Life as I Know It...

Pecan Pie Muffins

2012-01-21T15:25:00.001-05:00

I ran into this recipe for Pecan Pie Muffins online last night. So I thought, "I like pecan pie + I like muffins= I like Pecan Pie Muffins!" So I made them.

I also thought this would be a good opportunity to play with light and the Av setting on my new camera. ;) Eventually I'll make my way to full Manual! Can't wait!

So here are a couple of pics of my yummy muffins. I forgot to take pics of the process of mixing the various ingredients but you get the idea with the photos below.

In the oven and ready to bake.

Fresh out of the oven!

Ready to eat! Nom, nom, nom!

Another view of the yummyness! And yes they were DELICIOUS!

You can find the recipe for Pecan Pie Muffins on the Tasty Kitchen Blog.

Do you have any yummy muffin recipes you can share? Post the link in the comments below. ;)

New Hobby!

2012-01-21T13:39:00.002-05:00

I did it! I took a dive and purchased my first Digital SLR camera! Do I know how to operate an SLR camera you ask? ... Um... well... No. But I plan on learning! I'll take a couple of classes, talk to a few folks who I know regularly use one and take great photos. I'm a fast learner I'll get it.... eventually.

Here is a pic of the camera I purchased:

It's a Canon EOS Rebel T1i (not sure what that really means).

So, I was dying to start a hobby and develop a new skill so I decided to try photography. It wasn't random... really. I am a full-time mom and work part-time as the Director of New Life Kids Ministry at New Life Fellowship. Needless to say I have NO TIME for hobbies. But all work and no play makes Rosie a very grouchy mama and wife. No bueno!

I was so excited about my new hobby I wanted to show you the first photo I took with it:

Front Door: Our Lady of Grace

Well, that was actually the 2nd photo I took with my camera. This was actually the first:

My husband!

I couldn't wait to get started. And I can't wait to learn all the cool things I can do with my new hobby!

Does anyone out there use an SLR camera? Do you have any tips for me?

{Advent} Day 2- Crown

2011-12-03T14:01:00.001-05:00

Karis and I did day two of Truth in the Tinsel today! I know I said I wasn't doing every day, and I'm not. But we had the supplies and the time so we did it!

Karis found the box with the #2 on the tree, opened it and found the "Crown" clue inside. We read Isaiah 9:2-7 again (same verse as Day 1), and talked about Jesus as King.

She wasn't as enthused as yesterday at first...

But then she got in to it. :)

When it came to stick the "jewels" on the crown (sequins), she became way more interested in the sequins than the crown. But nevertheless we finished the crown and let it dry...

Can you see her in the background fixated on the sequins? ;)

And finally we hung it on our tree!

Day 2... Complete! Fun!

Is any one doing any other Advent activities?

This blog post contains affiliate links to Truth in the Tinsel: An Advent Experience for Little Hands.

{Advent} Day 1- Candle

2011-12-02T18:03:00.003-05:00

I know... I know it's Day 2 of Truth in the Tinsel and my title says Day 1. Well... life happened and we never got to doing our Day 1 Advent activity. In fact, I didn't even get to set up my Advent "calendar" till very late that night. At first I felt horrible. Then I came to my senses and realized. BIG DEAL! No one is monitoring me... it's not a test! The goal is to take time with Karis (2yrs) to learn/remember what we are truly celebrating this season. The birth of our Savior!

So, I had decided to do an alternate schedule with Truth in the Tinsel. My life is pretty busy with New Life Kids and being a mom to Karis and wife to Rick. So I decided to go easy on myself. ;) I never had the opportunity to purchase a full advent calendar so I printed some numbers online (see previous post: Getting Ready for Advent), and prepared my Advent days 1, 5, 9, 16, 19, 24.

Leftover favor boxes from my sisters wedding.... 6 years ago!

Printed cute advent numbers from Skip to My Lou!

Stuck the number cards on the outside of the boxes and the clue inside and...

Since I was only doing 6 days, I only needed 6 boxes. And since Karis loves touching the tree branches, I decided to tuck the clue boxes into our tree.

Can you see them? :)

I had Karis find the box with the #1 on it and had her open it to find the clue! The minute she saw it she was delighted and said, "CANDLE!" I went on and read the scripture reference while she played with the clue and her own small bible and chatted away.

Karis has been watching and listening to these DVD's, by Jana Alayra my mother had bought for her, over... and over... and over. She loves them they have great songs with wonderful lyrics and fun hand motions/body motions. So Karis has been hearing and singing about Jesus, especially a song that says "Jesus is the light." While reading and afterwards I started using language she had heard and was familiar with to make the association with who the Light is.

Karis put glue and tissue paper on the ornament while I helped and talked about darkness and light. I turned a lamp on and off to help her make associations. I used repetition and had her repeat after me. Whether or not she did is another story. :) And kept talking about Jesus being the light.

It was so much fun! We finished the ornament and she was proud of her work!

So the question is... Did she sit nice and quietly as I read scripture? ...Nope! Did she talk while I read? ...Yup! Was she more interested in the clue card than what I was saying? ... Yup! Did she learn anything? ... Absolutely! Children (especially children under 5) are like sponges they are soaking up everything they are seeing and hearing, even when they aren't "paying attention." They hear you! Your actions and words are speaking volumes to them. Even just spending that time together is teaching them that you love to spend time with them. What a "lesson" to learn!

So keep going. Even if you don't feel like they're "getting it." Repeat key words or phrases with little ones. Have fun with it and allow the Lord to pierce their little hearts with His Truth and His Love!

Are you doing Truth in the Tinsel? How did day 1 and day 2 go? Are you doing something with your family this Advent season? Please share your ideas and what your are doing. I'd love to hear about it!

This post contains Affiliate links to Truth in the Tinsel.

Getting Ready for Advent

2011-11-28T15:24:00.002-05:00

Ok... I've downloaded my copy of Truth in the Tinsel: An Advent Experience for Little Hands by Amanda White of Impress Your Kids. (Not sure what I'm talking about? See my previous post.) Now It's time to get ready to start Day 1 on December 1st! I have decided to do one of the alternate schedules, "Just the Basics" since Karis is still pretty young and my schedule has been pretty unpredictable lately ;). "Just the Basics" includes, Day 1, Day 5, Day 9, Day 16, Day 19 and
Day 24 activities. I want to do them on the corresponding calendar days so I can follow along with people who are doing the Truth in the Tinsel Facebook Challenge! I love to see what others share about their experience. Buy your copy and join in on the great storytelling, fun and family time!
Now, it's time for me to put together my Advent calendar. Back at home, when I was a kid, my mom definitely had an advent calendar or two... or three. But when I got married I never purchased one. And now that my daughter is two and getting more interested in doing activities and stuff I think it's time. For now, I love the creativity of making my advent calendar so that's what I'm gonna do! :)

Amanda shared on her blog some easy ideas for making your own Advent calendar. So creative! And I also ran into another blog post from Carisa of 1+1+1=1, who is also doing Truth in the Tinsel. She found the cutest printable numbers for a creative advent calendar and came up with her own. Plus she has tons of great ideas for small children, not to mention a gazillion FREE printables. One of which I'm using this Christmas. Here is a pic of one of Karis' peices of work!

"J is for Jesus!" Click image to download your own copy on 1+1+1=1!

(P.S. Once you are on the page to download the Nativity Printables click "Download the entire Nativity Printable Pack Here!" The "Download Free!" button does not download the Printables.)

Karis had so much fun coloring and talking about the letter 'J' and Jesus and insisted that mommy color with her. :) So I did. It was great listening to her go on and on about Jesus and some other things I couldn't make out. Can't wait to do other stuff with her. She's a great little girl!

Okey Dokey, enough typing. Time to get going on my advent calendar! I'll post on it soon. Let me know if you are doing Truth in the Tinsel! Email me your ideas and pics. I'd love to see how your advent experience is going. If you haven't though about it... think about it and pick up your copy of the e-Book,Truth in the Tinsel: An Advent Experience for Little Hands and join in. It's only $4.99! You can't beat that. :)

I'll post pics of my homemade advent calendar soon. Stay tuned!

{Rescources} New Advent E-book for Kids!

2011-11-25T16:18:00.006-05:00

So, I have been following a blog for a little while now called Impress Your Kids. Amanda White, mom & blogger, created this blog to share ways that we can IMPRESS Gods word on our kids' lives and hearts. I started reading and found it so helpful. It's chock full of great ideas of things to do with your children.

Growing up my mom would always try to find new ways for my brother, sister and I to remember what this Christmas season was all about. I always appreciated all she did to get us together as a family and to remember Christs birth. Karis is a little over 2 years old now and now I've been looking to start new holiday traditions with her. So I began my search for advent activities for small children. I could really find anything that fit what I waas looking for. A few days later, Amanda at Impress Your Kids, announces that she was getting ready to released an eBook entitled, Truth in the Tinsel: An Advent Experience for Little Hands.

I just picked up my copy and can't wait to get started! The eBook has 24 advent activities & and crafts for Preschool to Elementary aged children. There is something for every age in this eBook! She even has alternate schedules for busy mom's who aren't able to do a craft every day. Yay for me! :)

I plan on doing one of the alternate schedules. Karis is a little young to do some of the activities in the book so the alternate schedule will give me a plan that will keep her attention and still help me teach her the amazing story of Christmas!

As we do our activities I plan on taking pics and posting them here on my blog so you can see our progress and what it's been like. If you'd like to start your own family time during this advent season... Get this eBook! Truth in the Tinsel: An Advent Experience for Little Hands is only $4.99! And if you buy it today, Black Friday, you will only pay $2.99!!!! Great deal!

What I truly appreciate about this eBook is how Amanda is simply providing ideas on how to share the beautiful story of the birth of our savior in a fun way. And she wonderfully calms the nerves of a busy mom, like myself, noting that it's important that this doesn't become a way we try to gauge if we are a good parent or not. Instead, to see it as an invitation to engage our Savior and the beautiful story of his love for us.

Join me on my journey through this Advent experience with my little family! :)

A message to New Life Parents:

I encourage you to start your own family traditions to IMPRESS God's Word on the heart of your children this Christmas season. I'm using this eBook in my home. If you have something you can use at home, by all means use it. But if you don't have anything, get this eBook and start. Start small, don't set your expectations too high. You may not have all of the supplies, your craft may not be as pretty or you may miss a day or two. No worries! It's important for you to just spend that time with your child(ren), to share the Christmas story.

Let the journey begin...!

Using an affiliate link for Truth in The Tinsel: An Advent Experience for Little Hands.

