The Year In Review

In lieu of a lengthy Christmas letter this year, we have opted, yet again, to share our year via the Blog world. This past year was particularly eventful, making this a lengthy review. Read on at your own risk….

So, without further adieu, here is our 2008 Year In Review-

We celebrated Christmas last year with a trip to Arizona to be with family, which included driving over to Anaheim to spend my mom’s birthday at Disneyland. It was Daniel’s first time at the “Happiest Place on Earth” and, although it was insanely busy and crowded, we had a wonderful time all being together. One day after returning home, we were blessed to find out that we were having a girl and that she was completely healthy. We were thrilled and couldn’t wait to meet our little Sofia!

We rang in the New Year in the midst of the ice and chill of Little Rock and spent most of January emptying out the home office, selling furniture, and preparing for the arrival of our new baby girl.

February brought much more cold which left very little opportunity for outdoor play time. We settled at and became members of The Summit church. Daniel and I also took another trip back to Phoenix- this time we had a chance to visit with friends and relax a bit. We enjoyed roaming around the Phoenix Zoo and eating Mexican food at Macayo’s with the McLarens. We also headed up to Anthem to spend a day with the Bouies at the park. Oh the joys of 75 degree days and sunshine! Fernando took another of many business trips, this time to Charlotte, where he and my dearest friend, Kim, had dinner together on my birthday.

March started with much to celebrate. On the 3rd, my sister married Wade Dorffi. Wade has been a much loved member of our family for years and we were thrilled to be able to officially call him our brother-in-law. We enjoyed our first (and only) snowfall in March, which Daniel loved. Of course, we were the only people outside taking pictures in the snow at 7:00 in the morning. Unfortunately the snow melted off by noon that day. It was fun nonetheless! Fernando surprised me with a trip of my own to Charlotte for a girl’s weekend with Kim which included a trip to Asheville to tour and have afternoon tea at the Biltmore Estates and countless hours of uninterrupted scrapbooking. It was a dream trip! We celebrated Easter in northwestern Arkansas with the family of a friend and co-worker from Alltel. It was wonderful to be with a “grandma and grandpa” and feel a part of a family while being so far away from home. Daniel loved the animals they had as well as his ride on the 4-wheeler. It was a great day!

In April we attempted to begin potty training, which failed miserably, much to our disappointment. We were hoping to have at least started that process before Sofia arrived, but it didn’t look like that was a possibility. One thing we’ve known about our Daniel, is that he only does things when HE is absolutely ready and he decided that wasn’t the time. We survived our first (and thankfully, only) tornado season. Admittedly, we spent much time glued to the television wondering if and when to take cover as the tornado sirens rang throughout the city, on several occasions- information that would have been useful to us when Alltel made their original offer!  We joined a wonderful small group from our church that welcomed us with open arms and immediately treated us like family. April also brought a visit from my mom and her sweet friend, “Grandma” Lisa. Daniel had such fun having two grandmas around to dote on him and I certainly enjoyed the extra help and attention as well. We took a trip down to Hot Springs to see the tulips at Garvan Gardens and enjoyed the beautiful weather. They were also in town to attend the special baby shower that Fernando’s boss hosted for me at her home in Maumelle. What a fun day of eating, laughing, and EVERYTHING pink!

As May arrived, we could no longer wait for the arrival of our little one, although each visit to the doctor showed few signs of progress. On Saturday, May 17th, one week before our due date, I felt my water break as I was making lunch for Daniel. A call to the hospital and to our good friend, Adam, and we were on our way to be checked out. We both fully intended to be home in a couple of hours and were surprised and thrilled when they told us that, one way or another, we were having a baby that day! Labor went smoothly and I actually felt only one extremely painful contraction before I was given my epidural. Praise God! Sofia Margaret was born at 12:19 am on Sunday, May 18th. My mom arrived that evening and spent two weeks with us helping us adjust and making sure I was able to get some much needed rest.

June brought with it Arkansas humidity and warm temperatures. We were blessed again to have Fernando’s mom with us for 10 days to help with the baby. Sofia had a hard time adjusting and seemed to cry a lot if she wasn’t being held constantly. Apparently she was completely unaware of the fact that she had an older, extremely needy brother (or she just didn’t care!) So, it was nice to have another set of extra hands. June also brought news of Alltel’s impending buyout by Verizon, which left us with much uncertainty regarding our future in Arkansas and with Fernando’s job. We felt much peace as we braced ourselves for the months ahead and looked forward to our “next step”.

We spent most of July indoors avoiding the heat and humidity. We celebrated the 4th of July at home with burgers and an inflatable pool for Daniel to swim in. A couple weeks later we flew to Phoenix. Fernando had to travel there on business and the extreme unpopularity of Phoenix in the summer made airfare extremely affordable for the rest of us to tag along. First stop upon arrival was Ramiro’s Mexican Food for a couple chorizo and egg burritos- something we’d been craving for months! We celebrated Daniel’s 3rd birthday with a family pool party. And I don’t care what anybody says…I’ll take a “dry heat” any day of the week!

August came and went quickly as Fernando traveled to Ohio and Nebraska and we continued to hide from the heat.

September brought much of the same, but with that came a complete change in our little girl. Having entered her 4th month, Sofia became the sweetest, happiest, EASIEST baby we’d ever seen. She started sleeping through the night and continued to grow by leaps and bounds. In addition, Daniel decided he was ready to begin potty training and did so like a champ! Not knowing if we would be in Little Rock long term, we decided to forego house hunting and signed another 6-month lease at our apartment complex.

In October we excitedly welcomed the cooler weather and beautiful change of leaves (our favorite time of the year). Rumors began to spread that most of Alltel would indeed be severed and we began praying that God would move us back to Arizona- something we hadn’t wanted to do before. On Halloween, we got together with our small group and took our little Pumpkin and sweet Puppy out for trick-or-treating…something Daniel still talks about.

In November we anticipated more news regarding Fernando’s job as the FCC and the Justice Department approved the buyout- making it official. Two weeks into the month, we were asked if we would like to move back to Phoenix, although it would have meant a loss of title for Fernando, something he was willing to do in order to get us back. Within the week we found out that, not only were we going home, but Alltel was giving us a full relocation package and Fernando was going to keep his current position. God is SO good! The only drawback? We were moving in three weeks! We broke the news to as many people as we were able, and starting making as many preparations as we could, which included shipping the dog out to my folks. We had planned a trip to San Antonio to spend Thanksgiving with our good friends, Ron and Susan King, and were looking forward to seeing them after almost 2 years. Three days before we were scheduled to leave I took a pregnancy test that resulted in a definite “positive” and we were stunned to learn that kiddo number three was on his or her way! Shocked by our news, we loaded the car and drove ten hours to San Antonio. We were there just long enough to spend a day at the zoo and an evening out by the fire before driving ten hours home on Thanksgiving Day. The King family was very sick and we decided they didn’t need us around, nor could we afford to get sick with our move only 5 days away. We enjoyed a wonderful “Thanksgiving feast” at a Cracker Barrel just outside of Dallas and rolled into Little Rock around 11:30 that night. I still managed to be up at dawn to do my after Thanksgiving shopping with good friends, Sharon and Julie, but was home by 9:00 am and sick with the stomach flu. We spread the flu around our family for the next several days and ended up postponing our move until the following week.

