Wednesday, October 31, 2007

Good friends


I found myself alone today... Carmen was in ballet, Evan was sleeping... and I had a moment of loneliness...
I think I have one of this days every once in a while... I just miss my friends...
I especially miss Irene...my best friend....


I miss everything about her. Someone who I can always rely on, who is loyal, who is honest, in whom I can trust...someone who loves me. This is going to sound so cheese, but I love her with all my heart.
We've had so much fun together...driving in the car, listening to music, singing at the top of our lungs, goofing around, dancing all night,... we didn't talk on the phone a lot... I just took the bus and showed up at her house! The good shopping sessions... the movies... we even got to work together in the MTC... what else can I ask for??
I always dream with the day that we can live in the same town, raising our children together... that's the picture of my ideal future... but who knows if that will be possible.
Life is definitely harder without a good friend like her.
So even though I have nobody like her here... at least I find comfort in knowing that I have a good friend...and that makes me feel a lot better.
What would we do without friends?

Friday, October 26, 2007

Why...oh, why???

I've been thinking lately that my kitchen doesn't inspire me to cook, is too messy, too crowded, too small... or maybe is an excuse... but yesterday I was determined to make it a clean, sparkly kitchen like those you see in the commercials... everything in place, tidy and appealing...
(Like this one... exactly my kind of kitchen... anyway I'll keep on dreaming...)

well I literally sweated from every pore of my being...
I was almost done... the only thing that was on the counters, were the clean dishes and the tin of chili that we canned at church the other day...well...it was leaking so I put it on the counter to later figure out what to do with it. I thought now it is a good time to mop the floors, cuz the baby is sleeping, and every time that I mop he walks over the wet floor, slips, falls down, cries...etc...nightmare, so before putting those things away I thought I'd leave it for later...BAD CHOICE!...
While I was in the middle of my sweeping... EXPLOSION!!...something hits me in the face.. all over my body...all over the walls...all over MY CLEAN KITCHEN!!!!...It's the CHILI!!!
SOOOOOOOOOO GROSS!!!!!!!!!! It smells horrible... it is all over the place...it splashed everything, everywhere... the noise of the explosion woke the baby up, now he is crying, I can't go get him...I'm full of yaky stinky chili... and I have to clean ALL OVER AGAIN!!
Not fair...by now, my back hurts, my hands hurt...I need a rest...but I CAN'T! I have to clean all that mess before it dries and it gets harder to clean...
AUGHHHH...it was so gross... I called Evan to tell him what happened...he said he knew it would explode...why didn't he tell me...why didn't he throw it away???? WHY!!!!
Oh, well... he said it was funny....he said I should take a picture and post it in my blog... I didn't want to take any pictures...I just wanted to get rid of it as soon as possible... plus I didn't want the kids to run around in all that mess making it worst...
So there is not pictures of the experience...but I shared the story... any moral to it???
I dunno... you tell me!


PS: I got my kitchen clean and tidy now...
It might only last for today...or maybe not even a few hours...but I love it!... and it smells gooooooooood!! It might be the roast I'm making....mmmmmmm!



Monday, October 22, 2007

~ Celebrity Dinner ~

Last friday we were invited to a Celebrity Dinner, organized to donate money for a sports and recreation local organization here in Nanaimo.

Guests of honor were:
a female basketball player, for the para-olympics national team, winner of the gold medal in Sydney 2000. She gave such an inspirational speech . A woman that go paralyzed, has gone thru brain cirjury, and that hasn't stopped her from enjoying life to the fullest and find success, become a wife and a mother... it was an amazing story. ( sorry, no picture of her).

A football player. Played for San Francisco 49ers, and for other teams too...but that's the only one I remember cuz it is the only one I know...thanks to Steve Young, who he mentioned in his speech.
Apparently he is retired now and does broadcasting and is writing a book.
I personally thought he looked super young to be retired and looked too drunk ...but still good looking :D.

