Happy New Year 2008

Chechu, Charo and I got back to Almería on New Year's Eve after an initially stressful and somewhat disappointing Christmas holiday in Pittsburgh.

During the last few months here in Almería before making our trip I had begun to completely romanticize the idea of "going home," and over the course of my stay I came to realize that Pittsburgh isn't my home anymore, nor is the concept of my immediate family such as it was when I lived there. Two unfortunate arguments with Chechu made me recognize that I was still acting as if "daughter/sister" were my immediate roles instead of being a wife. In other words, that I was putting everyone else before Chechu instead of switching gears and realizing that he is now my immediate family and everyone else now takes a back seat. Chechu has had no difficulties in adjusting to his new role as husband, and I now see where I- subcontiously of course, had been negligent in that respect.

The second wedding celebration was definitely disappointing, in addition to being quite expensive. Nearly half of the invited guests didn't show up, there were several last-minute hang-ups between Mom and the caterers, sound equipment issues and, to top it all off, my cousin's surprise proposal that just had to take place during the reception. While there was a lot of intricate work that went into the decorations, thanks to my mother and God-mother, I can't deny that it all paled in comparison to the wedding here in Spain. After all, a tablecloth for as beautiful as it may be doesn't make a wedding, and the immense joy, comradery and sense of family that I felt on my wedding day here in Almería is something that you can only experience once. With that said, I would definitely advise anyone in our circumstances that planning more that one wedding ceremony is absurd. While I wish that I could go back in time and change things around, I also see how both of us were able to learn from this whole experience and I know that Marissa has taken note as well.

Alas.. it feels good to be back and to finally return to some sense of normalcy. I've started back at work and apparently I'm in for some new assignments according to Cristina. It's hard to believe that I've been here nearly six months. Chechu starts teaching as of next Tuesday, and he'll also begin working part-time with the company he interviewed with on Thanksgiving.