Will This Day Ever End?

today was one of those days where everything seemed to go wrong. my normal 45 minute - 1 hour commute to work took over 2 hours and was filled accident after accident. the drive home was no better and sandwiched between were a slew full of frustrating meetings.

i tried really hard to focus on all that i'm grateful for and not the inconveniences, delays and irritations. as i passed fire engine after ambulance after police car and listened to way more am radio than any person should in one day, i reminded myself of how blessed i am to be safe and sound and not the victim of one of these horrible accidents/earthquakes/tsunamis.

unfortunately, i still gave in and lost it at one point - sending mike a desperate text and snapping at my mom on the phone for leaving me on hold too long (sorry, guys). even so, i'm proud of myself for trying not to "sweat the small stuff" and keeping my cool for as long as i did.

to top it off, i still managed to fall into bed with a smile on my face.

May I Be Excused

with practice, i'm going to pat myself on the back and say that i've become a pretty good cook. still, every once in a while, i try a new recipe and it just well...it flops.

tonight was one of those nights.

it wasn't just "not great," it was straight up bad.

still, my husband gulped it down with a smile on his face and even "pretended" to get mad that i threw out the leftovers. i know that i married a human trash compactor but i like to tell myself that it's more than that. i believe he loves me so much that anything i cook for him tastes like a little slice of heaven even if, in my heart, i know that he forced his way through that meal as an exercise in solidarity (and to save himself from my impending breakdown).

And Babies Make Four

as i was leaving the gym tonight i saw a man struggling to get through the front door. he was pushing/pulling/lugging a side by side stroller with two toddlers strapped inside. he was holding the door with one foot while navigating his extra-wide load and juggling his gym bag in one arm.

every time i see a mom or dad going through those daily tasks that are now 20x more time consuming and difficult, i gain such respect for parenthood. i know. i know. children are an awesome gift and don't get me wrong, i definitely hope to have some one day.

still, as i jumped forward to hold the door open and received a smile of gratitude from this dad who simply wanted to get a workout in, i realized that today is not that day. i have about all i want to handle with my new puppy. i want to be the best mom possible and i know that to do it right, i have to be completely selfless.

as for now, i still like going to the gym empty-handed without a care in the world.

Study Hall

there's a sense of pride in watching someone you love work really hard - even when they feel like complete crap. one of the many things i respect about my husband is his commitment and drive. he committed to this mba program in august and since then, he has proven that nothing will stand in the way of his success - even a hacking cough, fever, overly-committed wife and 9-week old puppy running amok.

it's days like this - as he locked himself in the office preparing for his econ midterm on monday - that i know there's nothing i can do to support him but give him peace, quiet and ample food - to keep him energized of course.

and so i did - or tried my best to anyway.

Play Date Gone Awry

it was a big day for lola. she had her first outing - lunch with kim and james in manhattan beach - and her first play date - with bella.

unfortunately, the play date didn't go quite as well as we'd hoped. as it turns out, our little lola boo is a bit of bully. she doesn't know her own strength and while they weigh the same, she's a tad bit heftier than bella boo. bella, on the other hand, is definitely more of a timid pooch. 

in fact, she was scared to death. 

but in the spirit of finding the positive in it all, i have to say that we're really happy our lola is comfortable around other dogs and people too. now, we just have to work on some obedience issues and she'll be golden.

it was hard to get a shot of the two of them together since bella was running at full speed and lola was doing her best to tackle her so instead, we have the after shots. 

here is bella - so over it all

and lola - pooped from the chase

And Then There Was Rest

mike and i are both sick now. he's convinced i contracted swine flu and then shared it with him.

sorry, honey.

still, after a really busy couple of months for both of us: school, fundraisers, work, lola, chicago, birthday, anniversary, wedding, house, etc. it feels pretty good to take a break. 

even if it's forced.

we ate chicken soup, napped, watched "notorious" (the biography of notorious b.i.g. - oddly good) and ended the night with a shot of nyquil. i feel so lucky to have a partner in crime. even the worst moments are good when we're together. 

cheesy, i know. so sorry. 

Friends of El Faro

the annual friends of el faro fundraiser was tonight and it was a huge success. in the months leading up to this event, i have moments of doubt and worry. it's so much work and there are really only a handful of us truly committed to the cause. we do it all on our nights and weekends and there's so much depending on this one evening.

will we pull it off?

will we make enough to support the home for the next year?

is this still as much fun as it used to be?

is it time for me to move on to another cause?

and then the night arrives and as i look out into the crowd i realize the answers were there all along.

yes

yes

yes

hell no!

friends of el faro is an extension of my family. casa hogar sion is my home away from home. my role may change over the years but nothing will ever erase those facts. and anyone who knows me knows that family and home are the most important things in my life.

it feels good to be back.

