San Jose Revisited

Last Thursday found us back at Mission San Jose.  Our weeks seem to run together with constant activity.  But -- that's okay!  I told my friend Jennifer about our trip to the mission, and she wanted her daughter, Avery, to experience it.  It was a beautiful morning for it, and this time the gristmill was in working order!

"Jonathan making Mommy proud"
He loves rocks, but has learned to just let the rocks fall from his hand instead of hurling them at whatever stationary or moving target he can find.

Wonder what's in there?

Jonathan giving a flower to Miss Jennifer

Checking it all out


Friday we took lunch to Daddy's office and worked the building before returning home for a surprise and a nap.  Jonathan was in my arms as I showed him some of the magnets on the fridge.  The next thing I knew, a small black snake (approx. 7-8 inches) had slithered half way out from under the toaster oven.  I plunked Jonathan down in front of Caillou, ran to the closet for a shoe box, got the little booger contained and hurled him off the back porch.  I don't even want to know how a snake got in the house, much less to the top of my cabinet.  Ahhh - spring in South Texas.

As sweet as our Jonathan is, we got the news after church on Sunday that he'd been pushing one of the little girls in the nursery.  Argh.  Miss Cindy said the pushing seemed to be more a way to show her he "liked" her than a malicious attempt to get a toy.  Who knows.  I'm thankful they told us though.  Today when I picked him up from Bible class I got the same report.  Again - pushing a little girl.  He's definitely all boy.  If anyone has any advice on how to teach our little guy to stop violently "flirting", I'd like to hear it.  I guess that'll be our next challenge.

I finally decided to just forget about all the contingencies surrounding our life and plant some seeds.  I also bought some heirloom tomato plants and flowers.  Hopefully I'll have a nice little container garden within the next few months.  In the spring, I can't help but plant something.  Jonathan is a great little gardener.  He watered nearly all our plants yesterday.

"Even if I knew that tomorrow the world would go to pieces,
I would still plant my apple tree."
~Martin Luther

Misson San Jose

Jason took the day off today.  We had some errands to run near downtown San Antonio, so we did something we rarely do these days.  We decided to be spontaneous.  We took Jonathan to Mission San Jose y San Miguel de Aguayo.  

The mission trail is one of my favorite things in South Texas.  In fact, I visited the San Antonio Missions for the first time on a 7th grade history club trip.  I was the secretary of the Worley Middle School History Club.  I know -- what a dork.  The moment I took my first step into Mission Concepcion (my favorite mission of the five) was the moment that I fell in love with history -- more specifically -- Texas History.  

San Jose is a beautiful mission complex complete with a HUGE enclosed, grassy courtyard, a beautiful mission church (The stonework on the facade is being restored. We got to watch a mason work on the archway above the main entrance today.) and the oldest gristmill in Texas.  Because of the drought, the mill wasn't in working order today.  Jonathan was able to climb over the ruins of ancient walls, run through Native American barracks, stand in a stone oven, look up a chimney in the corner of a huge stone hall, pet another visitor's dog, look down an old well and climb over the trunks of trees that grow low along the ground.  He had a ball!     

The mission trail features an aqueduct at its end.  A bike/ hiking trail connects the missions.  Unfortunately, the environment around the mission trail is not exactly hospitable to tourists.  However, the city does seem to be trying to revitalize that part of town, so hopefully that won't continue to be the case.  What a fantastic day!  

First Trip to the Zoo

Today was Jonathan's first trip to the zoo.  Our morning was ideal.  Jonathan was still sleeping at 7:45 at which point I'd already had an opportunity to get ready, get all our things together, work on Bible study and do some leisurely reading.  He didn't wake until I entered his room.  We were out the door by 8:20 after sitting to read several of his zoo books.  He seemed to know just where we were going, although I'm not sure which of us was more excited.  We met my friend, Jennifer, and her daughter, Avery, at the front gate.  It was a beautiful day.

This has nothing to do with this post.  Just one of many beautiful sunsets visible from my front porch and living room windows. 

Same sunset -- a few minutes later

Jonathan and his beloved -ish.  We're still working on the "f" sound.

