More pictures

Us at the Amarillo Zoo

Showing Nate how to blow bubbles

Wow, Gramps...you're really tall!

Getting some Grammie lovin'! You can't tell, but he was laughing and giggling away!

My friend Corrine

Ok, I've got a few pictures to share from our Amarillo trip. It was a great trip home and long overdue. I am so happy I got to see my old friend Corrine while I was in town and meet her family. I even got to spend some time with her mom as well, who was practically my 2nd mom for about 7 years. It was such a good time, and I wish it hadn't gone by so quickly. We also FINALLY got to visit my Grammie A, Nate's Great-Grammie, at her Assisted Living home. We had a good time, and all the residents there really loved seeing Nate! I just wish she would be more social, it's a really neat place to live! Here are some pics of the weekend.

Ups and Downs

The Vargas family had a weekend full of ups and downs this past weekend. First, we had a short but VERY nice visit with DJ's brother Rene, his wife Angela, and the girls Amie and Jamie. They came to Arlington to watch a Rangers game and stayed Friday night with us. We had dinner at our favorite Mexican food place, then they went to the game. After they got back from the game, we played Dance Central on DJ's new Kinect (Father's Day gift) and made fools of ourselves...it was AWESOME! Then we had a huge breakfast before they left early in the afternoon. It was so sweet, Nate didn't want his Uncle Rene to leave, he wouldn't go to anyone else, and cried when I finally had to take him away so he could get in the truck! It was really cute.

DJ and Nate and I then spent the rest of the afternoon cleaning and playing around the apartment. Then we got the call from my mom. She was already crying when she told DJ the news, and he looked at me with a very sympathetic face while handing me the phone. He said "Marvin is gone". I couldn't believe it. "Nooooo, he's not....no!" I yelled before taking the phone. I proceeded to whimper and cry while talking to my mom who was doing the same. We knew he was old and wouldn't live forever, but this was too soon...he wasn't even sick! My poor Dad, I just kept thinking, poor Dad!! What is he going to do now? It was a very sad evening.

For those of you who did not know Marvin, he was my puppy in college when I was in my first apartment. I had two roommates at the time, and this rambunctious and overly energetic basset hound was not fit for the apartment he was living in with us. After he chewed up a couple different comforters in my bedroom, plus a ton of other stuff, I decided he needed a yard and room to stretch out and hunt animals...just be a dog. My parents were so nice to take him in and have been taking care of him ever since. He hasn't been my dog since he arrived in Amarillo. He was my Dad's best bud and source of entertainment for the last 10 years and it is so hard to imagine life in Amarillo without him. :(

Some other updates: Jenni, Brian and Davis have moved to The Woodlands. We are excited for them to have this new opportunity and we know that this is the best place for them. But we will all really miss them and will miss having all of us sisters so close in proximity. We will just have to do more traveling to visit them now. :) Davis turned 9 this month...can anyone believe this?? I know I can't! He just loves baseball and is such a smart young man. We will miss going to his baseball games, but I'm sure we'll catch one or two in the future!

Ramsey turned 6 this past Saturday! She truly is the princess of the family...being the only girl will do that to you! We are all so proud of her. She is so sweet and loving, and she absolutely LOVES Baby Nate!! Happy Birthday, Ramsey!!

Earlier this month Lori and my friend Michele and I participated in the Komen Race for the Cure in honor of our friend Renee Sendelbach. She is a friend of mine from high school who is battling breast cancer for the 2nd time now...and it's a fight she is GOING TO WIN!!! It was such a great experience to be with so many people who were all walking/running for someone they loved who battled cancer. Very touching and humbling, and I can't wait to do it again next year!

Alright, that's all I can do for now. I'll try to update more frequently. Love to all!

Pictures

Easter Sunday pics

Mommy and Nate at Easter

Daddy and Nate at Easter

Pepo and the new love of his life! They have a special connection!

Nate loves his zebra!



Realized I hadn't posted pics in a while. I have lots to update you all on, but must do it when I have more time. Love to you all!!

The Encounter

Well, it was bound to happen. We were bound to run into my ex sooner or later. And when it did, I had a very strange mix of emotions that I was not expecting. I'll set the scene for you:

DJ and I went to San Marcos for his uncle's funeral the week before Mother's Day. This was a very large gathering with TONS of family...this particular uncle did have 13 brothers and sisters afterall. Well, DJ's cousin is really good friends with my ex and we knew we would run into him here. The church was full...probably 200 people were there. When most of the crowd was gone, I looked across the church and saw him, made eye contact with him from across the room. What I did not know was exactly how at peace I would feel and this incredible sense of RELIEF that this dreaded encounter had come now....and not anytime sooner. We did have Nate with us, and all of DJ's family, and you have no idea how good that made me feel knowing that I had my loving family around me to "protect" me from this person from my past.