On December 3rd, my mom made her final trip to Little Rock to fly back with me and the kids. We celebrated a first birthday with good friends from our small group on Saturday the sixth, had lunch with Sharon and Julie and made our way to the airport. Everything was running smoothly until we stepped onto the jet way and Daniel’s flu returned in full force. It was an extremely difficult flight home and I’ve never been happier to land anywhere in my life! Fernando arrived the following Saturday, just as the moving crew carried the last load into the house and pulled away. We got settled as soon as we could and set up our Christmas tree. A couple days later we were asked to sing at our church’s Christmas Eve services (all 6 of them) and said yes without so much as a thought. We were thrilled to be home and able to serve again at Palm Valley. Sofia was dedicated on Sunday the 21st and we were blessed to have both of our kids dedicated by our pastor and friend, Greg Rohlinger. That afternoon, my sister and Wade arrived from Flagstaff and we celebrated our family Christmas as well as my mom’s birthday. That’s what we missed the most about being away from home. Unfortunately the day ended on a sad note as my grandma fell in our yard on her way to the car and broke her hip. She went to the hospital that night and had surgery to put a pin in her hip the next day. Surgery went well and she was in good spirits on Christmas when we went to visit her. She is now in a rehab facility and is on the road to recovery. Our Christmas Eve services were a blast and a blessing as we saw so many faces at in attendance, some who had never darkened the door of a church before. We were thrilled to be a part of it. Christmas was a whirlwind, but such fun. Daniel’s face Christmas morning was priceless and something we’ll remember for years to come. We are excited to be back and await more news of Fernando’s job as the Alltel buyout is set to close next week.

2008 was a year full of change, excitement, and blessings more countless than we could believe. We anticipate many more changes and blessings in 2009 as we prepare for the arrival of our newest addition and all that is to come!

Happy New Year!

Ooops!

More like WOW! It's official...we are having another baby. After years of trying for the first two (and necessary help from the medical profession), we are pregnant with number three. We have known for a few weeks but got confirmation today at our first doctor visit.

Less than a week before Thanksgiving, with a road trip and cross-country move on the horizon, we began to wonder if pregnancy wasn't a possibility. It all started with a Friday afternoon phone call to Fernando at work. In telling him about my day, I mention how exhausted I was and how, "if I didn't know any better", I would have thought I was pregnant. He basically dared me to take a test. So, I dug one out of the bathroom cabinet that was over a year expired. Low and behold it was positive- instantly. I think I stared at it in shock for about 10 minutes and then called Fernando back and asked him to pick up a "new" test at the store. He left work immediately and headed home. About an hour later, not one, but two tests had confirmed what, at the time, was my greatest fear. We sat in stunned silence before the reality of the news hit.

All I knew was that I was somewhere between 4 and 8 weeks along and we didn't have time to find out specifically. Two days later, we piled in the car and headed for San Antonio knowing that the moving crew would arrive two days after we returned. Little did we know that we would come home within 72 hours with the most heinous case of the stomach flu known to man and that it would travel from one member of the family to another for a good two weeks. Once we got to Phoenix, I called my OB and made the first appointment I could get- today, December 29th.

We are due July 3rd which puts me at 13 weeks. I had a great first trimester, and we are considering it a blessing that we made it as far as we did under as much stress as we were with a healthy baby. When I took that first test we were indeed at 8 weeks.

The initial shock of having two children 13 months apart has begun to wear off. I know many of you have been in similar situations and some have even elected that. For those of us who were content with 2 children (and prefer to do things in even numbers anyway) :) and didn't intend on having any more, the thought of a third coming that close to the second was a bit unnerving.

We are excited and blessed to be expecting an addition to the family- regardless of the fact that this will be the third child born in the summer (in the Arizona summer, no less) I thought the Lord and I had already discussed that....

In addition, we are currently taking donations to buy a larger vehicle and put in a backyard swimming pool in order to accommodate all of the summer birthday parties we will be hosting in the years to come. Praise God!

Buh Bye

I spend most of the year anticipating for and preparing for Christmas. It is, by far, my favorite time of the year. I love the sights, the sounds, and the smells. But, it never fails- come December 26th- I'm over it! I gear up for the coming new year and have the overwhelming urge to purge my home of everything we no longer use and organize, organize, organize! Something about the extra clutter the season brings or the business causes me to desire a clean, fresh, new start- and I want it to begin as soon as possible. Our tree is still up, which may not sound odd to most. However, there have been years where Christmas has "died" at our house before sundown on the 26th. I remember a simpler time (and by simpler I mean "before we had children") when I didn't mind if the tree stayed up through New Years. But apparently the addition of extra bodies and MUCH extra junk, has become a tad overwhelming.

As I look up from the computer and glance around the house, I wonder... should I get the boxes out of the garage and start undecorating the tree??? That's so depressing. Please tell me I'm not the only one...

Merry Christmas

On this Christmas morning, I wanted to share this incredible video. It was part of our Christmas Eve services and I pray you find it as meaningful as I did. Blessings!

Bah Humbug

I'm not sure why it is...but for some reason, every year, I lose my Christmas "spirit" around three days before Christmas. This year is no different. Maybe it's the crowds of rushing, rude people that are seemingly everywhere. Maybe it's the stress of the last minute things I forgot that just need to be done. Maybe it's sheer exhaustion from spending the previous 2 months making Christmas special. Whatever the case may be, around this time, I begin wishing I could go to sleep and wake up on the 26th (or better yet, January 2nd). We have so much to be thankful for this year, as always, and are thrilled to be home. We are excited about being a part of the Christmas Eve services at Palm Valley- even though the very thought of singing 6 services makes me tired-we can't wait to see the look on Daniel's face Christmas morning and celebrate our first Christmas with our little Sofaloaf. But I still can't seem to shake the funk I'm under. I'm sure the stress and whirlwind of the move has a lot to do with it. It could also be attributed to the fact that I have one of the worse head colds I've had in years. Singing six services will be extra challenging this year. Ultimately, I think it's because my grandma fell leaving our house Sunday night and broke her hip. Thankfully, she made it through surgery just fine. So again we have much to be grateful for.

I suppose it could be a culmination of everything. I know it will pass, most likely at around 4:00 this afternoon when the band starts to play- seems to happen that way every year. The attack of the enemy is no joke and we've been under heavy fire the last month. Even as I write this, I realize that this happens every time we sing. Someone doesn't want us up there. All the more reason to claim the promises of God and rejoice in the birth of His Son. Bring it on!

Finally...

The house is empty of boxes, the cable and internet are set up (insert "Hallelujah Chorus" here), and our halls are decked. We are feeling much more settled and are as ready as we will ever be for the holidays. Our festivities begin tomorrow and we are looking forward to celebrating the birth of our Savior with friends and family. There's no place like home for the holidays!

It's Official...

We're home! As of 8:00 pm, Saturday, December 6th, we are once again official residents of Arizona! The last month has been a whirlwind of events and major life change, so I will do my best to sum up what we've been through... (Those of you who know me well, know that I don't "sum up" very well. You could be in for a very long post)

Since word of Alltel's buyout reached us in June, we've been very unsure of where we would end up. Our nature was to assume that Fernando would most likely lose his job and look elsewhere for employment, meaning we would most likely be moving out of Little Rock some time in the following months.

About 2 weeks before Thanksgiving, we were asked if Fernando would be willing to lose his title in order for us to be transferred back home. There was a chance that could be worked out and we would most likely receive a little money to help cover the expense of our move. He decided it would be worth it, since he would eventually be unemployed anyway. At least that way, we'd be back in Phoenix. Later that day, he received a call asking if we would like to drive or fly back to Arizona. His boss was putting together a full relocation package for us! We were told it was pending approval by the Executive Vice President, so not to get our hopes up. Obviously, we chose to fly home and prepared to wait what we expected to be a few days before we knew one way or the other. Not 20 minutes later, another call came through. The EVP took one look at the proposed relocation package and said, "Make this work. Take care of the Oronas"- without so much as a glance at how much it would cost the company. We were headed home! In less than 3 weeks!

We were shocked and thrilled, but couldn't believe it when Fernando was even able to retain his current position. The very best part? He will have a job when the buyout is complete. There is much to work out and lots of confidentiality surrounding the decisions being made at the moment. So look for more to come on that...

Even as I write, the moving truck is being loaded with the last of our belongings in Little Rock and will hit the road. Our renters have vacated our old house in Goodyear and the truck is expected to arrive by Saturday- it will be like we never left, with the exception of our newest addition, of course!