Midterm

i had my first midterm in years today. i know i'm a complete geek because i was actually excited. as luck would have it, mike had a midterm as well in yep...you guessed it, accounting. the subject matter between both our tests was virtually the same so we got to study together last night. 

it was fun.

i won't get my score until next week and my grade really doesn't matter since i'm only taking the class for personal growth but i'm fairly certain i aced it!

Lynn and Ned

i'm one of those lucky people who is actually friends with her boss. she attended my wedding. in fact, it was on her birthday. she's not only a great director but the most gracious and compassionate person i've ever met. she's been a very good role model for me professionally and before you even think it, no...she doesn't know about this blog so i'm not kissing ass.

today, her husband was discharged from the hospital. you see, after years fighting a rare kidney disease and depending on hours upon hours of daily dialysis treatment to stay alive, he had a kidney transplant last week. his donor was a co-worker and friend for many years and gave him the incredible gift of life.

lynn and ned have been a constant reminder of how important it is to stay positive and to have faith. they never gave up. they never stopped fighting. they never let the sleepless nights, painful treatments or inconvenient travel get to them.

today is literally, the first day of the rest of their lives and i couldn't be happier.

Thank God for Chew Toys

i made yet one more run to petco today. this time it was to stock up on chew toys and treats. as it turns out, lola boo is teething and as a result, enjoys chewing on anything in her path.

fingers
arms
the couch
electrical cords
the baby gate
the hamper

the list goes on

i discovered some ingenious substitutions though and she's happy as a clam. our arms and hands are breathing a sigh of relief as well.

R&R

a much needed day of rest.

my cold went from bad to worse - i blame it on too much fun at the wedding - but i had nothing on the agenda today. that is unless you count playing with lola, reading my dad's book and working on the foef fundraiser.

it was glorious and long overdue.

I Do

julie and brandon's wedding day was absolutely perfect. she was a beautiful bride. he was an adoring groom. the ceremony went off without a hitch. the reception was a blast.

i'm so honored to be a part of such an important moment in their life. and i can't lie...it's almost as much fun being a guest/bridesmaid at a wedding as it is being the bride.

Brandamine and Julice

at julie and brandon's rehearsal dinner, the groomsmen passed on the traditional toast and instead, treated us to a shadow puppet show. yes, i said shadow puppet show.

now, this was no ordinary, last minute, thrown together entertainment. it was a true love story complete with dragons, waves and a soundtrack. i can't even imagine how much time they put into this project.

we laughed our way through the 20 minute presentation. it was a true display of love on the boys part.

i was very impressed.

Welcome Home

introducing the newest addition to our family...lola boo!

Just Say No

i'm very proud of myself today. i had a donor meeting this afternoon in newport beach. i'm talking a stone's throw from fashion island. on the way there, i decided that i'd treat myself after the meeting with a quick stop at forever 21.

forever 21 is the perfect store to go to when you need a shopping spree quick fix but are working with a tight budget. you can easily spend 20 minutes and walk out with one or two new tops and a handful of accessories all for less than $40. this is how i trick myself into thinking i went "shopping" when all i really did was go drop $40 on crap i'll wear a half a dozen times and then have to throw out.

it's a beautiful thing.

although i had convinced myself that i most certainly "deserved" this spree, i resisted the temptation. the responsible angel on my shoulder reminded me that i'd had my shopping fix for the month with the aforementioned four trips to petco/petsmart.

after picturing lola's cute face, i felt completely okay with the fact that she is the sole beneficiary of this months splurging. before i knew it, i was driving right past fashion island without so much as a glance in the rear view mirror.

A Place To Call My Own

i set up lola's new "room" tonight. we pick her up thursday afternoon and since we both have class tomorrow night, this was the only time to get it done.

alright. alright. who am i kidding?

since mike surprised me with our new addition to the family on our anniversary, i've made half a dozen trips to the pet store for "supplies." lola now has not one but two pink collars (he'll never admit it but mike wanted one with spikes around the neck), the cushiest bed money could buy, toys galore (even a really cute one shaped like an ugg slipper) and the highest quality pet food i could find.

still, her "room" looked so sparse when i was finished. before i went as far as adding pink wallpaper to her kennel, mike intervened and talked me off the ledge. this is why we make such a great team.

you have to admit...she's gonna look pretty damn cute with her pink spiked collar around her chubby little neck!

