Brianna Barillas-Chalmers Ch 7

Brianna (35), Neal (36) their kids: Taylor (7) and Isaiah (5)

The family is still getting used to having both kids go to school. It is so nice to see that the whole family gets ready and is out the door on time.

Neal has really enjoyed his promotion to Commander and has even contemplated pursing further promotions. As of now he enjoys coming home and barbecuing for us.

When I am off, we managed to get some basketball games in. Lately I have been feeling tired and not really up for playing B-Ball.

We are also trying to socialize more. Ever since Mary came and asked for my advice on Ian I have been feeling guilty. I think Ian is indeed cheating on her but I have not proved it. I guess my effort in making them work is by inviting them over and having them see how well our family gets along.

The best feeling is still laying in bed together. I told Neal that I had my doctor's appointment and he was going to call with some lab results. Neal was scared but I was not. For some reason I was confident everything was going to turn out right.

I got the news from the doctor and I ran to tell Neal. He was shocked that I just barged into the bathroom. I couldn't help but blurt out, "i'm pregnant". Neal just stared at me. He was surprised since I was told I could never have kids. This is the reason we had two beautiful adopted children. Now we had this miracle baby and we didn't know how to react.

I had a very low key baby shower. My sister-in-laws and sisters were shocked to hear that I was pregnant. Neal took very good care of me. He made sure I did nothing that would cause a miscarriage.

The kids were happy but we quelled their fears of us loving this baby more. Both Neal and I have never from the kids hid the fact that we were honored to adopt them.

Gratefully they get along. Sometimes I wonder how it will be when the new baby arrives. I am sure that they will love it as much as they love each other. Neal could not be happier. He even told me that he had even contemplated asking about adopting again prior to my big announcement.

We try to have family game night and as always reinforce that we are a family no matter what. I think my kids are the best (of course im biased). Neal enjoys the llama game a bit to much. Where as I tend to hold back Neal actually gets competitive.

Soon enough it was time for me to give birth. I was a little scared because it was my first ever birth.

We welcomed a beautiful baby girl and named her Samira.

Consuelo Barillas Chapter 11

Consuelo (42) her wife Maura (42)
Their kids living at home: Jaquelyn (19) and her wife Opal (19)


Consuelo has been trying her best to keep this business going but it has become tedious in the past year. She loves that Maura helps her. Her new daughter-in-law Opal has shown interest but its still not enough.

She didnt mean to but Consuelo looked at the realestate market and found that her old childhood home was still up for sale. It was a beach site and maybe with the sale of this enormous place she could pay off some debt. Maura looked hesitant at first but then decided to go for it.

They broke the news to the girls the next morning. They offered them to move with them or they could venture and get their own apartment. Jaquelyn wanted to continue living with them. Maura was concerned that they literally have not done anything after graduation. Sure they help in Consuelo's business but what about their own future? Maura told them that they could move but they needed to find jobs.

On the closing day Consuelo sighed when she had the keys to her old childhood home. She could not believe that this was now her home. Maura felt the lay out needed some work. Consuelo had not problem changing the lay out at all. She just wanted to be home again.

After everyone settled in their new furnishings Opal and Jaquelyn discussed things about their future. Opal didn't have a care while Jaquelyn was considering getting a loan to do college at home. She was asking Opal if this was a good idea when she noticed Opal had fallen into a deep sleep.

The next morning Consuelo asked if everyone slept comfortably in their new rooms. Opal said she did and was ready to start working in the store. Consuelo said it would be a while before she constructed and opened the store but she would be hired as a cashier.

eight months later the store opened and Consuelo had a great opening day. She vowed she would take more time to get to know her customers. Before her philosophy was to just go ahead and sell sell sell! Now she was more into knowing her community. Hopefully it would all work out.

College years: Audrina, Lizandra and Lauren Barillas.

