Fruits of our Labor

One of the things that appealed to us about this property was its verdant lawn and the wonderful array of fruit trees that line the backyard. Today, these fruit trees are a veritable cornucopia of nature's goodness. During the cold winter months, our orange tree is adorned with large, plump, juicy oranges. Their bright orange color radiates a glow of warmth on an otherwise cold and gray season. In the summer months, Mother Nature sprinkles our yard with virtually every color of the rainbow. From red-orange tomatoes that hang so delicately from their vines, to mouth-watering lemons that are perfectly yellow, clusters of crisp, green apples too heavy for their branches, two-toned nectarines that are deliciously tart, and deep-purple plums that are refreshingly sweet.

In as much as we are blessed with an abundant supply of fruit, we are equally burdened with the task of picking up fruit that have fallen to the ground. Overripe, smelly, decomposing, bug-infested fruit! Small wonder that the children have developed a mild disdain for this particular chore.

Armed with little more than gloves and plastic bags, we set out to rid our yard of decaying fruit. It was on such a day, crouched in the shade of the apple tree, enveloped in the pungent aroma of rotting fruit, and gingerly picking up globs of mush, that this prayer came to me:

Thank you God for the sense of smell
That I am able to appreciate all that nature has to offer.

Thank you God for the use of my arms
With which to swat these pesky fruit flies.

Thank you God for the ability to hear
The sweet sound of my children's voices;
Even when they cry out, "Yuck","Ewww",
and "Do we have to do this?"

Thank you God for the gift of sight
That I may bear witness to life's everyday miracles.
Like the trees that give life to fruit
And the fruit that give life to tiny, little creatures.

Suddenly, picking up fruit doesn't seem so bad.

Seeing the forest for the trees

The view along Highway 50 towards Lake Tahoe is truly a sight to behold. The narrow, winding roads, centuries-old trees, ageless boulders, formidable stone walls, steep mountainsides, tranquil creeks, and rustic cabins. Driving along, we marveled at nature's glory and splendor in anticipation of our family vacation to south Lake Tahoe.

For me, this vacation was a chance to let my hair down -- figuratively and literally. While on vacation, the words chores, piano, and workbook were noticeably absent from my vocabulary. It was as if the mountain breeze had toppled my stack of priorities like a house of cards. I surprised even myself by resisting the urge to make the bed first thing in the morning. And I'm sure I surprised my children by not requiring them to do likewise. The summer sun seemed to melt away our cares of yesterday and our worries of tomorrow. We lived in the moment.

And so while our house sat empty and quiet, we sat poolside amidst the sounds of water splashing and children laughing. The cries of "Marco! Polo!" reverberating through the air. While mail accumulated in our mailbox at home, pictures of our vacation accumulated in our camera. While our To-Do list hung steadfastly on the refrigerator, I hung on ever-so-tightly to my children as we raced across Lake Tahoe on a speedboat. And while our sun-loving tomatoes turned riper and redder with each passing day, our sun-drenched skin turned tanned and golden.

Now that we are back, and the children's summer vacation draws to a close, we can forge ahead with invigorated spirits to face the hectic school schedule that lies ahead. Oh how I wish to have a few more months of these carefree summer days.

To see pictures of our vacation, view our slideshow (with background music)!!

Are you a MOM?

Although multitasking is not exclusive to women, many of us, especially mothers, have become quite adept at it. The ability to multitask could mean the difference between surmounting obstacles versus being overrun by them. Which begs the question, are you a MOM? You know, a Master Of Multitasking? Extreme organization and forward-thinking are paramount to becoming a MOM. A MOM is analogous to a well-oiled machine. She can run a household, manage finances, run a part-time business, coordinate social functions, head the school PTA, take up charitable causes, and still manage to devote ample quality time for her family. The list goes on. To a degree, I strive to be a MOM; but mostly I am just a regular mom. You know, the kind with a perpetual To-Do List. The kind of mom who finds herself folding laundry at 11:00 p.m. while watching the late night news. The kind of mom who, at the end of the day, wishes she had more time to complete certain tasks.

