Smoothing things out

We started going to Ele's Place when we returned from El Salvador and it has been a good experience so far. My situation is very different from a lot of the other spouses, but it is good to have that time set aside to talk. La Hija seems to enjoy it, and that's the most important part.

I am already planning my next trip down south. I miss it there. I miss my family and I miss the gentleman I spoke of in my last post. We have been talking regularly since my departure and our friendship has only grown. La Hija asks for him every day and talks to him regularly as well. Our relationship is a breath of fresh air. We are silly and laugh so much, but we tell each other everything... we are in very different places in our lives, but that seems to be ok at this point.

My late husband's sister is not doing well psychologically. She had been having problems since her brother died and they have not gotten any better. She was put under hospital observation last weekend after having some sort of sevre breakdown. I hope that things begin to smooth out for her. I could certainly tell that something was wrong when I was visiting the family. She secluded herself and her daughter for most of the day and began to think that the family members who were helping her were really out to get her. A few times she sat me down to talk about what I knew about my late husband's death and would not let the subject go until I was sobbing. A few times I tried to talk to her about getting some help (talking to someone or taking to a doctor about depression medications) but she said she was fine, even though I could see it in her eyes that she wasn't. It's sad.

I have been making an effort to start referring to my husband as "my late husband," which is probably pretty obvious by the last paragraph. I was trying to figure out what to call him. I feel like it's unhealthy to keep referring to him as my husband, especially if I am thinking about moving on emotionally. Calling him my husband means that I have *not* and *cannot* move on, at least in my mind. The only other term I'd remembered was "ex" and that doesn't seem to fit either (I realized this during the conversation I had with the immigration officer upon my return lol), so I actually had to look up how people refer to their deceased spouses on the internet! I felt so silly and ridiculous doing it, especially after I saw the term "late" because I coudln't believe I didn't remember that! Anyway, it seems to be working, but I have to remind myself all the time.

Trying to find work in Michigan

It just so happens that the vast majority of my family lives in one of the states with the highest unemployment rates in the country. So even though I've sent out over 40 resumes since I've been back, I've not had an interview. Now, I'm getting my ducks in a row to go to a meeting at the beginning of March which would allow me to substitute teach (which I would probably be able to do 5 days a week), so I'm not without options, but I wish I had something regular... even part time.

I'm trying not to get discouraged, especially since classes start next week... and my orientation is tomorrow through Friday.

Sometimes it is difficult to remember that things happens the way they are supposed to and that it isn't necessary to control everything in life.

Business isn't going as well at the new place as Mi Amor had hoped. Traffic is minimal because it has been really windy, and people don't tend to eat outside when the wind is whipping the dirt around at skin perforating speeds.

Regardless, we are both trying to keep our chins up.

I am also setting out on a quest for better health. I would like to have another child in the next in a couple year and that requires some serious lifestyle changes. I have set a goal for myself and am going to try to propose to Mi Amor that I be rewarded with another tattoo once that goal is reached. Here's hoping he agrees! It's been almost 6 years since my last set, and I'm beginning to really miss it!