TGIF and new kitten

Howdy all! This past week has been super long and busy, I´m so happy it´s finally Friday! This was my first week teaching at my husband´s family´s school. My normal schedule is morning classes only, but because I am such a wonderful human being (haha) I also taught in the afternoon to cover for my brother-in-law while he was on vacation. So I went from being unemployed to working 30 hours this week. I´m pooped! I´m so excited to just relax and enjoy this weekend. It feels good to be working again though, and I really enjoyed all of my classes and students this week. I think this new teaching job is going to work out great for me!

On a different note, we have a new member of our family! A little kitten named Mona :-) She is about 2.5 weeks (we think) and is just the most precious thing ever! Her mom abandoned her and left her all alone to die, so we rescued her and took her home. She is doing great. She´s starting to get a little belly and is now eating solid food instead of just milk. She is very sweet and playful and I´m falling more in love with her every day! :-)

Here she is:

¡Viva México!

Today represents 200 years of independence for Mexico! They became independent from Spain in 1810 and continue to grow stronger and better as a country. I am proud to call my second and current home Mexico. It is a great place to live and work. Is it perfect? No, but is any country? Are there dangerous places? Absolutely, as in any country. Are there corrupt politicians? For sure, just like in every country. I am proud to be Mexican gringa, as my friends here call me :-)





This is my third Independence Day here in Hermosillo and I really enjoy this holiday. Usually on the night of the 15th, there is a big party in the main square downtown with lots of music, food, fireworks, lights, etc. We went my first two times, but we didn´t go last night because we were tired (yeah, we´re old!).





Also, our church here has a Fiesta Mexicana on the night of the 15th where everyone brings delicious Mexican food, we have a talent show, people dress up in costumes, and of course we pray for Mexico, all it´s leaders, it´s people, etc. Last night we didn´t end up leaving church until 11:30pm so we were both tired and decided to go home, since we both had to work today. Even though today is a national holiday recognized by the government and most places and schools are closed, Abe´s worked today and will have a half day tomorrow. (My ¨work¨ is teacher training at Fast n Easy, the English school that is run by my brother-in-law and mother-in-law. Starting next week, I am going to be teaching again, part-time, from 7-11 in the mornings!)





Here is a picture from the Fiesta Mexicana at church last night (I´ll try to add more as I find them from previous years...): I had green and red earrings, my hair in braids (typical old school Mexican) and a shirt with the Mexican flag that said ¨¡Viva México!¨ I totally look Mexican, right? :-)

P.S. I know I mentioned this on Facebook, but for all those who don´t know, my brother Michael got engaged last weekend to his girlfriend Sam! Not sure when they are planning on having the wedding, but I´m so excited and happy for them! My little brother is all grown up now :-( That must mean I´m getting old!!!

2 years and sick

Well, I wanted to write this post yesterday, but I was too sick. So here I am today (still sick) but writing it anyways.

Two years ago, 9/8/2008, I came to Mexico. When I came, I had no idea what to expect. I was completely alone, very nervous, scared, anxious, excited, etc. In my mind, I was going to be here for one year teaching and then go back home and figure out the rest of my life from there. Funny how life turns out. God decided He had other plans for me. Because two years later, I´m still here. Except now I´m married to someone I met here, I have my own house, I´m not working at the school I originally worked for and so many things have happened and have changed me.

I really can´t believe it´s been two years already (which means it´s also been two years since Abe and I first met, since we met my very first week here!). Some days it feels like I´ve been here forever! And other days it seems like it was just yesterday that I was packing up my life, saying bye to my family and friends, and coming down here. Crazy what all can happen and how much life can change in two years! There have been many ups and downs, but I wouldn´t change a minute of it. I´m so thankful to be where I am, who I am, to have what I have, to know what I know. I am just super grateful for all the experiences I´ve had in the past two years and the many more that I know will come. I have truly enjoyed living here and have learned so much in the past two years. Thanks to God for bringing me down here :-)

Now, onto the sick part...I think it´s highly ironic and coincidental what´s going on with my body right now. When I first moved here, I got really sick (as did most of the new teachers). Not sure if it was from drinking the water (yeah, yeah, I know, a big No-no), the climate change, stress, traveling, new culture, etc...who knows. But I had a fever, severe dehydration due to loss of bodily fluids (I won´t go into any more details than that...), body aches, and a headache for several days. Funny (well, not really) how here I am exactly two years later and I have the same exact sickness!!! Hilarious, body, really, great joke...NOT! So, for the past 3 days, I´ve been on a purely liquid diet, which is great if you´re trying to lose weight (which I´m not) but sicks if you love food and love to eat (which I do!) I have had limited energy and have spend lots of time resting in bed...BORING!!! I really hope this ¨thing¨, whatever it is, clears up soon. I hate being sick. Especially with something that I already dealt with two years ago and I thought wouldn´t happen again :-(

Now here are some pictures. The second one is of me and Allison (another girl who came down to teach that I met at the Phoenix airport) on the bus from Phoenix on the way down to Mexico. The first one is of me and Abe only a few days after we met, at the beach :-) (the date on the picture is very wrong, obviously)