Saturday Conference "Parelli Savvy"

This past saturday, I could not attend our SARBA show since I had to attend the Parelli Savvy Conference. We had a wonderful time there and met Pat and Linda Parelli. The training was such an exciting opportunity to see the way they work with Horses. I am learning how to use Equestrian Therapy to work with children. Below are some of the pictures from the Conference.

Just a quick update on things with our family

As you all know, I've been posting many things that have been going on with our family, lately. Last year in October we had a tough situation due to things that happened to our Rabbitry. In November my mother underwent a triple heart bypass and has been hospitalized since. In February she was admitted to a rehab. hospital and on the day of her discharge to return home she had an aneurism, which affected both hemispheres of the brain. Since then she has had some problems regressing and completely appearing to be in a comotose phase and then the next day she will "wake up" and be normal as can be. This is tough, but we are glad to still have her here. We've been visiting her often and praying a lot and the Good Lord is still answering our prayers.

We also have had some good things happen to us. We acquired the two rabbits that will help us re-build our rabbitry. We also gave a down payment on a one acre tract of land with no restrictions! Yes, we are excited as we will soon move to the country side and be able to raise not only our angora rabbits, but also chickens, sheep and goat and we will see what else we can get. I've also changed my diet and am eating healthy so I've been losing weight, toning up, and feel good. To top it off, the best thing was that I had to take the Texas Exam for Child Care Administrator License and well, I passed with flying colors! Now, we just wait so that the board of Directors where I work promote me to run the operation.

I am just ecstatic about the positive things that are happening for us and the great blessings we are receiving.

On a separate note, I have not yet bred our rabbits, but hope to do so this coming weekend. Hopefully, we will have some litters soon.

Overall, having friends in the "rabbit world" has been the best part of it all.

New Beginnings for us

I just returned from a quick trip to Missouri. I met my great friend, Margaret Bartold, where I picked up 3 English Angoras. We got a pair from Margaret and the other rabbit, a buck, was picked up for our friend, Jennie from Austin, Texas. We are so excited to get an excellent buck, which is our Herd sire. We believe we will be able to get nice babies soon and continue our comeback.

I will be posting pictures soon. For now, the pair is resting in their cages and absorbing the new environment. The trip back from Missouri was a tough one. There was torrential rains, which continued through Oklahoma and a little bit into Dallas. Though it was a tough trip, I enjoyed it as it gave me time to think a lot and focus on our goals and blessings.

On a separate topic, my mother is slowly recovering and getting stronger. She is walking with help and strengthening day by day. She will soon be moved to the rehabiliation clinic and then transitioned home. She is so alert and chattery, like before. She is finally coming out of the whole ordeal.

What can I say? We firmly believe the good Lord is blessing us with wonderful opportunities and excellent friends. We thank you all, our "rabbit world" friends for keeping us in your thoughts and prayers and for being ther for us when we've needed it the most!

P. Ricardo and Sons

Update on our lives

The good news for our family is that my mother, Tomasa, grandmother to my sons, Martin and Johnny, is doing a lot better. She finally was moved out of the ICU unit yesterday and she was sent to the rehabilitation center. We are so excited with such great news. My mother is now eating well, and will begin her rehabilitation work so she can be released home soon. She, unfortunately, will have to undergo dialysis from now on. However, her heart is strong and we have high hopes she will soon be back to her former self.

We want to Thank all our friends for your prayers and good thoughts.

In reference to our rabbitry. Well, we will soon be getting some rabbits and hope to quickly begin the breeding program and re-establish ourselves. Things are slowly getting better for us and we are as excited as ever to go to shows.
I was able to go last month to our SARBA meeting as now I'm a Director, and I plan to help out as much as I can. If we do not have rabbits to show in the next show, we definitely plan to continue our help our club and meeting our great friends.

I have been doing a little bit of spinning and hope to begin knitting again. I had stopped working on many things I enjoy due to things affecting our lives.

Aside from that there is nothing else going on aside from the San Antonio weather. Yes, we have had tough weather issues, lately. It either rains, get cold, then it is sunny and muggy and a bit hot, but overall, the allergies due to mountain cedar, pollen, and other things in the air are tough to bear.

I'll be posting pictures soon and hope to begin blogging often as I've neglected the blog for quite some time.

Our family needs LOTS of Prayers

As you all know, we've been plagued with many tough trials and we firmly believe our prayers and that of our friends and family has helped us be strong.

My mother, Tomasa (Tomy) Gonzalez, has been hospitalized since November 2009. She had to undergo a triple heart bypass and since has been in the ICU. She had complication from the surgery and at one point her heart stopped, but the Grace of God is such that she was able to return to us. She had lots of internal bleeding, which began flowing externally due to a ruptured ulcer. The ulcer is healing and her heart is strong. She is slowly beginning her "eating therapy", yes, she had not been allowed to eat for several weeks.

Now, when things were looking a bit better, well, she got a huge swelling on her lower leg due to the IV needle being attached since she has been hospitalized. The doctors did MRIs and other sonograms and the good thing is that the swelling is not infected, but unfortunately, it is painful and my mother has been enduring extreme pulsating pain. It is difficult seeing and listening to her scream and cry in pain and agony and being unable to do anything, but be there for her and pray.

I am asking that all our friends please pray for my mother for a speedy recovery a healing.

It is so difficult for me seeing my mother going through this experience, but it is harder seeing my sons feeling overwhelmed to see their grandmother in this way, too.

Thank you for letting me share this family experience and for your prayers.

P. Ricardo and Sons