Can I tell you that I am really struggling this month? Can I tell you that it has been really hard to find things that I am grateful for? In light of the current living situation at home and startling news from family, I have been through the ringer emotionally.
No worries, Luis and I are going strong and supporting each other through life. He is, by the way celebrating his 11 months of sobriety!! Couldn't be prouder!
My mother-in-laws visit couldn't have gone more sour. She was very hard to get along with and I felt like I tried pretty dang hard! For how cute she is, she is a handful. I understand that she has very little in her life to find joy about, but please, she brought me waaaay down! For the 2 months that she stayed with us, there is very little to talk about. She refused to eat my cooking and pouted when we couldn't go to the casino every weekend! ACK! But that is in the past and right now she is in Florida working on her citizenship. I really hope it works out!
My brother-in-law has been living with us for 3 months now. And in those 3 months he has spent over $2000 in alcohol! It's amazing and disgusting! Every weekend he has a bender and then it takes 2 days of recovery. One good thing is that he doesn't push Luis to drink with him. Luis has said that this has been good medicine for him because he doesn't want to look and act like that when he is 48!
Enough of the complaining already! Sheesh! OK. I got that out of my system and even though I am behind, willtry hard to find something every day to be thankful for!
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
Monday, August 16, 2010
The Seattle area is in the throes of a heat wave! It actually has broken records! For those of you not in 'the know', it rarely gets above 80 in the summer and this weekend it has done so! I, although, was stuck in a car with 4 boys and no air conditioning! But if you want to know where any and all DMV's that are open on Saturdays, I'm your gal!
We did make it to the lake though and had a good time swimming. But what I wouldn't give for a nice sandy beach where you don't have to wear shoes and worry about how much duck poop is in the water! I lost my flip-flops twice and I swear something reached for me out of the depths of the green mossy lake bottom! But it cooled us off and we had a fabulous chicken dinner and a great weekend!
I am in the process of getting ready for my mother-in-law. She is coming on Tuesday and I am really looking forward to it. She doesn't speak a lick of English but can make a full meal for 6 out of a red pepper, some rice and a 4 ounce piece of beef! Love that little woman. My husband is a middle child in a family of 12 living children (his mother was with child 22 times), and she is probably the strongest woman I know! No joke! But she at times refuses to bend to social norms, or rather American social norms! For example, I came home from work one day and she had washed her underwear and had hung them up on the bushes outside for all to see!! I just had to smile and give her a big sloppy kiss! In hot weather she goes around with a hand towel on her head, I understand, it keeps her in the shade! She has lived a full life and has always worked hard, so she deserves it!
My husbands interactions with his family are so different from mine. They tell each other what they think without factoring in feelings and at times it can get pretty dicey! But they have each others back all the time! True devotion!
Friday, August 13, 2010
I'm thinking that instead of catching everything and everyone up, I thought I would start at the present and add snippets here and there!
Another awesome thing, Luis has started his own landscaping business. We have bought the tools and the truck and he has a few accounts already in the works. We are saving for a house and a car. Although, right now I am leaning on the car first. We are doing much better financially than we ever have and actually have been able to save!! Amazing!!! That's what banks really are for! Who'da thunk?
Thursday, August 12, 2010
New Beginnings
A year ago this month I was in Guatemala awaiting the birth of the baby girl that was to join our little family. Due to unforseen changes in policy, it sadly didn't work out and I was crushed! I was so hoping to become the mother that I have felt I can be.
But upward and onward.
This year (2010) has been a huge success for the Perdomos. As Luis and I came home from Guatemala, I discovered that we needed to work on a few things to put us on the right path. For those of you who do not know my husband, please don't judge too harshly. He is an alcoholic. There! I said it. Not the most glamorous of titles, but an issue nonetheless. As I visited my parents over the Christmas holidays (I was there a week without Luis), I realized that for us to move on and grow, some things needed to change. Luis was becoming increasingly more volatile and I was becoming increasingly more depressed. His drinking was absolutely out of control. I felt the only way to battle this was to deliver an ultimatum "The booze or me" Amazingly, I didn't have to deliver those words as he tearfully announced to me upon picking me up from the airport, that he was ready for to take the next step....AA! I was completely floored and the very next day looked up meeting times and places. I dropped off a very nervous Luis at his first meeting (he chose an English speaking group). And picked up a markedly different man (still Luis). For 2 months he went to one meeting every day and to this day has been 7 months sober!!!!
The peace that is in our house is amazing. The love I felt that had been lacking has since returned a hundred-fold! He's not perfect, nor is he trying to be perfect but I have found him to be an amazingly strong man and so committed to this sober lifestyle. In return I have committed myself to support him 110%. We have grown as a family unit and can now talk in ways we never could before. I know that Heavenly Father softened his heart. He just goes about it in mysterious ways!!
I have also re-committed myself to this blog. Changes are coming, so please bear with me as I muddle through this process!
Terri
But upward and onward.
This year (2010) has been a huge success for the Perdomos. As Luis and I came home from Guatemala, I discovered that we needed to work on a few things to put us on the right path. For those of you who do not know my husband, please don't judge too harshly. He is an alcoholic. There! I said it. Not the most glamorous of titles, but an issue nonetheless. As I visited my parents over the Christmas holidays (I was there a week without Luis), I realized that for us to move on and grow, some things needed to change. Luis was becoming increasingly more volatile and I was becoming increasingly more depressed. His drinking was absolutely out of control. I felt the only way to battle this was to deliver an ultimatum "The booze or me" Amazingly, I didn't have to deliver those words as he tearfully announced to me upon picking me up from the airport, that he was ready for to take the next step....AA! I was completely floored and the very next day looked up meeting times and places. I dropped off a very nervous Luis at his first meeting (he chose an English speaking group). And picked up a markedly different man (still Luis). For 2 months he went to one meeting every day and to this day has been 7 months sober!!!!
