Merry Christmas 2010

We can all think back to the time or the Christmas were things changed for us. I, like most people out there always got so caught up on the buying of gifts and the hustle & bustle that the Season always brought. But the Christmas of 2000 it all changed for me. In December 2000 I was in the MTC (Missionary Training Center) in Provo Utah. It was my 1st Christmas away from home and I was not sure what it was going to be like to be honest.

My view and the way I saw Christmas changed completely. I was taught the real meaning of Christmas. I realized that it wasn't about the gifts or even about the people you spend it with. I was so filled by the Spirit of the Season and I came to realize that because a babe was born in a manger my life was blessed and transformed. Elder Dalling H. Oaks came to speak to us on Christmas day. I still remember just being so excited to be able to hear an Apostle of the Lord, that in it self was the best gift. He told us that because we were there at the MTC someones Christmas would be brighter next year.That thought always stuck with me, I think because little did he know that the people I met on my mission would change my life. My life has been made brighter because I met them.

The next year I was in Kendall, Fl and my companion was Hermana Richins. The Elders were Elder Valladares (who was in my MTC District) & Elder Mendez. We were invited to spend the holiday with Familia Serrano. Just thinking of that day brings a smile to my face. The Serrano family is a family who opened their home to us and I wish I had the toughe of angels to be able to express the love I feel for them and the love they felt for us missionaries. They had recently moved to the US so things were sparse but the love that filled that home made me feel as if I was always in a mansion and I was the guest of honor.

Why these stories you ask? Well those Christmas have been amazing memories for me and not a Christmas goes by that I don't think of them. I don't know if I made the Serrano's Christmas brighter that year but I do know they have made my Christmases very merry indeed.

So as we celebrate the birth of our Savior, whether we are near or away from our loved ones may we take the time to think of the true meaning of Christmas, our Savior. I am always humbled when I read about the shepherds in the field and I can only imagine what they must have felt when the angel announced to the the birth of the Savior. That same Savior that had been prophesied by the Prophets was here. He was here to deliver them. The most amazing thing about it is that he still continues to deliver us today.

May the Spirit of Christmas be with you and your loved ones not only during the Christmas Season but throughout all the year. Sending you all my love and wishing you a very Merry Christmas.

Thanksgiving 2010

Well it is 1 am and I can't seem to fall asleep. I figured I would post my Thanksgiving post early since for the past few weeks I've been thinking about what I'm thankful for. This year has been a year of changes in my life. I have moved to a new city that I am madly in love with. I have a completely new and different job that I am enjoying.

So in the past few weeks I have been thinking about what things in my life am I really grateful for and I was surprised at things I have on my list.

1.I am thankful for the gospel in my life, for the peace that it brings to my life. Although things may not be going well or I may feel lost or alone I know I have a Father in heaven that loves me and knows me by name. I am so thankful for the Renton Spanish Branch. They have been so kind to me since I moved and I really feel that I am loved but mostly that I am part of the branch. It's an amazing feeling.

2. I am also thankful to have work because I know that unfortunately not everyone can say that at this time. What I have enjoyed most about my new job is how I am getting to enjoy my life now. Although I loved my old job and I adored my old boss I don't regret the decision I made to move.

3. I am very thankful for my family. Not that I don't love all my family but this year I am so thankful for Monico & Melissa. So here's my personal note to them this Thanksgiving. I wish I had eloquent words to express what you mean to me but even if I did it would not do you justice. I'm so thankful the Lord has thought enough of me to put you in my life. I'm thankful to feel part of something again. Melissa this year has brought so many changes in the dynamics of my life but I want to thank you for being my friend when I have needed one. For being such an awesome tour guide. For letting me enjoy the little things in life such as watching chick flicks, having a sushi buddy, and book bud as well (Although I might say you are my enabler there). Toto, oh where do I start you have always been someone I look up to. I am so proud of you and all your many achievements. Thank you for making me laugh and for being a man I can look up to. Thank you for allowing me to be my self but yet pushing me to be better. I love you guys and thank you for letting me be part of your life.

4-6. This following one is a bit of a combo. I am thankful for my sight. It's because of it that I have been able to enjoy one of my very favorite pass times which is reading. So I am thankful for books, they make me so happy! And finally because of my sight I am able to enjoy the beautiful State of WA. I'm in awe every morning as I drive to work because I get to see the beautiful Fall colors. I get to drive by Lake Washington every day. I love the drive to Mt. Rainer, to Forks, and the Olympics. The views never get old. I don't know but I can't help but feel closer to my Heavenly Father every time I see His hand in creation.

