Drum Roll Please!!!

This is Victorious Stonewall Hernandez. Lovingly named after one of our favorite men in history. Stonewall Jackson. He is so much FUN. He doesn't even need to do anything but sit there and the fun begins. Already nearing his four month mark, we needed to get some pictures up of our Snuggle bug. Rest assured, he is so loved.

Sophia is an intense nurturer. Ever since she was itty bittier then she is now, she has taken care of people. When she played dolls, there was almost always two babies in her arms at once. When someone is sick, she is there with water, books, and whatever one needs. She draws pictures all day for her Daddy. She is intense in whatever she does. It is either sunshine or clouds in her little world. What a sweet little lady she is to us. We love you.

Behind the facebook status

I had to laugh today.... well, there is usually something in every day to make me laugh. That is if I pay attention. It was actually my facebook status that simply read what my menu is for this evenings meal. " Angela Hernandez has breaded baked chicken, wild rice, salad and a chocolate bundt cake on the menu tonight". That is what I settled on. It's a decision every time.... what to post about life here. Sometimes something "deep", or thoughtful, scriptures, happenings, cute kids stuff, duties, whereabouts, findings, learnings.... Today, none of that, just a menu. The menu sounds like I have it all together. Even though, if you could have seen the craziness in these walls, you may have wondered why the optimism. Even I wondered if I was being fake for posting only the good. I don't want to be shallow, nor fake. I don't want everyone to have a false sense of the reality of life here. I don't want to be a hypocrite. So, why do I post the good?

Simply because in my heart there is a joy. Even when I have a three year old sitting at the table all day being stubborn about her food reheated from dinner last night. Yes, when she sits there, breakfast, lunch, and even after nap. Then she proceeds to throw up all over the floor and table because her poor little stubborn self feels sick from not eating that food she so badly dislikes. She sat through, missing a yummy breakfast, yummy lunch and even refusing to eat to get the yummy snack of rice crispy treats! It will at this point be reheated again for tonight's dinner.

Even while my "status" remains the same, I have a baby screaming to eat, puke all over the place, and messes to clean from baking that chocolate bundt cake I posted about.

Through it all there is a deepness in me that knows "It is well". There is a song to sing while cleaning and training. There are lessons not only for my littles hearts around me that I have to be diligent to wash them in the word, but bigger lessons for me in all this mess. That fullfills me with intensity.

So, the next time you read my status on Facebook, I just want you to know, that I know, that it is a tiny itty bitty fraction of the realness going on here- but it is real and from the heart. Because I try to do it all with my heart. Not perfectly for that will never happen. But walking in the Spirit with His fruit.

What's new in Houston??

MMMM. Chocolate!! more please!

School time

Phonics/computer time for Sophia

Arianna practicing holding her violin- Look No hands!

Selah giving kisses to Isaac

Arianna the amazing big sister- holding Elaina

Malachi embracing, Sophia and Selah

Peek- I see a Sophia up in the tree...of course wearing a dress and helmet!

opps...I can't remember how I got up here....

Gathering wood for who knows what?

Date night

Last night was date night specifically for Daddy and the girls. This is how our day looked. Tony popped in at lunch time and stirs up a very limited Spanish conversation with me asking what I thought about him taking the girls out to eat for dinner and stopping to buy them dresses. Oh! I exclaimed in excitement with a little bit of jealousy for I miss our what use to be frequent date nights that have come to a screeching halt with our move to Houston. But, I know my girls need to connect with Daddy more then I at this point and time. So after much prompting to finish chores, I put the girls in the tub, Adorne them in their dresses and fix all that gorgeous dark hair. Now it is Arianna, Sophia and Selah going out with Daddy. Arianna understands the proses of going with Daddy. Sophia was saying she wanted to stay and have a Bonn fire with all the tree limbs we gathered from IKE. And Selah just goes with the flow as always happily. "Ya, DADDY!"

Tony arrived a bit late for Ike brought him a lot of work. He comes in and the girls whirl in excitement wanting to know where they are going with him! He quickly gets ready and out the door they go! "Bye!" They are all shouting as the beautiful princesses load into my huge navy blue 12 passenger van! The phone rings shortly after their departure. Tony wants to know where Kohls is. He finds the sign but it is not longer in business. Plan two, `I inform him of Target, or the mall down the road. He calls again wanting sizes. He informs me that a lot of stores are closed still and ventured to Dillards. I start to think about how expensive this night out is going to be.

While he is out with the girls. I let them, the boys, pick dinner. Which is limited to nothing fancy and let alone too healthy because no grocery stores in this area have any freezer items. So our pantry is full. Not our refrigerator. Which is opposite of usual. They boys choose cereal. So we eat our bowls of cereal together and Isaac informs me how he will protect me while Daddy is gone. Sweet. After that, we three pile on the master bed, and load a movie into the lap top for we own no TV in this season of life. National Treasure 2. Approved for the boys only.

When the movie comes to an end, the clock is nearly at 11:00 pm. Tony comes in with his happy girls in tow. They all start to tell me all the details of their new dresses and where they ate and how they had ice cream and how Daddy brought some for me but it was still in the car. ;) Selah keeps chattering with the big girls not missing a beat.
What a fun night. I am so happy to enjoy my family.

A warm sunny afternoon

This is Selah after a bath sitting at our kitchen table. Just perfect how her little feet are folded under her and the sun shines off the floor.

Funny

The boys and their prized "GI Joes" on motorcycles
Isaac HAD to get me to get a pic of his. He talks of this picture endlessly. So, I had to post it. It makes me think of my brother... looong ago. ;) Thank God my boys don't know how to blow them up! ....yet.
Isaac;)