Train

I'm pretty sure you've heard about our Fabulous Baker boys plus our loaner for life.  Train moved from "loaner" to "loaner for life". When he was younger and he'd go out to dinner with us, inevitably the waitress would look at the five boys and say, "Wow, are they all yours?"  "Yes", I'd respond.  "I gave birth to four of them and the 5th is a loaner" At that point she would turn to #1 son and say, "It must be nice to be included to dinner with them".  Ben would laugh and Train would speak up and say, "I'm the loaner".  Yepper, Petie looks more like me than my blonde haired, blue eyed, peaches and cream complected son.

My Train.  Train was birthed by a very, very dear friend of mine.  Sadly, we lost Rosie to cancer on December 3, 2012.  She and I met and became "sisters" back when #1 son and Train were playing 8th grade Pop Warner Football together.  (That would coincidentally be where he received his nickname - from me.  He was the shortest guy on the team.  But that wasn't in any shape or form a deterrent to him.  He would blast through the line like a freaking TRAIN.  You couldn't always see him running amongst the throng of players, but you definitely knew where he was just by watching the sea of guys toppling over!  He played with heart, determination, and respect.  Oh how I love my Train!)

Rosie was an incredibly dear friend and an even more incredible mother.  She and I were polar opposites.  She never wanted to arrive anywhere until after the event started so she could sneak in, and position herself out of the way and watch quietly from the sidelines.  I, on the other hand, would rather arrive early and greet everyone walking in.  I'm always up for a hug and a conversation. Anyone who knew her would fall over if they could have ever heard my petite little Mexican church lady cuss me out and whisper obscenities at me as I drug her into an event.  There we'd be, walking in, me dragging her by the arm - literally - as I waved and greeted everyone in the room. She'd say, "Ohhhhhh, I HATE you!!!".  I'd laugh and say "Yes, I know you do, BUT, you LOVE me MORE!!!"

She allowed me into her family.  She allowed me to love her baby from day one.  There was never any jealousy. She told me that he was lucky to have two momma's who loved him so very much. When she was battling that big, ugly, hateful C, she knew she would never have to worry about Petie. She knew I had him covered.

He is so very close to achieving her dream for him.  In May, our Train will be graduating with his doctoral in Physical Therapy.  It's not been an easy road.  He's pulled himself up by the proverbial bootstraps.  He's worked multiple jobs to put himself through college.  He was an executive board member in his fraternity.  He's loved by everyone.  I don't think there's been a wedding of any of his fraternity brothers that he wasn't in!

He went from being a friend of #1's to a brother to #'s 1, 2, 3, and 4.  I am so very proud of this young man. He plows through whatever life puts in his path, much the very same way he did on the football field, with faith, heart, determination, and respect.

Rosa "Rosie" Ortiz Trujillo