Trip to the Dentist

I went to the dentist today. The other day I was flossing and a my filling fell out of my mouth. So I asked where to go to the dentist. Moises has a cousin who is a dentist, but apparently she is really expensive. They told me that there is a girl who recently graduated that is charging a lot less. So Leticia took me to go see her today. She takes me to a store that sells fruits and vegetables and other basic household items. They also sell roasted chicken. She gets the attention of a girl who is loading chicken heads onto a big rotisserie pole and says I want to get seen. The girl gets someone else to finish with the chicken heads and leads me up 2 flights of stairs that are part of the house. On the top floor there is a room with a dentist chair and whatnot. Well, the 'girl' is the dentist! I have an appointment to get the filling replace on monday. She charges $15 for fillings. Nice. I saw that she has an autoclave, so that makes me feel good.

I have felt a bit homesick the past couple of days. So has Balthezar. He broke down crying the other day saying that he wants to go home. He wants to see his friends and family and have everything 'normal' he says. I have felt it a little bit, but have been busy around the house and had my sister in laws over every day, so I have had company.

As always, I feel like I don´t do enough around the house. I know it is wrong, but I just dont think I should have to clean up after all my inlaws. I should do more, but so far, I just don´t want to. I am being lazy maybe and stubborn!

I finished the Twilight series. I do think that it was pretty good. It do get a little annoying with how low of a self esteem Bella has. I don´t like the idea that millions of young girls are reading this series and thinking that true love means that your boyfriend stalks you, won´t let you visit your friends, and in the end, kills you. Yeah, not so much......

hello?

I am feeling really out of it. I feel like my spanish has gotten really crappy because I am having a hard time keeping up with some conversations. It really bothers me. Then there are the kids who speak to me in english, even though I am trying hard to speak to them in spanish. I am getting a headache from going back and forth between the two. I know that it a couple of weeks it will start to feel okay again. I just have to remind myself in the meantime that my brain will hurt.

I haven´t really done much since I got here. I haven´t gone and visited people. I know I should, I just don´t feel like it. I don´t mean to say that I have to, just that I will feel better if I get out of the house more.

I brought a bread machine with me here. I have been making banana bread, and have even sold a loaf. I think that if they keep on it, they can sell it once I am gone. The problem that I can see, is that they have a hard time keeping up with something. I don´t know if it is because they aren´t interested or if they are lazy, or if they don´t think that it will work out. I brought the nail set with me, and of course I am ready to get to work, but my sister in law´s seem pretty apathetic about it. They seem interested, but not intested enough to find clients, make anouncements and get to work. Maybe I am being to hard on them though. I have only been here a week.

Today I am going matress shopping with my mother in law. Balthezar wants to sleep on his own, so we need a new bed for him. I am happy, because I am not used to sleeping with the kids so it will be really nice to have my space back. The bed that we got is very nice. It even has a really nice base with drawer for clothes. This is the first time that I have been here that I feel like I have a room that is really put together and has everything I need. Even the time that I was here for 6 months I was living out of my suitcase.

worst mom in the world

Edith for some reason thinks that she can say that to me. Well, she CAN, but I want to beat her for it. I told her that it hurt my feelings and that she needed to stop. I haven´t heard it again since, but it keeps running through my head. The annoying thing is that she said it for not apparent reason. I was getting something for her and she just said it. Whatever.

I am here in Mexico. The trip went by really fast. It helped that I was reading a good book. Stacie lent me the Twilight series. BTW - no one here has even heard of it! It is weird since it is front page magazine topic all the time.

We did have a few hiccups. Like when someone took my carry-on instead of theirs when getting off the first plane. Fortunately, the airline was able to locate the people who mistakenly took it, and get it on the plane before it took off. Once in mexico, the carry one was there, but a different bag hadn´t arrived. Ugh! Fortunately, it didn´t have all my clothes in it like last time. It does, however, have some slightly expensive power tools that I am taking for Moises, and all my books for teaching english. Lastly, Moises told his parents that I would be at the bus terminal at 8, but due to my flight in Houston being delayed, along with filled out info for the lost bag, we didn´t even leave mexico city until 7. We got to Tecamachalco at 11 pm, and I found out that they had been waiting at the bus terminal for 3 1/2 hours! Oops.

The house is kind of an organized mess right now. Aaron is busy fixing things up. He will be getting married on August 22, and needs the house to look good for the wedding and also for his new bride. I am happy to say that we now have a flushing toilet, a hot shower, and running water in the bathroom! It is also the nicest bathroom ever, I might add. I will take a picture. It is interesting to see that changes over the past 10 years from a hole in the ground out with the animals to this!

Moises paid a friend to make a bed frame for us, but he hasn´t shown up with it. Moises paid him half down to get the materials, but I don´t think we will get it. I think the guy blew the money or something.

My sister-in-law´s really like the nail set. They think that we could charge somewhere between 5 and 10 dollars to do it. I am not sure how we are going to market it, but I am sure that we will figure it out.

Well, I am out of stuff to say for now. I am tired and just want to sleep - which is nothing new, right? I have woken up every day with a huge headache. I realized today that it is because I haven´t been drinking diet coke and my body is going through withdrawals. Yuck. I have had a little here and there, but not like when I am at home. I am such an addict!

packing and stress

I have spent the last two days slowly packing.  I would say that I am now 3/4 of the way done.  It has been difficult this year, because I am only taking one checked bag for each of us.  In the past I have been able to take 2 each, but because of charges, I cannot do that anymore.  So, normally I don't think that it would be a big deal, because I am just taking a bunch of clothes.  This year however, I am taking a bunch of random, large items.  They include:  a juicer, a bread machine, two Bosch power tools, a large knife, finger nail painting supplies, several large jars of peanut butter - and the kitchen sink!  Okay, not the kitchen sink.

