Ugh.

I just want to fast forward until January.

It´s so hard seeing pumpkiny fally patchy pictures on FB.

Then comes Thanksgiving.

Then Christmas.

Kill me now.

WHY can´t there be trick or treating here, or thanksgiving, or a normal christmas with snow? (Insert crying baby here).



On a side note, we are really enjoying our newer BIGGER flat. I might actually have a place to put our Christmas tree.

I am not enjoying being woken up at 7:30 am daily by the trash truck, or the CONSTANT moving of furniture of our neighbors above us. But, I will take it. It´s better. I will sacrifice.

TGIF

Woman Power

It´s amazing how different men and women are and at how extremely good at muti-tasking women are.

When I am at home my mind is always going overdrive on all of the things that need to get done. As I working mom I need to take advantage of every extra second that I might get. Which is what I did this morning.

N woke up 30 minutes earlier than normal ( no idea why) so I took advantage and decided to clean the bathroom, dust and sweep.

All the while doing laundry and being awesome.

Women are awesome. Period.

HBD

SHOUT OUT TO YOU HEIDI! HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

Customer Sweat

I know I have written about this a zillion times, but it just keeps happening over and over and over again. Terrible customer service.

Let me just give you an example.

The other day I went to Zara Home so I could buy handles for my dresser. I went around lunch time because I knew not a lot of people would be there at that hour.


I was right. I was pretty much the only customer in the place.

So, I go up to pay and there is no one there. Finally the lady comes over and is SHOUTING across the room at her co worker about an upcoming wedding, what they were going to wear, drink etc. I mean, seriously? All the while not paying any attention to me.

Then she had no change. So I had to wait like ten minutes while they went to get some. Don´t you think you should do that before you start working (along with MOPPING the floor) This is another thing I absolutely cannot stand here. You walk into a store and they are MOPPING around you. WHY???? It´s just going to get all messed up. Again. DO THAT BEFORE OR AFTER ...ugh!

Another example is A and I went to a phone store to see about switching our mobiles and she was talking to her husband about grilled chicken that they were going to have for dinner. It´s just so embarrassing.

OH and the other day A and I went to a store and the two guys that worked there were just eating and paid no attention to us so we left. It´s insane people. I have like 45 other examples.

At this point I have no idea why I am even surprised.

So, on to another topic about sweating. There is a time and a place for sweat. We can all agree that there is nothing worse than being dressed up for a wedding and sweating profusely. Ick. However I LOVE to sweat in the gym. I do not even like to take a towel  because I like it dripping down my face. Makes me feel like I´m working hard. So the other day in spin class when he said the towel was necessary or you had to leave class...I ignored him and kept right on spinning. Dripping salty drops of sweat. It was glorious.

The Giving Tree

I like to give. A lot.

There is no better feeling than seeing the receiver´s face.

I do not have a lot to give. But when I can I do.

A long time ago my pastor at church did a pretty cool and simple demonstration.  He had ten one dollar bills and took one away and said, ¨This is all that God asks of you every month. Just ten percent, nothing more nothing less.¨

Anyways, so sometimes it´s hard to know who to give to. There are so many homeless beggars in Seville but are they going to use my money for drugs or alcohol? Of course I don´t want that.

So, I would say for the past 1.5 years there has been this man sitting in front of a coffee shop I go to sometimes. That´s the thing, everyone has their own ¨spot¨ and they are there day in and day out.

I´m not talking about a few hours a day I´m talking about SITTING in the same spot from 8am to 10pm. Every.Single.Day.

Can you even imagine that?

His sign says that he has three kids (I would say he is about 50ish) and he is a foreigner, I think from Russia. So, he probably can´t work even if he wanted to because he has no papers.

Recently I have been thinking about this man so much and my heart is heavy for him and his family. About two weeks ago I put a euro in his hat and he was just so appreciative. He has the prettiest blue eyes and the kindest face.  Maybe he was a store owner or a shoe maker in his own country? Shoes. Ya. I can see him making shoes.

So, today I gave him 5 euros. I mean, 5 euros, that´s not even really that much, but he KISSED my hand and was like THANK U THANK U THANK U. It just broke my heart.

