Seeking the American Dream

The summer is well under way, and we have been so busy around these parts. Enjoying the sunshine, concerts at the park, camping, leading youth group, digging our feet into the sand, and at the very beginning of the summer attending graduations. My younger sister graduated from Oregon State University. To many this accomplishment is a big deal, but to me this is a HUGE deal. 

In 1991 we moved to the United States from Mexico. We moved for the same reasons many people immigrate to this country: to seek a better life. A better life means different things to different people. To my parents it meant proving us with safe housing and being able to feed us and clothe us. They weren't looking to get rich, to live this amazing "american" dream. They just wanted us to be together, to be safe and healthy.  

As it happens my sisters and I grew up, we developed our own dreams and hopes. We adapted to life in this country, but we also kept many of the values our parents passed on to us. 

Part of our personal development involved higher education. All three of us now have a Bachelor's degree, and while we each may have slightly different reasons for pursuing a degree, I am confident there are underlying similarities. We understand the sacrifices our elders have made to bring us to this country, we understand the importance of making a positive impact in our world and we want to provide our own families a better life. 

My sister is now a college graduate. She faced much adversity to get to this point, for reasons of personal choice but also because we are in fact the first generation to go to college. We had no one to set a path before us, we had to carve it out on our own. 

And in the past few years I have seen her flourish into an amazing person, into a woman of character, into a dedicated student, into a charing mother.  

She has become an example to her daughter and to the people around her. She has embraced this part of the "american dream" and I am confident that she will make our world a better place.

And while a college degree is a great accomplishment its not just the certificate and the potential job opportunities that matter the most. I've learned that higher education is so significant in opening up our minds and giving us a perspective to what our place in this universe really is. It helps us understand how much we are a part of a bigger story, that it is our responsibility to reach out to those who are less privileged, to those who are in need. It helps us see that we are responsible to make this "American Dream" really mean something.    

But to achieve all of this significant life changing stuff you need to be a little silly. So here is a little silliness for y'all!

Expectations: 2012, lets get real 2013!

I've been reading so many "Happy New Year" blog post, I think I have them coming out my ears. And because I'm a very goal oriented person I've LOVED to hear/read about what other's are hoping to accomplish in the new year. My personal hope was to soak it all in and spare you my own list, but here I am about to spill my inner most desires. 
But before we get there let me share with you 2012; it was a year of surprises, unexpected decisions, hardship, sorrow, and new beginnings. So there you go, in a nutshell that was my year. Ok, ok, since you're twisting my arm, I'll elaborate.  

The year began pretty much like any other year: on January 1! We spent the eve with our dear friends the Chung-Otterson, much like we have the last couple of years. Watching movies, eating yummy food and sharing a bit of what we hoped the year would hold. But in a few months our expectations of 2012 shifted in a dramatic way as we realized our priority was not to the rat race of making ends-meet but of having a richer family experience. And what I mean by that was we wanted to spend more time as a family and less time at work chained to the "man". So we packed up our things half way through the year and moved to a desolate town in Central WA. Friendships were tested, and only the lifers stood the test distance held. Mr. M. started looking for work in a slower paced environment and I got busy with the task of making home more cozy. 
After only one month of trying to settle we almost lost Mr. M's mother to an Aneurysm. The following two months seem a bit of a haze to tell you the truth. Isolation, loneliness and so much unknown. But in the midst of it all of this many dear friends and family rose to the challenge of being God's love to us, we grew the strength to help my in-laws navigate the hardship and find endurance for ourselves to keep on pushing forth. Mr. M. received his Bachelor's degree and we celebrated all the holidays surrounded by our family and a few friends. 

We even tried to make Tamales for our Christmas Eve dinner, which let me tell you, were a huge colossal fail! 

And the year ended with a three day celebration with our friends the Chung-Otterson.

So you ask, what are my goals for 2013? Well they are to expect less from others and more from God. That's right, my desire is to see the world a bit more through the eyes of our Maker and less through my own. Don't get me wrong, I'm still working on my 29 before 30 list, I still want to eat something green every day, exercise frequently and drink more water, but what I want most is to feed my soul. To earnestly seek after our Creator so that I may be a sunbeam to a hurting world. I'm starting by trying to connect with our Maker through as many ways as possible. By investing more time in other Jesus-followers, reading the Love story our Creator shared with humankind (aka the Bible), praying more, and being more available for those around me. My hope is that we'd stop making resolutions that last a week or two and instead embrace a lifestyle of healthy choices all year round.

Thanks for reading this very wordy installments and Happy New Year! 

Overcoming Adversity

Today I'm embracing the camera with the hubby, Mr. M. This photo is from a few summers ago, but its one of my faves of us. Along with these photos I love I'm gonna share with you an amazing story. Its a story whose main characters are the hubby and his Maker. 

I'm gonna start at the beginning when Mr. M. was born. It was a cold winter day, when resources were scarce but hopes were not. He was born to a family of immigrants, first generation to be born in the United States. His parents worked in agriculture, working when harvest was plentiful and saving for when it was not. They lacked health insurance, sick time, vacation days and all those things many of us take for granted. But they made do, and life was good. As Mr. M got older he could be found on many afternoons playing out in the orchards free from all the cares of the world. 

The harvest was bountiful and the valley was thriving, but it wouldn't always be so. 

We fast forward to when Mr. M is seven and now living in the city, on S. 7th St. He is one of the few spanish speaking children in his school, there is inequality and confusion about this group of people who come (mostly seasonally to the area) to harvest the crops. 

And this is how it went in the years that followed: Mr. M's mom and dad working long hours, and different shifts to make ends meet and be somewhat available for him and his brother. 

