And So We Begin Again...

Tomorrow is the last day of 2009. New Year's Eve. Can't say we have any big plans. I think we get a little more boring each year:) Wherever and however we ring in the New Year, I am ready. I am ready for all that this New Year is going to bring our way. Challenges. Successes. New adventures. New memories. 2010 has a lot of promises for us. Santi is receiving his bachelor's degree in March. Hopefully this means the Lord will bless him with a new job that includes a higher salary and more importantly regular hours so we have more time together. I am hopefully graduating with my master's in the fall. Hopefully this means I will be blessed with the opportunity to teach at one of the community colleges which will mean I won't work as much. Santi will finally become a United States citizen. Hopefully this means his parents will follow shortly after and they will finally be relieved of their stress. These are all things we have been waiting a long time for and to be this close is such a great feeling. I look back and remember times when we were feeling weary and frustrated, when we didn't know how things would work out, and I am reminded that even when life gets confusing and I am not certain of where we are headed, God has a plan for us. For that I am thankful.

Moving On

Well, it's safe to say that 2009 has been a tough year for a lot of people. The worst economic downturn since the Great Depression, the housing crisis, the H1N1 outbreak, war raging on, and a looming health care crisis...most people are looking forward to welcoming a new year in hopes of a new outlook.
When I look back at 2009 for us, I won't say it was easy. We had our own share of setbacks and frustrations. I could think of a handful of things to complain about. But I won't. We were blessed this year. We both kept our jobs in a time where many couples faced the loss of one or even two incomes, many with children to support. We didn't have any major health concens. God blessed us with the ability to get up and get to work every day, feeling well enough to do our jobs. By His grace we avoided the dreaded H1N1, even in jobs considered to be high risk. We still own our home, and so many people faced the loss of a dream when their home went into foreclosure. Even people close to us. We came out on top this year. We are grateful. We are blessed.
As we prepare for a new year, we are looking forward to the promises God has for us and we cannot wait to see how this year unfolds according to His plan. I am confident that this new year holds many more blessings for us. I am sure they will be accompanied by some challenges, but it is all in His hands and if we give it all up to Him, He will provide.

Another Crazy Holiday Season

It has been quite awhile since I last posted, but let me just say I have been BUSY. Actually, that would be an understatement. November and December are always crazy months,and we decided to throw in Thanksgiving at our house, my brother's wedding, being sick, and hosting my parents for Christmas.
We began the Holiday season with a wonderful Thanksgiving at our house with all of our friends. This was our third Thanksgiving away from home, and while I always miss our family this time of year and wish we were closer, I am so thankful for our wonderful Arizona friends who shared this day with us.
We rolled into December with all of the typical craziness at school. Programs, parties, pot lucks, Christmas crafts, overly excited kids. December as a teacher is exhausting. I managed to survive our pajama party the last day before break despite being terribly sick...all to hop on a late night flight to Indiana for my little brother's wedding. The wedding was beautiful, and I only wish I had been feeling well enough to actually enjoy it. I got through the rest of the weekend, and after finally getting some medicine I started to feel better just in time to catch a flight back to Phoenix with mom and dad for Christmas. We had a great time at Christmas. Nothing too special, just enjoyed time together. Our plans to take mom and dad to the Grand Canyon on Christmas day were cancelled due to snow up north, but we found pleanty to do. We shopped, attended the Christmas service at chuch, ate at Matt's Big Breakfast, toasted hot dogs and made smores in our new fire pit, walked around Lake Pleasant, caught a movie, and enjoyed Christmas dinner at Rustler's Rooste. It was nice to spend time with them. I miss being able to hop from house to house and see our families, and I hope next year Santi will have a job that allows him to travel during Christmas.

Now that all the craziness is over, I am happy to have a week remaining to relax before returning to work. I am looking forward to a relaxing week of cooking, organizing, and being lazy.

