Islands, Sail Boats in the Labyrinth

Ruby and I, after a wonderfully lengthy detour in the ARMC park, began our walk in the labyrinth...or at least, I attempted to begin my walk. She, who had been standing at the precipice of entry, retreated and squatted down in order to gather items, twigs, bark, leaves, monkey grass. I began my walk "Walk in Peace" says the block.  "Dadda, Dadda, WAIT FOR ME!" says my daughter.  I wait a few moments; she is still collecting. I begin to walk again, "WAIT!"  "It's not a race, you can begin when you want to," I respond.  She says, "It is a race, I decided!"  I wait. She blows past me in a flurry, hands full of objects who destinies are forever changed, uprooted from one place and soon to be placed in the center. She cuts ends and is quickly in the center, and she begin to build her fairy world. With twigs logged in between stones, rocks collected in a center "island" leaf sail boats floating around.  I join her in the middle and sit. "Help me, Dadda."  I follow her lead in building this world.

Once complete, she stands up and makes her way out.  But, before making it too far out, she finds another "sail boat" which she quickly puts in the "water." I continue to walk: "Dadda, you're supposed to wait." "You didn't tell me I was supposed to wait." She races to retrace her steps to the place she'd left, but zig zags around, trying to honor the integrity of the path, but at the same time desperate to get ahead of me. Soon she discovers she has only moved further away, so she hops from one track to another in my direction until she is firmly in front of me and then she briskly continues her walk until she is out! "I won." Yes, you did, my sweet girl.  

   

Frozen brain frozen lips

I find it's much harder to speak in Spanish when standing outside in below freezing weather. My jaw gets stuck, my eyes water, my lips harden, and my mouth doesn't move. Why was I standing outside in freezing weather speaking Spanish? I was participating in a prayer service at the round house. This day's topic: WATER. A huge topic, that so often we take for granted. Blessed are those who thirst for justice. Many know the real meaning of thirst.

To give an idea of how cold it was, as part of the ritual, the four of us who were praying were to pour a small glass of water into a bowl. Our glasses of water were frozen by the time we were to pour them.

Luis Gallegos, who I have known for about two years now, showed up at the ceremony early enough to participate. He did great.

Related, we were advised today to turn down our thermostats 10 degrees across the state because we may experience a gas shortage. Already Taos was without gas. It's kind of exciting to be challenged to live a little differently, bundling up a little more, considering alternative fuel sources. This, of course it temporary, but there may come a time, in the not to near off future, in which we ration our natural gas...

After we had supper close to the fire tonight, I went outside to--for the third consecutive night--transfer our four chickens from their normal roosting spot, which is exposed on one side, to the shed. We're not ready to throw them in the oven just yet. I had never handled them before until three nights ago. I was a little nervous and unsure how I would go about moving them. One friend who grew up with chickens suggested I grab them by their feet, "carry 'em two at a time." I went for the feet, but was willing to make four trips. I was surprised at how cooperative the girls were. And they have survived thus far.

But maybe it wasn't that cold outside as the frozen pipes in our house would indicate. Ruby Gene, after seeing me "playing" with the "gallinas," suggested we take Brinca to the park. This was at 7:30 pm. Mom said no (of course), but Ruby insisted, especially since she got a new little bike for her birthday.

So I bundled her up and took her for a walk around the block over snow covered streets. Crazy kid, she loved it. Evidently, she doesn't mind the cold, so it's no problem for her to turn down the heat in the house, even if we all will stumble over our words as we attempt to speak to her in spanish as condensation puffs out of our mouths!

We pray for those who are experiencing extreme cold wherever they may be.

Qué te pasa pookie wookie?

This evening I was upset about something...it doesn´t matter what. I was pouting; the universe was conspiring against me again!  I huffed and puffed. Trasie and Ruby Gene stood as witnesses. I sat down on the steps between our bedroom and the kitchen to change my shoes.  Ruby Gene saw me with my head down, and she came up behind me said, "Qué te pasa pookie wookie?"  "What did she say?" I asked Trasie.  Then, Ruby leaned around between my shoulder and the door frame, looked at me in the eyes, and with a furrowed brow and rounded eyes said again, "Qué te pasa pookie wookie?"  Evidently, she has a book that features a dejected character named Pookie, and Pookie's friends and family try to cheer him up by saying, "What's the matter Pookie?"

Ruby certainly helped me to forget my worries.  May we model her and Pookie's friends' example when we have loved ones who are feeling down.  Maybe say to them, "Qué te pasa, Pookie wookie?"  Letting them know that you are there for them and you care.

