The Warrior...

...smacked the ball and hit a line drive down between 1st and 2nd base. He was safe on first. What's the big deal? Well let me tell you... he's a 10 year old, who hit the ball off a little league age 12 year old who turned 13 during the season! HOOYAH!!!



This was his second hit off of Big Al. Mama was on cloud 9. Considering that my throat was not up to all the hollering because of the procedure I had done on Monday, I still belted out my usual, YEAH BABY!!! My Warrior had the biggest grin. He looked right at me... I know he heard his mama.


One of our family motto's is "Hard Work, Pays Off". The other one is, "Max Out or Block Out". Yeah I know, we are a little hard core. :o)

To celebrate his hit, he chose to eat BK. So, off I go to get lunch....

Slept The Day Away

In 1997 I was diagnosed with Barrett's Esophagus. Due to having that, I have to have an upper endoscopy done yearly. So I had it done yesterday.

It doesn't hurt and it isn't uncomfortable. Ok, two Benadryl put me to sleep. So anything else that they give me, really knocks me out. I slept most of yesterday away. I remember little bits and pieces, but that's about it. By the end of the evening, I was a little more ah... with it.

About Barrett's, the only reason I found out I had it was because I was having these chest pains, that made me think my heart was going to jump out of my chest. They ran so many different test. It showed that I had GERD. I was in disbelief! That can't be! I've never had any "acid reflux" symptoms. I never felt what they say is an "acid taste" in my mouth. My doc said the reason I didn't "feel" the symptoms was because that through years of having this, the acid had already eaten away some of my lining in my esophagus. Due to that, for the time being they are treating me with "the purple pill"- Nexium. URGH! I'm not a very compliant patient. I dislike taking meds or any kind of pills. But what example would I be setting to my children if I didn't do what's best.

So, for any of you reading this, if you have repeat heartburn, go and get yourself checked out. It might not be anything but it's best to be safe than sorry. Your loved ones would love to have you around longer. :o)

Oh and I just had a "flash recall" of when I was leaving the hospital. The nurse had wheeled me out and we were waiting for my Knight's car to come into view. When it did I pointed out to it and said, "There's my Knight". It was all like a dream, but I remember him laughing about it. He must of thought I was really out of it. Little did he know, that my Babe "really" is my Knight in shining armor. :o)

37 Years Ago Today...

On Sunday, May 10, 1970 a little baby boy was born. He was an answered prayer to two little girls. He was born on Mother's Day.

Soldier Boy's birth was joyfully celebrated. His proud dad took his two little girls to go see their brother for the first time. They were not allowed to go up to the room, so their mom had to
bring him to the window. The girls jumped for joy when they saw him. They waved and blew kisses. Their daddy took them to their favorite restaurant to eat dinner. They were allowed to toast their baby brother's birth with a sip of wine. It was their first taste. Their daddy asked the waiter to empty the bottle so they could take it home as a souvenir. The bottle is still in the mommy's and daddy's china cabinet.

He was loved by many. He had brown curly hair and hazel colored eyes. He had a smile that would melt hearts. His sisters loved him dearly. He was their little prince.

When he was born, his sisters were seven and six. The oldest developed a special bond with him. In her eyes, he could do no wrong. Many a times she would willingly take the blame for
things he did, to spare him punishment. He would cry and she'd tell him not to worry, that she
would always love him and take care of him. When he was afraid to sleep alone in his room, it was her bed he crawled into.

He grew to be quiet the charmer. He had charisma. Not only did girls love him, but guys wanted to be his friend. He was popular. He was an all around athlete. He played football, baseball and was in the wrestling team. He knew how to have fun. He lived life to it's fullest. He was in the Explorer Program. He hoped to be a police officer one day.

Once he graduated from high school, he decided to follow his father's and his brother in law's foot steps. He joined the army. He wanted to be all that he could be. His goal was to be a RANGER. He joined the 82nd Airborne Division. His family was proud of him. He was the apple of their eyes.

On Friday, March 17, 1990, he called his oldest sister. "Hey sweetie, how are my girls doing?" He always referred to his three nieces as, "his girls". They caught up on things that were going on. Just before they hung up, he told her, " I love you, thank you for everything you've done for me and thank George too." That's the last time she heard his voice.

Soldier Boy died in a car accident on Friday, March 17, 1990. He was 19 years old. He had gone to a party with some friends. He drank too much and had passed out. His friends put him in the front seat next to the driver. The driver was intoxicated too. So was his other friend in the back seat. While driving back to the barracks, the driver lost control of the car... he was speeding. The car hit the tree. The car was broken in half. Manuel's seat was ejected from the car. He was buckled to it. He died at the scene of the accident. It was twelve midnight. The driver walked away physically unscathed. But he was unable to deal with his friends death and was admitted to the psych ward. The young man in the back seat, lost one eye, had to have rods put on his back, broke his legs and arms. It was a tragic night for all three.

Since he was stationed in Ft. Bragg, it took 6 days to have him come home. When he arrived, there were orders saying his casket could not be opened. But we wanted to "see". We wanted to make sure. We were still hopeful it was all a mistake. We went through a lot of red tape, but we were able to see him. Gone was the handsome, young man we all knew and loved. He was not there. The accident had taken a toll on his body. Who we saw, didn't resemble my brother. They tried as hard as they could but even so, they failed. We buried him on March 23, 1990. My heart was buried along with him.

I miss him more than I care to even share. More than I can even allow myself to say or think about. My heart aches and cries. When the tears come and my heart pounds I want to let it all come out. Then I remember I need to be strong. There are others watching. I quickly wipe my
tears, put my shield up and put on my mask.

I try to remember... hope. Hope that one day I'll see him again. Hold him. Kiss him. Let him know just how much I've missed him. Till then... I cry, I ache... but I always have hope.

Lady G~
blessed sister of Soldier Boy

Fascinated By Names

I'm fascinated by names... people's names. I like to see how people spell their names differently. I like to look up the names and see what they mean. I like to hear the stories of how they ended up with their names.

I sometimes wonder if we "grow" into being what we are named or if we are named because that's how our parents perceive us to be one day. I know that sometimes we are named because it's a family name. I will share a little about how we came to be named.

