Other Happenings

After making the trip to Concord to see Hannah in her prom dress, we went down to Indiana to attend the wedding of one of Brook’s friends from law school. We had fun catching up with his friends and I particularly enjoyed hearing stories about Brook from law school! ;-)

"The Family"

(AKA Brook and his roommates)

We spent the night in Kokomo after the wedding and drove back to MI on Sunday after Mass. Then, I went to Concord for a baby-sitting adventure and Brook went home. Wes & Jaime were celebrating their 5 year anniversary with a cruise to the Bahamas and I volunteered to watch their kids for a few days. Oh boy, did we have fun! Monday, my mom and I took all the kids (Sophie included) to the Treehouse in Chelsea. Afterward, my mom took us all out to lunch at Big Boy – Maria’s favorite (what a funny kid!) By the time we got home, we were all exhausted – including me – and all took nice long naps. The evening went better than I expected . . . I thought I’d have trouble getting the kids to want to go to bed, but they all went without any problem. And the bonus was that they all slept really well that night.

The many faces of Sophie Mae!

Tuesday, Julia was the first one up and it was neat to have that one-on-one time with just her. She sat on my lap and jabbered away, asking me questions that I couldn’t quite understand. LOL! Later that morning, I got to take Maria to her ballet class – just her and I. It was a special thing for us to do together and it was so fun to watch her at her class. She was SO into it! I took her to the store afterward and let her pick out some treats for her and Connor to play with later. When we got home, my cousin Cassie brought her son Trenton over to play with the kids. After lunch, they all went down for naps and then Jaime’s mom came to pick them up and . . . I went home. They have their moments, like any other kids, but I had a great 2 days with them.

What a happy little girl!

Time to go outside and play!

"I like to eat bubble and gross Aunt Chrystal out!"

All "Growed" Up

Earlier this month, my “baby” sister went to her senior prom. This event proved to be surprisingly emotional for me. I suppose it is because she is 12 years younger than me and, while she is my sister, I have always felt somewhat of a maternal instinct toward her – wanting to protect and keep her safe (OK, and tell her what to do!! LOL.) As always, she looked beautiful, but even more important is what is on the inside of this young woman . . . I continue to be inspired by her zeal to make a difference in this world. Just lately, she signed up go on a medical mission trip to Nicaragua in June. What is most incredible to me about this is that she isn’t doing it b/c her friends are. . . . no, she knows virtually no one on this trip (I’m sure she will come home with many friends, though!) And just as my trip to the Philippines did, this trip is bound to change her life and how she views the world. Can’t wait to see how God uses it to enrich her life!

NYC Recap

I can't believe that it's been over a month since we went to New York! (Where the heck did April go?) We left early Monday morning (April 5th) . . . Veronica taking the first leg of the trip. Things were going just fine, until we got to the Pennsylvania hills! Oh my, someone give me some Valium! Of course, by the time we got there, it was my turn to drive. You must understand that I am terribly afraid of heights. After we stopped for gas and grabbed something to eat, I got behind the wheel and my hands were sweating and stomach in a major knot. I had to keep telling myself that a major wind gust was NOT going to pummel us off the highway and to our untimely deaths. And since I am sitting here writing this, obviously my fear was unfounded. :-)

We made it to New Jersey around 5:30 and took a PATH train into the City, instead of driving and parking in Manhattan. (Thanks for the great advice, Carly!) We got to our hotel, which was tucked in between flower markets in Chelsea, around 6:30. By this time, I was definitely in need of a cocktail! The drive stressed me out just a tad, in case you hadn't noticed. We set out to eat at an Irish pub not far from our hotel. It was a perfect little place to kick off the trip. After we ate, we went to the Empire State Building. When we got to the top, I hugged the wall, of course! :-) I think my fear of heights is getting worse with age - I had been to the ESB twice before and it was never this bad. What is my deal?? We went up to Times Square afterward and were wowed by the obscene lights; then, decided to experiment with the Subway, since we needed to use it early the next morning. It was then back to the hotel to get some sleep and be ready for a very full Tuesday.

