Andrew went to his Senior Prom last night and he was so excited about it. He decided to go to his prom without a date. This boy of mine is growing up so fast and really making some wise decisions. He knows he is going away to college in the Fall and is preparing himself for the next phase in his life. He is taking a break from his relationship with his girlfriend and said that he just doesn't want to be attached because he has to focus on his education. I am so proud of him and so proud he is focused on his future. So, with that, he went to Prom with a group of friends and had a blast unattached!
He looked so handsome in his gray tuxedo and lavender tie and vest. I was watching him zip around the house getting ready and could not believe that my little boy is now a young man. Again, the question that entered my mind was, "Where did time go?"
I put together a photo montage... sit back and please enjoy my beautiful son's Prom pictures.
Sunday, April 26, 2009
Andrew's Senior Prom 2009
Sunday, March 8, 2009
Andrew turns 18!
My son turned 18 on March 5th and it was a monumental occasion. For the past few weeks before his big day, I was experiencing so many emotions about his 18th birthday. I still can't believe that he is 18! I kept asking myself daily, "Where did the time go?" It just happened so fast! When I asked Andrew if he felt the time went by quickly he said, "No Mom, it went by just the way I had hoped. I am ready for the next phase in my life and I feel prepared and very thankful for you always being there for me." We both cried and I have not been the same since then. My son is now an adult and ready to leave the nest. (Sniff, sniff).
We could not celebrate his birthday on the 5th because he had to work that night. He was a bit upset about that, but I told him welcome to the adult world! Many people have to work on their birthday. But being the Mama that I am, I made sure his morning was special and I took him lunch to school for him and his friends. I even took 4 cupcakes for the occasion. He was surprised but very grateful. We went out the next evening to a wonderful restaurant on the outskirts of Santa Fe. One of the teachers I work with is the pastry chef and recommended that we go. So I took his advice and made reservations. Aaron made a special dessert for Andrew and made sure we had a special table by the fireplace. Andrew was surprised and very pleased with the choice.
Andrew invited one of his good friends, Andres, to join us that night and we all had a blast! We talked and laughed all night long and I don't think Andrew stopped smiling. The food was fantastic and when the dessert came out, raspberry blueberry cobbler topped with 2 scoops of vanilla ice cream, his eyes lit up! It was such a great evening and Andrew just kept saying what a great night it was for him. I was so happy that he enjoyed his evening.
Happy Birthday my beautiful son! You are truly a gift to my life and I am so very proud and honored to be your Mama. I love you Mijo!
I caught Andrew off guard... he was busy looking at the menu.
Andrew's friend Andres... he had a great time. We all love Andres!
Andrew with his special dessert... Make a wish!
Andrew digging in to his fabulous birthday dessert! I don't know if he had a chance to make a wish... he just wanted to dig in to this wonderful cobbler.
A proud Mama with her beautiful son...
Gene and Andrew ready to celebrate...
Two good friends enjoying a special evening. Thank you Andres for celebrating Andrew's 18th birthday. You truly are a good friend to
Sunday, January 4, 2009
A Happy New Year for Andrew...
Happy New Year everyone! Hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas and a very Happy New Year. Andrew and I went to California for a little over a week and had a wonderful time with Lisa, Albert, Bella and Maggie. We had a great time and it was so wonderful being with our wonderful family.
Andrew has gone through some changes since my last post. He decided to quit playing basketball for his school. It was a tough decision for him, but he wants to enjoy his senior year and he said he just wasn't having fun playing ball anymore. I did see it in his eyes and knew it was coming. He is happy with his decision and is enjoying time with his friends, has asked Gene to teach him how to play the guitar, and seems to be much more rested. He does have more time on his hands, so I suggested he find a part time job. He agreed and is on the hunt for a job.
