Happy Anniversary Babe

I have definitely been blessed in my life...starting with awesome parents who loved me and made the tough sacrifices that inevitably gave me the tools to make good decisions. To a great brother who always protected and loved me and then of course my close friends who are like family. But I can honestly say that perhaps the biggest blessing in my life is my wife. She is also my best friend, lover, mother to my children, and soul mate.

Before we were married Eileen and I had an adventurous relationship to say the least...she stuck with me through some stupid decisions I was making and hurtful choices that impacted her and should have ended it altogether. For some reason she always wanted to be with me ...I think I was always afraid of what might happen if I "committed" to her in the beginning, I guess it is safe to say that I knew it would be one of those things that went all the way. Once I got my head on straight I re-committed my life to Christ and felt worthy of committing it to her, this time with a new outlook on how I should treat her. I am so thankful that she loved me and stuck with me. In case you didn't know - I have a cool wife and here are a few reasons why:

• She's smart - Eileen is a schoolteacher by trade and an excellent writer along with a brain like a sponge. She also possesses the scarcely distributed "common sense gene" that so many people lack.


• She's hot - some things are just obvious. I don't even get jealous (which as a man of Latino decent is my responsibility and right) when she gets "hit on" while we are out. I just figure that I can't blame these guys out there who see me and figure they might have a snowballs chance...


• She's funny - OK, anyone who laughs at people falling down is my kind of person. I am not sure that everyone will agree that both of us are funny, but we sure make each other laugh...all the time.


• She's kind - Eileen loves people and will do whatever she needs to do to comfort those who need it. I am proud of how she treats the world.


• She ain't scared - on the flip side to my previous point she "don't play" when it comes to dealing with idiocy. After all she IS ITALIAN.


• She loves God


• She is a great mother - I think our kids are a direct reflection of her ability to love, discipline, encourage, share, teach and lead their little lives. My kids are awesome and warm and this is because of her.


• She is loyal and loving - Her family is very important to her and she sticks with them through it all. She even manages to love my family despite all the crazy dynamics of our shared Italian / Mexican culture. In regards to her true friends she commits and invests her time into building those relationships.


• She's got skills - My wife can sing ... in fact that's how we met; but more importantly that's why I initially fell in love with her. She sang a solo in college early in the year and I about crapped my pants when I heard her voice (how's that for romantic imagery?). I love how humble she is about her God given ability to move people and lead in worship.


• She makes me a better person - In the grand scheme of things probably the most important piece needed to make a relationship work is the fact that we need our partner to make us better and to move forward in life. Eileen is my saving grace and I love her for that.

There are a lot more things I could write but I am pretty sure it wouldn't make it passed the censors. Feb 8 is our 6 year anniversary - life has taken us through many ups and downs. There have been high points such as building our first house together and meeting our babies to low points such as losing Pop Pop or seeing my parents battle cancer. All through these times I count myself lucky to have you with me. I would go through it all over again as long as I could be sure I'd journey through it with you babe.

I just want you to know that.

Happy Anniversary Love!

Back in the 623

My family is back in the lovely West Valley of Phoenix Az...as I drive around town I notice so many small things that I took for granted when I lived here before. It's funny that the crazy little nuances of everyday life are such a big part of your overall life experience. Here are a few of those "Small Things"

• Sunset in AZ
• Sunlight filling up your house
• People not being able to espeakeh englis
• Ramiro's Mexican food and the utterly dismal lack of efficiency or sense of urgency in completing your order - but it is so worth it.
• Having more than one major retailer within a 10 mile radius
• Not being FORCED to go to wal-mart
• Having family close by to watch the kiddos and not feeling guilty about it!
• Having a cool worship set every Sunday
• Not having upstairs neighbors playing shuffleboard at odd hours of the night.

I am sure there is more than that but for now it is what I am noticing! I feel so blessed to be back - Thank God for "The small things" like his everyday little miracles.

Road Less Traveled

Lately I have been feeling a lot like the traveler described in Robert Frost's famous poem. The main difference is that I am not "one traveler". In fact, the team I am traveling with has increased in size since we started on this road (obviously there were frequent stops along the way). I come now to another crossroads of this journey only to ponder the endless causes and effects that one simple decision will make. Suffice to say - I am not in control of anything. For some reason there is great peace in knowing that I am being led down the path that was chosen for me. There is a power at work that I trust will get me where I need to be and in the words of a famous Wizard "...that is a comforting thought indeed".

Thank God for providence and his peace that passes all understanding... for some reason I am pretty sure that the road from Phoenix to Little Rock qualifies as a "Road less traveled". We thank Him for bringing us here! It is so cool to know that it was His idea.

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth

Then took the other as just as fair
And having perhaps the better claim
Because it was grassy and wanted wear
Though as for that, the passing there
Had worn them really about the same

And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet, knowing how way leads onto way
I doubted if I should ever come back

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence
Two roads diverged in a wood
And I took the one less traveled by
And that has made all the difference
-Robert Frost

Bob Saget - an American Hero

I recently watched the "Roast of Bob Saget" on Comedy Central, needless to say it was pretty much an excuse for people to use vulgar language to get a laugh. Although it was pretty profane I hate to admit that some of the bits were pretty darn funny. One reason I was so intrigued and related to the "Roasting" is because I have ALWAYS wondered how on earth Bob Saget landed not one but two hit TV shows (Full House, America's Funniest Home Videos). Consequently he is now worth more than 100 million dollars...crazy! With all this being said I was playing around with the pilot picture of "Full House" and wanted to see if any of you thought it would have been as successful as the original. My guess is that we definitely would have made a longer run on the air.

