I am sorry it has taken so long for me to finally sit down and write this blog post. It is THE POST that I waited almost a year and a half to write. I had the privilege of picking up Mr. Gizzo from O'Hare Airport on Saturday, Feb. 9. It is hard to believe that he has been back home in Waukegan for almost a month.
Though I was envisioning a reunion made for the movies, somehow I missed seeing him at his baggage claim where I had been waiting since before his plane landed. I eventually got a call from him from outside where he was waiting for me. I have no idea how we missed each other, but I was relieved to hear his voice on the phone because I was starting to get worried something had gone wrong in Houston where he went through immigration and caught his connecting flight.
After we finally found each other, we made our way to Raul's parent's house. Though we had told them that he would be home soon, we did not tell them the exact date because Raul wanted to surprise them. And, surprise them we did. When we pulled up to the house, we saw the cars of his sisters and their families as well. They were at his parents' house celebrating the birthday of his brother in-law. Raul walked into the kitchen and everyone turned silent. They looked at him, then each other, then back at him, and one by one the women in the family began screaming. It was priceless. We spent the rest of the evening at his family's house before we headed back to my roommate Jen's place where we spent the night.
The next day, Sunday, we headed to church where Raul again was able to surprise more than a few people. It was fun to see everyone's smiles when they saw him, especially the youth at the church. I was busy the week before organizing a welcome back party for him. We had an "All-American" menu --fried chicken, mac and cheese, potato salad, and apple pie. If anyone needs a recipe for mac and cheese that feeds 100 people, I have a good one!
We're now settling into this new chapter of our marriage where we actually get to live together. For now, we are living with Raul's parents. The plan is that when Raul gets some steady income, we'll be able to save some money and buy a fixer-upper home. He was able to get in a week doing carpentry work with his former boss, but we are not sure if he will be able to get on full-time with him again. We should know in a few weeks.
These past few weeks have flown by. I've been busy with a modular class and lots of church meetings since our head pastor recently resigned. Raul has been busy meeting with old friends and hanging out with the family. He's also looking forward to working with the youth at our church again.
Right now, we are in Iowa celebrating Raul's return with my mom and the rest of my Iowa family. Raul has been entertaining the family with his stories about being a comandante (volunteer police officer) and his other adventures in Mexico. What a blessing it is to have him home.
Thanks again to everyone who prayed Raul home. Please continue to pray for us as we try to figure out what God wants us to do in this next chapter of our lives. Praise the Lord that we're fairly certain that this next chapter of our lives will take place in the U.S.A.!
Though I originally started the blog to update you all on everything immigration related, I hope to continue to blog from time to time to share what we Gizzos are up to. Until next time....
Sunday, March 3, 2013
Thursday, December 27, 2012
Looking Back on a Year of Blessings
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will— to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and understanding, he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment—to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ.
Ephesians 1:3-10
At this time one year ago, we were in Panama on vacation. I remember looking forward to the end of 2011 because it had been a year full of hardships. The happiness of getting married had been overshadowed by my father's illness and eventual passing and by the immigration journey that we had just begun. There was no sadness in saying good-bye to 2011, that was for sure! I was hoping that 2012 would be as full of blessings as 2011 was full of heartaches. I am very blessed to say that it sure was!
As I just mentioned, we started off 2012 in Panama surrounded by family. We have many memories that will last a lifetime from that trip. It was a way for us all to get away from the worries back home for just a little bit and to enjoy God's beautiful creation and each other, not to mention that I got to spend two full weeks with Raul. Total number of pics from that trip? 6,000! For those of you who know my mother, that should not be a surprise.
Though Raul was planning on moving out of his grandpa's house after this trip to go to a bigger city to find a job, he started feeling more at home in his small pueblo of Santa Monica. Soon his days were filled with helping his grandpa doing various jobs, playing cards with "the guys", taking swims in the river, and fighting crime as a comandante. ;) The decision was made that unless something changed, he would continue to stay with his grandparents.
In March, I took vacation #2 of 2012 and flew to Mexico City to visit Raul. From there, we took a bus to the city of Puebla. Puebla is a beautiful city. I like it much better than Mexico City because it doesn't feel as crowed to me and I could walk on the sidewalks without being bumped into all of the time. We also took a 4 hour bus ride to Raul's "hometown" to visit his family and so I could see where he lived. Though it was way out of my comfort zone, I am very thankful that I had this opportunity because now I can actually picture the places and the people he speaks of when we have our daily chats on the phone.
