La Familia Hernandez

The Rest of the List

2008-11-10T20:24:00.003-05:00

This is our final week in New England and things have gotten pretty crazy and I don't think I am going to be able to blog each day (of every other day as I have been). I'm sure you understand that we have about 20 things to do each day before we leave on Saturday. So, I am going to finish our list in one fail swoop.

Here is a refresher of 20-9:

20. Dominican hospitality.
19. The scenic drive from Santiago and Santo Domingo.
18. Mangoes.
17. Baseball.
16. Finally knowing how to speak Spanish.
15. The fruit cart.
14. The "coholo suave" spirit.
13. Service.
12. Church in another language.
11. The weather.
10. Orchids.
9. Wearing summer clothes all year.

And, here is the rest of the list:

8. Rice, beans, plantains, and all of the Dominican foods.
7. Dominican coffee.
6. Learning how to Merengue.
5. The beach.
4. Visiting Eric's grandparents in the mountains on weekends.
3. Watching Eric contribute his Engineering skills to his country.
2. Living near Eric's incredible family.
1. Little Eric experiencing his Latino roots.

We'll be leaving on Saturday and will start blogging about our new adventure on our new family blog. Please keep checking, because we are sure to have some pretty great adventures ahead of us.

#10 & #9

2008-11-06T20:36:00.002-05:00

#10

Orchids.

They are the national flower and they are EVERYWHERE. They seem so exotic to me. I am planning on growing a few in my house so I can enjoy their beauty everyday. My friend Kristi is an avid orchid gardener, so I will have to get some tips from her.

As a sidenote...I looked into plants I could grow that would repel mosquitoes. I am not looking forward to those little flying beasts attacking us. Turns out rosemary and marigolds repel the little buggers, so I will have to find out if either of them will grow in a tropical environment.

I'm inside the top ten so I have to make them all count!

Wearing summer clothes all year!

This is really in my top ten things that I love about the DR and am looking forward to. Really! I love wearing summer clothes, and I especially love to wear skirts. I have actually made a couple of skirts in fun summer patterns in preparation for my move. Summer clothes are fun, colorful and usually more flattering than winter clothes. I also feel like I can get more dressed up AND be more comfortable and casual in my summer clothes.

So here's to flip flops, sandals, linen, skirts, sleeveless tops and lots of sunshine!

#11 & #12

2008-11-04T17:12:00.003-05:00

Oops. Did it again.

#12

Church in another language.

I always love going to church in other countries and in other languages. There is something about being an observer, rather than a participant that is really exciting. Watching people pray for their country gives you a snapshot of their lives. And, being a part of the music and singing is a moving experience.

I know it's going to be difficult to understand everything at first, with my limited Spanish. I've gotten pretty accustomed to our Boston church where everything is either bi-lingual or translated. But, it will be pretty amazing to be a part of something God is doing in another country.

We are hoping to find a church that is serving the community around them. There is great need with much of the population of the Dominican Republic and it would be a shame to miss the chance to serve and help out those in need when we have the example of Jesus Christ to follow.

My faith could use a jumpstart and I am looking forward to a new thing, spiritually, in our new country.

#11

The weather.

You know this last winter kind of kicked my butt in Boston. It was so cold and Little Eric and I spent several days without even leaving the apartment. Right now I am really looking forward to a little tropical sunshine and warmth.

I think there will be moments when I miss the seasons. My brain is wired to expect it to be cold for Christmas and to see changing leaves in the fall. It is going to take some changing in my mind to get used to warm weather ALL the time.

The weather is hot and humid with a chance of rain EVERYDAY of the year. Unless there is a hurricane blowing through and then it is hot and humid with a lot of rain (and lots of wind). Apparently there are months were it is less hot, but I think to our New England-acclimated blood it is just going to feel HOT. At least there is a tropical breeze that pretty much blows through all the time.

So, when your toes are freezing this winter here in the states think of us as we enjoy wearing shorts and flip-flops any day we want. Haha.

#13 & #14

2008-11-02T20:59:00.003-05:00

I didn't get a chance to post yesterday, so I will have two today.

#14...The "coholo suave" spirit.

Probably the most popular Dominican saying is "coholo suave" which means "take it easy." It's so much more than a saying, it's actually the saying that best describes the Dominincan spirit.

For better or worse, I say.

On one hand "coholo suave" means you shouldn't worry so much about things you can't control. Kick back and let life happen. So what if there's traffic, you really aren't expected to be on time to that dinner party anyway. The electricity is out...just go with it and do what you can, the laundry will still be there tomorrow. I see it as kind of a license to stop stressing out over everything, and this is a great lesson a girl who is pre-disposed to worry about everything needs to learn.

On the other hand, "coholo suave" means overlooking things like effeciency in customer service at stores and eating dinner at 10 p.m. because everyone was late to you house. It means that if the water goes out in the middle of you shower you might be stuck with shampoo in your hair. It means that if your only car is broken down and the mechanic says it will take 3 days to fix, it will probably take seven. And, you will look crazy if you complain and raise a fuss about it.

So, whether or not I will easily embrace the "coholo suave" spirit of life in the DR is pretty much up for grabs. Chances are knowing my personality I will have a love/hate relationship with that phrase everyday.

#13...Service

One of the things I am looking forward to the most is finding my fit professionally as a minister. Before having my son I worked for 7 years as a college minister in Boston. In that time I also taught English to Spanish-speaking immigrants; volunteered in a variety of service projects including serving food to the homeless, building a house in Mexico, working with children, and hosting volunteer mission groups visiting Boston. Ministering is my vocation and whether it is with college students or immigrants, it is what I know to do. So, as I move with my family down to the Dominican Republic I will look for opportunities to serve the population I live with in whatever way I can or see God leading me. Most likely I will be teaching English in some capacity. It's one of the things I love to do the most. The idea of teaching English to a group of adults who might have a whole new set of opportunities open up to them because of their new skill is inspiring to me. I am also hoping to connect with former colleagues and friends who are planning volunteer trips to the DR in the next year or so.

My primary goal is to get my family settled, set up our home, figure out how to get everyday things done in our new city, and work on my language skills. But, discovering what else lies ahead for me and uncovering a new vocation is on my list, too.

#15

2008-10-31T19:52:00.002-04:00

The fruit cart.

There are these wooden carts that go around the city every morning delivering fresh pineapples, mangos, plantains and avocados. Sometimes they are led by a donkey or small horse and sometimes they are pulled by the owner. They start coming by as soon as the sun is up and throughout the morning hours. At my mother-in-laws apartment the fruit cart comes around 10 a.m. everyday without fail.

Funny story...the first time I visited the DR I kept hearing this guy yell "aguacate" over and over again each morning. I had no idea who this guy was and what he was saying, but because he came by around 7:30 a.m. each morning yelling "aguacate" he woke me up. Truth be told, I had woken up much earlier when the roosters began crowing and the little motorbikes were making their deliveries. Of course, all of this sounds as if you are right in the middle of it because the windows are open. So, one day I asked Eric what this guy was saying and I mimicked his exact tone and the way he said it. Eric busted out laughing hysterically, because to him it was such a normal occurance that he didn't even notice. He explained that they were yelling "avocados" for sale. So, then after that I knew.

I think it's pretty cool that you can get your hands on ripened pineapples, mangos and avocados EVERY morning. I wonder if I'll have the chance to get to know my "aguacate"man?

#16

2008-10-30T20:13:00.002-04:00

Finally knowing how to speak Spanish.

This is something I am looking forward to. I took Spanish classes in Middle School, High School and College and yet I never seemed to get past the Intermediate class. I would have gone further, wanted to go further, in college, but a transfer credit situation frustrated me and I decided I didn't want to take the beginning class a 4th time! I quit and I now realize how useful it would have been to persevere.

I have what I would call a working use of the Spanish language. I am able to communicate most of my thoughts in Spanish, but carrying on a conversation of any depth is very difficult for me. I have travelled to Spanish speaking countries several times and can find my way around, ordering food, giving directions to a taxi driver and even checking into a hotel. But, beyond that I really struggle. So, here I am ready to take the leap into a complete immersion Spanish language plan whether I like it or not.