The main one, was Wendall Clark. I say the main one because Canada really only cares about Hockey players... and this guy has been a great one. He was the captain for Toronto Maple leafs, which is one of the oldest teams for Canada and has many fans. ( Not nearly as good as the Montreal Canadiens, I must add).
His speech was really nice, and he gave some time to the attendees for questions, which he answered in a very classy way if you ask me.
I really liked him, I thought he presented himself in an intelligent manner. And Evan got to take a picture with him.


Oh, that night I lost my Swarowsky crystal bracelet... We stopped by the church to drop the kids off and I prayed I lost it there...and yes!! they found it!

..... Slurpees!!!

It was Evan's B-day so since we are not celebrating it untill next weekend, we went out for slurpees...requested by Carmen...
It was funny because we all felt like having one....
I think it was the babe's first slurpee!!!
just look at how much they were loving it!!



Saturday, October 20, 2007

* B-day Girl *

Carmen was born October 15th 2004... 2 days before our 9 months anniversary... so for the first 9 months of my marriage I was a different person. I really don't like me when I'm pregnant...well, when I'm pregnant and it is hard...because Evan's pregnancy was heaven compared to Carmen's and I wasn't as easily annoyed, as bitter with the world, as depressed, as moody, as tired... oh, beautiful motherhood!!!
That's why I say that Evan never the real me...or maybe that's exactly what he married!!! scary!!
Going back to Carmen...she is the most beautiful girl, and yes, I am going to brag about my children's beauty again... People (known and unknown to me) have been coming to tell me how beautiful they are...like...even recognize they are more beautiful than their own grandchildren, more than any children they've ever seen, telling me I should have more cuz I'm making the world a more beautiful place... things like that...
You would think that I love that...and I guess I do, but really... I don't know how to respond to that... I don't know if I should laugh or cry... so I just say thank you... because it is a double compliment, for them and for me... after all I AM THE MOTHER... so there is something of me in them.
What I'm trying to say is that yes to be a mother is hard, even harder than bringing them into this world... but it is all.. ALL, ALL worth it! I look at her and I am amazed... she is mine! She loves me, she looks up to me...I am her best teacher, her favorite person in the world! She is really special, a chosen vessel... and I am super blessed to have her....this last three years have been amazing and I hope to see many more!
On her actual b-day we had a special b-day breakfast with our neighbor Lindy Hobbs ( and of course the mother came too, and little Nicole).
Carmen got her first Barbie...and it was a ballerina...so she LOVES it!
Mom came over and gave her a story book and another with water colors, which she is been using every morning... so much that she doesn't have any colors left.
This year she was all excited about her party.... every time we would talk about it, she would start singing the happy b-day song to herself.
She helped prepare the goodie bags for the kids, and even to decorate the cake. I wanted to post the video here but I can't.. so I'll post it in facebook but I'll try it again... it is super cute...
But here are some pictures... of her decorating the cake and with cousins and friends that came over.


Monday, October 15, 2007

**** CARNIVAL *****

Last saturday we had a little activity at church for the kids. This is family week, so we are full of things to do.
Auntie Bethany shared some of her artistic talent with the kids and did some face painting.
This is what Carmen had done...or what was left of it.


Bed Time

It is almost impossible to have quiet time in my house... so you can imagine what it is like to try to put these two to bed... ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE!
At least it is fun for some!!
( And normally it is not for the parents)
Guess???





Some more from the wedding!


This one was taken at our house just before the Temple ceremony.

Evan wanted to be all over Patri's trail all night, so the photographer said: "ok, let the kid on the dress"...and thus...this beautiful picture of Evan on Patri's trail.

Friday, October 12, 2007

~ Canadian Thanksgiving ~

We had a lot of Clarke's this year to celebrate Thanksgiving day... So many, we got together at Church.
The food was delicious this year...
It was great to have Andrea ( Evan's oldest sister) and family over... even if it was just a for a couple of days.
The kids were free to play, so they had a lot of fun.
Here are some pictures.