We are so thankful for our 14 months in Little Rock. We made some wonderful friends and learned so much about ourselves and what is most important to us. Our family is stronger and has grown (not only in number) tremendously. In addition, we have come back with a fresh perspective and new appreciation for our life in Arizona. We are thrilled to be back with family and friends and anxious to serve again at Palm Valley Church as soon as possible!

We are eternally grateful to our Alltel "family" for the love and support we've been given over the last year. Fernando has learned so much from the leadership at Alltel and we have been so blessed by the character and concern of the management there for their employees and our family in particular. How can we ever say enough thanks to CJ Duvall, Debbie Northington, and Naomi Stratton? Adam, we love you and will miss you terribly! You better plan a trip to Arizona soon. Sharon and Julie, my shopping buddies, thanks for making us feel loved and getting me out of the house when I SO desperately needed it! There's much better shopping here so let me know when you're coming. We will do some SERIOUS damage! To the rest of the Talent Acquisition team, thanks for your constant smiles and hugs for our kids. You're the best!

Our amazing small group from The Summit church- the Halberg, Kennedy, Cleveland, Thomas, and Copeland families- you are loved and will be missed tremendously. We knew the first week we were there, you were the group for us! Thanks for being our family away from home and for making us feel loved and connected.

We are excited to see what God has in store for us back in Arizona and are so grateful He chose to bring us back here and are looking forward to a fresh start...

Merry Christmas from Arkansas!

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

Six Months Old and Sweeter Than Ever!

Our baby girl is six months old and we can hardly believe it. Before we know it, we'll be celebrating a very big 1st birthday! What a little bundle of joy she is. Sofia is pure happiness, full of giggles and toothless grins.

Besides rolling all around and enjoying a countless array of fruits and vegetables, Sofia loves to be tickled and to laugh. Her favorite thing to look at is her brother's face- nothing makes her happier!

After her 6 month exam, the doctor declared her "perfect!" and we couldn't agree more.

Things You Should Not Do When Your Child Wakes You Up at 4:45 am...

• Decide not to bother going back to bed so that you can get a shower in
• Postpone making coffee until "closer to breakfast"
• Sit on the most comfortable chair in your home
• Decide to start reading...anything
• Allow the dog to get up and start barking at the door
• Start cleaning
• Turn on ANY children's programming during the day
• Skip nap time, even if it means your kid will be up until 10:30 tonight
• Attempt to accomplish anything of consequence before bedtime
• Take two kids and a dog to the most socially retarded and moderately rude veterinarian in the greater Little Rock area...in the pouring rain.

Priceless

I am constantly amazed at how fast our kids grow, but for some reason, over the past two weeks, Daniel has grown by leaps and bounds. He is talking in complete sentences and replys appropriately when we speak to him, making conversations a possibility for the first time. We say "thank you", he says "you're welcome"- without prompting. As I'm writing this I am sitting on the floor in our bathroom (thank God for laptops) while Daniel enjoys an early morning bath- (never mind why). As he scoops up soapy water and pours it over himself he says "Mommy, look-it's like rain. God made rain." I love that!

Love Waking Up to This Face

It doesn't get any better than this. I can't help but look forward to seeing it every morning!

I Want my Mommy

Germs of some unknown sort entered our home the other day and are ruthlessly passing from one person to the next. Daniel started with a fever last Wednesday. By Thursday, the fever was almost gone, which gave way to the snuffy, runny nose and the horrible coughing. He managed to muster enough energy to Trick-or-Treat on Friday, but continues to battle the most stubborn cold he's ever had. Saturday morning, Sofia woke up with a fever, which reached it's peak that afternoon at 103 degrees. I had visions of us in the E.R. at Arkansas Children's Hopsital, but thankfully the Tylenol has managed to keep it down. It is still hovering aroun 100 degrees and she remains virtually snot free, at least at the moment. Over the last 5 days, we've gone through more Tylenol, cold medicine, and Kleenex that I ever thought possible, with no sign of relief.

Then, last night, the unthinkable happened. I found myself with a fever. I know what's coming. So here I sit, popping my own Tylenol, nursing back to health two sick kids, with a husband traveling to Florida for an entire week.

I want my mommy!

No matter how old you get, when you're sick, there's only one person who can make you feel any better. I remember countless times of laying on the couch with my pillow, remote control in hand, watching cartoons while mom brought me plenty of liquids and lunch on my metal Strawberry Shortcake tray. It's easy to want your mommy when you're not feeling your best. Who do you go to when you are the mommy?

Trick-or-Treat

What a fun day! Daniel couldn't wait to put his costume on and get his treats. He has finally gotten to an age where he can fully participate and understand what is going on and boy was he ever excited!

We ran some errands during which Daniel told everyone he came in contact with that he was going to be a puppy dog. You can imagine his excitement when he received his first official "treat" from the greeter at Walmart.

That evening, we gobbled down some food, threw the costumes in the car and headed over to our Halloween Party at the Halberg's. As we waited for some late stragglers and had cupcakes to celebrate Will's birthday, Daniel could do nothing but pace around the house. He was ready to go! We had such fun walking around the Halberg's neighborhood watching the kids trick-or-treat. Our little pumpkin, Sofia, enjoyed the evening from the comfort of her stroller and even got to trick-or-treat once herself.

Dan and Misty (okay, so really it was all Misty) did a great job putting together a fun night for the kids, complete with goodies, crafts, and the monster mash. We are very blessed to have such great friends here and are so thankful we have such fun Halloween memories.

Sofia's sweet ride

Birthday boy, Will, and Daniel needed a break

Our Arkansas Pumpkin

Four days later and this is what our pumpkin looks like- a true Arkansan. All it needs is a pick up truck, a gun rack, a confederate flag, and a cousin named Bubba.

And, no, that is not "blood" dripping off of his teeth. It's actually candle wax. (I figured Allison would point that out) Arkansans may not be known for their impeccable dental hygiene, but they're certainly not vampires. :)

How We Spent Our Weekend

If this post really lived up to its title, I would have nothing but pictures of the four of us in our pajamas watching television. It really was quite unproductive and lazy. Those are the best kinds of weekends. However, Fernando got a burst of energy and motivation and decided to help Daniel carve our Halloween pumpkin- his first one, ever. Of course, the words "help Daniel carve" means, quite literally, doing the entire job himself while Daniel plays with the pumpkin guts, throws seeds everywhere, and sings the theme song to the Imagination Movers. Alas, here are the fruits of Fernando's labor...(no pun intended) Or is a pumpkin a vegetable?

Things to be Thankful For on Thursday

• a baby girl who sleeps through the night
• a nip in the air that means Fall is officially here
• a chance to get outdoors and enjoy the beautiful weather
• Pumpkin Spice Lattes while shopping at Target
• great deals on Christmas presents
• gas for $2.45 a gallon (sad, but true)
• drives along tree lined streets
• leaves that change
• laughter that comes with being told by your son that you look like Mr. Noodle (or should I be offended?)
• knowing my husband will be home tomorrow
• good friends back home who are praying for us
• lunch and a movie on Saturday with the girls
• Mallowmars- the worlds BEST cookie
• text messages that allow me to talk to my sister-in-law at 11:30 at night- love you, Jule!

Why Kids Can't Read

Of all the issues that are concerns in this next election, education ranks at the top of the list in my book. I am notably disturbed by the lack of importance that has been placed on education during this campaign season. It has been overshadowed by the economy and the war in Iraq. Somehow, it always seems to fall short in the list of governmental priorities- although it is fundamental to maintaining the economy and our national security. The final presidential debate focused on the issue of education briefly, as it would be improper to ignore it completely, but neither candidate had an acceptable answer or platform for the failing education system in our country. I marginally agree with each candidate and, at the same time, scorn the idiocy of our politicians. McCain claims that choice and competition are the answer. I agree wholeheartedly with this. If there is no competition, there is no motivation. Any business owner in the country will tell you that. The FCC, in fact, does everything in it's power to eliminate the possibility for corporations to create monopolies. Why? Because monopolies foster abuse- costs go up and quality goes down. Hold the public schools accountable by creating some healthy competition and let parents choose where their kids go to school by offering vouchers of some sort.

