The James Family

The Waterfall

2011-03-10T03:35:00.000-08:00

We had lived here about a week when my new friend, Lynde introduced us to this beautiful waterfall. Since our first visit we have made many more. It is one of my family's favorite spots. It is less than an hour drive through the countryside and farmland just on the outside of Macae. The drive curves around Pacuda Grande, a well know mountain in our area. For me, the drive is just as great as the pot of gold at the end, the waterfall. Brasil has many waterfalls but this one is perfect for children. The water is shallow and the tadpoles are plentiful! The kids love coming here.
On our first drive to the waterfall Asher and I quickly noticed the scenery changing from farm land to rainforest. "Asher, I think it is official, you are in the rainforest!" I explain to him. "You know what that means mom?" he asks. "No, what?" I can only imagine. "We are going to see leaf cutter ants!" he says with much confidence. Not monkeys, even tapirs (which he mostly wants to see) no, leaf cutter ants. Wow, I sure hope they are there...before I can even put our gear down he has spotted a trail of what else? LEAF CUTTER ANTS!!! An image he had only seen in his books had come alive. He had such interest in these little working ants and here they were, in action. Later we learn the ants are all over Brasil, even at our house! The fascination with them has yet to fade.
The waterfall also has a "slide" the kids can spend hours on. It is a steam of water flowing down a rock that causes slippery algae to form. From the top pf the rock the kids splash into a pool of water where smaller waterfalls are flowing. The entire scene looks pretend; Like you are not truly there but at a Disney attraction made to look like you are at a Brasilian waterfall. It is perfect and surreal. It is such a peaceful and enjoyable play date.

What did you do last weekend?

2011-03-08T15:42:00.000-08:00

Just when I am feeling a little homesick we go off on a little Brasilian adventure. Whether it be to our local Cavaleiros beach for dinner, Lagoa beach for a play date, our "sea shell" beach on cloudy days, the waterfalls for fun, or local coastal towns to spend the weekends there is always something to do close to home. On this adventure we went to Arraial Do Cabo, about 1.5 hours from home. Our friend Jay said it best, "People save an entire year to do what we can do any weekend we want". I have never been a beach lover but living here we have embraced it and are slowly falling in love with sand and the shore. My first day here we took the kids to the beach. As they ran along the fine line of wet sand, racing back and forth with the incoming tide ,I was reminded of my favorite marriage advice from my sister; I felt it was more appropriate at that moment than ever before just arriving to a new destination. "Life (marriage) is like the tide, you have to go with the ebb and the flow".
On this weekend getaway we were fortunate enough to have a boat all to ourselves. We were taken to several beaches all having their own special quality. First we "sand boarded" down a sandy slope - as you can guess I stuck to the kiddy slopes with Chapel. We got to relax, have some food and drink, have the most delicious seafood lunch on a floating cafe. Snorkel...well, not me...yet. We saw sea turtles galore and even greet a penguin! Yes, a wild penguin! One of the last to make the migration, so gentle you could walk up to it and cuddle it in our arms. Asher felt like a real wildlife researcher having this opportunity.
The kids, as you can imagine, can't wait for the next adventure. They are loving every minute of our Brasilian life. From the beach to the fruit market, it is all very exciting to them. I am so proud of how outgoing Asher has been. He is now a great little swimmer, diving to the bottom of the pool for treasures and is even learning to snorkel! Both kids try just about every food put in front of them including oysters. Asher tried them not once, but twice! Both of their favorite foods went from peanut butter and jelly sandwiches to black beans and rice. I am also confident Chapel will leave here being a professional Salsa dancer as she is already learning the steps!
So if you were wondering what we did last weekend imagine we were on a vacation because everyday feels like just that.

Shippments Arrived

2011-03-08T03:05:00.000-08:00

Shipments arrived! We feel like we got 3 Christmases this year. First was when our air freight arrived in November. The kids were thrilled to get their toys they had been without since May. I was just as excited to get my much needed kitchen supplies. Our Sea freight arrived in December with just as much enthusiasm. Jeramie was so excited to see all of "our" things. He couldn't get pictures hung fast enough! He had gone longer without our comforts from home and he had little idea as to what I packed. Once our things arrived and were all unpacked, pictures were hung and rooms were decorated. The house became a home.
The arrival of our sea freight was an experience on so many levels. First I had to learn the names of all the rooms in our house in Portuguese. Learning the words isn't as hard as saying them. It wasn't until the last few boxes that I could properly pronounce "escritorio" and "cozinha". Not as challenging was that the packers labeled our boxes in English and in Spanish. Talk about language barriers!
As you can tell our container was packed tightly, like a puzzle. Nothing had been inspected, opened, or pilfered through. I am sure they opened the container, saw how tightly it was packed and said, "FORGET IT!" Lucky for us :)
We also had no idea how Brasilians would transport our container and we were not disappointed by the typical Brasilian work truck that arrived. Please notice the blocks so it will not roll away. I should also add the truck needed a running start before the engine cranked. Good thing we live on a an incline and they were facing downhill to head home. These trucks are typical here and it is a known fact that you do not want to be behind them when driving up a hill. Often they don't make it and will begin to roll backwards. We also hear them honking through the intersection behind our house going about 70 mph in a 40 mph zone. Probably because they had a good running start to head up a hill or then again it could be due to their brakes...or lack there of. Move it or lose it, literally!

