1. Finished the dress I've been knitting for Julia Belén, and it actually fits her!
2. Sold some diaper covers on diaperswappers that have been sitting unused since before Julia Belén was born, and even shipped them within 12 hours.
3. Got caught up on paperwork for work in preparation for the start of IEP season.

Breakfast with Julia Belén

This morning I brought Julia Belén down with me while I was making & eating my breakfast. She kept me great company, she was full of smiles everytime I looked over at her. She was also chatting & giggling away the whole time.
-Andrés

green carnations

as part of our st. patrick's day fun here, i decided that it we could dye some carnations green. i got a bunch of white carnations at the store and then i let antonio help me add some green food coloring to the water. sadly, it didn't work as well as i would have liked.

dyeing the carnations made me think back to my kindergarten science fair project. same thing, dyeing carnations. i remember we dyed them red. i remember the dark green felt with which we wrapped the display board. and i remember ripping the dark green felt off in a rage as a way to get back at my siblings. apparently, i thought destroying my project would upset them as much as i upset me.

lord help me should julia belén take after me. let's hope it's not in the name.

New thing

My sister has been doing this on her blog, and it's one of my favorite things now. Makes me think about the things I've done right over the week instead of worrying about the things that did not get done. So I'm gonna start sharing too.



1. Did 5 loads of laundry and only 1 still needs to be folded.
2. Went on my first run as part of training for my half marathon.
3. Celebrated St. Patrick's day with a beef and Guinness stew, even though it required a last minute menu change.

Adventures of Bike Commuting

Today was a very adventurous day in the world of bike commuting. This morning I had to sprint the 4 miles to make the bus. The reason I was late is that I had a nail embeded in the rear tire, and in the process of changing the tube I either found or made a pinch flat in my spare, so I had to patch the spare to be able to use it. Then wrestle the tire back on the rim, then head out.

And this afternoon on the way home from work, my bike was in another bus accident on the highway, almost 6 months to the day (tomorrow would have been six months exactly). I am fine, just sore, and it looks like my bike did not sustain damage this time. But it was scary, it was a multiple car pile up, very much like the crash in Taledega Nights, where cars were spinning in 360's in front of our path and the bus swerved, when up on two wheels and then started plowing into the spinning cars, using my bike as the plow.

But I did not start running around screaming about the invisible fire. . . .

Tuesday Feb 24th's reading

I had meant to post about this earlier, but last week, as you may have gathered was pretty hectic, but as I was listening to the daily scripture readings on my iPod while on the bus on Tuesday morning (as I do first thing every morning), the reading really hit home. With how things are going financially, with us personally and with the rest of the world, I really connected. I see it as God's way of sometimes telling me to have faith, that he knows what we are going through, and gives me the message in ways that are sometimes less subtle than others. Here is the reading that I am referring to, I have highlighted the part that really connected:

Sirach 2:1-11

My son, when you come to serve the LORD, prepare yourself for trials.
Be sincere of heart and steadfast, undisturbed in time of adversity.
Cling to him, forsake him not; thus will your future be great.
Accept whatever befalls you, in crushing misfortune be patient;
For in fire gold is tested, and worthy men in the crucible of humiliation.
Trust God and he will help you; make straight your ways and hope in him.
You who fear the LORD, wait for his mercy, turn not away lest you fall.
You who fear the LORD, trust him, and your reward will not be lost.
You who fear the LORD, hope for good things, for lasting joy and mercy.
Study the generations long past and understand; has anyone hoped in the LORD and been disappointed? Has anyone persevered in his fear and been forsaken? Has anyone called upon him and been rebuffed?
Compassionate and merciful is the LORD; he forgives sins, he saves in time of trouble.