Obama's cure is to give teachers further training, hold them accountable, and throw more money at the problem. Teachers are already required to take additional classes in professional development yearly, simply to keep their certification- a task that is increasingly difficult when one is trying to balance work and family. Bear in mind that teaching is one of the few professions, if not the only one, where the cost of continuing one's education comes directly out of his/her own meagerly filled pocket. Ironically, many of the same politicians who use the phrase "hold teachers accountable" wonder why teachers spend an entire year teaching towards tests and why, at the end of the year, students have actually retained very little information. Case in point- the AIMS test in Arizona. Don't even get me started on the oxymoron that is politicians preaching professional accountability. That's a blog for a different day. I do agree, however, that education is shamefully under-funded, and teachers are shamefully underpaid.
Although, ironically, the United States pours more money into education than any other nation. Apparently it costs a fortune to raise generations of children lacking basic reading, writing, and arithmetic skills. The problem is that more money, if not allocated correctly will do nothing more than drain the federal budget. Some of the poorest performing schools in the nation receive the most funding. Has anyone tried to determine why this is?

Journey with me into a typical American classroom. Let's propose that a teacher has 24 kids in her class (an average amount-and very low for some schools). Just for the sake of argument, those 24 kids are divided evenly into three different groups of learners- kinesthetic, auditory, and visual. Eight students learn by doing, eight learn by hearing, and eight learn by seeing. The task at hand: teach the class that 2+2=4. In a 30 minute period, the concept needs to be introduced, demonstrated, practiced, reviewed, and assessed using 3 different methods. Now consider that two of those students have been diagnosed with a learning disability and have an individualized education plan (IEP). This adds two new methods of instruction (a total of 5 different ways to teach that 2+2=4). Three of the students have been diagnosed with ADHD. One of whom is so heavily medicated that he is listless and half asleep on his desk. Across the room another student, whose parents are going through a divorce is gazing out the window unaware that instruction is even taking place. A gifted child is so bored that she's acting out, two other students are Spanish speakers, and a visually impaired student is having trouble keeping track in his braille textbook. In the meantime, two kids are in a fight in the back of the room that started on the playground over a ball, a child with an emotional disorder needs to go to the nurse for her daily dose of antidepressant, and the gifted student has now managed to disrupt the entire room by throwing eraser bits at her classmates in an attempt to entertain herself. As the teacher heads to the back to break up the argument, a screeching alarm goes off and she is suddenly reminded that it's fire drill day. At the end of the day, the teacher is exhausted and heads home to grade countless papers, finish her lesson plans for the week, and do homework for her continuing education class. Twenty-four kids go home to play video games and watch television- none of whom know that 2+2=4.

Does anyone care that this teacher graduated at the top of her class? Does anyone care that she passed her education exams with flying colors? Does anyone care that she spends 4-5 hours an evening focused on her classroom? Not at all. Because when it all comes down to it, her school district will reprimand and/or fire her for her classroom's lack of achievement and she will inevitably be visited at some point during the year by 24 sets of parents all telling her how to do her job.

Competition? Money? Teacher training? Accountability? Are these really the answers our education system needs to recruit and retain quality teachers? Will our students really be better off? Inevitably these are the "miracle cures" that our government will throw at education in vain. We couldn't possibly group students according to ability, that wouldn't be fair. Some kids would grow up thinking that they struggle academically and we couldn't possibly damage their psyche. I suppose it's better that they just don't learn at all.

In addition, parents cannot possibly be responsible for the character education of their own children. Isn't it the public school's job to teach kids about respect, kindness, sharing, and self-esteem? And let's not forget about sex education, drug awareness, nutrition, and basic hygiene. We have to make room in our curriculum for these vital life lessons.

Is it any wonder our kids can't read?

To the Pumpkin Patch We Go

One of the great things about living in Little Rock, is all of the family activities that go on here and how accessible they are. We are literally minutes from lakes, hiking trails, parks, and farms that host myriads of events for kids. Last Fall, as we watched the leaves begin to turn, I wanted so badly to take Daniel to the pumpkin patch. As a scrapbooker, I had a pumpkin themed layout already planned in my head and was determined to capture the most adorable pictures of my son amidst a countless array of pumpkins. My in-laws had planned a visit for the end of October and I hoped they would join us for our pumpkin patch extravaganza. Weeks and weeks went by but I was determined to make this a memory for all of us, so we postponed our trip to the pumpkin patch until Nana and Tata arrived. The weekend they were with us, we loaded up the car and drove out to the pumpkin patch only to find that the rain we'd had the previous week had flooded the entire farm and the pumpkin patch was closed. Gritting my teeth, I got back in the car and we turned around to head home- no pumpkin patch, no pictures, no memories...

This year, I was not about to let the same thing happen. So, this morning, we made another attempt to go to the pumpkin patch. Scrapbooking page still in mind, I grabbed the camera, made sure the memory card was cleared, and out the door we went. Anyone, however, who knows our son, knows that when we get him to a public place like that-especially one geared towards kids his age- he becomes completely schizophrenic. We could not get him to sit still or look directly at the camera to save our lives. We spent the entire visit saying, "Daniel, stop." Daniel, look." "Daniel, smile!". But, alas, Daniel found the dirt, rocks, and sticks lying on the ground decidedly more interesting than the pumpkins themselves. The only consolation was that we heard similar phrases from the mouths of EVERY other parent there. There were a lot of frustrated scrapbookers at the pumpkin patch today.

All in all, we did have a really great time. Daniel loved the hayride, the petting zoo, the pig races, and picking out his very own pumpkin, which I'm fairly certain outweighs him by about 15 lbs. Daniel especially loved being outdoors and we certainly didn't mind spending some time out on a day like today- sunny and 70 degrees (we know all of our friends and family back home are jealous...isn't it supposed to drop down into the mid-nineties for you this week?). It was a great day...and we even managed to get a few pictures.

Happy Birthday

Our little Sofia is five months old today! It still seems like we just brought her back from the hospital days ago- the time has gone by so fast. She continues to grow and change each day,though, and we are amazed at how much she has blossomed over the last few weeks. These days, Sofia loves rolling over on her belly, eating peas, and blowing rasberries. Happy birthday little one!

Fun Friday

Our weather is definitely cooling off and it's beginning to feel more like Fall. That means more outside time for all of us- hallelujah! Today we took advantage of the 75 degree temperature and headed outdoors for what Daniel calls "exporing". He loved playing in the dirt, poking the ants, blowing bubbles, and drawing with sidewalk chalk. Here are some shots of our super fun Friday.

You Know It's Gonna Be a Bad Day When...

Your breakfast turns out like this...

In my defense, I was not making the eggs and I am not at liberty to tell you who was. Although, contrary to popular belief, it was not Daniel. Maybe tomorrow will be better, or maybe we'll just have cold cereal for breakfast.

Mom's Tagged List

Writing out six random thoughts about yourself doesn't sound like such a difficult thing to do, but I'm finding it very challenging. Maybe its trying to condense the randomness of the last half-century or so down to 6 things that's most challenging. So. . . .here you go!

Some of my fondest memories growing up was my dad playing his guitar while we cleaned up the dishes after dinner, or on a quiet Sunday afternoon. Our house was always filled with music and singing (and the wonderful smell of great Italian food!).

I have an awesome family and I especially love being "grandma". Just looking at my grandkids' pictures makes me smile from the inside out.

My favorite time of day is my early morning quiet time with my Bible, a good cup of coffee, and a great smelling candle (I like the spicy, fruity ones the best).

I love the smell of pine trees and the sound of the wind whistling through their branches.