First Brasilian Christmas

2011-03-07T11:12:00.000-08:00

Our first Christmas in Brasil was as close to a Christmas back home as you can get. We had received our 2 shipments and were able to set up our tree and decorate the house. The hot weather only made the phrase "Warm Wishes" mean that much more. The days leading up to Christmas Asher was having a rough time with his behavior. He was convinced Santa was not coming for him. We started a reward chart where the kids had to fill their tree with ornaments. This completely turned Asher's attitude around and he prayed it wasn't too late to change Santa's mind. The last gift to come from behind the tree was the little dinosaur Asher had asked for. He was thrilled! He was also thrilled to receive a Nintendo DS from Nana and Papa Ron! Both kids were jumping for joy when they opened the art isle from Grammy and Granddad! Santa brought Chapel a yellow bear that she asked for which she immediately wrapped up like a baby and carried everywhere the rest of the day. Among their many gifts Santa brought a very special friend. The kids were presented with a white fluffy kitten. Asher covered his face with his hands and was speecheless fro a few moments when he finally asked,"Can we keep it?" The kitten has been a sweet addition to the family and we named her Natal, Christmas in Portuguese.

After our family celebrated with gifts our friends came over and celebrated with food. I prepared every dish from home I could think of. We spent the day eating and playing in the pool! It was great to have so many friends around...for all of us as I think we were all little homesick.

Asher's end of the year performance

2011-03-07T07:57:00.000-08:00

Asher's end of the year performance was in true Basilian fasion. It wasn't just the santa hats and shorts it was that the performance didn't actually start until 7pm when we were asked to be there at 6pm. The sound system didn't work properly, the students could not be heard, transitions between classes did not go smoothly and required intermission songs such as the unedited version of Love The Way You Lie by Eminem and Rihanna. Asher of course didn't notice the chaos and was proud as punch to be performing. This was the first year Asher had come home and practiced his songs. We all sang We Wish You A Merry Christmas, Jingle Bells, and Santa Clause is Coming to Town on a daily basis which helped us get into the holiday spirit in the hot weather. We left the performance early with our two little ones who needed to go to bed. From what I understand the last class performed at about 9:30pm and everyone went home about 10pm.

IADC Christmas Party

2011-03-07T07:10:00.000-08:00

I have not been this dressed up since my wedding day. Before that it would have been prom! Brasilians know how to party and the International Association of Drilling Contractors Christmas Party was no exception. My crew took a bus (Brasilian for limo) so we could all be together, have a great time, and no one would have to drive home. The party was amazing with a performing band that played everything from Greese to Lady Gaga and of course some Brasilian hit in between!
Although I get homesick for my friends back home I appreciate the new and very unique friends I have here. Whether you are at a BBQ or a ball you can be guaranteed to have a beverage in your hand and a friend by your side that is from a country foriegn to your own. This lifestyle is one of a kind and we are really enjoying it!

Thanksgiving 2010

2010-12-02T06:39:00.000-08:00

We have so much to be thankful for. Everyday Jeramie and I ask each other how could we be so blessed. We try so hard not to take a single thing or moment for ganteed. This Thanksgiving I felt exceptionally thankful. Jeramie and I have been given such an amazing oppertunity here in Brazil. We are really enjoying our time here so far and the kids are more than comfortable in thier new environment.
I was expecting to be very homesick starting at Thanksgiving and into the holiday season. Suprisingly, since Thanksgiving is not celebrated here I only thought about it when I read comments on facebook. It truely was almost just another day. The warm weather also makes it not seem like the holidays at all.
Thanskgiving day all the Brasdril wives prepared traditional Thanksgiving dishes. We had an amazing potluck dinner to remind us of home. Of course we missed spending the day with family and the wonderful dinner my mother magically prepares every year but I guess this is when new traditions begin.

"Don't want to miss a bite."

"Did I get it?"

Our first Brazilian Halloween 2010

2010-11-21T20:57:00.001-08:00

What was Holloween like in Brazil? Well, it wasn't much of anything. It was the begining of October and there was a small end-cap at Wal-Mart with a costume selection. Costumes were the last thing on my mind as I was packing to move here so this was great to see. The costumes were Buzz Light Year, a skeleton, a witch, and a couple of Carnival costumes. They were all shorts of course which I thought was e pretty smart. We chose a "Carnival Gypsy" and a "Carnival Pirate" which explains how little clothes my children are wearing. When Chapel first put her costume on she tried to pull it down over her belly. Asher on the other hand thought it was so cool that he didn't have to wear a shirt! A couple of stores had a hand full of decorations. The Scream mask and Freddy's glove are very poplular here. I never saw any of the "cute" Halloween things we have in the States what little they had was based on horror. We first carved Jack-O-Melons because what they call pumpkins are more what we call gords. Brazil is primarily a Catholic and Evangalistic so, Halloween is seen as being very satanic and demon based. Even if we had our decorations I'm not sure if we would have put them outside...don't think it would have made a great first impression. One family decorated. They also threw a GREAT Holloween party! Everyone came dressed - Jeramie and I were even able to pull together some make shift costumes. Halloween night we got dressed up and went out trick or treating...we thought. We were the only people out other than some curious neighborhood kids playing soccer. Thankful we got an earlier invitation to one house. So one house it was! Who needs all that candy anyway? After our "trick or treating" we came back to our house, carved "pumpkins", roasted seeds, let the kids eat thier candy and watch Halloween cartoons (brought in from states and recorded off Nick Jr). Thankfully the Philips family joined our first experience which in the end made it a really fun night!