My Knight was born in the United States. His parents were both Cubans. His sister was born in Cuban too. The wanted to give him a Spanish name, but his sister said no. He's an American, he should have an American name. So they decided to name him the English version of the Spanish names they had picked out. The origin of his first name is Greek, it means earth worker. His middle name is Hebrew, it means he will enlarge.

I was also born in the United States. My dad is Cuban and my mom is Panamanian. My mom named me after her. She believe it or not, was named after a character in a Spanish soap opera. You'll see how odd that is when you see it's origin. The origin of my first name is German. You see what I mean? A German name in a Spanish soap opera?! LOL! My name means grey. I've also read that it means battle maiden. I kind like that meaning better. :o) The origin of my middle name is Latin, it means miracle. My mom tells me that I was a premmie. By the calculations I've made, I don't think this to be true. I believe she was with child when she married my dad, but she won't admit it.

I got Soaring Amongst The Clouds' first from a James Bond movie. The actress what absolutely beautiful. I had hoped that she would also have her daddy's blue eyes and my dark hair. The origin of her first name is Greek. It means honey. Her middle name I got from a book I had read five years before she was even born. The origin of her middle name is Greek, it means very holy one.

Still Waters was named after a professional ice skater. The skater was so beautiful and graceful. The origin of her name is Hebrew, it means pure. Her middle name, like her sister's came from a book that I was reading. The origin is Greek, it means victory for the people.

I picked Daughter of the King's name because I thought it was fit for a princess. The origin of her first name is Greek and it means defender of men. The origin of her middle name is Greek and it means God is my might.

G.I.Joe has his daddy's middle name, as his first name. As a child, it was my favorite bible character. His first name is Hebrew, it means he will enlarge. His middle name is Greek, it means warrior.

The Warrior was almost named after Daughter of the King. But she wanted him to have his own name. He was named also after on of my favorite bible characters. The origin of his first name is Hebrew and it means God is my judge. His middle name is Hebrew and it means heart.

Our names fit us perfectly. I don't think that it's because that's what I'm use to calling us, but because their meanings are part of our characters. My Knight is a hard worker. Soaring Amongst The Clouds is as sweet as honey. Still Waters is a godly young lady, as pure as one can be. Daughter of the King looks out for others... defender of men. G.I. Joe is God's warrior. He boldly asked some of his teammates if they were saved. The Warrior has a tender heart. As for my name, many miracles have happened in my life. I see miracles happen every day...

The Good That I Want To Do, I Do Not Do

I often ask why do I keep messing up? Why do I keep doing the same mistakes over and over again? I know in my mind and in my heart that what I'm doing is wrong, and yet, I still do it. Why?

In Romans, Paul wrote:

"For what I am doing, I do not understand; for I am not practicing what I would like to do, but I am doing the very thing I hate. But if I do the very thing I do not want to do, I agree with the Law, confessing that the Law is good. So now, no longer am I the one doing it, but sin which dwells in me. For I know that nothing dwells in me, that is , in my flesh, for the willing is present in me, but the doing of the good is not. For the good that I want, I do not do, but I practice the very evil that I do not want. But if I am doing the very thing I do not want, I am no longer the one doing it, but sin which dwells in me. I find then the principle that evil is present in me, the one who wants to do good. For I joyfully concur with the law of God in the inner man, but I see a different law in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin which is in my members. Wretched man that I am! Who will set me free from the body of this death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, on the one hand I myself with my mind am serving the law of God, but on the other, with my flesh the law of sin.
-Romans 7:15-25

I will never be perfect... not until my flesh dies and my spirit dwells with Jesus. Yes, I know that I'm a sinner. But that doesn't give me a free ride to keep doing that which I know I shouldn't do. Is it my lack of discipline? My lack of self control? My selfishness? I know that there is a lesson to be learned in all this. I would just like to learn my lesson and move on. My problem is, I've been stuck in the same lesson for almost 25 years!

Which one of my sins am I talking about... coveting... spending money on unnecessary things. It's not that I want what others have or that I want things that are on commercials or anything like that. It's when I'm at the stores, I see something and then I end up getting it. Majority of the time, it's not for me. It's for a loved one. Most of the time, it's not even something that is needed.

My hearts desire is to change. I do good for a little while, but then I mess up again. Lord help me to be a good steward.

4 things about me...

Lisa asked a group of us the questions below. Thought I'd journal about it...

A) Four jobs I have had in my life
1. Candy Striper- no... not a stripper.
2. Medical Records Technician
3. Receptionist for three Plastic Surgeons- one was ranked top ten in the world for his specialty: cleft palates.
4. Medical Office Manager

B) Four movies I could watch over and over:
1. Last of the Mohicans
2. Princess Bride
3. The Patriot
4. Saving Private Ryan

C) Four places I have lived
1. Miami, FL
2. Ft. Polk, Louisiana
3. Stuttgart, Germany
4. Winter Park, FL

D) Four television shows I watch:
1. The Unit
2. Amazing Race
3. Survivor
4. CSI

E) Four places I have been on vacation
1. Italy
2. Austira
3. All over Germany
4. Canada

F) Web sites I visit daily
1. Crosswalk
2. E Blogger
3. Google
4. Dictionary.com

G) Four of my favorite foods;
1. Steak
2. Lasagne
3. Daughter of the King's chocolate chip cookies
4. My Knight's roasted pork


H) Four places I'd rather be right now.
1. Sitting next to my brother and talking with him.
2. Hanging out with my Knight and my children
3. At the beach with my family
4. Skiing with my family


I) Four of my favorite colors
1. Pink- not bright pink
2. Blue
3. Lavender
4. Black

Interview me too!

Christine was interviewed by Amy. I thought, "Oh, how fun! I want to be interviewed too!" So here are five questions Christine asked me...

1. What is your favorite time to spend with your family?

Hmmmm.... I have to say that I'm quite spoiled about my time with my family. That's because we homeschool. So up until last year, when our oldest two started community college, I was with my children 24/7, well... just about 24/7. It's hard to name just one favorite thing to do with my family. We enjoy camping, rock climbing, skiing, hanging out by our pool or just hanging out at home. I guess you one could say just spending time with my family is great enough.