Carmen loves to pose for the camera.. and loves even more, to see pictures of herself... So Kaetlyn ( Andrea's daughter) that was the photographer had a little photo shoot of Carmen...
Carmen is such a model... with different emotions even! She was really good a following directions, hehehe

Being cute


Happy face



Scary... very scary



Silly face



Again...



Thursday, October 11, 2007

In Grandpa's car

Some more pictures of the babes with grandpa...
Carmen was doing my hair the other day and she said...
"I like abuelo" just like that...
I know she likes him, and I know he adores her too.


Another Important Event

I forgot to post something about this important day...
The day when Fran, Patri's now husband, went thru the Temple for the first time.
He is such a good guy ( how did Patri pull this one off? :D j/k).
We all like him very much. This last year since he got baptized, he hasn't stopped progressing...
I saw Patri's face when we met with him in the Celestial room.. she couldn't be a happier woman!.
It's been a long road for this two... but it has a happy ending!

Waiting for Fran to get out...

Patri posing...what she does best!

Picture with the happy couple!

Tuesday, October 9, 2007

My new watch

After a good night of rest in a Swiss Hotel in Munich granted by LTU airlines, we got to the airpot only to find out that our flight was delayed... so what can you do at the airport???...spend that few euros we had left...
And what better than a cool watch???
Check it out. Evan got the black on I got the same in white.
Super cool!

The Leonard's


I had to dedicate a exclusive entry to this beautiful family.
They are the family who we stayed with in England. We loved them so much.... but! they broke our heart.....I'll explain.
Two summers ago they all came on vacations with us. We had a lovely time on the House Boat and the couple of days they stayed here in Nanaimo with us.
They loved it so much they applied for visas to come to live here in Canada. I was all excited. There is no one else I would love to come live here but them. It was coming up... we were planing to move to Vancouver too... once they were here, WE HAD TO!
But all my dreams were shattered when our first day there, during dinner, they told us there was a possibility that Dean would get a job offer with an American company... and it happened! It was a job offer they couldn't reject. So now they are going to live in Arizona!
We won't have them so close, but still closer than England!
It is so exciting, anyway!
It is great to see how righteous living gets rewarded. They are such an example to me.
It was hard for me to leave them. After all I said my last missionary goodbye to them too. And after I finished my mission it was the last place we stayed in. It was like a flash-back!
I had the best last day with them. But we never took a picture with them!!!
All in all I loved our trip to England.
I can't believe 6 years have passed since we started our missions... All the things we did, all the people we met.... they have left a strong impression on me... all the memories will be so close to my heart all my life! From members, to companions, to investigators...
I am so lucky.
I served a mission in a great place around great people. That was only the beginning of all the great blessings God had in store for me.

Madrid, Madrid, Madrid... home, sweet home

My last days in the capital were spent shopping ( mot importantly). We walked around the great "Gran Via" as its name well describes it ( GREAT STREET...that is: great for shopping, I say)... and we made a stop in H&M... where I had the experience of my holidays... yes, good shopping, but frustrated by the THIEVES that stole my wallet!!!!
Not that i had a lot of money, but in total 20 euros and almost 100 dollars Canadians!
At least i got my wallet and all my documents back... and I left with a cute skirt, shirt and pants. But after having been robbed I felt bad about spending another 35 euros in the cutest jacket to go with the skirt...oh well, another time!
I wanted to show Evan the Temple of Debod.. an Egyptian Temple in Madrid. 2200 years old.




At the back we took some pictures of us where you can see The Almudena Cathedral, which we visited the first time Evan was here, and opposite to it, the Royal Palace.



Welcome to England

We flew from Madrid to Liverpool, and as we were coming out of the plane I missed my jacket...it was freezing cold!
Yes, welcome to England...
But the Leonard's were there to give us a warm welcome.
They took us to Dewsbury and we had dinner at an Indian restaurant... the closest thing to eat in the actual India.
Sunday morning we went to the Sacrament in Keithley and made it a stop to take a picture in the Elder's flat.