The crop began to decline, work was scarce and things were hard. 

Adversity came a knocking harder than ever before. 

His neighborhood became filled with poverty; parents often working swing or graveyard shifts and many youth who were hungry for attention and bored to death at home turned to drugs, gangs and violence. All searching for a sense of belonging. All searching to be "somebody".

All of this became Mr. M's reality, no more make-believe on sunny afternoons out in the orchards, but drugs, gangs and violence took their place instead. And so, many years passed and life didn't get any better. Many friends were lost along the way, and many were changed in irreversible ways. 

As Mr. M. reached rock bottom it seemed that nothing or no one could reach him. 

But when we least expect it, and when we think we have gotten too far from reach, that's when Creator pushes harder to grasp a hold of our hearts and speak truth into our lives. All the lies that had been feed to and believed by Mr. M. were shattered in a moment of Truth. Jesus came into his life and helped him understand that he was destined for greater things. Jesus told him: "follow me and I will show you that you are part of my BIG story. Your LITTLE story is part of my BIG story!". And it was then Mr. M. reached for the Truth and broke free of the chains of death. But not through his own strength rather through the love of our Maker. And finally Mr. M. understood how he was made in our Creator's image: with his charismatic personality and his love for people. He no longer needed to be in control, and to pursue status or power. The Love of Creator would bring a greater sense of self than any of these things ever would.

Its been more than seven years since then, and each day we see how our LITTLE stories are a part of God's BIG story. That story of love for His people.  

This month we are celebrating a piece of Mr. M.'s Little story! He graduated from Warner Pacific College with a Bachelor of Science in Human Development and will be receiving his diploma this weekend! We are so proud of him, and understand that this is all possible because of our Creator who has made Mr. M. in His image. Yes, in the image of the one who Loves us, and wants more for this hurting world. And that is what Mr. M. hopes to do, to go out into the world and use his degree to care and love those in need. Because Creator so loved him.   

29Before30

I can hardly believe that more than a month ago I entered the last year of my 20s! When I was in high school I used to think that people in their 20s were so grown up and mature and people in their 30s forget it, oldies! Well, that's me now, except I don't really feel very mature or grown up. Sometimes I feel old, but definitely not mature. 

Actually, to be honest my late 20s have been the best time of my life thus far. I've gotten to do some fun things and grow more into the person I want to be. 
The first great accomplishment was graduating from college (that actually happened in my early 20s but still); first generation in my family to go to a university and be a traditional undergraduate student! After graduation I started exploring my interest in social service working for some great agencies. 

I also found the love of my life during my 20s.

I had my amazing little girl just under a year and a half ago!

So many great things have happened. I can hardly wait to see what my 30s hold. Even more amazing things. 

A while back I discovered a blog called Delightfully Tacky (first blog I started following) and it was then I decided it would be so fun to start my own blog to document the little and BIG things in our lives. 

One day I was reading one of Elizabeth's post about  making goals for the new year. Her concept was a list of sorts she called her 25 before 26 list. I loved the concept and adopted it right away. My 28 before 29 goes like this:

1. Return to my Pre-Prego weight // I'm within 8lbs of it, but I still got my work cut out for me!

2. Throw my friend Dani a baby shower // Totally did that, I even made two really cute diaper cakes, it was so fun!

3. Throw Little Mama her 1st Birthday Party // We collaborated with my older sister to throw her youngest his 1st birthday (since his birthday is the month before Little Mama's) together and it was a huge success! I DIY'd most of my part. 

 

4. Sign Yasmin up for swimming lesson // Didn't get a chance since we moved to WA right in the middle of the summer.

5. Take E-course on blogging // Yes! Indie Blogger by Delightfully Tacky and Selective Potential

6. DIY TTV Photo Wall // Yes

7. DIY chalkboard // Yes

8. Take sewing classes // I bought a Groupon and completed my classes right before moving to WA

9. Discipline about daily prayer/quiet time // Still working on it

10. Redecorate Yasmin's room // Yes and yes! 

11. Go camping with Mr. M and Little Mama // Sadly NO

12. Go to annual Family-Weekend! // Yes

13. Find vintage stores in PDX // Since we moved that one got a little left behind

14. Attend farmers markets // We only attended one :(

15. Read more // Do blogs count?

16. Attend at least 2 children's clothes resale events // Only attended one

17. Have a BBQ once a month in the summer // We had about 2

18. Start potty training Little Mama // Yes

19. Learn to use Photoshop // I bought photoshop Elements and have done some fun collages and other things, I'm no expert yet, but I'm trying to learn new things

20. Teach Little Mama to sign 10 words // This one proved to be a little challenging, she only learned to sign "more".

21. Start a blog // I started my blog in July, and it has been so much fun!

I fared pretty well. So now to create my 29 before 30 list!

1. Bake at least 5 different pies

2. Learn to make Flour Tortillas

3. Find quality spanish language books for Yasmin

4. Eat something green everyday

5. Shop more purposefully (LESS!!)

6. Pay off credit cards

7. Improve Credit Report

8. Establish my family in our "home" church

9. Discipline about daily prayer/quiet time

10. Take the Study of Light Ecourse

11. Continue learning about the blog world through Blog Love

12. Read more fiction

13. Finish Little Mama's potty training

14. Connect with a Mom's group

15. DIY some cute accessories for Little Mama

16. Start a vegetable garden

17. Go camping

18. Attend Family Weekend

19. Attend library readings for toddlers

20. Have a girls weekend with sisters and some friends in PDX

21. Establish monthly dates with Mr. M.

22. Start preparing for Baby #2!!!

Wish me the best :)