Time flies when your with the ones you love.

Iv been in Mexico one year June 29th, with no visits to the states. There are many reasons for this. First off I just have not been ready yet to spend the night without my husband. We had lived apart for so long and I'm just not ready for that yet. Another reason is because as soon as I got her I got pregnant. I didn't want to travel pregnant and now we are waiting to get the babies US papers. And speaking of having the baby I'm just not sure I want to travel alone with two kids. I did it a lot with my first so that we could visit my husband. She came to Mexico for the first time when she was 8 weeks old and for the next 2 years of her life we came every 3-6mo. But let me tell you traveling with a child under 2 is not fun when your by yourself. So the thought of traveling with a 3 year old and a 6 month old makes me cringe. Oh and there is always the money issue. The flight alone will cost us at least 12-14,000usd (although right now they are cheep but still more than I want to spend) because my daughter is 2 and needs her own ticket now. Do you have any idea how many pesos that is? Or how many months of rent, or groceries that is? So far I just can't bring myself to think of spending everything we have saved for one trip.
My husband is also getting his vacation from work soon. He has for a whole year had only one day off a week and worked at least 50-60hours a week (sometimes more). He finally gets his week vacation and I don't want him to skimp on it because I want to go to the States. He is willing to spend the money for me to go if I want to but I don't feel its necessary. My family is getting a few boxes (yes a few) together to send me and I think that will take me from any (and its slight) homesickness I'm feeling. I mainly just miss my little sister and her family, and want my mom to be able to hug the baby. But all things in its time. The bible says we shall leave our families and be joined with our Adam. And so here I am and happy with it.

Things that have changed for me:
1)I'm thankful for speed bumps. when I got here I thought, "What the crap they are everywhere, this is horrible." But now I get it people drive like maniacs and this is the only way to restrain them a little.
2)I like cajeta, I hated it when I first moved here but I love it with pan now.
3)I had the helado which is common for here the other day and realized I didn't hate it like I use to.
4)I can find or know how to ask for just about anything I decide I want (with out my husbands help).
5)When I get in our car that is crappy and the transmission is about to fall out of, I don't get angry and think about my Altima.
6)I don't think twice about drying my cloths on the line, or rushing to get them in when its gonna rain.
7)I have a friend around my age who loves crafts as much as I do. And although the conversations are still strained by my lack of Spanish Im not exhausted by it at the end our our times together.
8)I have actually meet in person 3 people who were from the states and live here happily now, one of which is not living here on retirement money. This is great.
9)Aside from Ben and Jerry's Ice cream, I cant sit and list all the stuff I cant find here that I had in the States. (I realized this when my family asked me what I wanted in my care package, I totally drew a blank)
10)Im not afraid to try to talk to people and I don't get embarrassed when they give me an extremely confused face. I just try again or tell them never mind and go home and look up what I was trying to say.
11)I realize how not alone I am in this situation, and that others have done well with it.... And so will I.
12)I understand why people sweep water the streets now....This baffled me when I first moved here.
13)Even with the lack of concern for safety, I'm starting to see the love for children that everyone had told me about. I plan to fix the lack of safety (if only for the few I come in contact with) when I can speak better with First Aid classes.
14)I don't care if people hear me speaking in English and stare at me as I walk by.
15)I don't get angry and go on a "its not fair" tantrum when I feel my husband is being mistreated at work. I realize everyone here is treated that way at work, and yes it still sucks but not much can be done about it.
16)I can sleep through the various street noises. (gas trucks, water trucks, trash bell, ext.)

Things that have not changed:
I still get angry when I think about what our family had to give up (present and future).
I still miss my sister and her family as bad as the day I left.
I still wish I could work as a nurse at least a few days a week.
I still know living here with my husband is Gods will for my life and if I never get to visit the States again I will always remember this.
When given the chance I will still talk someones head off, (I'm even getting their in Spanish, look out Mexicans here I come)

Wow there is a lot that has changed and very little that hasn't.