Josh is staying at Moises house right now, and has been watching me pack.  He just thinks we are crazy.  He thinks the items that I am packing are totally random and ridiculous.  He would be correct, but it all serves a purpose.  I can only imagine what the customs people will be thinking if I have to open up luggage.

That reminds me of a couple of my teachers who are traveling to Ecuador to set up a nursing opportunity for students.  They asked us to donate bras for the women, because they are expensive and hard to get where there are going in the Amazon.  They also asked for packages of condoms to teach birth control.  I can only image the strange looks that they are going to get if they have to have their bags opened!  I mean, can you imagine, bras and condoms - a whole suitcase full!  Crazy, sluttly, old american women!!! (that is what they will be thinking)

The kids have been driving me absolutely crazy today, and they aren't even misbehaving.  I am just having a really hard time for some reason.  I wonder if I am going to start my period.  I guess it is better to be grumpy than to feel like I want to die - which is how I normally feel at that time of the month.

It is also probably because I am stressed out about leaving the country for two months.  I mean, I don't 'feel' stressed, but I am just feeling out of sorts.  It is also really weird to be finished with school for the time being.  I have gotten so used to hanging out with friends so much, I might be going through friend withdrawal!  Marcella is in San Diego with her family for vacation, and Luth is working full time for the summer.  I tried calling Ana, before school even got out, and I haven't heard back from her.  It is weird having been such good friends and then our friendships growing apart.  I am worried that the same will happen with Marcella and Luth, because Ana and I were together constantly until I went to Mexico last summer.  I guess a lot has changed for both of us.  She stopped going to school and is working full time.  I am still in school and have a crazy schedule.  

I have been going to physical therapy for a couple of months now for the pain in my leg that I have had since the accident.  It got really better for a while, but yesterday and today it is really bothering me, despite doing all of my exercises.  I even went out for a walk with Josh, Molly, Balthezar and Edith.  I hope that it will subside.

Kindergarten video

Kathleen's camera doesn't have sound. It is very cute anyway.

End of the Year

On the left is my Spring quarter clinical group. Top left is Sophia, me, Luth, Marcella, Bottom row is Myhanh, Tatyana, Yen and Tamra. (Christina left early, so she isn't in the photo)

Moises, Edith and I at Edith's Kindergarten graduation.

Mrs. Kuney on the left was the teachers aid in Ediths class for the year. Below is Ms. Barbee her teacher.

Edith is singing during her graduation.

Balthezar was in a dance routine for the end of the year. He was in the far right corner, so you can only see him for half of it! It is a video - so click on the play symbol to watch.

One more week

Kathleen mentioned that she can't wait for me to go to Mexico because I actually post on here all the time. So I figure I will appease her and write about my boring life.

I have one more week left of my first year of nursing school. I can't believe how fast it went by! I thought second quarter was going to kill me, but now that it is over, I feel pretty confident. I have to pass a proctored test on thursday in order to pass, and I am a concerned about it. It basically covers everything we have learned this year. It is so much freaking information - too much. I took a practice exam and scored a 67%!!! I have to get a 68% in order to pass. My psyche is hurting right now because I am normally not an average student, and I am getting average grades. I haven't been trying very hard, so it isn't a suprise. It just feels very different.

I leave for Mexico on the 27th. As always, I am excited and nervous at the same time. Excited because it is always nice to see people that I haven't seen in a year. I love an adventure, so I get my needs fulfilled. I just hate the packing. Riding on the airplane isn't very comfortable. Thank god I have the kids to ride with, otherwise I would probably have to buy an additional seat due to my size.

It is so weird to go from being here at home in the morning, and in my Mexican home by night the same day. I think that it is such a big jolt of change. It isn't really describable. I know that in the past year my in-laws have hooked up some sort of system for taking a shower. No more building fires outside and heating up water to pour over my head with a bowl!!! I can't even imagine!

My brother in law Aaron is getting marriend on the 22nd of August. This starts to beginning of something very new for me and my in-laws. I have always been the only 'nuera' (daughter in law) and so I have been able to come and visit and live with them. I am not sure how things will end up now that Aaron is getting married. My understanding is that Moises parents will give Aaron their house once they die. So, it will be their house. That is why he has spent the money to do a bunch of upgrades - it will be his home. So, even though it won't 'officially' be his - it will be. So how do I continue to come and visit without stepping on toes and invading their space? I don't know. I guess it really is time to start building on our land. It is really close by (like maybe a 10 minute walk) and right now they use it to plant alfalfa or corn.

They say that because I am thinking about these things that I am jealous. I think that is part of their culture. I have heard the son in laws talk about who is the favorite out of the 4 of them. They think that it is Antonio, Martha's husband. It is something to kind of joke about, but when it boils down, it really means something to them. I think that there is part of me that worries. Just because I am SO NOT MEXICAN. They are going to have a nice mexican woman living there who does everything the mexican way. I don't think that they will decide they don't like me. I think that I kind of get a pass because they do realize that I come from a different world. I also always come with tons of gifts for everyone. It is hard not to like someone who is as nice as me ;)

In the meantime, I really need to get my crap together! My room is a total stye. My computer area looks like crap. I am going to have a garage sell next friday and saturday with Marcella and Luth, so hopefully I can make some traveling money.