I am really excited about the end result of being able to converse, maybe even freely, in Spanish. It's all the hard work to get there that makes me tired and frustrated even thinking about it. I am hopeful I will have a tutor to help me, but Eric swears all I need to do is, "get out there and use Spanish." We'll see how it goes, but one thing is sure...I will need to learn how to talk or become an introvert and I don't see that happening anytime soon. Besides, the excitement of knowing my son will be learning both languages simultaneously is very motivating to me to learn as well.

I'm sure he will be teaching me a thing or two about Spanish soon enough!

#17

2008-10-29T22:10:00.003-04:00

Baseball...not soccer.

Big Papi
Manny Ramirez
Carlos Pena
Sammy Sosa
Albert Pujols
Juan Marichal

So many of the BIG MLB players have been from the Dominican Republic. All little boys grow up with dreams of playing in the major league. Being able to swing a bat and throw a ball comes as naturally as breathing to Dominicans, says my husband. There is a national league there, so surely we'll be able to make a few games. The Red Sox even have a training camp there.

They may not eat apple pie in the DR, but they sure love their beloved national pastime, baseball like no other.

#18

2008-10-28T20:10:00.003-04:00

Mangoes...anytime you want!

I don't need to say any more than this. Those that know me well know that mangoes are my favorite fruit. Once, after a volunteer mission trip to Trinidad I ate a mango a day for about 6 months. I even smuggled a few in my suitcase home from Mexico one year as a gift for Eric.I love how sweet and tangy they are. There isn't really any other fruit that they compare to. And, they taste best ripened on the tree. Whenever I buy them here in the states they are green and need to sit out for a few days to ripen. They are a great substitute for the real Caribbean thing, but really nothing compares.

Mango trees actually grow in people's yards. Maybe one will grow in the yard of someone I know and I can go and pick one anytime I want! Wouldn't that be fun!

Can't wait to eat me some mango!

#19

2008-10-27T19:35:00.004-04:00

The scenic ride from Santiago to Santo Domingo.

Did you know that the island is big enough to have a mountain in the middle? Most people only think of the pristine beaches when they think of the Dominican Republic, but the absolute best kept secret is the mountains! They are gorgeous and riding through them on the way down to Santo Domingo is one of the best ways to experience their majesty. I once rode a bus from Santiago to Santo Domingo and riding along sitting above the road provided just the right view that made me fall in love with the mountains of the DR.

The lush green hills rise and fall around each other making sleepy valleys and beautiful peaks. The mountain area of the DR is actually very arid and the mountains look nothing like what you might expect on a caribbean island. They are not like a jungle or a rain forest, but actually a lot like the area I grew up in the Northern California foothills. On one trip Eric and I hiked up to a waterfall. We actually hiked up mountain roads with undisturbed hills rising around us. On our walk we saw cows and farms growing produce, eucalyptus groves AND groves of scrub pines. I am not kidding. There were scrub pines growing in the middle of this caribbean island. Who knew? Evey once in awhile we would come upon a few houses with kids running around outside, but other than that we had the trail to the top to ourselves.

I know a lot of you have been or plan to come to the beaches in th DR, but you are seriously missing out on the hidden jewel of the island if you miss the spectacular mountains.

20 days and counting...

2008-10-26T20:26:00.002-04:00

We've been taking advantage of every weekend moment we have in Boston, as we have so few left. We spent some good friend time this weekend, sharing a Dominican meal at our favorite restaurant Merengue with the friends we live with and visiting some favorite couples we will miss dearly when we move.

It's so hard to believe we are getting on that airplane in 20 days...20 days! SO, to countdown the days and get the Dominican love flowing I am going to share 20 things I love about the Dominican Republic or are looking forward to.

#20

Dominican Hospitality...I have truly never met people more hospitable or friendly than the Dominican people. Spending time together with family and friends is one of the highest values of the Dominican culture. It is part of the culture to invite family and friends over to your house for a visit, and being the guest of honor is a privelege. Oftentimes, the invitation is extended for "Almuerzo" or the mid-day meal. The visit begins with refreshments and conversation in the living room, which is usually freshly squeezed juice from local fruit (pineapple is one of my favorites). Every person I have met there has been genuinely interested in getting to know me and are always eager to ask questions, using their English if possible. After refreshments the meal is served at the table in the dining room, which is always beautifully set with their best linens and serving pieces. The meal ALWAYS includes more food than you could ever eat at one sitting. Typical fare is some type of meat, usually grilled chicken or steak, Plantains (either green or ripe), rice and beans, avocado (my favorite), salad, and vegetables. Any meal that includes avocado picked ripe from the tree is alright by me! After the meal dessert and coffee are served. The dessert might be small Dominican fig candies or flan or Tres Leches, and the coffee is the strongest coffee I have ever tasted. Of course, after the meal and the dining conversation that ranges from family to politics, you want to lie down and take a nap. But, usually we just say a long good-bye promising to see them soon and shuffle off to refreshments at someone else's house for the afternoon, or back to work if you are not on vacation as we were.

It's exciting to think I will be hosting meals in my new home and sharing the warmth of my American hospitality with my new Dominican friends and family. I am already planning on sharing many of my favorite American recipes.

The warmth of the Domincan people is welcoming and genuine. Kisses on the cheek are always exchanged, and no one goes away feeling as if they were left out. I'm looking forward to some good ole' Dominican love.

An attempt to update in pictures

2008-10-14T15:26:00.006-04:00

It has been so long since I've shared pictures. Partly this has been due to not blogging and partly because we thought we had packed our camera software and couldn't download the pictures from our camera. After realizing our computer didn't actually need the software to download we got to it and downloaded 900 pictures! Don't worry I am not sharing all of them. Actually, we had been needing to clean off the camera. There was an entire season of pictures on it. There weren't any of the snow, but there were several from Spring when the flowers were just starting to bloom and the trees were budding. Now, those same trees are all turning amazing colors and about to drop their leaves. Funny how life gets away from you.

If you are interested in the last couple of months, here you go:

This is a picture of all of the cousins on my dad's side in California. We did pretty well having everyone actually sitting and in the picture.This is another picture from California with homemade dog ears. Eric almost immediately modified his by ripping off one of the ears.

Here is Eric with his cousins Nicholas and Kasey eating his first ice cream cone at Grandma and Pop's house in California. I still can't get over how much my brother and my kids look alike!We went to visit my dad in the assisted living facility he is in. We had fun taking pictures of Pop's and his kids!
Apple-picking in Amesbury, MA. Eating his very first apple off the core with mama.

Trying to get a family shot with a kid who is WAY past his naptime is not easy!
Fun shot of Eric pointing and telling us something about what he is seeing. Can't understand one single word, but followed along anyway.
Bathtime.

Tossing the pigskin.
Swinging in the park.

Sliding on his own as mama and Aunt Chelsea sat at the top and bottom.

This is not a shower cap. It's one of those saran wrap food covers. He loves to take it out of the drawer and put it on both his head and Felix's(the Josti's dog).
Eating cheerios with papa.

Hanging out with Maddie. I need to work on getting better shots of the two of them playing together on the floor. They love it.

It's hitting me, this move thing.

2008-10-13T20:23:00.005-04:00

This picture is what it looks like all around us in New England right now. The pictures never really do justice to the real thing. The cool mornings, warm afternoons and stunning leaves changing colors daily make us all so happy to call New England home. There are colors up here that I have never seen on Autumn trees...red, orange, burnt orange, rust. My favorite trees, though, are those that look as if they are on fire they are so red, but underneath the red they are still green. The contrast is amazing.

So, for the next month I can call New England home, but the day is coming when I will have to say goodbye (at least for awhile). And, the reality of the move really hit me yesterday.