Would love to get the whole Reckard clan together in one place for a "family reunion".

I love to travel. Always wanted to be a flight attendant, but it never happened. I love seeing new places and experiencing new things. I was even one of those crazy kids who enjoyed moving. It was fun to me to wake up in a new room, in a new house.

That's about as random as it gets.

Thanks for doing this, Mom. I love learning these little things about you. Love you lots!

Tagged

I got tagged by my wonderful cousin-in-law, Anna. :) Thanks for giving me something else to think about besides what's on the news! I needed that!


The rules are:
~Post the rules on your blog
~Write 6 random things about yourself
~Tag 6 people at the end of your post~If you are tagged, just do it, and pass the tag along!


Okay, random things about me… (this could be more difficult than I thought)

1) I love this time of year, the onset of Fall, because of the cooler temperatures and the changing leaves. It means that change is coming and the holidays are right around the corner. I live for them all year long.

2) I love old music, and I mean OLD, like Ain't She Sweet and Let Me Call You Sweetheart, because it reminds me of my precious grandpa whom I miss so much!

3) My oldest memory is of the nursery at First Baptist Church of Metuchin. I remember the cribs and the Fisher Price activity boards hanging on them. I had to be less than 2 years old.

4) I am a travel junkie and love planning trips for us to take (truth be told, I love planning anything). The trip I'm most looking forward to is going to New York during the holidays. I can't wait to see the tree at Rockafeller Center, the Rockettes at Radio City, shop at Macy's, ice skate in Central Park, and have afternoon tea at the Waldorf Astoria.

5) I'm a sucker for romance. I love Pride and Prejudice, Anne of Green Gables, misty bridges, and kisses in the rain.

6) When I was young, I hated Mexican food. It ranked just under liver and onions in my book. Now, not only did I marry a Mexican :), but I can't get enough of it. I crave things like chorizo, carne asada, mole, green chile, enchiladas, and Julie's chicken tacos!

My turn to tag. Do I have to stick to 6? Hmmmm. I tag-
Mom
Lisa
Allison
Stephanie
Kimbasa
Shannon

Mom and Lis- email me your list and I'll post it here. :) Hugs to you all!

42 ...

days until the Presidential election, and I, for one, don't think it's coming soon enough. Can I stand 42 more days of political commercials, biased media coverage, and attacks being slung from one side to the other? I think not!

42- an interesting number and one I've learned a lot about in the last few days. I recently spent an afternoon at the William J. Clinton Presidential Library. Because of my love of history, I have vowed to visit as many presidential libraries as I can before I die. My first visit was to the LBJ library in Austin, TX. There are definitely some I'd prefer to visit over others, but proximity plays a big role in determining which libraries I get to first. Being that we live in Little Rock, I have no excuse for not visiting Clinton's.

William Jefferson Clinton was the 42nd president of the United States. The Clinton library is of particular interest to me because it highlights the events surrounding the presidency of a man who held office during a significant time of my life- my adolescent and college years. I remember, first hand, so much of what happened during that time. And I also realize how little I paid attention to what was going on in world events- outside the "world of me". Sound familiar to anyone else?

I have visited this library twice now and each time I go, I learn a bit more about who Clinton was and what his presidency was all about- there's still much to figure out...

My first visit left me with a more positive opinion of him than I had previously had in terms of some of his economic and social policies. Much good was accomplished during this time and, as with all of his predecessors, there were some mistakes made along the way. I really tried to keep an open mind and learn all that I could. This second visit left me with a much different view. Perhaps all that I've seen and heard recently from our candidates, congressmen, and political analysts, has reaffirmed my original take on the politics of the 1990s and some of the leaders of the democratic party- namely, the Clintons. Or perhaps I'm just soured on politics altogether. I'm not naive enough to believe everything that politicians say. I rarely believe anything they say- and that is on both sides of the coin. But nothing irritates me more than outright dishonesty and skillfully crafted contradictions. It irritates me to no end to hear them make excuses for themselves and crucify those on the opposing side for the same behavior. I no longer care that we have individuals in government that I don't agree with. I DO care that we have individuals (and glorify them nonetheless) that I can't even respect. We must have more than a few hundred spines laying around somewhere because there are Democrats and Republicans in Washington functioning without them.

With all the talk and criticism we have heard about the war over the past couple of years, I have started to sit up and take notice of both sides of this issue. No one can deny, not even our Democratic presidential nominee, that the surge is working and victory is finally in sight. Does that mean there haven't been mistakes made along the way? Absolutely not. History may very well prove that Iraq is indeed the wrong battlefield- anyone who can see 10 years into the future, feel free to stand up and make your case. Otherwise, we will just have to wait and see. It amazes me, though, that there is seemingly an entire party of politicians that claim to be against the war- some didn't think we had any right to go there in the first place. Does anyone remember what happened here on September 11th, 2001? Right, wrong, or indifferent, the one thing we can be sure about is that for the past 7 years, there has not been another attack on American soil. As a wife, mother, and an American- that matters to me!

Don't get me wrong, there are many other issues of concern that will effect the elections this year, but this one keeps coming back to mind. It is so closely linked to all the others. My weekend visit to the Clinton Library has once again left me pondering the war and what is fundamentally wrong with our government. Unless you visit Little Rock and spend some time touring the Clinton Library, you will not have the privilege of hearing these words (spoken by Clinton himself). Should you be planning a visit, spend the extra $3 for the audio tour. It is SO worth it! Former President Clinton will guide you through the library offering insight into what you are seeing and sharing some of his heartfelt convictions.

While gazing upon the "Foreign Policy" wall, Clinton's voice resonating in my ear, I was shocked by what I heard him say. He discussed the progress his administration made in the Balkans and Northern Ireland and then turned his attention to the Middle East. According to President Clinton, the Democratic party's golden child, little was done to secure this area of the world, although there were "7 years of progress toward peace" (we must not use the same dictionary because my definition of progress and his differ significantly). However, in response to his own foreign policy in the Middle East, he had this to say in closing...

and I quote-

"When America is involved, less people die. Sometimes, it's good to fight for peace, even when you don't fully succeed."

I'm sorry...what was that again?

Can I get that in writing #42? I think you have some colleagues (not to mention a wife) that might be interested in knowing that's where you stand...

Ode to Fall

Fall is officially here and I, for one, am thrilled. We finally get to experience Fall in all its splendor here- it is one of the things I love the most about living in Little Rock. There is so much to look forward to and love about this time of the year.

What I love about Fall...

• Changing leaves
• Cool, crisp mornings
• Pumpkin Spice lattes from Starbucks (although they always get trumped by the Peppermint Mochas that arrive with the holiday season)
• Apple cider
• Pumpkins
• Warm sweaters
• Hot soup on cold days
• Watching "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown"
• Spending the evening in front of a roaring fire
• Dressing up my kids for Halloween
• Trick-or-treating
• Meals prepared in the oven
• The Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade
• Thanksgiving dinner
• Black Friday shopping
• the onset of the holiday season

This Fall will bring many other blessings as we celebrate more of Sofia's "firsts" and, Lord willing, receive news of our future with or without Verizon and another possible relocation. Yes, Fall brings a lot to look forward to and I'm so glad it's here!

Sofaloaf

Four months has gone by in a flash- or rather, a blur. :) I cannot believe that Sofia is 4 months old! We have entered the wonderful and explosive world of spoon-feeding. I think this time around, I may head to Home Depot to invest in some large plastic tarps and a pair of protective goggles. This next stage does mark my favorite baby age- the period between 4 and 6 months. And, despite the challenges that come with spoon-feeding and increased mobility, the next few months promise to be fun, fun, fun!