When I made eye contact with him, I immediately felt all of those old feelings of unease, dislike, fear and disgust. But then I remembered that I am not part of his world anymore and he can't hurt me anymore. He looked the same, growing his hair and facial hair out and still had that smug look on his face. Knowing that he still looks the same, still hangs out with the same old crowd, probably still works in the same place, still not doing anything with his life...it all made me feel so relieved that I GOT OUT!!! Yes, I wasted almost 5 years of my life with him, but I'm no longer in that relationship. No longer feeling unloved, unwanted...more like a caregiver than a partner. No sir...I am out of that life.

Now I am in a healthy marriage with an incredible man who has changed his life so dramatically...for me and his son. I have been accepted into his loving and incredibly supportive family. I now have a real partner who contributes equally to our home, pays his bills, and CARES about me and my feelings. Loves me for who I am, and loves my family too. I am so lucky, and this encounter just reminded me of that. So I wanted to share it with you all, if there is anyone left who reads my blog. :)

I also want to thank each and every one of you for the support you have given me over the last three years. I have made so many changes and all of you were a part of them, even if just by being my friend. Thank you for helping me realize my worth and helping to guide me to my new incredible life. Even though it was uncomfortable to run into him at this meaningful family gathering, it was the best thing that could have happened to remind me of what I have now, and where I came from. Have a blessed day everyone!

Where the heck have you been??

That's what you all want to ask me...that is anyone who might occassionally read my blog. I know, it's been way too long, but hey....life's been busy. Since my last post we have moved into our new apartment and it is really great. No more stairs, more space, more storage, etc. And the best part it, no more commute!! It has been really good for us to all be in one town together. Arlington, so far, is an ok place to live...other than the fact that the closest Super Target is in a different city!! We're getting used to shopping at different stores, but really missing our Sprouts grocery store. But overall, it's been good.

I think Nate is getting used to his new caregiver. Her name is Donna and we like her. She is different from Sherry, and I do miss some of the things that Sherry used to do. But Donna is a rule follower, and she is teaching Nate how to follow rules too. It took a few weeks to get settled at Donna's house, but he is now one of the gang and doing well. We also have a new doctor for Nate, and we have met her once and another doctor in her practice once. No complaints there, they have been great!

DJ's job has been challenging...to say the least. But he is working through most of the issues and getting the stores fixed to the way they should be. Lots and lots of issues there, but he's working hard to make his job better! My job has not changed and it is better now that I am not having to make that awful commute. :)

So, to sum it up, we are enjoying our new apartment and getting used to our new work and daycare environments. Life is good, we are all healthy, and I can't complain about anything! We miss our family, but the extra time we have with each other is totally worth it. Hopefully I'll get some Easter pictures up soon, there are some super cute ones!! Have a blessed day everyone!

Goodbye to life in the fast lane!

As most of you know by now, our little family is moving to Arlington!! DJ has accepted his same position at one of the 3 Arlington stores that his company has, and we have found an apartment...things are happening fast! We wanted to rent a house, but the expense of moving is just too much for us right now, so we're in a little bigger apartment than we have now. Best thing about the new apartment is that Nate will have his own bathroom now!! YAY, no more moving bathtoys and his little duckie tub every time we shower! We are moving at the end of February.

Did I ever tell you all how much I love and appreciate my husband? DJ is the most supportive and wonderful husband, and even though the store he is moving to is "all messed up", he is taking this transfer to make me happy and have more time with Nate and I. He will be taking over a store where previous managers and employees stole money and basically ran the store into the ground. His new boss has been working on improving it, but it will be up to him to bring it back to the company's expectations. This is a lot of pressure to volunteer for, and I am now eternally grateful to him for making this move for me and my sanity. That brings me to my next statement:

BYE BYE, COMMUTE!!! Some people don't mind driving an hour one way to work, and then up to 2 hours home everyday. And I commend them for the sacrifice they are making daily to live in a geographically ideal location. But this commute has taken such a huge toll on me physically and mentally....and it has especially taken a HUGE chunk out of each paycheck that it hardly seems worth it! The toll road was my only option, and it was just a nightmare every month to see how much was just disappearing to the toll roads and gas. Some days the commute wasn't so bad and I didn't mind the mindless driving. But most of the time I didn't like the way the traffic was affecting my mood, it would turn me into a road-raged monster by the time I got home and I hated it!! It had to stop one way or the other. Thank God this opportunity came along when it did, and I pray that we made the right decision to make this move.

Anywho....now you are updated on what's going on with us. We have about a month now to pack and then we move on Feb. 25th, so I've got to get busy!! I hope that all of you are having a great day and month. Much love and blessings to you all!