I have really taken all of our recent changes in stride. When people sympathize with our situation (having to move our of our apartment 2 1/2 months early, move in with friends, and make a HUGE move to another country) they ask how I am doing and I have honestly told people I am doing well. Other than feeling a little isolated because I am not able to easily access the city from where we are living, I am really settled here at the Josti's house. They are, of course, very close friends of ours and have so graciously given the first floor of their house over to us. And, this whole time I've been a little surprised that I haven't had any sort of breakdown about the move. I mean, I know I have moved across the country and lived in 4 different states since graduating from High School, but I still don't like change that much. And, besides we were really getting settled here in Boston.

So, I guess it all hit me yesterday. We are moving to the Dominican Republic. We will never live in our apartment, where we started our life together, again. We can't go back, and even though I have a lot of anxiety about the "what ifs" of our future life, we have only one choice, to go forward.

It's not that I'm not excited about our move. I am. It's an opportunity unlike any other to move to another country and live among family. I have an extended family ready to introduce me to life in their country. We are going to be welcomed with open arms. My son is going to experience life with one side of his family and learn two languages similtaneously. My husband is going to be able (God-willing) to do some meaningful work to help the infrastructure of his home country. And, I am going to have so many new adventures to write about on my blog.

But, there is all of the other stuff on the other side of my emotions. Saying goodbye to friends that are like family, leaving a daily pattern I can predict and know how to manage, taking on a new language, mosquitoes that carry illnesses, water that I need to keep out of my child's mouth while bathing (yeah, these are the kinds of things I worry about), and unpredictable salary...all things I can't control. And, the list can go on in my head if I let it.

This is just part of life. You have to change to grow. Change has always brought the most extraordinary spiritual and personal growth in my life. It's just so hard to jump off the "change" cliff into the next adventure sometimes.

Today I am feeling better about it all. Mostly, last night I turned a corner and realized the next month is going to be about letting go of what I have known as life in Boston over the past 8 years and getting ready to embrace the new life waiting for us at the end of our one-way airline tickets.

We have an apartment!!!!

2008-10-06T15:19:00.006-04:00

We have and apartment waiting for us in Santo Domingo. It's still feels a little surreal that we are leaving in less than 6 weeks. It's getting chilly (well some nights are down right cold) here in New England, so that makes it even more surreal that we will soon be basking in island warmth.

The apartment is in the same small apartment complex Eric's sister, Zoila, and her family live in. It's actually the same floor plan, which makes it easy to picture where I want to put things in my head. And, it right above her apartment on the 4th floor, which is actually the top floor of the building. We'll have roof access to dry our clothes on lines.

It's has 2 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms, with a third room and small bathroom behind the kitchen that we'll be using for an office. It also has a nice balcony overlooking the street and the courtyard below.

Here is the outside of the complex. Our apartment is the top balcony in the middle. I can't wait to get in and make it home!

Inbetween

2008-09-03T11:12:00.002-04:00

What a month!

We moved out of our apartment after a grueling month of selling, donating, storing and packing. Because this is an international move we had to take extra consideration with everything we decided to ship over to the Dominican Republic. Space and cost were on my mind as I went through drawer after drawer after closet. More than once it occured to me how comforting it is to hold on to stuff and how hard it can be to let go. It was a good lesson in how "stuff-oriented" our culture has become and how I can easily fall right into the category.

We had a big moving sale two weeks before the move. With a lot of help from friends and a long weekend, which included a threat of rain forcing us to move the sale inside, it was a success. From the money we made we were able to buy a used washer, fridge, and stove from Craigslist! A nice payoff for all the work it required to have a moving sale. I parted with a lot of stuff I was sad to see go, but it felt liberating once it was all done to have the weight of extras off my shoulders.

Moving day was insane! Fortunately, a good friend volunteered to take Eric for the day, which turned into the wee hours of the night. I was relieved we didn't have to keep up with him or that he didn't have to see his world dismantling around him. He had a lot more fun at Aunt Stacey's house. We cleaned and waited for the movers to show up, which they did at 6:00 that evening. Seems we were the last house they were moving that day. They expertly wrapped up our furniture in paper, cardboard and miles of tape and had the truck locked and loaded at 11:30 p.m.! We were exhausted and still had to load the cars and take the trash down. That last load almost killed us both!

So, here we are on the other side of the move staying with some great friends for 2 1/2 months until we leave for Santo Domingo on November 15th. Our things are being stored by our moving company in their warehouse until they ship out to the Dominican Republic in mid-October. We are inbetween lives right now. Finishing out this one and getting ready for the life change ahead. I keep telling myself it's time to relax and make a list of all the things we want to do in Boston before we leave. But, I find myself looking around for a project, because I've gotten so used to the packing and all of the work it takes to coordinate a move.

I have a shift in emotions about our move from day to day. One day I am so excited about the change of scenery and all of the adventures awaiting us in the DR. The next I am sad about leaving the comfort of this well-lived life we've had in Boston where I know how to get from Mission Hill to Waltham using shortcuts and backroads. And the very next moment finds me anxious about all of the comforts I have to give up to live in a 3rd world country. Namely, how hot we are going to be all the time, mosquitoes, power outtages, etc.

For now, I am enjoying the quiet sound of life in the burbs, the emmerging fall weather, and the company of good friends.

Domincan Bound!

2008-07-24T17:13:00.007-04:00

Most of you know we are getting ready to move to the Dominican Republic. We are moving this Fall to the capital city, Santo Domingo. We're planning to live there for two years then come back to the U.S. Two years in another country...many thoughts and feelings are swirling around in my head and heart. It all seems surreal to me, as I don't really know what life will be like on the other side of this move. I like to know what to expect and I make lists and plans in my head surrounding my expectations. I'm coming up at a lose here, because I just don't know how to plan for this one! It's totally out of my comfort zone!

I've moved quite a few times since graduating high school and saying "bye-bye" to my home state of Northern California. I've lived in the South, I've lived in the Northeast and now I am headed for the Caribbean. The thrill I felt each time I moved and opened myself to a new experience is motivating me, but I'm so anxious about things that seemed so trivial before I had a child. Will we find a pediatrician who shares the same medical perspective we do? What if my child gets sick from the water or mosquitoes? Will I survive "Dominican" driving? How will I handle random loss of electicity and water? Will I REALLY be able to communicate in Spanish without having to think about EVERY word I say? Etc, etc...

It's a funny thing, because I have had several opportunities to travel to Latin American and Caribbean countries. Every time I have fallen in love with the culture and people. I have almost moved to a couple of these locations to work as a teacher or in some sort of Christian ministry/humanitarian capacity. The thought of immersing myself in another culture and people has always had a special place in my heart.

It's probably no surprise to others that I married a Latino and am moving to his home country. I'm not really that surprised by any of it either. We're just not going under the circumstances I expected. I'm not going to work in a school or an orphanage or on a mission of some kind. I'm going to support my husband as he takes what he learned in graduate school back to his country to make a difference. I'm going so my child will have a chance to experience part of his cultural background. I guess I'm surprised that I'm not going for my own reasons. I, selfishly, wonder about my identity there. It seems so noble, in a way, to go and support my husband, but I'm really nervous about finding my own fit.

I'll tell you more about our timeline next time I blog. For now, I'll leave you with a few pictures of where we are headed:

This is a good depiction of Santo Domingo. If you look closely you can see cars in gridlock in an intersection. Thoughts of driving...yikes!

Apartment buildings next to a park in Santo Domingo.

The center of the island is a mountain range. One of the most beautiful sights I have ever seen!Eric's grandparents live in a small mountain town where we will spend many weekends with family.

Summer Days

2008-07-10T11:36:00.007-04:00

It's been so long since I blogged last that I don't even know where to start. It's just like me to get busy with other things and forget to keep everyone updated on all of the things I am busy with!

We have had both of our moms in town over the last month, so there has been a lot of activity in our house. I miss that we don't live near our moms and it's so great to see Eric interact with his Gammy and Abuela. My mom was here for his party, so that pretty much took up all of our time. While Eric's mom was here we did a lot of shopping (she LOVES to shop and look in all of our American stores. Eric says she has made shopping a sport). And, we went to Cape Cod.