May you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving and may we have a thankful heart all throughout the year. I hope that I may notice the little things in my life and express my gratitude for them as well as express my love for all the people in my life that make me who I am. Happy Thanksgiving

Mt. St. Helen

Mt. St. Helen

My brother & his wife have recently purchased a new car, so in celebration we decided to do a road trip. My brother and I had never been to Mt. St. Helen and my sister-in-law had visited as a child.

There is only one way in & one way out, but the drive was great. The only downside to it was the coming down the mountain. As you drive up you have mountains on one side but on the way down it's pretty much nothing and there's no rails to give you the warm and fussy feeling that even if you get close to the ledge there's something to stop you. Plus I'm afraid of heights so I can't really tell you much about the trip down.

At one point you are able to see all three peaks: Mt. Rainer, Mt. Adams, and Mt. Hood which I thought was pretty cool. As you see the trees you get a picture of the magnitude of the eruption. The lake is nonexistent and whatever is left is covered by tree trunks from 1984. The intersting part is that the front and back of the mountain are like night and day. The direction of the eruption is bare with dead trees, and no green whatsoever, but the other side it's still a beautiful forest. It was a very nice road trip.

Oktoberfest: Leavenworth, WA

Oktoberfest: Leavenworth, WA

As I mentioned in one of my last postings some small towns in Washington have themes to them and Leavenworth is one of them. Leavenworth history begins with the two Native American tribes that first lived there. The Chinook & Wenatchi tribes lived there and then pioneers came in search of gold.

With the arrival of new settlers came the rail road as well as the logging industry. The towns economy thrived but then the railway moved and with the decline of the logging industry the once flourishing town was at the brink of extinction. In the 1960's the towns leaders in hopes of bringing tourist to revive the economy decided to change the appearance of the town. Leavenworth was given a Bavarian look. Their bright idea worked for them.

Oktoberfest was so much fun, people were very nice and the town really goes all out for the festival. There are several festivals throughout the year but Oktoberfest is one of their biggest ones. Although it was raining that did not stop us from having fun.

So with Oktoberfest I welcome the Fall.

Ended the Summer in Style

I love baseball. I'm personally a Yankee fan but I have to admit that Mariners fans make going to the ball games such an enjoyable experience. My brother is a Martinez Foundation Fellow. The foundation gives scholarships to minorities who are seeking a teaching career. My brother is one of the lucky recipients of their generous gift for higher education. What does this have to do with baseball you ask?

Well it has everything to do with baseball. The founder of the Martinez Foundation is none other then Mr. Edgar Martinez, former Mariners 3rd Baseman. Not only does my brother get a scholarship but he also gets sweet perks and this brings us to "Ending our Summer in Style". I had the opportunity to watch the last game for the Mariners in a Suite Box.

It was AMAZING!! We had so much fun enjoying the game and having fun with friends. So here are a few of the pictures from the game.

Summer Reads

As many of my friends know I LOVE to read. With that said I just don't read anything, I like to stick more to the Classics like Dickens, Austen, and Shakespeare. All that changed after my friend April convinced me to read Twilight. Whether you are a fan or not I have become more open to other books. I have also noticed how now a days anyone can call themselves an author.

Seattle is ranked as one of the top most literate cities in the nation, and with that comes amazing book finds at your local Goodwill Stores. Most of the books are priced between 99 cents to $1.99. We also have Half-off Books which is another amazing store. So in cleaning my room the other day I found all these books I have read so I'm attaching a picture of them because I really enjoyed reading them. In total I read 12 books but two of them were just painful to finish.

Some of them made me think, others reminded me of my amazing girlfriends and the bond that we have, and others made me realize how I wasted my time on such an awful book. So thank you April for forcing me to read Twilight and asking me to open my mind to other authors that although they may not be Dickens they still can make their mark in the literary world.

Camp Zarahemla

I have gone camping more during my few months here in Washington than I have in my whole time in California. This Summer I went camping with my sister-in-law's family to Camp Zarahemla. I was very excited because I was able to check off one thing off my "Bucket List".

I have always wanted to go canoeing, it just looks so much fun. Well let me tell you it was even better then I had imagined. I have made the drive through Mt. Rainer and it never gets old. I am amazed and in awe of its beauty. I always feel closer to my Heavenly Father during those drives because one can't help but see His hand in the creation of such beauty.

Yakima Valley

Here are some pictures of the Yakima Valley at it's best.

Summer Days

The Summer of 2010 was a great one for me. The interesting thing about it was that I was without a job but to be honest I was so happy. Everything I had planned went completely wrong but yet again I was so content with what I had & was able to enjoy the time off.