On July 4th, I left for vacation #3 of 2012. It was pretty much a repeat of vacation #2. We stayed in the same hotel as before because it was very affordable, yet very clean. I don't need luxury, but cleanliness is a must! The presidential election in Mexico had just taken place and we participated in a protest because, apparently, we did not agree with the way the election was handled. In reality, marching was the only way to get down the block and across the street, but...
In August, I started my counseling practicum with an organization called Teen Mother Choices (TMC). I was given the opportunity to have three clients of my own and to participate in the life skills workshops that are held weekly. This opportunity has been a gift from God. Working with these young mothers has truly been a blessing to me, and I was excited to see their personal growth in just one semester. In addition to the the girls, I was able to connect with the mentor moms that work with them. I have learned a lot from them. I really clicked with one of the mentor moms, Lauren, and we have built a friendship outside of just our weekly meetings. I love new friends! Though I will not get any type of school credit, I have decided to volunteer at TMC for the Spring semester. I will be able to do a little budget counseling and will be pitching in wherever else I'm needed.
On November 21, one day before I left on vacation #4 of 2012, we received one of the biggest blessings of the year. Raul's waiver was approved and he will be coming home (we still don't know when)! In the airport of Cancun, I was able to show him the letter. Cancun was beautiful and the good-bye at the end of that trip was more like a, "I'll see you in a couple months!".
Looking back on the year, I am overwhelmed and humbled by God's outpouring of blessings on us. In addition to all of my vacations and Raul's waiver approval, he blessed us in many other ways. He provided for us financially. How in the world was I able to afford all of those vacations?! (Thank you to all of you who have given us gifts toward those extras by the way!) I don't know what I would have done without my friend Jen. She not only provided a place for me to live but she has also been a great support for me through all of this. We have had some great roommate bonding experiences! I am grateful for my sister Vonya and brother-in-law Oscar and all of the support they have given us this past year. I am so thankful that I will not have to move far away from them and their crazy (yet very lovable) kids. The list of blessings could go on and on...
I'm finishing up 2012 in Iowa with my mom and family here. What a blessing it has been to have my whole family here to support me through this year of waiting. I cannot express how much it meant to us that everyone was so excited for us (and for themselves) when they heard the news that Raul is coming home. We Gizzos are excited (and a little bit nervous, I must admit) to see what God has in store for us in 2013. It will be a year of transitions and decisions about the future. Raul will be readjusting to the pace of life in the U.S. and I will be, hopefully, starting my internship. We are eagerly anticipating the day when we will be able to purchase a home and will finally be able to use all of the wedding presents that we received over a year ago. Praise God that house will be in the U.S.! Happy New Year to you all with much love from the Gizzos!
Ephesians 1:3-10
At this time one year ago, we were in Panama on vacation. I remember looking forward to the end of 2011 because it had been a year full of hardships. The happiness of getting married had been overshadowed by my father's illness and eventual passing and by the immigration journey that we had just begun. There was no sadness in saying good-bye to 2011, that was for sure! I was hoping that 2012 would be as full of blessings as 2011 was full of heartaches. I am very blessed to say that it sure was!
As I just mentioned, we started off 2012 in Panama surrounded by family. We have many memories that will last a lifetime from that trip. It was a way for us all to get away from the worries back home for just a little bit and to enjoy God's beautiful creation and each other, not to mention that I got to spend two full weeks with Raul. Total number of pics from that trip? 6,000! For those of you who know my mother, that should not be a surprise.
In March, I took vacation #2 of 2012 and flew to Mexico City to visit Raul. From there, we took a bus to the city of Puebla. Puebla is a beautiful city. I like it much better than Mexico City because it doesn't feel as crowed to me and I could walk on the sidewalks without being bumped into all of the time. We also took a 4 hour bus ride to Raul's "hometown" to visit his family and so I could see where he lived. Though it was way out of my comfort zone, I am very thankful that I had this opportunity because now I can actually picture the places and the people he speaks of when we have our daily chats on the phone.