I've been to the Cape a few times since moving here, but this is the first time I felt like I really experienced the Cape. We started in Sandwich where we visited the Glass Museum. After that we drove almost to the end of the Cape and went to the beach in Orleans. On our way we passed a cemetary where several of the original Pilgrims are buried. We "drove" past it because I was the only one in the car who wanted to stop.

Since then, we have been laying low dodging the heat and humid days and going out on the nice warm sunny days. I have been tending to my garden, which is producing some lovely tomatoes and herbs. We had radishes earlier in the summer and the carrots are taking root. Many of the flowers got choked out with the endless weeds. Seriously, you turn your back for 2 or 3 days and they've taken over!

We went to Kelly and Steve's Lakehouse in Central Mass for the 4th of July. Eric and Maddie took their first dip in the lake. We set off our own fireworks over the lake and somehow Eric slept through the whole thing. I don't know how kids do that!

My sweet one-year old is transitioning into his toddler phase. He is becoming quite strong-willed (where he gets that from, I don't know?!). He's in to everything and protests the slightest command. Man do I have it coming for me in the next few years?! Amid all of the usual toddler stuff he is so much fun and beginning to walk! He isn't walking on his own yet, but with a hand to hold onto he can walk the entire block to the garden and back!

he biggest thing in our lives right now is planning to move to the Dominican Republic in November. It feels like a long way away, but it's really right around the corner. My head is swimming with things to do, lists to make, people to contact, things to sell, things to pack, etc...

...with Gammy.

...with Abuela. (even though he has the same shirt on it was two weeks later.)

At the lake on the 4th (or rather in the lake).

The guys stretching their legs at the beach on Cape Cod.

Giving Maddie Josti a hug. Papa Eric says, "That's my boy! Si Senor!"

Obsessed with Books...

2008-06-13T09:04:00.003-04:00

Our guy is totally nuts about books. He brings me to books to read him over and over again. He plops them in my lap and settles down, thumb in mouth, other finger twirling his hair ready to listen. When he's done with that one he gives me another. Before naptime we can easily go through 10 books, reading some a few times.

I figured he would like books, given the parents he belongs to, but I didn't think he would be so crazy over them. At about 5 months he was turning the pages by himself. And, now he reads books in his crib before he goes to bed. He usually has 3 or 4 books in there and he can stay up anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour before settling in to go to sleep. Sometimes I sneak a peek and he's just quietly flipping through his favorite read of the moment. Oftentimes, I go in once he is asleep to find him bent over from the waist asleep as if he was sitting up reading until the last possible moment he could stay awake, bending over right there when he falls asleep.

I snuck a pic last night while he was sleeping, so you could see him surrounded by his books, one in hand as he fell asleep.

And, here he is with his buddy Maddie Josti, hanging out in the living room.

Feliz Cumpleanos Ericito!!

2008-06-03T16:35:00.008-04:00

Well, our boy turned one this past Sunday. It's hard to believe it was a year ago we were welcoming our tiny boy into the world. And, it's crazy to think a whole year has flown by so quickly. At what pace will the coming years whiz by, I wonder?

He had a grand time dressed in his sailor suit and hat (carrying on a tradition started by his father for one year birthdays). The weather was perfectly sunny and breezy. We had a cookout with family and friends in our backyard. My mom was in town for the big day from Tennessee.

I wondered what his reaction would be to his cake. Well, to be honest I think I wondered more what kind of reaction his cake would have on him afterward. He very carefully ran his fingers across the frosting tasting his first sugar goodness. After a few tastes he decided it would be easier just to put his face in it taking out the extra step of using his hands. So fun to watch!

He was shown love by all who came to celebrate with him. It was a great day all around.

Happy 1st year, little boy....here's to a fabulous 2nd!!

A Week's Worth of Pictures

2008-05-10T15:31:00.003-04:00

It's been a little while since I posted anything. We've been enjoying the beautiful spring weather trying to get out as much as possible between the rainy days. We are slowly warming up here with some cooler days still hanging around to remind us that we live in the Northeast.

We went walking with Stacey in the Arboretum last week. The lilacs were just blooming. There is a path lined with all varieties of lilac trees and every year there is a special weekend just to enjoy them. It's quite a big deal in Boston and there are tours of the Arboretum all weekend. This year the weekend fell on Mother's Day and we decided to get out and see them before the mad rush of the weekend spectators. The Arboretum is a huge slice of green in the middle of the city. What I love about it is how natural it is. It's not over manicured like a lot of public gardens in other cities. There are fields of wildflowers with all types of trees, as well as paths and trails that lead up to the top of a hill with a lookout over the city. I always get this picture in my head of women in hoop skirts walking with an umbrella on the arm of their man through the fields under the trees on weekends around the turn of the last century. Now, it's traffiked by kids on rollerblades, parents with strollers, people with books and blankets and lots of dogwalkers. It's one of my most favorite places. Here are a few pictures:

As you can see they weren't quite in full bloom, but lovely nonetheless.

We also started swim lessons with Eric. He was either crying or sucking his thumb the entire first session. I hear it can take a few sessions before they enjoy the water and get more comfortable with the big pool. Big Eric is excited about having a "papa" activity to do with him each week.

Getting ready to hit the pool. I don't think he knows what to expect, but he sure looks cute in his swim trunks.

Not having it. He didn't fight being in the pool, he just cried the whole time. I think we'll have better luck this weekend.

This pic is my favorite. He is going out of his way to suck his thumb, even reaching around his papi's arm.

And, I had to throw in the naked shot before a bath one night. I can't believe how tall he is already!

On another note, I have been working in my garden plot, weeding, turning up the soil and planting seeds. I will share more as I see progress, but for now it's just a waiting game hoping to see some sprouts soon!

Rain, Rain, Go Away...

2008-04-28T15:29:00.005-04:00

I know we need the rain, but we've been so spoiled over the last two weeks with unseasonably warm and sunny weather. We've been outside everyday and enjoying the beginnings of Spring.

BUT, today it's raining and we are relagated to indoor activities. Here's a snapshot of our day so far:

I'm planning my garden. Here are my seeds! We are renting a plot in the community garden on our street. I can actually taste the tomatoes already! I'll definately be posting more about this project of love.

I am slowly going through about 2 1/2 years of magazines, pulling out articles I can't live without and organizing them.

And, while I was doing my project inbetween dumping out the little holes from the hole puncher and trying to stuff as many in his mouth as he could, and standing up on his own for one of the first times, my little trouble-finder was doing this.
Oh, to find forbidden places. Exciting for my explorer, yet annoying for mom trying to get things done.

(What I didn't write about is the hour I spent on the phone with the insurance company figuring out a claim from when he was born, or the huge glass of ice tea Ericito spilled on my clean floors!)

Earth Day

2008-04-21T19:22:00.006-04:00

Yesterday, as you know, was Earth Day. I didn't remember until about 1/2 way through the day. It was at that point I realized, unknowingly, I was celebrating in my own way.

First, I was wearing a skirt I recently made and carrying a purse (with a little diaper carrier inside) I made. The purse and diaper carrier were even made from recycled material.

Secondly, I was out shopping at my favorite produce market which carries a lot of local produce, and at Whole Foods (which has stopped using plastic bags). At each place I carried my own shopping bags, although I had to use the plastic produce bags to collect my fruits and veggies.

And third, my child was wearing cloth diapers all day and ate baby food I made (mostly, I did feed him a couple of jars of food).

I'm not trying to toot my own horn. I am just amazed at how much my life has changed in the last few years, and most dramatically in the last year. A year ago none of the above things would have registered with me as little ways I can do my part to live greener and help preserve what we have (or have left).

I am thoughtful of these "little" changes as we plan for our upcoming move to the Domincan Republic. Changes like recycling much of our garbage, using cloth diapers, using reusable shopping bags (and almost begging the person bagging my groceries not to use any plastic bags, even for eggs or bread), making some of my clothes (still working on that one as the skirt is my first in a long time), not turning on a light in a room that already has natural light I can use, walking instead of using the car, buying local or organic as much as possible, etc... Very few, if any, of these things are practiced or even popular in the DR. I wonder if I will be frustrated at how behind they are in the campaign to save our planet, or if I will be inspired to try in my own little way to make a change for the better among my new community of family and friends.

