The greatest gift of all

Just thinking about what this week is all about. What a great sacrifice was made  thousands of years ago, so we can live a life of freedom and love today. As I was reading a blog I follow, I came across this profound   quote. Something to chew on! 

"To be connected with the church is to be associated with scoundrels, warmongers, fakes, child-molesters, murderers, adulterers and hypocrites of every description.

It also, at the same time, identifies you with saints and the finest persons of heroic soul of every time, country, race, and gender.

To be a member of the church is to carry the mantle of both the worst sin and the finest heroism of soul because the church always looks exactly as it looked at the original crucifixion, God hung among thieves."

-- Fr. Ronald Rolheiser, O.M.I., "The Holy Longing"

Counting blessings....

Oops! The day came and went! It is kind of tuesday...2:12 am! About to go to bed, but here it comes a bit of the blessings from my week :

48. Lemmy's snuggles when he wakes up from his nap.
49. Running in one spot with Marc increasing the minutes day by day ( our little plan to start somewhere in being fit again!)
50. Lemmy's looks and laughs when he see us running and making funny moves.
51. I found a friend that I haven't seen for 17 years! I guess facebook is good for something!
52. Remembering old times and laughing with my friend
53. A long cuddle with my friend's new born, Zoe.
54. A new life is born
55. I got to finished 2 photo albums on line, it took me a long time but loved the results!
56. When Lemmy holds my face with 2 hands to gives me a kiss :)
56. Cuddling with Marc in the couch after a long day.
57. Lemmy's energy
58. To see my son playing and having lots of fun in my friend's house.

Re-encuentros

Gabriela fue mi mejor amiga en la secundaria. No solo nos veiamos en las horas escolares, sino los fines de semana y hablabamos por horas y horas cuando cada una estaba en su casa.  A pesar de los gritos de nuestras madres para cortar. Nunca fuimos de ir a bailar como las demas chicas de nuestras edades, pero si nos quedabamos en casa viendo peliculas hasta el amanecer y criticandolas como 2 periodistas importantes. No recuerdo ninguna pelea, siempre nos llevamos bien desde el dia que la conoci. Un instantaneo click!


Desde que me fui a Hawaii en el 95, no la volvi a ver. Primero nos comunicabamos atraves de cartas. Me abra llegado algunas cartas de ella, a Gaby nunca le llegaron las mias ( me entere ayer) cosa que no me sorprende ya que a mi mama tampoco le llegan mis cartas. EL correo Argentino!. Yo segui mandandole cartas pero nunca recibi su contestacion. La vida sigue su curso.


Pasaron los anios, la tecnologia siguio avanzando. Ahora con facebook uno se empezo a encontrar con miles de ex-amigos desaparecidos, con fulanito y menganito...y asi nos fuimos encontrando, amigos de la primaria, conocidos de la secundaria, etc! 
Siempre quize encontrar a Gabriela. Viviendo en el extranjero nunca llegue muy lejos.
Tuve la oportunidad de volver a Buenos Aires 2 veces desde el 95. Las 2 veces trate de llamarla a su telefono, pero me atendio una viejita que no sabia nada de una tal Gabriela Perez. A veces me imaginaba encontrarla en las calles de nuestros vecindarios, pero nunca tube esa suerte.


Desde que abri mi cuenta en facebook, trate de buscarla, para encontrame a miles y miles de personas con ese nombre y ninguna se parecia a mi amiga. Hace poco lo volvi a intentar, pero nada. Hasta que empeze a buscar a su hermano. De pronto encuentre una cara familiar, pero no estaba muy segura si era el. La ultima vez que lo vi, era un adolecente de pelo largo que ni se le podia ver los ojos. Me anime a escribirle y preguntarle si era el hermano de una tal Gabriela. 
Me olvide del asunto, y a los pocos dias recibo un e-mail departe de el, diciendo que si, que es el hermano y me da el numero de telefono de Gabriela.


Wow! No lo podia creer, enseguida tome el telefono y la llame! Hasta que escuche su vos, no me lo crei! 17 anios despues, logre encontrar a mi amiga! Empezamos a hablar como si no hubiese pasado un dia de la ultima vez que nos vimos! De pronto fue como si me haya trasladado a mi adolecencia. 
Nos pusimos al dia en un tiron, recordamos viejos tiempos, reimos, y estabamos las 2 euforicas sin parar de hablar como por 4 horas seguidas! El tiempo pasaba, eran casi las 3 de la madrugada, y teniamos que cortar, ninguna queria decir adios. 