On July 4th, I left for vacation #3 of 2012. It was pretty much a repeat of vacation #2. We stayed in the same hotel as before because it was very affordable, yet very clean. I don't need luxury, but cleanliness is a must! The presidential election in Mexico had just taken place and we participated in a protest because, apparently, we did not agree with the way the election was handled. In reality, marching was the only way to get down the block and across the street, but...In August, I started my counseling practicum with an organization called Teen Mother Choices (TMC). I was given the opportunity to have three clients of my own and to participate in the life skills workshops that are held weekly. This opportunity has been a gift from God. Working with these young mothers has truly been a blessing to me, and I was excited to see their personal growth in just one semester. In addition to the the girls, I was able to connect with the mentor moms that work with them. I have learned a lot from them. I really clicked with one of the mentor moms, Lauren, and we have built a friendship outside of just our weekly meetings. I love new friends! Though I will not get any type of school credit, I have decided to volunteer at TMC for the Spring semester. I will be able to do a little budget counseling and will be pitching in wherever else I'm needed.
On November 21, one day before I left on vacation #4 of 2012, we received one of the biggest blessings of the year. Raul's waiver was approved and he will be coming home (we still don't know when)! In the airport of Cancun, I was able to show him the letter. Cancun was beautiful and the good-bye at the end of that trip was more like a, "I'll see you in a couple months!".
Looking back on the year, I am overwhelmed and humbled by God's outpouring of blessings on us. In addition to all of my vacations and Raul's waiver approval, he blessed us in many other ways. He provided for us financially. How in the world was I able to afford all of those vacations?! (Thank you to all of you who have given us gifts toward those extras by the way!) I don't know what I would have done without my friend Jen. She not only provided a place for me to live but she has also been a great support for me through all of this. We have had some great roommate bonding experiences! I am grateful for my sister Vonya and brother-in-law Oscar and all of the support they have given us this past year. I am so thankful that I will not have to move far away from them and their crazy (yet very lovable) kids. The list of blessings could go on and on...
I'm finishing up 2012 in Iowa with my mom and family here. What a blessing it has been to have my whole family here to support me through this year of waiting. I cannot express how much it meant to us that everyone was so excited for us (and for themselves) when they heard the news that Raul is coming home. We Gizzos are excited (and a little bit nervous, I must admit) to see what God has in store for us in 2013. It will be a year of transitions and decisions about the future. Raul will be readjusting to the pace of life in the U.S. and I will be, hopefully, starting my internship. We are eagerly anticipating the day when we will be able to purchase a home and will finally be able to use all of the wedding presents that we received over a year ago. Praise God that house will be in the U.S.! Happy New Year to you all with much love from the Gizzos!
Sunday, December 2, 2012
No More Mexican Vacations...Praise the Lord!
I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen. Ephesians 3:16-21
This is the blog post that I have been waiting to write ever since I first started this blog. I believe that this is the post that many of you have been eagerly anticipating as well. So...without beating around the bush, I am overjoyed to say RAUL IS COMING HOME TO THE U.S.! Though I have known the news now for almost 2 weeks, it still seems unreal. God certainly did do even more than I had even dared to imagine. He timed the letter to come the day before I left to Cancun to spend Thanksgiving with Raul. Instead of telling him over the phone, I was able to show him the letter in person.
I must say that this moment was nothing like I had expected it to be. The letter was supposed to come to my house so that Raul and I could be the only ones to know for a while. Instead, the letter went to my sister's house and she broke the news to me over the phone while I was at the salon in Wal-Mart waiting for my pedicure (high class, I know!). Though I wanted her to wait and to let me come home and open it, she convinced me to let her open it since she was "90% sure the letter said approved". How did she know this you may ask? She and my mom held the letter up to the light! I gathered from the screaming on the other end of the line after she opened it that she was 100% sure. Though my roommie, who happened to be with me at the time, teared up at the news (bless her heart), I was pretty much in shock!
We did not immediately spread the news because we wanted to make sure that his family knew before other people. Just this afternoon, I was able to be at his parents' house when he broke the news to his mom and the rest of his family over the phone. What a relief to everyone! It was like an early Christmas.
Though we know for sure he is coming home, we do not know when. He still has to be entered into the system and then he will have to travel to Juarez for another medical exam and maybe some other things. In typical Raul fashion, after he was able to speak when I showed him the letter he said, "But I want to make sure to stay until the Fiesta de Enero is over". So, we know for sure he will not be home until the end of January or longer (even if he could be). :)
Thank you so much to all of you for your prayers! This is truly a miracle of God that The Gizzos will soon be reunited on this side of the border. I will finally be able to pick him up from the airport! God's timing is indeed perfect and we are excited to see the things he has planned for us in Waukegan (or perhaps somewhere else?). Though the journey has not always been easy, He supplied us with joy and many blessings along the way. God is GOOD. Praise be to God!