Here's my new skirt and bag. I owe a HUGE thanks to my creative friends out there who have inspired me toward this new creative trend!

Sunshine, Family and Baseball

2008-04-21T19:22:00.005-04:00

We spent Sunday in Providence with Eric's family. It was refreshing to be with his family, share a Domincan meal and play a little family baseball! Here are some pics:

Family picture

Riding high with Papi Orlando.

Little E with Auntie Alyson

Grandma Belkis

Swinging with Uncle Gabriel.

"Can I have some of that Tio Orlandito?"

Watching Papa play baseball.

From Scratch Baby

2008-04-18T19:38:00.004-04:00

I have picked back up working on my other blog "From Scratch Baby". It's a blog about feeding your babies/toddlers that I hope will become more of a discussion than straight info from me. I am by no means an expert on baby feeding, but when I was looking for information to help me figure things like how to make baby food, or figure out a feeding schedule, quantities of food, types of food and such I had a hard time locating anything that made sense to me. If you know someone who might benefit from joining this kind of a discussion I would appreciate you passing the blogsite along to them.

Thanks.

Blanket for Baby Elisabeth

2008-04-15T11:26:00.004-04:00

As promised...here is the finished product. The baby blanket crocheted with love and lots of granny squares for baby Elisabeth who will be making her debut into the world in July.

And, here are her proud parents, John and Laura, at the shower we hosted for them on Sunday.

It's time for Ice Cream!

2008-04-14T17:05:00.002-04:00

Well, for those of you who aren't really that interested in life in Boston, I am sorry that this is the 2nd post in a row about Boston. You'll just have to try to bear with me. You see, my city sleeps through the winter months and comes awake with Spring (which is slowly making it's appearance around here). There are a few yearly happenings that act as an alarm clock to those of us who don't venture out much when the weather is too cold during winter.

The first is mentioned in my last post...Red Sox opening day.

Next is the sweet, although synthesized sound of childhood songs blaring from none other than....the Ice Cream Truck! That's right, the ice cream trucks are out and that means it's time to put on flip flops and get ready, because warmer weather is around the corner. (A side note...the sight of people in flip flops while the thermometer is still reading lower 50's for the high is not unusual around here.)

It's kind of hard to understand the magic and mystery (I'll get to that in a minute) of the Ice Cream Truck unless you've experienced it. At the beginning of the season it's a welcome sound, signaling happy thoughts about childhood and imagining children running toward it with dollar bills in hand. I think ice cream has gone up since my day, but I am pretty sure you can still buy a Drumstick or Fudgesicle. Now, toward the end of summer when you've heard, "She'll Be Coming Around the Mountain" accompanied by a psychodelic synthesized child laugh and clapping for the 1,000th time it can drive you batty! But, for now it's a welcome reminder of things to come.

Now about the mystery. My former roommates and I have an idea that the Ice Cream Truck sells more than ice cream, if you know what I mean. I mean, when it's 11:30 at night and the ice cream truck is circling the neighborhood you kind of start to wonder what else they are selling alongside Nutty Bars. More than once I have witnessed the Truck speeding by our house late into the night blaring it's music and from looking at the guy behind the wheel I seriously doubt he is delivering ice cream sandwiches to a children's party down the street. You can use your imagination to think of what else they might want to sell on our urban streets at midnight.

So, today as I was sitting at my dining room table in the quiet of the afternoon (Ericito was asleep) the familiar sound of "It's a Small World" put a smile on my face. Ah...the Ice Cream Truck.

Opening Day at Fenway!

2008-04-09T14:46:00.006-04:00

Yesterday I got the thrill of a lifetime. My friend, Stacey, invited me to be her guest for Red Sox Opening Day! Not only was it the first home game of the season, but it was preceded by a special ceremony celebrating the Red Sox 2007 World Series victory.

My love of the Red Sox began shortly after I moved to Boston in May 2000 thanks to my friend, Allyson. She invited me to a summer game against the Royals. It was there in the grandstand behind the third base line that my Red Sox education began. I would share the picture of us outside Fenway, but it was taken before I had a digital camera.

It's hard to explain if you don't live here, but it's virtually impossible to live in Boston and not be a fan of the Sox. It's more than a sports thing, it's a cultural thing here. Fenway Park is smack dab in the middle of the city. So, to live in Boston is to be neighbors with the Sox.

I can't say that I am true child of the Red Sox Nation. I didn't inherit season tickets from a relative, or grow up watching them "break my heart" for all the times they came close to winning a penant in my lifetime. But, I have watched the team as they have won AND lost over the past eight seasons. And, this year I got to go to Opening Day!

Thanks Estacey!

AND, thanks to my husband for taking the day off and watching our son. "Why didn't he want to go?" you ask. Well, he is a fan of "another" team that I won't mention here!

Here is a video of a Fenway 8th inning tradition:

...

It's coming, my friends...

2008-04-07T19:41:00.009-04:00

I was out walking a few times this week and look what I saw...

...and, Eric at the park.

My "Granny" would be proud

2008-04-07T19:41:00.008-04:00

I am up to my eyeballs in Granny Squares, but I can't share the full picture of the project just yet. They are both theraputic and addictive, as I can't hardly make myself stop once I get started. My sweet grandmother "Grosmama" taught me how to crochet, among many other things for which I am eternally grateful. Because of Grosmama I know how to make a pie crust, buttermilk biscuits, can apricots and pickles, sew, hem, embroider, and love God.

I'll share the finished project soon...

My Secret Life as a Celebrity Chef

2008-04-03T17:12:00.002-04:00

If you are one of my close friends you know I am crazy for the Food Network. It's my default channel on TV. You know, whenever you turn on TV you always check to see what's on your default. And, if you can't find anything else to watch you turn to your default. I love watching my friends Giada, Paula, Ina, Ellie, Robin and Tyler whip up something "easy" for dinner. They make it look so easy. I secretly dream that I have my own cooking show and I am chopping up vegetables with ease or pureeing some yummy sauce or marinade in the food processor.

(Not that I need to add this, but I am not a fan of Racheal, Sandra or Emeril.)

A lot of people I know don't like Giada because she has huge cleavage and is tiny. How can a person that tiny eat what she cooks? Well, I'll tell you that she has some of the best recipes. I think we (me and Giada) have the same style of cooking. Maybe I could show her a few of my tricks in the kitchen one day when we are hanging out.

Ok, enough of my secret obsession with the Food Network.

I made this yummy baked penne the other night. It was so good that I had to share the recipe. It has two cheeses in it, smoked mozarella and fontina. The smoked mozzarella gave the dish a lot of depth, so you don't even miss that it doesn't have any meat in it. Of course it's a Giada recipe!

If you are inspired enough to make it I know you will enjoy it as much as we did!

My Little Tornado

2008-04-02T17:12:00.001-04:00

How is it that my kitchen can go from this:

to this:

in less than 10 minutes?

Someone's Got a New Bag

2008-03-31T17:12:00.005-04:00

Look what I made! My friend, Kristi, sent me a link to an amazing blog that featured this bag and the creator of the bag was kind enough to share her pattern. One afternoon when plans to retreat to Ikea with a friend were cancelled I decided to make the most of the day and put on my creative hat. This is what came out. I don't have as many opportunities to sling a purse across my shoulder as I would like, mostly because I am lugging around a diaper bag, but I have enjoyed using it. And, I have found that it fits my wallet, cell phone, lipgloss, keys and one diaper just nicely! Thanks for sharing, Penny!

Here's how mine turned out:

The (lost) Easter Basket

2008-03-25T09:56:00.002-04:00

Here are some pictures of Eric enjoying his very first Easter basket. I was thrilled to share with him the Easter basket I used as a child that was passed down from my dad, who also used it as a child. The story doesn't stop there, though. This Easter basket was handmade by my great grandparents in Arkansas. It has seen quite a few Easters, I'll tell you.