The Wish List

Here we are flying right through October. This is my most favorite time of year, and it always flies right by! Despite a few record-breaking days of heat this week (102 yesterday), we are finally easing into more pleasant weather. The Arizona weather I love is on its way, and I am reminded of why I put up with the ridiculous summer heat. Just last weekend we returned from Indiana after a week with family...and it rained, and rained, and rained some more. We had a good time overall, but wished we could have enjoyed some nicer weather. I guess we are just spoiled by our regular doses of sunshine out here in "the valley of the sun".
So...we are doing pretty well with our budget still. It's not easy, but we are working hard to really watch where our money goes and avoid unnecessary purchases. It feels good to have better control over our finances, and I hope that by the time spring roles around we will be in a better position to do some things I have been dying to do around the house. I just have to get these ideas out...so here goes my wish list...
1) We NEED a real dining room table...okay, maybe we don't "NEED" it, but I really, really want one. Our current table is from IKEA, purchased for about 100 bucks when we had the apartment, and it barely seats 4. It looks so tiny in our dining area...and when family comes out to visit, or friends come over, it can get rather crowded. 
2) Curtains...I have yet to do any kind of window treatments (other than the blinds that came with the house). I would really love some simple panel curtains...but man they can be expensive! Especially since we have 5 windows just in our living/dining area. Any suggestions on where I can find inexpensive window treatments and and curtain rods?
3) Paint...okay, we painted our master bedroom over a year ago when we moved in...and I will admit the paint color was not the best choice. I always wanted a chocolate brown room, but with dark bedroom furniture it's too much. Our master bath is a sort of teal color, and I would like to do the whole bedroom in a lighter version of that color. Santi wants to kill me for even saying I want to repaint:) Anyone up for helping me out some Saturday when he is working?
4) New comforter in the master bedroom....I love our current comforter from Crate and Barrel, but we purchased it from the outlet and don't have the whole matching set, plus I ruined one of the throw pillows in the washer...so it looks like a hodge podge bed set now. Oh yeah, and our dog's dirty paws on the white comforter don't help...no matter how many times I wash it. Nothing expensive..I have been looking at Overstock.com
5) Next would be something I know we won't be purchasing anytime soon, but I can dream can't I? I would really like to have a sectional sofa with a pull out bed rather than our little love seat and sofa. We need more space for guests, plus I love sectionals. The only reason we didn't get one at first was because we were still in the apartment and it wouldn't fit.
6) Mexican fan palms. Our poor little Queen palms in the backyard didn't survive monsoon season. Now we have two big holes in the backyard. I love palm trees...they are one of the best parts of living in the southwest! I would like to fill those holes with some sturdy Mexican fan palms that will NOT blow over during a monsoon storm!
7) Area rug. Although I LOVE having tile throughout our house...I would love to feel a little carpet under my feet in the living room. I would love a big beautiful area rug for the living room. 

Okay...there is a reason that was called a "wish list"...I will wish for these things and maybe one day God will bless us with the financial resources to finish up our little home. Until then, I am more than thankful with all that we have. Our lives are full of blessings...and all this budgeting, although sometimes painful and difficult, will pay off in the end when we are able to finally start thinking about a family:)

Can't Buy Me Love

The picture is our sweet puppy after surgery to remove a baseball hat from his stomach. The adorable black dog is his friend Nahla who was staying with us for the weekend.

Ever since we returned from our big trip to Ecuador, we have been working hard at being better stewards of the money and resources God has blessed us with. This began by stepping out in faith and starting to tithe...meaning giving 10% of our income to the church. It felt great to know that we were being obedient to Him, and it strengthened our faith as we counted on Him to provide for us each month.
I would like to admit that while we have seen God provide for us in many ways, it has not always been easy to trust that He has things all under control. Sometimes you have to really take a step back to see Him working. The month of August was especially difficult. Things seemed to be going quite well, although I will admit we were not doing the best job at budgeting our money and spending wisely. I had received a nice bonus for my teaching portfolio, and that was mainly used to pay off the credit card that we used while we were in Ecuador. Well, we went slightly over budget on our trip, but we still managed to get it paid off with my bonus. Around my birthday we decided that we could finally afford for me to replace the car I have been driving since I was 16. We found a great deal on a new Nissan Sentra, and the best part was that we qualified for an interest rate of 0.9%, which is next to nothing. It was a little more than we had planned on spending, but the thought of having a car that is under warranty for three years made it seem worth it. We knew that with two cars over 95,000 miles, we were going to start running into expensive problems sooner or later. The month of August was a little slow for Santi, and his commission check was not as high as normal...no big deal...we were still more than fine. We have emergency fund for these purposes if need be. Then...one day our lovely dog decided that a baseball hat seemed like a delicious lunch while we were at work. I came home to find no more than a couple of tiny pieces remaining. I thought surely he had destroyed it enough that it would just make its way out naturally. Well, that was not the case. $2,ooo later the hat was successfully removed via emergency surgery, oh, and there was also a toy in there. Following that hit to our budget, my mop also decided now would be a great time to break. This is not just any mop...it is a steam mop. When you have mostly tile floors in your home, it is not practical to just mop the old fashioned way. So...I had dirty floors and no mop. When it rains it pours. All of this was in light of our already planned trip to Indiana for my fall break in October...so tack on $500 in plane tickets and another $250 to board the dog. In the grand scheme of things, these minor setbacks may seem like nothing. We are very blessed, and we can work around them. They may be a pain, and they may mean we have to sacrifice here and there...but they are manageable.
After feeling a bit frustrated...I was able to see that this must be God's way of telling us it was time to get serious about budgeting our money and start being better stewards of what He has given us. “For everyone to whom much is given, from him much will be required; and to whom much has been committed, of him they will ask the more.” (Luke 12:48)
So...as of September 1st...we are back on track with our budget and so far doing better than we ever have. We have been out to eat once in over a week...and it was to Taco Bell! We have also been under budget on groceries...and my cooking skills are quickly improving:) I will keep you all posted on how this new budget works out.