Work Does Not Suck

today, i met a man who fears his grandfather may be developing dementia. we talked about the symptoms he's noticing and i shared all of the resources available at the alzheimer's association. he left feeling scared that there may be truth to his fears but also visibly relieved that his family won't have to go through this process alone.

so much of my day is filled with similar interactions. i meet people who either need our services today, have used our services in the past or fear they may have to request them in the future. while i spend the majority of my time chasing down the $2.2 million in funding to insure all of our programs are available free of charge to the community, i still get to interact with the families who rely on us to answer the phone and help them through the day. every day.

it's moments like these that i thank god for helping me embrace my passion for non-profit work. it's not the most glamorous or high-paying profession but it's one of the most rewarding. i can honestly end each day confident that the work i did contributed to the betterment of humanity.

not too shabby for a hard day's work.

Remembering David

i'm feeling very grateful for the chance to remember a little man who was once a very big part of my life. years ago, david was "my" child at the orphanage. had i not been 24, single and living paycheck to paycheck at the time, i seriously would've adopted him. we were kindred spirits and he was the reason i spent every weekend navigating the dirt roads of tijuana for a visit.

david taught me that you could love an adopted child as much as a birth child. when he left our home, i was devastated. it took nine months but we tracked him, his brothers and his baby sister down and learned that they were taken from their parents again and placed in a new home on the the west coast of tijuana. this time for good. i paid them a visit and discovered the wonderful, inspiring and spiritually rich environment that is grace children's home. i left missing him more than ever but at peace knowing he is happy, healthy and prospering.

i haven't been back in a couple of years and mike has never met him but i will always keep tabs on his life and lend support if i'm needed...even if it's from a distance.

below are two pictures of david. the first is of the two of us at the albercas (water park) in 2003. the second is him all grown up and living at grace.

No Rest for the Weary...Or is There?

i long for saturdays spent running errands, working around the house and watching college football. i know i have no one to blame for my busy schedule but myself so i won't even try. i rationalize my desire to bite off more than i can chew because running at 1,000 mph on a regular basis makes selfish days so much more enjoyable.

and that's what i had today. a lazy, go at my own pace, long long saturday.

best part is, i squeezed in some work for the friends of el faro fundraiser and some reading for class. all followed up by a nap in the "man chair" and bbq with my honey.

life is good.

We Will Never Forget

for the reminder to never take anything for granted.

It Hurts So Good

i have a sleep disorder. for some reason, i can't keep my arms by my side at night. this has been going on for years and no matter what i do they manage to drift up over my head in my sleep. think of how a baby sleeps - on it's back with it's arms above it's head. that's me.

a side effect of this sleep disorder is literally, a huge pain in my neck. it drifts all the way down my traps and into the tips of my shoulders. some mornings i can't even lift my arms to the steering wheel without pain. my poor husband worries that if i keep this up, i'm going to be disabled by the time i'm 35.

every so often when the pain has gotten unbearable, i treat myself to a massage. tonight, mike joined me and we had a couples massage at mini day spa in manhattan beach. what's a mini day spa, you ask? think somewhere in between burke williams and the creepy doctor's office massage studio. it's simple with no frills but clean and affordable and my massage therapists had hands like...well, you know.

he massaged, kneaded, pushed and pulled and the pain was far more intense than the enjoyment. i'm sore today but the relief in my shoulder/neck is better than i ever imagined. from the sounds of it, mike enjoyed himself just as much.

looks like we have a new idea for "date night."

A Long Hard Day

work was filled with meetings upon meetings today. so much so that i ended up staying an hour and a half after i needed to leave to make it to class with time to spare. as i flew out the door exhausted and head pounding, i contemplated blowing school off for the night and instead giving in to my guilty pleasure and hitting up del taco on the way home.

after all, we're all allowed to play hookie once i a while, right?

instead, i dragged my tired body adorned in tight, restricting work clothes to accounting class. stomach growling, i learned about t accounts, how to calculate owner's equity and liabilities for three hours.

it was a perfect day.

Chocolate, Cherries and Pistachios

when i was a kid, my grandparents picked me up from school and i stayed with them until the end of my parents' work day. my grandpa and i were very close and he would treat me to a homemade banana split every afternoon.

this probably explains why i was so spoiled and so chubby when i was little.

he also introduced me to the beauty that is spumoni. it's definitely not for everyone but it's certainly one of my favorite flavors to this day. i snuck a gallon into the grocery cart this evening. i don't feel guilty about this because when it comes to sweets, i can practice self-control. after a couple of spoonfuls, i've usually had my fill.

so tonight, mike and i had dinner together, parted ways to do our homework and met up for a late night spumoni fix. the only thing missing was my grandpa but i have to believe he was there in spirit.