He almost didn't get a chance to make history with the basket. Two years ago I went looking for it and couldn't find it. I turned the house upside down looking for it. I even went back to the house I had moved in wondering if I had left it there somehow. Sick to my stomach, I called my mom and confessed I had lost the basket. For almost two years I felt intense guilt over losing something so valuable everytime I thought about it. Well, about 6 months ago we cleaned out a closet in our house. The closet is filled top to bottom with plastic tubs holding various things (pictures, christmas decorations, old files...). In the back of my mind I secretly held out hope we would find the basket. We even found a picture of my great-grandparents standing in front of a barn surrounded by baskets just like my precious Easter basket. My heart was so heavy thinking I wouldn't have the chance to share my basket with Eric for his first Easter. I ran to the grocery store while in the middle of the big clean up and when I came back the basket was sitting on a chair in the living room. I was so excited I shrieked and jumped up and down. Little Eric started crying because I had scared the pants off of him. I guess it was tucked away in one of the containers I hadn't looked in and Eric had found it. I was elated! I felt like the woman in the Bible who had lost the coin and found it again.

And, that's the story of Eric's precious Easter basket!

Easter Sunday!

2008-03-23T21:00:00.004-04:00

It's late and we've had full day with church, friends, Easter baskets, ham, rice and beans, and mashed potatoes. This will be a short entry. I just couldn't let the day go by without an entry.

We celebrated the risen Lord latino-style. We sang lots of energetic and thoughtful songs about Christ and I didn't even miss the usual hymns we sing in English. We even had dancers in our service. Our church is a far cry from the liturgical church I grew up in, I'll tell you that!

Our pastor spoke on the resurrection, like every other pastor around the world I suppose. But, the perspective he took was really thought provoking. He talked about how believing the resurrection comes at a price. The disciples and the early Christians undoubtedly paid a price to believe, and oftentimes it resulted in their lives. I think I heard that almost 1/2 of the early christians were killed for their faith (of course, you know how unsubstantiated stats go, but this is a blog and not research paper). Believing in the resurrection is costly, because our faith is often tested through trials. I could say more, but I'm so tired. It's just something to think about.

I'll tell you all about Eric's easter basket tomorrow when I am rested! Good night.

Holy Week: Santo Viernes

2008-03-21T10:43:00.003-04:00

Good Friday. How can it be good when Christ was brutally crucified and died today? How can it be called anything else when because of His death we are freed from the consequence of our sin once and for all? In Spanish Good Friday is called Santo Viernes or Holy Friday. Christ going to the cross and dying for our sins is the single most holy act ever done. Holy Friday fits.

Tonight I participated in a Seder meal at the house church of some friends and neigbors. The Seder meal is eaten on Passover by Jews. It is the meal Jesus shared with his disciples the night before he was arrested and died on the Cross. It's a beautiful tradition and I really don't know why Christians don't celebrate it every year. The entire meal is a reminder of the suffering the Jewish people endured as slaves in Egypt and their gratefulness to God for bringing them out of slavery. There are several elements in the meal that point to the Messiah and take on special meaning if you are a Christian participating in the tradition.

As I thought about Jesus' sacrifice on the Cross tonight I wondered about his separation from the Father. Scripture says He was abandoned by God. What could that have been like? Alone and cut off from God, the Father. In excruciating pain and not able to access God's presence to help Him through it. He was truly godforsaken.

What exactly does "godforsaken" mean? Webster's dictionary defines it as "wretched, neglected, pitiable, desolate, remote, deserted." Words that describe Jesus hanging in agony on that Cross somehow taking on all of our sin and being sacrificed for them all. The atonement offering sacrificed at the Temple no longer needed. Once and for all God died for us so we could live free of condemnation. But, to get there He was truly "godforsaken".

A dark night. And all I could think about was how much I take Him for granted...

Holy Week: Maundy Thursday

2008-03-20T10:32:00.003-04:00

Today is the last day Jesus spent with his disciples before he was betrayed by one of them and arrested. It is on this night he ate the Passover meal with his beloved friends and devoted followers. These are the men he had poured into, sharing not only his life with them, but also teaching them in preparation for spreading the message of redemption once he had gone to Heaven. At the end of the meal he did the most extraordinary thing. He washed their feet. A job only a servant in a wealthy household would do, not one the Messiah and King of Kings should be doing. Their teacher and Master was stooping down at their feet and wiping off the muck and mire (among other things they had to walk through). It's one of the most vivid pictures of servanthood we have as Christians.

What captivates me every time I read this story is Peter's response. Peter is one of Christ's most cherished disciples, a close friend even. He becomes a great man of God and a leader in the church after Christ's departure. I mean no disrespect when I say this, but I can often relate to his impulsiveness. To think that someone with such a loose tongue can become a great leader is encouraging to me, being a little hasty and impulsive myself. Excuse my embellishment of the story a little, but this is the picture I get in my head.

Jesus comes to Peter and begins to wash his feet. Peter is a little uncomfortable seeing his Lord in this position of servitude and tells him, "No. You shall never wash my feet." I can see the look of indignation on his face when he says this.

Jesus answers, "Unless I wash you, you have no part with me."

Here it is. Everything in Peter's demeanor changing when he cries out, "Then Lord, not just my feet but my hands and my head as well!"

To me this is a picture of total surrender to Christ. Something about his complete change of perspective speaks deeply to me. He's saying, "Lord, here's all of me! Take it all! I am surrendered to you completely!" In that moment he is totally completely for the Lord. And, if you know the story you know that within 48 hours of this encounter, after Christ is crucified, acting out of fear Peter denies being one of Jesus' disciples.

I have moments of complete surrender like this, too. They are powerful moments where I am totally His. I will go wherever He leads and do whatever He calls me to do. I feel it in my core and I mean it with all that I am . And, then hours later I, too, betray my commitment to Him and openly disregard Him. Maybe my betrayal doesn't look like Peter's, but my heart is the same in that moment.

This is one of the reasons Christ went to the Cross and died. People like Peter and me sometimes need experiences like this that are a little humiliating and embarrassing to show us we can't live on our emotional sensations alone. I can be totally for something at one moment and totally against it the next. I am rash. I need to be reminded how badly I need the Holy Spirit to balance out my emotions. I sometimes envy people who make decisions only after thinking through every option. I wish I could detach my feelings a little and think more clearly about things. It's my feelings that propel me to judgment about things and people. But, I realize it's my feelings that also give me a softer side, too. My husband often says he admires that about me.

What I have come to realize is that my greatest weakness can also be a great strength. Because of my rashness and strong emotional pull toward things, I can also feel deeply my need for the grace of Christ in my life. I can contemplate and understand the work that was done on the Cross by Christ's death because I can FEEL it in my heart and not just THINK it in my head. I can be motivated to change because I feel compelled to not just because I know it's the right thing to do. "Feelers" like me sin and taste humiliation, as a result we know how beautiful God's mercy can feel.

Holy Week: Reflection 2

2008-03-19T10:25:00.005-04:00

Stubborness. It's at the core of our being. We want things our way, on our time and in our control. I was thinking about this as I was feeding my child cereal and applesauce this morning and talking to a friend. As I was lamenting about how these bursts of stubborness come out in my child everytime I feed him, she reminded me of how this is such a vivid picture of our relationship with God.

It goes like this in the highchair...Eric is hungry and letting me know it in no uncertain terms. I make a bowl of cereal and begin to feed him a spoonful. He lets out a whiny cry, slaps my hand away and turns his head. I try again, knowing he is hungry and what I have on the spoon will satisfy his need. Again, he slaps my hand away. I give him a toy car or another spoon to distract him and shovel in spoonfuls of cereal. He's happy as soon as he tastes that oatmeal goodness, but soon realizes he is not in control of how he is getting it and starts the complaining once again. We work it out, because I've learned his tactics and have devised complicated strategies to get that bowl of cereal in my child's belly to make him happy and full.

It's the same with sleep. How many times I think, "Surrender to sleep, my child. Stop fighting it and you will be so much happier in the long run!"