The peace that is in our house is amazing. The love I felt that had been lacking has since returned a hundred-fold! He's not perfect, nor is he trying to be perfect but I have found him to be an amazingly strong man and so committed to this sober lifestyle. In return I have committed myself to support him 110%. We have grown as a family unit and can now talk in ways we never could before. I know that Heavenly Father softened his heart. He just goes about it in mysterious ways!!
I have also re-committed myself to this blog. Changes are coming, so please bear with me as I muddle through this process!
Terri
Sunday, September 6, 2009
Well, we are going to have rename this blog. It didn't work out here in Guatemala. Luis and I are going home together empty handed. We consulted a lawyer when we got to Puerto Barrios and he informed us that it was going to be impossible to bring her home. First the baby would have to be placed in an orphanage for a year, during which we would have to spend about 14,000 dollars and at the end of that time, we might not even get the original baby. Then because the US does not aknowledge Guatemalan adoptions, we would not be able to bring her home. I knew coming here that there was that chance, but I wanted to try for it anyways. I am sad that I'm not bringing her with us, but after having met Luis's extended family, I am comforted that she will be looked after. The birth mother is going to keep her and we left all the clothes and supplies that we had brought (except for those few things that I held dear to me). As of today she does not have a name, but she has a full head of black hair and white skin. She was born c-section and weighed in at 7 lbs. even. I took some pictures and plan on displaying them soon. I will be home in my beloved United States in 3 days and can't wait!!!
Monday, August 24, 2009
On the countdown to baby!! Luis gets into town in 2 days! And I can't wait!! His plane arrives at noon on wednesday. I'm going to pick him up from the airport and then either check into a hotel to drop his stuff off, or come here for lunch! We'll play it by ear:) Then we are off on Thursday to Puerto Barrios where we hope the baby will make her appearance soon after. We are taking a 5 hour bus ride to get there. Last year we went on a double decker and it was very comfy! I just prayed I wouldn't need to use the bathroom! All the buses here have armed escorts and security is pretty tight, but there are frequent stops and sometimes the air conditioning goes off when you go up a hill. I'm just glad that there isn't livestock roaming the aisles.
Saturday, August 22, 2009
Here are some funky tidbits about Guatemala
#1- Everything Comes In A Bag!
No joke!! You go to the corner store and you can purchase milk, water and detergent in bags. When you go to the market and want a slurpee, or shaved ice, they put it in...a bag. We`ve been going to the hospital lately to visit Mama Nita and you can buy freshly cut fruit... in a bag. The pineapple is the best!! They sell little homemade popsicles here at the house...in a bag. Mayo also comes... in a bag. Don't ask me why, maybe because it looks better when the people just throw their garbage in the street!
#2- The other day we were driving down a main road and the traffic came to a stop because there was a guy driving a herd of goats across the street. He had a huge whip and when he cracked it, my hairs on my head stood up straight! Indiana Jones has nothing on him. Why goats you ask? For anyone who wants a fresh cup of milk, of course. Haven't tried it and probably won't, warm milk straight from the source doesn't ring my bell.
#3- Pretty much every house has there own little business. Here at the house they sell blended beans, home made popsicles, dried corn for tortillas, and cream. The lady down the street sells soda and this morning the woman selling toilet paper made a timely call at the house. Also, I've seen a lot of people just cooking on the street and selling a meal.
#4-When someone knocks on the door, they usually use either their keys or a coin and it is LOUD!
#5-Driving...that is a whole other story. No one uses their blinker, but the horn is always in working order. Red lights are ignored if they take too long and turning a left from the right lane is a specialty. Two lane roads are sometimes three or even four lanes and the person behind you always needs to get there before you!
All of these things make me love my husbands country even more! I want this little girl to know where she is from and take pride in both the US and Guatemala and I am looking forward to getting more aquainted with this wonderful quirky country!
#1- Everything Comes In A Bag!
No joke!! You go to the corner store and you can purchase milk, water and detergent in bags. When you go to the market and want a slurpee, or shaved ice, they put it in...a bag. We`ve been going to the hospital lately to visit Mama Nita and you can buy freshly cut fruit... in a bag. The pineapple is the best!! They sell little homemade popsicles here at the house...in a bag. Mayo also comes... in a bag. Don't ask me why, maybe because it looks better when the people just throw their garbage in the street!
#2- The other day we were driving down a main road and the traffic came to a stop because there was a guy driving a herd of goats across the street. He had a huge whip and when he cracked it, my hairs on my head stood up straight! Indiana Jones has nothing on him. Why goats you ask? For anyone who wants a fresh cup of milk, of course. Haven't tried it and probably won't, warm milk straight from the source doesn't ring my bell.
#3- Pretty much every house has there own little business. Here at the house they sell blended beans, home made popsicles, dried corn for tortillas, and cream. The lady down the street sells soda and this morning the woman selling toilet paper made a timely call at the house. Also, I've seen a lot of people just cooking on the street and selling a meal.
#4-When someone knocks on the door, they usually use either their keys or a coin and it is LOUD!
#5-Driving...that is a whole other story. No one uses their blinker, but the horn is always in working order. Red lights are ignored if they take too long and turning a left from the right lane is a specialty. Two lane roads are sometimes three or even four lanes and the person behind you always needs to get there before you!
All of these things make me love my husbands country even more! I want this little girl to know where she is from and take pride in both the US and Guatemala and I am looking forward to getting more aquainted with this wonderful quirky country!
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