Moving from the red into the black

The phrase I used to say to Eddie, whenever I would bring a purchase home would be "It was only $10 dollars". Which I thought if I could get something for $10 that was a bargain. But as we all know, all of those $10 can add up to $100.
We'll we've been on a get out of debt budget, and needless to say my $10 days are gone.

Well yesterday, I went to Dixie's to buy a charm for a friend, it's her birthday this week. See her birthday falls on the 29th of Feb, and since there will be no 29th this year, she celebrates all week long.

Anyways.. back to Dixies.. I bought her a charm, it was like $5, then I bought me a charm it was like $4, then I was looking for a chain, cause mine broke a while back. So I found one only $4. Isn't that good? I mean $4, not $65 which I would have paid at Zales. Granted the one I got is silver and not white gold, but it looks the same. And did I mention only $4.

Well I showed it to Eddie and he said something to the effect of needing to pay off credit cards... I don't know, wasn't really paying attention, cause I had a new chain, and it only cost me $4.

I think I'm getting better, heck I cut down my favorite phrase down more than half. I think that is real progress.

Eddie's all around me

I don't remeber the day that we met, we had mutual friends, who were dating each other. He knew my sister. They both worked at "the pawn shop", First Cash Pawn to be exact, but at different locations. At first glance, not the type of guy I would think of dating. He as 2.5 years younger than me, had a fade, and worked at the pawn shop. I had my eye on someone else, my age, and taller. Also named Eddie. To make the story smoother we'll call him Eddie H.
I remeber being at a party dancing with Eddie H. After the party we all went to eat at Wendy's. Eddie H. on one side of me, and Eddie V (my future husband) on the other side of me. Eddie V, just one of the guys. Eddie H, ended up being too conceited. He was fine and he knew it.
As the months passed Eddie V and I became friends. We also became dance partners, we had a blast. We hung out more and more until he met another girl. That is when I started looking at him in a whole different way....

Magical Moments

Isabel having fun with her Daddy.


Emma being Dora the Explorer

Book of Questions # 6

You discover that your wonderful one-year-old chld is, because of a mixup at the hospital, not yours. Would you want to exchange the child to try to correct the mistake?

My Answer: No, I would not exchange. But I would investigate to see if the child is in a good home, if not, then I would try to get custody.

A Day of Rest

Normally on Wednesday's I leave work, pick up the kids, go to the dollar store to buy stuff for my Mission Friends class, go to my sister's or in-laws house, feed the girls, pick up a someone, and head to church where I set up for class and get ready to teach about 6-9 two-three year olds. This is all in a 3 hour time span.
Well yesterday I was exhausted. After all my running around, my sister informed me that Emma had pink eye. Sad to say, but a wave of relief washed over me. I've got plenty of pink eye medicine at the house, so I made some phone calls, and one more trip to drop all my class material off and headed home.
My mom was there to greet me. Isabel was asleep, and stayed asleep. Emma was being spoiled rotten by my mom as I made chicken quesadillas. We watched American Idol, and I dozed off to never never land. I got the much need sleep that I needed. It's so nice to have a day off every once in a while.

Be at rest once more, O my soul, for the LORD has been good to you. Psalm 116:7

Pobresita (UPDATE)

The apartment complex that she was staying in moved her to a different complex in an other area of town. The new place is managed by Christians, who shared with her that they pray God will lead people to them that they can minister to. They are going to contact Mission Arlington, to furnish her apartment, and also help her with daycare. A program that works with victims of crime is paying for her hospital bills, and offering other aid.

God is so good.

Pobresita (Poor little one)

She has been through alot and she's only 21. Sunday night,as she locked the car door, with her 15 month old little boy in her arms, and diaper bag and purse thrown over her shoulder, she starts the long walk towards her apartment on the 2nd floor. The night was cold, scary, dark, the beer store is only 50 feet away. This is not the greatest part of town for a single young mom to be living.
She is not even 10 feet from her car, and out of nowhere three black guys rush to her, attacking her from all angles. The baby slips out of her arms, smacking face first to the ground. A beer bottle comes crashing on her head, and in a matter of 10 seconds her world is shattered yet another time.
Back in Cedar Hill, 30 minutes away from her, I get a phone call. She was so hysterical, I could only pick out a few words. I wasn't even sure who was calling. At first I thought it was my sister, but no.
"Attack...beer bottle, head, took purse, bible bag, keys"' My first response was "Did you call the cops"... "Are you in your apartment? Stay there I'm on my way"
Well, that was a lie... I couldn't leave... I didn't want to put my two girls in danger, so I called someone else.
"You gotta help her"....
I called her back and the paramedic on the other line said that she was fine, but that she was being transported to the hospital, and the baby would be with her.

