My First Mother's Day!

I remember my mother's prayers and they have always followed me.  They have clung to me all my life.  ~Abraham Lincoln

It seems like all I ever heard my mom say to me growing up is "You'll understand when you're a mom." That day finally arrived and now I truly get it. What it means to be responsible for another human being. The love and nurture and the bond shared. The feeling of having my heart walking outside of my body every time I look at Emma.

I can't believe she is mine.

This mother's day, I celebrated my very first mother's day! 

I woke up not to my alarm clock but a surprise gift from hubby right next to my bed.

He knows me well.

After I got up, I walked across the room to to this smiling sunshine! The greatest gift of all. My precious gift from God. So blessed and proud to be her mommy.

As usual, we got dressed and went to church with the fam bam. The coolest part of church was when the pastor asked for all the moms to stand up and this time I could part take in the honor. It was such a good feeling. I'm happy to join all the wonderful mommies celebrating the joys of motherhood together. 

Aftewards, we had planned to go over to my parents for lunch. Little did I know, they had planned a surprise mother's day and Emma's early 1st Birthday party with Dora decorations all over. I was really surprised to walk in and see my aunts, uncles, and cousins and my in laws!

So grateful for my parents and their kindness. They always know how to put a smile on my face and make things happen for me. 

I also got a very special gift from my mother in law representing me, osh and little Emma.  

This mother's day also marked the first G-ma day for both my mom and my mother in law, Emma being the first grandchild for both fams. 

 We had such a wonderful time together. 

Thanks to my hubby and family for making it so special for me and Emma.  

xo

El 

Osh & El Adventure Day!

Wednesday, May 9, 2012 hubby and I spent the entire day together celebrating our three year wedding anniversary. He had suggested going out of town for a few days but I'm not ready to leave Emma behind. I think I will be ok once she is walking and talking so then she can fill me in when I'm back. Ha! I wanted to do something different, local and just for a day. I agreed for Osh to do the planning as always because he is just the man when it comes to that.

I wore a flowly flower comfortable dress with flip flops since we were going to be walking a lot. Osh suggested I wear sneakers to be comfortable but c'mon who wears sneakers with a flower dress?! 

It was our first time taking the train. We left our place and walked to the station in Burbank Downtown.  Oh but first, we had to do our ritual of grabbing a Starbucks coffee for me!

By the time we got to the train station, I had already gotten a blister on my toe and I was in pain. I can hear Osh saying "I told you so." which he ended up saying eventually.

Nonetheless, the train ride was so much fun!

Our stop was the Union Station, Downtown!

It does not sound glamorous but there is so much art and culture around and it's just like getting into a different world. We walked around everywhere with my blister but I didn't want to rain on his parade so I kept mum about it in the beginning. He had done such a good job planning this day for us, I just didn't want to kill it...

By 12 noon we were starving, so we grabbed a hotdog wrapped in bacon. It was my first time trying it and it was so yummy with grilled onions too. 

I was getting pretty cranky though because of my blister and the walking made it worse but I just refused to take a cab back to Union Station because it would have defeated our adventure day! I was starting to vocalize my pain haha.

We went to Walt Disney Music Center which was so beautiful and took some pics there! 

At this point, I started crying all the way back to Union Station but not without buying something first. We got me a really cool hat! By the time we got back to the station, I was like a little baby complaining. Osh, as always being so understanding and patient with me tried to cheer me up while the whole time I was saying "I'd come back to the Union Station for a photoshoot. That would be a lovely thing to do! While crying in between! What a baby huh? LOL Sometimes I don't know how he puts up with me but I love him for being my rock!

We got back on the train and headed back to Burbank. We went to a nice sushi dinner and laughed about our day and my blister. Keep in mind I'm still walking back home, which I did. 

What a day! I'll never forget our 3 year anniversary :) Even though I was in pain, looking back I'm so happy we did what we did. We created a lot of memories and firsts. 

Even though our adventure was just for a day, the next few days he surprised me with the coolest gifts, flowers and other treats ;)

I love my hubby like a guy loves ESPN.

So grateful for my hubster.

⁴ Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. ⁵ It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. ⁶ Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. ⁷ It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
⁸ Love never fails.

1 Cor 13:4-8

xo

El

The Joys of Motherhood

One of the most fulfilling job is being a mother and it just never ends no matter how old the children become.

Lisa Bevere posted some of the advice other moms gave and here are my favorite ones.

• Always be ready with open arms and an open door, just like the prodigal son’s father—even when they are coming home from the pigsty! (Debbie)

• A friend of mine always asks her kids, “How can I be a better mum?” I’ve started to do that with my girls, and it’s great hearing how each of them feels loved in a different way. (Jill)

• When your kids grow up and leave your home, you’ll never wish you’d kept a cleaner house. (Angie)

• Never call your child a bad name; they will live up to it. (Peggy)

• If you plant good roots, your children will always come back to them. (Mona

• Be the example you wants your kids to follow. (Joyonna)

• Take your kids to church no matter how many or how difficult the obstacles!  (Rhonda)

• Be consistent and always follow through with what you say. (Jennifer)

• Have a strong and godly marriage in front of your children. They learn so much about honoring the Lord, themselves, and others by watching Mom and Dad. Respect, compromise, and truly love one another on purpose and visibly. (Denise)