We then made it back for Sacrament in Dewsbury.
People found it hard to recognize Evan.... the blonde hair... but not many had problems remembering me...
It was so nice to see everybody. They couldn't believe we were married to each other and even more difficult to believe we had 2 children.
We started to realize we would have to come back with the kids one day.
Elder Krekelberg, now Ian , and Amanda (the Leonard's daughter) came to have dinner with all of us. It is weird to see this little skinny girl with such a prego bump!
We talked about labor and stuff like that during dinner... How exciting for them!
We left not long after to go to Leeds.
First, the sister's flat, where I spent 6 months of my life. Right in the heart of the ghetto!... Oh, good Harehills. I think they just waited for me to be transfered to move the sister to a better area and to give them a car!


We got to Church when it was almost over... but people stayed after to talk to us.
Since we missed brother Tree at Church we decided to stop by his house.
When he first saw us he didn't know what to think. It took him a while to realize who we were.

Then we wanted to try some more people.
First, Jenny Charles, a lady I taught and Evan baptized. I hoped she hadn't moved... and to my surprise as we were turning into her street I saw her...I couldn't believe my eyes. I told Evan...that's her! that's her! Stop the car!. So i came out, and called her name. She looked at me with a sign of disbelieve in her face... Do you know who I am?? I asked her... and when she said yes, I don't know why, but I started crying, and run towards her to give her a hug!
It was such a sweet moment! I was so excited!She had to go to work but we would come during the week to visit her.... I can't believe I found her.
When we were trying to found another of my dear investigators, I found Norma. A girl we used to teach. Her and her cousin Marcy. As soon as I saw her I recognize her, but I couldn't remember her name...and I approached her anyways... she remembered me too! it was so funny!


Oh...good times in Leeds. I taught a lot of Africans... from Zimbabwe... I love Zimbabweans! From Ghana, from South African, from Kenya, even from French speaking Congo...


Saturday, October 6, 2007

*** Visiting loved ones ***

We started our traveling days by going up North. Bishop let us use his car... that was the nicest thing they could do for us... after all they are the nicest people!
And it was a sweet car! It had GPS so we just entered the address and it took us there... it would later come very handy, because I couldn't remember how to get places!!
Our first stop: Aycliffe.
Evan served there. We first took a picture in front of the good old Elder's flat where Evan spent almost five months of his missionary life.

Then we headed to the Cox's house before going to the church where they had organized a family home evening so we could see everybody at once. That was so nice.
So I'll introduce. From Aycliffe:

The Joyce's...
Such a nice family. We had a lovely visit with them after leaving the church. When Evan served there he was the Ward mission leader and he did some service in his back yard... so we had to go and see the end result... it was amazing!


This is Henrietta, Etta or Henry as Evan used to call her just to tease her (you know Evan).
She holds family home evening at her house every week and feeds the missionaries religiously... thank goodness for those sisters... I mean... what can I say about people that watch over, and took such good care of my hubby!??!!


The Cliff's.
Another of Evan's favorite people.


And now from Darlington (right next to Aycliffe)... where I begun my mission Dec 2001... it's been 6 years??? wow!

These are the Hancock's.
I adore this family.
The second day of my mission we went to visit Ivonne at the hospital. She had jut had the 4th child. They've had 7 but one passed away. Their names go in alphabetic order: Adam, Ben, Corey, Dominique, E ( I don't know the name of this one, the one that passed, I only know that was a little girl), Fay and Giselle.
Ivonne is a new member...not that new anymore, I guess... but you would have never guessed because the strength of her testimony is overwhelming. Her having 7 kids is only one of the many ways that shows how deeply she has accepted the gospel and how fully she understands the Plan of Salvation. I love you, Ivonne! You are such an example for all of us.
I feel so privilege to have met people like her.


Now, here we have 3 generations.
Sister Orchard and her daughter Leah. She is the sweetest lady you could ever find... and Leah is grown into a young woman as sweet as her mother.
I remember my first Sunday at church Leah received me as if I had always been there, and treated me like their own sister.
The begging of my mission was hard but I could have never asked for better ward members to start with.

