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10 years as Mama. 10 things I’m learning
10 years as a Mama. Seems like forever, and yet, not really. I can close my eyes and remember the smells, the sounds, and the way every corner of my body felt the day Gael was born. I remember feeling a deep love unlike anything I had ever felt. I also had a new appreciation…
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My privilege
What is privilege? What does it look like? How does it feel for you? For me? We all have some version of it in our lives. I have been reflecting on my privilege. The privilege to be here – to have opportunities others that look like me may never have. So many kids didn’t survive…
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Trying this again
It has been a while since I’ve done this. Write. Write like I used to. Raw, imperfect, honest, and messy. I cannot remember the last time I wrote for this space. Oh yes, it was when I left BakerRipley four and a half years ago. I wrote about the people and their impact in my…
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The People of BakerRipley
It has been too long since I’ve written in this space and as the year comes to an end it’s time to change that. I have been procrastinating for too long but this is good time for me to stop making excuses for not doing something that always brought me so much peace and joy.…
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I do not always have it together
No, I do not always have it together. Most of the time I do not. It may come across as if I do, cute photos on social media, outings with friends, dinners etc. Friends say; you are doing so well or ask, how do you do it? My thoughts, you have no idea! If you…
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My reaction when I found out I was pregnant was not what you would expect
The day I found out I was pregnant wasn’t at all how I would have imagined it. I didn’t feel how I thought I would feel. I cried so much but not because I was happy, I was terrified. The circumstances were not ideal for a baby, the relationship wasn’t what a relationship should be…
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The power of hugs and kisses from a tiny human
Earlier this week I felt something I don’t remember ever feeling before—the pure innocence of love. I was seating on the floor with Gael like we usually do when we get home from work. He was playing on his corner and I was seating there just watching him when out of nowhere he turns, sees me…
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Our not so perfect Christmas Photos
I had vision of the perfect Christmas photos with Gael. I wanted them to be in our home and as natural as possible. Well, they are in our home and very natural alright! Our photos are the opposite of the perfect holiday photos I’ve seen posted on social media lately and I’m okay with that.…
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#NaPhoPoMo 2013 Last Day: Look for the light
#Naphopomo is officially over and although I started a little late I’m proud of myself for posting 27 straight days. I really enjoyed the practice because it got me back into photography and on a regular routine of writing. I have to thank the wonderful Karen Walrond for introducing me to Naphopomo and encouraging me…
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#NaPhoPoMo 2013 Day 25: 10 months
It is hard to believe today he is 10 months, just 2 months shy away from being 1 year. I remember the days when I could take a photo with that zebra to show his growth from month to month. Now it is hard to get him to stay still. He crawls non-stop, stands on…
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#NaPhoPoMo 2013 Day 24: Life changes
Last year life didn’t look or feel like this. I’m thankful for the changes Gael has brought into my life and all the little things he helps me value. He brings a different perspective, humility, hope and love I’ve never experienced. I’m thankful for this every single day. The photo above is a tradition I…
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#NaPhoPoMo 2013 Day 23: Lunch alone
Today I had lunch by myself. This is a rarity for me nowadays. I used to do this all the time. Times have changed. When you are a parent eating becomes a rushed activity even more so when you are doing the single parent thing. I love eating with my little guy but I also…
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#NaPhoPoMo 2013 Day 22: Beautiful Green
A few weeks ago I had the opportunity to take photos at the Neighborhood Centers (NCI) grand opening of their Leonel Castillo Community Center located near downtown. I hadn’t posted any of the photos because I was waiting to give them to NCI. This is one of my favorite photos of the day. I noticed…
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#NaPhoPoMo 2013 Day 21: A gloomy day
Today was one of those days the weather fits the mood- cold, rainy and gloomy. There have been a few clouds that have made the last few days a bit of a struggle for me. Do you ever have days when things don’t seem to go right? You try so hard to make things better…
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#NaPhoPoMo 2013, Day 20: My kid has the best smile
My kid does have a great smile and I cannot get enough of it. I love how he giggles at random sounds and silly faces. I love that he thinks I’m funny and gets super excited when he sees me dance like a crazy person. I love how his eyes light up as soon as…
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#naphopomo 2013, Day 18: Perfect trio
I love watching the Houston skyline after the sun sets. The Sabine bridge is one of my favorite spots to admire our beautiful city lights. There’s something magical, almost poetic about the way these illuminate the sky. The buildings, lights and sky make a perfect trio on a winter night. This photograph was taken as…
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#naphopomo 2013, Day 17: Dinner en nuestro hogar