He is in the last leg of his high school year. Tomorrow he begins his new semester and is looking forward to his classes. He is counting down to graduation and Andrew is excited about the next phase of his life. I on the other hand am not sure how I am feeling. Some days I am ready to pack him up and move him to college and then there are some days when I ask myself, "Where did the time go?"
So, with the New Year upon us and this being Andrew's graduation year, be ready for more posts on senior activities that will be happening.
Saturday, December 6, 2008
Andrew's Basketball season has begun...
So the season has begun...Andrew is on Varsity and he is happy to be part of the team his final year of high school. He had such a bumpy year last year and I wasn't sure if he would commit to this years team. He hung in there and is on the team.
He decided to choose #10 for his jersey. He said he needed a new number for a fresh start. I was so excited to see his 1st game! I drove up to Los Alamos and made sure I had a good seat. I was so nervous for him and just waited for the team to run out. When they came out of the locker room and ran onto the court, I got teary eyed. It was so good to see my mijo with his teammates.
He played each quarter and did a fantastic job! He had no fouls (which is very surprising for Andrew) and played excellent defense. I was one proud mama!
I created a montage of the game and do apologize for the quality of the pictures. I am in the process of purchasing a new digital camera and hope to have some great pictures to display on Andrew's blog.
GO HORSEMEN!
Saturday, October 25, 2008
Friday, September 19, 2008
Andrew's Ring Ceremony Part 2
I didn't get a chance to post in detail about Andrew's big day. It was late and I was trying to get the montage on before the day ended...thank God my sister Lisa came to the rescue! She helped me post the montage and even changed Andrew's Blog Template. She is so computer Savvy...
Andrew's Ring Ceremony was a wonderful celebration. It made it official; Andrew is a Senior! The celebration began with a beautiful Mass. Fr. Adam, our pastor at our parish officiated as the celebrant. The senior class processed into the St. Michael's gym and they all looked fantastic! Andrew was beaming from ear to ear and he looked absolutely Fabulous!
The best part of this wonderful celebration Mass was during the Presentation of Gifts, Andrew went up to the Alter. He is an Eucharistic Minister and was involved in giving the Body of Christ to all present. I was so proud of him! He stood there with Fr. Adam and gave Communion. I could not help but think of my Mom... she would have been so proud of her precious grandson. One of her biggest requests was that Andrew follow the Catholic Faith and receive his Sacraments. I have honored her request, but little did I know that Andrew would be an Eucharistic Minister. He did this himself and received the training he needed from Fr. Adam. It was a wonderful surprise.
I got all teared up when Fr. Adam asked all the Seniors to embrace and bow their heads for a blessing. It was such a touching moment. He asked all those in attendance to extend their arms and the blessing of the Class of 2009 was given. That is when all parents seemed to lose it! Tears were flowing and Kleenex was being passed around.
Part of the tradition of Ring Ceremony is to take our Senior to lunch. We got together with a few of Andrew's friends and their parents and went to Zia Diner for a wonderful lunch. It was such a wonderful day filled with the presence of God and the Holy Spirit. My heart was filled with so much love for my son and I am so proud of him. He is a sweet young man; so kind, considerate and polite. I love you Mijo!
Monday, August 25, 2008
Here we go...
Tomorrow is Andrew's 1st day as a senior in high school. I watched him prepare this evening and between, "Mom, can you iron my shirt?" and "Mom, where are my jeans" I kept thinking about how exciting this year is going to be for him. I also got teary eyed. Of course I didn't let him see me but all I could tell myself was, "Where did the time go?" He is so excited about his senior year and all the activities that go along with being a senior in high school. Homecoming, Prom, Class Ring Ceremony, sports, SAT's, ACT's, college applications, and graduation.
He said he is looking forward to school and feels ready to go to school. He spent time in CA with his wonderful Tia and got to do a lot of things while out in CA. When he came back to Santa Fe, he spent time with his friends, went golfing, worked out, and even managed to get a job as a bus boy at one of our 4 star restaurants here is Santa Fe. He is making his own money and just loves his job!