Is this how I am with God? I complain that I'm hungry and yet I won't let him feed me. I am the one sitting in the highchair ready to eat from his bowl of goodness, but at the last minute I turn my head deciding I don't want what He is offering. I'm sure He has sighed at me more than once with spoon in hand knowing that my hunger could be satiated so easily with His provision. And yet, unlike the mother in me whose patience runs thin, He is eternally patient allowing me time and time again to try it my way until I eventually come running back to Him exhausted from my efforts greeted with a loving embrace and a spoonful of grace.

Oh, if only these lessons were easily learned (for my child in the highchair AND for me, the struggling child of God). And, yet the road we often travel down allows for opportunities to grow stronger and lessons not learned otherwise.

As I journey toward the cross this week, I am reminded of the control issues I won't easily let go of...wanting things done my way and in my timeframe, the inability to admit I am wrong, wanting a faster solution to problems, expecting my husband to understand what I am thinking, wanting immediate answers to questions about our future, and so many more. As a follower of Christ, his prayer to God the Father rings in my ears today, "Yet not what I will, but what you will." He chose again and again to do what the Father told him to do.

So much to learn...

Holy Week: Palm Sunday

2008-03-16T08:13:00.001-04:00

Today is Palm Sunday, the beginning of the Holy week leading to Easter when we celebrate the ressurection of Jesus Christ from the dead. Palm Sunday commemorates Jesus' triumphant arrival into Jerusalem where people put palms down in front of his path. Growing up in a protestant liturgical church, Easter was a special time for me. I loved going to church and Sunday School as a child. And, I have my grandmother (Grosmama) to thank for introducing this tradition in my life which later led to a deep commitment to Christ.

I haven't participated in any Lenten activity this year. I think chasing after a 9-month old and all of the other responsibilties I am juggling have swallowed up my time. But, I am making a special effort to thoughtfully participate in the Biblical events of Holy Week.

As I was reading in John 12 about Jesus' entry to Jerusalem for Passover I had a few thoughts. The people surrounding Jesus approached him in two ways, out of fear or out of adoration. The stark contrast of the two struck me this morning. The Pharisees, or teachers of the Jewish law, were fearful of Jesus and how His message of atonement, forgiveness and eternal life was effecting the people around Him. They were so wrapped up in trying to bring Him down that they completely missed His message of spiritual freedom. Their actions displayed a fear that Jesus might win over the people and they would lose their spiritual position as leaders.

Contrasting this is a display of adoration and joy that followed Jesus wherever He went. The night before His arrival in Jerusalem He was at a dinner party, where a woman who had experienced first-hand forgiveness and acceptance by Christ, poured out perfume at His feet worth over a year's salary. The value of her worship touches me today as I think about my own unworthiness in comparison to God's acceptance of me just as I am, tired and trying too hard.

And, then as Jesus was riding into Jerusalem crowds of people were lined up, palm branches in hand shouting their praise to Him. "Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!" I admit it has been a long time since I displayed the same kind of gratefulness to Christ in response to His message of freedom in my life.

I was part of a church awhile back that handed out palm branches on Palm Sunday and at some point in the service as we were singing a hymn we lifted our palm branches in a symbolic way to commemorate the arrival of Christ in our lives. I don't think I will see any palm branches or expensive displays of perfume this year at church or at home. I am more apt to experience shouting for more cheerios and spilled water from a sippy cup at my feet. It will force me to contemplate both my resistant fears to the unknowns of life, and opportunities to raise my palm branch up and shout "Hosanna!" to the King of Kings of whom I owe everything for the thousands of times He has saved me from myself.

"Do not be afraid, O daughter of Zion;
see, your King is coming..." (John 12:15)

Lifting up my own palm branch...

It's on it's way...

2008-03-15T20:50:00.000-04:00

I bought these lovely daffodils at the produce market yesterday. They are my favorite flower and a sign that Spring is on the way. We can't enjoy the beautiful flowers of Spring, like daffodils, tulips and hyacinth, until a few weeks into April. However, they are shipped here from warmer climates and we can buy them to enjoy while it's still snowing.

That's right, it still snows here in March and sometimes in April.

Well, there are several reasons why I love daffodils. First, they are a brilliant burst of color announcing Spring. Second, they remind me of my childhood. Third, they make me happy and they look like they are smiling at me.

So, yesterday Little Eric and I went for a walk in the Arnold Arboretum with a friend and her two daughters. We walked down the path of the park past bare trees and bushes chatting away. And, then from almost out of nowhere a sight that took my breath away...a bush with yellow flowers. Real flowers! Spring has not forgotten us.

And, then today it snowed. Why can't the weather make up it's mind? Soon enough...patience.

$5 Find

2008-03-14T22:03:00.000-04:00

So, yesterday I found this sling in a bargain basket at my favorite children's store for $5!! I couldn't believe it and kept asking the salesperson if it really was jsut $5 or if it was a mistake. It is a Kangaroo Korner sling and it is normally $60. It's a really fun blue flower print that I would have picked out if I had a choice. Imagine my surprise and delight. Especially since I had been thinking the week before about how much I would love a fun cloth sling for the summer (my other sling is a KK also and it's polarfleece).

Despite the look on my son's face, he loves to ride in it on my hip. He fits nicely right under my arm. It's the only way I can get him to cuddle with his mama.

A Taste of Spring

2008-03-10T16:38:00.001-04:00

Little Eric and I just got back from visiting our friends, the Bennetts, in Tampa, Florida. It was a fabulous break from the "winter blahs" of Boston in March. It was so nice to feel the warmth of a breezy Florida day on my skin. And, to see green again gives me hope that Spring will return once again. Trees and bushes were blooming and the landscape everywhere was lush with ferns, banana trees and other tropical plants. I enjoyed waking up to Kristi's orchids she has been nurturing in her office.

The best part of the trip was spending time with one of my best friends, Kristi. We became friends when she and her husband lived in Boston. It's a great feeling to enjoy an easy friendship that can survive the miles between. We chat online and trade phone calls frequently (especially since Eric came along and I need lots of advice about motherhood), but nothing can be compared to a real-life conversation. And, true to form we had one long 4 day conversation about everything under the sun, stopping only to sleep and care for our children every now and then.

It's so much fun sharing motherhood with friends. It brought me deep joy to watch our babies play together and talk amongst themselves in baby grunts and laughter. Her youngest, Rhys, and Eric are two months apart and from the moment we sat them in their carseats side-by-side at the airport, they had a blast relating to each other! Spending time with her two oldest, Gillian (6 years) and Aedan (4 years) was great, too. I can't get over how grown up they are! Time flies so quickly...it doesn't seem that long ago that they were little babies!

We ate lots of yummy food (I still can't believe there is a drive-thru Caribbean restaurant), shopped in fun stores (Target and this awesome vintage/new/antique shop in a restored warehouse), played with kids, went to the beach, drove around looking at awesome beach houses, ate homemade ice cream at a Cuban drive-up diner, sat outside in the sun, and talked about random topics (as mentioned before). And, anyone who knows the Bennetts knows there were conversations about theology and politics with Rick!

A little sunshine and friendship does the soul good!

Eric and Rhys' first meeting at the airport in tandem carseats.

Playing with the Gillian and Aedan on the deck.Kristi and Rhys at the beach.Eric's first trip to the ocean!Rhys and Eric playing at the beach in the baby tent.Aedan wearing his new scarf (it was cold that day...65 degrees).

Rick drinking a Cuban espresso from the tiniest styrofoam cup I have ever seen!

Play Dates

2008-02-21T10:25:00.001-05:00

Eric's had a few play dates this week. He gets so excited when he's around other kids and it is a gentle reminder that I should get together with friends who have kids so he can play more often. I know he's not suffering without other kid interaction, but he just gets so excited and it makes him so happy to be around other kids. He laughs and smiles and bounces up and down and wants to touch them. It's good for me, too. Actually, I'm sure it's better for me than for him because I get to hang out with friends. We even have a "Spanish" playdate in the planning.

