Mi Amor

A cute picture of Wendy (my wife, for those who may not know) from a couple of days ago. If you want to see it later you had better download it. She will probably make me delete it when she sees it here. :-)

Happy Birthday to Wendy!

You are one beautiful woman!

10 Years!

Today Wendy and I celebrate our 10-year anniversary. It doesn't feel like 10 years to me. I guess you know what they say about how time flies when you're having fun. In any case, I certainly feel like a much richer person for having married Wendy. (And I'm not talking about money!) Thank you Wendy for being the sweet one! I love you.

Above: Us, May 16, 1998, Malcolm X Park, Washington D.C. (check out my braid, ese!)

Happy Birthday Wendy!

You've always been the sweetest person I know...and somehow you have managed to remain smiley through all the years, and that is the sweetest thing of all. Happy Birthday mi amor!

(Above, Wendy with her Grandmother Smith in the 1970s.)

Rutilio Grande House

Here's a nice article about the Rutilio Grande House, a faith community with refugees that Wendy helped to start with Lori Ryan and several others here in Toronto. I think it's a good article about a great community, though Wendy of course can point out several errors in it.

I am very proud of Wendy and all the Rutilio Grande House members for starting this project. I also have to humbly point out that Amado and I are featured almost right in the centre of the photo above, though we were just guests at the grand opening of the house.

House for Faith Sharing, Refugee Support
Located on Symington Avenue in the city’s west end, Rutilio Grande House is an initiative to provide affordable community housing for faith sharing and refugee support.

Three families, living together, with space and support for all. This is the vision for the Rutilio Grande community, articulated in the words of Fr. Rutilio Grande, S.J., an El Salvadoran Jesuit priest and promoter of liberation theology: “The material world is for everyone, without borders. A common table with a tablecloth big enough for everyone, like this Eucharist. Each one with a seat so that each one comes to the table to eat.”

Ryan explains that Rutilio Grande is an intentional community, where people choose to come together and live as they wish for the world to live, allowing people to live the life they are created for, rather than one thrust upon them by poverty or circumstance.

Read more here.

My Vata Loca Bride

Here's one of my favourite wedding pictures of Wendy. It was taken 9 years ago today as she prepared for our wedding. I'm not sure if it's the hairdo & makeup, the Barrios Unidos shirt, or the grunge Levis, but she sure looks like a sweet homegirl here.

Don't worry, she put a beautiful dress on for the wedding.

Happy anniversary chica! Te amo muchisimo!

Hi Mama!

Above: Amadisto greets his mom with a smile.

Sorry for the blog slow down this week. I continue to be busy with work stuff, including on the weekends. And if I'm not busy with work stuff, I'm busy with baby stuff. So there you go. I'm taking a bit of time off right around Christmas, which will be my first real vacation since May 2005 when I came back from the States. Mmmm, feels like I've been working since time began.

We kept the TV on most of yesterday watching the Liberal convention. It was dramatic for sure. In the end our man Gerald Kennedy played kingmaker by taking his delagates over to Stephane Dion's camp, which knocked Bob Rae out of the leadership race. Then Dion beat Michael Ignatieff, which was fine by us since we think he may be a closet neo-con. It's great to have an environmentalist leading the Liberals, especially since Kennedy is certain to play a big role in the cabniet if Dion makes it to prime minister.

Oh, Wendy just reminded me that our family is NDP*, not Liberal, so we wouldn't be voting for Dion anyway. Oh yeah, I forgot. (Not that I can vote anyway. I'm still not a citizen.)

It's cold here, but no snow. Too bad. We're still hoping it's going to be a white Christmas.

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*Key for my American readers:
There are three main political parties in Canada (though the Greens are starting to come on strong in some parts, which would make four contending parties):

Conservatives
The current ruling party are the Converservatives, led by Stephen Harper. They aren't as conservative as the Republicans, though they are trying hard to be.

Liberals
The Liberals were in power for years, but a series of scandals brought them down in the last federal election. The are centre-left, more liberal than the Democrats though not by much.

NDP
NDP stands for New Democratic Party. They are to the left of the Liberals. Some people call them socialists, some call them the extreme left, but I don't think they're all that radical really. But progressive for sure. There's nothing like them in the States except maybe somebody like Dennis Kucinich.

Happy Birthday Wendy!!!

....to the most beautiful person I've ever met.

Wendy and Amadisto

In the Time of SARS

Back in spring 2003 the SARS epidemic hit Toronto and the other places around the world. For a couple of weeks you could see some people wearing surgical masks on the subway and it was obvious that folks got antsy if they were crowded together in a confined space. And with good reason--44 people here in Toronto died from the mysterious disease. It was a little scary around here until it was determined that SARS was pretty much only being spread in hospitals.

I've forgotten why Wendy had to get the masks. It may have been during the time she worked in the addiction centre at St. Joseph's Hospital (which I guess would have been cause for concern). We took this picture to send out to family and friends just to show that we were doing ok and taking all the necessary precautions: Wendy wore the surgical mask when needed. I--obviously--was too cool to catch the disease.

Mixed Emotions...

...and new strange pains. Is it the full moon or the beginnings of labour? We spent a day filled with a new burst of energy (or is it anxiety?) to get together the never-ending final details. It's hard to believe that we will ever be completely ready for the new baby, but one thing for sure, he or she is coming very soon...

(yes, Ms. Wendy said I could post this picture! She may change her mind when she sees it in the morning.)

Liturgically Correct!

...this is the little dish I am really waiting for! [Ms. Wendy expectant!]