2. Of all the places you've visited in Europe, what was your favorite? And Why?

Every place we went to in Europe was absolutely beautiful. If I had to pick one place that I liked best, it would have to be Italy. The people were very friendly. We had no trouble communicating. Spanish and Italian are similar. Everyone was very helpful. Yet when we visited Spain, they gave us a very hard time. They looked down on us because our Spanish was not the Castillian dialect. We still had a good time there, but the people weren't as nice. They were to the other Americans that we went with. Maybe we should of just not spoken Spanish. Hind sight is 20/20. :o)

3. What is your life verse?

It would have to be... "And now abide faith, hope love, these three, but the greatest of these is love." - 1 Corinthians 13:13 I truly believe that love can conquer all things.

4. If you happened to be stranded on an island, what 5 things could you not live without?

Well, since people aren't things, I guess I can't name my loved ones.
* Two way hand crank operated, shortwave radio.
* Endless supply of my favorite fruit, mangoes.
* Endless supply of matches or lighter, to keep the fire going.
* My bible, so I have something to read while someone comes to rescue me.
* An endless supply of drinking water.


5. What is one of your earliest childhood memories?

When I was about six, my sister and I were riding our bike in the parking lot of our apartment building. We shared a bike. We went inside to have lunch and when we went back out, our bike was gone. We ran inside to tell our mom. We were crying. We knew that our parents couldn't afford to get us another one. We had been careless. My mom told us to calm down, wash up and take a nap. When we got up, there was our bike. She told us she had walked around the neighborhood and had seen a boy riding our bike. She told him, she knew it wasn't his, that it belonged to her daughters. In my eyes, my mom was an incredible woman. For years that story meant a lot to me. Until a few years ago, I found out the truth. My mom had hidden the bike to teach us a lesson.

G.I.Joe's 13th Birthday Outing

My G.I. Joe's birthday is on March 9th. Right when baseball season is in full swing. Which means that just about every day of the week we are busy with a baseball game or practice. I can't even remember the last time he had a birthday party.

For his 13th birthday we decided to take him and three baseball buddies to Disney. Since my Knight doesn't have to teach the High School Boy's Sunday School Class the last Sunday of the month, that's when we planned we'd have his special event. My Knight took G.I. Joe, #99, #5 & #00 to Animal Kingdom and Magic Kingdom.

They all had a wonderful time. First stop was Animal Kingdom. They quickly went to get a fast pass for the Expedition Everest ride. From there they went on the Kilimanjaro Safari ride. I was told that #00 (who goes hunting with his dad ALL the time) spotted all the animals. Even the ones that everyone else was having trouble spotting. Next was the Kali River Rapids. Where the only one that didn't get wet was my Knight. Then they were off the the Expedition Everest ride. Except when the got there, it was temporarily down. :o( So they didn't get to ride it.

I had ordered three ham and cheese meal wheels for their lunch. We had packed a cooler with ice and drinks. Oh, and plenty of water. I also had also bought some chips. #00's mom had gotten some donuts for them too. They had lunch at the Animal Kingdom's parking lot, before the hopped over to the Magic Kingdom.

Then it was off to the Magic Kingdom. They got to do all the "fun" rides. Which included all the "mountain" rides. They even had a great fun waiting in line. They would "hi five" anyone that was willing to "hi five" them. At first #99 had a hard time. He was wearing his Yankee cap. One he turned it around, he got plenty of " hi five's". I gave him a hard time about that. I told him he had "denied" his team. LOL!

They left the park around 7p. My Knight decided to call it a night, he was nursing quite a headache. I had pizza and cake waiting for them. We had a great time sitting around the table and talking about their day. Sounds like the had a wonderful time.

My Knight later shared with me that G.I Joe's friends were a great group of kids. They had clean fun. Since they had had a good attitude while waiting in line, their smiles were contagious. It help brighten other people's day. G.I. Joe sure knows how to pick his friends. I'm so proud of him.

Here's #99, #00, #5 and G.I.Joe. This was taken right before they left for the parks. They don't look it, but they were all sleepy eyed right before I took this. They saw the camera and perked up. I told them to get closer together and they all said, that's as close as they were going to get. Boys, they are so different! Praise the Lord for that!

Behind them is the Tree of Life. This was taken at the Animal Kingdom.

Giving people "hi fives" at they were waiting in line. Notice #99... his cap is on backwards.

In Honor Of My Knight...

Forty four years ago today, my Knight in shining armor was born. I'm blessed to be his Lady. In his honor, I wrote a special entry at A Knight's Lady.

Like every day, we spent the day doing school work and at the baseball fields. We had a late lunch. It's a tradition around our castle that the birthday person gets to choose what they want to eat for lunch and dinner. So we had Chinese take out for lunch. Then it was off to the fields. G.I. Joe had a game. My Babe had to ump the game. Well not only that, but he had to ump the home plate. At least I had a good view. ;o) Oh, we had burgers for dinner.

His mom, Abuela Hilda had come up for our great nephew's christening. So she decided to stay with us for a couple of days. I take her back to my Babe's sister's home this Friday. Then she'll be going back to her home next week.

Daughter of the King baked his birthday cake. Still Waters decorated it. All this was done while we were at the game. We ended up eating birthday cake at 11p. It was a late night. He opened presents while we all ate cake.

The girls got together and bought their dad an RCI Certificate. He gets to pick a place to vacation for one week. The room and board is paid for. All he has to do is decide where to go and how to get there. There is no need for me say this, but I'm going to any way. No, he won't be vacationing alone. :o) He's not sure if he wants the whole family to go or just the two of us. Just wanted to clarify that.

The boys got him the video games: NCAA 07 Football and Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Lockdown. Guess who got which game? Yep, G.I. Joe got him the football game and The Warrior got him Rainbow Six. They are true to their character. They can't wait to play with him.

My Babe and his mom, Hilda. I was THRILLED to have been able to get this shot, she doesn't like to smile for the camera. Throughout the year, I thank her for having such a wonderful son. But on his birthday, I specially make it a point thank her.

My Knight and his Lady. I love to see him in his ump uniform. He makes the uniform look good.
I've heard some of the other baseball moms make comments about him. They know he doesn't have wondering eyes. I'm blessed. Oh, can't really share what I got him for his birthday, but enough to say he was very pleased.

My Knight and his Fair Maidens. One of my prayers for them is, that God bless them with a husband who has character like their dad.