Tears, Sangria and Cupcakes...Not in that Order.

hannah, gena and i spent the afternoon working on the friends of el faro silent auction. in fact, we got so much done, that i don't even feel guilty that we followed up our meeting with 3+ hours sitting on my deck catching up on "girl talk."

and, when i say girl talk, i mean the kind that includes everything from water bras to deceased pets, family kookiness, the beauty/sappiness of "p.s. i love you" and unsavory hot tub antics.

mike spent the evening watching the florida state game and pretending he couldn't hear the ridiculousness of our conversation outside. it's moments like these that i'm so happy to be a woman. we really do have way more fun!

Ready, Set, Go!

after some much needed lounging around in the sand, we rode our bikes a mile or so north to the hermosa beach street fair. we mingled, watched a bunch of ex-hippies rock out to a boston cover band, cruised the food court and checked out the vendors who all sell more of less, the same stuff.

we also hit up the carnival games.

like all couples, mike and i love a little friendly competition. unlike all couples though, we're both extremely competitive and it doesn't always stay friendly. today we played the "shoot the water gun in the clown's mouth and blow up the balloon attached to it's head" game. it was the two of us, half a dozen kids and another man and guess who won?

i did!

in all my years of street fairs and carnivals, i don't think i've ever won one of these games and i was so genuinely excited, i actually screamed and jumped in the air! shocked my surprise and pleased by my joy over something so simple, mike was equally excited by the outcome.

it was awesome!

Are You Ready For Some Football?

cal defeats maryland 52-13!

my guess is they'll be ranked in the top 10 by tuesday!

go bears!

Chunk

a very good friend from san francisco came over for dinner tonight and she surprised us by bringing her new baby - chunk. he's a designer breed - half bichon and half something else i can't remember - and he's the happiest dog i've ever met. i don't know if it's possible, but i swear this puppy - chunk - spent the whole night running in circles with a smile on his face!

i love the distinct personalities in animals - especially dogs. my mom and dad's dog, bella, is the most loving dog in the world. chunk is the clearly the happiest. my childhood dog was the most vicious (and he was a lhasa apso...explain that). it makes me wonder what our new puppy is going to be known for - aside from her flatulence and snorting that is.

she is a bully after all.

if mike has it his way, she'll be as sweet, intelligent and good looking as her owners. fingers crossed!

Healthy and Happy

as most anyone reading this knows, i'm a bit of a hypochondriac. for instance, i recently had a mole the size of a small freckle removed from my ear despite the dermatologist telling me he was 95% sure it was nothing serious. three weeks of walking around with a bandaid on my ear and it turns out, he was right.

needless to say, there are few things that worry more than my own health but number one is the health of those i love. for that reason, the highlight of my day today was most definitely learning that someone very important to me underwent some tests recently and came out with a clean bill of health.

woo hoo.

Back to School

i decided to enroll in a business class on wednesday nights. i guess i figured i couldn't let mike have all the fun. tonight was my first class and i was so excited. i was always one of those nerdy kids who loved the first day of school. i guess some things haven't changed.

now for a visual.

close your eyes and imagine the stereotypical accounting professor. once you get a good clear image in your head open up. everything you imagined is exactly what i experienced and it was glorious.

professor craven is as jolly as it gets. his wire-rimmed glasses needed adjusting and his rosy cheeks maintained their hue for the entire three hours we were there. he has a little mustache and a slicked comb-over. his navy tie had the rome skyline imprinted on it and hit right at his belly button while the belt of his dockers didn't quite make it up that high.

best of all, he's knowledgeable, funny, welcoming and really passionate about accounting. i couldn't have special-ordered a better instructor and i'm really looking forward to spending my wednesdays with him for the next four months.

Meeting of the Minds

once upon a time, most favorite orphanage comrade and i used to talk (almost obsessively) about how we were going to change the world one child at a time. it's bittersweet to note that our own lives have grown quite a bit from the time we spent nearly every weekend at casa hogar sion with our "other" family. we added husbands, homes, new careers, pets and children of our own (or hannah's own at least) to the fray. as you can imagine, we now have to schedule our visits and rarely do we get enough time to gossip let alone masterfully plan for the future.

today was different though.

we sat down and brainstormed like the old days. together (and with the help of the rest of foef) we will go back to the drawing board and revamp the friends of el faro child sponsorship program. it felt so good to freely share ideas, challenge each other and build on the other's enthusiasm.

i love this woman and i love our shared passion for this cause. it makes our relationship so special and so unlike any other in my life.