{Leadership Lessons} Coaching

2011-08-02T01:18:00.001-04:00

Yes, it's been a while. Sorry. Ok here goes...

On January 1st, 2011, I officially started my position as Children's Ministry Director at New Life Fellowship Church in Elmhurst, NY (a town in the burrow of Queens, NYC). I heard myself saying to myself "Uh... why did you say yes?! Do you not remember what vocational ministry is like... especially in Children's Ministry?! Run the other way!"

Previously, I had been employed at a church as a Creative Director for Children's Ministry. It was a very large church that I had grown up in as a teenager. It was my church and I loved it there. I had
volunteered in Children's Ministry for many years under some of the most loving and most phenomenal children's ministers I've ever known. I loved it. And it was there that I had found what I believed God was calling me to. Which was to communicate God's love and truth to the youngest among us. It was life giving, it was exciting and it was the best place to be, in the center of God's will.

The center of God's will... Sometimes that can be the hardest place to be. As I started my job as Creative Director of Children's Ministry I was bright eyed and ready to conquer the world. I had new exciting, innovative and creative ideas and wanted all of them to come alive RIGHT NOW! I was ready to hit the ground running. Unfortunately, my experience was something I, nor anyone for that matter, could have foreseen. It was a time that God used to build character and sense of what I did and didn't want out of life and ministry. I left my first experience being in vocational (full-time) ministry broken, defeated and lost. I wanted nothing to do with Children's Ministry ever again.

Yet here I was faced with an opportunity to dive into Children's Ministry at another church. I was terrified. I knew that the call God had placed on my life was still there, but I wanted to ignore it. I volunteered a bit and "got a taste" reminding me of how sweet it is to serve God with your gifts. After much prayer, consultation, prayer and prayer, I took the position as Director of New Life Kids.

So, here I am 8 months later and it's still pretty sweet. Don't get me wrong it's a lot of hard work, and you never finish your to do list, but as I talk to and interact with the kids, parents and volunteers... there is no place I'd rather be. I'm so honored to be serving the families at New Life and can't wait to see what God has in store for us in the next couple of years.

As I first started my position as Children's Director an awesome opportunity came up. Now, I'm an information junkie, so I wanted to make sure I was well informed about what's going on in Children's Ministry across the country. How can I best serve New Lifers? Who can I connect with in children's ministry so that I can have support? It's just me right now and I NEED HELP! So signed up for Google Reader and followed every Children's Leader known to man (well most of them anyway). And as I was reading blog posts I stumbled upon one from a blogger/Children's Director I had been following way before I joined Google Reader. It was from Gina McClain. She was starting a leadership coaching group with just a couple of spots open. When I read that, I jumped at the opportunity and signed up. Now Gina is big time! (At least in my book she is). She's been leading people in Children's ministry in different environments for a while and I was so thirsty for support, guidance and just someone to come along side me and say "Hey, I know you feel tired and overwhelmed... that's normal". I needed someone to normalize and validate my journey as a Children's Leader, and to provide great insight on the Children's Ministry experience. This was my only chance to get that one-on-one attention I couldn't get from reading blogs or attending conferences. So I signed up hoping to get a response back.

Now, I NEVER, win anything! Even when I crack open a fortune cookie it usually ends up being some sort of scolding or correction than a good fortune, like "You will stumble upon a quarter today." So I had low expectations of being called to be a part of the group. But low and behold I found an email in my inbox from Gina. I rubbed my eyes to make sure I was reading it right and then jumped out of my seat to go and tell Rick (my husband). I was thrilled.

I have been a part of this group for about 6 months now and It's been one of the major things keeping me sane as I strive to build a growing, healthy Children's Ministry that serves the people and the littlest members of New Life Fellowship. I've learned so much from the other members in the group (who are also from other parts of the country). Just hearing their experiences, their learnings and their passions has given me great comfort and made me feel like I can take on the world. And, I thank them for sharing their stories and time.

Now, Gina is like my Yoda (minus his age, the green skin, robe, and backwards talking he can't seem to shake no matter how brilliant this Jedi master is). Does she have all the answers? No. But she asks great questions! And this is the sign of a great mentor. Someone who asks you questions that make you think and challenge you. I haven't had a whole lot of conversations with Gina but the ones that I have had with her have been a time of refreshing, refocusing and growth. I thank her for her willingness to serve us leaders as we strive to serve the local church.

I can go on and on about Gina and what a blessing she's been but then you'd probably stop reading and head back to Facebook or YouTube in hopes of finding some thing more entertaining. So I'll just leave you with this thought. Who's asking you questions? Is there anyone challenging the status quo in your life, personal or professional? There is so much value in being and growing in community. I'm learning that more and more everyday.

I have so much respect for leaders who invest in and develop other leaders. And am so grateful to be on the receiving end right now. My hope and prayer is to begin to develop the leaders I see around me now, right in my own church in the Children's Ministry. I want to take every opportunity I can to do as Jesus did and invest in the lives of others. One of the best ways Love God and to Love your neighbor as yourself.

Drive 2011

2011-03-22T01:57:00.003-04:00

So I'm getting ready to go to Drive 2011! I'm so hype (definition- excited, thrilled) because (1) I will not have a toddler sleeping in the next room (ie. a full nights rest) Woo Hoo! (2) Northpoint Community Church, and their Children's Ministry, do so many things so well. I can't wait to learn what they've learned these last 15 years. Or at least what I'll be able to retain. :) (3) I can't wait to connect with other people across the country doing the same thing I'm doing... Children's Minsitry or as we like to call it #kidmin!

And what's funny is that I just did something quite embarrassing to make a "great" first impression. An email was sent out to everyone attending one of the pre-conference sessions asking what we'd like to hear most about and sharing contact information. I acidentally replied to all and sent everyone on the list my ramblings on some of the challenges I've been facing as a Children's Ministry Director. I was mortified. Who wants to hear about a kidmin out in Elmhurst Queens, NYC and what her questions are. I hope people aren't too annoyed. I sent a follow up "apology email" to everyone. I wanted to crawl under a rock. I guess I'm mortified because this isn't the first time I've done this. I've had this ditsy moment before. I guess I just have to laugh, introduce my self to everyone and apologize in person. :)

So Drive 2011... Here I come! My prayer is that I do get to meet other folks who minister to kids all across the country and that I will learn from them during those 3 days and beyond.

I'll share my experiences at Drive 2011 in another post coming soon...

I needed to See This...

2011-03-09T00:00:00.001-05:00

Enjoy!

He is for me...

2011-02-05T23:36:00.002-05:00

Those words are so hard for me to swallow some times. Life is so challenging. The decisions and situations we face are rarely black and white. And our emotions surrounding them make them even more complicated.

So as I face "my giants" and myself. I sing this song with tears in my eyes praying that God will burn those words in my heart and help me know them words as true...

...I know that you are for me...

And I pray, that you too will know that He is for YOU. Enjoy the song, written and sung by Kari Jobe.

Do you have any songs that have spoken straight to your heart and have blessed you?

Announcement: New Year... New Endeavors

2011-01-12T16:38:00.002-05:00

So, there's a reason why I haven't blogged since October.... It's probably not a great reason but a reason nonetheless. :) Things have been pretty busy for us with the holidays, parties, KARIS! But that's not all. There have been a lot of transitions happening for me. As well as some big decisions that took a lot of courage for me to make. But I did it, I took a leap of faith and am trusting in the Lord to complete the work he had begun in my heart one summer, a long time ago, at a VBS in Brooklyn, NY.

So, with that said... It's official! As of January 1st, 2011 I am the New Life Kids Director at New Life Fellowship! I'm so excited to be joining a staff that truly desires to partner with families to reach the next generation. And am even more excited to work with an amazing group of volunteers that love the children of New Life Fellowship.

Love this pic from our 1-3rd Grade Environment

So, as I move forward in the position God has placed me I ask of and covet your prayers. And a "you can do it!" on my FB wall once in a while! ;)

Thanks! Let's go!!! :)

Check out my bio here! (Scroll all the way down)

An Autumn Sabbath

2010-10-16T19:36:00.002-04:00

Rick and I typically like to observe the Sabbath once a week as a gift from God. A day to Stop, Rest, Delight and Contemplate. Last Saturday we spent it in the heart of Brooklyn, Grand Army Plaza.

It was a beautiful Saturday morning. The sun was shining, it wasn't too hot or too cold. The temperature was just perfect. Perfect for a farmers market, a stroll in Prospect Park and a walk up 7th Ave. (in Park Slope).

Karis had yet to have her first train (subway) ride so we decided that what better day than today. We had been worried that she would be afraid of the loud train and strange surroundings but quite the opposite happened. She loved every minute! And even slept on the train ride back!

Karis on the train!

We went to the farmers market in Grand Army Plaza and enjoyed the sights, the sounds and the wonderful smells. We enjoyed a morning cinnamon roll and fresh cup of apple cider, yum!

Delicious Veggies and such!

All kinds of root vegetables.


Beautiful chili peppers!

We also had the opportunity to sit and browse through a small bookstore on 7th Ave. This was my view...

Sitting on a couch in the back of the bookstore... My view!

I hope and pray that you all have a chance to experience a sabbath where you can stop the hurried life we live, rest in God's love, Delight in what God has given us, and contemplate what He is doing in your life today!

Here is a video where Pastor Pete Scazzero shares on Sabbath for the New Life Fellowship 2010 Lenten Initiative:

Enjoy!

Nursery University

2010-09-23T13:41:00.000-04:00

Last night I couldn't sleep. So I decided I would watch a movie on my iPhone via the Netflix App. There was a movie listed on my Instant Queue that sparked my interest so I decided to watch it. I thought to myself, "Self, this shouldn't be to heavy a movie to watch at 12:30am." Boy was I wrong.

I watched a documentary by Director Marc H. Simon and Co-Director Matthew Makar, called "Nursery University". This documentary follows five families through the harrowing process of applying to nursery school in New York City, where hypercompetitive parents and elite institutions have made pricey consultants and toddler tutors part of the admissions process.

I added this documentary to my Netflix instant queue curious as to how crazy things actually were. Let's just say, this is not the movie you want to watch if you are trying to unwind. Especially if you have a preschool bound child you are raising.

First off, I will say that the movie was well made. It wasn't groundbreaking documentary film making at it's best, but it did the job well enough. This documentary took me through a range of emotions, not because it was amazing cinematography but because of the closeness of the situation of these parents to my situation (in some ways). My emotions went as follows: confusion, worry, laughter, anxiety, disgust, anxiety, annoyed, hopeless, anxiety, joy. I start to worry.