My Knight and his Squires. They are Knights in training. He is setting such a good example. One of my prayer is that they grow up to be like their dad.

My Knight and his five blessings. My prayer is that they live the fairy tale life that their dad and mom have been blessed to live.

Dreams do come true...

A Wise Man Told Me...

Yesterday's news is still weighing heavy on my mind. I can't seem to shake this melancholy mood. I don't want to question God, but I wrestle with thoughts. Questioning thoughts that I don't even want to put into words. I know that this is satan's playground. But I also know that God is in control. That nothing happens that He doesn't know about. He allows things to happen, for a reason. I know that it all comes down to free will... choice. Knowing that doesn't make it easier. It doesn't take the pain away. The hurt is still there.

I'm so heavy hearted, that I can't even bring myself to go to church. No I haven't lost faith. I just can't smile and greet people as if nothing has happened. My girls went on to church. My Knight and my boys are at baseball practice. I stayed home. Praying... Lord help to pray for those who are hurting. Help me to understand.

He gently told me, it's not up to me to understand. It's up to me to trust and have faith. It's up to me to hold others up in prayer. I felt led to read Psalm 95 . I will not let my heart be harden. How can I, He dwells there.

My homepage is Crosswalk. So when I logged on to journal, Today's Devotional, "Virginia Tech: Living with what we don't understand" caught my eye. Hmmm, some would call that a coincidence, I call it God-incidence. Isn't it just like Him to reach out and comfort and love us. He knows just what I need, what we need. All I (we) have to do He reach out to Him... ask Him.

A wise man told me that we should live each day to it's fullest, cause it's a gift from God. My response was, "this is true, how right you are. But why do 'I' get one more day, when others..." He cut in and said, "it's a gift for you to accept, not to question." My Knight is right. I'm so blessed...

At A Loss For Words

This morning like every morning, my boys were watching Sponge Bob. Once I get up, the channel gets switched to Fox News. I couldn't believe what I was hearing. A student at Virginia Tech gunned down other students and professors.

My heart grieves for all who attend Virginia Tech and their families. I don't know anyone who attends that school. We don't even live close to that state. Yet, I feel numb. I'm in disbelief. My heart aches for all those left behind. They won't get to hear their loved ones voice. They won't get to feel their hugs. Young lives cut short. How could something like this happen? What makes a person do such a thing? How could or what could bring a person to inflict pain or kill someone?

My mind is spinning. My heart aches. There is so much pain in this world. So many are hurting. Yet we are all so busy, with our every day things. We go on with our day. I wanted to stay and continue to watch the news, but I couldn't. Had to take my children to bible study. Had to take care of wee ones, while their mom's were at their bible study. From there off to take Daughter of the King to the sign language class she teaches. Then off to run some errands. Time to get dinner going. Time for baseball game. During all this, the thought is still there, " how can I keep going on as if nothing has happened?"

What keeps me going is God's Word. His promises. I find peace, love and comfort there. What scriptures do you find comfort in? Which ones give you hope?

A Love Letter

Last night we had our monthly bible study group meeting. Only four of the six couples were able to attend. Earlier last week, I had gotten a call from the couple that was hosting our study. We had homework to do. Each spouse had to write a love letter to each other. Then everyone had to write a love letter to God.

I thought, a love letter to my Knight won't be hard. But a love letter to God?! Yikes!!! To begin with, I dislike homework! What would I write to my Savior? I'm not good with words. I have a hard time expressing my love in words. I can do it in actions, but with words... I struggle.

I feel that the word "love" is over used. I mean I hear (& I say), "I love pizza, I love this song, I love this dress and so on." Then we say (& I say), "I love you." How can that be?

To me love is an action. It's a verb. To me it's not a "feeling". If it was, it would be fleeting. Feelings come and go, they change.

So I started to think of what to write to my Knight. I realized that it was harder than I thought to write him a love letter. I send him cards, emails and little notes all the time. Love messages, "Can't wait till you get home. I miss you. I love you. You make me whole." Then I started to think, why do I love him? Then it hit me... it was for selfish reasons. I love how he makes me feel, I love the way he looks after me, how he takes care of me, how he comforts me, how his touch makes me feel protected and wanted. It almost felt like I loved him conditionally. I love you because... I felt selfish.

Something was wrong. Then it hit me... it's not "I love you because of what you can do for me." it's, "because I love you I want to do for you." I've always known that, but have had trouble explaining it. So, I show it in actions. Sometimes words are just words. That's why I was having trouble putting my love letter into words.

I gave my Knight his love letter... I shared my journal with him. My journal that's just about him and I. I know he knows how much I love him... action speaks louder than words. Funny thing is... we both thought the same way. His love letter to me did not say "I love you because you....". It said, "because I love you I will...". His actions speak louder than words. But I sure do love listening to his voice and hearing his words. :o)

My love letter to God was difficult to write too. How do I go about writing a letter to God, The King of Kings, my Savior? What do I say to someone who's love I don't deserve? That keeps giving it unconditionally? My only thoughts were, "Lord, I fall so short of showing you how much I love you. All I can do is live my life in a way that I hope glorifies you." To me, even that is not enough to show how much I love Him. I could never do enough. I often wonder, if what little I do glorifies Him.

Yes, Life Is Good...

Carlina Clelia Pazmino
1918-2007

On Saturday, April 7th at 10:15pm, My Abuela Caky (grandma) went on to be with our Heavenly Father. She died of congestive heart failure. She had been in pain for quite some time and it hurt to see her suffering. She was 88 years old.

Abuela Caky was born in Ecuador on the 4th of November in 1918. At some point her family moved to Panama in Central America. She never really talked much about her life before she came to the United States. I think it was because it was too painful. She was the type of person that wouldn't dwell on the past. She always pressed on.

When she arrived here to the United States, she settled in Miami, Florida. She worked as a housekeeper/nanny/cook for a very wealthy family. She quickly learned English. As soon as she could, she brought my mom over. My mom was 17 at the time. They both worked hard. Not just for the K family, but in educating themselves.

Eventually Abuela learned enough to apply at a hospital. She got hired as a unit clerk. Which today they are called unit secretaries. She continued to work for the K family, even while she worked at the hospital. She was a hard worker. She had great work ethics. She was well loved by all who came in contact with her.