So, tomorrow begins the journey toward senior year... he spent this morning reflecting about school. We had such a nice conversation about his last year of high school. He then went to Mass at our church and was a bit sad because Sr. Silvia (the director of Confirmation) is leaving Santa Maria de la Paz to return to Mexico. Andrew worked very closely with Sr. Silvia and he said he is going to miss her so very much. He went to noon Mass to say good-bye to her. He then went to lunch with his friends and then to work. When he came home he had a smile on his face... he was happy with his tips and said that he met some wonderful people at the restaurant this evening. He said it was a very good day.
He got his things together for tomorrow and was trying on his new school clothes and trying to decide what shoes he should wear with his uniform. He has everything set and is ready for the 1st day of school. Part of me just wanted time to stop. It is going by so fast! I just don't want to miss a thing. I have my camera ready to go so I can capture memories and a new video camera will be purchased next week. Hold on everyone!! Andrew's Senior Year has arrived!
Straightening out the collar to his new polo shirt (uniforms are required at his Catholic high school).
Andrew modeling in front of his mirror in his room. He loves his new backpack that his Tia Lisa purchased for him in California.
Andrew stunned with his 1st paycheck! He could not wait to deposit it in his new teen checking account. Andrew is very aware of the presidential candidates this election year. Can you tell who he is supporting?!
Our beautiful parish here in Santa Fe... Santa Maria De La Paz... I took this picture from my school's parking lot. It is such a beautiful church!
Sunday, August 10, 2008
Andrew's Back Home!
Well, my wonderful son finally came home to Santa Fe. He was in California since July 1st. It is good to have him home. He arrived on Saturday and he was so happy to be home! It was good to see him and we had a great conversation on the way home from Albuquerque (very rare these days). We talked about all that he did in California and how he enjoyed the sights and sounds of Los Angeles. He just went on and on about what he did and where his "Tia" took him. He said he had such a great time but it was good to be back home in Santa Fe.
Sunday morning he got up and was very quiet... I knew the "great to be back in Santa Fe" was put on hold... my poor Andrew was looking rather sad and was as talkative as he was on Saturday. He misses his "Tia" so much and is having a difficult time being away from her. They have such a unique bond those two, that it takes Andrew a while to get back on track. My heart immediately went into Mommy Mode and I wanted to fix it right away. Being the Mexican that I am, the first thing I thought of was making his favorite breakfast and baking brownies... cure anything with food!!! Everyone said to just leave him alone and give him some time, but for those of you that know me, that is impossible for ME! I want to put a big Band-aid on his heart and make it all better... then I had to stop myself and put myself in Andrew's shoes... I do the same thing when I get back from California!!! I'm sad, quiet (a rarity for me), and weepy for days! I miss my sister so much that there are times I feel like my heart is going to explode with such sadness! I just need time to work my way through and eventually I do. I now understand my Andrew! I need to give him time to work through this. So for now, I will put the "heart Band-Aid" away and I will stop the Martha Stewart cooking process and give my son a chance to breathe and work through it (I think I can, I think I can).
I just let him be on Sunday... I even gave him some space. Gene and I went to the movies and saw "Mamma Mia" (highly recommended by Lisa and worth every penny). When we came back home a few hours later, Andrew was in his room getting ready for church. He is very involved in our parish and is an active member in the Teen Life Program. He loves going to Mass and I knew that that would help and he would see his friends, Father Adam, and Sister Silvia. I also called in our Blessed Mother for added strength for myself! I asked her to give me the strength to "back off."
This is Andrew's last year of high school and I want him to enjoy himself but yet make wise decisions. He tells me he has anxiety about decided what he want to do after high school and as I am hyper ventilating on the side lines because he is talking about his college plans, I tell him what he is feeling is what all seniors are feeling. Just go day by day and enjoy his days as a senior and we will get the college decision made when the time comes.
