life with amy...

As I was packing up the last of the boxes, I spied something out of the corner of my eye...
something shiny and moving...



Here at La Casa de Amy, even the ants are in on the act. I just had to show you. So cute. (Rich won't think so...this ant and all his uncles will be gone by the time I get back)

packing up

I'm working like a fiend to get ready for the class on Saturday. I leave early tomorrow morning and I have a million and a half things to do.

One thing I just did was decorate the bottles of glitter for each table. {Probably a detail that I could've skipped} I used the got flowers from Prima for the kits...you know the ones that come in little milk bottles? Well, I had so many of those bottles left that I decided they'd be the perfect vessels for glitter. I added a label, layered flowers on top, and a little strip of fabric. Even better would be to glitter each flower on top. Maybe there'll be time for that when I get there.

I could really drown in a sea of details right now. I need to try to keep focused and make sure that I pack everything I need. I'm on the verge of crazy right now. Just a tip-toe away from ding-dong.

Little Alfredo is napping. This is nap part two. He woke up while I was on the phone and I rocked him back to sleep. Any minute now he'll wake up again and who knows what I'll be able to accomplish then, with those big eyes and sweet voice asking to sit in my lap for the 101st viewing of 101 Dalmations. We're evidently on a little 101 Dalmation marathon. Before that, Jungle Book. And before that, Brother Bear. I bought two new movies for Rich to surprise him with while I'm gone. Rich is taking off work tomorrow and Friday so he'll have some nice together time with him.

Back to work...I'll take lots of photos on Saturday so you'll see all the fun we're having.



Oh boy am I ever going to miss him while I'm gone.

What's this?

I'm busy making the kits for the class I'm teaching at the end of next week. Do you see my beautiful distraction in the background? He had a bowl of fruit and picked up each piece saying "Que es eso?" After I told him, he'd say, in English, "I like watermelon" or "I like pineapple". Isn't he just a doll? He's telling me just what I want to hear.



"Que es eso?" just happens to be his current favorite question. He's collecting English words for everything and practicing using them all the time.



He's also singing lots of songs. I can't believe how many lyrics he can remember. It's amazing.



Oh, and guess what showed up this week on our doorstop...

the salamander!

We haven't seen him since just before Alfredo left last September. And this time he has a lady friend. I think we interupted some special couple time. Just after we shot this photo, Mr. Salamander charged at us. Yikes.

Now every afternoon we go to the door regularly for Salamander checks. Today yes. Yesterday no.

oh my goodness

We're having just the best time getting to know each other again. Alfredo repeats just about everything I say...especially "Oh my goodness!" The other day Rich took him to the store and beside the freezers he said "Oh my goodness! Frio!"

He's having a little bit of separation anxiety, not letting me out of his sight. I'm sure as he feels more secure and understands that there's nothing to worry about, he'll feel more at ease about letting me leave a room.

He's speaking almost all Spanish and I'm speaking almost all English but somehow it's working. When he says something in Spanish I repeat what I think he said in English and we work it out that way. He seems to understand quite a bit of English and I think he's understanding more everyday.

My heart is just so happy. I keep thinking "How can this be true?" but it's not for me to ask how or why. It's an answer to a prayer, this is. And I'm going to enjoy every moment I have with him.

Oh, one more sweet story...There's a pillow that sweet Catherine made for us with a row of four houses. One of the first things we did with Alfredo, way back when he first arrived, was talk to him about who lived in each house. Rich was playing this game again with him the other day...asking who lives here? "Amy!" and here "Rich!" and here "ME!" and here? "No sé como se llama." (I don't know his name) Can you believe that this little guy can say so much? He's so marvelous. I'm so in love. You'll have to humor me a little while, my friends. Lucky for you he's so cute.

life is good...

We're back from California with Alfredo.

I feel like I'm in a dream...how can this really be happening? And I think Alfredo feels the same way. I can see him trying to work things out in his mind. He's so happy though. So happy. And so are we.

Here's a picture my friend Amy in Petaluma took of us at the park.

More later.

news

I officially closed my online Yahoo store yesterday. It was a big step. Boy, was it ever hard to push the "cancel my account" button. But, honestly, I've been forking out hundreds of dollars for a while now for an inactive storefront.

It's not bad news...it's just change.

I archived all of the old issues of Inspired Ideas...hopefully all the links work, etc. Go here to see the new, very condensed site. If you spot a problem, let me know por favor.

See? I'm brushing up on my español...getting ready for the trip to pick Alfredo up. I leave tomorrow. I don't think I'll be able to check in until I get back on Saturday.

To give you something pretty to look at until then...



I've made so many of these little worlds and I'll be filling up my new etsy shop with them when I get back. It will be my new naptime activity. Be on the lookout for that. It may take sometime, what with my new priority and all.

I'm so unbelievably happy. I can't even tell you how happy. Nervous too...but more than anything happy.

who's that girl?

I got a haircut today and when the stylist suggested we flat iron my hair I said "why not?"

I can't believe it's really me...everytime I look in the mirror, I can't resist swinging my hair around and vogue-ing it up. Seriously.

It'll only last until I wash it...and with the weather as damp as it is, maybe not that long. I'm going to try to keep it like this for as long as I can. In this picture, I look just like my sister Jessica. It's uncanny.

Hope you had a good weekend. And thanks for all the anniversary well-wishes and the blog-update tips. It's a work in progress (the blog and the marriage!)

hello world...

It was a rather low-key birthday celebration. We shared a burger from Five Guys and then caught a movie. We saw "The Soloist". (really touching and motivating)

Rich is off playing Ultimate this morning. I'm meeting up with a bunch of family and Rich for a birthday lunch in Old Town. I haven't ventured much out of bed...instead I've been tapping at the computer, cranking out a new look for the blog. (do you like?) I've got a few things in the works for inspire co. and this is just the first bit of it. More on that later.

I'm getting so excited about going to get Alfredo. We're absolutely giddy about it. I keep trying to imagine him here again and I just can't believe it. I can't even imagine it. What a gift even one more day will be with him.

Tomorrow is Rich's and my 12th anniversary. An even dozen. Still going strong. Still very much in love. More so (almost) every day.

happy birthday!

Happy Birthday to my Rich! (He's 40 today!)

Hope you have a perfect birthday (even though you have to work)! I hope your day is full of the most delightful birthday surprises.

You are, by far, the cutest 40 year old on the block.