Here are some pics from our play fun...
Eric and Ester playing together. She is 1 1/2 and he's almost 9 months and I think he outweighs her by a couple of pounds! She graciously shared her house with him.

Yesterday Caleb and Jen came over to play. Caleb and Eric are pretty much neck and neck with their development, so it was fun to see them playing together. Little Caleb wasn't feeling so great, but he was a trooper.And, I had to include pictures of our newest friend, Madeleine. We went to visit on Tuesday. She is a cutie and Kelly looks great, doesn't she?!

Red Hat

2008-02-18T20:26:00.001-05:00

Babies, babies, babies

2008-02-14T12:59:00.000-05:00

I know, I know, it's been awhile since my last post. I was trying to figure out why I haven't been in the mood to blog. The best I can come up with is that it's so dreary and wintry up here that it is starting to affect my mood. I think New Englanders get their tough and somewhat cold reputation because of the winters here. Believe me when I tell you that the weather really does affect your mood and it's true that you will find a lot of friendly smiling faces when Spring and Summer roll around up here. But, until then, we just kinda hole-up in our houses and hibernate coming out for sunlight and a little fresh air now and then. This is not by choice on my part. I would rather be dancing in the sunny, warm Florida winter warmth (like one of my besties)!

On to better things...

A very BRIGHT spot in my winter mood is all of the wonderful new babies that have just entered the world around my life! In the past three weeks 5 friends (1 is a sister-in-law) have had little babies. And, they are ALL girls!! Can you believe it? Ericito will surely have a lot of great women to choose from one of these days! It's been fun revisiting those early days of motherhood and offering a listening ear, advice, a meal, and whatever else I can.

So, congratulations to them all and welcome to the world strong, resilient, little women!! Here is a rundown of the new little loves:

Miriam and Samuel - Natalia

Sonia and Stephen - Sarah

Julie and Dave - Lucy

Zoila and Antolin - Paula (Eric's sister - yea! A new niece!)

Kelly and Steve - Madeleine

Here is a picture of little E meeting his new girlfriend Madeleine Leigh Josti

AND, here are a few other shots from the past two weeks. Have a good week!

Bathtime is so much more fun with a mohawk!

Eating his first teething cracker...thank God no choking!!

Our little bookworm

2008-01-28T09:49:00.000-05:00

We took this video yesterday of Eric turning pages in a book. Eric's mom didn't believe he could do it by himself. He loves to read books and turn the pages on his own. We usually go through the same book about 5 or 6 times in a row each time. And, he starts turning the pages faster and faster each time, so we're pretty much just looking at the pictures by the end.

He is talking away these days. He actually looks up at me in the eye sometimes and I know he is trying to tell me something. He just babbles on and on. And, he is getting to be a pretty proficient roller. He will roll all over the living room to explore, and if he sees something he wants to get his hands on he'll just roll from his front to his back in a series of rolls that take him right where he wants to go. I think it's time to plug up the outlets and make sure there isn't anything around he can get himself into trouble with.

The weather is going to be a bit milder this week (in the low 40's), so we are planning to get out as much as possible. Yea!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6lDMPxt3axQ

A Break in the Snow

2008-01-28T09:42:00.000-05:00

I walked into the kitchen yesterday afternoon and saw two bright red cardinals in the tree outside our kitchen window. I grabbed the camera as soon as I could, but one flew to another tree. The picture isn't as clear as I would like it to be because it's taken through the window. It was an amazing sight to see these two brightly colored birds in the barren colorless landscape. It was a reminder that God has not forgotten about us. He will bring the color of Spring to us again after the long winter. We've just got to hold on for another couple of months. It was a highlight in my day and I wanted to share it with you.

A Toothy Smile

2008-01-20T22:14:00.000-05:00

Our baby is growing up. Before long he is going to be off to kindergarten! If you look closely at this picture you will see the top of one tiny tooth in the bottom of Eric's little mouth. So cute and so grown up.
And, he's a really busy little guy these days. His favorite thing to do is crumple up paper. Any paper in sight is the target of his obsession. The other day he spent almost an hour destroying this magazine. Don't you love cheap toys!

He is also getting over a cold. It started as a little runny nose and ended up turning into a case of the Croup. We went the ER and then to our pediatrician and after a healthly dose of steriods, which to Eric's relief will not keep Little E from the Major Leagues one day, he is good as new. Still coughing and the humidifier has been on in his room for two weeks, but I think he is on the mend.

It's super cold again, so I don't think we will have any outings this week. But, Eric is off tomorrow for MLK day, so at least I will have company around the house.

Hope you have a good week!

Waiting for snow

2008-01-13T20:05:00.000-05:00

Once again we are waiting for a huge snowstorm to dump a new pile of snow to shovel. We have had record snow this season. It's always bittersweet waiting for the snow. It's beautiful to watch coming down as it sticks to everything it lands on. For a few hours it feels like a winter wonderland. The feeling wears off quickly, though, as the snow turns dirty black and slushy, or competely freezes over and becomes an ice skating rink. And, the worst part now that I am staying home with Eric is that we can't get out of the house until it warms up enough to brave the elements. I have a rule that we can go out if the temperature is above freezing. Below freezing just seems cruel to walk around in a stroller, even with the weather cover on the stroller.

So, here I am at 8 p.m. waiting for the inevitable storm to bring another week of indoor activities.

Maybe the weatherman lied and it'll be 5o degrees tomorrow. Whaddayouthink?

Dia de Reyes

2008-01-07T09:30:00.000-05:00

Today is "Dia de Reyes" or "Three Kings Day". It's the day when the three kings visited the infant Jesus and brought Him gifts (remember...gold, frankinsense, and Myrrh). It's a big holiday in the Latino culture, especially in the Dominican Republic, so we decided to make it a part of our Hernandez family tradition.

The way it goes down is like this.

You place some grass or hay outside your door (or on the Christmas tree if you follow Dominican tradition) for the king's camels to eat. And, the kings leave you a present. We decided to put grass outside the door, because putting it on the tree caused a great deal of confusion for the young Eric (papa). He couldn't figure out how those camels got inside the house if the house was locked up for the night.

This year we actually didn't put grass outside the door because we were too lazy to go out in the cold and pick grass in the dark from a nearby lot. It's little Eric's first Dia de Reyes, so he's not going to remember anyway, right? I don't think he will mind that we left that part out, because he got a gift. An alligator shaped xylophone/piano. Here are some pictures I took of him playing with it this morning under the Christmas tree.

This is the classic, "Am I supposed to be touching this?" look. Priceless.

And, now I can take down the decorations and clean the house.

New Year, New Blog.

2007-12-18T13:29:00.000-05:00

It's a new year and time for new beginnings. I have decided to change blogsites because the former site took too long to download and resize pictures. Since sharing photos is my main reason for blogging, I needed an easier site. I hope you all can move on over to blogger with me and that we can find an nice, cozy, easier-to-navigate home together.

We just got back from California where we spent time with my family. It was great to be with everyone...to see my brother and stepsibs, niece and nephew, and parents. We were expecting mild weather (two years ago I was wearing flip-flops for Christmas), but it seems we brought some of our New England snow with us.

Here are some pictures from our trip...

Look! My first plane ride! And, guess what?

I barely slept at all, even though it was the middle of the night! Fun!

Uncle Marc and Ericito doing a little "light" reading.

Karin, Marc and Dad on Christmas Eve.

Eric Jr. playing with his Christmas present from Gramere and Pops...a bongo drum that plays salsa and merengue versions of popular children's songs. Who knew such things existed?!

Playing the piano with Papa. (and sucking my thumb, of course.)

The oldest cousin holding the youngest cousin. Nicholas and Eric.

Hmmm...the smell of a freshly opened box of See's candy!

Getting ready to take a walk downtown with cousins Kasey and Nicholas.

Hanging out with Gramere.

...with Pops.

Taking a bath in the sink.

Eric, Eric Jr. and Gammy.

I don't know why the date is wrong at the top of the blog. It's really January 1st today. I guess it publishes the date you start writing. Oh well...I'm learning.