Tuesday, it was Upper Manhattan day. We had "VIP Passes" to the CBS Early Show. HAAAAA! Have you ever watched the show? If so, you know they have a very small outdoor audience. So, they lure audience members by promising backstage passes. Hahaha, again! We were told to be at the studio "no later than 7:15am." So, we got up early and rushed around to get up to the studio . . . only to find out that you watch the show first, then everyone who is there gets the tour. Oh well, we had fun there, made new friends and were on TV every time they panned the audience. Good memories!

From there, we went to Central Park for a nice stoll and enjoyed the beautiful blooming flowers and trees. Then . . . it was off to do some shopping! Woo hoo!!!!! We leisurely stolled down 5th Ave and made our way over to Rockefeller Center. At this point, it was time to go back to our hotel and take a nap. :-) Later that afternoon, we did more shopping and then went out to a fabulous Thai restaurant for dinner.

Wednesday . . . our last day . . . was Lower Manhattan day. We went to St. Paul's Chapel - a fabulous place, right by Ground Zero, which became a spot that served the firefighters and police officers after 9/11. It is still a chapel, but also a semi-museum now - very touching! I highly recommend going there! From St. Paul's we went over to Wall St and then took the Staten Island Ferry to see the Statue of Liberty. In between seeing the sights, we made plenty of time for shopping. It was so hot that day (87 degrees) that I was "forced" to buy a new outfit and wear it out of the store! I was sweating my rear end off! After a long day out and about, we walked through Chinatown on our way back to the hotel. I wanted to find a new purse and have heard that this is "Purse Heaven." Unfortunately, none of us were good at the whole bargaining game. (We needed our husbands to help! They rocked in Cancun for us!) So, I left without a purse. :-(

Later that night, we went out to Benihana's for dinner. It was our last night in Manhattan . . . the days went way too quickly! We had a great dinner and then V and H wanted to do some souveneir shopping; so, we headed back to Times Square.

The next morning, we got up early and hopped on the train to go back to our car. We were then going to Hobokken to go to Carlo's Bake Shop, AKA the "Cake Boss!!!!" Yay! We picked up an assortment of goodies and even saw a few people who were on the show. Then . . . it was time for the long ride home. The ride home was much better than the ride there. Not sure why, but thank goodness! It was such a great trip and I will always treasure the memories I made with my sisters.

A Distinguished Man

Last night, my parents, siblings, much of my extended family and I, along with many community members, gathered at Jackson Catholic Middle School to honor Henry and Albert Th*rrez for their commitment and generosity to Catholic schools, the Catholic Church and the community in general. I am proud to call Henry my grandpa. How do I describe this amazing man? I struggle to find the words . . . he is one of the best men I know. He can make you laugh with his silly stories or cry with his tough love. In a world where grey rules, he is a black and white man - he sees things as right and wrong. He lives by high standards and expects those around him to do the same. He has built an incredibly successful business and never once taken out a loan (personally or for the business.) This is something he is extremely proud of (and should be!) He is persistent and hard-working. He has taught me that anything worthwhile is worth working (hard) for. At 87, he still goes to work almost every day. After work, he comes home to work outside . . . picking up leaves, clearing trees with his bulldozer or shovelling the driveway in the winter. Of course, this last part really isn't work for him - he loves his toys!

As I reflect on Grandpa and who he is to me, I realize it is b/c of him that I am who I am in regards to my faith . . . he loves Jesus and being Catholic. And he isn't a fair-weather Catholic. He has been to Hell in back, serving in WWII. He has endured tremendous tragedy - losing 4 children. I guarantee that he would say his faith is what got him through those times. He knows the importance of attending Sunday Mass and never misses it. Even in the Philippines during WWII, he would go to church, bringing his fellow soldiers with him. It didn't matter what the weather was or the distance. He would go. And the Rosary was (is) his constant companion. (Look at the back of their motor home and you can't help but notice the devotion he has to Mary!) He and grandma instilled these virtues in my mom and she has instilled them in us. Of all the things grandpa has done, this, by far, is the most important.

