It's a Vivas Thing!

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In case you didn’t know…..

It seems like yesterday all she was interested in was her Simba and her blankie.

It seems like yesterday we were planning her sweet sixteen.

It seems like yesterday we were taking her senior photos.

It seems like just yesterday, she fell in love….and got engaged…

And today….today was a day a mother wonders about for years. The day that plays through a mother’s mind as her baby grows up…the day when her daughter goes in search of that perfect dress…the one that will be worn on that perfect day…to marry the man of her dreams. I thought it might be an emotional day, and I wanted everything to be just as she dreamed it would be. We had fun looking through dresses the night before and picking the ones she liked. We had even more fun walking thru the bridal store looking through so many dresses in hopes of finding the one.

I mean, we’ve all seen, “Say Yes, to the Dress,” right?

And then, we had a little moment in the dressing room. I am sure she didn’t think  anything of it, but I thought everything of it. Silly, but true.

And then I was instructed to sit. That’s all the help I was allowed to offer. After all, I am the Mother of the Bride.

And I’ve only been the Mother of the Groom. Which was amazing….and I love my sweet new daughter. And I remember seeing her for the first time in her wedding dress, not too long before the ceremony was supposed to start. She was stunning…all dressed up and ready to marry my son. She probably didn’t think to much of it, but I did. A Bride, ready to meet her Groom.

So, Mother of the Bride is new to me. And as I sat there waiting, she took my breath away when she walked out in the first dress.

And she continued to take my breath away as she tried on the dresses that just might be that one.

And then, I knew. I could tell by the look on her face that she knew.

And that’s all that mattered.

And then, it was like we were little girls, sworn to secrecy….secretly planning the big moment when she would walk out and take everyone’s breath away. Especially, her groom.

That moment when she rang the bell and said yes to her dress. Where I became choked up with emotion and the tears trickled down.

My baby is getting married.

And…

No, we’re not sharing.

No, you can’t just get a peek.

No, not even a glimpse.

For a bride only has that one moment, when it’s all about her, about her wishes, her dreams; that moment when her father will first see her as he prepares to take her to meet her groom. And that moment when her groom will see all she has planned and prepared for him, on their wedding day.

In case you didn’t know….that’s what we did today.

Tia Gloria

There are those special people you meet in life that just make you smile. My Tia Gloria was one of kind. From the moment I first met her, her genuine kindness and infectious smile just tugged at my heart. She was always ready for a good time and always there to encourage you.

At our wedding, she just danced and danced…and made sure everyone else was doing the same. Last year, she did the same at our son’s wedding.

Dancing at Ruben's wedding

Tio Pete and Tia Gloria had a home that was always open and welcome. I’m pretty sure there was not a soul who ever walked into their home who wasn’t made to feel like you were part of their family. Theirs was a love of a lifetime and the results of that love filtered out to anyone who was in their presence.

Over the past 23 years, I have had the privilege of being accepted into the Rubio family. Although we live in two different states, we often laugh when telling others about the Rubio’s…they’re loud, fun and most of all, about the most loving, accepting people you’ll ever meet! And that, I am sure, comes from Tia Gloria and Tio Pete.

Tia Gloria went home to be with the Lord this week. I’m still in shock, having a hard time believing it’s real. It just doesn’t seem possible, and yet…

I can’t help but remember the last time we saw each other in person; almost a year ago. I have reflected on our conversation many times over the past year; it made that much of an impact on me. I was traveling to pick up Bboo from a missionary trip to Canada. On a whim, I called my cousin and told her where I was and asked how close was I to her. Turns out I was within minutes, so before I knew it, I was at her house. She immediately called her parents, Tia Gloria and Tio Pete, and let hem know I was there. They came right over and we all had breakfast together. I was so very touched that they had all just dropped what they were doing just to spend time with me.

As Tia and I were sitting together, we were just talking. I don’t know how she knew my heart so well, I hadn’t said anything, but she looked me in the eye and said to me, “Mija, don’t ever worry about what others think of you. Don’t worry about them judging you or not understanding you. You just keep on being yourself and and loving Jesus and know that I love you.”

I have played that over and over in my head so much. I left there so very grateful for the love that she has always shown; the acceptance that she has always given. Most of all, knowing that I was important enough for them to just drop everything to spend time with me.

I believe that was her legacy. She just had a way of making sure everyone knew how much they were loved. Tia Gloria, beautiful inside and out; deeply missed, but thankful to have had her in my life.

I love you, Tio, Renee, Monica, Peter, and Anthony. I am so very sorry.

"How many times do we have to pose, Monica?"

 

Always willing to pose for yet another photo opportunity...