2010-11-19T03:31:00.000-08:00

We have been here almost 2 months now!
An hour after walking in the door of our new house for the first time I sat and cried! So many emotions were going through me - I was jet lagged after 2 overseas trips just days of each other, I just traveled with 2 kids and enough luggage to move here , our house was under repair, the house was filthy, I just said good bye to my family and friends, I was told my sea freight would not fit in the container (later they realized there was no problem and everything fit)...I just had to let it all out. Jeramie instisted on food to cheer me up (it's like he knows me). We had a wonderful lunch on the beach and intruduced the kids to the sand. Seeing the kids RUNNING up and down the beach and in and out of the flow let me know everything was going to be alright.
Since then. I have been making this house a home, driving, sight seeing, shopping, playing, and learning quite a bit of Portuguese! We have all been getting along great and truly loving it here. It has helped so much that we met another family with 2 girls the same age as Asher and Chapel. We try to do everything together because it is simply more fun.
Here are some common sights around town and around the house. Enjoy!Waiting on freight.
toons

Chapel wants to walk Sara everywhere.

Pond in our neighborhood.

Park in centro.

Fish market.

The bay.

Shopping for fruits and veggies.

Brizz is happy here.

We see a lot of people on horseback and horses carrying carts for deliveries.

Just outside of the city.

These are shannys along the roadside. It is said that if they build enough shannys that last a period of time they gain ownership of the farmer's land.

They burn a lot and anywhere.

Just outside of the city.

Macae neighborhoods.

Playing with palm leaves.

Catching cool lizards.

Sara is glad she has the kids back. Don't think she wants them to get away again.

Ashers pet.

Brizzi is glad to get her boy back and her place in his bed back.

Asher's new friend.

Our new beach life.

China 2010

2010-11-17T01:47:00.000-08:00

Before leaving for Brazil I had a wonderful oppertunity to travel with the San Antonio Chamber of Commerce to China. It was a crazy thing to do right before moving overseas but worth it in every way. It was also a nice way to spend a little one on one time with my parents which as we all know is a rare event in itself. I knew China would be loaded with people, I knew Chinese people ate Chinese food, I knew I would see more bikes than cars on the road, I knew I would see more polution...but I really had NO IDEA until I witnessed it myself. There are a lot of people in China, Chinese people eat Chinese food 3 times a day, there were more bikes than I have ever seen in my entire life on one street corner, the amount of construction waste and polution was saddening. Once out of Bejing and into Shanghi (and a couple of surrounding cities) I could finally see the sun through the smog, the farm lands, hills, and beautiful veggitation. Over all I thought China and her people were beautiful. It was a pleasure to see thier attention to detail when consernign fine arts and movement. The trip left me yearning for more. Enjoy the few pics I'm posting. You can see more on my Facebook page if you like.

summer 2010

2010-10-26T16:30:00.001-07:00

summer 2010

2010-10-22T03:51:00.000-07:00

This was the craziest summer I have ever exeperienced! We found out we were moving to Brazil late in the spring. We decided to empty our house and put it on the market for the summer. First we divided the house between air freight, sea frieght, and storage. Then, the movers came and what ever was left we sold. It was great to have it all done but it sort of left us without a place to live all summer. So we traveled and visited, visited and traveled!
I wish all the pictures where here of EVERYTHING we did and all the people we saw but I am using a NetBook which does not allow me to read disks and that it where most of my picture are :/
I would also like to take this time to thank my parents for having us so much this summer, for including us on so many "friday night dinners", and mostly for keeping our dogs while we figured out what to do with them. I really want to thank Margie and Ronnie for letting us live in the otherwise quiet upstairs of thier home, for helping so much with the kids, and for keeping them while I was in China. I could not have made it through this summer without you! Thank you to Tiffany for our trip to the farm which was thourally enjoyable and for having us in your home for a long visit. Thank yous go out to all my freinds and family that went out of their way to help us, entertain us, visit with us, and/or allow us to visit them. As crazy as this summer was you guys all made it great!