So many thoughts kept floating through my head about Preschool. What's the process? Is it that serious? Should I be concerned? What do I look for in a school? I don't want to be a part of a process like that. Where do I begin? When do I begin thinking about Preschool? What are my options? Are there any options? Are there any good options?

In the film there were 5 very different families going through this preschool process. Some were very aware of the "game" that was being played and felt they had no choice but to play it. Some were convinced of all of the "feeder school" hype. Believing that there are some elite private preschools that lead to elite elementary schools, elite middle schools, and elite high schools that are feeder schools into the Ivy league schools. Some preschool administrators laughed at that notion, in the film, and others did not confirm but did not deny that that is the case. But the lengths that parents would go through to get their three year old into a "good" preschool really caught me by surprise.

First of all, they would begin "preparing" and thinking about their child's preschool from the moment they are born. Hiring preschool admissions consultants at $7,000 per consultation/meeting. Parents and consultants would be anticipating the day after labor day (September the year before they are to start school), to man the phones and speed dial their top choice schools... just to get an application. You cannot email, mail or show up at the door to most of these top preschools. You only can call on that day between 9:00am and 11:00am to get an application before they run out. And some preschools only have 120 applications to hand out for twenty open spots in their school. Other preschools choose whether or not you get an interview via a lottery even after you've filled out an application.

And the application...? Think about college admissions. There are a ton of questions about your 3 year old's skills and an admissions essay required. With a $50-$200 application fee. Then if you get chosen to interview, you your significant other and your child are invited to talk and "play" as they observe all three of you. And then... you wait. You wait to hear from your top choice schools praying you receive the ever coveted thick envelope! But even though you applied in September you will not hear back till March of that year.

Parents would exaggerate on their applications saying "my child knows 3 languages". They would name drop "I know David Letterman". One story that had made the news was a stock broker that illegally sold some stock to try to get their child into one of these elite Manhattan preschools. Wow! I think he went to prison.

One of the families was a mom and a dad who lived in Harlem. The father was an ex-boxer turned bartender and the mom was a stay at home mom (I believe...). They grew up in tough situations where they didn't get a whole lot of great options for education. They desperately wanted to give their child opportunities they didn't have. And here they were entering this greuling preschool application process with Investment Bankers, celebrities and very wealthy, connected parents. Typically these parents would apply to anywhere from 8-12 top private preschools. This particular family applied to one. They put all of their hopes and dreams for their 3 year old son on this one, difficult to get into preschool. My heart broke for them. They were not your typical elite pre-school applicants. But they knew what they were getting into, they knew what was at stake... a whole lot more than most of the usual applicants.

Part of what is sad about this is how broken and unfair the whole process is. But that's for another blog post. :)

So now there is my family. As my husband and I fumble through this journey called parenthood I can't help wonder, Are we REALLY doing all we can to provide opportunities for Karis? Is there something else I should be doing? Should I go the route of these other parents and try to give her every opportunity I can?

I don't want to sit here and judge these parents and the lengths they are going to to get their child into one of these "elite" preschools. I don't know their situations. And is some ways I'm wondering if I am doing all I can as a parent. I think all parents wonder that at some point.

But what I couldn't get over was the anxiety and hurriedness in the process of preschool admissions. Rick is getting ready to preach this Sunday on slowing down as a Way of Life for us as Christians (Contemplative Spirituality). Not lazyness or procrastination but slowing down to be present in all things. Slowing down to be with God in silence, reflection, prayer, reading scripture. And slowing down to be with others. We live in such a speed addicted world. Especially here in all five boroughs of New York City. It's so easy to get caught up in all of the hype and to feel like you are lacking if you aren't a part of it.

So as a mom, living in New York City, wanting to provide the "best" opportunities I can for my child, I find it very difficult to take the time to slow down and be fully present with my family, myself and with God. New York is such a cut throat city where you need to be a go getter to be successful (however you would define success). I by no means feel like Karis needs to attend one of these elite schools. It's just that being a parent in society today is so challenging and demanding. The expectations society puts on us as parents can be overwhelming and all consuming. It's difficult to shut down those voices for fear of being categorized as a bad parent.

So how does one live out contemplative spirituality in New York City as a parent of a small child? Good question. I would say slowly, thoughtfully and reflectively. All things contemplative. What's the alternative? Living frantically to try to live up to other people's standards. Missing out on the here and now. Watching and enjoying your child grow up right before your eyes.

In the words of Ferris Bueller, "Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop to look around once in a while, you could miss it."

For more information on Contemplative Spirituality (Slowing down to be with God, self and others) go Here and/or read Emotionally Healthy Spirituality by Peter Scazzero.

If you have any recommendations or advice about preschools in New York City (Brooklyn, Queens, etc.) please let me know. Any and all advice welcomed. Thanks! :)

Nursery Rhyme Confessions: Exhaustion!

2010-07-29T00:11:00.001-04:00

WARNING: This is not one of those happy go lucky blog posts. It's life as it happened. I just wanted to share a little brief blog-vent. Thanks for listening. :)

Karis is a full blown toddler. She must be! She has all of the symptoms: Toddling (walking clumsily) all around the house, touching everything within her reach, putting objects in her mouth that weren't meant to go there, non-sensical- unexplained crankiness, uncontrollable curiosity, fits of frustrated whinyness... and on and on and on.

Now there will be some of you reading this and saying to yourself, "Awwww, how cute. She's just a baby... just a toddler. Enjoy her while she's young..." etc. You must not be living with a toddler right now.

Today was one of those days. One of those days that parents of small children have. Where nothing is easy and the day seems to have no end. We were tired. Mentally, our minds were spent and physically, we were exhausted.

I recently started working at my church, New Life Fellowship, as Communications Director, which I am super excited about. We had a couple of staff meetings today and didn't have anyone to watch Karis so Rick and I decided to bring her along. We came prepared: (1) Her Abby Caddaby doll, (2) Lunch (3) Endless Cheerios (4) Sippy cup, etc. We were good to go. But it was a long day.

The day started out great. Karis was well behaved and eating cheerios while we had our first meeting. She was sooooo good. I was so proud of her! Not many toddlers can do that. As the day progressed though she understandably became more restless. She had a nap and all but it was a full day away from home for her.

By the time we were done with the meetings, around 3:30pm, it was time for Rick and I to FINALLY eat lunch, but she was ready for nap # 2. So needless to say lunch was fast, furious and messy to say the least. We jumped in the car to go home and Karis was asleep by the time we hit the end of the block. She was so tired but had a good nap.

We got home and then it began. The whining... She wasn't thirsty, she wasn't hungry, she wasn't tired... She wanted to be picked up, put down, played with, left alone... and we... were still tired.

Today, I was not super mom. I was tired, overwhelmed, scatterbrained among other things. I needed an "Office" (An Office is a time to STOP, SLOW DOWN, CENTER, and PAUSE to be with Jesus. With times of silence and reflection).

Today wasn't an easy day. Tomorrow's a new day. Tomorrow will be better. :)

Hi Ho... Hi Ho... It's Off to Work I Go... Kinda!

2010-06-23T21:55:00.001-04:00

So Karis is a little over 13 months old now. And life, after the party, has resumed. Oh boy has it resumed. She's walking and her teeth (all two of them) have made their grand entrance. Motherhood is in full swing for me and I still don't know what I'm doing. :)

Before Karis was born I was at a place in my professional (vocational) life where I didn't quite know what I should do with myself. I had many different options open to me but didn't know what to do. I had a job at JetBlue headquarters when the recession hit so 1 month short of my 1 year job anniversary I lost my job. Interestingly enough, I found out I was pregnant with Karis 3 months prior and hadn't told anyone at work yet. So here I was 3 months pregnant, out of a job and not sure what to do. How will I find a job in this recession 3 months prego??? It became a good time to just chill, regroup and rediscover God (long story, will share one day in the not-so-near future). :)

Six months later Karis was here and I was an overjoyed and overwhelmed mother. For a while I was content being a stay-at-home mom; being able to be their for all of her milestone moments has been pretty cool. And forming such a tight bond with her has been amazing... a bit much at times... but still AMAZING. Still something was missing. I needed to do something, to be creative to be innovative to exercise my business "muscles". I wanted to go back to work, to build a career. I knew I couldn't go back to the corporate world. I didn't like it. I felt restricted and a bit smothered. And I REALLY didn't want to leave Karis. I wanted to be there, especially at this young of an age. For some mom's staying at home works. And boy do they have their work cut out for them. It's fulfilling and their dream "job". For other mom's working out side of the home works. I was kinda in the middle.

I wanted it all. My "dream job" and the joys of staying at home with my daughter. So I began my search for a Work-from-Home job. There were ads everywhere... but I couldn't find one that I enjoyed doing. I needed to be able to take ownership of something. Build something from nothing (figuratively). I wanted a job that afforded me ownership, creativity, business/marketing elements and allowed me to put my daughter down for a nap in between. So when Karis was 3 months old I started working for Bella Pictures as a Photography Consultant. The job sounded perfect. I would work from home setting up appointments for my self and then go out and meet with couples getting married to share with them what Bella can offer them. I was ready to go. I had three meetings with three different couples and quickly was reminded of how much I dislike sales. At first the job didn't sound like sales, but that's what it was. I quickly became overwhelmed with the expectations of the job and having a 3 month old I was nursing. Something didn't click. I left Bella.

After that I searched and searched and couldn't find anything that met my criteria. I decided I may have to go back to school and find a new profession altogether. I went through all the possible careers I could go in to and once again became overwhelmed. I was just about to give up when God came through. I really hate to sound so cliche but I know of no other way to word it. He sorta set things up in a way that I could have never done.

As many of you know my sister had her own graphic design company on the side called ValleDesigns. She has slowly built up her clientele and was needing help to manage the accounts all while maintaining a full time job. I had previous experience working for an Interactive Marketing firm called Sharpe Partners and have a BBA in Marketing, and had nothing else to do so why not! Amazingly enough this opportunity afforded me the freedom, creativity, entrepreneurial and marketing experiences I had been looking for, all while beign able to change my daughters diaper in between! Woo Hoo!

Working with Veronica (my sister) has been awesome. I am able to do a little bit of everything. A bit of project managing, a bit of designing, a bit of marketing, a bit of client relations, a bit of business planning, A BIT EVERYTHING! It's so exciting to be able to build a business. It can be anything you want it to be...! And I can do it with my baby playing right next to me.

Now, I don't want to create this false image that it has been easy, because it hasn't. I've had to balance work/Karis time and some days Karis wants it to be "Karis time" all day everyday. And in terms of the job itself: working with difficult clients, tight deadlines, growing a business, and standardizing the way we work has been challenging, frustrating and rewarding all at the same time.

