this is why I started this blog

When I first started this blog, 3 1/2 years ago, I did it for a few reasons.  One, I wanted to have a place where friends and family could read about my experiences with living in Mexico.  And, two, I wanted to see if my views of life and my "situation" would change over time.

I never thought my opinions of living in Mexico would change.  And, I'm not a closed-minded person, but thought that my life was pretty much wrecked when I had to close up shop in Indy and move to some small town in the middle of Mexico.  As I have admitted, I didn't do it without my fair share of kicking and screaming.

I used to look at these pictures of the house we had just had built and get so upset.  Like a life was stolen from me.  But, now, I can look at them and it doesn't affect me at all.  I just remember them fondly.  And, I think one day, we can just do it all over again, if we choose.

So, sitting here today, after reading a friend's blog post, where she lists my blog and a description of it on her blog (She cracks me up!), I realized that my life has become "normal".  She wrote:

"http://bigvz.blogspot.com/ Valarie is the Martha Stewart of my blogging world. She homeschools, she remodels, she crafts, she cooks. And than she shares all of that with the rest of us. My husband still hasn't forgiven her for giving me the idea to paint our house. "

I have felt OK for quite some time, but I really don't think about it that much.  I guess with all my daily tasks, and all the other things that keep me busy, I just don't think about stuff like I used to.  I equated happiness, success, and a full life to living in the States.  And, while I do want to move back when we are allowed, I am totally fine living here in Mexico and I don't view the States as my only means of happiness.

I used to focus on what happened to us instead of getting past it.  Immigration has been a tornado for many people.  And, I think that being able to brush yourself off, and not dwelling on it is the only way to get your life back.  It might not be the life you were planning.  But, when does that ever happen?

When February 5th of this year came around, I didn't even remember that the day was sort of significant.  I just overlooked it.  February 5, 2008 was when Jorge was barred for 10 years from the US.  I used to dwell on that day as well as the day that I moved down here.  Sort of like an anniversary.  But, I don't anymore.  I don't think that should rule my life.  That is why I don't ever talk about immigration on this blog.  I have long moved on and started living again.

Basically, I just thought it was kind of neat, that in a list of blogs that Jennifer reads, when putting a description to mine, the words "Mexico" and "immigration" are not even a thought.  It is great.  And it loops back around to why I started this blog in the first place.  I have changed and it feels really good.

Now, of course, this is my journey. Jorge still feels the pangs when he sees the pictures of our house in Indy.  In a situation where I thought I would be the one most affected, he actually seems to have it much harder.  But, one of these days, I hope all that will turn around.  And, I try to make it as easy on him as possible.  As far as me, I am doing OK!

some more questions

Lisa, a fellow expat, from "From one Country to Another" blog posted some questions on her blog as a fun little way to get to know a little more about each other.  I thought, why not?  Let's do this.

1. Picture you life two years from now. What would you like to see?

The most obvious would for us to be living back in the US.  But, most likely that won't happen.  Other than that, I hope we are doing as well as we are now.  Just living, being comfortable and going with the flow of things.      

2. What is the worst habit you feel you have?

I'm a control freak.  Correcting that is a work in progress.
       
3. What is your favorite genre of movies?

The girly kind.  Is that a genre?  It is in my book.  Not romance, but girly. 
       
4. What are five things that you would include on your to-do list?

take another vacation to the beach (the girls talk about the beach all the time)
learn Spanish (shame on me for not knowing it)
save money
blog more often
organize all my printed out recipes
  
5. Are you still in contact with any childhood friends?

Definitely!  Most of my closest friends are from middle school and high school.  Just so they can feel special, here are the names of my closest/best friends.  Of course I have others that I am in contact with (technology makes that easy), but these people I talk to/keep in touch regularly.  These are the people that helped me get back to being sane after moving down here to Mexico.  I feel very fortunate to have all of them in my life still!

Amber Clark (aka Marla) --  middle school
Amber Springer-Borjas -- middle school
Colin Dullaghan -- high school
Julie Handschy -- high school 
Jenni Jorgenson -- high school
Bradley Lovett -- college
Heather Newport -- high school
Amy Bender-Strain -- high school  

6. Do you get along well with family members and relatives?

Sure!  I don't think I am on any one's hate list.  So, that is good, right!? :)

7. If you were to win 10 million dollars, what would you do with the money?

I would build a house here in Jalos (no more rental!) and build one on a beach somewhere that Jorge could live.  I would give some to family and friends, donate some of it, shop 'til I drop, and then save some of it to be able to live comfortably the rest of my life. 

8. Have you ever been in a physical fight? Any details?

No.  I pack a big bark.  But, for the most part I am a coward. :)

9. Three things you could not live without?

water

food

air

But, necessities aside, I rely heavily on:

 my computer with internet access

Costco/Sam's Club

because it is freezing in my house, my electric blanket

     
10. Have you ever met a celebrity?  If not, who would you chose to meet?

 I once saw the rapper Too Short in a mall in Indy.  A girl I was working with, Jamilah, and I pulled some money out of our pockets and had him sign the bills.  For the longest time I had the $10 bill framed!  LOL!