Brazil Bound

2010-08-06T10:11:00.000-07:00

Brazil Bound

2010-08-06T08:54:00.000-07:00

Well this is our new home! It has been dubbed our "Miami Vice House" thanks to Austin Adami. I can't wait to get my blazer on and walk around the place!
The house is in a guarded neighborhood. We are the 2-3 house from the entrance. We are the smallest house in the neighborhood! The neighborhood homes other people like ourselves working overseas. It is a split level home with 4 bedrooms I think...5 if you count the maids quarters. It has a kitchen inside and out by the pool. There is even an outdoor shower and sauna! This will be such a rough way to live the next few years :)
On that note I thought this would be a great time to answer all the questions I have asked...
1. How long will you be there?
The contract for the rig is 3-5 years. That is the best way to answer this. We have no idea what our future holds.
2. Where in Brazil are you moving?
We will be living in Macae. It is about 2-3 hours drive from Rio, northeast. We are still along the coastline. Our house is 1 mile from the beach. We could walk there but it is not the best road to walk with kids so we will have to see when I get there. We have mountains behind us and everyone says there are rain forests everywhere. Macea is more industrial but also a typical coastal town.
3. Is it safe?
You can get jacked in New Orleans but everyone keeps going. You have to be smart and cautious. I will always need to be aware and planned. I will not have the freedoms that I have here in the US if that is what you are asking. I will not be trapped in my home if that is what you are imagining. Most people I ask feel safe there but there are definite things we can't do and places we have no business being.
4. Where will the kids go to school?
Asher technically doesn't start school until next year but we are starting this year (late as it will take a bit to get there and get ready). I will be homeschooling. There is a Canadian/Portuguese school available and that might be an option in the future. I want to make sure my kids keep up with Texas standards. There are many reasons I want to home school and still many reasons I don't. I'm just testing it out and this is a perfect time to do it. If you want to talk home vs. public school with me I would love that. Just understand I am only trying to do right by my kids and our family. I have a degree in education so I know I am capable of teaching (my own kids is what is in question) and I feel we need the best educational plan for our flexible lifestyle. So, we will see...
5. What are you taking?
Products there are cheaply made and very expensive. I can only imagine it is like shopping at the dollar store but paying $20 an item! So, I am sending a lot as recommended by other women who live there. Not just necessities like kitchen ware and linens but also things that are fun and make your house a home. Of course I am sending personal things like photos and collections that create memories for my children. I only sent 3 pieces of furniture: Asher's large bookshelf for our children's library (our neighbor and I built it as a suprise fro Jeramie - one of his times out), the chair I rock and read to my children in, and toy box that was built and painted for me by my parents and now my children use. Other than that it got put in storage and a lot got SOLD!
6. When do you leave?
Jeramie is already living there. He gladly went from a tiny hotel room to our house as soon as he was given the keys even though the house was empty! Since "moving in" a couple of weeks ago some of our furniture and appliances have arrive. I was able to send him a few essentials to get him through.
He will get to come back August 20th. He will be here a few weeks taking a class and waiting for his residency visa to arrive.
Once he goes back to Brazil I will only have a few days to a week before I leave for a vacation in China.
When I return from China hopefully our residency visas will be in and we can GO!

I think those are the main questions I get. If you have any more feel free to ask and I will answer away.

Blue Bonnets 2010

2010-05-10T13:53:00.001-07:00

This is the post some of my friends (non-Texans) wait all year to see. In years past our blue bonnet pictures came from lush green fields filled with so many bonnets it looked like purple lakes. This year I wanted pictures of bonnets from a different area, the hill country. The hill country is a Texas treasure. The windey, hilly drive is beautiful anytime of year but it is a real treat to drive it during spring. The terrian in much rougher than the pastures we usually go to. The hill counrty has more rock, cactus, and brush. This is even more proof to why the blue bonnet is our state flower, it grows anywhere.
Jeramie and I now own a jeep. We love it and so do the kids! The jeep has earned us the right to join friends on Jeep rides. This is not a club, it is a group of friends that are family to me. They have watched me grow up and now they are watching my children grow. No matter thier hobby (once street rods, now jeeps)they have more fun sitting in lawn chairs and teasing each other. I know this group gave me the sense of humor I have today. I love them!
A close runner up to the blue bonnets are the indian paintbrushes. My grandmother had a small patch at the front gate and it was a perfect oppertunity for a "generation" picture. I'm so blessed to be able to capture this moment in time on film. The two things my nanny loves more than anything are animals and children. Asher thinks she is the best because of all the cats on her porch and birds in her kitchen. When I see how excited he gets to go to her house I am reminded of why I loved it there as a child. The horses running when the wind changed, raising baby birds, bunnies at Easter, momma cats, and pick'n fleas off dogs. My Nanny had it all and encouraged me to enjoy all Gods creatures. I was never discouraged from helping her or petting something. She always had a house full of kids too and everyones favorite cereal and ice cream. She too is a big part of who I am and I love her for it.

Blue Bonnets 2010

2010-05-10T12:49:00.000-07:00

Finally Updating...

2010-05-10T12:02:00.000-07:00

Well, a year has gone by since my last post. Shame on me! It just seems my life has not been the same since getting pregnant the second time. My "mommy brains" are still in full force and I focus what little energy and consentration I have on the most important things in my life - My family. I always heard the second child won't get as many pictures taken, won't get as much attention... I hated hearing that and swore I would not be any less attentive with Chapel than Asher. WOW, that is easier said than done! In addition to the facts of life and having two children I have also enjoyed NOT having the camera with me at all times. I feel like I am experiencing Chapel's growing in a different way - through my eyes and not through the lens of a camera.
We had an amazing year: Chapel turned 1, Asher turned 4, we took a vacation to Colorado with Mom and Dad, we got SNOW...So enjoy the slide show and get all caught up.
I love the comments too so if you don't have an account you can still leave a comment, sign your name, and post it as annonymous. Love you guys!

Finally updating...

2010-05-10T10:48:00.000-07:00

T-Ball

2009-08-26T14:46:00.001-07:00

T- Ball

2009-08-26T14:06:00.000-07:00

This year Asher started T-Ball, his first official sport. I'm not sure who was more excited about it him or his dad! As soon as he was signed up we had to rush to the sporting goods store to purchase every piece of T-Ball equipment available! Asher has his own hat, bat, cleats, right handed glove, left handed glove, practice T and a bag to carry it all!
Asher played fine for 3 year old standards. The best part wasn't watching him but his dad squatted next to him whispering in his ear to watch the ball. Or when Jeramie would line up his little legs in front of the T and show him just where to swing the bat. As a wife you imagine this moment in your husbands life. I was so grateful he was experiencing it and of course doing a great job at it. It was very special to me; I didn't take it for granted. I soaked in every moment of it in pride and love.
Asher's goal this season was to play on TV. We all watched the College World Series together as a family and he was amazed. We told him if he played good enough, one day, he might be on TV. He dream lives on.
Asher also picked his color and number. Red, 40! His favorite color is red so, thank goodness his team was the Red Socks. We don't know why number 40 fascinates him but, everything is 40 days, 40 dollars. It is only fitting that his athletic number be 40.
So, in years to come you will have to be watching your TV screen because you never know when you might see JAMES #40 up to bat!!! Oh, and don't forget to check the stands because there will be one proud dad there with a grin from ear to ear!!!

