Tag Archives: life

Four Generations

The engagement ring that I now wear has been passed down from generation to generation in my family.
It belonged to my great grandmother and a few months before Javier and I got engaged, the ring was passed down to me.

This ring is from the early 1940’s so when it was given to me, it was not in the best condition. It needed to be repaired and adjusted in more than one way but to know that I was trusted with this ring meant everything to me.
A ring is just a ring but to know that the generation of women who wore it before me stayed with their husbands until death, it’s very heavy.

When I received this ring, I knew this was the ring I wanted to wear throughout my marriage.
Prior to the engagement, Javier had the engagement ring and wedding band repaired, resized, added diamonds, polished and cleaned for the proposal.
I had only saw the rings in the original state so when Javier proposed, I was mesmerized at how beautiful the rings turned out to be.

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I look down at my ring and think of the dedication and hard work the women who wore it before me put into their marriage and how their examples have shown me the  capable wife I can and will become.

“Who can find a capable wife?
Her value is far more than that of corals.
Her husband trusts her from his heart,
And he lacks nothing of value.
She rewards him with good, not bad,
All the days of her life.”

– Proverbs 31:10-12

With love,

– R. Vargas

Our One Year Anniversary

Earlier this month, Javier and I celebrated our one year anniversary and it was the most thoughtful and considerate date Javier has ever planned for us.

Once I walked inside his house, he had me close my eyes and led me outside where a candlelit table was waiting for us.

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Once I sat down, Javier served me steak and asparagus that he cooked specifically for this occasion.

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We talked and enjoyed each others company and ate our delicious meal and then Javier excused himself to go to the bathroom.
When he came back he brought out a card and told me that what it contained came from a letter he wrote three years ago but was not able to share it with me at the time because the time was not right. (I will continue this story in another post.)

I reached out for the card to read but he told me he would like to read it to me. It was the loveliest card he had ever wrote to me and even though I would like to keep what it said private, the words were strong enough to make someone cry.

When he was finished reading, I stood up to give him a hug and as we embraced I felt Javier shift and reach in his pocket and watched as he kneeled down and said, “Rocio, will you marry me?”

I smiled but was in shock as I looked at the ring in the box. When he stood up to place the ring on my finger, I said very loudly, “FINALLY!”
It has taken so long to get to this point in our lives but we are here.
We are engaged!

As we embraced, we heard loud screaming from behind the fence that startled us both and all at once we saw someone fall over the fence and two others walk through the gate. Once they got closer to the light, I realized it was Javier’s brother and two best friends.

Apparently Javier had planned for our best friends to celebrate with us after he proposed. He made a huge dinner and invited them over to sneak in the house while him and I had dinner in his backyard. His best friends apparently couldn’t wait and snuck outside behind the fence and recorded Javier reading that card to me and proposing.
After we all went inside, I was greeted by my best friends with balloons, cake, bottles, gifts and bouquets.

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We all celebrated together before we made our announcement public and it was very nice to live in the moment and be surrounded by our loving and supportive best friends.
We received so much love and kind words after we finally announced our engagement and Javier and I are both so very fortunate and thankful for everyone who has taken time to congratulate us.

While I am a very private person, I will share a few posts in the next few weeks about our relationship and how far we have come together, how special my ring is, our wedding plan and how my life will be changing as I prepare to become a wife.

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We are beyond thankful for all the family, friends and even strangers that have been so kind and supportive of us as we plan for our future together.

Thank you for reading,

– R. Vargas

On Relationships….

You may have noticed that even though I am in a relationship, I am very private about it.
While I am very proud and privileged to be with my partner, I do not feel the need to broadcast our relationship and here are the reasons why:

  1. It is nobody’s business.
    This is the primary reason and will always be the primary reason.
  2. Nobody cares that you are dating. If someone is that interested in your relationship, more than likely it is because they do not have one of their own and if they do, could it be that maybe they are trying to compete?
    While there are some people who are genuinely happy you are dating, there will be several bitter ones who try to stay close for the wrong reasons. Be careful.
  3. I choose to not broadcast every single thing because I know there are many great men and women who view my content whether it is my blog, Instagram, Snapchat, or just talk to me on a personal level who yearn for a special someone but who have yet to make that connection. It is very difficult and hurtful to see someone or hear someone constantly throw their relationship in your face.
    You do not have to act like you are single or never speak of your partner, maybe just limit yourself and put their feelings ahead of your own.
  4. I feel like when you constantly broadcast what and who you have, it backfires on you. Whether it’s a breakup or you leave room for someone wanting to interfere in your relationship. It all causes damage. So again, I limit myself and set boundaries. Social media can be great but it can also be very dangerous when involving your partner.
  5. I truly feel that if you have a great partner, a great relationship and you are truly happy, you’re not going to need to post or constantly talk about how happy you are. People will know, people will feel that love when they see it.
    Real recognizes real.
    If you have to constantly put your business out there, who are you trying to convince? Others or yourself?

Remember these are my personal beliefs and opinions, you do not have to agree with me or like what I said.

With love,

– R. Vargas

Health & Happiness Update Pt. II 

This has been my second month having a gym membership and trying to live a healthier lifestyle.

Last month my main goal was to just be active and my mission was accomplished because I joined a gym!
This months goal was to research healthier snacks and meal prep plans.
I decided to cut back on junk food which is only difficult when I am craving Flamin’ Hot Cheetos.

Since I already pack lunches for work, I decided I would try to pack healthier lunches and incorporate more fruits and vegetables along with healthier snacks.

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Honey flavored Noosa yogurt with strawberries & granola.

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Baked chicken with vegetables.

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First attempt at prepping my meal.

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A homemade torta which wasn’t all that healthy but I did add some vegetables at the bottom.

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Baked vegetables drizzled with olive oil & sprinkled with a little salt & pepper.

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Baked drumsticks and veggies with a Cesar salad and a fruit cup.

I try to prep my meal the night before so all I have to do in the morning is gather everything in my lunch bag and head to work.

A few things that have worked for me have been to stock up on frozen chicken breast, drumsticks, tenderloins, thighs, etc. and divide the pieces in a Ziploc bag and leave one bag out to defrost and cook. Then I place the rest in the freezer so I don’t have to cook them all at the same time.

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I also bought frozen vegetables and bake them in the oven instead of steaming them. I feel it holds in more flavor.

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I even found myself ordering from the “Lighter Side,” of menus while dining out. (Pats myself on the back.)

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Baja Chicken from Cheddar’s

Another accomplishment for me this month was working out at the gym while my mother shopped around at our favorite thrift store. (There is a Planet Fitness in the same shopping center as that thrift store and instead of shopping, I dropped my mom off and headed to the gym.)
Since I have the PF Black Card membership I am able to visit any PF location so I made good use of it.

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I also added healthier snacks to my “snack shack,” at work.

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My drawer AKA snack shack at work.

I also had a doctors appointment this month and had some blood work done.
I was sure my doctor would tell me that I was borderline diabetic or had a high cholesterol but to my surprise she commended me on exercising and on eating healthier.
A few days later when my blood work results came back, she called me and told me everything looked great and to keep up the great work!
I was so relieved. I just need to keep this up and continue to make healthier choices.

With the small changes I have made, I have noticed my hair thickening, my face being less oily, and less feelings of fatigue.

 

Any healthy recipes or tips you can share with me?

Xoxo,

-R. Vargas