Fall is around the corner...

Ahhh fall...well, I can pretend anyways. Once the calendar flips over to September, it is fall in my book. It may be 105 degrees outside, but I can still get into the spirit of fall can't I? There are many wonderful benefits to living in the desert, like ample sunshine and mild winters...but I really do miss fall. Last year we drove up to Sedona in October to get our fill of fall weather and scenery, and I must say that Sedona is a beautiful place to be in the fall. Well, Sedona is a beautiful place to be any time of year...in fact it may just be one of my all time favorite places to be period. This year I don't think we will make it up there for the fall season...but we will be heading to Indiana, where I am hoping we get a real taste of all things fall that I miss so dearly. Bright colored leaves, cool sweatshirt weather...and the wonderful smell of fall. My husband likes to tease me when I talk about the "smell" of fall, but ladies will all agree that fall definitely has a distinct and lovely smell. A sort of combination of apples, hay, crisp air, and pumpkins...or something like that. I don't know, you can't really describe the smell...you just know it when you come across it.

Summer's End

It's hard to believe that summer came and went. I guess that's what happens when you spend your summer traveling around the world and visiting with family and friends. Santi and I spent two and a half weeks in Ecuador in June. It was truly an amazing experience. This was the first time he had been back to his home country since he left over 13 years ago. When we first landed in Quito it felt surreal to both of us to actually be there (could have been the lack of sleep or lightheaded feeling from the altitude). This trip was something we have both talked about since we met, and to think we were finally there was unbelievable. We spent our time exploring Quito, which Santi discovered had changed and grown quite a bit since he had left, and traveling around the rest of Ecuador visiting family. Ecuador was absolutely beautiful. I always knew I would love it there, but I never expected that it would grow my love for Santiago and give me a clearer understanding of exactly who he is and where he came from. Our childhoods are such defining parts of who we are as people, and until we went to Ecuador and I was able to see where he grew up, I never fully understood that part of him. He always had a good idea of what my childhood was like because he lived in Indiana for 13 years, understood what life in the midwest was all about, met my family, and spent time fishing and doing all of the other things I enjoyed growing up. I had never had that opportunity. Of course I had met some of his family at the wedding, and his immediate family lives in Indiana, but to meet everyone else and be there, in Ecuador, was a completely different experience. We saw and experienced so many fantastic things. I would be here all day if I wrote about them all! When people ask what my favorite part of the trip was, I have to say the FOOD..and truly experiencing the culture. I have such a deep love and respect for Hispanic culture, and Ecuadorian culture in particular. It has always been part of our relationship, but now I think both our American culture and Ecuadorian cultures will be much more closely intertwined. I love listening to Ecuadorian music, and after purchasing an Ecuadorian cookbook I am becoming quite the cook! I think that the blending of our two very unique cultures makes us a unique couple, and will one day make us a unique family.
Speaking of family...no we are not expecting! I don't know how many times I was asked that in Ecuador...being that I am almost 26 and Santi almost 29 with no children is kind of rare for Ecuadorians. That's where our American side comes in I guess! I have to admit, I have had babies on the brain for awhile now, especially with so many of my friends having babies, but there just never seems to be a "right time". I know people say there never will be a "right time", so I guess at some point we are just going to have to let God handle the timing. We always set a time frame, and then push it back when we plan another vacation or large purchase...it seems like there is always "just one more vacation" or, "let's just buy this for the house first". Lately it's been the search for a new car. Not to mention my fear of who would watch our baby if we can't afford for me to stay home. Hopefully with both of us finishing school in the next year that won't be an issue. I guess for now I need to "give it up to God" and trust him with the solution.
School is starting a week from Monday...can you believe that?! I am astonished that it is already that time of year again! I must say though, I am a little excited. I do love teaching. I am extra excited this year because it will be my second year in the same grade, kindergarten, which I love! I finally feel like I have more of a handle on what to expect and what works and what doesn't work now that I have a year of kindergarten under my belt. I was in my classroom all last week getting things arranged. I must say it looks sooooo much better than last year when I had no idea what I was doing! I have seen my class list so far...16 kiddos, but I won't get my hopes up because I will be at 20+ by the first day. This year should be extra interesting too because instead of all Spanish speakers I have one child that speaks Arabic and one that speaks Vietnemese. I have also made the decision to blog about my classroom this year. Teaching is such an inspirational career, no two days are ever alike, and to be honest I have some really funny things I would like to blog about! Hopefully it goes well.
Well, for now it is off to make dinner.

