I have been busy

I have been busy these past couple of week. My friend and I have made 13 pillow cases to donate to a local hospital (in RS we have been making, quilts, pillowcases, knitted hats and lap blankets to donate).

I have been shopping for Christmas and wrapping presents and trying to figure out how we are bringing them to Utah. Thankgoodness they fit in these suitcases but I still have some in a bag that I have to figure out where I am going to put them.

I have also been knitting infinity scarves.

A tale of two cultures

I am reading a book by Elder Richard G. Scott called "Finding Peace, Happiness and Joy". It is a wonderful book. I came to a section in the book about understanding differences in cultures. I was amazed at how well he knows my Hispanic culture. He speaks about how unintended yet real offense can arise from not respecting deeply held traditions or cultural differences. He says that one must make every effort to understand and to accommodate, when possible, those differences and failure to do so can seriuosly complicate communication and can cause unintended severe offense. Then he said, "Consider, for example, the differences between individuals of Anglo-Saxon descent and those born in a Latin culture. The wonderful Latin people are warm and genuine, easily showing love and emotion. They make new friends easily. Where there is love and trust and a perceived need, they are most generous in sharing what they possess. I have seen Latin missionaries share with companions their meager clothing when there was a need." Then he said about the Anglo culture, "an anglo is viewed as cold, unfeeling, stern, too regimented, and rigorous. When Anglo-Saxons talk among themselves or with a Latin, they stand at a substantial distance. That creates in one of Latin heritage feelings of aloofness and cold restraint that undermine sincere gestures of friendship. On the other hand unless that trait is understood, when a Latin friend talks with an Anglo the former seems to stand uncomfortably close, appearing to invade too soon the other's private space".

This is sooo true!!!! I grew up in Puerto Rico and I have lived in the States since 1983 and I am married to an American so I think I know both cultures really good!! But I still struggle with this. My dad LOVED America and its people and culture. My mom had a hard time with Americans and I know that, this is in part, why she did not want to move to the States. She always said to me how cold Americans were and complained that they were too stern, that they did not have feelings or did not express their feelings. I always tried to defend Americans to her and I tried to tell her that not all Americans were like that. But the truth is I also struggle. MOST Hispanics are very emotionally intense. We overreact about everything, we worry like crazy, we like to dance, we are extremely happy or extremely sad. We like to 'tell it like it is'. If we don't like something, we tell you!! I have had to stop myself so many times because that is not the way Americans do things, Americans think before they speak, most of the time we don't. Brent and I, I think, have done a great job at fusing our cultures. He knows me so well, he ignores me, hahaha. I have to admit that at times I have to remind him to show more emotion, because when he doesn't, it DRIVES me crazy. It is very hard at times not to get offended, so I try to understand that, it is just the way Americans are and they don't mean it!! So my wish is for both cultures to understand each other. Don't put me down for being honest or thinking I am crazy for showing so much emotion about things. Brent likes to tell me to not worry so much, but you know, I can not control it, it is such a part of me, to worry like crazy!!! I get mad when he tells me not to worry, so I have to understand that he doesn't worry like I worry and that is the way he is. I feel so lucky though to be in America!! It hasn't been easy I have had to adapt, but not change who I am. When I was a kid America was so far away, a place I went for vacation, and a place I loved to visit and maybe someday live there. I loved visiting Florida as a kid, going to Disney World was awesome!! I never thought I would live here in Orlando. To me leaving Puerto Rico and my family was hard. I am thankful to be here and to know and love this culture. To me, every morning I wake up I am living my dream, my dream of coming to America!!!!

Christmas decorating

This year we decided to just have a few decorations out. We are keeping it simple.

This nativity I got in Puerto Rico a few years ago.

This one I bought in Puerto Rico a couple of years ago.

Santa Claus at Downtown Disney

We went to Downtown Disney to do a little Christmas shopping and to visit Santa Claus. At Downtown Disney you can take your own pictures with Santa, they don't make you pay for their picture like other places do.

Doing a little shopping.

Just being silly.

Waiting in line to see Santa Claus.

Conner with Santa Claus.

Thanksgiving 2011

We had a great Thanksgiving. I was too busy and did not take a lot of pictures.

Dessert table.

Brent working in the kitchen.

We had the Ocasio's and the Olvera's families for Thanksgiving.

School party and other happenings

This is my friend Grace Medina. She was my primary teacher when I was about 10. I told her story in a previous post. Her family joined the church because of my dad.


On Friday Conner had a party at school. He had to dress up as a colonist. He needed to wear pants tucked into long socks and a white, long sleeve shirt.

His teacher gave them a book as a gift.

Cute treat, a chocolate covered marsmallow on a cookie.

With Mr. Simms.

Because I was there helping, he got to go home early with me and he was happy!!