This is her other daughter Sam Cox. She lives in Aycliffe but I met her once and of course Evan know them pretty well. She also takes after her mother. I can't believe there are such good people on the earth. After meeting them I want to be a better person.

And this is Sister Orchard's mother and husband...
So, ok... this couple is amazing!
I remember Christmas at their home... it was the most decorated house I've ever been to. I swear it was like a Christmas museum... I loved it!
And the love they have for each other I will never forget... it so impressed me that it is hard to forget.

In this picture I have Sister Shearer ( the tallest).
Such an elegant and sophisticated woman. So classy and fine.
I remember her helping me with my English... she was such a good teacher.
Another thing that brought us together was music. She was very touched by the spirit of music... so every time we met she will have a song to share with me, and while at her house I'll sit in the piano and sing for her.
We both loved Hilary Weeks. She introduced me to the song that will become "My song" throughout my mission. I sang it at every spiritual thought , family home evening, Zone conference...every time they asked me to sing. That is " All my days" by Hilary Weeks.
I love d it so much, she personally contacted Hilary Weeks and in response she received two copies of her album, and she gave one to me. I still keep it a one of my fondest memories of her. She also later got me the piano book for it. I use it all the time.

The other family is Viv and the twins.
They remembered that on my B-day we were there helping them paint their house. They felt bad they were making me work on my b-day... bless their hearts! Of course I didn't' mind.
The father was the ward mission leader so Viv came on exchanges with us a lot.
After I finished my mission I went to visit them with my mom and Cristi. I enjoyed their company very much, and also their accent, cuz they are from the South of England, so it was easier for me to understand.
I also tried to get the twins to write my bother, or come over to Spain to visit...I hope they do it one day!

That was a lovely evening. I missed some people. It is hard to see everybody in just one day, but I am so happy I could see these, some of my favorite people on earth.

We also had time to see the Morgan's that night. His accent was great and the way he talked.... I loved listening to him. True Aycliffe man. Loved it.

The morning after we had to come back to see their son. He is getting ready to go on a mission next year. He is a good fan of Evan's music so we had to give him a CD.


Then we went to Billingham. Farther up. With a funny accent too. This was Evan's first area... and of course, we took a picture in front of the house where he lived.
When Evan and I met he was serving here and I was serving in Darlington. We didn't hit it off very well... oh well... things changed later on.;D


We stayed the night at the Norton's house. Their oldest son was hilarious. I've never heard anybody speak so fast and say "like" more in my life. I loved it though. It was great to be back in the north.
Another thing I should say about our stay there was that the following morning, while Evan was in the shower he sent me in search for an iron. So thinking that we were on our own, I looked in every room, every closet, every corner...with no luck by the way... later to realize that the same guy from last night was still sleeping in his room. I didn't see anybody!! he didn't make one move to make me realize he was still there.... how embarrassing! I wonder what he thinks of my intrusion...

Then we went to South Shields... one of my favorite areas... specially because I had so much success there... and my companions there were the best!
Again a picture in the flat where I lived for 4 months.


We stopped to visit the Kinghorns, but we didn't find them home... just Joseph that was leaving to school.
Evan found this cool car, though!

A visit to sister Power. She is good friends with Celia Diez's husband, Jorge. He served around here. I think, or he lived there somehow.

And my cutest family...The Atkinson's!! well, part of them.
The little girl, Elizabeth was the cutest little girl... now she is a little woman..still so cute. She missed school just cuz she knew I was coming :D
They are a couple that I admire beyond words. She is so special, so strong, mind her little body, great, great people.


Chaz and Hazel. So funny!
He was a milk man, and he always left some for us missionaries in our doorstep.
We always had family home evening with them. They were new members...a miracle... and they got sealed not long ago.




Then back to Billingham to have dinner..or tea as they call it, with the Broadbend's.
We had really nice conversations. They had served a mission related to Family History. He was the Ward mission leader when Evan was there. I don't think that it is a coincidence that the people you develop stronger relationships with are the same people you worked with.



