Grain of Rice

We hope this finds you well this holiday season. We sure miss you and hope our paths will cross during 2009 somehow. 2008 was a big year for us. We moved back to the “mainland” from Puerto Rico and bought a house, among other things. It was a bittersweet move for us. We had grown to really love the island and our friends and colleagues very much. We had Joakim there and had put down some big roots…so we’re still in mourning. I find myself making Mofongo and beans and rice quite often!

We moved because Saxton got a fantastic new job at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts. We love our new home and neighborhood. We’re somewhat closer to family, and especially closer to some extended on my Mom’s side. We actually live across the street from some cousins! ☺ Saxton couldn’t be happier with the job. He’s also the new principal bassoonist of the Winston-Salem Symphony. This school year he has continued to travel down to Puerto Rico to play with the symphony and to teach his students at the Conservatory once a month. He’s real busy! He also has some very exciting recitals and concerts coming up. I’m very proud of him and grateful for all his hard work to say the least.

I had some fun performing experiences this past year – highlights being a fun, comedic opera by Salieri, another concert with the PR Symphony and IVAI, and a lovely experience in England with the Aldeburgh Music Festival. I just finished singing the complete Messiah here in NC and am very happy to be performing here already. I’ve recently gotten an agent and look forward to some successful future audition seasons because of this. I am also building a small private voice studio here. So, I’m also keeping busy with all this and running after our toddler!

Joakim turned 2 in Nov. and is incredible!!! He’s so beautiful and makes me melt with his hugs, kisses AND singing. I don’t really want to brag, but must ;)… He’s extremely bright. He’s obsessed with the ABCs and numbers. He counts to 100 and sings the ABCs at pitch and knows the basic phonetics of all the letters. We’re starting to blend 2 & 3 letter sounds now. He has recently learned both in Spanish, as well and has amazed us with this ability! He also knows his colors and shapes, etc. BUT mostly he is just all boy – running, climbing and jumping all day and LOVES trucks, cars and fire and trash trucks most of all. Unfortunately, he has been on nap and bedtime strike for a while now. We switched him from the crib to a bed and he loves the new found freedom too much! Needless to say, it’s making me insane! Due to the need of more stimulation, a challenging environment and most of all a group/social setting, we might start him 2 days a week at a fabulous preschool in January. If not now, definitely in August. I’ve been observing several schools and was blown away by a few here and the Montessori method. We’ll see….  

So I’ve saved the best for last ☺… Our greatest news from 2008 is that I’m pregnant again! We’re expecting a little girl in March and couldn’t be more thrilled and excited. This pregnancy has been pretty tough, especially with the move and all that’s been going on, but we couldn’t be more grateful for this new amazing blessing and can’t wait to meet her! Well, as much as I can’t wait to meet her, I must say I’m pretty nervous about becoming a mother of 2. I hope and pray I can live up to the challenge without being checked into an asylum.

We’ll try to update this more often, especially when the baby comes.  Much love, peace and happiness to you during this season and throughout this new year.