English version:




Gabriela was my best friend in high school. We just not only saw each other in school hours, but also over the weekends and spend hours and hours talking on the phone while each of us were at home, in spite of our mother's nagging to hang up. We never went out dancing and making out with boys as the other girls did. Our thing was to rent lots of films, watched all day and night and then critique them as if we were 2 important journalists. I don't remember ever fighting. We got along so well, since the first time we met. An instant click!


I haven't seen her since the day I left for Hawaii in 1995. 
At first we used the good old fashioned way, letters. It worked a bit at first. I got a few of hers. She never got any of mine ( I found out yesterday!) It was quite upsetting but not a surprise to me, since my mum never gets my mail either. That's Argentinean mail for you! I sent a few more, never got a reply. Life went on.


Years passed by, technology kept advancing. Now with facebook, old friends finds each other all the time. Friends from primary school found me, girls I knew from high school, etc!
I always wanted to find my lost friend. But living in a different country makes it a bit difficult.
I had the chance to go back to my home town twice in all these years. I tried to called her many times,  only to hear an old woman's voice saying she never knew a Gabriela Perez. If you know what it means to find the John Smith you were looking for, then you know the task I had before me. Sometimes I imagined meeting her in the streets of Buenos Aires, but I never had that luck.


Since I opened my account in facebook, I tried many times to search for her, but thousands of girls with her name appeared and never a familiar face. I tried to look for her brother, but neither one was to be found.
Just recently after so many people found me from back in the day, I tried again. No Gabriela Perez. But when I tried her brother again, this time suddenly I saw a photo with a familiar face. I wasn't 100% sure, since last time I saw him was this teenager with long hair that you could hardly see his eyes. But, I took courage and sent a very polite e-mail to see if this man was my long lost friend's brother.


A few days later, I got an e-mail from him, saying that he was Gaby's brother and here is her phone number. Wow!
I could hardly believe it! I didn't have time to jump of joy, I just ran to the phone, babble something to Marc about her, and rang.  Until I heard her voice, I couldn't believe that it was actually happening! 17 years later I found my friend!
We started talking as if not even a day has passed since last time we saw each other. Suddenly I felt as if I was sitting in my living room years back into my adolescence.
We got up at to date with our lives, we remember old times, we laughed. Oh how loud we laugh! We were both so euphoric that we talked non stop for 4 hours! Time flew by, it was 3 am and we needed to hang up. Neither of us wanted to say goodbye.

Finger painting

25 of March.

I decided to do something new with my little man today while daddy was away.

I discovered that all the journals I have of milestones for Lemmy are not finished, and it will take me a while to go through my other diaries to find the exact dates,etc...if I have them all?!

One of the things to do was to record the hands and foot prints of 1 year old Lemmy. Well, at almost 2 years old and we finally did it this morning! It was fun for mummy! Lemmy was pretty amused at first and when I showed him that he can actually play with the paint using his fingers, he looked rather intrigued. He tried it with reservation and then his face turned to total disgust! Ha ha I recorded 2 little videos of him, super cute! He did one nice piece of art work and then he wanted his hands to be clean. So, it was a short experiment but hoping for some more in the future!

Later on, we rang my mum and while I was talking to her, Lemmy was looking at his favorite train and said: oh! no! sucio! ( dirty) I gave him a little wipe and he started to clean the whole train and some other toys that were near by, he kept on saying: sucio, a limpiar! ( dirty, to clean up)

Every day there is something new with Lemmy. He is such a wonder, I can't believe how much he has grown. I looked at him and I don't see his chubby cheeks anymore, I see a little boy now. Its joy I feel but also sadness of saying goodbye to the baby in him. He is my first son, he made me a mother. I carried him for 9 months and I loved him since day 1. He turns my bad days into a joyful ones, sometimes with just his presence.