A child's generosity

We arrived to Santa Fe before midnight, barely.  We were the last three permitted to board the plane; one poor woman desperately trying to get on the plane but who was also flying standby, did not make the cut.  Because of my relief that we all made the plane, I didn't feel it appropriate to gripe about my seat - back row, sitting next to a man who weighed well over 300 pounds, and sitting behind three unsupervised rambunctious kids aged 4 to 10 (the stewardess turned baby-sitter was very sympathetic).  Never-the-less, the events of the day - a tribute Memorial Service for my grandmother, seeing family some of whom had never met Ruby Gene, and to this point successfully traveling back to Santa Fe with the two I love most, nothing could get me down; not even some of the emails I encountered when  I plugged into my computer and worked a bit using dinosaur arms.

We arrived to Albuquerque, and played around in the baggage claim area while waiting for our luggage.  Ruby Gene reminds me that no time is idle time: it's a time to play and interact with smiling faces all around.  We grabbed our bags and went out to the shuttle that would take us to our car.  "Mama Yesi" had gloves and a coat, "Papa" had a coat but no gloves.  Ruby Gene initially felt she needed neighter.  Her mother was insistent and won.  However, for Ruby, something still wasn't right.  On the shuttle, she noticed Papa didn't have any gloves. "Papa, manos, guantes" she shouted.  "Papa, manos, guantes!" She did not like it that my hands were exposed to the elements.  So what does she do.  She takes off her gloves, reaches across her mother's lap, and insists I take hers.  She is 21 months old, her spirit has not yet been tainted by this world! I gladly took them, and put them on thanks to their wonderful elasticity.  She seemed very pleased.  It goes without saying, I was too.

Today and Ruby

Ruby signed to me "bird" when she heard birds chirping...

She was also very intrigued by a man with a kite. Leo let me fly it. It was cool to fly.

She learned today that you need to pay attention to where you are going. She was playing with a coiled cord and walked right into the door frame. Ouch

For the first time in my life...I have broken a bone. 5 weeks ago, hand-weights left in the middle
of the floor (can I blame Ruby?) collided with a middle of the night trip to bathroom. CRACK! phalanges #4 broken. x-rays confirmed today. Doc says, wear hard soled shoes.

Questions of Life Development

Right now, it's really cute when Ruby Eugenia, 13 months, poops her pants.  She consentrates very intensly, and makes grunting noises.  This has been cute since she was born.

When will it not be cute anymore?

Or what about throwing food "on the ground"?  Brinca's there to faithfully gobble it up!

Ruby's front teeth started to come in last week...4 of them.  As a result she was:

Irritabile,
Drooling like crazy, Coughing more than usual, but it's kind of cute to see her do this fake cough, aaha aaha, 
biting and gnawing more than usual, especially on cereal box/ toilet paper roll type paper, 
pulling at her ears, 
rubbing her cheeks and eyes; 
she had diarrhea (which is starting to stank), chin rash and pimps type bumps, 
fever, 
and a runny nose (yellowish mucus), 
and, needles to say, she didn't sleep well.
What's that all about?
Growing up. 

Ruby Gene's amazing

Yes, she has discovered a new and amazing ability. Oh, there is a new one every day.

The sky is the limit for this kid!

Ruby Rolls

Way to go girl!!! Second time ever

A prayer for Ruby Eugenia and all of her generation

A prayer for Ruby Eugenia and all of her generation.
La Rotunda, Santa Fe, NM
opening session house floor
March 18, 2009

Please pray with me,
O God our help in ages past...our hope for years to come.

Thank you for this new day, and the life you give us.
Thank you for our elected officials who govern here,
and for all who facilitate this process of public service to our community

Thank you for the life of my daughter, born 7 weeks ago today.
She knows little of what this world is all about...as do we all.

Her big blue eyes delight in the way the shadow of the ceiling fan is cast on the vigas in our home.
Colors in contrast catch her eye and she is fascinated by them,
and yet we so often are a people divided on the grounds of differing colors, red and blue...
yellow, black and white. May we be united n our diversity this day!

I love how my little one sits on the changing table amazed by this simple little stuffed animal, that we call señorita obeja; but we so often are a people who feel like we need more things, bigger things, faster and fancier things. May we delight in simplicity today!

My little girl is comforted when her mother or I hold her tightly in our arms, there she rests and is at peace,
and yet we so often are a people who push others away, we build walls, and we keep you at arms distance... Hold us close this day.

When my little angel sleeps, she rests without worry, without fear, as if she is basking in the very presence of your divine being...
but we so often are a people who cannot trust, we are afraid of one another, we cannot trust ourselves...Free us from worry and fear, today.

My precious baby knows no threat to her life; and yet, we so often are a people who threaten so much of life, the lives of others and the lives of your creation. This day may we respect all life!

My little angels thinks that everything is just right, for now, but some day she will wake up to parents in an argument, someone in power will mistreat her, a friend will betray her..you know well this road.

Soon she will discover a world different from the one she knows now.
But, may the actions of this day make it possible for her to wake up to a better world.
As discussions take place and decisions are made here today,
may they be made with my little girl Ruby Eugenia in mind, but not just her, sino all children in this state, in this nation, and in this world.

O God our help in ages past,
and our hope for years to come
do a new thing! Make a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland. And may we perceive it!

Amen