Apologies

Spouse 1: I am sorry about what I said yesterday.

Spouse 2: Its okay, you already apologized yesterday.

Spouse 1: If still feel bad, can I apologize again?

Spouse 2: Sure.

Spouse 1: I am sorry.

Spouse 2: Its okay.....What did you do again?

Spouse 1: I don't remember. But I remember I feel bad.

My oldest brother, Enrique is now 31!

I want to extend a special shout out to my brother Enrique who turned 31 today. Unfortunately, he is now here to celebrate with us but I know he is well taken care of. Many of you have heard me talk of my brothers. I have the utmost respect for them, becuase they in part had a role in raising me. My brothers have been a veryspecial part of my life. They are the angels taht God placed on this Earth so that even when I stumble, they are there to help me up, dust me off and every once in a while look back to make sure I haven't fallen again. I could share a million stories of how they have been great people, bust most of you already know these stories and they don't do them justice anyway. Specifically, enrique has beena great guiding star for Gerardo and I. He led the way, and left directions for us to follow. he has been a great leader, and taught Gerardo and I how to lead in our lives as well. He is the example of the All-around great guy and I am honored and blessed to call him Brother.

Let me share a story that is very dear to Enrique and I. In the winter of 1994, I accompanied my brothers to a couple of days of hunting at our beloved ranch, Santa Rosa. It was December 31, probably around 4 or 5 in the morning. Enrique and I were dropped off to begin our walk hunting. It was perfect hunting weather: cold, a little wind, and enough light to see. We began to walk and walk, and walk – nothing. No deer, no movement. Like any normal bored child, I began to drag my feet. My brother scolded me so harshly that I started to tear. After about two hours of walking, he turned and asked me if I wanted to go home. “We started this, now we are going to finish it” was my response. We continued our walk. All of a sudden my brother hit the floor, so I kneeled down next to him. He said he had seen something move, so he checked with his binoculars, and there it was – a buck. My brother sighed and said it was too small, but we stayed on the floor to rest. Then, we looked at each other and he said, “ Clarissa would you like to kill your first buck?” I nodded not knowing what else to say. I had no clue on what to do, so he drew a rough diagram of a deer with his finger on the dirt and circled the target area. He handed me his .243 caliber Winchester bolt-action rifle and put the barrel on his shoulder and used one finger to cover his ear. I then aimed at the chest area, took a deep breath, and as I let it out I squeezed the trigger. Next thing I know, the deer was on the ground, and while I was crying of happiness, my brother instructed me to kneel next to the deer and thank God for this opportunity.

Enrique, never once doubted me. To this day, I can always count on him. He is a special guy. Kudos to him on his special day!!! Te queremos mucho Enrique!!!

Collegiates was a success and Baby Bug Continued!

I have partially regained my normal routine after last week. Thankfully, Collegiates was a success! We had athletes from over 35 schools and over 350 competitors. The Texas A&m TaeKwonDo Team took home 1st place for Color Belts, 2nd place for Black belts, and 2nd place Overall (Berkeley won First). Our team fought very well and I was very proud of all the members who kept volunteering even though they were hurting after their competition.

Jesse fought very well. First, I was very proud of him for making weight (He weighed in at 136.6 lbs.) He then coached most of the color belts. Jesse's first fight was against Dana Willoughby from Florida. I didn't seem Jesse or Dana move that much although Jesse came up with the win. Jesse's second fight was against Andrew Oh from New York. I may be biased, but I felt that the reffing was totally unfair, and even had the whole crowd calling her out. In TaeKwonDo it takes 4 full point deductions to get disqualified. Each minor infraction causes a half point deduction. Well to make a long story short, Andrew ended up with 3 full point deductions when he should have had 5 full point deductions and therefore disqualified. I was very upset after the fight and after making a comment about the guy cheating Jesse said to me with a smile, "It's only cheating if the ref says it is." True, but it still makes me mad ;). On the bright side, I saw Jesse fight like never before. I saw him get into the "zone" and fight wth his heart. Unfortunately, he didn't come up with the win and worse yet, some "friends/old teammates" of his thought it was appropriate to tease him about it, when it just wasn't funny. Some people just never grow up and we will keep them in our prayers. One thing is for sure. His team - the team that he trained was by the ring the whole time yelling and screaming his name because not only is he a Great athlete, but he is a great person, and everyone knows it. This is me cheering as loud as I can!!!

So now, Jesse goes to Portland in a week and a half to fight at another qualifying event. Unfortunately, these flights are expensive, and we can't both go.
Now....its back to the world of dissertation. Oh well....it had to come back. I will probably be at Sweet Eugene's tomorrow night.
And to continue on the Baby Bug....its still there....and we've been praying about it....and we ask for yours too! (Its kinda hard to wait when you see the cutest little redhead boy at Wings and More). Its also hard when there are babies EVERYWHERE hehe. Its the sweetest temptation. At least our future children now how much we longed for them!!!!