Jonathan and Mommy with the flamingos

We saved over half of the zoo (including the petting zoo) for a time when Daddy can come with us.  He was a little bummed that we were going without him.  We were bummed too.  Jonathan saw monkeys, elephants, rhinos, zebras, flamingos, ducks, wild dogs, leopards and lots of fish.  The San Antonio Zoo has a great area for toddlers to run and play.  We spent much of our time there.  We followed Jennifer and Avery to EZ's pizza in the Quarry to round out our day.  Jonathan was asleep within moments as we made our way home.  What a spectacular day!  

Aunt Lou's Ninetieth

The first weekend after Daddy and Bop and Giggie's departure, Jonathan was well enough to travel with Grammy and me to Georgetown, Texas for my Great-Aunt Lou's ninetieth birthday.  It was a lovely, well-attended event.  Aunt Lou is a great blessing to us all.  She has such a beautiful, gentle spirit and is one of the Godliest ladies I know.

Jonathan hamming it up at the party.  If you look closely in the left side of his mouth, you can see his first molar.  The other three are still making their way in.  It has been a painfully slow process.  

Here's Jonathan with his sweet, long suffering cousins, Ashlyn and Alec.  They were showing Jonathan the dogs.  This was the first day I'd allowed Jonathan into the outdoors since he'd become ill, but he wasn't allowed to rough house with the dogs, so he was appeased with a good look through the front door. 

Aunt Lou (on the left) and Aunt Melba

Jonathan just before giving the bear a big bear hug

Jonathan was still out of sorts, but he had a good day at Aunt Lou's party.  He didn't stop once he hit Danette's door.  Jason has traveled before, but that was before Jonathan was aware enough to know the difference.  Other trips in his recent memory were much shorter.  It was interesting and painful to see his reaction.  He is very attached to his Daddy -- as well he should be.  The first week, Jonathan was sick and couldn't get out.  The second week, Grammy and I were sick and the weather was terrible, so it was bad timing all around.  Jonathan is back to normal though now that Daddy is home and safe.  We are all breathing a sigh of relief and praying that Daddy will have no more long trips in our near future.  

Giggie and Bop

The pictures in this post are a little out of order, but I'm trying to get a lot out at once, so I'll try to help you understand what's going on here.  Giggie and Bop came for a visit just before Valentine's Day.  We always love to see them, and Jonathan is so attached that he talked about them for days after they left.  He started waving at a woman he thought was Giggie (and calling her name) at Costco three days after the real Giggie had already gone home.  

Daddy reading to Jonathan.  Jonathan prefers books to toys.  We have resorted to hiding some of his favorites.  Otherwise, we'd be sitting down reading the same book over all day long.  We had a lovely fire going on the final night of Giggie and Bop's visit.

Giggie and Bop opening their Valentine from Jonathan.

Roses from my Valentine and Jonathan's Valentine from Giggie and Bop

Jonathan at Rudy's.  We live practically next door to the original Rudy's BBQ joint.   Jonathan is pictured here in true Pappa Jack form with the biggest spoonful of Blue Bell Homemade Vanilla ice cream he could possibly put in his mouth.

Jonathan with his Bop

So, as fun as our visit with Giggie and Bop was, they left on the same day as Daddy (which also happened to be the day before mine and Jason's engagement anniversary and two days prior to Valentine's Day).  It all hit the fan on Monday.  Grammy got snowed in at Amarillo and couldn't travel for a couple of days, Jonathan began cutting three molars and a front tooth, and he managed to catch a virus and sinus infection.  Jonathan's behavior turned on a dime.  The poor little guy didn't know what hit him (and neither did I).  More on this saga to follow.  

Getting Ready

Obviously, I've neglected the blog.  As always, it's busy, busy around the Allen abode and it just keeps getting busier.  Here are some pictures we've taken of Jonathan in the last couple of months.  This has been a big year for him already.  He's seen his Bop and Giggie and his Grammy and survived two weeks away from his Daddy.  Jonathan is talking up a storm, identifying letters and numbers and I just found out today that he can tell you how old he is by holding up one finger.  {Smile}  Here he is in the yard.  This mild winter has allowed us to get outside a lot.  I'm so thankful!  Here are some pictures of Jonathan and one of his very best friends -- Burton.  Jason and I are so thankful that all the neighbors own dogs.  We don't have to get one!  The final picture in this grouping is of Jonathan and Daddy getting the yard ready for Giggie and Bop's visit.