So, I am now a work from home mom, building a business and raising a beautiful daughter.

So to make a long story longer :) I am so grateful to the Lord for orchestrating this. To get to this point I had to go through a lot of difficult times (an understatement). There were a lot of tears, despair, doubt, sadness and many other emotions that preceded this destination. And funny enough I'm kinda thankful to the Lord for the journey that brought me here. He used some VERY tough times to form my character and set up an amazing situation. Don't get me wrong I totally wouldn't have minded not going through any of it but am still very aware of God's process (part of it, anyway) in forming me and blessing me, however strange the process. :)

To find out more about ValleDesigns click HERE. We design websites, and many print items: invitations, save the dates, menus, brochures, business cards, you name it we design it!

Happy Birthday Karis!

2010-05-10T11:26:00.002-04:00

On May 10th, 2009 9:26am Karis Rose came into this world and changed our world forever. What a blessing she has been this past year. And I can't believe how quickly this year has past. It's all going so fast. I have to keep reminding myself to slow down and enjoy the here and now. Take some time soak in the little moments with her and Rick and really reflect on where we have been and where we are now. It has been a helluva ride! Crazy busy, crazy exaustion, but crazy amazing!

On Saturday we Celebrated Karis' first year at my mothers house. It was soo much fun. I had a blast planning it and.... yes..... of course I got carried away with the planning. But Karis will only turn one once! I wanted to have fun with it!

As I began the planning process (many months in advance) I was at a loss. I search online, high and low for the best "theme" for her party.... butterflies? No. Cupcakes? Maybe. Abby Caddaby? Nah! (For those who don't know Abby Caddaby is a fairy monster character on Sesame street that Karis loves to watch and dance to). I started following all of these blogging mommy's who have custom-made-from-scratch parties that looked absolutely fabulous! I said.... I totally can do that! So I broke out Photoshop and Illustrator and began designing a concept. LOL! Next thing I know I was a month away from her birthday! Life had gotten so busy for me that I never got around to designing my "custom-made-from-scratch" birthday party theme.

So with the help of Veronica, I found this birthday theme that I thought was so simple, so pretty and so cute and I said that's it! I'll run with that! I still wanted to have a custom made feel to the party so I decided to put some extra things together myself. So, I looked at the napkins, the plates and the cups and I began designing cupcake toppers!

I also had fun putting together the favors for the kids.

For her cake, I went to a local bakery in Floral Park and gave them one of the plates and asked them to make me a cake! Here is the end result:

I purchased the candle as well as all of the plates, napkins etc. online!

There are so many photos of her birthday party thanks to Drew Hyun and my brother Jeff! Thank you both soooooo much for taking pics. You both did a wonderful job!

If you'd like to see all of the photos from the party you can go HERE. Enjoy!

SNEAK PEEK: Karis' First Birthday Party!

2010-05-06T01:04:00.002-04:00

I had planned on blogging about the process of planning Karis' first birthday (5/8/10) when I suddenly found my self 3 days away from the actual event! Woops!

So I have decided to just give you a little sneak peak of some of the preparations and things. Just to give u a little taste of what's to come. I'll blog more after the event just to share what was going through my crazy head and how I drove my husband mad!

Enjoy!

Cute pinwheels!

Fun Stuff!

So look out for more pics to see how we celebrated our daughter's first year of life... :)

LOCKED OUT!!!

2010-04-21T14:57:00.002-04:00

Yesterday was a day of panic for me. It's the type of day my friend Amy would have. No offense Amy, I love reading of your adventures! But this wasn't much of a "Ha ha, wasn't that funny!" Sort of moment. It was more of a "...Ahhhhhhhhh!" kind of moment.

I was going about my usual mommy duties of getting Karis and I ready to go to grandma's house in Elmont. I placed Karis in the kitchen and buckled her up in her high chair. We live on the second floor of a private house in East New York so getting the car packed up isn't the easiest thing to do with an 11 month old. I grabbed about 4 heavy bags balanced them in my hand and headed down the stairs to the car. Nobody was home in the building. They were either out of town or at work, including Rick. So that I could have quick access to Karis, I left the door open to the apartment with Karis in the kitchen facing the open door. As I reached the bottom of the stairs I left the secondary door wide open, again for quick access to Karis, if need be. So finally, I reached the door that leads to the outside of our building and I say to myself... "Self, don't lock the door." And subconsciously I turned the lock on the knob of the door and closed the door behind me.

Now at this point I feel great because Karis is safely in her high chair upstairs and I have closed the door to the building so as not to welcome uninvited "guest" to help themselves to our stuff. I place the bags in the car, close the car door, lock it and walk up the stoop to open the door. "Click, click!" Panic set in... I WAS LOCKED OUT!

Just as I was getting ready to have a nervous breakdown I caught myself. The first thing I did was try to reach for my phone. But had nothing with me only the keys to my car. "Ok, Rosie, think! ........ Go get help!" My first instinct was to call Rick, or maybe my mom could help. But no, I need to get to my daughter ASAP. So I get in the car to look for a payphone to call 911. As I drive I NO payphones anywhere so I make my way to my nearest police station, approximately 3 blocks from where I live. I arrive, finally find parking and sprint down the block towards the station. When I get inside there are tears welling up in my eyes and panic written all over my face. Uniformed Police Officers pass right by me. I found the civilians sitting in the waiting area paying more attention. Finally, the woman behind the Plexiglas gets back to her desk and says, can I help you? I tell her that my 11month old daughter is locked in my apartment by herself. She looks at me funny and says, "You need to call 911." .......I'm beside myself..... I tell her I have no cell phone, everything is locked in my apartment. She said, "Use a payphone it doesn't cost anything". ........Baffled...... I asked her where there was a payphone because I had driven around and couldn't find one. She said there is one right outside. I turned to run outside and a nice man sitting in the waiting room offered me his cell phone so I could call 911. I called and told them that I was at the police station and she sounded confused.... "You're at the Police Station" (as if saying why can't they help you there?) So she asked me to go back home and wait there. So I did.

I arrive back home and listen through the mail slot only to hear Karis crying. I try to talk to her to say everything will be ok. Then... it got quiet. I called her name... nothing. I try not to think the worse and assume that she's sleeping so I keep trying to call her name to confirm that. I as I waited for help to arrive it seemed like an eternity. I cried, I condemned myself for being so irresponsible.

In the distance I begin to hear a fire truck. I think, "That can't be for me...?"..... but it was. How embarrassing. Now not only do I have to live with the fact that I locked my self out of my home, but now the whole neighborhood has to know as well. So the firefighters came... in full uniform. With large metal hooks and crowbars. I panicked more. Now, because of me there will be massive damage to the front door of our building. Sheesh! They easily break open the front door and I run upstairs to my now crying daughter. Unbuckle her and hug and kiss her to death.

I thank the Lord she was OK and had not nuzzled her way out of her seat. But instead she sat there crying but safe. I think I was more traumatized than she was.

So now not only does my neighborhood know of my locked out episode but so does the World Wide Web. Or in the words of former President George W. Bush "The Internets"!

A Return to Normalcy...

2010-03-18T13:30:00.003-04:00

A friend of mine who just became a new mom recently stated that she was "desperately seeking a return to normalcy." Karis is 10 months old now and the first thing that popped into my head was.... "SO AM I...!!!" I was totally empathizing with her.

Don't get me wrong. I love Karis, and ironically, I can't imagine not having her around. But still, something inside me misses being able to do as I please without the responsibility of caring for an infant. I miss getting up and going... just going. No bags to pack, no formula to remember, etc., etc., etc. I wake up when I want, I go to sleep when I want. If I want to make a quick run to Starbucks I just wanna go! No feeding, dressing, changing, burping, or any other "ing" associated with babies and their care. I JUST WANNA GO!!!

What if I wanna take some classes? Go back to work? Attend a workshop? Take a walk? Take a shower? Will I ALWAYS have to have baby in tow and/or look for daycare that costs as much as a BMW? When will things go back to normal? Will they EVER go back to normal?

Then the answer hit me like a ton of bricks... No. Things will never be the same as they were before Karis. I sit and let that thought marinate.... "Life as you have known it, Rosie, will never be the same again." I thought to myself. For about 6.25 seconds I sank into a state of moderate depression.

I had a choice then to just sit and sulk and throw a pity party. Of which I happen to throw the best pity party in the western hemisphere (my personal opinion). But no, I resolved not to sulk, to put away the streamers and balloons of the "poor me" party and create a NEW NORMAL.

Karis has brought so much joy to my world. She's a great responsibility and I want to make sure I am the best mom I can be for her. So as a new mother I've been learning what MY "New Normal" is. It's a work in progress and is evolving with every new day and new challenge that comes my way. But it's exciting to be able to explore this "new normal" and to experience all of it's twists and turns.

Every new day I am learning to depend more and more on the Lord and this new journey of my "new normal" called, Motherhood. I've always been a pretty self sufficient person. So depending on the Lord or anyone else for that matter has always been a challenge for me. I'm thankful that He is understanding and grateful for his patience.

Our Sabbath: Stop... Rest...

2010-02-08T23:18:00.004-05:00

Today Richard, Karis and I observed our traditional Monday Sabbaths. I used to understand sabbath as... well, Sunday- A day to go to the house of the Lord and worship him, listen to a sermon and fellowship with other believers. But it is so much more.

On our Sabbath, our family takes the time to stop, rest, delight and contemplate. This has been something that I have found a little confusing and frankly have a hard time doing. For now, I have been concentrating and pondering "Stop" and "Rest" and what that means in my life. Here are my thoughts:

We stop working, acknowledging that He is the source of everything we have. By nature I'm what some would call "workaholic". I prefer the phrase "strong work ethic". When I am committed to something I work at it until it is done and done well. At one point in my life I found myself working so hard I didn't/couldn't attend church during the week... at all. I was working as if my life depended on me working and "killing myself" to make things work. So when it comes time to stop... we are acknowledging that we are not God... but HE IS! The world will not come to an end if I stop what ever work, task, errand I have on my very long to do list. We stop to acknowledge that HE IS THE LORD, and He doesn't need my help to make the world go 'round.
We rest in God's care, to experience His grace in a new way. Resting in Christ has allowed me to really dwell on the fact that, I am unconditionally and deeply loved by Christ, even if I never do another thing "for the Lord". Some may have a real problem with that statement. I know I have struggled, and still am struggling with that. I was a business major in college and began my professional career in an environment where you are what you do. So now coming to a place where we are to rest in the fact that we are loved and accepted even if I don't do another thing... that is difficult. Even in many church cultures, one of the first things we talk people about is all the ministries we are in and all of the things we are doing for the Lord. Although, doing ministry for the Lord is good it can easily become a long laundry list of "look at all the things I'm doing 'for the Lord'." But NO... I don't have to do anything, and I won't be loved any less by God if I never do another thing.