Tonight Gael and I hosted a dinner for a small group of friends at home. This was a first for me. I’ve never really had more than one friend come over for dinner. It was really nice. It’s was our usual sunday breakfast bunch- Rafa, Pau and Ale. I managed to cook a pretty decent meal…
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#naphopomo 2013, Day 16: Meet Mike
I met Mike Segal this morning during a visit at Ben Taub Hospital with my Mom. He came into the waiting area and said, “at 11am I’m going to have a support group in this room. I would like to tell you my story.” My initial thought was, “oh great, what’s this guy going to…
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#naphopomo 2013, Day 15: Out of the ordinary
Today I decided to do something out of the ordinary while Gael spent time with Dad. I took a dance class for the first time in a very long time. If you know me well, you know I love to dance. I wanted to be a dancer when I grew up… I still do! The…
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#naphopomo 2013, Day 14: The art of design
I’m always impressed with people that are able to create beauty with their hands. Tonight I attended the Taste of the Texans event where HCC had a booth displaying design work by one of the professors along with delicious sweets. The photos below show you a before and after. It was great watching the designer…
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#naphopomo 2013, Day 13: Domingos con Tota
Gael gets excited when we visit Tota on sundays. She tries to sing to him and he just stares. I love watching them interact because I never thought she would get to see one of my kids. She used to say, “You need to hurry up and have a baby before I die.” She…
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#naphopomo 2013, Day 12: Dinner with friends
A dinner with a great group of friends will always be a win on a Saturday night. Gael and I did just that last night. Gatherings like this are great reminders of how great are good ol’ hangouts, and conversations with friends. I mean, LIVE hangouts!! We don’t do this enough in the age of…
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#naphopomo 2013, Day 11: Friday night light
Give a kid a flash light and this is what happens! Tonight Gael and I did our usual Friday date night. I took advantage of the nice weather and took out to Market Square in downtown. I think it’s pretty amazing how kids love the simplest things. There’s no need to buy the most…
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#naphopomo 2013, Day 10: Morning smiles
This is the smile I got to enjoy this morning. Actually, this is the smile I get to see every single morning. I said it on my first #naphopomo post and I don’t mind saying again and again! One of my favorite things about Gael is the fact that he wakes up with that same smile…
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Day 9: Community Table #naphopomo
Tonight I got some much needed adult time with my lady friends April and Ericka. We have made it a habit to meet every 2 to 3 weeks for a nice dinner out. It is our version of “ladies night out “minus the heavy drinking and clubbing. Gael is usually the 4th guest but tonight…
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Day 8: Captured #naphopomo
My favorite subjects to photograph are children and the elderly. I always something pure, innocent and beautiful when taking their photographs. This is why I was so excited to be able to photograph my friend’s parents earlier this month. I finished editing and delivered photos yesterday which means I can finally share some of them…
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#naphopomo 2013, day 7: Twenty minutes
Today I ran on my own for the first time in a long time. I think last time I ran alone was when I was a few months pregnant. It was only for 20 minutes and not at all the pace I used to have but it felt great. 20 minutes was all I could…
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#naphopomo 2013, day 6: A walk in the park + some cuteness
I decided to take advantage of the perfect weather on Sunday and take a walk in the park with Gael. My favorite sight from the walk was the photo above. A couple brought their hammock and took a nap by the bayou. I must say I was a little jealous of their awesome idea and…
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#naphopomo 2013, Day 5: Helen and the kids
Helen Guerra is one of the most caring individuals I’ve ever met. She cares for my Gael during the day while I’m at work. Helen is not just Gael’s babysitter but she also has become a part of our little family. Her care for Gael goes beyond the 8+ hours she keeps him, it never…
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#naphopomo 2013, Day 4: Pan Dulce
With the weather change comes pan dulce for me. I find comfort and much needed warmth in eating a piece of pan dulce with a cup of Cafe or hot chocolate. I don’t think I’m alone on this because the Panaderia was pretty busy when I visited last night. what about you? what brings you…
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#naphopomo 2013, Day 3: A beautiful reflection
This was my view on the way to my car this evening afterwork. There’s something magical about sunsets that can make any day so much better. The reflection against the building was a great reminder that beauty can be found in the most unexpected places. This photograph was taken as part of #NaPhoPoMo (National Photo Posting…
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#naphopomo 2013, Day 2: Paying attention
It is amazing what happens when we begin to pay attention. My eyes and mind were much more aware of the surroundings today because I knew I needed a photo for this post. Both were more open. I noticed the shift when I walked out the door with my camera (and baby) on hands just…
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#naphopomo 2013, Day 1: Better late than never
Lately, I’ve been paying a bit more attention to posts online, especially those that offer tools for struggling bloggers like me! One of my friend’s posted a link to Blogher.com NaBloPoMo post on Friday. Her headline caught my eye: Today is the first day of NaBloPoMo, “National Blog Posting Month. Bloggers commit to posting once a…
