As excited as I was to share the news with Ashley who has been praying constantly for me to join the ranks of the usual folks and get a day job again, I think that Ash was even more excited than I was. When I found out a went ahead and waited for her to come home so that I can see the reaction she would have in person. I knew she would be thrilled but I cant say I expected tears and jumping and screaming! A reaction like that reassures me that I did make the right decision by leaving.

I’ll be sure to let everyone know if I feel the same way after a few weeks from now, but as for the moment, I couldn’t feel more blessed. I made some great friends at the hospital that with no doubt will continue, I am very grateful for my time spent there. I learned an incredible amount and had the pleasure of helping many great people and I will always look back with no regret. Thank you MCH, and goodbye.

I am truly blessed to have the opportunity to spend another wonderful holiday season with my girls, I do not take this for granted as there are so many fathers that cannot be with their family for various reasons. I cant believe this is already Christmas #3 with the Fat-so, I know its cliché but I feel like we just brought her home last week.

We hope everyone has an unforgettable Christmas and New Year.

Family Christmas Pic 2009

Yesterday was Sophia’s 2nd Birthday. I know its cliche, but I really can remember bringing her home like it was yesterday. So confused and excited, afraid yet eager. And now our little sweetheart is 2. Not only 2, but over the last two weeks, it seems that she has just decided to grow up. Instead of cute, hard to make out words, she decided to start putting words together in sentences. She can make it through the ABC’s although it is of course a work in progress, it is still very impressive (video coming soon).

We are very blessed as parents to have such a wonderful, intelligent little girl. I don’t remember how I ever lived without her.

We would like to thank everyone that came out and celebrated with us, we had a great time. Be sure to check out the PICS.

Saturday Night:  We go to downtown Dallas and made a stop at the Lizard Lounge.  We walked in and all I hear is Techno music.  Martin gets me my favorite drink (crown and coke) and we walk into the first room.  All I see are the colorful lights that people are holding in there hands and raving to… So my first thought is RAVE?? Well we go into the next room….. and well… there were girls with bikinis on and furry boots that went to the knees.  There was also one girl that had her breast hanging out and had black X’s over the nipple… I told Martin I was better off wearing my underwear in there… Well needless to say we ended up staying longer than planned because Martin kept getting me my favorite drink!  After about an hour I was having a blast and dancing along all the druggies. (I’m about 95% sure that around 70% of the people in there were on acid.)  So we end up leaving and going to Primo’s for a late night bite and we had some AMAZING food but then again I also had 4 or 5 of my favorite drinks so Im not sure if it was as good as I thought it was.  Well anyways we got home around 3ish I think?  We woke up around 11 on Sunday and we took a little bit to get up and going but once we did we were good to go.  We went to Grapevine Mills and enjoyed ourselves very much while we walked around and talked the entire time.   Martin bought me a pink Peyton Manning  jersey for the game Sunday night.  It is sooo cute and glittery.  We went to Dave and Buster’s for the game and we had such a wonderful time.

Monday: So while we were there I got bit by a spider 3 times on my right leg.  2 were on my upper thigh and 1 was on my calf.  Well when we got home Sunday night there were ants in our bed and all over the floor so that was my limit since I hadnt said anything about the spider.  We had to move rooms but it was all taken care of for us.  So Monday when I woke up my leg was hurting and I was in pain but I knew it was a VERY big day for us.  So we went to eat close by the stadium and after eating we “OOHED” and “AHHED” at the stadium for about an hour or so.  We stood in line from about 1:45 to about 5ish. Once the line started moving my heart started pounding and I knew my moment was coming.  The entry in to the floor was… crazy… all the turns and on every turn there was security guard guiding everying and telling them “NOOOOO RUNNING!!!” So we didnt run… we power walked… We were about 35 feet away from the main stage and about 5 feet from the second stage.  At 7 I almost cried because Muse wasnt on stage yet and I was just waiting for someone to come out and say they couldnt make it… 7:10….7:15…7:25…7:3o… the light go out…I almost couldnt breathe and then on the big screen they start flashing MUSE… over and over again.  And then……… they come out and start singing Uprising… What was even worse was that every song they sang for the next 45 minutes I knew… I sang along to everysong as loud as I possibly could.  When they started Starlight I almost lost it.  Martin kept smiling at me but I know deep down he wanted to sing along to .  The last song they sang was  Time is Running Out and when that song was over I almost cried… They walked off the stage and I was the most depressed girl in the world at that moment.  We waited for U2 to come on and well… THEY WERE BADA**!! I can honestly say that I never been much of a U2 fan but at that moment they were my 3rd favorite band.  Bono was very much into every song he sang and you could just feel his energy and man… he was just awesome.  He walked in front of us and he was so close you could see his sweat.  It was such an amazing night and I would NEVER trade it for anything.   It was by far the best birthday EVER!

I would also like to personally thank my Father and my best friend, Earnie Terrell,  for the time they spent over seas fighting this battle. The insight and inspiration they have provided to me I still use as encouragement and guidance. To know what they went through, what they have seen, and to see them still be able to smile without remorse or regret is inspiring. America can use many more men and women just like these two.