If life were an ocean, a MOM would glide swiftly to shore; whereas a regular mom would dog-paddle through the water. We enter into motherhood without the imprimatur of any formal training. We learn on the job, gaining invaluable experience and wisdom along the way. For me, combating the effects of sleep deprivation was perhaps the most difficult. Combined with the baby’s crying spells and nursing around the clock, it was quite overwhelming. I was elated with my new baby, yet there were fleeting moments of despair. I can honestly say that being a first-time mother was tantamount to a deer caught in headlights. Fortunately, the baby blues gradually faded over time; and once I got my bearings (and a little more sleep at night) life seemed “normal” again and my world was turned right-side up again. I even found ways to do ordinary chores with a baby in tow. For instance, I found a way to cook while rocking baby in the infant carrier using my foot! I learned to wash dishes, dust, and vacuum with one hand while holding baby in the other.

These days, as a mother of three, my multitasking skills are always put to the test. At home, I bounce from child to child, activity to activity. All of my senses are on overdrive. My ears are tuned in to Joseph’s piano playing; my eyes and lips follow the words on Mary’s book; my brain is focusing on a math problem that Danielle needs help with; and my hands are busy stirring a pot or chopping vegetables. On the road, the children and I talk about anything under the sun and I am peppered with stories and remarks. My brain undergoes mental gymnastics as I respond to each of them as attentively as I can. Danielle says, “Oh mommy, there were French exchange students at our school today and everyone was following them around. Celeste gave one of them a hug (giggle).” “Did you meet any of them?” I ask. Then Joseph says, “I played basketball at recess today. But Jordan never passes the ball and it’s not fair.” “That’s great, but it’s too bad Jordan doesn’t pass the ball. Who else was on your team?” I reply. Just then Mary chimes in excitedly, “Mommy! Mommy! That man is riding a bike without a helmet!” And to this I respond, “Tsk, tsk, he really should wear a helmet, shouldn’t he? A helmet will keep him safe in case he falls.” It is almost like being in a Seinfeld episode, and I can’t help but be amused.

As mothers, we become a hybrid of sorts: part teacher, counselor, spiritual leader, cheerleader, chauffeur, life coach, nurse, psychologist, problem-solver, caretaker, playmate, and friend. The list goes on. In retrospect, I realize that multitasking has always been a part of my life with a few subtle changes. For instance, I used to read the newspaper while having breakfast. These days, I also read Mother Goose nursery rhymes while Mary eats her breakfast. On leisurely afternoons, I used to take up a hobby or paint my fingernails. Today, playing board games, coloring, and painting are our leisure activities. And just as I knead dough to make biscuits for dinner, I also knead Play-Doh.

It’s amazing how these subtle changes make such a remarkable difference in our lives; but more importantly, in the lives of our children.

Here’s another take on motherhood from the “William Tell Overture Mom”. If this is your first time seeing this video clip, you’re in for a treat. If you’ve seen it before, it is definitely worth seeing again!

A Tribute to Mothers Everywhere

Black & white photo
(from left to right):
Seated: Michelle, Rose (on Mom's lap),

Mom, Vivian

Standing: Melody

Not pictured are Grace (youngest of 7)

and 2 older brothers, Ray and Paul.

Fast forward 38 years later...

Colored photo

(from left to right):

Back Row: Grace, Melody, Rose

Front Row: Vivian, Mom, Michelle

Today, four out of five sisters are

"mommies" with 10 children between us.

A Tribute to Mothers

-Anonymous

This is for all the mothers
Who have sat in rocking chairs
For hours on end soothing crying babies
Who can't be comforted.

This is for all the mothers
Who show up at work
With spit-up in their hair

Milk stains on their blouses

And diapers in their purse.

This is for all the mothers
Who run carpools and make cookies
And sew Halloween costumes.
And all the mothers who DON'T.