Little Bit a Chicken Fried

2009-08-26T14:05:00.001-07:00

Little Bit a Chicken Fried

2009-08-25T19:42:00.000-07:00

So many people come in and out of your life...and back in again. Through Jeramie's job at Diamond, Patrick came into our lives.
He first met us about 3 years ago. Patrick was just one of us; he was always invited no matter what we were up to. He was a big kid, a big brother, and a best friend.
He spent many days and nights just hang'n with the fam in front of the TV or at the table. Over the past couple of years Patrick has been a playmate, a buddy, and a human jungle gym; he has entertained Asher and us for hours on end.
Most of all he was a great friend to Jeramie. I can only imagine the discussions they must of had in the driveway with cold ones in hand.
Diamond moved Patrick to Brazil. This will be a wonderful career opportunity but the time apart will leave us a bit empty.
He was the first friend to hold my brand new baby girl and I know she melted his big heart. I feel she will be deprived of his playful ways. Asher pretends to talk to him daily on the phone and says he was in attendance places that he clearly wasn't. Jeramie seems a little lost and I just plain miss him being around.

Time will fly. We'll see you again soon...Here's to being a little bit a chicken fried!

2009-08-25T19:38:00.001-07:00

I hope you dance

2009-08-13T07:55:00.000-07:00

I hope you dance

2009-08-13T06:26:00.000-07:00

So, I sit down with Asher's teacher at the end of his preschool year. Yes, we have progress reports for preschools! Asher has great marks and seems to be a typical 3 year old UNTIL...
"You know Mrs. James, Asher isn't like the other kids when it comes to music or dancing" says his teacher.
"What do you mean?" I ask fearing what he has been up to.
"He just doesn't care for it that much" she says politely.
"Yea, I have notice a lack of interest in singing and dancing...but he loves instruments so I just thought maybe it was his age." I'm really wondering why this is worthy of discussion.
"Well you see, he doesn't like it so much that when the class sits together in music class..."
"yes..."
"He hushes the other students."
I can say nothing.
"He puts his hand over thier mouth and tells them, 'No, please don't sing.'" She is fighting back her laughter now and I am relieved.
You see Asher loves Daddy's Texas music and "tractor songs" and he loves him some Rock and Roll. But this preschool stuff is a bit beneath him. I have never heard my son sing a single song! The only time I have ever seen him dance he was 1 and it was to Baby Got Back or My Humps or something!
Chapel on the other hand might be a Dancing Queen! Ever since she could sit up she would wiggle to commercial jingles! Singing to her in the rocker at bed time is most ineffective since she begins to grin from ear to ear and trys to sing with me! I can't wait to get that girl in a tutu!
Don't you love how all children are so different?

Blue Bonnets 2009

2009-06-15T23:27:00.000-07:00

Blue Bonnets 2009

2009-06-15T23:17:00.000-07:00

Every year we take pictures in the beautiful Texas Blue Bonnets. It is a tradition I hope to keep for as many years as I can count and more. It is already fun to look back at the pictures to see how we have changed and how much Asher has grown. I can only imagine what the years have to come.
This year Asher understood that we were in flowers called Blue Bonnets and that they were special to Texas. Chapel just enjoyed the wind and the way the Blue Bonnets tickled. It was a beautiful day in my beautiful life!
Thanks Tiffany for helping me capture some sweet moments from my little ones. Your a great friend!

San Antonio Marti Gras

2009-04-08T00:50:00.001-07:00

San Antonio Marti Gras

2009-04-08T00:28:00.001-07:00

The past couple of years we have been invited onto my dad's Marti Gras barge for the San Antonio Marti Gras Parade. My dad has had a barge in the parade for many years and was even Marti Gras King a couple of years in a row. Asher loves the idea of throwing beads to people. The only problem is that most of his beads end up in the water! Dad and I figure he purchases one entire box of beads for Asher to throw in the river! Last year he had some beads left over that he was wearing around his neck. We stopped at the grocery store on the way home from the parade when Asher realized he had the extra beads. He took them off and proceeded to throw them at people from the shopping cart! This year he was more willing to dress the part and got a kick out of decorating the barge prior to the parade. This year I think 2 of his beads made it a shore, it was a good year.

Chapel's Baptism

2009-04-08T00:26:00.000-07:00

Chapel's Baptism

2009-04-08T00:03:00.000-07:00

Chapel was Baptized on Marriage Island on the beautiful San Antonio Riverwalk.
I was raised Catholic and Jeramie was raised Baptist so when we got married we realized we would always have to do what was right in our hearts and not let our denominations get in the way. Both Asher and Chapel were dedicated by Pastor McCracken, the same man that married us. Pastor McCracken puts so much thought into his sermons, he really made both our babies dedications special to us in a powerful way. We also used the same preacher to baptize both Asher and Chapel as he is the preacher at the Little Church of LaVillita. As a Catholic I believe in one holy baptism and as a Baptist Jeramie believes in a dedication and a baptism when you are ready to accept Jesus into your life. Ultimately it will be up to Asher and Chapel. Their walk with God will be a personal one that only they will know. Jeramie and I don't care if they want to be cleansed by the holy waters every year as long as they are looking to God. Although our decisions are nontraditional everyone understands that to Jeramie and I the important thing is that we raise our children in a Christian home with Christian values. We have always received the support of friends and family as "it takes a village to raise a child".