Wednesday, September 5, 2012
Thanksgiving
"Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God." Philippians 4:6
Though I was trying to hold out and make my husband do the traveling for our next rendezvous, word that what I was hoping would be a 6 month wait may be more like a 10 month wait prompted me to bite the bullet and buy another ticket to visit my love on Thanksgiving break. It just so happens that tickets to Cancun were cheaper than tickets to Mexico City, so I will be meeting Raul in Cancun on the day before Thanksgiving. I mean, what was a girl to do? :) This trip will be shorter than the others--just one day shy of a week. But, at least it gives me something to count down to.
Though, I know that the likelihood of me getting "the letter" this early is slim to none, I still can't help but eagerly check the mail everyday when I get home and then be a little disappointed when there is nothing there. I can only imagine the mix of emotions I will feel when I check and there is something there. I think I will have to work up my courage to actually open the envelope. We have been waiting for years and it seems strange to think that at some point (hopefully soon) we will have a final answer.
Though the semester at Trinity has officially started, things don't really get into full swing for me until next week when I start my Tuesday night meetings with Teen Mother Choices and my Wednesday night Vantage Point 3 class at church. I'm hoping the semester will fly by once I no longer have much of any free time. ;) I had originally thought that my practicum would be pretty low key and that I would just be sitting in on some group work with the girls and lead a few discussions. However, I am told that I will be getting one or two of my own counseling clients. The thought scares me to death, but I know it will be good experience for me and help me to be less anxious if/when I get to internship.
Raul has started a new "business" of selling boom boxes that he purchases in Puebla. So far he has only made one trip to the city to get his supply, but he was able to sell all the boom boxes that he had picked up. His form of advertisement is to walk down the street with the his music blaring. Who wouldn't want a boom box so they could be cool like him?
As always, thank you everyone for your support and encouragement. Please pray for me as I try to wait patiently for both Thanksgiving break and for the letter. I have been feeling a bit more lonely lately even though I have wonderful friends and family around me. Pray also for Raul. Though he is in good spirits, he has mentioned on a couple of occasions that he is ready for this part of the journey to be over as well. Pray also that God would provide opportunities for him to share his faith with a couple of guys that he met in Chiautla when he was there last. One of them opened up to Raul about some very deep hurts that he had and Raul was able to introduce the topic of Christ's healing, but he would love to follow up with that and build a relationship with them.
I was able to speak at our church last Sunday on the topic of God's faithfulness and was convicted afresh at how faithful God has been to us not only during this time of wandering but in all of the time leading up to this waiting period. It is obvious that God has been preparing us for whatever he has planned next for us. It is hard for me to be patient to see what that is and to learn the lessons that he has for me in the mean time. Yet, in my heart of hearts, I know God's timing has always been perfect and it will continue to be. That is one of the many promises I cling to.
Though I was trying to hold out and make my husband do the traveling for our next rendezvous, word that what I was hoping would be a 6 month wait may be more like a 10 month wait prompted me to bite the bullet and buy another ticket to visit my love on Thanksgiving break. It just so happens that tickets to Cancun were cheaper than tickets to Mexico City, so I will be meeting Raul in Cancun on the day before Thanksgiving. I mean, what was a girl to do? :) This trip will be shorter than the others--just one day shy of a week. But, at least it gives me something to count down to.
Though, I know that the likelihood of me getting "the letter" this early is slim to none, I still can't help but eagerly check the mail everyday when I get home and then be a little disappointed when there is nothing there. I can only imagine the mix of emotions I will feel when I check and there is something there. I think I will have to work up my courage to actually open the envelope. We have been waiting for years and it seems strange to think that at some point (hopefully soon) we will have a final answer.
Though the semester at Trinity has officially started, things don't really get into full swing for me until next week when I start my Tuesday night meetings with Teen Mother Choices and my Wednesday night Vantage Point 3 class at church. I'm hoping the semester will fly by once I no longer have much of any free time. ;) I had originally thought that my practicum would be pretty low key and that I would just be sitting in on some group work with the girls and lead a few discussions. However, I am told that I will be getting one or two of my own counseling clients. The thought scares me to death, but I know it will be good experience for me and help me to be less anxious if/when I get to internship.
Raul has started a new "business" of selling boom boxes that he purchases in Puebla. So far he has only made one trip to the city to get his supply, but he was able to sell all the boom boxes that he had picked up. His form of advertisement is to walk down the street with the his music blaring. Who wouldn't want a boom box so they could be cool like him?
