Reflections in Sandy Tides

This is another (unfortunately) rare post by myself, the nerdy guy next to the beautiful wife and 3 cute kids in the title picture. I find myself the only one awake late this Friday night on the 3rd day of our great stay here on North Padre Island/Corpus Christi for our first true family vacation, and wanted to type a few of my thoughts out. I'll try and keep it brief.

I picked the title due to being the son of an English literature professor and wanted something complex and telling and...sorry, run on sentence. :) I was thinking about it today, as the tides here on North Padre Island are not crystal clear blue water, but are actually pretty murky with sand. You can't see too deeply in them at all. I'm used to quite the opposite being spoiled by the pristine shores of Northern Oahu. My wonderful wife and kids are just smiling and enjoying it as best as they can. I'll try not to make this a sacrament talk parable...the point is, you can't reflect too much in murky water. So why point out the obvious? I have had many varied events happen lately in my life to make me realize I wasn't truly reflecting and thus not truly appreciating the great things (read 'need to be relished') and not-so-great things (read 'needs to be changed') in my life. Why wasn't I reflecting on them? My "life's waters" weren't clear enough in that they were clouded by an (unfortunate) overemphasis on job/school/less-important pursuits. I do not condone slacking in your professional life, not at all, but achieving a balance, and having your efforts in harmony with your priorities, is a talent that I am still trying to obtain...and hope and think I'm getting better at. I don't like to dwell on it, that's not productive, it simply is one of the biggest lessons I've learned through this roller-coaster of a ride that is life.

I must clarify, however: I detest any kind of pity and "aw-shucks" type of attitude when reflecting on the past and its results. They are unproductive and drive away the positive that is and is in life. I am simply grateful to begin to learn and hopefully live this principle.

Also, the reason I feel so full of light and see the light at the end of the tunnel, is that my cup runneth over with not just small, but great blessings: I have many bright and beautiful "shores" in my life, and they are truly crystal clear blue waters. My stalwart and beautiful wife, :) our 3 beautiful though (unfortunately) stubborn children, and most importantly, our testimonies of the Truth. I can reflect all day and night in those, and my heart swells with gratitude whenever I do.

I look forward to what the future holds with great hope and faith...there will be struggles and trials, but I know there is a Guiding Light, even in the murkiest waters. They will clear and the path will open for us, in spite of the rolling tides; that is my testimony. It was appropriate, I thought, that in my personal reading in D&C I came across some of my favorite verses in Section 58: "Ye cannot behold with your natural eyes, for the present time, the design of your God concerning those things which shall come hereafter, and the glory which shall follow after much tribulation. For after much tribulation come the blessings. Wherefore the day cometh that ye shall be crowned with much glory; the hour is not yet, but is nigh at hand."

One month old YAY!

Our little peach Hanna is a month old. Her umbilical cord finally fell out. I was starting to worry about it because Nicky's and Ian's fell 7 days after they were born. She has been a very different child from our other two. Just like my mother in-law said, she is her own little person. She smiles and laughs during her dreams. She already responds when we talk to her...most of the time with a smile, other times just with a concerned face haha! She really looks hilarous. Her sibilings are very nice to her. Nicky always teaches her and shows her her princess toys and many of her girly toys. On the other hand Ian immediately changes his tough little voice to a sweet darling baby voice to speak to her. He already is showing her how to give high fives, crash fists, and fingers (that is Ian salutation for his favorites people). Glenn and I are so surprised that both of our kids have taken this arrival so well. Who wouldn't, though? Our little peach is adorable.

In other news: GLENN IS DONE! Yipee! After 4 years of medical school we are getting ready for vacations with out anything pending like test or coming back on time for school. We'll have plenty of time to enjoy this time together as a family. Glenn has planned everything already. So this time I'm just going to enjoy the moment. Another good thing is that my friends from Monterrey are coming to vist me in Dallas later in the year. I'm so happy for this "girlfriend reunion." It'll be like the old times...well, kind of since 3 of us have children already. Our reunion will be either the middle of June or begining of October. It depends on what one of my friends decides. I'll know for sure by tomorrow. It would be great if we could do it in June since Glenn will be available to babysit while the 5 of us go and have fun, kidless in Dallas. I wanted the reunion to be in Chicago (where one of my friends lives), but I feel bad leaving my kids and Glenn here (I'd totally take Hanna with me). Anyway, that's why we decided it would be better to have the reunion in Dallas in our future home sweet home:).

Talking about sweet homes, mine may be far from one. Don't get me wrong, we all love each other, but the apartment. is a mess. I haven't cleaned since Hanna came to Earth...a month ago to be precise. Glenn and I are planning on doing a major cleaning right before we leave for our vacations. That way the apartment should be spotless by the time that we come back. Then we will have a mess again since we are going to start the packing...AGRRRRRRHHH! I hate moving! I never thought I was going to move so many times....and we still have so many more :S .

My update.

Where should I start? I know, I will start with the phone family reunion that my hubby had with his sibs and his parents 2 weeks ago. Scott (my brother in-law) organized a family reunion by phone...how cool is that? Since all his sibs live all over the country it is hard to have a family reunion once a year, so instead they have decided that these phone family reunions are going to be every other month or so. He was very excited, telling me about all the things they talked about, and remembering old stories about their youth. Technology is so cool!

In other news, my Mom's visit turned out very well. We had lots of fun, and the kids were able to bond more with her. Nicky was telling me how much she wanted to speak Spanish and that she wants to go and live in Mexico where abuelita lives. etc. etc. etc.

