Monday, May 3, 2010

Training Weekend

This past weekend was a training weekend for Mommy. Jas watched Xavier the entire weekend. I'm very grateful to her for that. Also, her boyfriend, Gilbert AKA: COCO, was here to assist. So I'm grateful to both of them. I should also mention that Manny participated in the babysitting process. He fed them Taco Bell and took them off-roading in his lifted jeep. Thanks Babe!

I was told they caught a glimpse of a snake while they explored the wilderness from the safety of Manny's SUV. After a closer examination the boys say it was only a stick but Jasmine insists she saw a snake and that the boys had looked in the wrong place. What's funny about this ordeal was that while this was happening, I was sitting in a Summer Safety Brief being informed about Mojave Greens. A Mojave Green is a real nasty snake with a bad attitude that attacks its victims for no apparent reason. They are known to jump out of bushes as hikers walk by them and even chase and catch up to motorcycles!

As soon as class was over, I sent Manny a quick text to warn him of these snakes and asked him google it so he could see for himself what they were and share it with the kids. We are a family of hikers and we hike in the areas where snake attacks had occurred in recent times. Manny texts me back to let me know about the snake they HAD JUST ENCOUNTERED while off roading. What really got me was the part of the text that informed me about both Manny and Gilbert GETTING OUT OF THE TRUCK for a closer examination. Why boys, why?

Of course, I've told them to never do that again. They'd better listen to Mama!

Friday, April 30, 2010

Family Intro


I wanted to start a blog to follow my son's development and also to share and receive input from others. He just turned two recently and everyday is exciting because he's here. I lost my FT job less than two weeks ago due to poor attendance. You see, my son has a reactive airway disease and the docs don't know what triggers his flare-outs. So when he has a breathing attack, I have to drop whatever I'm doing and run to his side. My son's father called it quits, though he claims something else, the first week of September of last year. He started showing his face again shortly after I filed child support orders. I also have a lively 15-year old daughter living at home.


I've exhausted most of my financial resources to keep our household running. It's been anything but easy to keep life going as usual. Since my circumstances have changed again, we must adapt to survive. That means my Princess Jasmine gets less money to go to the movies with her friends, her allowance is non-exsistent, and she has no more cell phone. It's kewl, though, she's got internet access and a home phone to stay connected. She's a real trooper and she's hangin' in there! I've long since stopped visiting spas, getting my nails done and I don't want to mention my hair situation! But you know what? We're okay. And we're grateful that we still have a roof over our heads, food in our bellies and clothes on our backs. I've been to Afghanistan during OEF. I KNOW just how fortunate we are.


With this Blog, I hope to enhance the light in our lives that is our Xavier. He changed everything when he came into our lives. My pregnancy was not planned as are about half the pregnancies in this country. I refused to marry the father of my child because the pregnancy was not enough reason for me to do so plus I just wasn't "feeling" it... if you get me. Next to giving birth to my son, that decision turned out to be a good one. During the time before my pregnancy I had my act together. Finances were in check, family ties were good, my military career was moving forward and I had mad skillz at my civilian job that were getting me cool points... Life was kewl. Along came baby's daddy who at the time was sleeping on the floor of a shared apartment on the not-so-great side of town. He wore a navy blue mask representing a nobility that was not his. He carried over his head a dark cloud filled with broken promises. I guess I thought I could give him some sunshine.


After seven months of being just friends, we did the deed ONE time and the seed was planted. I had no intention of becoming a new Mom. My focus was on advancing my family through my military career. But I guess it's like a very good friend said to me when I vented my misfortunes to her: "God's plan is better than yours." Materialistically, we're on the downside. But in a sense that's more complicated to explain with only mere words, my family and I are pretty wealthy.


Not too long after dad's departure, Mommy and a co-worker became close. When Mommy's car had a flat tire, guess who came to her roadside rescue? When it was time to buy some groceries and the bank account had no money in it, guess who swiped his debit card? When dad was nowhere to be found and we were in the hospital with Xavier after one of his breathing attacks, guess who our only visitor was? His name is Manny. And he's a keeper.


Xavier makes our lives grand. Our troubles are bearable because of him. He brings us so much joy just by being here. We are truly blessed!