Happy Summer!

To mark the beginning of summer, Yahoo's logo has this super-cool animated picture with kids going through a Slip-n-Slide. If you place the cursor over it, the sprinklers turn on and you see the kids one by one running and sliding across the screen. It reminds me of the summer days when we would go to our cousins' house in West Covina and play Slip-n-Slide in their front yard. Those were the days... =)

I haven't blogged in a while, so I must wish my sister and BiL happy belated birthdays, plus the rest of the June birthday gang (there are so many of you!). Happy belated Father's Day also to Rob, Mike, Mo, and Gary, of course!

These last few weeks have been incredibly busy with the end-of-the-year wrap up and my last Masters class. There were moments I didn't think I'd be able to pull it off, but thanks be to God for the strength and stamina to get through it. Now all I have to do is write my final comprehensive paper, complete my portfolio, do my 60 hours of public school observation, and finish the TPAs in the fall. Sounds like a lot, but after 2 years in the program, this last home stretch is a relief.

I would NEVER have been able to do it all without Gary. He's watched the baby while I've had to go to work and while I've written papers...made her baby food and changed her diapers...washed bottles and did her laundry...put her to sleep when she wanted to stay up later than me...got up in the middle of the night when she needed to eat...took multiple hits when she couldn't hold her food down during her coughing fits...brought her to the doctor and gave her medicine when she'd fight against it...cooked dinner every night...all with a smile on his face (when he wasn't extremely exhausted!)... He's just amazing.

This past week Gary went to St. Louis for his Athletic Training convention. It was my first time alone with Meleana for longer than a day, and I'm glad that it wasn't as difficult as I thought it would be without him. We had a lot of fun together...lots of good quality Mommy-and-Daughter time. We did miss him, though, and I wouldn't want the trips to be a regular occurrence like they were before. So ironic that it was just a couple of years ago when we were having conversations about a not-so-remote possibility that he could work for the Lakers...that it had always been his dream as a trainer to go Pro...not ever imagining that he would leave his job at a Division I school and give up his career to stay home and take care of our baby.

While we now talk about different options for him as we're looking to make the switch after this coming school year, he told me that his passion right now is Meleana. He will eventually go back to work, but he really is good at what he does at home. There was a recent segment on stay-at-home dads on ABC, and I wish that they took more time to give the world a better glimpse into the lives of these men. It's a huge sacrifice for them to take on a non-traditional role and care for their children while their wives are at work. I think I truly appreciate the effort I see from the stay-at-home dads because my dad took care of us during the times when he couldn't work. It was a little different for him because it wasn't so much of a choice (he really wanted to work), but Daddy did a wonderful job with us - which is why I had such a great relationship with him.

Last night we drove to Oxnard for our Uncle Lew's graduation party. The one-man-band was playing all kinds of music and Gary took Meleana out on the dance floor. I must say that it was one of most touching sights I have ever seen. It reminded me of my dad who used to dance around with me and try to teach me how to waltz when I was older. Gary said that he hoped I didn't feel left out, but I told him that I wanted to cry (in a good way) when I watched the two of them.

Sometimes I look back and wonder how I got here. I remember how much I would long to be a Carmelite...to sit in the choir and pray with the Sisters...to kneel in front of the Tabernacle every night to say good night to Jesus...to serve and love the Lord as my spouse and only love. But when God gives me moments to cherish with my husband and child...when I see my little girl smiling at me with her crinkled little nose...when she falls asleep peacefully in my lap just as she is now...I cannot second guess His plan for my life because it definitely is just as beautiful.

Tagged!

So I decided to take a grading break and work on my 6 factoids! Here you go...