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My childhood memory of el Dia de Los Muertos
One of my favorite childhood memories may sound a bit morbid to some but very normal to others. I loved the time of the year when Tota would take me to the cemetery to spend the day at my great grandmother Mamita’s grave. November 1st in El Salvador, like in many other Latin American countries, is a…
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It doesn’t just happen in October
Last week I attended the Domestic Violence awareness program at the Houston Area Women’s Center shelter and it was powerful to be back and be surrounded by survivors. It felt like home and it reminded me of the important work advocates at the Women’s center do. I also realized that although I may have left,…
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Me salio lo cursi con la maternidad // Motherhood made me a lil’ corny
English Version- Motherhood made me a lil’ corny Esto de la maternidad no me lo esperaba, por lo menos no ahora. Confieso que cuando me di cuenta de mi embarazo fue muy aterrador- nunca llore tanto. Ahora que tengo a mi Gael entre mis brazos es lo mejor que me pudo haber pasado. Este amor…
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A beautiful struggle
Do you ever have days when you have so much to do it is hard to get anything done? You feel like your mind is racing faster than a race car and there’s only so much you can do to hold still. Things begin to happen so fast and your only wish is to stop…
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My inspiration
I’ve had major blogger’s block for the last 6 months. For me, blogger’s block is when you cannot get yourself to click the publish button. My blogger’s block is not due to lack of inspiration or motivation. I’ve actually written quite a bit and even started journaling again. This blog was inspired by a journal.…
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I have been too quiet for too long
Today someone reminded me of something I wrote a while back and encouraged me to read some of my posts from a few years ago. Some were very powerful and inspiring. I was transported and wondered what happened to that voice– my voice. A voice that dared and encouraged me to embrace my different. I…
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Carta al hombre que no quiso ser mi padre
Originally posted on Frida's cafe: In English! Un padre es alguien que esta constantemente presente, demuestra amor e inspira- yo no recuerdo a mi padre así. El para mi es un tanto extraño y al que mi corazón se reusa llamar padre. Es por esto que nunca escribí sobre el hasta hoy. Tal vez sea…
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Thoughts from a new Mamá: don’t freak and have compassion
Friday May 24th, 2013 Today was one of those days I thought about over and over again when I was pregnant. The day Gael would be a little sick and I would be clueless. Mi Gael got a fever overnight and it freaked me out. I kept telling myself to do one thing but kept…
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Motherhood Moments: Now I understand my Mother
Español para La Voz It’s true. The best thing that can happen to a mother is that her children have children. Now that I’ve become a Mom I understand and admire my mother so much more. My story with my mother is like that of many other families who come to this country seeking a…
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Month 1 with Gael: in a different country learning a new language
It has been a month since I met the lil guy that would change everything in my life! It is truly amazing how such a small being could revolutionize everything I’ve ever known. I’m in a new country learning a different language! Life changed quite a bit during pregnancy but not quite as much as…
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No, I’m not married but yes I have a kid!
The following is a post I began writing back in October of last year. I’ve never edited any of my posts more than this one. I’ve waited a while to post for several reasons. The original post was angry and emotional. I was reacting at some of the questions people kept asking when I first…
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Amor que no conocía
Amor que no conocía Amor que no espera nada Amor sin restricciones Amor sin complicaciones Amor que te llena de aire Te cobija con ternura Te abraza con cariño Amor que borra tristezas Te consuela cuando mas lo necesitas Te sonreí cuando te hace falta Amor como este no hay ninguno No te ahoga No…
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Meet Gael: The greatest love of all!
“One day that boy will be your reason for living. It is the greatest love of all.” My good friend Camile could not have been more right—my little boy is the greatest love I have ever felt and I am so thankful to finally have him in my arms. He is perfect, beautiful and the…
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Carta al hombre que no quiso ser mi padre
In English! Un padre es alguien que esta constantemente presente, demuestra amor e inspira- yo no recuerdo a mi padre así. El para mi es un tanto extraño y al que mi corazón se reusa llamar padre. Es por esto que nunca escribí sobre el hasta hoy. Tal vez sea mi eterna curiosidad sobre lo que…
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Girl Rising: I am Change
13 girls under 18 were married in the last 30 seconds. 38 thousand will be married today. 14 million will be married this year. These are just some of the statistics I heard during the screening of “Girl Rising” yesterday. The screening is part of the Houston Library’s World Café forum aimed at highlighting global…
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Birthdays
It was maybe about 5 years ago birthdays began to feel a bit awkward for me. The idea of celebrating “me” feels a bit uncomfortable. I used to get really excited about celebrating and turning one year older. I’m not sure when or why that changed for me. Maybe the idea of getting older doesn’t…
Frida's cafe
Life as I see it
Frida's cafe 