Asher's 3rd Birthday

2009-04-07T23:45:00.000-07:00

Asher's 3rd Birthday

2009-04-07T23:21:00.000-07:00

Asher turned 3 years old!
He was so excited planning for his Rainforest party. He was making lists of supplies we needed, playing with all the party favors, and telling Aunt Ciny exactly how he wanted his cake.
As usually he was embarrassingly spoiled rotten! Not only did all of his guests bring him wonderful play things and books to read but Mommy and Daddy got him "Kota", the triceratops that does all but leave a mess on the rug! To top it off Mommy, Daddy, Papa Ron, Nana, Grandad, and Grammy all surprised him with a jump house of his very own! He was heard saying through excitement and bouncing, "Thanks a million!" San Antonio fajitas were enjoyed by all and Aunt Ciny's cake was sinful!
The kids all got to take home Rainforest favors. The favorite was the pet snakes! Not real ones! I ordered all the kids colorful stuffed snakes. Tall Grandad hung a vine from the ceiling of the kitchen and all the snakes were coiled or draped peering down at everyone. The kids got to pick thier snake off the vine to take home. The snakes seem to all be loved as I have heard moms saying they couldn't leave home without thier snake and I have seen them hiding in beds and back seats. Asher and Chapel love theirs too. Asher sleeps with them, carries both of them around the house and gives Chapel hers to chew on the tail. Who knew that was all we needed!

Halloween

2009-03-11T07:02:00.001-07:00

Halloween

2009-03-11T06:45:00.001-07:00

This Halloween was a fun one as Asher is getting older. He is really getting into the holiday spirits. He and Dad carved a pumpkin but he was not to keen on touching the inside of the pumpkin. He really enjoyed watching a Halloween movie and eating popcorn and pumpkin seeds afterwards. He and Dad also decorated a Halloween cake. Once finished we named it a "Monster Cake"! We plan on making Monster Cakes every year!
Chapel had a lot of cute Halloween outfits but her costume was a sweet little princess. Thanks to Tricia Asher was the cutest dragon I have ever seen! Tricia handed down a costume from her boys. I added some wings and flames and we had a dragon! The two were quite the pair as Asher would run around all month saying, "I'm going to get that little princess!"
Asher was allowed to wear his costume to school one day and as we were walking in he said, "I bet it is going to be scary in there. I'm going to get all those little children! ROAR! I'm going to eat all those little children and put them in my belly! ROAR! It is going to be really scary."
Halloween night we went to the Church carnival and trick or treated to our neighbors houses. We had a lot of fun and I'm already planning next years costumes...

Sleeping Chapel

2009-03-08T12:29:00.001-07:00

Sleeping Chapel

2009-03-08T09:45:00.001-07:00

When Chapel was born I noticed she slept soundly...too soundly. I even cried our first night home from the hospital because I was so worried about her while she slept. Jeramie offered to move her closer to the bed but she was already a foot away. My friend Shelby had a "motion monitor" for her babes so I asked her her opinion of it. She said, if nothing else, it gave her peace of mind. That was all I needed to hear; we got one immediately. The motion monitors are rather pricey but when went there was one (only one) on sale so I felt we were meant to have it.
The monitor works by detecting motion from the baby such as breathing. If there is no motion in the bed for 20 seconds a warning beep sounds and then an alarm after 30 seconds. The monitor is meant to prevent SIDS.
When Chapel was 2 weeks old, early one morning her alarm went off. I ran to her bassinet and grabbed her up. She gasped for air and my heart skipped a beat. This happened several more times over about a month. Once I even picked up a motionless baby which is extremely scary for a mom. She was never blue as the alarm would never allow that to happen but something was terribly wrong. I strongly felt this monitor had saved my baby's life on at least 4 definate occasions.
The doctor sent me to a sleep specialist and a pulmonologist who assured her doctor that the monitors are accurate and soemthing was not right. After chest x rays, barium swallow test, an upper GI, and an over night sleep study it was determined Chapel has sleep apnea.
The part of Chapel's brain that tells her to continue to breath while she sleeps is not fully developed. Apparently common and the pulmonologist assured me she has seen worse cases but Chapel's case was significant. Chapel stops breathing at least 10 times every hour for at least 10 seconds at a time.
Her condition was supposed to peak at 4 months and pass by 6 months. I am not sure about the "peak" as I notice if her monitor goes off it will happen all night long maybe even for several nights but not over a designated span of time. She is 6 months now and we are still waiting for a silent monitor...
Thank you Shelby for recommending the monitor to me as I feel it has saved my new little girls life.