• Don’t be afraid to admit you make mistakes and never be too big to apologize when you are wrong. It teaches humility. (Latoya)

• Take whatever your child gives you—even if it’s just a weed—and act like it’s the most important thing you’ve ever received. It’s all they have to give, and they chose to give it to you! (Jennifer)

• Be watchful for when your child opens the window to their soul. Be ready to speak words of encouragement, life, and truth. (Shannon)

• The crown you place on your child’s head will be the one they grow into. (Beckah)

• Enjoy every moment. It goes by fast, so don’t miss it wishing things were different.  (Brittany)

• Always speak life over your children. Say what God says about them! (Tara)

• Don’t be weird Christian parents! Make sure you have fun with your kids, and they’ll know that living for God is the best! (Louise)

• You’re always doing better than you think you are. (Jennifer)

• Show your child the same grace that Jesus shows you everyday. (Maryam)

• Learn to parent the child you have, not the one in parenting books. (Debbie)

• Discipline is something we do for our children, not to our children. (Claudia)

• Remember what seems little to you may be huge to them. (Heather)

Becoming a Mom

I will be celebrating my very first Mother's Day this Sunday, May 13, 2012. I am so excited to finally join in with all the wonderful moms in celebrating the joy of being a mom.

It took me almost a year to become the mom I had envisioned me to be. I was not a natural at it at all. Sure, I got the "mom" title as soon as Emma came into the world but it took me sleepless nights, tears, frustration and selflessness into my journey of becoming a mom,  wild at heart.

There is no greater joy then to have little arms around my neck, little whispers, and a daughter who keeps calling for me "mama." It's the sweetest feeling, and the best form of unconditional and unfailing love.

I hope along with my wonderful husband who is an amazing father, to raise Emma in the ways of the Lord.


As for me and my mother, I am blessed with a wonderful mom who has been an amazing rock in my life. One who I can go to with anything and she can just somehow make all things better and right.

Your arms were always open when I needed a hug. Your heart understood when I needed a friend. Your gentle eyes were stern when I needed a lesson. Your strength and love has guided me and gave me wings to fly.

- Sarah Malin

Mothers hold their children's hands for a short while, but their hearts forever.

- Unknown

We never know the love of the parent until we become parents ourselves.  - Henry Ward Beecher

Making a decision to have a child--it's momentous. It is to decide forever to have your heart go walking around outside your body.- Elizabeth Stone

I remember my mother's prayers and they have always followed me. They have clung to me all my life.- Abraham Lincoln

Three Years of Wedded Bliss

Reflecting back on my life as Mrs. Cholakian in the last three years, I can honestly say I'm the luckiest woman alive. 

We are still in the honeymoon stage and really like to keep it that way for the rest of our lives. Love has gotten much deeper, stronger, better and the bond between us, more connected. This last year we had the joy of welcoming our daughter into our family who brought us even closer and has made our lives wonderful in so many ways.

Our journey began with our happy accident meet at Best Buy in April 2006, almost two years later, he proposed to me on his graduation day.

MOV05997

A year later Mr and Mrs Cholakian was established on May 9, 2009.


You just don't know when love will find You but when He does, your whole world will become colorful and wonderful. I am madly in love with him and still have the biggest crush on him.

There is no such thing as the perfect person but there is one who is perfect for you. 

Love Always,

Mrs. Cholakian

Words can either Kill or Give Life.

I like receiving compliments and I also like to give compliments and I mean them. I like to notice the new and nice things and point them out. Most of us don't like to do that thinking our good words might give the person a big head or for whatever reason we refrain from speaking kind words but are quick to criticize or point out the faults instead.

I personally know people who will look for the bad and point that out, overlooking the common, obvious good.

I want to encourage to tell people the things you think positive about them. It will bring life to them. You never know what they may be going through and how your words can lift them up at that moment.

Think of the people in your life who have encouraged you by the power of positive and life-giving words and try to do the same for others.

If You Stay Ready, You Never Have To Get Ready

Yesterday I went to a Safety Training at our Police Services and one of the things I learned that was shocking is that a person cannot yell longer than 15 minutes. Who wants to test that?

There was a lot of material to be covered that was kind of boring but important to know. I like the part about if you're prepared, you can help yourself and then you will be able to help others.

Isn't that true in all aspects of life?

We can't help others if we don't help ourselves first.

We can't love others if we don't love ourselves first.

We can't make someone else happy if we're not happy with ourselves first.

We can't give what we don't have.

So how do we do all of these things for ourselves first?

If you stay ready, you never have to get ready.



Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.' - Mark 12:13

Matthew 6:33-34

The Message (MSG)

 ^30-33"If God gives such attention to the appearance of wildflowers—most of which are never even seen—don't you think he'll attend to you, take pride in you, do his best for you? What I'm trying to do here is to get you to relax, to not be so preoccupied with getting, so you can respond to God's giving. People who don't know God and the way he works fuss over these things, but you know both God and how he works. Steep your life in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions. Don't worry about missing out. You'll find all your everyday human concerns will be met.
 ³⁴"Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now, and don't get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow. God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes. 

EC