Hello 2011

I can't believe its 2011! This was the first New Years with out Nichy since Gabriela has been born. After Panama we came back to the U.S. and he had to be back in Argentina for practice. Nichy is playing on a really good team this year. This is a good thing, but it also means more games and tournaments! He is in Ecuador now, and they just qualified for the Liga las Americas finals. Next month they will be traveling to Mexico. Gabriela and I are wrapping things up in the U.S. getting ready to return to Argentina. We have never been home this long for Christmas , which is nice but we are ready to be with Nichy!

The year 2010 was a big year for our family, and if I had a motto it would be "Everything always works out."

*After being dissapointed several times looking for houses we finally bought a house! It is a great first house for us in a great location!

*This summer Nichy had an offer to go to Japan and play with a former teamate. It was a situation where he hated to turn it down but did what he felt was best. This year started rough in Argentina. I know we both thought "why did we turn down Japan. However, things have turned around and the team is playing great.

*For the first time this year Nichy was not starting. They signed a big time player in his position and he was coming off the bench. It was hard for him and he did not enjoy sitting on the bench! I felt like it was going to be a LONG season! I happy to say he has earned a starting position back and playing great! In addition he saved his body for the first couple weeks he wasn't playing as much! Of course he didn't look at it that way!

Nichy got his green card, but it is lost in the mail! After stressing out about him not being able to enter the U.S. We all went to Panama for Christmas. This was a blessing because Nichy had not been home in over 10 years for Christmas!

*Gabriela is potty trained! After stressing and starting and stopping. The end of the summer she was potty trained and doing great. I made the mistake of starting when we both were not ready! I stopped and started again when I felt the time was right.

*Nichy and I have always wondered what would we do "life after basketball." This summer we started the Tumbleville Express. It was a stressful summer and caused a few panic moments like "what have we gotten ourselves into, and "is this going to be a big flop?" It was very scary because we were stepping out of our comfort zone. I am happy to say the business is doing great and we have bought another bus and expanded.

*Zac and Addie are doing great. I have always worried about Jude and prayed really hard for their family. I am happy to say they are doing great and re-married. Zac is working in Nigeria six weeks on 3 weeks off. It is a great job and experience for him.

*Lindsay and Andy are expecting their second baby! We all have one child and the pressure was on to have the second. My Dad even said he is leaving his retirement to whoever has the next baby! Looks like Lindsay and Andy won!

*Nichy's Dad is living at home and healthy. This is another situation we have prayed about and always worried. Being in Panama for Christmas was great because Nichy's Dad is home and he is so good to Gabriela. It is such a blessing to have him healthy and a part of Gabriela's life.

*My Dad is managing the Tumbleville Express. The last couple years he has worked a lot of hours. It has aged him and we did not feel it was healthy. When I approached him about working for me. We both had concerns but it has worked out great. The business has been a success because of him! I am so lucky to have him.

Christmas!

This year we were planning to spend Christmas in the U.S. Gabriela and I left Argentina a month early, because Nichy was going on a fifteen day road trip. Instead of staying in Argentina we came back and have been working on the Tumblebus everyday! We have four daycares and in January we are starting four new ones! Things are going well, and we are still learning a lot everyday!

I was suppose to pick Nichy up on the 20th from the airport. When he tried to board his flight in Buenos Aires they would not let him on the flight. Nichy is a U.S. resident but his green card got lost in the mail. He has a document that says he is a resident and one saying his green card is in route. However, the management at the airlines did not see it that way and would not let him on the flight. We panicked for two days and did everything we could to get him here. The last we heard was our lawyers had got a hold of our State Representative and they faxed urgent paper work to the Embassy to let Nichy travel. Since Nichy only had a week break we were running out of time. We decided to all meet up in Panama! Nichy surprised his parents and two days later Gabriela and I surprised them! It was great,and we really feel that everything worked out for the best.

Gabriela is loving Panama and had a lot of presents waiting here for her! Nichy's parents will buy toys and clothes throughout the year for her. It is a good thing I brought a big suitcase! She loves playing with her Abuelo Nicho and I think they are both wearing each other out! Yesterday we were laughing because he took two naps.

Santa came to see her in the U.S. and brought her a pink kitchen! We had a great Christmas this year and feel very blessed. God has answered so many prayers with Nichy's family and our family. We are excited for 2011 and thankful for our health.

Update

Gabriela is loving to dress up in princess dresses and pretend play! Lately she has been talking a lot about Queens and loves when I tell her pretend stories. One of her favorite things is dressing up Mommy and putting makeup on her. She tells me to "close your eyes," "keep them shut," and "que linda Mommy." I never thought I would be getting a make over from my two year old daughter!

Gabriela has started cooking with me. I let her spice the meat, stir, crack eggs, and add water into the bowl! She loves it and it gives her something to do when I am preparing dinner. Of course it can get messy at times, but we usually try and clean up before Daddy gets home! Baking is her favorite and she loves licking the bowl! We don't have a dishwasher here and hand wash all the dishes. This is always something she loves to do and it helps me out! She will spend thirty minutes at the sink using half the bottle of soap and only wash two plates!!