It has been a great day, today. Being conscious of stopping all of the work I do as a stay at home wife and mother (e.g. household management and planning). Resting in the fact that I am loved by God and my world is in His hands. And I am learning to delight by enjoying my husband, my daughter and in anything else that gives me life (more to come on this topic in a future post), and to contemplate and remember the Lords omnipresence in my everyday life.

"What is the sabbath? A weekly day of rest and worship. A day to cease working
relax in God's care for us. A day to stop the things that occupy our workdays
and participate in activities that nurture peace, worship, relationships, celebration
and thankfulness. The purpose of the sabbath is to clear away the distractions
of our lives so we can rest in God and experience God's grace in a new way."

~Lynne M. Baab, SABBATH KEEPING

Weighing In...

2010-01-15T19:42:00.002-05:00

I track my weight every Thursday morning and guess what... I gained 1.5 lbs! How disappointing. On top of that I had a really tough day today and just gave in to a can of Coca Cola and some Chinese Food... *sigh*

I have to admit though that can o' coke was soooooooooooooo good! (Haven't had anything but water for a while now.

Here's to the rest of the Weekend and next week!

Tears for a country in need...

2010-01-13T21:01:00.002-05:00

As many of you know Haiti was hit by a devastating 7.0 earthquake. Just thinking about the country and the lack of rescources they had before the earthquake and now after this disaster.... My heart aches for the people of Haiti.

My prayer is that the Lord would provide them with an overwhelming amount of aid from across the world. I pray for healing, physical, emotional, and mental healing. I pray that they will be able to rebuild quickly and better than before. That against all odds they will find more people than expected alive and doing well. That is my prayer.

I pray for life and restoration... I pray for Haiti...

Losing Weight in 2010

2010-01-13T20:41:00.002-05:00

I gave birth to Karis 8 months ago, and I'm still carrying all that "baby fat" around with me. I went online to determine my BMI (body mass index) and what that means for me and my health. It turns out because I am only 4'11" I am just entering the obese category, putting me at risk for health issues including heart problems. So, in December, I decided to join Weight Watchers.... just before the holiday's! What was I thinking?! I should I have waited until after I've had my Pernil, pie, turkey, pasta, arroz con gandules, etc, etc, etc.

The good news is I have lost 6 lbs since December 17th!!!! I'm feeling motivated and excited to get to my ideal and healthy weight! Woo Hoo!

P.S. I'm also excited to follow a new blog called Diet Buddy! http://dietbuddy2010.blogspot.com/ It has been encouraging to know I'm not alone on my journey.

Reflections on Christmas

2009-12-27T12:16:00.006-05:00

What a wonderful Christmas I had! Family, Friends, and Food! This Christmas Eve we spent at my parents house and we opened our Secret Santa Gifts from one another and ate some delicious Arroz con Pollo! And then in the evening Richard, Karis, my parents and I attended New Life Fellowships Christmas Eve Candlelight service. On Christmas morning Richard, Karis and I opened gifts, ate breakfast, spent the day together and went over to Veronica's new house for Christmas Dinner with family and friends.

As I reflect on this Christmas season all I can say is that God is so generous and loving. I've had a rough couple of years as I've had to face some challenging situations. But the Lord has blessed me with an amazing husband, a beautiful daughter, and great family and friends.

It has been tough, financially, recently because I had lost my job 3 months into my pregnancy and haven't been able to obtain employment since then. We have had to learn to adjust to living on one income while expecting an additional member to our little family. But in the midst of it all, God has been teaching us to re-prioritize, get organized and plan ahead. All while blessing us with a great Christmas of giving and receiving gifts. I am so thankful for the blessed people in our church. Many have given us Christmas wishes, delicious Christmas treats, gifts for Karis and for Richard and I. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts!

Here are some pictures from this past Christmas season:

CORRECTION ON PREVIOUS POST: "Married with Children..." Post

2009-10-20T18:33:00.004-04:00

CORRECTION!
Sorry for the delay. But this just occurred to me today:
I stated that Mick Jagger was in the rock band Aerosmith. He's not. Steven Tyler is.

Don't ask me why I made that connection... I have no idea! :)

The Faces of Karis

2009-09-30T14:40:00.004-04:00

Just for fun, I took just a few of the millions of photographs we have of Karis and decided to put together a little collage on Photoshop to post on my blog. As you look at all of the "Faces of Karis" you may be able to see why we love her sooooo much! Enjoy!

And Now: Married With Children! Well... With A Child!

2009-09-24T02:23:00.003-04:00

Karis (pronounced like Paris but with a 'K') has now been with us for over 4 months now. All you have to do is walk into our apartment and see that it now looks like a very messy day care center. Toys, burp cloths, bibs, and bottles are sprinkled throughout our digs and I love it! Don't get me wrong being a first time mom has been a tough adjustment for me (and I'm still adjusting). But I can't imagine not having our little girl with us.

Let me introduce you to Karis Rose Villodas. She is 4 months and 2 weeks old and FULL of personality. She loves to be tickled and to see her mom, dad, aunts and uncles act super silly just to get a laugh! She knows what she wants and is not afraid to cry for it... :) Karis enjoys sitting on her dad's lap and watching the Mets game (Dad has already brainwashed her). She actually stares at the television as if she is following the game. Karis is always looking for a change of scenery. She loves to look at and examine her environment. With wide and bright eyes she looks at every corner of a room searching for something to capture her attention. Once she finds the attention grabber she is focused.

When you call her name and give her a big smile she will turn towards the sound of your voice, catch your smile and put her head down as if she was blushing from the flattery of your attention. This will totally melt your heart as it does ours.

Her laugh is infectious! All you want to do is hear it again, and again. You'll do anything to hear that laugh. Yes even sound and look like an utter fool! But who cares... Karis' laugh is one of the best sounds you could ever hear.

As for me... I'm sooooooo tired! She is a lot of work. More work than what you read about in books, online articles or Child Preparation classes. Richard and I were married a little over 3 years before we had Karis. I thought I was busy then! Boy was I wrong. She's 2 Full-time jobs! :) Don't get me wrong. I can't imagine not having Karis around. She belongs in our family, and I love her. But becoming a mom for the first time has proven a challenge for me. I'm used to picking up and going as I please, getting PLENTY of sleep and having a lot more ME time. Now it's packing several bags for a trip to Grandma's, waking up at all hours to feed her or soothe her crying and starting ME time only to be cut short for a feeding or Karis time!

Now that we are 4 months into it I'm starting to get into a rhythm with Karis. I'm learning her cries and discovering new ways to soothe her and meet her needs. And as she gets older I'm sure it will become more manageable.

I recently tried to start a Part-Time work from home gig only to realize she was still young and the time it took me to make any progress at work took a lot out of me. I spent many hours away from her at 3 months old and it broke my heart. She had grown so close to me. I had barely left her for that long before. I had then decided to put that on hold and take this time to get to know Karis better and to do more reflecting.

At different stages of your life certain "parts" of you (sides of you) begin to reveal themselves. For example: I've never been a mother before, so at this stage in my life I'm learning more about what is important to me as a mother, how patient I am or am not, etc. So, I'm learning to let all of my experiences as a new mom sink in. I'm enjoying every moment. And I'm especially enjoying Karis. She wont be this little for much longer. And in the words of Mick Jagger (Aerosmith) "I don't want to miss a thing."

9 Day's & Counting...

2009-04-27T19:17:00.002-04:00

So according to the ticker on our blog, it says Karis Rose is due 9 days from now. So I have decided to give everyone an update on how I'm feeling.

The first 7 months of my pregnancy were great! I kept having to remind myself, "I'm having a baby. Take it easy Rosie, no you can't plaster, sand and paint your apartment...!" By the eighth month I was like, "Ok, I'm having a baby. This is not that bad. I'm getting a little more tired than usual. But, no biggie. I can handle this." Now I'm in my 9th month (about to hit 39 weeks) here's what I've been feeling:
*Achy joints
*Immobile (hard to get up out of a chair, couch, car, etc.)
*Waddling (I've been trying really hard not to waddle while I walk but to no avail...)
*Walking is both tiring and uncomfortable.
*Very, very, swollen ankles.
*None of my shirts fit well anymore. :-(
*It's easy to catch a leg cramp.
...among many other unpleasant pregnancy side effects.

But as I sit and ponder this journey called pregnancy, becoming a mother all I can say is WOW! How amazing is this that my daughter is growing inside me right now and soon (very soon) I will meet her in person for the very first time. I will be able to be a witness to her life how God chooses to reveal His love to and through her.

Rick and I will no longer be a family of 2 but a family of 3. I can't wait to meet her. What will she be like? What kind of personality will she have? Will she be quiet, loud, silly, funny, inquisitive, curious, mellow...? I wonder...

As I get closer to D-Day (Delivery Day) I feel two things. (1) Anxiousness; I read all the books, asked all the questions but still don't know what to expect. All I know is that there is an end and the end is sooooo sweet! (2) Anticipation; I can't wait to meet her. Karis Rose Villodas. Richard and I can wait to love her, laugh with her, grow with her (as parents) and just to enjoy her as the gift that she is.

This pregnancy has been a blessing in so many ways. The little irritating side effects have been nothing compared to the joy of knowing what's to come. Our little girl.

I'll tell you one thing though, much love and respect goes out to all women who have been through and are going through a pregnancy right now. You are all beautiful and when someone asks you what is your superpower you should say, "I make human beings!!!!!" LOL! :-)

Florida Baby Shower Video

2009-04-26T00:36:00.002-04:00

Here's a little video I put together with pics and footage of our baby shower in Florida. Enjoy!

http://gallery.me.com/rosangelavillodas#100088

Rosie

My week at the monastery with the Trappists

2009-03-26T22:00:00.006-04:00

This week, Drew Hyun and I went up to Spencer, MA to spend time in prayer and reflection with the monks at St. Abbey's monastery. The Cistercian order (or Trappists) is a monastic order known to many because of the writings and ministry of Thomas Merton. We joined the 70 or so monks for four days and below are my journal entries of my experience. I feel like I'm a perpetual beginner when it comes to prayer. Maybe that's not a bad thing. I hope these entries can connect with you on some level and get you to think on what it means to be a contemplative and follow Jesus in our world today.