Today I visited my aunt's Branch (Spanish). In this picture is my aunt Rosael, my friend Dalma (we grew up together) and my cousin Esther.

Funny story!!

Today Brent and I were working in the backyard and Conner was in the house playing Angry Birds on my cell phone. Conner, I guess knows how to send texts!! He sent a text to what he thought was Brent's cell phone and this is what he sent: Dad can you help me. He wanted Brent to help him with the game. Well he sent it to a contact that said; mom and dad, thinking it was Brent's cell phone, instead it was mom's home phone number. Mom called Brent's cell wondering what that was???? Brent was confused but only for a minute, Conner told us he had sent it!!!

A little bit of heavenly inspired knowledge

Sometimes when we are not expecting it we kind of get little bits of what I call "heavenly inspired knowledge". Today I had just that, and while I was jogging. Maybe it was just being outside feeling the wonderful cool air, I just love how free I feel when I run. Tonight we were invited to dinner with the Stake RS president and the counselors. The theme is Mexican so I offered to bring a flan, and they are all excited about it. I have to say I love my flan, it is pretty good. I wanted to give each sister a gift so I made pumpkin chocolate chip cookies for them. I was thinking of what I could write in a note for them, I wanted to thank them because they have been so wonderful to me, and they tell me and Brent and even their husbands have told us how thankful they are to have me as the secretary. They really have made me feel so good. At our first presidency meeting the President welcomed me and said how she had been waiting for me for so long. She asked for me back in the spring but because I had just been called to second counselor in the RS in my Ward and then my Ward was split she was told to wait a little while. Needless to say they really have made me feel loved and needed. As I started my run today the thought came to my head about something I had just read a few days ago. I read in an article about how when the General RS president sister Julie B. Beck was a young wife and mother, her mother was her neighbor. One day her mother told her that they were moving far away to another part of the world. Sister Beck was very sad and asked her mom "Who is going to be my mother? I don't remember the exact words but her mother answered something like you have the Relief Society sisters to help you and if you never see me again in this life the Relief Society is there for you. Well I cried the whole 2 miles. The thought came to my mind"my mom passed away but now I have these three wonderful women to inspire me". And you know what, knowing how much my mom worried about her kids, grandkids and great grandkids she probably had something to do with it, at least I want to think so. She wanted me to be taken care of, and she did not want just anyone, she actually sent what I think are some really incredible women. I am saying this in all humility, not to boast, because I am not that kind of person. I have been told by so many sisters, how blessed I am to be working with these women, they are amazingly spiritual and so humble!! I normally don't share personal things in here but since it is mostly family and close friends that read my blog I feel it is ok. A few months ago, around March or April, when I heard that the Stake Relief Society secretary was released, I had a strong feeling in my heart that I would be called the next secretary. I kind of doubted the feeling and did not tell Brent about it. Later when the Stake Relief Society presidency came to visit our meeting, as I saw them come in, again I had that same feeling, this time so strong I had to hold back tears. A couple of weeks after that, President Johnson called my cell phone and asked if he could come over to talk to me and Brent. When I hung up the phone I told Brent about what I had felt and that I already knew that he would be extending that calling. These past few months have been a testimony builder to me. After my run this morning and having had all these thoughts while I ran, I came home and knew exactly what I needed to write in their "Thank you" notes and I also said a little thank you to my mom who continues to look after me and inspire me even if she is not here with me.

Relief Society

The Stake Relief Society President asked me to go to the Windy Ridge Ward (Spanish Ward) Relief Society visiting teaching conference on Friday. I got there and they were sitting in the Primary room waiting to get started and play a "getting to know" you game. As we (hispanics) always do, I started to give hugs and kisses to everyone in the room. I started with the sisters I already knew and moved down the row of chairs. When I got to one of the sisters she asked what my last name was, I said Hanson, she no "your" last name and I said Gonzalez. She said to me, Maria Eugenia, don't you remember me. I looked at her and I knew her face and I knew that I knew her but I could not remember her name. She said I am Grace and I said Grace Medina!! She then told everyone in the room how she joined the church in 1975. I thought that I would share that here because it involves my dad. Back in 1975 my dad was a volunteer at the hospital where my mom worked. He would go and visit the patients (mostly US military veterans like him) and help cheer them up and help with their paper work. My dad was retired from the military and could not work due to a back injury. Well, one day he was visiting with a patient and he was doing missionary work. We had just been baptized in 1974, so he loved sharing the gospel. Grace's mom was a nurse taking care of the patient that was on the bed next to the patient my dad was talking to. Her mom listened to my dad. She went to him and asked what church was that. He told her The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints. After that she took the missionary discussions and she said that 9 days later their family was baptized. Grace was my primary teacher when I was 11 years old!! We were so happy to have seen each other again.