Halloween In Argentina!!!

Every year I am always missing being in The States for Halloween. Nobody celebrates it like the U.S. or has the great costumes! This year I decided to invite Gabriela's friend over for a mini Halloween party. She had eight people over, and they all wore costumes. This was the first time any of them had dressed up for Halloween. Jessica came over and dressed up as a clown and also painted their faces. We had games, candy, cupcakes, and pumkins for each of them. The best part of the party was taking the kids trick or treating! It was great because they don't do that here! The kids did not know we bought the candy previously and gave it to some people we knew to hand out!! They just thought it was great going to peoples houses and stores saying "trato o tuco"for candy! I will never forget the smile on there faces or our friends who were giving them candy. Nichy had a game that night so we took the kids to the club for trick or treating also. Apparently Gabriela was the big talk with the broadcasters at the game because she had her costume on. I am trying to get a copy of it! All of my friends keep telling me she was on television a lot!!

Getting In a Routine

It is always hard the first week I arrive to learn how to relax and embrace the slower lifestyle. Since we have arrived I joined a gym, and Gabriela started pre-school. I really had mixed emotions about Gabriela starting preschool. I love being home with her and have never had problems getting her playdates and interaction with other kids. Also, I feel like she has a long rode ahead of school and didn't want to start too early. However, it is only three hours a day and she goes three times a week! It was a great situation for us, because the teacher Jessica was Gabriela's babysitter last season. She is wonderful and so good to Gabriela.

Each day I pick up Gabriela she is singing a song or counting in Spanish. Gabrieal is speaking more and more Spanish everyday. It will be interesting to see if she will continue to speak English or only use her Spanish. She makes complete sentences in English and can pretty much say whatever she needs. Her Spanish is mostly words, songs, and a few short sentences. Daddy took her to pre-school today for the first time. When I picked her up she asked "donde esta mi dada."

Since we have been back we have been going to weekly asados and hanging out with friends. Nichy will be home for two weeks so I am hoping to have our weekly dates nights! This weekend The South American tournament starts. Last year we were the champions. Quimsa is not playing well this year. They stacked the team with "all start players." Which looks good on paper, but they are not meshing well.

We made it!

My dad took Gabriela and I to the airport on Wednesday. On the way there he said "Morgan this kinda sad because this might be the last time you and Gabriela live with me." The last two years we have been living with my Dad when we come back. We bought Lindsay's house and moved all of our stuff the week before we left! Who would think when you are thirty one you would be sad not to live with your Dad anymore!! I know he has loved having us stay with him in the summers. He and Gabriela are very close and everyday she always ask "where is Grandpa?" She will answer herself by saying "is he on the Tumblebus," or "is he playing softball." I can honestly say I feel like I have the best Dad in the world and Gabriela has the best Grandpa!! She is going to miss all the icecream Grandpa would give her and justify it to me by putting bananas on it!!

Gabriela did great on the flight. She had a small meltdown in Oklahoma City. One of the airplanes took off, and she started screaming crying! I think she thought it was the airplane she was supposse to get on to see her Daddy! I quickly assured her we had a different airplane to get on. We traveled from Oklahoma City, Houston, Buenas Aires Int, Buenas Aires airport, and arrived in Santiago Del Estero! Each airport Gabriela would say "I want to get on another airplane." All week I told her we were going to get on an airplane to see Daddy in Argentina!!

We arrives in Buenas Aires at 9:00 a.m. and drove about an hour to the other airport. When we got there we found out we would have an 6 hour layover which turned into 8 hours because the flights were delayed! I was so upset and almost started to cry! Then I realized Gabriela was fine and I should be happy too! She ran around the airport playing, we ate, and she took a nap. The last flight was aweful due to turbulance, and when we were landing Gabriela started crying. I think she was just done with traveling! However, as soon as she saw her Daddy her eyes lit up and everything was fine!

Ready To Travel

Gabriela and I are preparing to go back to Argentina! We stayed longer than expected due to the Tumblebus! Things are going great with the business and I am nervous to leave. However, I have my Dad managing it and great workers. I am worried Gabriela is going to really miss the Tumblebus. She gets to go on it everday and usually does one class a day!

Lately Gabriela has been asking to see her Daddy. When she gets in trouble or hurt she will cry screaming "Dada Dada." It breaks my heart and I can't wait until we reunite! This has been the longest we have been apart since we had Gabriela. I am so excited to return to Santiago Del Estero and see our friends. This is the first time we are returning to the same city. I don't have the unknown feeling and know what to expect!

We bought Lindsay and Andy's house! The plan was for them to close on their new house this week and move this weekend. Things did not go as planned, and they are closing next week! I went to Arkansas this week and moved all our stuff out of storage into their garage. Nichy and I will have a house to come home to in December and lots of unpacking to do!!