2010. What a crazy, exciting, adventurous year. Just to recap- Chucho and I began the year in a new place, Oklahoma! After months of nagging from Joe, my brother, we decided to pack up the baby, ourselves, and a little belongings and make the journey from Washington down to Okie. As we all knew Chucho would soon need to return to Mexico for awhile, this would enable Joe, April, and all the kiddos to spend time with us as we had no idea what the future would hold with the immigration papers. Re-location seemed inevitable anyway so why not use our time wisely?!
The first couple months went well as Chucho found work with a local farmer working the cotton. He loved learning to use the new cotton press and tractors and it only took a couple 12 hour work days for him to realize just how much he loved his I-pod. Ha!
Work ran out and around the same time an ice storm hit our area. In Oklahoma?! Yes, apparently ice storms come to Oklahoma. Who would've guessed it.. Anyway, it was actually kind of fun as we left our little cabin and went into the other with all 6 of Joe's babies in order to be close to the fireplace...It wasn't long before we all headed to a motel over the Texas line where we could actually bathe. Woo, imagine the relief. 11 people (7 being small children) having not bathed in 4-5 days. Yes, it was definitely time to head to the nearest motel.
After the ice storm excitement, it was followed by a couple months of our normal routine. Chucho would get up around 6 every morning and head out to the Coones farm to work until around 8 every night. I woke up, fixed coffee for him before he had to head out and attempted to have lunch ready when he returned for a 30 minute mid-day break. Times were good. At the time I truthfully didn't appreciate these normal every-day family activities but as we now aren't able to participate in such things(will explain later), one day seems to just fall into the next.
Along with these normal routines went me attempting to keep my 4.0 GPA and full-time status as an online student without Internet. We also were awaiting the arrival of our second child, Dyana Isabel, who decided to make her bold arrival in May.
By our daughter's arrival we had turned in all Chucho's papers asking for residency and were expecting an answer for his inevitable return to Mexico (Consulate in Ciudad Juarez) for at least 2 months to fulfill the appointment and medical requirements. In June mom called and asked if we could possible re-locate to Tennessee so I could watch mammaw when she returned to school in August as her Alzheimer's was rapidly taking a toll. We relocated and I began to spend time with mammaw and was surprised to find over time that I had to somewhat let go of denial and accept her just as I had my two children as newborn babies. My perspective on so much just in the past 6 months of being with her has changed more than I ever thought possible. My strong, loving mammaw had changed quite a bit and along with that, anyone close to her was forced to do so also.
On September 2 I took Chucho to the Greyhound station to head down to Mexico for his appointment the following Tuesday. As he left, I can not even explain my feelings..I guess the closest I could even attempt to illustrate would be if someone cut off your arm and rode out of the city with it...Odd illustration but that's really how it felt. Terrible as we both didn't know when he would return. Dyana was 4 months and Orlando 18 months and both were rapidly changing. We did know he would miss quite a bit in his absence with the babies. On November 10 (after 2 appointments and a return trip from Veracruz back up to the border) we received a DHL referral letter stating there was a need for additional evidence of hardship to me, his spouse, in his absence. I was truthfully confused. And surprised. And disappointed.
Since the letter I've been working on getting together additional evidence. Have been seeking help from Senator Alexander and will hopefully have the packet together within the next couple weeks. The letter stated we have 84 days to get the additional documentation submitted. I feel anxious and stressed. I have SUCCESSFULLY stayed a full-time student through this whole school year. Woo-hoo! And have also continued to keep a good (though sadly not perfect) GPA through it all. If I can get through all this and stay in school then I know the future holds brighter possibilities with education as these obstacles can not continue forever...I hope.
A couple days ago, Dec. 28, was our 2 year anniversary. I stayed as busy as possible as it definitely was a sad day. After all, we may have two babies but we're actually still newlyweds..My birthday is next week and I know he'll miss that but hopefully by some other important dates he'll be able to come home..Maybe February 14 for V-day! Or March 22 for Orlando's birthday! And hopefully it won't drag out this long but maybe May 2 for Dyana's birthday! I don't know....Celebrations aren't the same without your better half.
To say in the least, this year has been eventful. Re-locating more than once, having a baby, being forced to say goodbye to more than one person I love(in two different ways), and still attempting to maintain a full-time status in school has turned one eventful month into the next. 2010 was for sure was exciting, happy, sad, and life-changing.
It may sound like I'm complaining but truthfully I'm writing this all as just a re-cap, a re-visiting of these memories so newly made. After all, I'm actually the type who would be quite bored if life didn't present me with adventure. This year was really quite adventurous. And for THAT- I am thankful.
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