She was an incredible woman. She was a very private person. She didn't share much about her past. There was so much I wanted to know but she didn't open up that part of her heart. I do know that she worked hard. She put all her brother's through school. They all became professionals. She also managed to have her children attend private school.

Abuela had an unwavering faith in our Lord. First thing she did EVERY morning was pray. She prayed during the day, throughout her day and at night. She was so wise and loving. Always willing to lend a helping hand.

In 1987, Soaring Amongst The Clouds was born. That's my oldest daughter. Instead of calling my mom for advice, I always called Abuela. She always knew what to tell me... and guess what her advice ALWAYS worked. Ten months after our first one was born, Still Waters arrived. Yep, I had two under the age on 1! Eighteen months later Daughter of the King arrived. Yep, I had three under the age of 3! Abuela came to the rescue! She would come and stay with us months at a time. She was a godsend.

We loved having her with us. She was fun. She laughed a lot. She was a big lady with a big heart. Nobody could cook like her. To this day, my Knight says that no one can iron like she does, not even the cleaners.

Abuela was a simple lady. She didn't care about looks. It was all about comfort, neatness and being clean. She would wear her favorite cotton dresses even if they were a little faded, but they were always pressed and clean. Her whites always looked white, not gray or yellow.

Through the years she's given me great advice. But one stands out, it was when my girls we wee ones. It was in Spanish. "La casa, el carro, todo lo material, siempre estara aqui. El tiempo con tus hijos no. Disfrutalos, que el tiempo pasara. Todo lo que quedara es las memorias que tendran tus hijos con sus padres. Eso es lo importante. Eso no tiene precio. Los hijos son un regalo de Dios." It can't be translated word for word, but the thought is the same. "The house, the car, all material things will always be here. Time with your children is fleeting. Enjoy them, for time will pass by too quickly. All your children will have left are the memories you make with them. That's what important. The time together is priceless. Children are a precious gift from God."

That's the type of advice she would give me. She always had a saying for everything. I treasure my memories of her. Because of the way she influenced my life, I continue to strive to be the woman God wants me to be.

Thank you all who have encouraged me and are praying for us. We so appreciate your kind words, thoughts and prayers. My our Heavenly Father bless you tenfold.

For those of you who happen to come across my journal, please say a prayer for my family. We have hope and faith, but our heart aches.

Can my life be good, even when my heart is heavy? Yes it can. You see I have faith and hope that one day we will reunite again. She will be the same Abuela she had always been. Along with Jesus and my brother, she will welcome me into God's Kingdom with open arms. What a reunion that will be... Yes, Life Is Good.

Praise You In The Storm

The past couple of days I've heard this song play on the radio countless of times. I find these words very comforting. I can't help but cry when I hear these words. I know that some think that crying doesn't help. I feel that crying does help me. It's cleansing.

If you click on the groups name you can hear part of the song. Hope you are blessed by it too.


Praise You In The Storm
by Casting Crowns

I was sure by now
That You would have reached down
And wiped our tears away
Stepped in and saved the day
But once again, I say "Amen", and it's still raining

As the thunder rolls
I barely hear Your whisper through the rain
"I'm with you"
And as You mercy falls
I raise my hands and praise the God who gives
And takes away

I'll praise You in this storm
And I will life my hands
For You are who You are
No matter where I am
Every tear I've cried
You hold in Your hand
You never left my side
And though my heart is torn
I will praise You in this storm

I remember when
I stumbled in the wind
You heard my cry
You raised me up again
My strength is almost gone
How can I carry on
If I can't find You

As the thunder rolls
I barely hear You whisper through the rain
"I'm with you"
And as Your mercy falls
I raise my hands and praise the God who gives
And takes away

I lift my eyes unto the hills
Where does my help come from?
My help comes from the Lord
The Maker of Heaven and Earth

Beauty From Pain

My heart is heavy. My spirit is light. I just can't bring myself to share right now. My Abuela Caky has gone to be with our Lord and Savior. My soul rejoices, but my heart weeps.

My Savior is comforting me. I know she is no longer in pain or suffering. She is in the presence of the Creator. Knowing that makes my pain tolerable. I hold on to the hope that one day we will be together again. I love you Abuela. You are missed, but you will live on in my memories.


Beauty From Pain
by Superchick

The lights go out all around me
One last candle to keep out the night
And then the darkness surrounds me
I know I'm alive
But I feel like I've died

And all that's left is to accept that it's over
My dreams ran like sand through the fists that I made
I try to keep warm but I just grow colder
I feel like I'm slipping away

After all this has passed
I still will remain
After I've cried my last
There'll be beauty from pain
Though it won't be today
Someday I'll hope again
And there'll be beauty from pain
You will bring beauty from my pain

My whole world is the pain inside me
The best I can do is just get through the day
When life before is only a memory
I wonder why God let me walk through this place

And though I can't understand why this happened
I know that I will when I look back someday
And see how You've brought beauty from ashes
And made me as gold purified through these flames

Here and I am at the end of me (at the end of me)
Trying to hold to what I can't see
I forgot how to hope
This night's been so long
I cling to your promise there will be a dawn

Airfest 2007

Today we spent the day at the MacDill Air Force Base Airfest 2007. Our main goal was to see the Blue Angels. We got to see way more than the Blue Angels. We took over 400 pictures! AND we got to video tape too. I was a happy camper. :o)

Ooops! I forgot to mention that the Airfest was FREE!!

For those of you that know me, you aren't going to believe this... I got up at 5am! Yep, that's not a typo. LOL! We were on the road before 6am. Traffic really wasn't as bad as we thought. We were able to set up our chairs close to the front.

There was a list of items that weren't allowed to be taken in. One of them being a cooler. Packed lunches were allowed. So we took sandwiches, bottled water & chips. Beach chairs, umbrellas & blankets were allowed too. We even saw parents pulling their children's wagons loaded with their items. Every one was there ready to have a good time.

We took turns walking around and staying with our seats. My Knight walked around with Soaring Amongst The Clouds, Still Waters, Daughter of the King, G.I. Joe and The Warrior. He was showed them all the different planes and told them all about it. He's so wise and knowledgeable.