Sofia received a big "thumbs up" from her pediatrician today and is a textbook baby as far as hitting her developmental milestones- in fact, she's a bit ahead of the curve- which comes as no surprise to us! As far as her growth is concerned, here are her most recent stats:

Weight- 14 lbs. 5 oz.
Length- 26 inches
Head Circumference- 16 1/2 inches

I was shocked to learn that Sofia is in the 70th percentile for weight and the 95th for length. Those of you who "knew me when" remember the days of trying to get Daniel to weigh out of the 5th-10th percentile- to no avail, I might add. So, having a baby rank in the 70th is a huge change. No pun intended.

Regardless of how much she weighs or how long she is, we are so thrilled to have her and blessed to watch her grow!

We love you Sofaloaf!

Praising God!

No matter where you are or what you are facing, on September 11th, you are always a little extra thankful to God for his hand of protection and all that he has done for you and your family. Today, we are particularly grateful. My heart is still pounding a bit from what I found when I opened Daniel's door after his nap this afternoon...

On the floor, was a picture that had been hanging on his wall. The picture was about 2 feet from the frame and next to the frame were large pieces of broken glass. I immediately got a lump in my throat and frantically checked Daniel for any cuts or bleeding. He seemed to be fine, with the exception of a tiny cut on his toe. One kiss and a band-aid and he recovered. I then sent him out of the room so that I could clean up the mess and thoroughly vacuum the carpet.

My eyes filled with tears as I got a closer look at the pieces of glass on the floor and I immediately began thanking the Lord for keeping my baby boy safe. Here are some of the pieces I found. It is ONLY by the grace of God that Daniel did not get seriously hurt.

Let's just say that the rest of the pictures have been removed and placed well out of reach. I will happily live with blank walls and will begin my search for foam and/or rubber home decor items!

I'm Now An Expert

I consider myself a source of countless pieces of completely useless information. Today, I learned something that even amazed me. It is possible to clean an entire bottle of Mr. Bubbles out of carpeting- just in case you were wondering.

We are potty training...again. You parents of two and three year olds understand the "again". I can see you nodding sympathetically. I'm happy to report that we've been much more successful this time. Daniel has actually managed to "go" in the potty. This is quite an accomplishment considering the months it took for him to learn to sit on the thing. Two years and 4 potty seats later, we might actually accomplish this task! At any rate, he has managed to go, but prefers to do so with some privacy. Inevitabley, as soon as he's seated he asks us to leave. Pointing at the door and saying "Mommy, you go" is the three-year-old equivalent to asking, I suppose. This morning, I left as usual. Moments later Daniel appeared in the doorway of the bedroom. I put on my best "you did it!" face and prepared to overreact to his accomplishment. But, instead of telling me he did it, I was informed that he needed new socks. I immediately aniticipated the worst, or so I thought, and expected to find a puddle on the floor. I did, but it was not the puddle I was anticipating. It was a thick, slimy, soapy puddle and it was far worse than I assumed. One hour, 48 oz. of water, and an entire linen closet worth of towels later, I had gotten enough of it out of the carpet to consider my attempt a success. Praise God we are in a rental! :)

Who Are You and What Have You Done With My Baby?

We have a mysterious, albeit adorable, imposter in our house. The imposter arrived last week just days after Sofia's 3-month birthday. This new precious little bundle sleeps on a regular schedule, eats normally, smiles uncontrollably, and is generally content. Many wise friends and family members reminded us that the first three months were often difficult and that, once they were over, we would see glimpses of life as it could be. We honestly didn't expect the change to occur almost to the day, but we've seen a noticeable difference and we are so thankful to have our sweet little girl back. We've missed her. :) Whether or not the change in her is due to her age or the fact that we are simply adjusting better doesn't really matter. Whatever the case, it appears the aliens that were previously inhabiting our little girl have vacated the premises!

Family Pictures

We recently had some family pictures taken and were thrilled with the results. The kids looked great, but our very favorite picture of all was of just the two of us. In fact, we loved it so much that we immediately had it matted and framed.

A Series of Unfortunate Events

It has been a crazy couple of weeks at the Orona house. Both of our kiddos came home from Phoenix with a head cold, thanks to the little girl in front of us on the airplane who coughed all over them. We started last week off with yet another trip to the doctor, this time for Sofia, whose cold moved down to her chest- or so we thought. We all survived the trip this time, since it did not involve any weighing of or looking at Daniel. The good news was that Sofia's chest was clear. The next day we woke up to find that our air conditioner was leaking and had soaked the carpet in our hallway and into Daniel's bedroom. The maintenance guy came to do the repairs and moments later I was asked to leave with the kids because the smell of ammonia was getting dangerously stronger in our apartment. When we returned, two gentlemen were here tearing up the carpet and setting up fans to dry the carpeting and the foam underneath. Daniel's room was in disarray with furniture rearranged and toys strewn about (the only difference from any other day was really the furniture), and this is what we dealt with for the following 24 hours.

All the while Fernando was on the phone with the company we had purchased a part for our television from and UPS in Little Rock who was unable to deliver it in under a month, thus my previous post about Arkansans and their apparent incompetence. Evidently in this state it takes a college education to tell the difference between a 4 and a 1 in an apartment number- but I digress.

We spent the weekend on our continued quest for a Nintendo Wii, to no avail. Perhaps one day someone will explain to me the marketing genius behind shipping 10 units of one of the hottest electronic items on the market to a store once every 4 weeks. Or is this just another example of the wonder that is customer service in this state?

Despite the fact that Fernando had to head to Lincoln, Nebraska this week (sorry, babe) this week has been going much better. Thanks to Gamestop.com we were able to find a Wii and it arrived yesterday. Today we received our new kitchen appliances. It was a bit chaotic, but worth it in the end. Now we are looking forward to Fernando's return home tomorrow and a very Wii-ful weekend.

Before

After

Before

After

Time Machine

If I could go back in time, this is where I would want to be right now...

Arkansas...really?

During the summer of 1994, while visiting California with a friend, we stumbled upon a ballpoint pen in the home of her elderly aunt that held the saying, "The South will Rise Again." I remember how odd I felt when I read that, although we laughed about it for days- years actually. I've always held the position that Abraham Lincoln did the right thing by preserving the Union. But, having lived in Arkansas for almost a year now, I'm beginning to think he may have made a huge mistake. I won't be flying a confederate flag outside of my house any time soon. But, I'm of the opinion that there was at least one state he could have let go of...

Now, don't get me wrong. There are some really great people here (most of them transplants- but that's beside the point) and we are blessed to have met them. Having said that, however, I must add, that given the option, they would most likely move as well. Arkansas is deceiving and it takes time to figure out that the entire state is trying to pull one over on you. The state of Arkansas is like a used car. Everybody talks its up and it looks clean and shiny on the outside, but drive it a few miles and inevitably the wheels will fall of, the engine will start smoking, and the radio will break. (and you won't be able to find a decent mechanic to fix it) I take that back. Mechanics are plentiful in Arkansas. The only problem is that they work from 10-2, are closed on weekends, and don't answer their phones (convenience and customer service are concepts that waved "bye bye" to this state years ago).

In the grand scheme of things, is there anything we really NEED from Arkansas that we can't get elsewhere? Maybe that was something President Lincoln should have considered.

One of my favorite quotes is from what I consider to be the funniest show of all time- Friends- and I find it particularly fitting of my opinion of Arkansas.

So, in the immortal words of Monica Geller..."If that fell off the back of the truck, it wouldn't be the worst thing."

Cuteness

Many people have asked how Daniel has adjusted to having a little sister around. Most often, he tells us she is "so precious" or "cuddly and cute". I take that as a good sign, but this was the clincher. I turned my back for one second today and this is what I found...

Another One Bites the Dust

I looked at the calendar this morning to see that it's the 29th day of the month. Why is it that the older I get, the faster time goes by (except for when we are at the doctor's office and time apparently stands still)? August will be here by the end of the week. Perhaps we have just had a very busy and rather pleasant month, with the exception of a three hour plane ride during which a croupy toddler hacked all over both of my kids and super-sized beverages were apparently offered to everyone seated in the first 15 rows of the aircraft, creating a constant stream of passengers en route to the bathroom (I don't care how much my kids scream on the plane. Next time, we are NOT sitting in the back).