Full House starring Derrick Logan as "Uncle Jesse" , Your Truly as "Danny Tanner" , Pete Espinosa as "Uncle Joey" and Sofia Orona as "Michelle Tanner"... what could have been.

Sleep is optional

Hola - for those of you with kiddies you will understand and for those of you who are contemplating pro-creating please take this post in the spirit in which it is intended.

Parenting is the hardest job of all time - Obama or McCain will have it easy running the Country compared to running a household.
This may sound really bad coming from a father of 2 of the most beautiful, fun, annoying, loud, smelly, inconsolable, happy, playful, inconsiderate, loving, charming, humorous, intelligent, stubborn, forgetful, selective, obsessive, messy, warm and caring kids of all time. For you rookie parents out there (I myself am merely a 3 year veteran) you will inevitably come to a moment of clarity, a sort of self realization that you in fact are not in charge of anything. Despite the title of "Parent" or "Head of household" maybe even "Mr. Boss Man" you will realize that you have absolutely no control. For instance Sofia, my 12lb 9 week old baby will run this house with her eyes closed and mouth open, she dictates the lives of 2 full grown adults with professional level experience, college degrees, 5 years of marriage and 3 previous years of parenthood with Daniel. If she decides that Eileen or I should not sleep then so be it all it takes is a simple whimper or loud scream in the middle of the night, or she will dictate our eating schedule by remaining a perfect angel until the moment that our eating utensils touch our dinner plates. These are a few examples of the power that this little darling wields at any given moment.
To sum it up: I am merely stating that parents are both the luckiest and unluckiest of all God's creatures. I count it a blessing to have 2 children that I call "my own". When I lose sight of this blessing and get to the point of jumping out of a window I think about the fact that God in all His infinite wisdom, power, love, patience, and forgiveness (among other things) chooses to utilize these attributes by adopting me and billions of others into his family. It is hard to imagine the volume of parenting skills required to be the PERFECT parent to humanity. This simple truth helps me get through it - it definitely doesn't make it easier but it helps.

So to my Heavenly Father - Thanks for putting up with me...thanks for choosing to deal with someone who has probably drove you crazy time and time again, I ask that you help me realize when I am moving away from your will... oh and one more thing if you can help us out by keeping Sofia asleep at least 6-7 consecutive hours a night that would be great.

Hillbillies vs Mexicans

Ok so My family and I have been in Little Rock for about 10 months now...needless to say it is a different scenario altogether. Here are some distinctions of the South that I have notice during my short tenure here.

• In Little Rock when someone says "bless your heart" it is not good. example: "that guy just lost his job...oh bless his heart" , "your just dumber than a box of rocks...oh bless your heart" , "your twin brother is so ugly...oh bless your heart" - are you getting the vibe here?
• Tornado sirens serve as "white noise" during the midnight hours.
• Insects are larger and louder and stop at nothing to irritate you.
• Somehow, someway Mexicans still end up bussing tables, cleaning offices and providing their agricultural expertise.
• A long commute is considered anything longer than 12 minutes long.
• Fast food places do not stock ketchup on a regular basis.
• People don't understand sarcasm and more often than not they end up looking at you blankly (like the people in the movie Men in Black who have just been zapped by that red laser thingy) until you snap your fingers or you re-word your last statement.
• Bad service should be expected - not because people are rude but rather because the 2 - 3 braincells they have can't work together long enough to figure out what you are asking "bless their heart".
• Complaining about the extremely poor service quality in any capacity is like calling a retarded kid for double dribbling on the basketball court - you just have to let it go.
• Walmart started here in Arkansas...
• White people in Arkansas love them some cheese dip.
• When someone suggests a "good mexican food restaurant" it means that the restaurant serves cheese dip , chicken flutas and ground beef tacos.
• Women love to accessorize anything and everything.
• Big hair is so in style.
• Stopping at red lights is for tourists.
• People are nice to you and will have meaningful conversations with you at the drop of a hat.
• For many people brushing their teeth is optional.
• People go to church!
• If you are a guy who doesn't have a boat, fishing pole or hunting gear then you are pretty much S.O.L.

With all that being said - Little Rock is a great experience for the family - people here are genuinely nice and take you in like family. We can't wait to see what's in store for us in the future but Little Rock has and may continue to be a great place to raise the little kiddos.

Leaving Las Phoenix

In case you haven't heard, I am kidnapping my family and moving them to Little Rock. So go ahead and make up an "original" joke at this time... ha ha - good one! I haven't heard the theme music to Deliverance in the last 2 hours... Oh another one? ok even better! The lack of good dentists over there? ouch...my stomach hurts... stop please.
Well I have heard the jokes and gotten pensive looks from some well meaning friends but believe me I have heard it already. I am so excited to see what the noise is all about over there. I know God has a cool plan laid out for us and I am anxious to see what it is. I am so sad to be leaving Palm Valley but I am excited to take some West Coast Church Flava to Little Rock Baby.
I'll post again soon to let y'all know what's going down.

Later!