When I really thought about it this Summer was the 1st Summer in over 10 years that I actually had off. It reminded me of being a kid and how we would count down for Summer to get here. There was this sense of freedom and adventure that comes with it.

One of our road trips took us to the small towns of the Yakima Valley. The first time I saw the Valley it was during the Winter and it did not make a good impression on me. It was so dead and gray compared to the lush green of Seattle.

It is during the Summer that the Yakima Valley is at its best. The hills are covered with green and the vineyards are flourishing. As you drive towards the Tri-Cities the view reminded me of Tuscany.

Some of the small towns have themes to it, which I find interesting. Toppenish is known for it's murals but there are other towns that missed the target, like Granger. They decided to make their theme dinosaurs, yes I'm serious dinosaurs. I have no idea why they thought this was a great idea but I guess if you want people to talk about your town the goal was accomplished. So here are some of the pictures from my Summer.

Family, Friends, & Life

So these past few weeks have been interesting for me mainly because I've had people just over share about things. I think it all started with my Branch Presidents wife telling me how she was constipated for almost two days right before Sacrament meeting. Then my co-worker somehow finds the need to tell me very personal matters everyday.

I guess I have always considered myself a private person. I have always felt that people should be on a need to know basis. Maybe thats a little strange but that seems to work for me. My close friends pretty much know everything about me & they could really tell you some stories & I know everything about them. Having people over share things made me realize how much I miss my friends. I wish they could all live near & we could hang out & have tons of fun but we are all chasing our own dreams & living our lives where the Lord needs us to be.

Although I miss them tons I'm very excited when I get a call with an announcement of a new baby or engagement or just to catch-up. But having these random people tell me their crazy stories has also made me realize how much we all just want to be listened to and need that human connection. I'm all about texting, updating my status on facebook or writting on my blog but as much as I love technology I have to admit that it cuts out good old fashion communication.

I've been here in Seattle for almost 7 months (yikes already?) and the thing that I have enjoyed the most is being near my family. I feel like I have a sleepover with my sister-in-law everynight because we can be silly, vent, go shopping or have a girls night out and I get to hang out with one of the men I admire most, my brother. I know I have family & friends although scattered that love me and that makes life good.

Well thats it for me, we'll see what new crazy stories people have for me this upcomming week.

An Aha Moment

As most of you know I was born in Mexico and moved to the US at an early age and grew-up in Southern California. Growing up I was always stuck in the middle because I knew I was not from the US but yet at the same time I felt like a tourist in my own country when I visited. Everyone assumed that because I'm Mexican I must have worked in the field or have been a housekeeper. I have not. We actually make fun of my sister-in-law Melissa because she has done a lot of those jobs. So we tell her that it's not Mexicans taking jobs from Americans it's Melissa taking jobs from Mexicans. It wasn't until I served my mission that I came to love my culture and really gain a pride of where I came from. That was my first "Aha" moment. The second was last night.

I'm currently working at a company that deals with logistics and I do the Customs paperwork & verify everything is in order & shipments are ready to go. Well sometimes shipments take forever to clear customs so I'm just sitting there bored out of my mind. So I decided to go help the people in the warehouse.

Most of the people there are immigrants from all over Latin America. I've met people from Mexico, Honduras, and even a Russian kid. I was helping Yuliana from Mexico who's 4 months pregnant. I helped pull 3 orders for a last minute order. I felt so proud of myself but then I saw all the work they did and was just humbled by it. They are a hard working group of people. In that shift alone they loaded to full capacity 4 18-wheelers, unloaded 3 and that was just what I saw. I left at 11:30pm and they were still working.

I know lately the subject of immigration has been on peoples minds. I hear about it on the news all the time. We even crack jokes about it like the whole "Anchor Babies" (Thank you John Stewart) And this post is not to take sides because everyone will have their opinions and they are entitled to them. But my "Aha" moment was that I was once again reminded that I am very proud to come from where I came from. I'm thankful for all the sacrifices my parents have made to bring me and raise me in this country. After working for the US Navy I also gained a great appreciation for the men & women in uniform who provide me the freedom I enjoy. After I became a citizen of the US I finally felt like I was home. We are all immigrants in one way or another and that's what made me fall in love with this country was it's diversity and the amazing people that make it what it is, like those people from work.

I'm Mexican and part Irish and I'm proud of my heritage :-) So feel free to post your thoughts and maybe write where you came from as well. Until next time

Whidbey Island

I love this sign! I had to go back 2x to take the picture because the light kept changing and I had cars behind me. It was after, that I realized there is a park right next to the ferry entrance that I could have parked to get the picture. Oh well leave it to me to make things more difficult.