We spent 10 whirlwind days in Phoenix visiting family and friends. Yes, Phoenix in July. Alltel flew Fernando out so that he could work and it made more sense to me to bring the kids along. Let me put it this way... 2 round trip tickets to Phoenix- $700, 40 bottles of water to keep us from dehydrating- $12, 14 extra hands to hold, feed, and burp a baby while I chase her older brother around...PRICELESS!

No offense to our friends or family, but I do have to say that the best part of the trip was the 24 hours we got to spend away from Phoenix. Ginormous thanks to our moms for "taking one for the team" and watching our kiddos while we went to Flagstaff!

It's always great to get back to Phoenix. We love and miss our friends and family and enjoy spending time with them, even though it goes by so fast. Such is life!

Merry Christmas!

Yes, Christmas in July. It takes me this long to recover from the previous year's holiday season. But, it never fails that by July 25th, I'm ready to gear up for the upcomoing festivities. One of my new favorite traditions is celebrating Christmas in July each year, and thanks to QVC, I can do that. Even if I have to do it by myself (which I do). Last year, my mom and I sat at home, each with a cell phone in hand and a plate of Christmas cookies in front of us, watched hours of Christmas programming and shopped. This year I was flying solo and had to watch in between taking care of the kids, but I still had a great time. No Christmas cookies this year, but I lit my favorite holiday candle and that helped me forget the fact that it was 98 degrees outside with 90% humdity. So, once again, I was able to kick of my Christmas shopping season nice and early. Laugh all you want. When my shopping is done by Thanksgiving and we are not penniless the entire month of December, you'll be admiring me!

QVC is my vice. No I have not purchased any holiday sweaters or useless figurines, but I do love finding some unique bargains. Where else can you get a Dooney and Bourke bag on 5 easy payments (with NO interest- thank you very much)? And, with two small kids, there is nothing better than shopping from the comfort of your living room. QVC doesn't care if I haven't had time to shower or brush my teeth!

Happy Birthday Buddy!

We celebrated Daniel's birthday this year in the desert with our family. It's so hard to believe he is three years old already. And yet there are those days that we find comfort in the fact that two summers from now we will be buying his first set of school supplies. Doesn't everyone know that 3 is the new 2? What fun we are having with his darling new attitude and cute little sayings, such as, "NO!", "MINE", and my personal favorite, "YOU STOP THAT!"

Regardless of this stage, which I've been told will pass in the next few months (I'm holding you to that, Steph). The past 3 years have been full of blessings and it really does make me sad that my little boy is growing up so fast.

Happy Fourth of July!

A Tale of Two Kiddies

Whoever said that having a second child would be easier needs to be clubbed over the head with a tire iron. "You'll be so much more relaxed", "everything will come so much easier"- these are some of the things we were told by, what we thought, were wiser, more experienced parents. What we didn't know was that they were also delusional. There is nothing easier about having two kids. I'm reminded of the old Wrigley chewing gum adage, "double the pleasure, double the fun" and wondering exactly at what point the "fun" will begin. I'm trusting that it will come in time, but can honestly say that there is not much fun in having an almost 3 year old and a 6 week old simultaneously.

(I should note, it is 5:30 in the morning. I have already been up for an hour. I could go back to sleep, but opted for a shower today rather than a measly 45 more minutes of sleep.)

Maybe it's just our kids. Perhaps we should have thought more about bringing into the world two individuals that were of Mexican/Italian decent. This is something that no one tells you about in pre-marital counseling. If someone would have mentioned that the combination of our ethnic heritage would result in the creation of what appears to be the world's two most high-maintanance children, perhaps we would have thought twice before deciding to become parents. We knew they were going to be loud, over-eaters, who were all up in everyone's business, but we had no idea they would be so...passionate and intense about EVERY single aspect of life.

I realized this yesterday while taking my children to the pediatrician's office for a routine check-up on a rash that Daniel has had...on his face. This should not have been a difficult procedure. I prepped him several times before going so he would know what to expect. Next time, I won't bother. It was utterly futile. I thought things were looking good when Daniel proudly walked into the new doctor's office. "Hi!" he exclaimed to everyone in the waiting room, as if they had been waiting anxiously for his arrival. He immediately made his way to the toys and started playing (this passion and intensity may prove to have it's benefits as he gets older). His sister, on the other hand, waited until I received the 14 pages of paperwork that needed to be filled out and then proceeded to throw a royal fit. Based on prior experience and the lie that "second-born babies are easier", I assumed putting a perfectly healthy, fully fed, adequately burped newborn into the car would result in a sleeping baby. However, I should have been familiar enough with Murphy's Law to realize this would never happen. The screaming commenced as soon as I sat down in the waiting room and lasted until I was able to pick her up out of her car seat and bounce her on my shoulder.

Baby in one hand, stroller in the other, I carefully guided Daniel to the exam room as if I was a dog herding cattle. It was at that point that I realized how terrifying it was for him to step on a scale (I thought that only happened once you reached adulthood- Praise God he'll never have to deal with the joys of baby weight-oh the horror!). He immediately started crying and shouting "NO! NO!" (my least favorite word in English language to date) and didn't stop until we were headed OUT of the office. The doctor weighed him, listened to his heart, and looked at his face- this, to my son, was apparently the equivalent of sawing off his right leg with a butter knife. His screams were matched only by those of his sister who has the incredible talent of appearing to be asleep until you sit down or attempt to move her for any reason. Suffice it to say, by the time we were finished, I was mourning the days when it was just me, my OB/GYN, and an invasive vaginal exam.

I often wonder why they call the process of giving birth "labor". I know it is hard work, but the true "labor" comes after you bring your kids home. My question is...why hasn't anyone developed an epidural so you don't have to feel the first 3 months? (or maybe that's what Martinis are for...)

One day, I'm sure I will look back on experiences like these and laugh- at least that's what I tell myself to keep from losing my mind. And I am confident that the time will come when we will wish our kids were still, as Daniel says, "cuddly and cute". I know we will beam with pride as we watch them grow and mature and become the dynamic, passionate, influential people they are destined to be.

Will someone remind me of that the next time we go to the doctor?

When It's Time to Change...

Most have you have probably heard the recent news that about a week ago, Verizon officially purchased Alltel Communications. It was news that we anticipated eventuallty, but certainly not this month, or this year for that matter. It is such a huge thing in the life of this city and so many of our friends. Alltel has literally been our family in a place where we have had none. And although the acquisition is far from final, it almost feels as if there's been a death in the family.

There is a myriad of emotions we are feeling at this point. We are sad, stunned, frightened, and humbled; feeling a little bit like the new kid on the playground that gets picked on his first day at a new school. It's like we were just given the ulitmate corporate wedgie and it will be a while before we fully recover.

We knew, when we made the decision to move to Little Rock, that it was most likely a temporary move. What we didn't know was that the job would be temporary as well. We have no idea what changes may come as a result of this buy out, but the odds are that major life change will be occuring, yet again.

I can hear all of our friends and family in Arizona asking when we are going to return. The answer is...we just don't know. It would be wonderful to return home to friends, family, and our home. But the truth of the matter is, "home" may end up being somewhere else.

The good news??? The sky is the limit! We have NO idea where we may end up or what opportunities await Fernando professionally and we are SO stoked to see what God has in store (I haven't used the word "stoked" in about 10 years!).

More details will come in the next few months and as the deal finalizes by the end of this year. We ask for your prayers for our family and our friends here in Little Rock as we all adjust to the changes and make plans for the next steps in our lives, as more than likely we will all be without jobs shortly.