He is so sympathetic. If I get hurt, or I sudden think I'm choking from a non stop cough, he comes running to me, saying : mama mama mama , in the most gentle sweet voice, and pats my back and tries to look at my face to see how I am. When I finally stop my coughing fit, or the pain of my elbow subdues after I hit a wardrobe, I look at him to reassure him I'm OK and thank him for his sweetness. He looks back at me and starts smiling big, he giggles, hugs me and kiss me.

If I have a cut on a finger, he says: owie owie ( the American way!) with concern, takes my hand and gives the poor finger a little kiss (on the band aid).

What a wonder, what a miracle. He is forming into an incredible boy, leaving his baby ways behind him and learning new ways.I really pray and hope to raise him in God's way. I know I have lots to learn, and lots to change still. I really hope he turns into a good man, that he will thrive by God's love, that he will be a blessing and bring lots of love and joy as he is already bringing into my life. I want with all my heart to be the best mother he can possible have!

Counting blessings....

34. A hot shower after a cleaning spurt.
35. Marc made the best shepherds pie I ever had!
36. Talking in bed with Marc after a long day.
37. The Zoo on a sunny day like today.
38. Lemmy's kisses, every day blessings!
39. Seeing the elephants walking past us.
40. Marc's hugs, always perfect!
41. A comfy bed to sleep in :)
42. Finally finished reading a book I started a while ago.
43. A family who loves me.
44. Lemmy's jumping of excitment when finding the monkey inside a house of books that I made for him!
45. Lemmy's proud face when he is telling me a new word :)
46. Every time I hear mama coming from his lips.
47. Riding the train with Lemmy, super fun!!

My two boys getting some fresh air into their lungs! :) running with daddy is always fun!

Counting blessings....

This last few days was a bit hard as my little sunshine was not his usual self :( . But, there's always blessings to discover!

23. Lemmy asking : leche mimir ( milk-sleep) and going straight to the room so I can get him ready for his nap. Very sweet :)
24. Crispy chicken wings made by Marc ( I just reaaaaally like them!)
25. Lemmy had lots of fun with Marc and Grandpa at the Park, it was a boys day out ( well, just over 1 hour!) ;)
26. I really enjoyed watching an Argentinian film on my own while Marc was playing football.
27. Felt a deep glimpse of God's love while holding Lemmy.
28. Skype! Great to see my sister ( Lemmy's Tia ) any day I want or when Lemmy asks.
29. I found and I was found by lots of school mates.
30. Being a mother
31. The sweetest cards and gift my two loves gave me for Mother's day.
32. The wonderful roast Marc made, and the fact he put apples and grapes in it, mmmm goooood!
33. Lemmy is much better today.

Poorly boy making dough!

March 13.

Yesterday my baby had a fever. His first one ever. He seemed fine in the morning, but when he woke up from his nap, he was not a happy boy! I noticed how hot he was, I couldn't check his temperature cause he didn't let me use the two kinds of thermometer we had. He wasn't his usual self, his eyes were droopy, he was subdued, without a spark, he was mopping around, and then coming to mummy for cuddles. At one point I got so worried, I had to put some music on, and then we were both dancing holding each other tight.
Marc was not home, and we decided to give him some medicine ( We have never given him anything before!) But after tasting it, he refused to have it.
Marc came home earlier than planned, and brought a new thermometer, the one you can read in one-second by putting it on the ear. He had 39.4. Wow!

When we put him down at night, the fever had gone down to 36. He had woken up twice before 1 am but then he slept well until about 7ish. But this morning, the temperature was 38.9. Poor little soldier of mine!
Thankfully he seemed much chirpier, more chatty. Though his eyes were still droopy. Oh man! I can't see my little boy sick! It makes me soo sad. I know it is a given as a mother to see your kids go through  many illnesses. But, it is still hard!! Will I ever get use to it? Does it get easier? Feel free to respond to those questions!
He was more clingy than usual, and I gave him my whole attention, and did all that he wanted to do all day. Anything to help the little guy to feel at least a bit better! But at times, he wasn't even sure what he wanted!
I thought it was the perfect time to make play dough.
I have to say, my play dough doesn't look like Leslie's! It started well, but when I added the colors, it became stickier, so I added more flour but then lost a bit of the color. So, red became pinkish...not soo great!
Lemmy in the other hand, had lots of fun helping in the process of making the dough! Not so much into the playing...at least we had fun!!

Here is a little video of him stirring the ingredients. Photos of the dough will come later.