Grandpa knows that everything he has if a gift from God. Because of that, he and my grandmother are incredibly generous. They don't need to be, but they are . . . to their family and to many, many worthy organizations. They have created quite a legacy for their family . . . a legacy that makes me wonder: what great things will I do with my life? My biggest fear is being mediocre. I always wondered where that came from. And now, I know - thanks a lot Grandpa! Haha! Because of him, I want to make a real difference in the world. I want to be extraordinary and help people, just like he has done. Thank-you, Grandpa, for creating such an incredible and lasting legacy.

As a side note, Tom Izzo was the keynote speaker. One word: WOW! What a great speaker and overall good person. Tom's wife, Lupe, also attended and spoke. I had no idea that they are such strong Catholics - so much so that a Jackson area priest accompanies them on away games and sometimes says Mass for them in their suite. Amazing.

NYC or Bust

As you can see from all the blog postings, I am feeling "slightly" unmotivated this Good Friday afternoon to work . . . especially since Veronica, Hannah and I leave for New York City on Monday. Not that a trip to Manhattan (driving, no less) is ever relaxing; but still, it is not work! We are leaving Monday morning and will hopefully arrive around 6 that evening. Since this is my third trip to NYC, I have been designated at the "trip planner" - a title I gladly accept. Anyway, I have some fabulous restaurants scoped out and lots of sightseeing planned, mainly for Hannah's sake, since this is her first time there and HER Spring Break, after all! (Isn't she lucky to have such cool chaperones???? ;-) ))) And of course, lots of shopping. We also have a surprise planned for Hannah . . . she has no clue and I can't wait!

Party at Pixie Hollow

A month ago, if you would've asked me what "Pixie Hollow" was, I would've looked at you and wondered what in the world you were talking about! Thanks to Maria and her love for Tinkerbell, I now know. Jaime, once again, made the most adorable invitations for Maria's 4th birthday party - Tinkerbell themed, of course! Maria is such a joy . . . does she have her typical "kid" moments? Of course. But she also has this way about her that makes you feel like you are the most special person in the room. For example, every time we walk into their house, she squeals with delight and runs to the door to greet us with a hug. Friday night, at her dad's bday party, she was sitting with me, looked up and said, "You look beautiful tonight, Aunt Chrystal." And then, "I love you so much." Ugh, does she know what to say or what?? :-) She also cracks me up . . . When she came up to visit a few weeks ago, Brook and I took Maria and Connor for a walk. At one point on the walk, Maria refered to Brook as "Uncle Brook Stevens." I laughed so hard! It does have a nice ring to it, doesn't it?

One of the highlights of our wedding day was right after I put on my dress . . . Maria saw me, gently put her hand on my dress and said, "Aunt Chrystal, you're beautiful!" The wonder in her eyes and the amazement in her voice makes me tear up to think of it now. Luckily, our photographer was there and captured the moment. It is something I will never forget and always cherish.

Happy Birthday, Love!

I couldn't help but include this one . . .

such a sweet shot of Grandpa & Connor

A Trip to the Treehouse

We celebrated Avah's 3rd birthday last weekend at the Treehouse. Avah is so special to me, b/c she is my Goddaughter. I will never forget the day Karen asked me to be her Godmother - I was sitting in my cube at work and she plopped down in my "guest" chair. I didn't think anything of it, since we chat often. :-) When she asked me, I was totally surprised and completely honored! I now struggle with the fact that I live over 2 hours away from her, but still try to be a part of her life as much as I can. And, of course, I pray that she will grow up to know and love God, as that is what Godparents are truly for.

We couldn't stay long, as we had another birthday party on Saturday (story of our lives lately!) . . . but we had a nice time catching up with many of our Jackson friends. And since everyone else has a kid or 2, we decided to jump on the bandwagon (no, there is no big announcement!) and bring one ourselves. . . that would be Miss Sophie Mae. She wasn't quite big enough to play in "Tree," but had fun in the baby area. She kept me quite busy, as she wanted to put EVERYTHING in sight in her mouth. I think she's checking Brody out in the picture below! ;)