My mom was going to stay for another week, but we felt bad for my sis who lives just 45 minutes away from here. So we let her and her kids enjoy my mom for this last week that she is staying in Texas. She is wonderful, but she really misses her house, and the rest of my family misses her so much, too. Besides, she feels terrible about missing her calling at church.

Today was actually the first day that I had to drop off Nicky at school with my other two kids. I think I did very well. I even ironed Nicky's hair, and all the kids in her class loved it. It was fun to hear how they all were givig her compliments and she was just smiling while touching her own hair. Funny kid. We actually could have been on time, but the kids wanted to finish the Super Why show, and since both of them where very good participators with the show I let them finish it.

EASTER: the hunt was wonderful for Nicky and Ian. Hanna slept in her baby swing that she loves (and so do we). First Nicky had her egg hunt on Thursday at her pre-school. She loved it, and it got her all excited about this Sunday. She of course told us that Easter wasn't about eggs or chocolates, that it was about Jesus' ressurrection, but she loves looking for eggs around the yard. On Sunday I hid the eggs in front of the apartment, and after dinner the kids, Glenn and I went outside to look for the eggs. They loved it. Of course Nicky's curiosity was greater than her intentions to eat chocolates (which was surprising for us). On the other hand Ian was calm, opening an egg, eating the treats, and as soon as he was done with it, he would open the next egg.

The following day was one of my favorite days of all: MY HUBBY'S B-DAY! It is one of my favorites because, of course, it's the day he was born, and without him I wouldn't have this wonderful family.

Anyway in the morning I took the kids (the three of them) to one of my favorite stores to buy some gifts for Glenn. I told Nicky to pick something for her dad while we looked around I showed her some t-shirt that we might have liked, but she told me that those t-shirts were boring. She then showed me some other ones that she had selected for her dad. Thank goodness I convinced her that daddy's taste was quite boring, so she accepted what I got for him (the ones that Nicky suggested had colors like yellow and red, with flowers and palm trees on it). I'm so glad that Glenn has a boring taste in clothes :).

After that we went to HEB and bought a Happy b-day balloon and a cake for my sweet babe. I felt bad because I have always made the cakes for my kids and Glenn. Between the pregnancy (before) and now the newborn and the moving it gets harder to bake. I hope I can get on track soon.

Anyway Glenn came home and he opened his presents. Then he went back to the VA. After that he came back and we all were ready to try this new place in Temple. It's an Italian restaurant that some of Glenn's med school friends had suggested. It's a small restaurant, but was DELICIOUS AND VERY AUTHENTIC. I'm craving their food right now. I have never been a fan of Italian food, but after yesterday I have become their biggest fan. I can't wait to try my own Italian recipes. The desserts in the place were a little expensive, and not that good. However the food was cheap, and was the best Italian food I have ever had. As a frustrated chef I'd suggest this small place named ITALIANOS, here in Temple, TX across from the hospital's outpatient clinic. Awww I think this place will be one of the very few things that I'd miss from this place. Glenn tells me that Dallas would probably have something good, too. :) I'm sure it will. The problem is that since Dallas is a big city, the small places like this one might be either in a not so good area or it might be very expensive.

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Here is Glenn reading at night the good wishes that all those who love him sent him via e-mail.

Addendum: Glenn got to get home early this afternoon (the day after his birthday), and he pulled out the barbecue and grilled up some super delicious chicken legs and beef skirt steaks (la rachera for those who know). We also threw in some aluminum wrapped onions and I made a red salsa...it was SUPER-DUPER TASTEY! It reminded me of our favorite grilling times back in Provo, UT when we were dating, and it was a good time to be outside. Ahhh, so much wonderful food, so little time. Anyway, Hanna's crying so it's time for someone else to eat, too. :)

Little Keira's you have me!

My friend Polly stopped by the other day. She is so nice and so thoughtful. She surprised me with a little gift for Hanna. This special gift is a headband made by her sister. I think the head flower band is lovely. Nicky has never liked headbands, but this one in particular she just loves. She didn't care that the band was Hanna's, she asked me if she could use it for her picture day at pre-school. I felt bad because it wasn't going to fit on her so I just used the top of the headband and clipped it on her hair and she just loved it. Now I need to buy some more for my two little princess. Anyway if you guys have girls you can not miss the opportunity to check out my friend's sister's store. Here are her web pages http://www.littlekeirasbows.etsy.com/ http://www.littlekeirasbows.blogspot.com/

Show and tell my baby sister

Show and tell at Nicky's pre-school.

Hanna loves her binky.

Sleeping in our bed while sucking her binky: the perfect match for her (Don't get used to that, Hanna)

Doing silly faces with Daddy.

Hanna had her first appointment with her pediatrician yesterday. In the doctor's words, she is a healthy, happy, pink baby, and we couldn't be happier to hear that. Her weight is 7 lb 14 oz. and her length is 19 inches. She is growing up, and little by little getting chubby. Nicky wanted to brag about her in her class. Today was show and tell, so it gave her the perfect excuse to tell everybody about how beautiful her new baby sister is. Everybody kept mentioning that she looks like a doll until a teacher saw Nicky and told her, "NICKY, YOU ARE VERY CUTE, TOO!" and Nicky immediately smiled and told her, "YEAH, BUT LOOK AT HER! ISN'T SHE BEAUTIFUL?!" Obviously she is conscious that she is the big gorgeous sister, and there is no competition because she also thinks Hanna is gorgeous. I'm glad she thinks her sister is as precious as she is. Anyway I wanted to post some pics.