1. BROWN…is my favorite color. Ever since I found out that the Carmelites wear brown because it is the color of the earth, I’ve been drawn to wear it also. When I was teaching my 6^th graders at St. Paul about the Carmelite habit, they were the ones who noticed I wore it all the time. As Em’s closet has lots of blue, my closet has lots of brown. I try to buy other colors, too, but I end up defaulting to the earth tones when I go shopping for clothes, shoes, and purses. I thought I’d end up dressing my kiddo in brown, too, but little girl clothes come mostly in pink. At first I didn’t like the idea of having her in pink all the time, but it’s seemed to grow on me and I don’t mind it at all. =)

2. LITTLE GARY…is the name of our first baby. He was only six weeks in the womb when he left us, but I have a very special connection to him because he is still my child. We have an altar in our bedroom with mementos of him…a little framed picture of his last ultrasound, a figurine of a mother holding a little boy in her arms (given by Lyn-lyn), a picture of Jesus holding a baby in Heaven. Dr. Baggot gave us his rosary on the day when he broke the news about the miscarriage, and Meleana likes to carry it around and hold it when we are praying for Dad while he is at work. We even have Leilani’s drawings of Little Gary saying goodbye still posted on our refrigerator door (he looks like a peanut with a hand waving “bye”). He talks to me sometimes, especially when I pray to him for help when I’m feeling sad. It’s such a comfort to know that I have a child in Heaven who intercedes for our family here on earth. What a joy it will be to be with him again someday…

3. WATCHING GARY AND MELEANA SLEEP…is one of my favorite pastimes. I’ll wake up a little earlier than them and just smile as I spend a few moments each morning to appreciate the blessings they both are to me. I don’t ever regret making the choice we made to have the baby sleep with us at night because it just feels like the most natural thing to do. The cutest thing is seeing her lying on top of Gary while both of them are taking a nap together. They have a very special bond that has grown since he had begun staying home with her six months ago. She’s such a “Daddy’s girl”! My dad and I were very close and I’m so glad that Meleana will be able to share that kind of relationship with her dad.

4. COMPETITION…is not my forte, but I like to play games. Although I don’t have as much time or opportunity anymore, I get a kick out of board games, card games, and video games that aren’t too hard. When we were little we used to go to our cousins’ house in West Covina and play Bingo with the family. I remember the days back home when we would play Taboo, and our friends would be upset because my sisters and I had inside jokes and information that we could use to communicate with each other in order to win. Then we would play Scattergories at Crescent where Robby would make up answers and try to pass them off as legit (like “apple ice cream”…hehe!). In the early Monk days, we would get together at Shelly-O’s house to also play Taboo and Gestures – Alphas against Betas – and Jenn would get upset at Summer for gloating about their wins. I also used to play card games a lot when I was younger. It must have been at least ten years since I’d played Speed, but after our Newspaper Staff pizza party last Thursday, some of the kids asked me if I wanted to play against Michaela who was the fastest hand at SJS. I sat down in front of her, got a quick refresher on the rules, and I won! Mallory was quite proud of me – it was quite the accomplishment! And this summer, I think I’ll try to finish off Lego Star Wars on PS2. I bought it for Gary last year and was on a roll, but I haven’t touched it since last summer. I love this game because 1) I love Star Wars and 2) it’s easy! Well, except for the podracer level…but otherwise, I really like the little Lego action figures that go around fighting all the bad guys. It’s pretty cool. =)