3/23/09 @ St. Abbey's Monastery. 5pm:

Today, Drew and I drove to St. Abbey's to rest and enjoy God's presence. As we walked into the retreat house (which was beautifully constructed), I felt at home. The first thing I recognized was the warmth of the building. The temperature was perfect, especially in light of a cold and windy afternoon. For some reason I expected to be in a cold, dark room with mice running around. We met the Guest Master (a man named Joseph who was in his 70's) and he showed us to our rooms. Drew is in St. Peter's room. I'm in St. Paul's. I like to think that I'm like Paul sometimes. At least I imagine myself to be. The room is perfectly spacious for me, with brick walls and a bathroom that looks like a Home Depot model (at least the shower). Small, but quaint. Joseph gave us a brief tour of the house and it is so beautiful. So quiet. So serene. When Drew asked about what we should be doing when we get to the times of prayer, Joseph gave us simple instructions. "Follow and Listen." I hope to live out those instructions well over the next four days. Follow and listen to God's spirit directing me. I miss Rosie already.

Well, it's about 5:30pm. Time to go to Vespers to observe the office.

3/23/09 @ 6:30pm

Vespers was a great office. As the bell rang, I followed the father (monk) and the other retreatants (7 others) on a single-file line. We walked across the building, through the kitchen and dining rooms into the visitors chapel. The chapel is beautiful. Dark brown wooden ceilings, brick walls. Simple, yet awesome. The monks walked in and then there were readings. Before that however, as we walked into the chapel, I saw people placing their hand/fingers in something. Not knowing what it was (and not wanting to stand out), I place my hand, almost my entire hand into what they called holy water. At this time, I thought, "what in the world am I doing?!" It was pretty funny how I can go with the flow and not have a clue what I'm doing. We followed the readings as the monks chanted scripture with a fullness and rhythm. Then they chanted the Lord's prayer (Our Father, which art in heaven...). That was one of the most beautiful things I've ever heard.

3/23/09 @ 8:30pm

Compline (the last office of the day) began at 7:40pm. After a great hour nap, I got up and followed the monks (although I was late and had to find my way to the chapel). I almost got lost. That would NOT have been a good thing! As I walked in, the lights were dim, and then, after sitting down, it went pitch black, except for the little light that the monk read scripture from. They chanted while one of them played an acoustic guitar. At first, I was very self-conscious and anxious. What do I read? How do I know what to do next? When is this over? Then I remembered the words of Joseph the Guest Master. "Follow and Listen." In the darkness, I listened and heard the word of God proclaimed. Then one monk prayed something to the effect of "Lord, give us rest tonight from all the work we have done today." There was a surrendering of the day to the Lord at 8pm! That's when the night usually begins for me! The atmosphere was full of peace. Anxiety and worry were no where to be found. We did all we could today. I then got on line to leave and one of the fathers sprayed me with holy water. Definitely not expecting that! But it was all good. I'm gonna call Rosie now, eat a peanut butter and jelly sandwich and read a bit. Next office is the Vigil at 3:30am!

(Please stay tuned for more of my journal entries).

3/24/09 @ 4:15am. In my room.

I woke up at 3:15am this morning. I got bed at 10:30 last night. Haven't got to bed at that time in a while. I feel surprisingly refreshed. I know some of this can be attributed to adrenaline. I threw on my wind breaker pants and jacket, washed my face and left. I walked over to the visitors chapel with Drew. We had to walk outside to get there. It was very cold! As we sat in the chapel at 3:30am the bells rang. One of the monks, in a deep, raspy (almost scary) voice read from Psalms. I believe it was Psalm 73. The monks responded antiphonally. Another monk got up and read Romans 9:6-15 in a clear, articulate (almost like a guy who would be a Christian radio host) voice. There was then a reading from Hebrews 8:1-13. Then a reading from St. Augustine on his commentary on the Psalms. That was a very moving reading. I'm back in my room now and I'm enjoying the silence. I'm gonna read from Merton now.

Lord, I offer you my day. May my mind and heart remember you. May I love you in all your goodness.

James Finley on Thomas Merton in his book "Merton's Palace of Nowhere"

"Merton leads us along the journey to God in which the self that begins the journey is not the self that arrives. The self that begins is the self that we thought ourselves to be. It is this self that dies along the way, until in the end, "no one" is left. This "no one" is our true self. It is the self that stand prior to all that is this or that. It is the self in God, the self bigger than death, yet born of death. It is the self the Father loves forever." pg 17

3/24/09 @ 5:30am

As I sit here and read, thoughts of super-piety rush to my mind. But it is the piety that wants people to "recognize" a difference in me. I want them to see me with a "glow" without me having to say anything. Kinda like a Bruce Leroy glow! Well, maybe not like Bruce Leroy. Then I realize that my false self is asserting itself again. There are times when I am content with hiddenness. Then there are time when I long for notoriety. For praise. For affirmation. For people to put me on their shoulders like Rudy. But Lord, help me to recognize that my deepest desire is that I would be found in you.

Another quote from Finley on Merton:

Here, Merton equates sin with the identity-giving structures of the false self. This in itself is significant. The focus of sin is shifted from the realm of morality to that of ontology. For Merton, the matter of who we are always precedes what we do. Thus sin, is not essentially an action, but rather an identity. Sin is a fundamental stance of wanting to be what we are not. Sin is thus an orientation to falsity, a basic lie concerning our own deepest reality. Likewise, inversely, to turn away from sin is, above all, to turn away from a tragic case of mistaken identity concerning our own selves."

3/24/09 @ 9:50am

Just finished a conference with father Robert. He was a tall, bald man who resembled Darth Vader (when Luke takes his mask off, except with out the scars). He wore the customary Trappist black and white outfit with a pair of combat looking boots. He was a light-hearted man with a winsome personality. He had to be in his low 70's. He spoke from John 5. Story about the man near the pool of Bethsaida. He said so many profound things. I wish I had a notepad. Basically he highlighted the event as an event with Jesus. For father Robert, that's exciting all by itself. For father Robert, the miracle was not the healing of the man after 38 years of illness. The miracle is the earthiness of Jesus' intentionality to be in relationship with this person. Fr. Robert then mentioned that after Jesus heals him, he tells him not to sin anymore. Fr. Robert mentioned that that statement seemed to be paradoxical. How could the man have sinned? He's been cripple for 38 years. He said the clue to understanding this lies in the response that he gave to Jesus when Jesus asked if he wanted to get well. The man basically responded "every time the angel stirs the water someone gets in my way!" The man totally missed Jesus' question. Fr. Robert continued by saying the man was a complainer, a grumbler, a critic. These sins had the potential to keep him lame even after he was physically healed. Fr. Robert then spoke of success, and that the mark of success is not what we do, but our love relationship with the Father. Great stuff!

The unceasing question in my mind as I reflect is, what am I or rather, how am I to live in NYC?

(More entries to come)

Karis' Room Transformation (Phases 1 & 2)

2009-03-15T22:38:00.004-04:00

So we are almost done with Karis' room! Here is a link to a gallery where you can follow the transformation from Home Office to Baby's Nursery!!!! Enjoy!

http://gallery.me.com/rosangelavillodas#gallery

Phases I & II are complete! Stay tuned for Phase III... THE FINAL PHASE!!! ;-)

32 Week Sonogram Pics!!!!

2009-03-15T22:17:00.003-04:00

I wasn't feeling well a few days before this sonogram which included a trip to the ER and contractions due to dehydration. So to see pictures of Karis and to hear a report of her growing well and how healthy she is was such a relief and such a joy to hear.

She waved to us, began sucking on her hand and then couldn't find what she was sucking on so she was pursing her lips looking for her hand/thumb again. LOL! It was the cutest thing! She's been wiggling and kicking me like crazy, letting me know "Mom I'm doing ok!!! "

So here is our lovely baby girl Karis Rose:

Baby's Name!!!!

2009-03-15T21:49:00.004-04:00

Rick and I had a few names for our baby girl in mind. They were all beautiful but none felt quite right. As we finished up a "Daily Office" on our sabbath we began talking about what a blessing and what a gift this baby was. Rick quickly remembered a word study he did in one of his seminary classes (Biblical Greek). He did a word study on the word gift/grace. And so the word Charis (sounds like Paris with a 'K' Karis) came to mind. Her name truly encompasses everything we want to speak over her as she grows up.

Here is a little something I put together with the meaning of our daughter, Karis Rose Villodas', name:

From the Mark of the Beast to a Mark of Blessing

2009-02-26T20:10:00.004-05:00

Yesterday was my first time observing Ash Wednesday. What a day it was. I began my day in St. Bart’s church in Midtown. I stumbled across it as I looked for a place to reflect and pray. As I entered the church, which had beautiful Byzantine architecture, I was moved to see a good handful of people hearing the priest recite the meaning of Lent. For me, it was a sacred moment.

This is a far cry from my first encounter with Ash Wednesday. About thirteen years ago (I was not following Jesus at this time), as I went on my lunch break, I was startled to see a mass of people with black stuff on their foreheads. I wasn’t theologically trained or ecclesiastically informed, so I took it that the black stuff on their foreheads had something to do with the Anti-Christ and the mark of the beast. For the next two hours, I experienced existential dread. Oh snap! The anti-Christ has come. Armageddon is about to ensue. I found out later that the black stuff had to do with Ash Wednesday.

Since then, I have been quite indifferent to Ash Wednesday and Lent. I realized that I was influenced by an evangelical tradition that judged all ritual and those who participated in it as superstitious or legalistic. Little did I know that there is a means of blessing and grace that one receives as one comes before God in repentance and receives the ashes. It’s sad to know how I have judged people’s motives during this day, and subscribed to a snobbish and haughty evangelical theology. And so, my journey to a new understanding of Lent has brought tremendous blessing to me. Ironically, on the first day that I observed Ash Wednesday, I administered the ashes at my church during our contemplative service. Here are some of my reflections on this day and season of Lent. It is by no means comprehensive, and I hope I do not go down the road of judging those who do not practice this ritual. These are just some of my unedited ruminations.

The Ashes
The ashes represent my repentance. I come before the Lord and prepare for his death and resurrection. The enormity and majesty of this cataclysmic event is glorious, and because it is, I’m like Isaiah before the Lord. I’m a man of unclean lips living among a perverse generation.

The ashes also represent my humanity and the fragility of life. I am human, and not a god. Therefore I recognize my limits and choose not to live with the guilt of being human. Ash Wednesday is not a day to live in guilt. It’s a day to recognize our brokenness and humanity. It’s a day to freely come before God and declare, “I am human, I am dust, and you still love me.” Guilt tends to arise from a perspective of ourselves as exempt from sin and brokenness. We say, “how could I have done such a thing?” When we utter those words, we have forgotten our humanity. This is not a theology for licentiousness. Rather it is an accurate and realistic theological anthropology.