This is for the mothers
Who gave birth to babies they'll never see.
And the mothers who took those babies
And gave them homes.

This is for the mothers
Whose priceless art collections
Are hanging on their refrigerator doors.

This is for all the mothers

Who froze their buns on metal bleachers

At football or baseball games
And that when their kids asked,
"Did you see me, Mom?" they could say,
"Of course, I wouldn't have missed it for the world,"
And mean it.

This is for all the mothers
Who go hungry, so their children can eat.

This is for all the mothers
Who read "Goodnight, Moon" twice a night for a year.
And then read it again, "Just one more time."

This is for all the mothers
Who taught their children to tie their shoelaces
Before they started school.
And for all the mothers who opted for Velcro instead.

This is for all the mothers
Who teach their sons to cook
And their daughters to sink a jump shot.

This is for all the mothers
Whose children have gone astray,
Who can't find the words to reach them.

This is for all the mothers
Of the victims of recent school shootings
And the mothers of those who did the shooting.

This is for all the mothers
Who taught their children to be peaceful
And now pray they come home safely from a war.

The emotions of motherhood are universal
And so our thoughts are for young mothers
Stumbling through diaper changes and sleep deprivation.
And for mature mothers learning to let go.
For working mothers and stay-at-home mothers.
Single mothers and married mothers.
Mothers with money, mothers without.

In the end we can only do the best we can.
Tell them every day that we love them.
And pray.

Happy Birthday Honey!

Born on April 12 forty-some years ago, Dan weighed 8.5 lbs and measured 21 inches long. The youngest of 3 children, Dan was the “baby” of the family and the cheeriest. According to his mother, Dan used to “wake up singing” in the morning, bright-eyed and bushy-tailed. Other stories I've come to know revolve around Dan’s boyhood mischief and adventure. Like the time when Dan walked out of the house and wandered aimlessly around the neighborhood. He was 2 years old! I can just imagine the agonizing moments his mother endured while searching for him with the help of neighbors. And later, incredible relief when they found him a few blocks away from home. Or like the time when he was ordered to “Stay in the closet, or else!” as punishment for misbehaving. While in the closet, nature called, and suffice it to say that Dan unduly baptized his brother’s favorite train set. Then there was the time when Dan and his friend decided to play a prank on their friends. One cold, winter morning, the two boys decided to water the driveway. After some time, they proceeded to call friend after friend asking each one to “come over and play.” Unbeknownst to these poor boys, the driveway had been coated with a thin sheet of ice, causing them to slip and slide on their bikes. Luckily, no one was hurt and they all had a good laugh out of it.
Ah, childhood memories.
Mischief and pranks aside, Dan grew up in a very loving home with a mother who sacrificed greatly in order that her children could have a stable home. As a 12-year old boy, Dan was the youngest All-Star to play for PAL Football. He was also voted MVP in his baseball league. In college, Dan graduated from San Jose State University with honors and a member of the Dean’s List. Today, Dan is a husband and father with three young children. Along with those roles and responsibilities, he is also the family’s handyman, mechanic, gardener, weekend chef, occasional laundry person, comic relief, and sports coach. Dan also helps with the nightly routine by doing the dishes every night after dinner. He is a man with many hats. Of all the hats he wears, one of his favorites is the one labeled "Coach Daddy". He derives great pleasure in coaching his children's sports activities and teaching them about nuances of the game. He delights in watching them compete as he once did. At 6’4”, Dan looms large on and off the field. With a booming voice to match, he has earned a reputation for being a “mildly-intense and boisterous” coach. It is not unusual to see him exchanging good-humored quips with the other coaches, or engaging in friendly banter with team parents on the sidelines. As a coach, Dan also has a serious side. He coaches with the very best intentions of helping the children reach their fullest potential. His coaching style would be a tremendous asset to any team.
So today, on his forty-something birthday, we wish him lifelong health, happiness, and togetherness as a family.
Happy Birthday Honey!