 

Blessed to be Me

Sometimes life just sucks. Especially in a pity party. My husband and I often joke about me being the ultimate optimist and he being the pessimist. Same thing with my bestest friend; I see the good, she sees the bad. We balance each other though.

This month so far has been more suck then not. But as I sit here this morning, I find myself looking back at this week that started off just terrible, and ended on terrible…and feel blessed at the not sucking parts.

We received terrible family news; yet it is amazing how my family will pull it together and be there for one another.

One day this week I managed to make it home before 8 pm. And I was pooped on three times by a stupid bird. And the mulberry tree attacked me. But I got to enjoy some beautiful weather, a child that wouldn’t stop talking, and an insistent dog that couldn’t understand my sole purpose outside was not to rub her head. I also had great zucchini grilled by my sweet husband.

I had an interesting fiasco that turned into a night of adventure after work, searching for a missing phone! It was past ten by the time we found it and got home…but I haven’t laughed so hard in a long time! And I have a deep abiding appreciation for a son who is patient and smart and knows how to get things done…and the “Twin” who will do anything for us without complaining, even if it means running around a school and ending up in the street to find the phone that went missing! I have an even deeper appreciation for a daughter who just hangs in there with her mom and other mom while we take her on yet another adventure that involves her watching out for us!

Friday was the suckiest of them all. I cannot express how wonderful it is to have my children at my workplace to cheer me up when I need it most during the day. And for a patient husband who puts up with my sometimes very long hours and never ever complains.

My week ended on a decent note. I got to see an old friend unexpectedly. I spent an eternity with my bestie setting up her new phone since she killed the old one. And watched a pretty good movie with the Drama Queen.

And today….well, it’s the beginning of a  week of break…one I actually intend to take! Because, my dear friends, Easter is coming! And Easter is my favorite time of the year!

It’s an April Fools Kind of Thing!

Throughout the years we’ve enjoyed playing pranks. My best ever was sewing my husbands underwear shut with tiny little stitches so he couldn’t tell! That was way back when Bboo was just a baby! As a matter of fact..it was her first April Fools!

And apparently, I’ve taught-her-well!

I manage a local charter school. One of my many job duties includes making sure we are staffed. When teachers call in sick, I arrange a sub for them thru a local sub service. If support staff is sick…we just do as best as we can to cover the shortages. Because we are a small charter school, missing anyone is tough. Missing several is …well…really tough.

Emails and text messages started coming in last night and continued early this morning. In the meantime, I only got a couple of hours of sleep because I was up half the night with a sick kid. And…I managed to get the flu myself. 🙁

By 5:30 am, I had seven people out. By the time I got to work at 6:50 am, I was up to ten people. And no subs. I was sick, I was grouchy, I was calling the sub service like crazy. I was appreciating Bboo who volunteered to make my lunch and buy me a coffee from Starbucks.

I thought perhaps someone was playing an evil April Fools Prank on me, but how could that be when a separate business was involved? Besides, other admin were just as worried as I was!

Finally, I sent  out  an email telling all staff I was quitting from the stress and this better be a bad joke.

No response.

And then, my Bboo smiled at me and said, “April Fool’s Mom. I love You!”

I wasn’t sure whether I should believer her or not…what about the subs?

Alas, my evil genius daughter had hacked my phone, (updated to correct: she did NOT hack my phone…she got the number from a fellow, now untrusted, co-worker) called the DM of our Sub Service and was in cahoots with her on this April Fool’s Day! She had arranged with her to call corporate and given them the names of the teachers who would be “calling in sick” and told them not to call for a sub.

The, “Are you the manager?” question rang back in my head. I thought it was weird that they had asked me that.

When the DM finally called me back, she was dying laughing. She applauded my extraordinary parenting skills in raising such a daughter who was willing to go to such lengths to pull off a prank on her mother. (She also now owes me a sushi lunch!)

She’s way ahead of me and my little pranks of taping poppers to the door that would explode when people opened them. She’s way past sewing underwear shut.

If I were you….I’d be very careful next April Fool’sDay if you are her friend…co-worker…family member.

And you all thought we were normal…..

Quotable Quote #22

Living with the Vivas’ is interesting to say the least. One never knows what is going to be said. For instance, when the tooth fairy didn’t show up as expected, the Princess decided to tell the Roni that the tooth fairy doesn’t really exist. In an effort to stop her, the Drama Queen blurted out that she had thrown a pickle at the tooth fairy and killed it. She felt that was better than having him believe that the tooth fairy never existed.

The Roni has been having hygiene issues lately. We have had to have the talk of the importance of wearing clean underwear every day. Last night after showering, as he went to put his dirty clothes away, I asked him where his dirty underwear was. Realizing he’d been caught again, he was quick to think up anything to keep him out of trouble.

His reply?

“It’s not my day to change my underwear. I only change it every other day.”