Summertime and the livin's easy...

Well, I can remember just a few weeks ago I was thinking summer would never arrive, but here it is and boy it came fast! Today I enjoyed my first official day of summer and it was grand, although I must admit I am already bored. Thankfully we have a busy summer of traveling and hosting visitors ahead of us, so I think I better enjoy the boredom while it lasts. This weekend I enjoyed catching up on my cleaning and soaking up the sun on the Salt River with teacher friends. Poor Santi is busy at work trying to get ahead before we leave. We leave for Ecuador in less than 2 weeks now, and I have plenty of last minute travel details to keep me busy for the next few days. My brother is coming out for a visit on Friday and will be here several days. We are looking forward to seeing him! I am so excited about everything we have planned for the summer, and I am so grateful that we are able to do these things. This trip to Ecuador has been a long time coming and I know that Santi is truly excited to return home. I am also really looking forward to learning more about where he grew up and seeing the beauty of his home country. I am also excited to meet many of his family members and old high school friends that I have never met! I know it will be an amazing trip and one we will cherish until we are able to return:) Shortly after we return from Ecuador I will be heading to Indiana for a week to see family and also attend the wedding of Deanna, a good friend from college. I am so excited to see my family and friends and be home again in Indiana. I cannot believe it has been almost a year since I have seen my mom!!!!! That is ridiculous if you ask me. I think we need to be making more trips! It's hard being so far away, but I am constantly torn between the life we love out here and the world of opportunities that we have and the nagging feeling that we should be closer to family. I hope sooner than later we can strike a balance.
On another note, Santi and I have joined a "Home Team", or Bible study through church and it has been a real blessing. We meet once a week with a group of couples our age, eat together, and discuss the message of the week from church. I have been praying for a long time for God to bring us some married friends our age that we could relate to and develop relationships with. At work, all of our friends are single for the most part, so it is difficult to find friends to relate to. The best part is, we also discovered that we live just one street over from the only other couple in the group who does not have kids! It's so nice to finally feel like we are connecting with people out here. I can't believe we have been here almost 2 years! Time flies!

Well...I will post again with photos of our experiences in Ecuador!

Where has the time gone?

I know it has been awhile since the last post, but things have been crazy here! We celebrated the holidays with Santi's parents here in Phoenix which seems like only a couple of weeks ago, but somehow we are already into March! Santi's parents spent most of January here. We celebrated Santi's 28th birthday with family from California who came for a visit to see the new house. Santi's parents went back to California with them for a couple of weeks, and then we went out to pick them up so they could catch their return flight back to Indiana. In the midst of all of this traveling and hosting visitors I was sick AGAIN with a second round of bronchitis! Thankfully I finally got over being sick and now I am enjoying a relaxing spring break! I am spending the first half of my spring break taking some much needed time to unwind and relax. Santi's aunt and uncle from Indiana are visiting us this week, but drove up to Vegas for a couple of days. They return to Phoenix tomorrow evening. On Thursday we are taking them up to Sedona, and then on Friday we are going to a spring training baseball game. I am also looking forward to Saturday and Sunday when Santi will be off work and we can spend some alone time together. It seems like that rarely happens lately.
On another note, I am already into my 4th graduate class! It seems like I just enrolled. Hopefully I will be done in about a year or so. Santi is also speeding along with his courses. He and I should be finished with our degrees around the same time, which is really exciting. In addition to school news, we have planned a much anticipated trip to Ecuador for June! Santi finally received his 10 year green card and we are all set to travel! We have been talking about this trip since we were dating, and it has been a long time coming. Santi has not returned to Ecuador since he moved here at age 15, so I am sure it will be an emotional trip for him. We will be staying with several of his family members and touring as much of Ecuador as possible. We will be there for a little over 2 weeks. At first we were so busy trying to get all of the details into place that we really didn't have time to think about the actual trip. Now that the tickets are purchased and plans are made, we are eagerly anticipating our trip! For anyone who really truly knows Santi and I, we are big planners (me probably more so than him) and this is one more thing off our checklist! We are having such a wonderful time enjoying being young and married. I know this time of just the two of us and being able to do all of these things will not last forever (hopefully), so I am enjoying every minute of it!
Well...the next couple of months will be busy I am sure as I prepare for the end of the school year and we get ready for our big trip. If I don't post again before Ecuador, I will definitely post afterwards with lost of pictures!