Big Boy Bed

2009-03-07T11:53:00.000-08:00

Big Boy Bed

2009-03-07T11:38:00.000-08:00

In October Asher got his BIG BOY BED! I was finally ready. I thought it would be easier with the baby. I thought he could get out of bed in the mornings on his own and I could continue to take care of Chapel. I was right, it made mornings great.
Jeramie got the crib disassembled before I could get a last picture of Asher in it, of course I cried. The one time he was so efficent. Seeing Asher so excited about his new bed made things better. He was only nervous right before we turned out the lights for bed when he said in a very doubtful voice, "I won't fall out." We set a timer on his lamp to go off at the right time in the morning. He was not allowed out of bed until the light came on. This worked great, he would come downstairs saying, "My light came on!".
Now mornings are my favorite time of day with the kids. I get Chapel out of bed and bring her to our bed where I feed her, Asher gets out of bed and comes into our bed too. We turn on Disney, Asher eats his breakfast (yes, Jeramie has a lot of lucky charms in his bed), and all three of us play until the last minute when our day must begin. I wish our mornings would never end.

Family of Four

2008-11-15T21:41:00.001-08:00

Family of Four

2008-11-15T21:04:00.000-08:00

My favorite moments as a family of four:
First thing in the morning - Through my sleepy eyes Chapel smiles so brightly as soon as she sees me. We play the smile game for what seems like forever before we start our day. Asher is so sweet and happy too first thing in the morning as he asks permision to get out of bed. With Froogy in hand he slowly starts his day.
On our way home from school - I look back and realize there are 2 car seats back there. Both Chapel and Asher are usually quite. Asher watches the world go by our car window and occasionally comments on things he sees. "What did you do at school today" is one of my favorite questions. I am so eager to hear his perspective on the day.
Sitting on the couch - Actually Jeramie and I sit on the couch, Chapel is usually in my arms or nursing and Asher is climbing all over us. He is usually without pants. There is plenty of time for pants, I guess.
Bath time - Although it comes at the most tiresome, exhausting time of the day. The baby shampoo has the most delicious aroma. The giggles and splashes from Jeramie and Asher are the sweetest sound my ears get the privilage of listening to. Their soft skin and hair, and their tiny fingers and toes leave a lasting memory to your senses. This is the time of day I want to be the sponge and soak it all in to never forget.
Bed time kisses - She can barely make it to bed before she is falling asleep in my arms. She is so warm and snuggly. I hate putting her down for bed. The kisses flow from my lips to her head and cheeks I just can't stop them. Asher might be wiggly during his story and I might have to tell him 5 times to settle in bed and get comfy but when it is time to say goodnight we steal each others kisses and I never mind him getting to sleep too late as I don't want the kisses to ever stop.
Relaxing with Jeramie - Once all is quiet Jeramie and I get time to ourselves to cuddle in from of the tv. As tired as I am and as much as I know we both need to go to bed I want to sit with him for hours more.

Chapel getting settled in

2008-11-15T20:32:00.001-08:00

Chapel getting settled in

2008-11-15T20:17:00.000-08:00

Chapel is getting all settled in the James family. It was a little crazy at first since as soon as we got home we had to pack up and go to San Antonio to escape Hurricane Ike. She traveled great though and we were back home before too long.
Chapel is so sweet. Everyone says she looks like Jeramie and there is a picture of the 2 of them where I totally agree. All her dark hair must come from him too!
Asher has been very good with her. He is so gentle and sweet. He is also very understanding that she needs to be fed and requires a lot of sleep. One evening she was crying and I was holding her trying to settle her down. He was standing with me, watching when all of a sudden he says, "Mom, you need to change her diaper. That is why she is crying, she needs a diaper change." Well he was so cute trying to help that I decided to take his advice. Sure enough, she needed a diaper change. What big help he is to his mama.

Asher Starts "School"

2008-11-15T20:00:00.001-08:00

Asher Starts "School"

2008-11-15T19:45:00.000-08:00

I didn't cry...I don't know how, but I didn't. Asher started preschool. Can you believe?
He was very excited to start. He didn't understand why he couldn't stay at school on meet the teacher day. He was eager to get out the door on his first day. He goes Mondays and Tuesdays from 9am to 2:30pm. This allows me some alone time with Chapel and some time to get errands run and the house picked up. It also allows me to spend some time with my girlfriends. It seems to be working out well for everyone.
He has several friends attending the same school. Every time he sees one of his friends walking to or from class (almost daily) he MUST show them his "Pack Back". "Avah! Want to see my pack back?!" "Jack! Want to see my pack back" "Leelah! Want to see my pack back?!"...I guarantee EVERYONE has seen his back pack! At school he loves playing with dinosaurs. He also loves Movement class which is a music class where they get to move to the songs. I have noticed him singing and dancing more around the house now. He really likes Itsy Bitsy Spider. On one of his first days I asked him what he did that day. "I painted" he replied. "Oh really, what did you paint?" I asked. "A water buffalo." Only my son would not paint a cow, not even a buffalo but, a WATER BUFFALO!
Yes, that is Chapel in my marsupial pouch. One born and the other growing fast.

