Gabe is usually the first one up and he always comes to my side of the bed and waits/asks for me to pull him up, which I do. He will lay next to me and I put my arm around him and we dose off. Luna comes later, usually Ignacio is already up so she climbs up on the other side of me, I put my arm around her and she cuddles up to me. So there I lay on my bed, half asleep with a child laying on either side of me, cuddled up against me. It feels wonderful and I think "how wonderful it is to be a mommy"

Fall is in the air

Fall is always bittersweet for me. Bitter because it means summer is over and the winter is coming but sweet because the trees are beautiful and the weather is nice. It is a pretty season, but I am always sad to see the summer go.

Our Fall began with an annual church camping trip. Encounter church has brought me so much joy. I love this kind, loving and supportive community.

Here is my cute Gabriel. I began working full time (30 hours) in September and I miss him so much! I miss my Luna too, but she has to go to school, so even if I wanted to be with her more during the day I couldn't because she is at school from 9-3:45. Oh how I want more time with them! I was looking forward to a nice weekend of just being with them and not rushing to finish eating, get dressed, get in car, go, go, go.

Well I was so happy that I didn't have to rush the children around and make them stop playing so we can go to school, daycare, jazzercise or soccer practice. They got to play what they wanted without interruption, the downside was Ignacio and I were so busy cleaning the house and making meals for the week that we spent very little time playing with them.

On Saturday night, I was like, "what is the point of working like dogs during the week and then there is not even time on the weekend to enjoy family?". Ignacio said that was why he was so interested in moving to Latin America. There, the middle class families can afford to have maids and cooks without breaking the bank.

I love other countries, but I love my family, friends and church too. If we move, it will be fine and I will try like Paul says to be content whatever my circumstances are;

"Not that I was ever in need, for I have learned how to be content with whatever I have. I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little. For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength." Philippians 4 11-13

I am so content right now with our church that I don't want to move. Why mess up a good thing, right? I worry that I will not feel encouraged without the loving support of Encounter. I believe in community and God even speaks of it's importance. Then on the other hand I know that God's word provides plenty and the bible cna be taken anywhere, then I read those words I feel couragous and think, WOW! how cool to be able to do that. Maybe I can do it! But wait, I can't do it on my own. Thank God because a second after feeling couragous I began to get a little overwhelmed already.

So Fall is here and although I feel I am saying goodbye to a lively party (the summer) and entering a empty house (the winter) I can be content in whatever situation, if I lean on the Lord.

I Wany Candy!

 My Gigi's (great grandma) favorite candy was gum drops. I remember that my Grandma would always bring some when we went to visit her in her apartment and then later when she was in the nursing home.

My Uncle Steve's favorite candy was swedish fish. I remember he always bought some when we went to visit him.

My Dad likes licorice.

I like lemon heads. But my favorite is Air Heads.
Luna's favorite (today) is sour gummy worms.

What is your all time favorite candy?

10 of my Goals this month

Personal Goals

1. Exercise Monday and Wed mornings
2. Get coffee or a drink with a girlfried

Marriage Goals

3. Go salsa dancing

Mothering Goals

4. Begin bedtime early and take time to read 2 stories to children with enthusiasm

Home management goals

5. Hang paintings in bathroom
6. Hang art piece above stairs
7. Paint kickboards and door frames
8. Paint front door
9. Get carpets cleaned
10. Cut and weed wack grass
11. Mulch side yard and garden beds (next month)

A prayer Jounal?

A great blog I read mentioned writting down her prayers in a email.. See her blog below.

I can teach my child!: A Lesson Learned: E-mailing God: "I recently started e-mailing God. Before you get the whole e-mail scene with Jim Carrey in Bruce Almighty in your mind...just hear me out. ..."

Let's see how this would work out for me.
Dear God,
Heal Myriam off her cancer. Give her peace.
Have mercy on my grandmother's soul
Help me to have more energy to get the house work done and play with my children and excersice, prepare great Jazzercise classes and practice my sets.
I pray for contentment in my life as a mom and wife.
Help me to honor you with my finances and pay off my debt and build wealth so I can give me.
I pray for wisdom and revelation to know you better.
Help me to trust in you, worry less, but also make good choices.
I pray also that my friends who are going through deaths and the family or marriage problems and divorce feel comforted by your love.
Thank you for my hard working husband, his job and that he is a great father. Thank you for my 3 awesome sisters, great dad, beautiful children, good health, great church community.
Thank you for my job, Jazzercise, my nieces and inlaws, good childcare and most of all your son and your love.
Amen

What would your list look like? Would it even have an end?

For my nieces..

Many of you will be in high school soon, I though of you as I read this article written by my favorite radio talk show host and I wanted to share it.





On Hell, by Brant Hansen

Finding the "one"

Sometime in 2001 I had a conversation with my youngest sister, Jessi, about boys and relationship and finding the "one". She said to me, "have you ever written down on paper what you want in a guy?" Her question intriged me and I thought it would be interesting to do. So I wrote;
intelligent (bachelors degree)
good dancer
good sense of humor
sensitive
motivated
likes to travel
career driven
honest
Catholic

I stuck the paper in my pocket and didn't think about it again until almost 2 years later when I was engaged to Ignacio. The note just popped in my head and I thought about Ignacio's qualities and it was so similar it was more than wierd. It was like fate or something. I remember having it to look at and compare and it was really amazing. Oh how I wish I still had that paper but I don't..must of lost it or something..in fact the list above is the best I could get from my memory.

But it doesn't matter I have something better, the real thing, everynight in my bed.
My media naranja.........