It makes me sick to my stomach that there are people who have no value for life. They prey on defenseless women and children..babies.

Yesterday, I was going driving around a parking lot at a grocery store, and saw three black guys. They were dressed thuggish, and I couldn't help wondering if they were the ones, who shattered my friends world.

1988 - 1996

August 1989, I made my first entry in a diary. I found that diary the other day. I was in Jr High, High School, and College. I was boy crazy, had low self-esteem until I reached college, and then I had a blast. Why did I stop writing in 1996? Well that's when I met Eddie. I think I have a few entries in other journals, I just have to locate them. But here's a synopsis... It's been a roller-coaster ride. Lots of ups and downs, more ups than downs. Well now it's 2006 and I've started writing again, only this time it's online. Blogger needs to figure out a way where we can print out all our entries with a single click, just in case they ever shut down. I would hate to loose all this history. One day I want my girls to read my journals so that when they say "you don't understand"... I can point to page 5 in my journal and recant my experiences as a teenager, and say "oh but I do"

I have the best Daddy in the whole world

He owns everything, my picture is on His refrigerator, He loves me no matter what I do, He makes me laugh, He always surprises me with gifts. My daddy is God, the only daddy I've ever known.

Just Friday, I checked the mail and there was a refund check from my OB/GYN in the amount of 455.00. Wow what a gift.

Tag Your It

4 Jobs I’ve Had In My Life:

Indoor Grand Prix - Got to ride go-karts for free.
Bell Helicopter - Got to ride helicopters for free.
PSC - A web development company. I got to wear shorts to work
Motherhood - I work 24 hours a day.

4 Goals I Set For This Year:

Exercise daily. - I walk twice a day
Get into the Word more. - I do my devotional daily
Debt Free - We're selling the house
Scrapbook more - Doing this at least once a month.


4 Movies I Could Watch Over And Over:

Ferris Bueller's Day Off - Who doesn't envy Ferris?
Top Gun - There's just something about men in fighter jets.
Breakfast Club - Classic 80's
Clueless - Every girls dream, big house, fast car, and lots of clothes



4 Places I Have Lived:

Odessa, TX
Hurst, TX
Arlington, TX
Cedar Hill, TX


4 TV Shows I Love To Watch:

General Hospital
House
Extreme Makeover Home Edition
Grey's Anatomy


4 Places I’ve Been On Vacation:

Los Angeles, CA
San Antonio, TX
Oden, AK
Odessa, TX


4 Websites I Visit Daily:

Bloglines
Bank of America
Blogger.com
Yahoo


4 Of My Favorite Foods:

Mexican - Taco's de Asada
Mexican - Sopes
Mexican - Posole
Mexican - Ceviche

4 Places I’d Rather Be Right Now:

Home watching TV
A beach
Disney World
Playing at the park with my girls

So Now I’m Going To Tag…

Shelly, Jeff, Jeremy, Tammara, Paul

There is a time for everything....

Well we're going to do it. We're going to sell our gorgeous home. Why? Because we can make at least $100,000 from the sale. Do you know what we can do with that money? Pay off debt, and put the rest on a house that's in Arlington closer to our family, friends, and church. Eddie will be able to quit his part-time jobs, and I'll be able to put my salary in the bank and mutual funds. Then the Valenzuela household will be in balance again.

Gone will be the days where we are working for CitiMortage, or American Express. We will be able to serve our community more, spend more time with our 2 beautiful daughters, take family vacations, and secure a future for their college funds.

Pray that God will just open the doors for us that this will go according to his plan.

I'm so excited!

Better late than never

If you were to die this evening with no opportunity to communicate with anyone, what would you most regret not having told someone? Why haven't you told them yet?

My Answer: Nothing I would regret. I tell my family each day that I love them.

Cute Sayings #1

Every so often my kids will say and do things that crack me up. So I decided to log these little moments.

Scene: Target, Emma and Grandma using one basket, Belle and I using another basket.
We are in different parts of the store.

Me: Isabel, where's grandma?
Isabel: I don't know
Me: Isabel, we lost grandma.
Isabel: I didn't loss grandma. You loss grandma.

