7 Months Later...

Well, we have been here in Texas for 7 months now - and things have not turned out like we thought they would.
First of all, my husband and I don't really like TX (I am almost quite sure that it's a crime punishable by death to say this while living in TX!). We knew this before we moved, and fought it for two years. But we still decided to make the move for the sake of being near my family. Bless his heart - he didn't know what he was in for.

Secondly, we moved in with my Dad, and my youngest sister who has an almost two year old daughter (as I type this it seems like a recipe for disaster!) . The intention was to help my sister become more settled into "Motherhood", you know - leading by example - and though she has done better - I think we have come as far as we are going to get! The added bonus was that it would be for one year - so that everyone could have a place to live while getting themselves established.

Where to go from there -

When we moved out here, my husband and I decided that I would stay home. My staying home was for multiple reasons
(1) Because my husband and I both agree that we can financially afford to do this, and this is how we wanted to raise our children - at least until they are both in school. (2) I would provide childcare for my sister (free of charge) - This would enable my sister to find a better, more stable job so that she could provide for herself and her child - since she is a single mother.

So, in my mind this would work out just fine. I would stay home, and my husband, dad and sister would go to work. Simple enough. Not - so - much. I will spare you all the details- frankly because there are too many little tedious ones to mention - and in the end, I am really just sparing myself the pain of re-living them!

In the end - Financially, my husband and I are putting in more that what we feel is our "fair" share. At one point, we were paying the monthly groceries - which were totalling (brace yourself) a whopping $900!!! This alone is not something that we can afford to do - so, I had to fix that real quick! Secondly, I have become the maid - and nanny - and nothing more! Even though, I try to ask (more like delegating) most of the time, it doesn't get done - and I end up doing it anyway - simply because I don't want to live in a pig stye! I'm exhausted and cranky, most days - which is not typically my character. I am not happy with this - but feel like I have no resolve, at this point.

My husband and I have decided that we want to go home to Colorado - and we are going to seek to do that as we are entering the end of our lease. Overall, I think that we have got to do what is right for us, despite how that may make others feel. It will be bittersweet. I love my family, but they drive me nuts! I have decided that I am better off loving them from a far. And though my in laws drive me just as crazy - I can somewhat limit the times of interaction that I will have with them.


Overall, I have learned a lot, been tried a lot, and have even been taken to a whole new level of dependence on my faith. I do not think that I would have made it this far (1) without God, and (2) without my husband.

Well- that pretty much sums up where I am on this journey - stay tuned. . . . . .