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!

It's a Girl!

We are thrilled to announce the arrival of our beautiful Sofia Margaret Orona. We welcomed Sofia into the world at 12:19 this morning. She was a chunky 8 lbs. 4 oz (larger than her brother) and is 20 1/2 inches long. She has the most beautiful head of black hair and long eyelashes that are sure to melt her daddy's heart! We are so thrilled that she has joined our family and our blessed that she is so healthy and happy.

Remembering Phoenix

I joke around a lot about that fact that we now live in Arkansas but the truth of the matter is that there are some things about it that I really love. And although, I spent 28 years of my life in the Valley of the Sun and do miss it at times, there are some aspects of life in the desert I can truly live without. Hence the following...


Driving in Phoenix-

1. You must first learn to pronounce the city name. It is: "FEE-NICKS".

2. The morning rush hour is from 5:00am to noon. The evening rush hour is from noon to 7:00pm. Friday's rush hour starts on Thursday morning.

3. The minimum acceptable speed on most freeways is 85 mph. On Loop 101, your speed is expected to match the highway number. Anything less is considered "Wussy".

4. Forget the traffic rules you learned elsewhere. Phoenix has its own version of traffic rules. For example, cars/trucks with the loudest muffler go first at a four-way stop; the trucks with the biggest tires go second. However, East Valley, SUV-driving, cell phone-talking moms ALWAYS have the right of way.

5. If you actually stop at a yellow light, you will be rear ended, cussed out, and possibly shot.

6. Never honk at anyone. Ever. Seriously. It's another offense that can get you shot.

7. Road construction is permanent and continuous in Phoenix. Detour barrels are moved around for your entertainment pleasure during the middle of the night to make the next day's driving a bit more exciting.

8. Watch carefully for road hazards such as drunks, skunks, dogs, barrels, cones, cows, horses, cats, mattresses, shredded tires, squirrels, rabbits, crows, vultures, javelinas, roadrunners, and the coyotes feeding on any of these items.

9. Maricopa Freeway, Papago Freeway and the "I-10" are the same road. SR202 is the same road as The Red Mountain FWY. Dunlap and Olive are the same street too. Jefferson becomes Washington, but they are not the same street. I-17 is also called The Black Canyon Freeway as well as The Veterans Memorial Highway. And if all that isn't enough to remember, SR 51 has recently been renamed to Piestewa Freeway because Squaw Peak Parkway was too easy pronounce. SR 101 is also the Pima FWY except west of I-17, which is also The Black Canyon FWY, and The Veterans Memorial HWY. Lastly, Thunderbird Rd. Becomes Cactus Rd. but Cactus Rd. doesn't become Thunderbird Rd. Because it dead ends at a mountain.

10. If someone actually has their turn signal on, wave them to the shoulder immediately to let them know it has been "accidentally activated."

11. If you are in the left lane and only driving 70 in a 55-65 mph zone, you are considered a road hazard and will be "flipped off" accordingly. If you return the flip, you'll be shot.

12. For summer driving, it is advisable to wear potholders on your hands.



The saddest part? This would be funny if it weren't completely true!

I've Been Tagged

Looks like I have been tagged by my good friend, Stephanie. So, here goes...

Monday, May 12, 2008

Four jobs I’ve had:
1. Kids Club Leader for the Kyrene School District
2. Music Secretary at Southwestern College
3. Elementary/Junior High Teacher
4. Administrative Assistant at Palm Valley Church

Four movies I’ve watched more than once:
1. You've Got Mail
2. The Princess Bride
3. The Lord of the Rings Trilogy
4. Every Baby Einstein video ever produced

Four places I’ve lived:
1. Phoenix, AZ
2. Marysville, WA
3. Goodyear, AZ
4. Little Rock, AR (hopefully there will be a 5th) :)

Four TV shows I watch:
1. Friends
2. Go, Diego, Go
3. American Idol
4. Project Runway

Four places I’ve been:
1. Zurich, Switzerland
2. Paris, France
3. Rome, Italy
4. London, England

Four of my favorite foods:
1. Mexican
2. Pizza
3. Italian
4. Ice Cream

Four places I would love to visit:
1. Hawaii
2. New York
3. Prince Edward Island
4. Sicily

Four things I’m looking forward to in the coming year:
1. Having a baby (hopefully in the coming week!)
2. Moving into a house
3. Visiting friends and family
4. Seeing what God has in store for us next...

Four friends I’m tagging:
1. Anna Reckard http://rsymphony.blogspot.com/
2. Vania Reckard http://reckardfamily.blogspot.com/
3. Amy Jo Halliday http://hallidayzoo.blogspot.com/
4. Mandi Lamb http://www.idaholambs.blogspot.com/

It's Here!

I am wishing at the moment that the title of this blog would have been....She's Here! But, at this point we'll take what we can get. Our laptop has finally arrived and thus ended the need for me to get on and off the floor in order to get online. It feels good to be part of the blogging world again and it's only taken me a few days to catch up on my emails. :)