As always, thank you everyone for your support and encouragement. Please pray for me as I try to wait patiently for both Thanksgiving break and for the letter. I have been feeling a bit more lonely lately even though I have wonderful friends and family around me. Pray also for Raul. Though he is in good spirits, he has mentioned on a couple of occasions that he is ready for this part of the journey to be over as well. Pray also that God would provide opportunities for him to share his faith with a couple of guys that he met in Chiautla when he was there last. One of them opened up to Raul about some very deep hurts that he had and Raul was able to introduce the topic of Christ's healing, but he would love to follow up with that and build a relationship with them.
I was able to speak at our church last Sunday on the topic of God's faithfulness and was convicted afresh at how faithful God has been to us not only during this time of wandering but in all of the time leading up to this waiting period. It is obvious that God has been preparing us for whatever he has planned next for us. It is hard for me to be patient to see what that is and to learn the lessons that he has for me in the mean time. Yet, in my heart of hearts, I know God's timing has always been perfect and it will continue to be. That is one of the many promises I cling to.
Saturday, July 21, 2012
In Good Hands
I
also pray that you will understand the incredible greatness of God’s
power for us who believe him. This is the same mighty power that raised Christ from the dead and seated him in the place of honor at God’s right hand in the heavenly realms. Now
he is far above any ruler or authority or power or leader or anything
else—not only in this world but also in the world to come. God has put all things under the authority of Christ and has made him head over all things for the benefit of the church. And the church is his body; it is made full and complete by Christ, who fills all things everywhere with himself. Ephesians 1:19-23
I came to the passage above a couple of days ago, and words cannot describe how much I needed that reminder. Though I would never pass up the opportunity to visit Raul in Mexico, stepping foot in that country amplifies my fears regarding our situation. No matter how hard I try to just relax, I find thoughts about what would happen if I had to live there creeping into my mind. How would I adjust to the cultural differences, learn the language, and find a job? What would I do if I had to leave my friends and family? Yet, I know that if God's plan for the Gizzos includes us living in Mexico, then he already has the details figured out as well. Sometimes, though, I need a reminder of this fact.
If only I could really understand the "incredible greatness of God's power for us who believe in him". Nothing is impossible with God. My God is the same God who raised Christ from the dead. Is anything too hard for him? Certainly not! God pays no attention to our odds of Raul getting his residence or being denied. Whatever happens is his plan because we have placed this in his hands, not only Raul and I but also the hundreds of people (yes, I really believe we have that many people) praying for us. Whatever happens, will be his plan for us. But, more than that, it will benefit his Church. Our happiness is not his number one goal, though I am sure that he will continue to bring us peace and joy. We are here to bring glory to God and to benefit His body here on earth. We were created for a purpose. That knowledge is truly a comfort and at times it is all I can do to cling to that so that I don't have a complete meltdown.
All of our paperwork proving (or at least trying to prove) our "extreme" hardship has now been turned in and all we can do now is wait. I do have to admit that part of me was hoping that I would somehow be slightly injured or get robbed while I was in Mexico so that I could send that in as "proof" that Mexico was too dangerous for me to live in. Yes, maybe you should pray for my sanity! :) The letter we got in April said we may have up to 12 more months to wait. We're hoping it will be closer to 6 like our lawyer suggested it may be. It would be great if Raul could be home for our first snow storm of the season.
Though each trip is hard for me for the reason I stated above, it is also a reminder of how truly blessed I am to have Raul as a husband. Though we are polar opposites in some areas, he balances me out perfectly. He is so patient with me and my insecurities. He can always make me smile, even when I don't want to. His love of life and people truly challenges me to do the same. Who would've thought that the guy I started dating because I was his GED tutor would teach me so much?! I must admit that sometimes I feel a bit sorry for myself that I don't get to come home to my hubby after work. But then, I realize how blessed I am that I even have a hubby that I love and miss so much.
Some of you have asked how Raul is. Well, Raul is still Raul. Wherever he goes, he finds a friend. He has his guys he plays basketball with, his guys he plays cards with, and his fellow comandantes that he fights crime with. :) He has been spending a lot more time in the Word (thanks to not having a T.V.), and I can see the work that God is doing in him. His faith in God and his plan for us really is an example to me. Though he feels at home in Santa Monica now, his heart is still with Waukegan. It's hard to explain, but even though Raul has been living in Mexico close to a year now and his Spanish has improved tremendously, he still has a Waukegan "flavor" to him. In fact, we were often asked by Taxi drivers where we were from and no one believed him that he was living in Puebla until he had gone through our whole story. While we were in Mexico City, some guy on the street even tried to sell him a fake Mexican I.D.! So...Raul is doing well, but he misses "home".