I walked around later on with Soaring Amongst The Clouds. She was quick to point out how handsome all them men looked in their uniform. Later on she said, "Wish we lived close to a base." I had to laugh about that. Seems like she is more like me than I thought. I sure did love seeing my Knight in his uniform. Even now, I love to see him in his umpire uniform... be still my heart...

There were many different kinds of airplanes, helicopters and machinery. Not only were they there for us to see, but we could go "in" them. We got to talk to different soldiers (or are they called airmen?) regarding the different things we saw.

It was an eventful day. We all had a "beyond" wonderful time. The maneuvers we saw the pilots do with their airplanes will forever be embedded in our minds. We even got to see paratroopers. They all put on a spectacular show. We can't wait for another Military Air Show comes our way again.

This picture was taken early in the morning. By noon, there was no vacant spots around. It was elbow to elbow people or should I say, chair to chair? It was a very sunny day. Good thing my Knight thought to bring our umbrella. He didn't want me to have a lupus flare up. We all lathered up with good ol' Banana Boat sunscreen.


The crowd anxiously awaiting...



Dad giving the tour...





Four of my blessings...


The Boys and The Ammunition...




Candid pictures of the my blessings...

Soaring Amongst the Clouds...
She's a dreamer, a thrill seeker.


Still Waters...
she is always quiet, I always wonder what she's thinking.


Daughter of the King...
she's a friend to the friendless.


G.I. Joe...
he's friendly and easy going.


The Warrior...
protector of the defenseless.


Some of the Airmen had the perfect spot to watch the show...




Paratroopers...







The Galaxy...






Different planes...







Last but not least... The Blue Angels!

Bathing vs Showering

Growing up, I can count in two hands how many times I took baths. No, I wasn't a dirty child. My mom wouldn't hear of it. When I say bath or bathing, I mean in a tub... as in filling the tub up and bathing or soaking in it. :o)

We've been living in our present home for over 8 years. I can honestly say I can count in one hand how many times I've taken a shower. That's because I LOVE to take baths! I love to fill the tub and bathe in it. Now, I don't always "soak" in my tub. I don't always have the time. But even if I don't have the time to soak, I bathe in my tub.

Why do I love to bathe? There are many reasons. It's old fashioned. Bathing in my tub reminds me of days gone by. It makes me feel feminine, womanly. It pampers me. I enjoy trying new scented oils, beads and scented salts. I use many different scents. I'm always trying new ones. My favorite are lavender/vanilla, coconut, jasmine and honey/milk/oatmeal. Mmmmm... talk about relaxation.

Ok, not only do I like to bathe, but I have a candle burning while I bathe. :o) I usually light a while before I bathe. That way the scent is already in the air when I go in there. To tell the truth, I usually have a candle burning in my bathroom throughout the day. Well, for that matter, I have candles burning throughout our home through out the day. Hmmmm... nothing like it. I'll share about candles another day. Lots to share about that too. ;o)

What are your favorite bathing scents?

Handmade Soaps

I have always wanted to learn how to make handmade soap. I'm fascinated by the"old fashion" way of life. How things were made back in the old days. How life was hard and at the same time simple. I know it was hard work, but... hard work pays off.

There is NOTHING like handmade soaps! I'm extremely pleased that I've found some WONDERFUL handmade soaps. They are from The Foil Hat, Inc. I had heard of them years ago, but had never bought any. Don't know why I waited so long, but I'm glad I took the plunge- pun intended. :o) I can't say enough good things about their products.

Recently, one of the mom's from a homeschooling group I belong to, had a handmade soap workshop at her home. Turns out that the owner of The Foil Hat, Inc. was a friend of hers and she had agreed to do a workshop for her. When I first read her email, I was like, "YEAH! I'm going to learn to make soap!". Then I noticed the date of the workshop. Bummer! It was the same day as our Little League Opening Ceremony. Well, she told me no problem! She would share with me what she learned! What a blessing! I can't wait to learn. What's even better, is that my girls want to learn to! Now, how many 19, 18 or 17 year old young ladies would want to learn to make soap? :o)

For the time being, I will continue to get my soap from The Foil Hat, Inc. My favorites for now are: Lavender, Oatmeal- Milk & Honey, Down At The Shore & Lavender Orchard. They have many more, but those are the ones that I've tried. The scents aren't overpowering. My skin doesn't feel dry or too oily. It's a perfect balance. My skin feels soft and smooth. That's saying a lot, cause I have sensitive skin. Prior to these soaps I only used Dove or Cetaphil.

I recently purchased some other fragrances and I'm looking forward to trying those and others too. Oh, they do have "manly" scented ones too. I just bought some for my Knight and my Squires. I think my Squires are going to love the Chocolate scented one and the Dragon's Blood.

It's only 2p. I had a busy morning. I did 4 loads of laundry/folding too, returned some calls, helped Soaring Amongst The Clouds with her Spanish, helped The Warrior with his school work, cleaned up the kitchen, vacuumed & gave Nicodemus a bath. Time to chill out for a bit before the afternoon rush. So off to take a bath I go. Ummmm... there is nothing like bathing in a tub full of scented oils or using my new found favorite soaps to lather in. More on this tomorrow.

Audrey Hepburn

One of my favorite actresses is Audrey Hepburn (1929-1993). When I think of her I think, feminine, natural, meekness, timeless, beauty, humble, softness, wistful, elegance, charming, fun and graceful. To me she was a picture of a "lady". Growing up, I so wanted to be like her... a lady.

Gone is the era where women were encouraged to be feminine, soft, gently, nurturing, loving, honoring to their husbands and families. God created man and woman to be different. Well, I was about to start chasing a rabbit. So I'm going to let it go for now. I'll come back to this another day. This is something I feel very strongly about. :o)

I love watching Audrey Hepburn movies. As soon as they come out on dvd, I buy them. For now we only have Roman Holiday, Funny Face, My Fair Lady and Sabrina. I look forward to expanding my collection of her her movies. My girls are also fans of hers.

Below is a beautiful poem that was written by the educator-humorist Sam Levenson for his grandchild. It had become one of Audrey Hepburn's favorite poems. It was also used by her on occasion when she was asked for beauty tips. I can see why it was her favorite. There is much one can learn form it..

Time Tested Beauty Tips

For attractive lips, speak words of kindness.

For lovely eyes, seek out the good in people.

For a slim figure, share your food with the hungry.