To live according to my limits means I recognize that one day I will die, and so I ask God to help me live with a vibrancy and appreciation for the gifts that are before me.

By observing Ash Wednesday, I recognize that God is the center of my existence. My entire being revolves around the one who died and rose again.

As I sat in St. Bart’s, the priest marked a cross of the parishioners’ foreheads and said, “Remember you are dust, and to dust you shall return.” Some might say that these people are superstitious. I say they come to this place because of recognition of the divine. God has stamped an inner-witness within humanity and they are responding to it (obviously some do it for the wrong reasons, but I’m not there to judge). Interestingly, the dust and the divine converge once again in a theologically profound way. We have seen this before. God comes to us in Jesus, wrapped in human flesh. The divine and the dust are one. Our Lord is fully human. Fully divine. Furthermore, the creation narrative speaks of God breathing life into humanity. We see it again. Dust and Divinity.

The earthiness of the ashes serves as a critique to what I call a “spiritualized spirituality.” This term is not a redundancy. Rather, it is a neo-Gnostic approach to the spiritual life. Essentially, it means that all meaningful spiritual realities are to be found in an intangible experience. It says that true spirituality has to do exclusively with visions and goose bumps. But the ashes teach us that true spirituality is rooted in the mundane. Rooted in the earthiness of the human experience.

Last night, as I marked the foreheads of people coming for ashes, I was deeply moved. There are so many broken people in the world. In a way, the ashes gave many of us the permission to feel our brokenness and look with hope to a day of resurrection.

At the end of My 6th Month...

2009-02-10T12:44:00.004-05:00

The time is drawing near. I have about 12 weeks to go. Wow! Time seems to just be flying by.

What's goin' on?
I'm the type of person that likes to plan ahead, prepare with time and not do things last minute. Interestingly enough, God seems to be teaching me a lesson in being a parent... YOU CAN'T CONTROL EVERYTHING! If it were up to me, this is what I'd have done by now:

New Office: renovated and painted
Office furniture cleared out of what will be the nursery
Nursery: Walls fully painted
Nursery: Windows repaired
Nursery: Carpet professionally cleaned
Nursery: Partially Furnished with nursery furniture (maybe just a crib or a changing table)

Funny thing is... this is what we actually have done:

New office space has just received it's first coat of primer.

So that means we still have to do another coat of primer, paint the room, move in office furniture from what will now be the nursery and THEN we can get started on the nursery...! LOL!

I think since the moment we knew we were having a baby God has been really stretching me and teaching me to let go a little bit more and just to enjoy where I am now. Not to be so anxious about what I need to do down the road and how I can make sure it goes "my way". It's a hard lesson for me to learn.

With children comes new joys, concerns, worries and just incredible experiences. I should expect to really experience a change in my daily life. Some unpredictability and some surprises... good surprises! So this has been a crash course in "Chill Out 101: You Can't Control Everything".

Recent Pics
For those of you who have been wondering what I look like at the end of my 6th month, here are some pics I took of myself in the dressing room in the mall a few weeks ago. I was shocked at how big my belly had gotten so whipped out the iphone and took some infamous cell phone pics through the mirror.... LOL!

Video Just for fun!

2009-01-17T00:22:00.006-05:00

This is just the video we recorded just before our Dr. Appointment:

Latest Sonogram Pics!

2009-01-07T22:44:00.007-05:00

Let's See who can figure out where her face is?

Her face is on the right side of the photo. She is facing us. She looks like she is peeking out at us.

She is about 1lb. 3oz.

Here is a pic of her foot! LOL!

~Rosie

It's A.......BABY!

2009-01-06T19:44:00.003-05:00

On November 1st, 2008 Richard and I took an early gender test called "Intelligender". A friend of mine had taken that test, or one similar to and and it predicted the gender of her baby accurately. The website also said that it had an accuracy rate of about 82%. So I bit the bullet and bought the test. If the test predicted you were having a girl it would turn an ornangey-yellow color. If a boy it would come out a dark forest green. Here was the result of our test.

Today we went to the doctors office and she asked us. Do you know what you are having? I said, "Well we took an early gender test that I bought online and it said boy." She asked, "What was the accuracy rate?" I said, "82%" She then proceeded to say, "Well, that test was quite inaccurate... Your having a GIRL!" We were in shock! Rick was speechless, my mom was grinning from ear to ear and I was questioning the Dr./technician... "Are you sure?... Really?... NO WAY!" All this was going on while she did a freeze frame on our little girl and pointed out the obvious.

We couldn't believe it! We were so convinced that we were having a boy. But what a wonderful and delightful surprise this was! I'm glad it happended this way though. It made it that much more exciting... to be surprised by an unexpected outcome.

Mom (abuela, grandmother in spanish) and I celebrated with a breakfast from Ihop and then a shopping trip to buy a cute girly outfit! (We couldn't help ourselves! LOL!

We also were sent home with some updated unique pics of our little girl. We hope to have those posted up here by tomorrow. Stay tuned!

Yay!!!! We are having a little Girl!!!!! :-)

Boy or Girl? TELL ME ALREADY!!!

2009-01-05T22:20:00.004-05:00

So it's been a while since our last post. Sorry about that. Richard and I were supposed to go to the doctor to find out the sex of our baby on December 12th, 2008. Unfortunately, the sonogram technician was having a bad day and took it out on us. She rushed through the appointment and complained that we weren't on her list of patients to see (as if she was swamped for the day, which was not true because I saw her meandering the office aimlessly...). She couldn't finish taking measurements of the baby because he/she wouldn't turn the right way. So the technician decided... "We will have to reschedule you to come in again, besides you're only 19 weeks, it's too early for this sonogram." This was completely untrue seeing as my doctor had scheduled me for that week and I had read that between 19-22 weeks is the time for this Level 2 Sonogram.

We were dismissed... Me, Rick, My Mom, Dad and Sister were dismissed from the room. How disappointing it was. I had endured a looooonnngggg wait in the waiting room with no food, a full bladder (they recommend you come with a full bladder), and and annoying episode of the Rachel Ray Show. After which I had to wait another 30 minutes to see my doctor for him to tell me that there was nothing to worry about that we would reschedule my sonogram. The good news was that we would no longer need to see that doctor/technician. They had hired someone new. If I never saw that lady again... it would be too soon! (Those feelings toward her go way back. Rick and I had a bad experience with her for our first sonogram. LOL!)

So here I am. The night before the day I should find out the sex of my baby, and I am excited! I have recently begun to feel the baby move/kick so this little human being is becoming more and more real. He or she is coming, and will be here around May 6th, 2009!!!! Wow... Our lives are going to change! Life as we know it will be different! I can't explain the excitement, fear, joy and wonder I feel as this pregnancy progresses. I can't wait for the day we will hold our baby in our arms but at the same time wonder.... "What will it be like? How will I feel?". I guess I'll find out on that day. And oh what a day it will be! :-)

I had no real new news to tell in this post. I just wanted to update everyone on our journey so far and to lookout for our next post revealing the sex of our baby... hopefully!

Thanks for reading!

~Rosie

Reflections on President-Elect B-Rock

2008-12-03T22:32:00.003-05:00

Since Barack Obama was elected as the 44th President of the United States, I have given some thought as to the implications of this historic event. As President-elect Obama builds his cabinet and thinks critically through issues such as the complexity of an economy in recession, the ongoing immigration conversation and challenging foreign relations, I couldn’t help but think about some ground level implications that I see in my neighborhood, faith community, and personal life. Here are some of my spiritual, social, and anthropological musings on this election.

Obama’s victory is great for the prophetic imagination of urban youth.

I’ve lived in East New York my entire life. My neighborhood has been regarded as a place of violence. A place of economic and relational instability. A place of emotional dysfunction. Gang activity and drug abuse have destroyed many young men and women. Like so many other places in the world, my neighborhood is filled with unrealized potential.

The term prophetic imagination is a term I’ve borrowed from Old Testament scholar Walter Brueggeman. Brueggeman’s purpose in using this phrase is to evoke a consciousness and perception alternative to the dominant culture. I’m using it in a similar fashion. To be prophetic is to speak and live truth in a way that deconstructs the forces of death. To possess imagination is to freely envision a world that can be different from the one that exists today. Most young people are told to stop daydreaming. However this prophetic imagination challenges our culture to begin dreaming in revolutionary ways. It is an anthropological necessity to dream. An existential non-negotiable. Barack Obama’s victory as well as his message communicates a much needed truth, that if we are going to change the world, we need to dream and act in unprecedented ways.

Having an African American man lead this country speaks to the millions of young people who have never believed that they have anything of value to contribute to society. In conversations with young African American and Latino men, I’ve seen a resurgence of hope and courageous imagination that has the ability to wake up a generation that has been regulated to the margins of the dominant culture. In short, Obama’s victory allows youth (especially African Americans) to see a new model of what they can endeavor to become.

Obama’s victory doesn’t mean we can slip into naïve idealism.

As a Christian, I am keenly aware of society’s hope to see the world as progressing into a utopian dream. Everyone wants peace. We all desire prosperity. Having said that, we are still confronted with the reality of humanity’s brokenness. Although Obama has presented himself as the candidate of change and of hope, we have to be careful of utopianism. My theological conviction holds to the notion that humanity and our world will never reach a place of perfect peace our own our efforts. We need God to put the world to rights (an N.T. Wright phrase). Therefore, we are to live in the world with a tenacity and vigor to see it change, yet realizing that ultimate shalom is established through divine intervention.

Obama’s victory does not promote him to messiah status.

Finally, with Barack Obama as our next president, we should be mindful not to project a title on him that he never asked for. Barack Obama is the not messiah. That position has already been filled for some time. As friend and mentor Gabriel Salguero has said, “It is unfair to set Messianic expectations on Barack Obama or any presidential administration….It is idolatrous to make of any elected official a Lord or Savior.” Barack will make mistakes and decisions that might not be fitting for a situation. This simply confirms his humanity. When that happens, many people will be distraught because they placed expectations on him that no one can conceivably fulfill. We should be mindful to prayerfully support him while not giving him a free pass that exempts him from our critique.

Thanks for reading!

-Rick

First & Second Ultrasound

2008-11-11T11:55:00.012-05:00

Here is our experience with our first and second ultrasound:

Thursday, September 25, 2008
It was our first official prenatal appointment. We knew we were going to see our baby for the first time but had no idea what we should expect to see. As the doctor turned on the Ultrasound machine we saw something moving and immediately we recognized... a heartbeat! Richard and I stared at that screen with huge smiles on our faces. We couldn't make out much of the features of our baby but that heartbeat was undeniable and unforgettable.

