Aiden turns 2!!! AAAHHHH!!!!!

I can't believe that October is halfway over. I started the last blog entry 3 or 4 weeks ago and just published today. Life has been hecktic!!!

For Aiden's birthday we went to Burger King, had ice cream and played on the toys. He loves it! Whenever we drive by there, he wants to go in. The frustrating thing about it is that the place where we grocery shop is in the same area. The following Sunday we invited several people to the beach for a little "party". We made ceviche and chicken salad. Only one person came. We were very frustrated!!! And to top that off, we had been there about 45 minutes and it started to pour!! It really wasn't a great birthday for Ben and I. Thank heavens, Aiden will have no recollection.

Since then, work has gotten a little better for Ben. He's gotten on the list more and usually shoves his way into the gates to work. My work is fine. Today was my last day with my Nissan Boys and it was very sad. I've had them for 3 levels and become quite attached!!! Hopefully, I can pick up another Nissan class in the next 2 weeks. The pay for that is AWESOME, even for the US!!

Crazy as it seems, I'm trying to start a dessert business. I am going to do a trial run next week. I'm going to sell cheese cake, cookies, chocolate cake and banana bread. I'm really hoping that this works out. The only downside is that my shy husband is going to be the one that has to sell. He's going to the Custom Agencies and during breakfast/break time going to sell pieces of everything and hand out flyers. He is TERRIFIED!! I think it will be good for him. I'm hoping that he'll make more money in an hour than an entire day of working. We'll see. Please pray and keep your fingers crossed that this will work out!!

I had to renew my FM3 Visa last month. As always, it was a nightmare. I got fined $525 pesos because I didn't report my move within 30 days. On top of that was the renewal fee of $2,000 pesos which my work paid for. I can't express my thankfulness for that. I didn't have the money for that one!!! I would have been an "illegal alien" in Mexico. How ironic is that? But it's all fixed and we're back in the groove.

Here in Mexico they offer free health insurance to people that work. It totally SUCKS, but it's free. When you go there, it is complete chaos and people wait for hours!!! I went and had a complete female check-up and it took a month for the results. I went to go get them yesterday and I had to schedule another appointment to have the doctor go over the results with me. That's really going to help . . . you know me and Espanol. Not happening!!! But you do whatcha gotta do!!!

We had some problems with our car and went in and got it fixed . . . or at least that which they had the parts for. That set us back $150 and we still have to pay for the parts when they come. If it's not one thing it's another.

Mexico is getting very scary these days. Maybe it's always been this way and I've been oblivious. Manzanillo has been the safest city in Mexico forever, but that is changing!! I'm ready to make the move out of here. When I finish my semester of teaching in May, we are leaving. I don't know if it will be to the States or Canada, but we're through with Mexico. The optimism is quickly deteriorating and Ben is so stressed out that he can hardly function.

HOWEVER, he is working on his schooling and placed in the 90% area!! I am so proud of him. That really helped motivate him for the next part of the course. He's spending every free amount of time he has studying. Frankly though, it's about time.

I can't believe that when I leave here in May, I will have been here 2 years and a month. WOW!!! It's seems like forever and just like yesterday when I got here. Time flies yet goes so slow.

I hope you're all doing well!! We are here. I'm trying to get my optimism back up for this bakery business.