For beautiful hair, let a child run his or her fingers through it once a day.

For poise, walk with the knowledge you'll never walk alone.

People, even more than things, have to be restored, renewed, revived,
reclaimed and redeemed and redeemed and redeemed.

Never throw out anybody.

Remember, if you ever need a helping hand, you'll find one at the end of your arm.

As you grow older you will discover that you have two hands. One for helping yourself, the other for helping others.

An Old Friend

Two days ago my Knight was umping a Juniors (13-15yr old players) Little League game. I was sitting watching the game. I had his bag where he keeps all his gear in, with me. His cell phone started ringing. I debated whether to answer it or not. I thought it might be best if the person left a message. The changes of me forgetting little details is very high. :o) BUT, I decided to answer it.

It was July. A high school friend of ours. It was great hearing from him. He was coming to town to visit a friend of his and his wife. We made plans to meet for dinner. We talked briefly. It brought back lots of good memories. I looked forward to seeing him and meeting his family.

July lived in my neighborhood. He lived a block away from me. We went to the same high school. That's where he met my Knight. They were in the aviation class together. They were also in The Golden Knight's club. It was the aviation club.

While in high school we had a close group of friends. Mostly kids from our neighborhood or who worked in the local, El Coral market. At this time I was smitten with "O". July, "P", "O", Red and "M" were the Bayou Brothers. Bayou in Spanish is kind of like "party". The girls in the group were Boss Lady (my sister), Sol, "N", "Guerra" and myself. Officer W, joined the group later on. "M" and Sol were smitten with each other too. So there were only two couples in the group. But we were all close friends. Boss Lady and Guerra still keep in touch. Sol and I, though miles keep us apart, modern technology keeps us close. I'm thankful for our friendship.

We met at EPCOT. His beloved wife, "A" and I hit it off instantly. We talked all night. There was never a quiet moment. She is so genuine. What you see is what you get. He is very blessed to have such a wonderful wife.

All the guys in the group have kept in touch. He caught us up on how they are all doing. None of us brought up "O" I think we thought it a bit awkward. Don't know why though. It saddened me to hear that July had suffered a heart attack when he was 36. He had quadruple bypass. That blew my mind. July still looks like July. He hasn't changed, he's still the same. Just a little older. Why is it that men age so nicely and women, well, you know.

July and "A" are blessed with two beautiful little girls. "L" is 8 and "K" is 7. Our girls held hands the whole time. We got to eat at the American Adventures. Just as we were finishing eating, the fireworks started. Soaring Amongst The Clouds and Daughter Of The King were startled and jumped in there seats. Needless to say, everyone got a kick out of that. "L" and "K" were such a joy to get to know. It was so sweet to watch our children together. Brought back bittersweet memories of when I was younger and my childhood friends.


This was the only picture we got to take. Wish the picture was a little bit more of a close up. But I'm thankful someone was nice enough to take this one. Another picture was taken with "A's" camera. As soon as she emails it to me, I'll post it.

We had a great time catching up. We exchanged emails and hope to keep in touch. I hope we do. the promised to give us a call again when they come to town. I look forward to seeing them again.

My Blogs

I keep three different blogs. One is set on private. I journal about our family in detail. It's more of an online scrapbook. I seem not to have enough time to keep up with my scrapbooking. Since I take digital pictures, it's easier to "scrapbook" online.

My second blog this one, A Glance Into My World. It's open for others to see, not just friends and family. I have nicknamed those that I write about for security reasons. One never knows who's reading it. The reason I keep this one open is because I feel it might help others in one way or another. The media is full of sad stories. We need to hear about the good there is too. I share quotes, scriptures, stories, ideas, recipes and my thoughts. I also share tips that have helped me through the years. I share anything that I feel God prompting me to share so it might helps others.

My third blog is A Knight's Lady. I named it that because that's exactly how I feel. My Babe is my Knight in shining armor. I have always seen him this way. Even while we were courting I would call him my Knight. He has always called me his Lady. Well, our wedding song was Lady by Kenny Rogers. This blog is mostly about me, my thoughts. I focus more on my relationship with my Babe, my Knight. I see more and more women losing respect for their husbands. They focus on the negative instead of focusing on the positive. I thought this would be a good way to share my testimony of how things can be different with your beloved spouse.

Who's Hands?

A basketball in my hands is worth about $20.
A basketball in Shaquille O'Neal's hands is worth about $20 million.
It depends who's hands it's in.

A baseball in my hands is worth about $14.
A baseball in Albert Pujol's hands is worth about $14 million.
It depends who's hands it's in.

A tennis racket is useless in my hands.
A tennis racket in Roger Federer's hands is a Wimbledon Championship.
It depends who's hands it's in.

A rod in my hands will keep away a wild animal.
A rod in Moses's hands will part the mighty sea.
It depends who's hands it's in.

A sling shot in my hands is a kid's toy.
A sling shot in David's hand is a mighty weapon.
It depends who's hands it's in.

Two fish & 5 loaves of bread in my hands is a couple of fish sandwiches.
Two fish & 5 loaves of bread in God's hands will feed thousands.
It depends who's hands it's in.

Nails in my hands might produce a birdhouse.
Nails in Jesus Christ's hands will produce salvation for the entire world.
As you see, it depends whose hands it's in. So put your concerns, your worries, your fears, your trust, your hopes, your dreams, your families and your relationships in God's hands because--
It ALL depends who's hands it's in.

Magnetic Poetry

I recently discovered Magnetic Poetry. I know, you're probably thinking, "Where have you been? Under a rock?" Well, what can I say, I'm not always in the "know". Then again who is?

Apparently there are a few magnetic poetry kits available. My dilemma? Which ones to get! I feel like the tv commercial that says..."I want it all... I want it all... and I want it now."

My next dilemma is that my fridge stainless steel. BUT apparently not the best stainless steel. Magnets do stick to the side of my fridge, but not the front doors. I'm so disappointed. I can't even put pictures on the front of my fridge. Well, I have them on the side of my fridge. Which is really nice, cause I can see the pictures while I cook or should I say when I cook. :o)

I've decided to purchase a magnetic board. I'm going to hang it right next to my dry eraser board that I have in our dinning room. I CAN'T wait!

Now which poetry kit shall I get first?