11. Do you have any tattoos or piercings?

I do have a tattoo.  I have a "tramp stamp" on my lower back.  I don't think they had branded that area of the back being tattooed as a "tramp stamp" when I got it done.  It is so classy!  It is a Celtic knot.  Most of the time, with it being out of sight, I don't even think about having it.  And, as most girls do, I have my ears pierced.  Although I am still waiting for the diamond earrings to go in them.

a little about me and you

A while back I renamed my blog "This is Life".  When I started it back in 2008, after moving to Mexico, I had titled it "Life in Mexico".  I changed it because I realized it didn't matter where I was living and didn't want my focus to be on the fact that I am in Mexico.  Life is life no matter where you are located.

Of course I talk about it here and there, comparing things, even three years later, to how here is different from there.  But, overall, my life is not Mexico and I don't want to dwell on it.  There are more fun things to talk about than Mexico.

A few months ago I found a whole community of people that are in a similar situation.  And, that community is nice to belong to.  So, having said that, I am going to join the expat community in a blog challenge.

This originated at Lisa's blog, From One Country to Another.  She created a set of questions so we could get to know a little more about each other.  Even my non-expat readers could learn something about me.  If you want to participate, please do and link up in the comments.

1. How long have you been with your husband?
We have been together seven years and in September will have been married for 5 years.

2. Can you remember a funny miscommunication due to language barriers?
I can't recall any funny miscommunication.  But, there have been miscommunication, some due to the language barrier.  None stick out in my mind, though.

3. Where have you relocated?
In May 2008 I moved to Jalostotitlan, Jalisco.  If you find Guadalajara and Aguascalientes on a map and draw a line between the two cities, we are pretty much in the middle of those two places.

4. Do you have any children?
We sure do. As you might have noticed, part of this blog is dedicated to our crazy girls.  Annabella is 4 and will be 5 on December 31.  Emily is 3.  She just turned 3 on March 6.  They were 16 months and 2 months when we moved here so this whole "living in Mexico" thing is normal to them.

5. What is one thing that your blogger friends don’t know about you?
I would say the one thing they don't know is that I played clarinet from 5th grade through my senior year of high school.  And, just to clarify, I was NOT a band nerd! (That was for you, Marla.)

6. How did you stumble upon the blogging community?
Well, I stumbled onto a expat forum and was just looking around at all the questions.  Someone posted Leslie of Motherhood in Mexico's blog and she had a sizable list of "mexpats".  I commented on a few blogs and ever since I have joined the "community".  I have to say, I have "meet" a few people that I just have hit it off with and seem like there is definitely a friendship forming.  That is what I like most about it. 

7. Have you learned something new about yourself through the immigration process?
I already knew I don't like waiting, so I can't claim the immigration process allowed me to learn that.  I would say...that I do have the ability to relax a bit.  I can just take one day at a time and not worry about the future, too much.  I didn't think I could do that.  But, thanks to all this loveliness, I am doing exactly that.  It is refreshing in a way.

8. What is something that you love about your new country and what is something that you cannot stand (or greatly miss from your home country)?
I can't really say there is anything that I "love" about the country, but I do like that living here has allowed the girls to experience their Mexican heritage.  And the full immersion has produced two bilingual little girls.  It's really cute to hear them having conversations in Spanish with each other.  Also, I like that life is more laid back down here.

I miss lots of things.  I make up for some of them with a little thing called the US Post Office and a mother that is willing to box up stuff and mail it to me.  Of course I miss my family and friends.  Even though we get to visit the States fairly regularly, it isn't the same. 

9. Did you know your in-laws before moving? Has it been an adjustment being closer to them?
I had visited twice, once for a couple days and the other right before I moved here.  At first it was a HUGE adjustment.  We live, literally, down the street from my in-laws.  Now I rely on my mother-in-law to watch the girls for me.  They all seem very nice and have no issues with me.  That I know of. :)

10. If you were going to your home country next week, where is the first place you would go after seeing your family?
I'm not going next week, but I will be there in October.  I have a ritual for each time I visit.  My mom picks us up from the airport, we head to her house and I leave the girls with my parents and head straight to Target!  I try to squeeze Target in as much as possible on my visits!  Love that place.  But, who doesn't?  And, why isn't there any in Mexico!?
 
11. What is your favorite pasttime?
Being down here, in the house most of the time, I have to have many pasttimes.  My "favorite" changes from week to week.  Or month to month.  I might be on a reading kick.  Right now with my Kindle broken, I have been obsessed with the internet and food blogs.  I love finding new recipes to try.  It is a challenge because finding all the necessary ingredients isn't always easy.