Enero 2001 Archives

Yesteray I was taking a short nap after work when Elena came bounding up on the bed. After talking for a while, she put her hand on her chest and said - "Papi, listen..." I listened to her heart and had her listen to my heart. "Elena, That's your heart beating..." Her response: "Papi - is that Jesus in my Heart?"

Man, what can you say.... The spiritual realities have completely invated the world of physical observation. May her experience of Jesus in her heart be just that - as natural as holding her hand over her chest and hearing her "heart beep"

Out of the mouth of babes....

Soo every day I read the Madrid press to see if they say good things about my team - Atletico de Madrid and yesterday Atletico won a big game - unexpectedly beating a first division team in the cup competition. (If you are interested in the intrinsic inanities of the european soccer structures let me know and I'll come lecture..)

However not a peep on the front page of the press about a big game between two Madrid teams. Rather a front page blast about some hoser who spends a million on auction of tickets for a Real Madrid game in a month and a half. As if that is news...

Loosers. . .

On Saturday Marialice kindly let me take off for a day long hike. I had read about the Chattanooga Hiking Club and also about the Cohutta wilderness. I decided that this confluence of "interests" merited action, made contact and joined up. 17 of us hiked about 10 miles, down from the mountain side, accross the Conasauga river and up to a waterfall on Panther Creek. Then out again. Quite nice, quite sore. We were supposed to do a much harder climb coming out another trail (appropriately called "TearBritches") that would have crossed 4000 feet on its upper side. But when we tried to put our cars at the upper end we discovered the road was a sheet of ice, thought the trail would probably be so too, and thought the better of it (I was glad).

I'll post pictures when I get them back.

The folks were nice, the trail was wonderful, the legs are sore today and the thoughts of the next hike are lurking in the tomorrow.

Of course the primary thought process goes something like this. "I can't take the kids on a hike like this - I need to spend more time with Marialice - But I want to do more hiking, I'm envious of those that say -- I hike every week -- I know the committement I made to Marialice is more important than any attraction to another group or activity -- but I want to go back out to the forest" Ultimately I know the fate is cast! I cannot sacrifice what I have be given simply in order to go be and do that which I do not have. So I am heretofore merely an occasional hiker until such a time as things change -- until my family comes with me. Such is it...

Antonio is in a stage where he likes to wave his hands around. Not just up and down, hand open, typical stuff, but a wonderful arching of the wrists, movement of the fingers all while moving his arms up and down. For seven months I think it looks pretty sophisticated, not really like a South American preacher, but more like a particularly aesthetic culturesnob who can't quite get out what he thinks about the latest Gorecky syphony or Tansey painting. When I wave back - he gets really excited.

Elena will be a negotiator. After thowing a fit last night becuase she could not get her jammies out of the basket (I had mistakenly done it for her..) she started negotiating about compensatory treats. I may have made a mistake in even bringing up the idea. First it was one M&M, to which I acquiesced. But before long at all - she says "How about 2 M&M's and a sucker" and when I resisited, she starts crying "but I want a sucker.." Ever pushing along the way.

Antonio is starting to get the idea of Peek A Boo. put a blanket over his head, wait a minute and pull it off - and he smiles so big..

We put a empty plastic container in front of Antonio the other day and he was enthralled first with putting his toys in and out of it, and then after that he found the delight of beating on it. Do we have a cleaner drummer?

Elena - two - going on a modeling career, at least from the way she likes to look in the mirror at herself, or in the darkened window by the dining room table. She will just sit and watch herself goof off, act up, wiggle around - just to see how it looks.

Elena. We have been impressed with the spiritual sensititivy of this child. She is usually very quick to pray and seems to really enjoy memorizing bible verses. Gwen Green encouraged us not to dismiss this as merely a phase, but to encourage and commend her heart. This is a hard thing to do, but is important. Though I feel that we do not work very hard to help our daughter love the lord, she simply seems to have that in her in an essential and natural way. Our responsibiltiy is not to quench it, but stoke it futher. Hard to do.

New Year - new ideas - new Blogger. I've had the account for about a month and haven't been able to get it to work with my web page. A month of really not digging or trying to get it straightened out... Shame - such a shame. Well today we dig, today we work. Enjoy