It's our 6 month anniversary!!

Will you marry me??

Actually I had totally forgot about this - I'm not usually a "half" celebration kinda gal.  But as I sat there in front of the computer, I remembered!  It's our 6 month anniversary!!  As my hubster has started saying, mazel tov!!

I can't believe we have been married for HALF A YEAR.  At times it seems to go by fast and other times it seems like we've been married forever. 



I feel like I've known you forever!


When I look at my husband, sometimes I feel like I know him so well, like we've been together forever.  And other times it's like a stranger is sitting next to me.  I feel like our adjustment is extra hard - not only are we not used to spending every day together like modern American couples who live together for years before tying the knot, but we are trying to blend two very different cultures into one.  A true melting pot.  There are things I don't mind adapting to - like his love for tortillas or football (soccer) - but there are things I don't think I'll ever adjust either.  And I'm sure he feels the same way - like having to hang out with my friends and family ALL the time!

I think these adjustments are taking more time than I thought and in that sense it seems like we just got married - that we are still figuring out so many different things about each other, and figuring out how to communicate effectively when things aren't going the way we want.




This is how hubsters usually looks when we're trying to talk - he's staring off into space!!

 However, when I really think about it, six months is such a short time!  My parents have been married over thirty years - longer than I've been alive.  Six months is nothing - we're still wet behind the years.  I wonder what we'll be like thirty years into our marriage.

Hopefully as happy as my parents are!




I love these guys!


This day-after photo really captures the cultural essence of our marriage:



Spanish?  English?  Spanglish?

 What do you remember most about your first six months of marriage???

Finances

Yes, it's the dreaded finances conversation.  Hubs and I CANNOT, for the life of us, find a good way to deal with our finances.  I'm still unsure what will work out best, but people LOVE to give me their two sense about their strategy and then insult me by telling me that our current financial situation screams DISASTER.  I don't really appreciate that - I don't think that hubs and I are doomed for life because we haven't found a financial strategy that works well for us.  I think it's just gonna take some time, but no need to tell me we're heading straight for divorce.  Or that our strategy is normal for non-married people, but as married people we need something different.  I think different strategies work best for different types of people - we just haven't figured out our best one yet.

Currently we have two separate accounts.  I have a savings and checking and hubs has a savings.  We use all my money to pay for normal bills (rent, gas, car, loans, etc.) and then put all his money in his savings account.  However, I tend to be completely broke at the end of the pay period and he's floating in the dough.

This situation would work great if all we wanted was to save and save and save.  However, pretty soon we'll use all his money to buy tickets to Honduras.  Not really the end of the world, since we've been planning this trip for a while.  I think our biggest argument is around sending money to his relatives in Honduras.  It's a big cultural issue - in the US people don't really send money to family members.  If I'm broke and need a tooth fixed, I wouldn't ever ask my parents or sisters to send me cash to fix my tooth.  I'd most likely charge it or wait.  However, in Honduras, people who have moved to the US work as hard as they can and then send as much money back home as possible.  So, this is where our cultures clash.  I'd prefer we save our money for future endeavors (like an apartment, kids one day, a trip to Germany, safety net, etc.) and he'd rather send his money home. 

It all comes back to our view on life - I see the future, he sees the present.  I work for a better future, he works for today and only today.  One day we'll meld our views together, but for now, I think we need to hire a financial planner!!!

Feliz Cumpleanos Esposo!!!

Happy birthday Hubster!!


This was hub's first birthday in the US and his first American birthday experience - and I think it was a success. Birthdays aren't that big of a deal in the little town where he's from (unless it's a girl's Quinceanera), so we never really did anything special when I was there.  I once made cake, only to find out he doesn't really like cake that much.  After I left I usually tried to go back for a visit around this time so I'd be there on his birthday, but there wasn't usually a party or a gifts or anything.  They were a bit too poor for that.  This year I tried to make a big deal out of his birthday because I remember how hard it was for me to celebrate my bday far away in another country without my family and friends.  So, we had a little bday BBQ on Monday (which you can read about here) and today he got gifts from me, my parents, and my sister and her husband and daughter.  We couldn't do anything too grand tonight because he worked until 8pm - so we were practically in bed by the time he got home!

But we sang lots of happy birthday songs when he came in the house, which thoroughly embarrassed him! Here's a glimpse of our late-night gift giving:

King of the Birthday!!

My niece eating the licorice my mom bought for him, along with the nice shirt she sent too.

P trying to decide which cowboy boot to pick up (present from me).

Finally deciding on a shoe.

Then deciding she wants both.

Hubs with the pillow my sister and her family bought him...since he kept stealing mine!

It was a lot of fun seeing his expression as he opened all the gifts.  He LOVED everything and was really surprised that people remembered what size he wore, for some reason.  He's easily pleased though.

Happy Birthday Hubs!!!!