My personal thoughts on Obama's historic election....

When 8:00 p.m. came, I knew that they would call the election for Obama. It was going to be an exciting moment. I could not believe it, so much so, that I teared up. Lucia asked me why I was smelling (she meant sniffling). I told her that Obama had won. I did not believe it was possible until it actually happened, I really believed that McCain would win.

As a minority, I never thought it would happened, only on "24" or "Deep Impact", Hollywood fantasies. But here, it was happening, in my lifetime. It was incredible, a deeply moving moment for me personally. This is how it must have felt to Blacks in South Africa, when Mandela was elected after years of Apartheid, or in Bolivia, how indigenous people felt when Evo Morales, the first first fully indigenous head of state in the 470 years since the Spanish Conquest was elected as President. Or in Chile, when Michelle Bachelet was elected, after she had been tortured by Pinochet, in the name of the same country she was now leading; how those who have been tortured, pursued, and detained in the name of Chile must have felt. But this was in my country, after all this country has seen, from Sengbe Pieh to Dred Scott to Rodney King, here, this country had passed an important threshold. Stunning...

I thought about how my bi-racial brown children will grow up with a bi-racial, brown, dark face as the leader of this country. It's a new reality, the new normal. My children will see his face, as they grow up, and not think it weird, unusual, or even historic that he is the President, but just normal, and that, is the most important thing.

There is much to be done, and I am optimistic and hopeful (hope!) but will reserve my final judgment of President-Elect Obama for the future. But for now, his victory is a victory for America, for the promise of the Declaration of Independence and Constitution, and all the sweat and tears of so many nameless and forgotten.
As the President-Elected stated, "If there is anyone out there who still doubts that America is a place where all things are possible; who still wonders if the dream of our founders is alive in our time; who still questions the power of our democracy, tonight is your answer. "

Obama wins...kids celebrate....

Let's hope he is able to take this historic event and make his administration one that history will remember. Amazing.

I've been tagged (again and again)

I'll just do a combination of some of the tags I've had.
First-2 truths and a lie
1. I don't like sugar cereals
2. I've traveled to 9 foreign countries
3. I'm dying to go back to work teaching.

8 wishes
1. To buy a house with at least 3 bedrooms with hardwood floors, custom kitchen and bathrooms, and a nice sized yard and a playroom.
2. A vacation to Italy.
3. Julio to pass the bar and get a better job.
4. My children to be healthy-no more sickies! (we've had colds and stomach flu this week)
5. To be able to buy nice furniture for the above mentioned house.
6. For all of my siblings to live close by someday.
7. To lose 10 pounds
8. To be able to go to the temple regularly

Lucía's Medical Emergency

Lucía as Princess Aurora, but note the right hand.



Here is a close-up.

Last week during church, between Sacrament meeting and Sunday School, Lucía's right thumb was smashed by a closing door. We are not sure how it happened, since I was with Marco, and Julio was with the Sylvia. One of the counselors was nearby when it happened and managed to clean it up and get some bandages on it. He said that there was a lot of blood. Once they found us, they told us what had happened, however Lucía was still crying heavily, it was obvious she was in a lot of pain.

We took her home immediately. We were unsure the extent of the injury, but we decided to let her calm down, so she watched one of her videos. After about an hour, Julio noticed that blood was soaking through the bandages (Band-Aid). We took her to the bathroom to change the bandages, and assess the damage to her thumb. Once we took the bandages off, it was clearly a serious injury, as the nail was practically falling off, her thumb was purple, and there was a lot of bleeding. Julio then took her to the emergency room.

When I (Julio) got to the emergency room, the triage nurse quickly admitted her. They said that the nail bed had been damaged, and would require stitches. I was painful to see Lucía in so much pain, especially when the had to inject her several time with local anaesthesia. Once the drugs had numbed her thumb, she watched the doctor repair the damage. In total she has 5 stitches, three that will have to be removed. The doctor reattached her nail. He also said there is a possibility that the nail may not grow back, but hopefully that won't happen. It was a crazy situation. Be careful of closing doors.

Lucía is doing better now, but the stitches will not be taken out until later this week.

Ward Halloween Party on Saturday Night

Marco doing his lion ROOOOAARRR!!!!

Sylvie hanging out, looking around.

Marco enjoying a cupcake.

Lucia and Madelyn-the pretty princesses.

Sleeping Beauty, the Scary Lion, Baby Pumpkin and Daddy.


We had fun at the Ward Party on Saturday night. We decided to skip the dinner part (chili dogs) and had In 'N Out burgers at home. But we got there just in time to do all the games and then trunk or treat. By the time we got home, we were beat! That was just the beginning of the marathon Halloween week.

Another trip to the pumpkin patch

Lucia the Witch Marco on the tractor

The hayrideLucia and her friend Madelyn

Marco loves the pumpkin patch. We went on a fieldtrip with Lucia's preschool class on Friday. It was a different one than the last one we went to-it was out in Natomas. It was hot! But the kids did enjoy going on the hayride, playing on the seesaw, climbing the hay pyramid etc. It was hard doing it alone with the kids and without Julio. Here are some pictures of the kids and their friends.

Ugh, the Dentist

So, has having babies destroyed anyone else's teeth? I never had a cavity before I got pregnant with Lucia and was vomiting all the time. I had one small cavity with her. After I had Marco, I went in to see the dentist again, and had two huge cavities to be filled. Now, after having Sylvie, I went in again and this time, I have to have a crown put on one tooth, three fillings and a deep gum cleaning! I am so depressed-not to mention the nearly $200 co-pay!! So, I have to start having the work done in a couple of weeks. Hopefully this time I'll get enough novicane.