This weekend we took the time to take Sophia out to Memorial Garden, or Liberty Garden. This is at our Buffalo Wallow park, where every September 11th, American Flags are put out in memory of 9/11. While we use this garden also as a place to honor the fallen men and women of our Police and Fire Departments, we did not start displaying these beautiful flags until 2002. It is a very moving, motivating sight. Walking through these flags gives you a sense of pride and sorrow. We took some pictures that i hope you enjoy, the weather was beautiful but the sight even more stunning. I kept thinking of what I will tell Sophie when she gets older and asks about this. I know that know she doesn’t understand what all this means, but iI hope I am able to illistrate later to her what it meant to me to see the terrifying images on 9/11 and have friends and family changed because of it. It was the most memorable day of my life, and sometimes i wish it were not because of how horrifying it was.

And of course, being with Sophie, we took the time to feed the Ducks. I hope you enjoy the PICS. Please feel free to add to this or link to your own pictures in the comment section.

We will always remember.

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Story 1

Our daughter could possibly be a dog murderer…

So as most of you know we have a dog…. Reggie… And well… Sophie loves Reggie so much that sometimes I think she wants to kill him!  She loves kisses from Reggie but… there are days when she can’t even look at him.  She grabs him by the face and likes to pick him up by the head.  Of course Dad and I tell her no but she thinks it’s funny and continues to do it.  She also likes to hug him…really hard.  Then there are days when Reggie picks on Sophie and well… Sophie-monster comes out and attacks him…we tell Reggie to run for his life but he just doesn’t listen to us.  I blame Daddy for this one… (He is always wrestling with Sophie and Reggie) Maybe one day they will learn to love each other without hurting each other.

Story 2

Our daughter will one day be in the Olympics (again)

So Sophie is walking…. YAY!!! More exercise for Mommy and Daddy!!! She loooves walking everywhere…from the car to the door, from the door to her room, from her room to outside…and well you get the point.  She has learned that if you POWER walk Mommy can’t catch up as fast because Mommy is wearing 4 inch heels… She also knows when not to get into something and she knows that if she can get away from Mommy then she will be ok.  I blame Reggie for this one because half of the time she is chasing him.  This girl has got some speed on her!!!

Story 3

Our daughter is going to be a daytime host

Sophie talks… ALOT! She wakes up talking instead of crying, she carries conversations with Reggie, and she loves telling Mommy and Daddy about her day at school on the way home from work.  She even talks in her sleep (once in a blue moon.)   I, Mommy, take full responsibility for her talkative side. I have decided that if she can talk as much as I can then we are set for life!!! There will never be a quiet moment in the Chabarria house again.

Story 4

Our daughter is going to be a professional dance instructor.

I can blame the “Imagination Movers” for this one…  Sophie dances…and dances… and dances…and well…dances…  She likes shaking her arms up and down and spinning in circles until she can’t stand up straight… She gets mad at Mommy and Daddy for not dancing with her and then we end up loosing our breath and having to sit down cause we cant move anymore…THANKS A LOT IMAGINATION MOVERS!!!!

Story 5

Our daughter will soon get away with murder

So… as like most new parents its hard to get mad and to STAY mad at your child…or even to get on to her… and I will admit when Sophie does something bad… I usually laugh because its cute…now (its the later part im worrying about.)  Sophie knows when she is getting in trouble and she knows that one little kiss makes everything better.  She has also gotten into the habit of  Mom: “No ma’am Sophie quit trying to pull Reggie up by his tale”   Sophie: “No” Then realizes that its Mom talking to her so she puckers those lips right away and waits for a kiss….

Story 6

Our daughter has potential to be a chef

Sophie is now feeding herself and well when we give her things, like a Banana with Animal Crackers for breakfast, she likes to mix them together and eat them together.  Sometimes it doesn’t go well…like Ravioli with Strawberry Applesauce… but don’t worry she didn’t get sick because half of the Applesauce ended up on her dress… 1/4 on the floor feeding Reggie and the other 1/4 actually made it in her mouth.  What makes it even better is that I no longer have to vaccum the floor after she eats or wipe her down because Reggie takes care of all of that for me!!!! Thank you Reggie for saving us money on food for you and electricity for the vaccum!!!!

Losing a family member is never easy, there is an eerie emptiness about it, a void that cannot be filled by anything but faith and time. I saw this in many of the hearts of family members this past week. And although it is a time where you see many faces you wish you would spend more time with, many people you love and care for, and you can laugh and talk and tell stories, but it all still seems so empty. The atmosphere is quiet and confused, it forces you to start contemplating what means something to you, what drives you. You understand what it means to have each other, and realize that we live live a life that we take for granted. Our life does not belong to us, but to God, who so graciously gives us year after year to enjoy each other and make the best of our short time.

In a time of grief its always hard to look for a silver lining, but being with Ash and her Family during this time actually showed me lot. It emphasized what Family means and reminded me that regardless of what happens in our day to day life, we have to live for a stronger, more important purpose.

Manuel lived a life of purpose and meaning. It was obvious that tangible goods and money meant very little to him. Manuel thrived on family and the well being of that family. He was a Sheppard for the Lord. All the work and effort he put into life was for a richer life, richer than any money could buy. He was married for 65 years to his beautiful Wife whom he devoted his life to. 65 years is an outstanding accomplishment that not only inspires, but reassures me. I admire the man and his wife for all the effort and love put into their relationship, a relationship that guides the rest of the family, that shows the covenant of marriage is sacred and should be treated and cared for that way. They are a role model for the rest of the family, and I have especially taken notice.

Manuel Rivera, your legacy will live on through your wife, your children, your grandchildren, and the many, many people who’s life you made a difference in. We are eternally grateful, thank you.

We love you Grandpa