Lauren (19) her husband Alon (20), Audrina (19) , Lizandra (19) and her husband Orlando (19).
College Years:

Freshman Year:

All of them minus Orlando sat down together to try to grasp this whole college thing. Orientation was over and now it was time to get down to business. Audrina proposed that every year they sit down and make sure that everyone graduates together. After all Audrina, Lizandra and Lauren are part of a quad. Alon smiles, nods and then agrees that they should meet often. They live in the same dorm but they each have declared different majors. Lauren has declared herself a Psych Major while her husband Alon has decided on Economics. Audrina has declared a Politics science major. Lizandra is a lit major while her husband is still undeclared.

Lizandra and Orlando seem to be involved in love and displaying it any chance they get. They are into being in bed more than making it to class.

Audrina manages to meet some guys but her plan is spoiled when her brother-in-law Alon comes to join them. She was aghast that he actually wanted to do some research.

At the end of their senior year, not everyone was happy with their grades. Lizandra saw Lauren and was devastated. It seems that Orlando failed and she was now a sophomore while Orlando would be a freshman. All in all Lauren understood.
Here are the final grades for Freshman year.
Lizandra Grade: B Grant: $700
Orlando (her husband) Grade: F Grant $0 Held back Academic probation.
Lauren Grade: C+ Grant: $500
Alon (her husband) Grade: C+ Grant $500
Audrina Grade: D Grant: $0 Held back Academic Probation.
Sophomore Year:

They have all been trying to get together to discuss grades now that they were all sophmores but to Alon's surprise not everyone made it. Lizandra came into the cafeteria and informed him that both Orlando and Audrina were on Academic Probation. This was awful and Lauren could barely finish her food.

Again Orlando did not meet them since he was over this college thing. Audrina was upset and promised to study harder. For sure she would not be graduating with them. She was now a year behind.

Hearing the news Consuelo and Maura decided to take a trip to their old college campus. Both of them were nostalgic to see their old dorm. They saw their daughter Audrina and hugged her. They told that she just needed to put forth some effort and it will all be OK.

Jacquelyn also came for the trip. She wanted to see what she was missing in choosing not to pursue college. Lately she has been thinking if she made a mistake but she would never admit that to her parents nor her wife.

At the end of Sophomore year things did seem to take a serious turn. Only three of them met to discuss grades. Lauren and Alon were looking at Lizandra and were hoping that the marriage between Liz and Orlando would make it. Lizandra has been stressed knowing that Orlando is studying more and getting tutored..but at the same time he is ignoring her more. Hopefully Lauren's marriage wont suffer negligence now that they were Juniors.
Grades:
Lizandra Grade: D Grant $0 Held back Academic probation.
Orlando (her husband) Grade:B Grant $700 He is now finally a sophomore.
Lauren Grade: C- Grant: $400
Alon (her husband) Grade: C Grant $400
Audrina Grade: b Grant: $700 Finally a sophomore.

Amarilis Barillas Chapter 11

Amarilis (42), Meadow (42)
Arthur (12), Julieta, Ramon and Raquel (4)
Narrated by Amarilis.

We have both feeling under the weather. There's this bug going around and it really doesn't help if the family gets together and spreads the germs.

Arthur turned 13 and he is starting to meet a ton of people. He told us right away that he was gay and he hoped we were not sad his news. How could we be sad? Were two gay mom's raising our kids. We don't influence anyone's sexual preference. We are worried that this guy he's talking too is a little too old he is nearly 19. Too old to be hanging out with Arthur.,

I invited everyone over for the triplets birthday party. Finally we were done with high chairs, and potties. We were even asked if we would have more kids and we both said ,"NO".

I was happy to see the family together. Renee (Marcos') new wife seems to be getting along with everyone. I think she was overwhelmed with the size of her new extended family.

As always I wanted to get my garden together. I know the kids are older so they can help me out more. Meadow insists that I am using child labor.

Too much time in the sun and this is what I get. This glass of water is not helping because all I want to do is faint.

Arthur and Julieta are getting along fine. He is always playing with her. Now that the kids are older we can do so much more with them.

Meadow and Raquel have a good time dancing while Arthur tries to pass the current level of his video game obsession. When I walk into these scenes it makes my heart warm up with love.