We are so thankful for the time we've had in Little Rock and look forward to making the most of the next few months should God choose to move us on. We have learned so much about others and about ourselves. We have grown as individuals and as a family. Our faith has been stretched and challenged and we pray that we have been and will continue to be a blessing to those that the Lord has brought into our life. We are blessed that Fernando has had this opportunity to gain the experience he has and to work under the amazing, servant leadership that exists at Alltel.

The bottom line- if we had to do it all again, we would in a heartbeat. It's all part of the story of our life that God is writing. We can't wait to read the next chapter!

Father's Day

Happy Father's Day

Today I was reminded (again) of the fact that I am so blessed to have married the most amazing husband and father. I couldn't help but think back on the last 12 years and thank God for everything he has given me. This is for you, babe.





THE LOVE OF MY LIFE
What's his name? Fernando Daniel Orona

How old is he? 32

Who said "I love you" first? He did and I even remember where we were standing when he said it. It was 1997 and he was actually dating someone else at the time. We had a special connection, there was no denying, and I knew he meant it.

Who can sing better? I vote for him, although he might argue with me

Who is smarter? He is. I might have more "book" smarts, but he's got the street smarts and when it comes down to it, that's more important. Plus, he manages to retain more info than I do. He teaches me a lot.

Who does the laundry? I try to, but when I'm slacking, he'll step in and do it. I gotta give you props babe, you worked wonders with the towels today!

Who does the dishes? We both do.

What are his guilty pleasures? Hmmmm. Watching UFC, Blue Moon, and tacos from Jack In the Box.

Who sleeps on the right? I do. Unless you're looking at the bed, then he does.

Who mows the lawn? Thankfully, we don't have a lawn at the moment, but when we do, it's ALL him. :)

Besides you, who's his best friend? That's a tough one. He's very loyal and has lots of old friends (not friends who are old- well, I guess he has some of them too). I have to say his brother, Alex, ranks a close second to me. :)

Who cooks dinner? I usually do, but he makes a mean Mexican rice and, quite frankly, is much better at making breakfast.

Who drives? He does. He claims he would like me to drive sometimes, but I know he hates how I drive.

Who is more stubborn? He is. I've tried to win this war a few times, but he always manages to be more stubborn than me.

Who kissed who first? He kissed me. But he got kissed, right back!

Who asked who out first? He asked me out, right after the Christmas banquet. He was relieved that I wasn't interested in my date (thanks Justin!) and I guess he figured he had better act quick. I'd been waiting a LONG time! ;)

What was your first date? We went to dinner and a movie. When the movie ended we did a little kissin'. Okay, so we did a lot of kissin'. :) I told you, I'd waited a LONG time.

Who proposed? He did- six years after our first date...

Who has more siblings? I do. I have 2 he has 1.

Who wears the pants? We both do, although I prefer crop pants or capris. :) Truthfully, he's a wonderful husband, father, and spiritual leader. I have NO problem letting him take the reigns. I wouldn't have it any other way.

What is your favorite thing about him? Okay, this could get pretty sappy. I love so much about him. I love that he makes me laugh- all the time. We have so much fun together. I love how dedicated he is to his family and friends. He is such a hard worker and has the best work ethic. People he works with love and respect him. I'm so proud of him for that. He is honest and straight with people, myself included- and he makes me be a better version of myself. He is wonderful with his kids. He makes ordinary things fun for them and teaches them so much. There's more but my parents are most likely going to read this...let's just say, he is one smooth Latino. :)

I love you baby!

Parenthood 101

Apparently 2 1/2 years is just enough time to forget how exhausting life is with a newborn in the house. I came across the following 11 step guide to preparing you for parenthood. To all of our friends who have recently embarked on this journey with us...this is for you.


Thinking of having kids? Please complete this 11-step program first-

**Lesson 1

1. Go to the grocery store.

2. Arrange to have your salary paid directly to the grocery store's head office.

3. Go home.

4. Pick up the paper.

5. Read it for the last time. Ever.

**Lesson 2

1. Before you finally go ahead and have children, find a couple who are
parents already and berate them about their:
-methods of discipline.
-lack of patience.
-appallingly low tolerance levels.
-allowing their children to run wild.

2. suggest ways in which they might improve their child's breastfeeding, sleep habits, toilet training, table manners, and overall behavior.

Then enjoy it because it will be the last time in your life you will have all the answers.

**Lesson 3

This lesson is a really good way to discover how the nights might feel.

1. Get home from work and immediately begin walking around the living room from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. carrying a wet bag weighing approximately 8 to 12 pounds with a radio set to static (or some other obnoxious sound) playing loudly. Eat cold food with one hand for dinner.

2. At 10 p.m., put the bag gently down, set the alarm for midnight and go to sleep.

3. Get up at midnight and walk around the living room again with the bag until 1 a.m.

4. Set the alarm for 3 a.m.

5. As you can't get back to sleep, get up at 2 a.m. and make a drink and watch an infomercial.

6. Go to bed at 2:45 a.m.

7. Get up at 3 a.m. when the alarm goes off again.

8. Sing songs quietly in the dark until 4 a.m.

9. Get up. Make breakfast. Get ready for work and go to work (work hard and be productive).

Repeat steps 1-9 each night for 3 to 5 years. Look cheerful and together.

**Lesson 4

Can you stand the mess children make? To find out:

1. Smear peanut butter onto the sofa and jam onto the curtains.

2. Hide a piece of raw chicken behind the stereo and leave it there all summer.

3. Stick your fingers in the flower bed.

4. Then rub them on the clean walls.

5. Take your favorite book, photo album, etc. and wreck it.

6. Spill milk on your new pillows. Cover the stains with crayons. How does that look?

**Lesson 5

Dressing small children is not as easy as it seems.

1. Buy an octopus and a small bag made out of loose mesh.

2. Attempt to put the octopus into the bag so that none of the arms hang out.

Helpful hint: Time allowed for this exercise: all morning.

**Lesson 6

Forget the BMW and buy a minivan. And don't think that you can leave it out
in the driveway spotless and shining. Family cars don't look like that.

1. Buy a chocolate ice cream cone and put it in the glove compartment.
Leave it there.

2. Get a dime. Stick it in the CD player.

3. Take a family-size package of chocolate cookies and mash them into the
back seat. Sprinkle Cheerios all over the floor, then smash them with your foot.

4. Run a garden rake along both sides of the car.

**Lesson 7

1. Go to the local grocery store.

2. Take with you the closest thing you can find to a preschool-age child. A
full-grown goat is an excellent choice. If you intend to have more than one child, then definitely take more than one goat. Buy your week's groceries without letting the goats out of your sight. Pay for everything the goats eat or destroy. Until you can easily accomplish this, do not even contemplate having children.

**Lesson 8

1. Hollow out a melon.

2. Make a small hole in the side.

3. Suspend it from the ceiling and swing it from side to side.

4. Now get a bowl of soggy Cheerios and attempt to spoon them into the swaying melon by pretending to be an airplane.

5. Continue until half the Cheerios are gone.

6. Tip half of the remaining Cheerios into your lap. The other half, just throw up in the air. You are now ready to feed a nine-month-old baby.

**Lesson 9

Learn the names of every character from Sesame Street, Barney, Disney, the
Teletubbies and Pokemon. Watch nothing else on TV but PBS, the Disney Channel or Noggin for at least five years. (I know, you're thinking What's'Noggin'?) Exactly the point.

**Lesson 10

Make a recording of Fran Drescher saying 'mommy' repeatedly. (Important: no
more than a four-second delay between each 'mommy'; occasional crescendo to the level of a supersonic jet is required). Play this tape in your car everywhere you go for the next four years. You are now ready to take a long trip with a toddler.

**Lesson 11

Start talking to an adult of your choice. Have someone else continually tug
on your skirt hem, shirt sleeve, or elbow while playing the 'mommy' tape made from Lesson 10 above. You are now ready to have a conversation with an adult while there is a child in the room.

Anyone who is parent will say 'it's all worth it!' Remember, a sense of
humor is one of the most important things you'll need when you become a
parent!