Be ready to be updated on Andrew's Senior Year! It is going to be a wild ride!!!
Andrew and Lisa at the Hollywood Bowl...
Friday, July 18, 2008
Being a BIG cousin has it's moments!
Andrew can not help it! His baby cousins, Bella, 4 and Maggie,2 just adore him and want to be with him most of the time. He really is good with them... I watched him while he would interact with Bella and Maggie and it was so precious. He changes Maggie's diapers and makes sure she eats her dinner. He plays with Bella and helps her with her letters and goes outside to play on the Slip n' Slide with her. He makes them laugh and it is so great to hear the girls giggling at Andrew's silliness. He really has a way with them and the love between these 3 cousins warms my heart. My son has such a loving spirit about him... I am so proud of his depth!
Maggie wanted Andrew to get in her little pool with her and she did not have to ask twice... before I knew it, he was in the pool with her... this 6ft. 17 year old was splashing around with Maggie. She was so tickled by having "Anda" in the pool with her.
Andrew and Bella at the Yard House~ Bella was sitting across from Andrew eating her cheese pizza contently until Maggie got out of her high chair and started bothering Bella. Andrew asked Bella if she wanted to come sit by him and she crawled over and was so happy that Andrew was looking out for her.
Andrew and Bella eating their delicious food for the 4th of July which is Bella's Family Day. She wanted to set by Andrew and he helped her with putting ketchup on her hot dog. She was so thrilled that Andrew was sitting next to her.
Bella fell asleep on Andrew... she was sitting with him and just fell asleep! They laid there for a long time until Tia Lisa picked her up and put her to bed. You are a kind big cousin Andrew!
Wednesday, July 9, 2008
Summer basketball camp in Denver!
Andrew's life is basketball! St. Michael's High School where Andrew goes to school, is not only an excellent academic institution, but St. Mike's has a strong athletic program. Andrew is very involved with basketball at St. Mikes and the month of June with filled with camps every weekend throughout New Mexico and Colorado. I went to many of the camps and have decided I do not want to see another bleacher for the rest of the summer!
Andrew playing defense
REBOUND!!!!!
Andrew with his coaches 
Andrew with his best friend Jordan (standing) and good friend Michael
Make that pass Mijo!
Andrew at the freethrow line.jpg)
Coach Miera doing what he does best... COACHING!Sunday, July 6, 2008
We are home for the 4th!!
Andrew and I made it home for the 4th and we could not be happier...Andrew and I miss our family so much and seeing Lisa and the girls at the airport was so wonderful! We all hugged and made a scene at the airport! Lot's of hugs, kisses and tears of joy!We celebrated FAMILY DAY in honor of Bella... Andrew and I can't believe Bella has been in our family for four years now! She is such a blessing and we could not imagine life without our spirited Bella! She is truly a special little girl.
We had so much fun on the 4th. We were with our loving family and good friends. Andrew grilled and helped his little cousins light their sparklers. You could feel the love all over the place! Little Maggie got into the groove of Sparklers. She was frightened at first, but after Tia showed her, she took one in her hand and smiled. Maggie girl, you are such a delight!
Andrew and his beloved Tia!!
Andrew relaxing after all that Grillin'
Getting ready to sing "Isn't she Lovely" to Bella.
Maggie with her Sparkler! You Go Girl!Saturday, July 5, 2008
Look who's blogging?!
My Andrew is 17 and is a senior in high school this coming year (I quiver at the thought)! I was inspired by my sister Lisa to create a blog for Andrew. Andrew has a lot going on this coming year and I want to be able to share with family and friends his special moments and events (minus irrational episodes... I will keep those special for me) of his senior year. I just can't believe my little 6ft. child is 17 and planning for ACT's, SAT's and colleges he would like to attend. Where does the time go?! My son is my world and I want to share his most exciting time in high school with all of you. I hope you check in every once in awhile and enjoy his "senior moments" and my survival of it all...