5. HAWAII…I love everything about it…the scenery, the beaches, the people, the music, the dances, the culture, and the food! Our first trip to Hawaii must have been when I was in fifth or sixth grade (Kauai)…then we went again when I was in ninth grade (Kauai and Maui)…and again in 2000 when I graduated from college (Oahu, Kauai, and the Big Island)…then again in 2003 to plan Em and Rob’s wedding (Maui)…and in 2004 for Em and Rob’s wedding (Maui, Molokai, and Oahu)…and yet again in 2006 for our honeymoon (Big Island and Kauai). I have so many great memories from all of those trips…favorite places…favorite luaus and restaurants…and favorite churches, too! Whenever I was with my family, our big thing was going to scenic landmarks. We’d visit waterfalls, gardens, museums, plantations, and drive all over the islands to see as much as we could. I remember us kids getting seasick on a glassbottom boat tour…driving to Hana and almost falling off a cliff…appreciating the Maui sunset at the beach with my dad…going to the Smith Family Plantation and Luau for the first time in Kauai…being attacked by termites with Shell and Chel…going for morning runs with Emeline…listening to local music at the Kauai concert stadium on the 4^th of July…buying my first koa wood ukulele with Abie on Molokai…making a pilgrimage to Fr. Damien’s church…staying overnight at the Army camp on the Kiluaea volcano…seeing my first sea turtle up close and personal on the Big Island…taking the Na Pali Coast tour and watching a family of dolphins swim alongside our boat…taking pictures at PCC with Leilani as “my little hula doll”. When I recently went back with Gary, it was a different kind of experience because he’d never been to Hawaii, and it was so much fun introducing him to the places I’d been to before. Being the avid TV-watcher that he is, he would stay up and watch the island tour programs over and over again to find out what else we could do and where else we could go…and more importantly, where we could eat! We found really great restaurants and did a lot of things that I hadn’t experienced before – like going to a slack key concert, visiting the Kauai Cookie Factory, spending some time in praise and worship (and dance!) with a Samoan Christian youth group, and snorkeling on the northwestern reef of Kauai. Gary even taught me how to bodysurf! The only thing we didn’t get a chance to do was attend a Mass in Hawaiian – that will just have to wait until next time! We’d love to go back and take Meleana when she’s older, and also to share it with the rest of the family and her cousins. Hopefully someday!

6. THE ROSARY…is my favorite devotion. I pray it every morning on the way to work…something I started (on September 11, 2001 – to be exact) when I was working at St. Paul of the Cross. I noticed on days when I wouldn’t pray it for whatever reason, my days would not run as smoothly and I wouldn’t be able to handle my classes with as much patience. It really helped on my hour and a half commute to and from Verbum Dei, and now that Gary is working again, I find it very empowering to be able to pray for him while he is not home. I have had very special rosaries that I’ve chosen to give to people at very special times – my St. Therese rose petal rosary went to Brice at his uncle’s funeral; my first dogwood rosary was given to G-nee as a parting graduation gift; I gave my rosary made by Tito Johnny to Cecille after a tough break-up; another rosary of mine was given to Aly at her cousin’s funeral; and my 2^nd dogwood rosary was left as a thanksgiving offering on the grille of the Shrine of Our Mother of Perpetual Help in the Poland church where Pope John Paul II was baptized. And there have been rosaries given to me as well – Papa Jon loaned me his rosary during a very difficult time some years ago; Kevin H. gave me the rosary I use now which was made by his aunt; as I mentioned before, Dr. Baggot gave us his own rosary as a memento for Little Gary’s passing; and Michaela gave me a beautiful handmade rosary while I was pregnant to give to the baby when she was born. There is incredible value to praying on these beads. It was the daily Rosary that helped my family through the sickness and death of my father. When the survival of our first baby was in question, Dr. Baggot immediately suggested that we pray a Rosary together right there in his office. When I had to walk around the hospital for an hour to help the labor along, Gary and I prayed all four sets of mysteries without my feeling any pain the entire time. As I was pushing with all my might to deliver Meleana, Gary was beside me praying the Rosary until it was all over. There is no better way to journey through life than being held in the arms of Mary. Through trials and despair, in times of joy and success…she is there interceding for us in all of our needs.

Now I tag:

EILEEN and LEO! It's your turn! =)

I PASSED!!!

I passed the CSET!!! YAAAAAAAAAAAAAY!!! =)

This means that I can move forward with my final credential class. I'm taking my last class for my Master's degree, but I was so afraid that I would have to take one or two of the subtests over again. Some of my classmates didn't have as much luck, but I hope they got it this time around.

But I'm so HAPPY!!!

I know I need to do my 6 random factoids, but (sorry, Rob and Em) it will have to wait until later this week because we have grades due.

It's pretty crazy trying to wrap up the year. I'm showing Therese to the 6th graders and Padre Pio to the 7th graders. I love how they're so into both movies. We stopped at the part where Therese enters Carmel and Padre Pio enters the monastery as a Franciscan. Perfect timing for a good vocations talk tomorrow. Can't wait...

BTW, please pray for my cousin Maurice. He officially starts police academy today!