And the Oscar for favorite princess goes to........

Cinderella (Of course)

So Isabel (2 yrs) is asking me if she can wear her Cinderella dress (It's actually Belle's dress), but Isabel likes pretending that she's Cinderella. So she puts it on and I grab the ladder to get her crown off of a shelf.

"Can we dance to my song Mommy?" She's talking about Cinderella's song "A Dream is Wish Your Heart makes". So I put it on and we start to dance. Emma of course wants to join us. So there we are the 3 princesses dancing in the living room.

After the song finishes Isabel is standing there and says

"I want to thank everybody for..." I'm not sure what else she said, but it sounded alot like she was giving her speech for best actress.

Bare-Naked Ladies

Well not quite, but I feel that way. I left my purse at home. What does that mean you ask? Well for starters, I have no makeup on. More importantly no lipstick. My nose is shining and I've got dark circles under my eyes.
Of course the logical thing would be to run up to Walgreens and buy some more.
Did you not hear me? I left my purse at home. What does that mean you ask again? No money! Can't even go to the ATM. Nothing. So I'm just sitting here, kicking myself, thanking God that I at least have my gas card. You see at the Chevron on Post and Paddock there is a Quiznos attached and they take Chevron cards. Yeah. So I won't starve today, thank God.
Hey I wonder is they sell lipstick?

Book of Questions # 2

Do you believe in ghosts or evil spirits? Would you be willing to spend the night alone in a remote house that is supposedly haunted?

My Answer: "Yes, I believe in evil spirits. No way would I spend a night alone in a haunted house, I can barely be alone in my own house"

T.H.I.N.K

Was listening to a broadcast this morning, talking about how to divorce proof your marriage. On thing that was mentioned was an acrostic on thinking before speaking.

T - Truthful Is what you are saying truthful?
H - Helpful Is what you are saying helpful?
I - Inspiring Is what you are saying inspiring?
N - Necessary Is what you are saying necessary?
K - Kind Is what you are saying kind?

THINK before you speak.

Kids say the darnest things

We were at Mc Donalds this weekend, the kids were playing in the McPlay Place. There were 2 other little girls playing who were cousins. Here's the conversation as I heard it.

"Madeline, can you come with me, cause I might see a stranger, and he might get me, and then I won't get to be your cousin no more"

We were at church, playing Hide and Seek in the dark, we are hide and a 4-year old was seeking. I hear.

"8 - 9 - 10..... (then some crying)"
I came out and asked "What's wrong?"
She replied "I lost myself"

Me and the girls were playing outside behind the garage. Isabel says

"I want to go home"
"We are home."
"I want to go in there" she says pointing to the house.

Last night at church, a kid runs up to me

"Hma. Michelle, Mikey has a iPocket"
"A what?"
"iPocket"
"What's that" thinking somehow I'd lost my iPod
"You cut with it"
So I went to see what it was, and lo and behold it was a pocket knife.
I think what he was saying was a knife pocket, I heard iPocket, and what he meant was pocket knife.

The Good, The Bad, The Ugly

There are many times that we go through trials and wonder what good will come out of it. In the past several weeks I have seen God work in our lives.

The Bad
Two weeks ago Emma was sick with rotavirus. She had a lowgrade fever and diahrea.

The Good
Of course she and Isabel stayed home all week with Eddie. This was good, cause it allow the girls to have some alone time with their Dad, and to also give us the chance to get Isabel potty-trained.

The Bad
We've been living with debt for about a year, since Emma was born. I hate it. We struggled to get our tax money on time, but did it.

The Good
We totally have changed with way we look at money. We have become savers and not just excessive spenders. The Lord has now blessed Eddie with more cabinet work, and 2 part-time jobs apart from his full-time fire-fighter position. Now we will attack the debt with a vengence

The Bad
I have goals to meet at work. I'm stressed about one of the projects, which I have doubt that it will be completed on time.

The Good
I'm learning a new programming language. I feel that I'm growing in my education.

I'm in Pain....

I woke up this morning with a terrible stomach ache. I even changed into some jeans that weren't as tight, just so I could have a little bit of comfort. As I was driving, my stomach hurt so bad that I had to completely undo my jeans, and I though I was in early labor. I hope it goes away. Eventhough I'm exhausted, tense, and would rather be in bed, I don't want to take a sick day. I'll try to suck it up.