Baby Bug

I shoudl totally be sleeping right now, but instead....I am posting. I totally have to admit to having the baby bug. It really "bugs" me day and night. :) Our hearts are totally ready. Our minds are totally ready. Our pockets....well...thats another story hehe. Anyway, a colleague (who has two beautiful girls) once told me "You'll never think you are financially ready....but you will realize one you have kids...you actually are..." So the money issue, I am not concerned with at all. Timing, well thats another story. We still have to wait about 7 months so that I can finish my schooling. Did I mention that my doctorate has less and less meaning to me??? Maybe its just that right now my body is telling me its baby time, I don't know. What I do know is that I am thankful everyday that we have decided to follow our faith and use Natural Family Planning. I am totally at peace with it and even sometimes wish....we weren't following it so well ;). Well...babies will have to wait, especially because once we start neither Jesse or I know when we'll stop.

Crazy week

Next week begins one of the craziest weeks of the semester. The Texas A&M TaeKwonDo Team is hosting the 32nd annual National Collegiate TaeKwonDo Championship and yours truly is one of the ever-so-busy officers, and yours truly's husband is the head coach. What does this all mean? Well it is a huge even next Friday and Saturday and Jesse and I will be working our little tooshies to get it done. Jesse will be Sparring on Saturday and we will both be doing Forms on Friday. For those of you who don't know, Forms are the artistic side of TaeKwonDo where you do a series of techniques in a prescribed order according to your rank. You are then subjectively graded against all others of the same rank. Sparring is 3 2-minute rounds of non-stop fighting with a 30-second break in between. You may kick any area above the belt and punch above the belt, but below the head. You receive one point for a kick to the body that cause "trembling shock". You receive 2 point to a solid kick to the head. And finally, you receive an extra point if your opponent receives an 8-count. I will not be fighting, because I have been so busy with this whole officer/dissertation/work stuff, that I haven't gotten in into fighting shape and will postpone to a later time. My husband, however, will be fighting at the Bantam division ( which I have to mention he has to make weight at 136.7 lbs) I only mention it to descirbe my husband's devotion and discipline in the sport of TaeKwonDo. He weighed 184 lbs in May of last year. Today he weighed 145, and he will weigh 136.7 by Friday morning. Once he weighs in, he will have 24 hours to rehydrate and eat as much as he can. He has been running at least 6 miles every day, and when he is up to it, he extends it to 12. Crazy huh? I can't get myself to the student recreation center to run for 10 minutes!!! I ask for your prayers. He has a pretty big division and has to score first through 4th to move on to Team Trials. If you are in the area, I ask that you come and cheer on your fellow aggies. For the first time we will have a 38 member team and hopefully will take home the Collegiate First Place. Well it is off to bed for now my friends...but I will keep you posted. Kudos to our Godson, Gerardito for celebrating his first birthday yesterday and cousin Rafael and his lovely new wife Laura, who got married within the last 5 hours in Mexico City!!!

What I should vs. what I do

I should be writing my disseration.
I should be actively looking for apartments in Houston.
I should be vaccuming.
I should be washing dishes.
I should be beginning to pack.

Instead,

I am sitting on my couch.
I am watching my favorite show, "Lost".
I am wondering what I am going to eat later.
I am writing my new post.
I am surfing the internet every 5 minutes.
I am just relaxing.
I am just sitting waiting for Jesse to get home from work.

I just am.
...and this is fun.

Beautiful Wednesday

Today was a beautiful day! I went to work and then went swimming at the Student Rec Center for a short workout. Again, for the third time this week, I am sitting at Sweet Eugene's late at night. But tonight, I haven't done much dissertation work (except for programming my computer to automatically backup my flash drive, whenever I mount it) but I have spent time reflecting...

I am genuinely happy. Why? Let me tell you.

I have a wonderful God-given husband.
He gives me strength and carries my cross with me when I can't do it on my own.
He leads me to God.
We have a wonderful one-of-a-kind relationship that can only be understood between us.
We know each other's thoughts just by looking in each other's eyes.
We have a faith that not only bonds us, but solidifies out vision as a family.
I married my best friend.

I have a wonderful family.
They bring out the best in me while help me work on my weaknesses.
I would not be me, if it weren't for them.
Our family is about to be complete (June 9th) and each person adds a special necessary part to the family.
Our family could not be more complete (except for new little ones!).
My heritage allows me to have a close-knit relationship my extended family (16 Tios and Tias & 27 Primos and Primas).
It takes an excel sheet to figure exactly how many family members I have!!!
My heroes are all related to me!!

I have wonderful friends.
They stop what they are doing to have a talk.
They call me for lunch on a daily basis.
They are genuinely good people.
They make me laugh.
They are for a lifetime.

I am loved...by the ONE....by my spouse....by my family....by my friends.
Thank you Yeshua!