When Antonio was about four years old, Victor and I we were beginning to worry about the safety of our children as they would go and play in the neighborhood. We fasted and prayed to know what we needed to do about this situation. Victor and I decided it was time to move the family to a safer neighborhood. The family business was doing great and we were a little crowded in our home. We searched for a home for three weeks until we found one to meet the unique needs of our family. It needed a little fixing up done, but we felt like it would be a great family project. As soon as we knew we got the house we began packing everything up. It didn’t take long for me to realize that trying to pack up a home with five children running around the house isn’t very much fun. Between the three oldest doing everything they could to get out of work and Gabriela and Antonio unpacking everything I had just packed, some days I wanted to scream. I reflect back on those crazy days and know that if it weren’t for the great sisters in my Relief Society providing meals and helping me pack or take care of the children I wouldn’t have survived.
Once we got moved into the house life was still crazy, and at times I wondered if it was worth the move. Looking back I see that our move was a blessing in disguise. Not only was the new neighborhood much nicer and safer than our old one, but this part of town was able to provide Antonio more services to meet his unique needs. One of these services was the chance for him to go and participate in an inclusive child care program. At first I was a little hesitant, as any mother would be. I wasn’t sure how he would react to me dropping him off at a strange place. I was expecting him to cry and grab on to my legs with a death grip. As it turns out he had no problem leaving me. He saw all the toys and went straight to them. He didn’t even bother to tell me goodbye. I remember trying not to cry in front of the teacher on that first day. I think I was the one suffering from separation anxiety instead of Antonio.
