, transportation, gas, heat, etc. Francisco and I always say, we live like rich folks without a penny in our pocket. And doesn't that make so much sense? We are children of God and therefore richly blessed. He blows my socks off. We fully understand that we do not deserve any of this and we never entered into a relationship with Jesus just for the blessings he would pour out on us....but we are so very thankful that he does bless and richly so.

La Bamba

So I often have people asking me a lot of questions about Francisco and I's marriage and the language aspect of our relationship...so I thought I would blog every now and then about some funny things that happen in a Spanish speaking home. Anywhere here is my first realization.

So in our first months of marriage, I am not sure why but I started singing La Bamba around the house. Francisco proceeded to ask me what words I was singing....of course I responded with "la la la la bamba" (and I stopped because that was all the words I really knew). He laughed and of course I thought it was just at my singing, but when in reality he told me that the song did not begin with "la la la la Bamba" and that those were actually words that meant something. So all this while I grew up (and I am sure most of you too) thinking that it was "la la la la Bamba" when in all actuality the "la la la la Bamba" is "Para bailar la Bamba"...which means "in order to dance La Bamba".

Anyway, sorry if this wasn't funny to any of you, but to me it was hilarious. Let me know next time I see you Francisco and I can sing it for you...it totally sounds alike. Here are the lyrics below for anyone who cares.

Para bailar la bamba
Para bailar la bamba
Se necesita una poca de gracia
Una poca de gracia pa mi pa ti
Y arriba y arriba
Ay arriba y arriba
Por ti sere, por ti sere, por ti sere

Yo no soy marinero
Yo no soy marinero, soy capitan
Soy capitan, soy capitan

Bamba, bamba
Bamba, bamba
Bamba, bamba
Bamba

Para bailar la bamba
Para bailar la bamba
Se necesita una poca de gracia
Una poca de gracia pa mi pa ti
Ay y arriba y arriba

Para bailar la bamba
Para bailar la bamba
Se necesita una poca de gracia
Una poca de gracia pa mi pa ti
Y arriba y arribaAy arriba y arriba
Por ti sere, por ti sere, por ti sere

Bamba, bamba
Bamba, bamba
Bamba, bamba
Bamba, bamba

Long Time No Post

Sorry blogger world for not posting in a long while. So this last month has been a healing process after losing my grandma. Some days you just break down and cry, other days you are just fine and dandy. Life is strange. Like one friend told me at church the other day, there is only one constant in this life and that is change. We can always expect change. Life will never be the same. I think the Lord has really been teaching me this past year that life is short, always changing and I need to be willing to change with it, He is constantly pressing it upon my heart to change. To become the woman he has created me to be and to live this short, ever changing life to the fullest.

So on that note, in this past month (or maybe it's been a month and a half) since my grandma passed away a lot has changed. Guillermo started walking/running and has been growing like crazy. My husband picked up another job and works a lot, but always seems to have time for us. And as for me, my heart has ached a lot and my perspective on things has changed. My feelings of sadness since losing my grandma have grown stronger as the reality sinks in. Through all this change in life, I am so delighted that my Lord never changes. He is the same yesterday, today and forever. I do not have to wonder if he will ever change....who he says he is, is who he will always be.

Here are some pics to update you all.

Happy Thanksgiving...
Isn't he the cutest cowboy you've ever seen?

The whole fam...times together are few and far between

Aren't they sweet? Cousin Brighton and Guillermo

My sweet little guy...

This one is funny...he sat on the bow on accident...got up and it stuck to him.

Guillermo LOVES to give kisses...poor cousin Abrie she is getting smothered.

With the Lord

My grandma passed away early this morning in her home with my mom and aunt and grandpa by her side. There is deep sorrow in losing this precious person, but there is great joy in knowing that because Jesus died on the cross for our sins and imperfections we can have eternal life and I know my grandma is with Jesus.

Sadly, not everyone has that peace when someone dies and not everyone goes to Heaven..so I constantly give thanks to the Lord that my grandma proclaimed Jesus as her Lord and Savior.

Thank you Jesus for eternal life and thank you for my sweet grandma and friend.

Please pray for coping...but most of all for my grandpa, aunt and my mom who cared for their mother until the end and watched her as she took her last breath. It is not easy and they have a long road ahead.

We covet your prayers

My grandma was admitted to the hospital 4 weeks ago for what we thought was the flu. Since then she has been through 3 surgeries in 3 weeks and on Friday it was decided that she cannot eat and that her options are either to stay in the hospital or go home. She was given only a few days to live. This was hard for her to hear, hard for all of us to hear. My grandma has been a part of my life, she has been a close friend and seriously someone I would call to hang out with on the weekends or when I had a chance.

My grandma has been a great example of someone who loves, someone who forgives, someone who serves and thinks of others before herself. She has been faithful to her husband, her family and her friends. She is beautiful inside and out.

It is hard to wait. It is hard to see her and think we have only days left with her.
She has battled cancer and cancer has won the battle of the physical life, but it has not won her joy, her drive to live, her spunk, her beauty, nor has it won her spiritual life. She will forever be worshipping with Jesus and that I am so thankful for.

If you desire to pray we would so much appreciate it. Please pray for her comfort. For no pain, for no fear for the unknown and for peace. And also for quality of days. She is glad to be going to home to look out the windows and see the cattle over the hill, the pond by her house and the mean jay birds fighting against her favorite cardinals. She is glad to be going home to be with family and the appreciate and enjoy the Lord's creation.

Please pray for my mom, my aunt and my grandpa who are going to be by her side 24-7 until the Lord takes her home. Please pray for their hearts to be comforted, for them to find the peace of the Lord and for them to have no fear as well.