I pray for him often and I pray that God will help him and his family.

As I walked away I just felt so THANKFUL for all that I have.

Everyone is going through tough times right now but at least I have a roof over my head, foot to eat, and I do not have to sit in the street for twelve hours a day begging for pennies.

When was the last time you gave?

It feels good. You won´t regret it.

Christmas in October

So, I walked into a store the other day and Christmas decorations were in full force. In October. Why?

It was kind of like a gut punch.

I´m not going home for Christmas this year and I´m already depressed.

Now this.

Stupid.

La Gitana

It´s been a crap morning.

I was walking to work and I always stop at McCafe to get a café latte. (There used to be a Starbucks but they moved it...boo hoo)


So, every morning I pass this Gitana ¨Gypsy¨ that wants to read your palm and give you Romero leaves.

She asked for a ¨cafelito¨ so I said I would buy her one.


She has four kids ranging from ages 10 to 3 months and the little one is sick with Bronchilitis as she called it.

So, Gitanas are very persuasive and I knew she was going to ask for money to read my palm. That´s fine. A cafelito is not going to buy her groceries.

So, she read both palms and blessed me and said some pretty interesting, on point things.

My morning was looking up and I was feeling good about myself and about the things to come.

And then asked for ten euros each palm.

20 euros is like 28 dollars.

I gave her TEN euros which is outrageous, but I suppose that can be my tithing for the month.

Maybe I made her day.

I know she made mine.

Uni

I remember when I was younger we had family friends whose kids went to a private school and wore uniforms. I thought wearing a uniform had to be the worst thing ever. Did they ever go shopping? Did they just wear uniforms all the time? That had to just be so boring.

And then I had a daughter.

Spain starts school here at three years old.

For the past three years I have been thinking and praying about where to send my daughter to school.

I also talked to older mother´s who had daughters and they said that having a uniform has saved their lives. No fuss. No hassle. Here it is. Wear it. The end.

She has only been in school for three weeks and I LOVE IT!

No fighting about what she has to wear in the morning, no hair pulling, mud wrestling brawls. (ha)


Just my girl and her tiny cute sweet little skirty uniform.

My apologies Mr. Uniform.  I wholeheartedly misjudged you.

sigh.

Where has the time gone...it seems to fly so fast
One moment you're having fun, the next it's come to pass
Days turn into yesteryear, old friends find their own way
Until the moment you leave...I wish that you would stay...

So here's to you, all our friends, surely we will meet again
Don't stay away too long this time
We'll raise a glass, maybe two
And we'll be thinkng of you
Until our paths cross again...maybe next time...

Let's laugh at the memories, and talk all afternoon
Let's remember the moments that leave us all too soon
We'll smile at the pictures still lingering in our minds
When you're reminiscing, then all you need is time...

Tracing faded photographs, a scrapbooks lonely charm
Pressed flowers and dreams we had, our fingerprint on time
The 1st moment we ever met, when your eyes met mine...
I remember the summers of Dandelion Wine...


I saw these verses and it just makes me a little sad. 

WHY does time go so fast?!

Don´t you wish you could freeze so many moments?

But it does and each year brings on wonderful new memories that we would´t be able to make if we didn´t move on.

It is Oct YUSSS

Oh hello internet. It´s me again. Remember me? No, I didn´t die. I´ve been working 12 hour days and getting paid a SHI&&Y salary. Welcome to España!

N was home from school last week M to Th. Awesome!

Puke, fever, ear ache and worms. Again. This is the second time my child has gotten worms.  It´s just gross and I don´t even want to get started on that topic. Ugh.

I do not write often because I have absolutely nothing cool to say. And you really don´t want to hear about worms, do you?  I didn´t think so.

N did start a ballet class which has been adorbs. She has gone twice and loves it. She also is in swimming twice a week plus school full time. Sweet. I have turned into one of THOSE moms.

I will admit, I did kind  of like having her sick only because it is the only time she will allow me to snuggle her. It´s the ONLY time she is still for more than two seconds and she acually said, ¨I want you mom because I love you a lot. ¨ (enter aww´s and euuuus here)

I have no idea where time goes.

She will be four in the blink of an eye.

Ta Ta for now!