Chapel's birth

2008-08-31T23:30:00.001-07:00

Chapel

2008-08-31T20:10:00.000-07:00

How did we know we were ready for number two? I'm not sure we did! It took a while for Asher to come along and with Jeramie gone half the year...I guess we thought it would take twice as long. It took two months. If that isn't proof that your life is up to God then I don't know what is.
Since Jeramie was the last to know about Asher I wanted him to be the first to know about Chapel. It took everything I had not to tell my sister or my mom. Then, I went to San Antonio and I almost told my dad. I didn't give in though, I was waiting to meet Jeramie in New Orleans from him working in a ship yard.
We were to meet for Asher's birthday. I was conjuring up a big suprise...when...suprise, who walks in the door of my parents house? JERAMIE!!! "What are you doing here?!"
"I have news for you." I just couldn't wait any longer!
"I know", he said with a grin.
"You know?! How do you know?! Did you stop by the house before you came here?"
"Yep!" and he pulled out the pregnancy tests I left on the counter.
My parents overheard the conversation so there was no surprising them. After that it was phone call after phone call to share the great news.
From the time I saw the double line I knew I was going to have a little girl. It was that woman's intuition so many mothers talk about. I just knew. Sure enough it was confirmed at 15 weeks along that a little girl was on her way. We were getting the best of both worlds. A perfect family in our opinion.
Being pregnant with her was bitter sweet. I was so excited to have her but Jeramie and I both decided two is enough for us. Knowing I would not feel a baby's hiccups in my belly again was saddening. Realizing how fast her pregnancy went, how fast Asher is growing up, and how fast the past 10 years with Jeramie has gone by was all bit overwhelming. That is what happens though, we can't stop time. We just have to be so careful for it not to pass us by.
Chapel was 7lbs 12oz and 19.5 inches long. Small baby for me, still big since she was 2-3 weeks early. Jeramie said I make 'em big.
We wanted her to have a Christian name but could not settle with any biblical names. I had heard the name Chapel while planning our wedding. The name never left my mind. Before we got pregnant I asked Jeramie about the name. At first he was not so sure. Then, one day out of the blue he told me Chapel would be the name if we had a girl. I asked if he was sure and he said he had no doubt. No other name compared and he really liked it. Her middle name, Kathleen, is from my sister's baby girl that is an angel in heaven. Her name was Emily Kathleen.
Only a week old and we are already in so much love it is a blessing. I describe her as my squishy baby since I have never held or cared for anything so small. My only other description or her is that she is the sweetest thing, such a sweet little baby.
She is amazing already, I look forward to dressing her in big bows and pink dresses.

Asher

2008-08-31T20:09:00.000-07:00

Asher

2008-08-31T19:33:00.000-07:00

How did we know we were ready to start our family? Jeramie and I were married in the summer. The following spring I thought I was pregnant. I showed every sign except the positive pregnancy test. After waiting a week for blood test results the answer was indeed, not pregnant. Jeramie and I were both disappointed, I was in tears. That is how we knew we were ready. Shortly after we fostered a little girl, Justice. This also confirmed that we were ready to love a child of our own.
It took a year to conceive Asher and just when I was about to seek fertility help I got a positive pregnancy test. I didn't tell Jeramie at first. We went on a vacation to Puerta Verta, Mexico. I blamed my morning sickness on the water. As soon as we got back it was Father's Day were he was presented the happy news.
Of course boy or girl made no difference to us but we were thrilled to be told a little boy was on his way. We chose the name Asher from the bible. Asher was the smallest of the tribes that took over the promised land. The night Moses died God sent words to the tribes through him. When he got to the tribe of Asher he simply said, "you are a favorite son". The translation of Asher is "happiness" which is definitely what he brings us. His middle name is his great grandfather's.
He was a big baby 10.5 lbs and just shy of 24 inches long. My "monster baby." I said he was so big because God wanted to assure me he was healthy and I had nothing to worry about.
Asher was the sweetest baby and has been the sweetest toddler. Of course we are proud parents in all that he does and is learning. He was using sign language by 10 months and knows almost every animal in the zoo by its real name.
He is all boy in his romping around and investigating frogs. I love being the mother to a boy! It takes a special level of patients that I pray for everyday. Once you enter the mind of a little boy nothing in life compares. They are amazing little gifts and I thank God for every moment we share togther.

Wedding

2008-08-31T19:32:00.001-07:00

The James Story

2008-08-31T18:36:00.000-07:00

Jeramie and I met during college at a grooming salon. I was applying for a job and he was a bather there. (He always wants me to add that he was a bather waiting for a position at the affiliated vet clinic.) I walk in and who greets me but a soggy boy in the middle of bathing a husky. It was love at first sight for me. It must have been for him too because he is the one who insisted the manager hire me.
Friends at first he made my heart flutter every time he sat next to me to blow dry a cocker or brush out a sheltie. We began working as a team much more than necessary in dog grooming. It didn't take long before we were studying together and meeting at the Dixie Chicken. Then...he kissed me...(this is when the oldies song should be playing).
Jeramie graduated and followed about a year later. Then, went another year in our "careers". We dated five years before he proposed and I was beginning to think it would never happen. We had a beautiful wedding in downtown San Antonio. It was fit for a fairy tale.
In marriage bliss we moved to Carlsbad, New Mexico. There, Jeramie worked long hours and I struggled to find my place. I eventually opened my own grooming Salon, Bark Avenue, and was quite content. So content we decided to start a family. This is when Jeramie got transferred to Houston.
Asher was born in Houston but just barely. I thought I would continue my "career" but Jeramie and I soon realized we would do what ever it took to make my career - Mother. It has been hard but worth every penny we didn't have. Being home for my husband and raising my children myself is truly a gift and I cherish every day I get to do it.
A year later we found our house in Katy and we have been making it a home ever since. We are enjoying the area, our new found friends, and our church family.
Jeramie and I just celebrated 5 years of marriage (of course he working was off shore). For our anniversary we gave each other a baby girl. We completed our family in just five years, now it is time to watch them grow.
So, for the past 10 years we have been building our little family and creating an amazing life together. Step by step, year by year. Everyday I am in total amazement of our wonderful life together and look forward to many years to come.