Today we got to go visit and train the RS presidency in the Windy Ridge Ward. It was so good to hear Sacrament talks and the RS lesson in Spanish. Before I went, Johanna the RS president, who is my good friend and we Zumba together, had asked me to help translate for the 2nd counselor who doesn't speak English. I said a prayer and asked Heavenly Father to help me. It is not easy to translate. I tried to do my best. Towards the end I felt that I could have done better, then I looked over at the sister and she was in tears!! I was asked to say the closing prayer in Spanish, it had been forever since I had said the prayer in Spanish. When we were finished the sister gave me a hug and asked me to please tell the RS Stake President and the counselors that eventhough she did not understand what they were saying in English she had felt the spirit!! I was feeling bad because I thought I could have done better, but after that I felt good. When you are doing the Lord's work he really helps you. It doesn't matter that she did not understand English, she felt the Spirit!

11-11-11

Today's date is pretty cool!! Today is what people like me, who have become Floridians, call "cold". It was in the 40's last night and this morning when I took Conner to school it was 50 degrees. The problem here is that when it is cold, most of the time it is also windy and it feels colder. But I am not really complaining, I like to wear my winter clothes and especially my boots!!! Besides, the cold weather is a welcome change to the terrible heat of summer!!!

Happy Anniversary!

On November 9th, 1990 we were sealed in the LA temple, 21 years ago. It is sad that this is the only picture we have of that special occasion. I was 4 months pregnant with Alison.

Today is my Mom's Birthday!!

Today would have been my mom's 77th birthday. She was born Luz Idalia Sotomayor Ramirez, (in Puerto Rico we use both our dad's and mom's last names, Ramirez is my grandma's and Sotomayor is my grandpa's last name), in Ponce, PR, on November 8, 1934. So, if we lived in Puerto Rico my kids would be Hanson Gonzalez, that sounds cool!! This picture shows how my mom looked like when I left Puerto Rico, this is how in my mind's eye I will always remember her. I think it is because this is how I left her, strong and young, about 48 years or age. When I saw her last she did not look good, to me she did not look like her! I don't want to remember her like that. It has been a difficult past few months. It is crazy but I now cry over everything, at church on Sunday Brent was teaching Gospel doctrine and he was teary so that made me cry, then in Relief Society the lesson made me cry and so when they asked me to say the closing prayer, I cried during the prayer!! I hope it gets better with time, I used to be able to control myself before and now I can't!

My family, at church one Sunday. I think I was about 16, my hair was BIG!! Just before my brother went on his mission. That was my favorite dress to wear to church. My dad was about 58 years old and my mom was about 47 years old. My dad was 11 and 1/2 years older than my mom.

Happy Birthday Mami!!

Keeping a personal record

Jacob 4:3

Now in this thing we do rejoice; and we labor diligently to engraven these words upon the plates, hoping that our beloved bretheren and our children will receive them with thankful hearts, and look upon them that they may learn with joy......

President Kimball said: "On a number of occasions I have encouraged the saints to keep personal journals and family records. I renew that admonition. We may think there is little interest or importance in what we personally say or do-but it is remarkable how many of our families, as we pass on down the line, are interested in all we do and all that we say. We hope you will begin as of this date. If you have not already commenced this important duty in your lives, get a good notebook, a good book that will last through time and into eternity for the angels to look upon. Begin today and write in it your goings and comings, your deepest thoughts, your achievements and your failures, your associations and your trimphs, your impressions and your testimonies. We hope you will do this for our brothers and sisters, for this is what the Lord has commanded, and those who keep a journal are more likely to keep the Lord in remembrance in their daily lives."

I have never been very faithful at keeping a journal, but I have been very good at blogging. I love my blog. At the end of the year I turn it into a book. It is exciting to think that someday my grandchildren and great grandchildren will be reading it.

Conner's 2nd grade picture

I love See's candies!!

Brent is so wonderful, he surprised me with a box of See's candies!!!!

Parker

I always knew that Parker looked a lot like my dad, ever since he was born he had my dad's face. Here is a picture of my dad when he was 18 years old.





Here is Parker's new school picture, at 15 years old in 10th grade. It is crazy how much they look alike!!

Happy Halloween 2011

Crazy things you see in people's homes, this one went up and made creepy sounds when you clapped.

Some dude hanging.

Conner trick or treating with friends. Parker was off somewhere in the neighborhood trick or treating with his friends.

Parker in his "cool" costume.

Conner wanted to be a ghost and I decided I would make it this year.

Trunk or Treat

On Saturday we had our Ward's Trunk or Treat. I wanted to take a picture of Parker but he was never around long enough to take a picture!! He was off with his friends running around the parking lot.

Conner was a ghost but I don't know what I was!!!