Eva's first photo op - Jose's Birthday!

Friday we had the most amazing experience!  Some wonderful, anonymous person and quite inspired I might add, bought us an ultrasound appointment with a place in Salt Lake called Fetal Foto's.  What they do is take 2-D, 3-D and 4-D photos prenatally, its like a prenatal photo session.  We were able to see our baby Eva.  At first she was uncooperative and not wanting to show us her face, just her back.  But it seemed the ultrasound tech had some tricks up her sleeve and got Eva to move.  There in started the photo session.  She was beautiful, here are only a few pictures.  They gave us a disc with 52 pictures on it, a DVD with the whole session on it and 22 pictures for us to see right away.  These that I posted are one 2-D where she is sticking her tongue out and a 3-D where she has her little hands folded in front of her.  You can see her whole face and nose and lips.

It was the most amazing experience.  We still don't know who the generous friend was but it was the most wonderful thing to see our baby.  These may be one of many pictures or photo sessions we get of Eva even after she is born or the only photo session we will get.  Either way, it is amazing to now have a photo album of our baby!  She did so many cute things, she was grabbing her toes, the umbilical cord, she was opening her mouth to swallow and she was playing with her lip with her tongue.  She even yawned during the session, apparently it was running to long for my princess. You could see her little cleft in her lip, I think when she stuck her tongue out she was playing with her cleft!

At first we did not know what to expect or what we would feel like in seeing her.  But once we got to see her move and boy did she move, it just felt like "...that's our baby and she's perfect"  I was overcome with emotion.  We came home that night and watched the ultrasound DVD again.  We are so excited to be home for Thanksgiving and sharing these pictures and the ultrasound DVD with everyone!

We love you all.  Words could not express the gratitude we feel for this opportunity to see and enjoy Eva this way.  Thank you to you who so generously gave to us.  Please know that this gift will not be forgotten nor will we take for granted your generosity.  Jose and I look forward to the day when we will be able to "pay it forward".

Happy Birthday Jose (Daddy)!!!

Con Amor - Los Pena

Ushering in a new Era

I’m not a real Michael Moore fan; he has always been a bit too liberal for my blood but to quote him…

“We really don't have much time. There is big work to do. But this is the week for all of us to revel in this great moment. Be humble about it. Do not treat the Republicans in your life the way they have treated you the past eight years. Show them the grace and goodness that Barack Obama exuded throughout the campaign. Though called every name in the book, he refused to lower himself to the gutter and sling the mud back. Can we follow his example? I know, it will be hard.”

I know it will be hard, but I know that as we are conscious of how hard it will be we can do it. Last night has Jose and I watched John McCain speak we absolutely gained a renewed respect for him. Throughout the campaign, it was difficult to watch anything that the Republicans put on TV or to listen to any of their speeches due to the “mud slinging”. It seemed as if hate, prejudice and stereotype were going to dominate this election. However, gracefully John McCain congratulated Barack and reminded his supports and his party that we must be united; he vowed his support of OUR next president. Although, I have supported McCain in the past, I have never felt him equipped for the presidency, regardless of his time in politics, but last night he showed his true American spirit and his leadership qualities (I’m not sure about his supports at that rally however).

We, however, felt redemption, for all of us that come from “the Southside or the Westside” of cities across America, for all of us hyphen Americans that were born of immigrant parents, we felt redemption. This morning Jose and I listen to Barack’s 2004 speech at the DNC, he was the keynote speaker at that convention, and he was the relatively unknown Senator from Illinois. It moved us again; every time we hear him speak we are moved. I know for me he renews my sense of and need for accomplishment. Anything is possible, not just because of the color of his skin, but because of where he came from he did not come from privilege, and he did not have the easy road paved out for him. This kid born of an immigrant father and American mother made his own way, from Columbia University to Harvard Law always with the loving support of his family, the cornerstone of ANY success. I think to myself this could be anyone of my nephews and nieces, younger cousins, this could be anyone of my children; this could be Jose and I, any of our siblings. Life can make you cynical, you see that the road is too hard, filled with too many challenges and we can feel ill equipped so we give up at times. Barack ushers in a new era of hope, the hope that we at times feel is missing as we go on in our day to day lives.

Don’t get me wrong, I don't put all my hope in this man nor do I feel he is the only inspiration I or my family needs. I know that the real hope lies in our Savior Jesus Christ, I know that peace, love, and the caring for our neighbors is all a foundation of Christ’s teachings. But I also know that the Lord puts people in our lives to carry out his work. We all have that opportunity to be Christ-like, the challenge to be Christ-like. Judging not. I don’t know nor do I believe that Barack will solve all of this nations problems but I do know what his campaign meant and how his words have inspired positivity and unity. We will now look forward, on to his presidency with optimism, with inclusion. Barack has acknowledged that it was truly the people whose voices were heard, last night November 4, 2008!