Meadow and I are still hot for each other. The other day our younger kids asked why we weren't married. We never really felt we had the need to. I think Meadow maybe changing her mind. Until it comes up again then we will put the issue on the table. Til then we are just happy being together and in love.

It seems that our advice to Arthur has worked because he is now talking to Alon Livingston, our newspaper boy. Now this seems more appropriate but we decided not to say anything.

They seem to be getting along. My son is more flirty than I would have ever imagined him to be. I love seeing that he has my mom's red hair and he's attracted to red heads. Go figure.

Oscar Simon Barillas II, Chapter 11

Oscar Simon Barillas (42), his wife Brandi (42)
Oscar Joshua III (17)
Narrated by Oscar Simon II

My son is a couple of years away from going to college. I wanted to surprise him with a present. He was so excited to learn that it was his own personal cellphone. We got one for our older daughter too when she went away for college.

Joshua and I have been really bonding lately. We both get up to work out and well I basically tell him about the legacy and how one day it will be his. He seems to be grasping the concept. Its hard to think that even now the third generation will soon bring the fourth.

I guess it was a little much for him because he would sit for hours and stare at the screen. I showed him the family tree logs that I have been keeping. I also emphasized how important it is to keep in touch with everyone.

he has also started dating. He told me that he was trying to date a girl named Ava White. So far it sounds that it was not successful.

After many tries she finally agreed to go out to dinner with him. My son has never really dated so I am a little worried that he will fall in love fast.

Months went by and I see Joshua less because he is with his friend Ava more. I think that she is his girlfriend but he doesn't want to bring her home yet.

Brandi and I sat down and reminded Joshua that he had a curfew and he needed to focus on college. Brandi looked at me with worried eyes and I reassured her that Joshua would indeed be going to college.

I came home by surprise and walked in on my son and Ava half naked. I gave her a moment to leave and Joshua confirmed that they indeed had slept together. I did not know what to say.

I told Brandi who the next morning told Joshua she was disappointed that he was not taking school seriously. She told him that he better be taking precautions unless he wanted a son at such a young age. Poor Joshua just sat there and turned beet red. Serves him right!

I am proud of my wife because she has taken the legacy role wife quite seriously. She has made the effort for the wives to get together at least once a month to talk about what has been going on. She gets along with the ex's so she invites them as well. It will get dicey if Ian marries Mary but for now its good.

They chatted and according to Brandi they all loved her new hair cut. She also mentioned that Debbie seemed a little more depressed and that Linda Chalmers (Marcos' ex wife) didn't show. In the end, they all had a great time catching up.

I in the meantime was finalizing my novel which got me a commission of $2,330.

Soon it was time to bid Joshua a farewell to highschool and hello to college. Melody and Joshua came over for a family dinner. I still hug Melody too much for her taste. After her accident both Brandi and I knew we were lucky to have such great kids.

Ava came by to talk to my son. She was greeted at the door by Melody and asked to see Josh. Joshua and her talked and then Brandi told me to get away from the window. I hope they manage to work things out. I am not sure if Ava is going to college or not. I just hope that Joshua finishes college.

Joshua left. Now Brandi and I hugged and watched our son go in the cab. Now we were officially empty nesters. I couldnt believe we were 44 and empty nesters?

Debbie King (ex of Ian Barillas)

Debbie King (43)

Debbie has finally moved out of her old apartment building and into a new one. For now this will suffice. Her real dream is to move completely out of this town. There are too many of her ex-husband's family running around. Sure she gets along with some of them but still its too much. She has however managed not to go to any parties and run into Ian and his new girlfriend. Rumor has it that he is already cheating her her as well. That brought a smile to Debbie's face but then she got rid of it. She didn't want Mary to go through what she did but she couldn't help feel a tiny bit gleeful.

For now her main priority was raising her boys. Julio, August and Darcy. Julio and August were almost ready to go to college. She prayed and hoped that they both would go but in the end it was their decision. She would make her move after Darcy leaves for college.