So wrestling season has officially begun and Carlos is super busy doing all those head wrestling coach things he does. Ho hum. I do enjoy watching his kiddos wrestle though. They work hard and for a lot of them, it is the only positive thing in their day. Those kids are the ones that pull at my heartstrings and I am so thankful they have a role model like Carlos in their lives. They really do respect him and look up to him. I am extremely proud of my husband. He is a teacher at a school where life is hard. Students live rough lives and their school life isn't always much better. He survives through a day of violent tempers, outbursts, severe lack of motivation, no parent support, and extremely underprivileged, struggling kids. Teaching is tough. I am the first to admit that teaching isn't always rainbows and sunshine and that people in the world do not appreciate teachers enough. (Oh, and if you don't agree with that statement then I feel sorry for you. Because one day your child will be in a classroom and people with attitudes like yours are what make the education system, i.e. your child, suffer. *deep breath* Ok...I need to reign it in. My tangents are for another post possibly :) )
Sooo, the point is that my husband is amazing. After a rough day he goes and switches mode to "Coach". Which is like 5 jobs in one. A teacher, a father, a mentor, a friend, and a coach. He works with those kids for 2 hours and then dedicates some of his nights and a lot of his weekends making a positive impact in their lives that may change their entire course altogether. I have seen him with these kids and he makes me proud. It may just be the teacher in me but I am pretty sure it is the mother and the wife in me too. There are times when Carlos and I complain about the money we make. As two teachers it can be hard sometimes. But then I realize the daily impact we have on each one of our kiddos. It may not always be big and it might not always be life changing or apparent, but we do have one. How many professions can TRULY say that their career's outcome is changing lives and making people better even in the most minuscule way? Not many. I saw this quote on Pinterest that says "I am a teacher. What's your superpower?" It made me tear up. I honestly couldn't have said it better.
And although the positive impact is being made on these children everyday, it still means my husband and Eli's daddy is taken away nightly making it a little hard on this mama. Sometimes I feel frustration because I just want him home to help. Or I want to be able to cook dinner without baby talking or bouncing him on my hip. But alas, it only lasts until February and then it is like Christmas all over again because (even when we didn't have a baby) my love is home and we get to be with each other after a long work day as a family :) Until then, I will be proud every time I see his wrestlers on the mat or when they go up and tell him thank you. Or at the banquet at the end of the season when (inevitably) tears are shed (and yes, mainly by me) for the amazingly heartfelt words spoken to Carlos by his wrestlers recognizing his dedication and impact on their lives.
Supporting daddy at his first tournament of the season!
________________________________________________________________________________Even though Thanksgiving was like a year ago (ok yes an exaggeration) I never got a chance to blog about it. It was really one of the best Thanksgivings we have had in awhile. Last Thanksgiving, although great because we were with my side of the family, I had severe morning sickness and the food just wasn't the same. And by the same I mean everything made me gag. This year we had our little one with us and he just kept us smiling. We were all together with Carlos' side of the family and Elijah even got to try sweet potatoes for the first time! We took a walk to the park in the Fall weather and put Eli in a swing which he really didn't like. Was it too soon? Yeah probably but you know I had to try! We spent most of the day watching football, drinking, and just relaxing with family. My kind of holiday right there. No big to dos, no extravagant plans. I do remember thinking that this is the 6th Thanksgiving that Carlos and I have spent together. Time seriously flies when you are having fun. Or in love. :) Then I started thinking of all the Thanksgivings that God will hopefully bless us with as a family in the years to come. Then I started tearing up. Gosh I am such a wuss.
Not so sure about the big boy swing.
Tio Bert and Eli.
Trying sweet potatoes for the first time. It was a big hit!
We live a blessed life for sure.
So while I have a little time to blog I also wanted to mention that lately, and really more since Elijah was born, the simpler things in life are making me the happiest. I never really understood what that meant until we had Eli. And I am not sure that without having kids I really would have ever understood. By simpler I mean the minutes I get to spend with Carlos in bed talking before we both pass out from utter exhaustion. Or the sweetest smile I get from my baby. Or the show I get to sit and watch after baby is in bed. Or even that AMAZING glass of wine I get to sneak in every once in awhile. Carlos and I used to go out on expensive, try-a-new-place kind of dates before we had Eli and even more so before I was pregnant and when the thought of kids was far from even being a reality. But now we choose simpler, laid back, even (dare I say) comfortable types of outings. One night when Eli was staying with Grandma we were just planning on going home because Carlos had only gotten 2 hours of sleep the night before (yes, wrestling strikes again) and I was exhausted from doing a million and one other things. But we both looked each other and said let's go to Kerby Lane (for all you non-Texans, or even Austinites, that is a local Austin breakfast place and the first place Carlos and I ever ate after being introduced) to have coffee and eat. It was like 9:00 at night which is late for us but we hopped in the car anyways and went. I have to say, even with exhaustion setting in, it was one of the best dates we have been on in awhile. We were in PJ's (ok I was) and we just talked about nothing. Nothing meaning not baby or finances or future plans or work (ok maybe a little baby). We told jokes and talked about other little things that we really hadn't had time to share with each other (and yes to all non-parents or parents-to-be, believe or not you don't have time to spend chatting it up with your spouse like you used to. I always said we would be different but I was naive then. I mean, I am like, so mature now. :) ). I wish I could freeze those types of moments in time and save them in a picture frame forever. But knowing that is impossible, I keep it in my heart. And in my iPhone. And maybe even a little bit in this blog.
In closing, I leave you with pictures. Some sweet. Some random. All beautiful :)
Eli's Christmas card to mommy and daddy with his footprints. Went right up on the fridge, front and center!
I turn into a mushy mess when I see this photo. I love it. It makes my heart melt into a big gooey puddle. I am amazed by it. I am taken aback by it's beauty. It is my whole life in one photo.
T-shirt is courtesy of his Auntie Cooper. He is a Texan after all!
This is weird. If you have every changed a diaper full of pee you know that the gel in the diaper gets heavy and squishy. Carlos and his sister decided to see if you another person hard enough, would the diaper gel pack thingy explode? The answer is no. But it is really gross when a pee filled diaper hits you in the face. Wonder who came up with this bright idea? You guess. The end.
What we made Eli's daycare teachers for Thanksgiving. His handprint is on the yellow paper underneath.
I just love this picture. That is all.