FYI:For those of you do not know and read this, my grandma was diagnosed 2 years ago with end stage ovarian cancer. They did surgery on her and gave her only months to live. After some chemo, she fought the cancer and here she is two years later. There is a lot more that goes into that...but the point is she has outlasted way longer than they thought she was and the doctors have been amazed by her. She not only had quantity, but the 2 years have been quality. She was mobile and able to go places and enjoy life. My favorite part of it all is that she had a year with my baby. We spent lots of time with her and in fact when we go to visit her, he knows exactly who she is and he gets excited. We love grandma, forever.

Mr.Wilson

Last week we went to Wilson's apple orchard with the girls I take care of after school. There is something fun about a tractor ride through the orchard even though there are no apples and then eating an apple turnover and some apple chips afterwards. I loved it! Plus, I could just stare at Mr. Wilson all day long! I know, I'm a little freakish, but he is so darn cute!

The trip to the orchard isn't complete without a picture of Mr.Wilson with Guillermo.

Does he look like he is having fun? He loves tractors and he loves being outside, so he was so happy to he there.

Happy 1st Birthday!

So this past Saturday (Oct.6th) was Guillermo's first birthday! He is officially one year old....YIKES! The time we started eating when we were celebrating is the time I started to push a year ago to deliver this guy. The sad thing is I think we were all done eating (after having seconds and thirds plus dessert) and he had already eaten his cake and opened some gifts and maybe even bathed and went to bed before the time of his arrival one year ago. There are a lot of things you can do in 2 hours and pushing is not one I had ever thought of! Of course it was the best spent 2 hours:)

The stats on my little man:
He weighs in at 21 pounds and 5 ounces.
He is 30 inches long.
He has 3 teeth (2 on the top and 1 on the bottom).
He loves trucks, cars, and steering wheels.
Some of his favorite foods are: bananas, almost any kind of fruit, meats, graham crackers and of course milk! He loves water in a cup and refuses to drink milk out of any other thing than a bottle.
He loves stroller rides and adores other people.
He likes to growl like a lion (I think he is showing his manly side).
He gets excited to see dogs.
He can play for hours with or without other people.
He says, "hola".
He is fiesty.
He smiles and laughs a lot.
He throws fits when I change his diaper and clothes.
He has no separation anxiety (which makes me wonder about his feelings for me:)
He's a lot of fun!

Here are some photos of the birthday prince:)

And now for the cake (tres leches)....

The next Burley

So this is the poor man's version of a Burley:) We have wanted a Burley ever since summer started, but just have not had the opportunity to buy one...soooo...this is what Francisco racked up! I love it! I was able to go for a bike ride with my husband and son for the first time! We went to the ice cream store in Tiffin and then to the Post Office.
I know some of you may think we are crazy and that it doesn't look totally safe...but we felt like it was sturdy and Guillermo loved it!

The Sky is the Limit

Okay here is proof that he has mastered climbing into his highchair. FYI: I was outside real quick to turn the meat on the grill and I looked inside to see where my son was, he was no where to be found. I panicked...looked to my left and there he was sitting in his highchair! He had also just finished eating, so there was no way he was hungary...he just likes to crawl up in there. Even with the tray on, he tries to still attempt it...although it is a little more impossible. I think I have my work cut out for me!
**You got to love the little smile and naughty laugh at the end:)

Did I mention...

Guillermo climbs EVERYTHING!

Rock climber in training?

So Guillermo climbs everything! This started a while back, but now he just can't seem to get his fix throughout the day. He is starting to climb things that weren't meant for climbing.

He also climbed into his highchair by himself. This is a reenactment because by the time I saw him and got my camera he was already sat down eating his left over food from dinner.

My Guy

My guy is now 11 months old. He is a blast. He laughs, smiles, yells with joy, climbs on everything, crawls everywhere, and keeps us entertained. I love each day I spend with him.

Career day care folks

So, I saw an add that a family recently moving from Florida needs someone to watch their two girls from 9-1pm. I thought it would be nice to have some extra cash while I stay home with Guillermo until I actually start working as a nurse. So anyway, I emailed the family to ask them if they were set on having a University student and this is the response I got....

Thank you for responding. No, I'm not set on a university student- I mentioned being a student because we really want to find educated people... not career day care folks... to help out. You are a nurse and would be great for us, I'm sure.

Now, I don't know if anyone else feels this way, but I was actually offended. I think they were bashing career day care folks and also people who don't go to college. I think I took it personally because I always tell Francisco if I would have met him sooner, I wouldn't have gone to college and racked up school loans...I would have been a stay-at-home mom. My deep passion is kids and caring for them. I just felt like they were degrading. What defines up anyway? Education? What makes us smart? I believe the Lord's plan was for me to go to college and I feel blessed by that, but I don't believe that that is what defines me and makes me who I am. I guess all I am saying is there are a lot of people that can go to a University and graduated uneducated and then there are a lot of people who don't go to college and they are some of the most educated people. I just felt like they were very closed minded. Sorry if this sounds harsh...I was just offended.
That's it:)

Happy Anniversary

So August 12th, Francisco and I celebrated our second anniversary! Time flys by. I know we are still sort of considered newly weds, but after you have a baby you no longer feel like a newly wed:) It has been a fast two years and I feel like it's a good reminder of how life is so short. We are only passing through.




We are far from normal:)

Bat woman

Okay ladies and gents,

I was working the night shift and at 5 am I decided to go down to the cafeteria to get something to eat. I was the only one in the hallway and this is what I saw FLYING at my head!...

I had the creeby jeebies! I can't not tell you how freaked out I was the rest of the night. Not to mention I made eye contact with this beast (although, I know they don't see...I still looked right at it). Just to remind you all...this was in the hospital! Can you imagine? These things carry rabies and rabies kills people! GROSS!