Then we visited with the Burdon's. He is the Stake president, she is the sister of sister Kinghorn. Their daughter used to live in South shields, I remember taking her knocking...good times.
They have the sister's living with them. But I think that will change once their youngest son comes back from his mission in France.
The black sister lived in Salamanca for 9 months... small world!


We drove all the way back to Dewsbury. But of course Evan had to get huge Kebab, from the same place he got his first Kebab... HUGE! I was so mad... but oh well, when do they ever listen to us?
The next day we went to Keithley, another of Evan's areas. We had lunch with the O'neil's. They are a big family, really nice family. The oldest son is married to a girl from South Shields. On of the girls is married to a guy that served his mission in Canada so we talked a lot about Canada.

We visited this man Evan used to teach. He gave him a bunch of old coins that got robbed the time our house was broken into. He showed us some of his poems, he had really old documents of when he was in the military, like from 19. He got a bit teary eyed when talking about his late wife... how romantic.
He was such a lovely old man. He complimented me telling Evan he got a beautiful wife... So cute.


We had dinner at the Hallat's in Chesterfield. Her parents also came. It was a really nice visit. We talked and talked for hours.



Even though it was late, we went to visit a family in Sheffield, where I served, only for 6 weeks, but I had to visit somebody! He is the Stake President now, he used to be the bishop when I served there. Elder Barahona served there after me, and Amaya Caso served there before me. For some reason they remember all of us Spanish missionaries...hehehe.


Thursday we had lunch at the Bamfield's in Dewsbury.
Evan and I served there at different times. It was Evan's second area and it was my last.
Evan didn't get to know this family. They came to the ward after him. He was the Ward mission leader when I was there, and she always came on exchanges with us.
She is great. Super enthusiastic, with a strong, simple testimony.
She is from Taiwan and her English is hilarious. try to imagine a Chinese accent mixed with Yorkshire accent....hilarious!
She made us some Taiwanese fabulous food. In just 30 min! Super good food! I love her cooking!



Then we stopped by the Lister's.
I love sister Lister.

Then we headed to Leeds... to visit Jenny!! and her sister Erica also stopped by... Such a miracle to find her!
I taught her, and Evan baptized her.
She is such a hard worker.
Her little girls couldn't remember me.... but I do remember them....super cute.
We also started teaching Erica, but she left to Trinidad where they are from. I remember it being impossible to take pictures with her because she would be laughing all the time... it wasn't any different this time!!!


Then we had dinner with the best people!!
The Collins'.
It was really cool to be with all of them. We had so much fun. It was like we were part of the family.
This was probably the most felt good bye. Evan cried and cried driving home.
It was like leaving the mission all over again...It was hard...like we wanted to stay... forever...
But one day, we won't have to say good bye again.

This ones...the Kendall's.


This the Poulter's.


The Cartwright's... well she is divorced now...so Sister Collins ;D


The Facey's...except Bob, the father.


And Debra.


Friday... first a visit to the Simpson's in Dewsbury.
While Sister Simpson and I visited, Brother Simpson took Evan on a rite on his brand new Jaguar. We could hear it roar from the garage. He drove really fast in this small country roads of Dewsbury and Evan totally loved it.


Then we went to Leeds to have dinner with the Atkinson's that came all the way down from South Shields.
Evan fell in love with them too. They are so nice!




Then we stopped by the Ireland's.
He was with me in the MTC in Preston, and he also served in Leeds at the same time as me and Evan.
He went back to Leeds to marry this girl, Krissie, who he introduced to the gospel.
I never got to meet her then, but it was so nice to meet with them. We didn't have that much time with them but it was nice.





Then we went to Keithley. This was Evan's last area. We had tea with the Kitsell's.
He served his mission in Germany and made us some good Schnitzels.
Evan left to go play football ( I don't know why they call it soccer in North America) and I stayed with them and got to know them better.
I showed them pictures of my babies, she showed me pictures of their trip to Venice and surroundings.
We had a lovely visit with them. I hope they come to visit us.