(8 weeks) The baby is the small little blurry thing between the two plus signs. We saw a heartbeat!

We left that day excited and on cloud nine. The doctor assured us that everything looked great and that the baby's heartbeat looked great! We smiled and grinned all the way home.

Tuesday, October 21, 2008
This was the day the Doctor would conduct our first screening test with an Ultrasound and blood test. Rick and I had remembered what the first picture of our baby looked like and didn't expect to see all that we did on this Ultrasound. They squirted that cold clear gel on my belly and their was our baby on the big flat screen TV on the wall. Rick and I stopped breathing... We couldn't believe how clearly we saw our baby! Then all of a sudden the baby began, what seemed like, jumping! He/she would not sit still! The doctor was trying to take measurements but waited till the baby settled down. Finally, the doctor began taking measurements but there was another interesting thing that happened. The baby wouldn't sit at an angle the doctor need. She had me take a walk, jump around a little, turn from one side to the other. But the baby wouldn't budge. Richard asked, "Is this the early signs of a strong willed child?" We all laughed and jokingly agreed it probably was. After an extended amount of time the doctor finally was able to take the final measurement and we took home the photos of our baby.

(11+ weeks) The baby kept jumping around, and kept his/her hand by their nose.

We were so amazed at how quickly our child developed. Just a few weeks ago he/she was just a little blur with a heartbeat. But now we could see features, movement and a heartbeat! This was becoming a little bit more real. We called our parents immediately and shared our experience and amazement with them. How exciting! This little child is growing inside me and in a few more months we will hold him/her in our arms and get to know our little baby. We can't wait!

~Rosie

Election Day in East New York

2008-11-07T13:46:00.003-05:00

Election Day, 2008. What a day! Like most of you, I got up in the morning with a sense of great anticipation. Something momentous was taking place in our country, and in our world. Like so many voters, I got up early hoping that I wouldn’t have to wait 3 hours to vote. Even if I did have to wait, I would have done it. As I walked to P.S 158 (the elementary school I attended some twenty-something years ago) I thought about what this election means for me, my family, and the church. The world was about to change, so I had better take some time to prepare myself for it.

As I walked into the old gym that I used to run relay races in, I saw old faces and new ones. I walked to the first table to find where my station was and saw Mrs. Guess volunteering. Mrs. Guess has lived up the block from me and was my grandmother’s neighbor for over 30 years. Here’s how our short conversation went:

Me: Mother Guess! How’s it going?
MG: Great darling, it’s so good to see you. We’ve waited way too long for this day!
Me: Yes We Can!
MG: Hallelujah!!! Actually, I’m not supposed to say that, but go to station 63.
Me: Ok Thanks!

As I walked to the station, I chuckled a bit. But I began to realize the significance of this day for the African-American community. As I surveyed the gym (which looks so much smaller now) I observed that I was the only Latino about to vote. For a moment, I felt a bit disheartened. But that thought was quickly forgotten when I met another person. I think he was a volunteer, although I didn’t know for sure. Here’s how our conversation went:

Brother in the Gym: Wassup brother! (As his head nodded and smiled at me)
Me: Hey man (I responded with my own Brooklyn head nod and smile)
Brother in the Gym: You know what to do! (I think he winked, but he kept smiling)
Me: Yes We Can! (Then I gave him a pound…for all you urban outsiders, that means I gave him a fancy handshake)

I proceeded to cast my vote and walk out the gym that I had so many fond memories of and went immediately on cnn.com hoping to hear the latest. After work, I went to my Tuesday night class and there was a buzz in the room. Something significant was taking place. After class ended I jumped on the C train with haste and eavesdropped into conversations on the train between perfect strangers. Three older black men were talking about which candidate was up on the polls and for a brief moment I wanted to join their conversation. As I nodded and smiled at them (trying to get them to invite me into the conversation) I realized it was my stop. I jumped out the train and walked like those speed walkers in the Olympics. I’m sure that wasn’t a good look, especially in East New York.

As I got home my attention was fixed on the screen and in a matter of moments, the country voted in our next president. I have to say, I was in awe of the moment. The feel in NYC was like a combination of New Years Eve, the Mets and Yankees winning the World Series and getting another stimulus check in the mail.

In my neighborhood they started shooting! Rosie got a bit nervous and asked if those were gunshots. I said, “Yes baby, but those are celebratory shots! They’re just happy. You gotta know the difference.” I think she was still nervous.

I stood up until 2am trying to process what had just happened. The world was about to change, so I had better take some time to prepare myself for it.

~Rick

***In my next blog entry, I’ll address some of the implications that I see in this historic shift in our country’s history***

So... We're having a baby!

2008-10-29T16:46:00.020-04:00

I have decided to slowly update everyone on our pregnancy journey. Many of you haven't heard the story of when/how we found out our first time seeing our baby and so on and so forth. So here goes...

Saturday 8/30/08
Rick's parents were in town bringing Melissa to New York to start her first semester at Nyack College. I (Rosie) tumbled sleepily out of bed to the bathroom. I decided "hmmm let me take a Home Pregnancy Test... just in case." As I was leaving the restroom I took a peak at the digital home pregnancy test and it said "PREGNANT". My mouth dropped. I thought I was seeing things and blinked a few more times to "help" my eyes focus on the test. "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO WAAAAAYYYYYYY!!!!!" There it was staring at me straight in the face, the word "PREGNANT."

I fumbled out of the restroom still half asleep looking for a camera to take a picture of the result. No one is gonna believe this!!! So I had to take a picture just in case the result disappears from the result window.

Meanwhile, Rick heard a door open, a drawer slam followed by a door closing. I can't even imagine what he thought i was doing. I had wanted to tell Rick in a creative way that we were having a baby, so I had been planning for when that day would come. But instead, I came in the bedroom woke him up and said, "Guess what?" So much for creativity and plans!

We sat in our bed that morning in shock, but with huge smiles on our faces. All we kept saying to each other was... "Can you believe it?!"

We decided not to tell anyone yet because it was still early. But boy was it hard. We ended up telling our families the very next day....

We are excited, elated, overjoyed, scared, worried and just giddy with the thought of growing our family. I'm just beginning to come to terms with the fact that in a few months we will have a child to love and care for. And even in this early stage I have felt a new and strong sense of love for my child. I wanted to make sure that my baby new how much I love him/her even before we met. So I began writing letters to my baby which I plan on giving to him/her to read when he/she is old enough. They are letters of love, acceptance and just the many thoughts that run through my head as I think about holding him/her in my arms. My prayer is that those letters will not only be a wrtitten demonstration of my love, but that it will ultimately be but a small reflection of God's unconditional love and acceptance.

My prayer for my child, myself, my husband and you is that we would cultivate a life of prayer in solitude, in that secret place where only you and God meet. Where he reveals to us that we are His Beloved!

And so I leave you with a quote from an article written by Henri Nouwen:

“Prayer, then, is listening to that voice—to the One who calls you the Beloved. It is to constantly go back to the truth of who we are and claim it for ourselves. I’m not what I do. I’m not what people say about me. I’m not what I have. Although there is nothing wrong with success, there is nothing wrong with being powerful, finally my spiritual identity is not rooted in the world, the things the world gives me. My life is rooted in my spiritual identity. Whatever we do, we have to go back regularlty to that place of core identity. –“Parting Words”

~Rosie

P.S. In a few days I will update you with the story and pics of our first and second Ultrasound. Stay tuned!

Marriage and Listening

2008-10-29T16:26:00.004-04:00

Marriage holds together the paradox of being the context for relational bliss, while also being the tool for personal character formation. Paradoxical because on one end of the spectrum the intimacy and care that is enjoyed in marriage speaks to the deepest places in our beings. On the other end of the spectrum, living in close proximity to another human being forces one to look deeper into how life is lived out. In short, marriage is beautiful and difficult.

Rosie and I have recently been attending a small group at our new church (New Life Fellowship in Queens). The small group course is entitled PAIRS (Practical Application of Intimate Relationship Skills). The skills that we are learning coincide with emotionally healthy spirituality as developed by Pete and Geri Scazzero (our pastors). So, we are learning, unlearning, and relearning so much about doing life together.

Specifically, we are learning skills to help us effectively manage the pressures that come from being a resident of planet Earth. One of our sessions gave us skills on listening attentively and empathetically to each other. This was refreshing and so very difficult! One of the greatest gifts we can give to other people is the gift of listening. People long to be seen and heard. However our culture creates barriers to truly listening to people.

I think we can start listening better if we realize that we are not called to fix the problems that are communicated to us. Overcoming this hurdle releases us from the anxiety that we have to brainstorm and strategerize (one of my favorite Bushisms) to answer everything. Sometimes, people just want to vent! Sometimes they just want someone to be there.

One of my new favorite passages is Mark 10:46-52 (see below). So many times I feel like the crowd when I hear the cry of those in my family or church. I want people to be quiet! I don’t want to hear the screams! I think this is the case because I recognize that I don’t have the power to make anyone see. As a result it speaks to my limits and inadequacies. Perhaps my job is simply to begin to let people vent and to be a quiet presence before them. Only then can I lead them to Jesus where they can find true healing.

To be incarnational in marriage or any other relational context is to begin by listening.

Mark 10:46

Then they came to Jericho. As Jesus and his disciples, together with a large crowd, were leaving the city, a blind man, Bartimaeus (that is, the Son of Timaeus), was sitting by the roadside begging. 47When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!"

48Many rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more, "Son of David, have mercy on me!"

49Jesus stopped and said, "Call him." So they called to the blind man, "Cheer up! On your feet! He's calling you." 50Throwing his cloak aside, he jumped to his feet and came to Jesus.

51"What do you want me to do for you?" Jesus asked him.
The blind man said, "Rabbi, I want to see."

52"Go," said Jesus, "your faith has healed you." Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus along the road.

~Rick

Virgin Bloggers

2008-10-28T21:39:00.003-04:00

So this is our very first time blogging... or attempting to blog.

We decided to create a blog to share our experiences, thoughts, opinions, and other musings on life. We'll probably be talking about our new adventure of expecting our first child, sharing pictures of people and places we love, and even posting our thoughts on theological issues as they relate to today's world and our lives.

We wanted to be able to connect with you our family and friends new and old. We hope you enjoy our little blog and invite you to comment on our postings as you wish.

Happy Blogging!!!

About

2008-10-12T19:48:00.000-04:00

Rosie Villodas is a wife, a mother, a sister, a daughter and a follower of Jesus Christ. She decided to start this blog to share her journey and all of its interesting twists and turns and some things just for fun.