She's Back!

In a home with seven family members, how can it feel empty when only one member is not home? I know this is hard to believe but it's true. Our home felt so empty. Our Baby Girl #3, left Friday for a 4 day (2/16-2/19) ski trip to North Carolina. We all missed her terribly!

She called every day while she was away. It was so good to hear her voice. Words can't express how much I missed her. I was happy for her. I knew she was having a great time. She went with our old church youth group from Trinity. My good friend's son, Steps went along too. No, they are not couple, they are friends. Maybe when they are older their friendship will blossom. He is a mighty fine young Christian man. :o)

We don't believe in dating, we believe in courtship. We believe in going out in groups. When the time come that someone wants to get to know our girls better, they will have to first ask dad's permission. Now this is not permission to date, but permission to get to know each other better. My Babe and I feel strongly that one should not entertain thoughts of exclusive relationships when you aren't even of marrying age. But that's a whole other subject, for another day. :o)


We took this picture right after we loaded up the car with Baby Girl 3 and Steps' belongings. I'm so proud of her. She packed all her things in "one" bag! Dad has done well to teach our children how to pack efficiently. HOOYAH! Jewels and I have gotten to be good friends. I treasure her friendship. * Me in my overalls. I have at least 6 pairs! :o)

On our way to Trinity, we stopped to eat lunch at Wendy's. We ate in the car because we wanted to make sure we would get to church on time. Traffic was a little heavy. But we got there in plenty of time.

This was the ski lodge where they got all their rental gear at. Saturday night due to icy roads and snow, the roads were closed. So they weren't able to go to their hotel. Which means they had to spend the night in the ski lodge. They were not prepared for this overnight stay at the lodge. They were all freezing. This will be a trip she will never forget. She shared that she didn't get to sleep a wink. The thought that they weren't able to get back to their rooms unnerved her.

This picture was taken Saturday (2/17/07) night outside the ski lodge. This was a picnic table on the porch. They were ankle deep in fresh snow.

This is the ski lodge during the day. Notice the icicles on the roof top. In the back ground you can see on of the ski runs. She told me that she didn't go on that one. She felt it was too advanced for her. Maybe next year. :o)

We had a great time listening to all her stories. She really did have a great time. I'm so glad she did. I told her that Baby Boy #5 missed her so much, he would go into her room and just look around. It was so sweet. Fills my heart with joy to know that my children love and miss each other when they aren't together. May it always be so.

{{{{{{{Welcome Back Baby Girl, we missed you!}}}}}}} It's good to have you home again.

Valentine's Day

I have mixed feelings about Valentine's Day. I love it cause it's a day set aside to show our love to our loved ones. "Ay , there's the rub". We should show our love all the time.

Not a day goes by that I don't show or tell my Babe and children that I love them. They are my world. I hope and pray they know it.

This Valentine's Day was a little, ah... different. Baby Girl 1 and Baby Girl 2 are in college. The rest are still being homeschooled. Usually for Valentine's Day, I would have there Valentine's basket waiting for them (where they sit)at our dinning room table. Once they get their goodies, we'd all have pancake breakfast and hang out together. We usually take this day off from school. We would all have lunch out and have a special dinner. It kind of threw our day of kilter when both of my older girls had classes to attend. Not only that, but Baby Girl 3 goes to church early on Wednesdays to practice with the youth praise & worship group.

We managed to "squeeze" in our Valentine celebration around 3p. Everyone was pleased with their basket of goodies. The boys got the girls a heart shaped container filled with m&m's. They got their daddy the movie, Nacho Libre. LOL! The girls got their daddy a Big chocolate Kiss. It's a tradition. My Babe got them each a bag full of Dove chocolate. How sweet is that! The boys got a pair of shorts and bathing trunks for my Babe and I. The girls got a Vera Bradley purse from both from my Babe and I.

I got my Babe two pairs of slacks and two shirts. I can just see him. He is mighty fine looking no matter what he wears or doesn't wear. :o) He'll make his new clothes look good. I so love my man.

My Babe knows me well. He got me Darryl Worley's new cd, Here and Now and Keni Thomas', Flags Of Our Fathers cd, a"whole" bag of chocolate kisses and recess peanut butter cups. Mmmmmm.... be still my heart.

Do To Others...

As you would have them do unto you...

I haven't written about what has happened in the last couple of days. To tell you the truth, I'm a little numb and speechless. I can't even bring myself to think about it too much. It's hit too close to home.

We have a weather radio. It started going off around 2am Friday. It didn't stop going off till a little after 6a. Tornadoes hit all around us. Deland, Lake Mac, Lake Yale, Lady Lake and Paisley were hit. We are smack in the middle of all those areas. God saw fit to spare us.

My mind is still in a fog. My feelings and emotions are raw. All the devastation is hard to see, but I make myself watch it on the news. I think we ALL need to see it. Why? Because we need to be reminded, that we are only here for a short time. We don't know when our time will come. There are many who do not know God. Many who have no clue that they will be eternally separated from God. Also because we need to be reminded that we have soooooooo much to be thankful for.

I keep thinking, if this is what happens even when God has His hand of protection over us, what would happen if He would turn the other way. Praise the Lord that He loves us with an everlasting love. That no matter how far we stray, He will ALWAYS be there... waiting.. with open arms.

Today we went shopping for the storm victims. We don't have much, but I spent half of our grocery money on items that our homeschooling group were collecting for the tornado victims. Since our oldest two were in classes (college), I took the younger three (we homeschool) to the store with me. They each picked items from a list we had.

My Baby Girl #3 focused on babies. She picked pampers, wipes and pacifiers. Baby Boy #4 picked power snacks and drinks. He's the athlete. LOL! Baby Boy #4 picked fun snacks, tooth paste and tooth brushes (for the children). He had great fun, cause he picked tooth brushes with batman, Cars, dinosaurs. Stuff little boys love.

Our umbrella school was taking all the items that our homeschooling group collected to a church in Paisley. So took all our items to Stephanie's home. She was the "drop off" home for our area. We helped sort our all the items in her garage. Her van was loaded up and all the items were taken to the church.

We had an awesome time shopping and helping out. It filled our hearts with joy to be buying for those in need. Oh, even though we had less for our groceries, God met our needs. We are so blessed.