I miss my honey a lot and am actually looking forward to the start of the school year since that seems to make time pass more quickly. I will be doing my practicum this Fall and taking a modular course. In addition, I have a discipleship course called VP3 that I will be leading at church. I am secretly hoping that Raul will be home before the semester ends, but I guess that's up to God. Thanks again to all of you for your prayers and support. Please take a listen to the song in the video below. It's a great encouragement!
I came to the passage above a couple of days ago, and words cannot describe how much I needed that reminder. Though I would never pass up the opportunity to visit Raul in Mexico, stepping foot in that country amplifies my fears regarding our situation. No matter how hard I try to just relax, I find thoughts about what would happen if I had to live there creeping into my mind. How would I adjust to the cultural differences, learn the language, and find a job? What would I do if I had to leave my friends and family? Yet, I know that if God's plan for the Gizzos includes us living in Mexico, then he already has the details figured out as well. Sometimes, though, I need a reminder of this fact.
If only I could really understand the "incredible greatness of God's power for us who believe in him". Nothing is impossible with God. My God is the same God who raised Christ from the dead. Is anything too hard for him? Certainly not! God pays no attention to our odds of Raul getting his residence or being denied. Whatever happens is his plan because we have placed this in his hands, not only Raul and I but also the hundreds of people (yes, I really believe we have that many people) praying for us. Whatever happens, will be his plan for us. But, more than that, it will benefit his Church. Our happiness is not his number one goal, though I am sure that he will continue to bring us peace and joy. We are here to bring glory to God and to benefit His body here on earth. We were created for a purpose. That knowledge is truly a comfort and at times it is all I can do to cling to that so that I don't have a complete meltdown.
All of our paperwork proving (or at least trying to prove) our "extreme" hardship has now been turned in and all we can do now is wait. I do have to admit that part of me was hoping that I would somehow be slightly injured or get robbed while I was in Mexico so that I could send that in as "proof" that Mexico was too dangerous for me to live in. Yes, maybe you should pray for my sanity! :) The letter we got in April said we may have up to 12 more months to wait. We're hoping it will be closer to 6 like our lawyer suggested it may be. It would be great if Raul could be home for our first snow storm of the season.
Though each trip is hard for me for the reason I stated above, it is also a reminder of how truly blessed I am to have Raul as a husband. Though we are polar opposites in some areas, he balances me out perfectly. He is so patient with me and my insecurities. He can always make me smile, even when I don't want to. His love of life and people truly challenges me to do the same. Who would've thought that the guy I started dating because I was his GED tutor would teach me so much?! I must admit that sometimes I feel a bit sorry for myself that I don't get to come home to my hubby after work. But then, I realize how blessed I am that I even have a hubby that I love and miss so much.
Some of you have asked how Raul is. Well, Raul is still Raul. Wherever he goes, he finds a friend. He has his guys he plays basketball with, his guys he plays cards with, and his fellow comandantes that he fights crime with. :) He has been spending a lot more time in the Word (thanks to not having a T.V.), and I can see the work that God is doing in him. His faith in God and his plan for us really is an example to me. Though he feels at home in Santa Monica now, his heart is still with Waukegan. It's hard to explain, but even though Raul has been living in Mexico close to a year now and his Spanish has improved tremendously, he still has a Waukegan "flavor" to him. In fact, we were often asked by Taxi drivers where we were from and no one believed him that he was living in Puebla until he had gone through our whole story. While we were in Mexico City, some guy on the street even tried to sell him a fake Mexican I.D.! So...Raul is doing well, but he misses "home".
I miss my honey a lot and am actually looking forward to the start of the school year since that seems to make time pass more quickly. I will be doing my practicum this Fall and taking a modular course. In addition, I have a discipleship course called VP3 that I will be leading at church. I am secretly hoping that Raul will be home before the semester ends, but I guess that's up to God. Thanks again to all of you for your prayers and support. Please take a listen to the song in the video below. It's a great encouragement!
Friday, July 20, 2012
Friends, lovers, and...activists?
It is strange to think that it has only been a few days since I last saw Raul as we said goodbye at airport security on Tuesday. As I look forward to hopefully hearing "good news" sometime in the near future, the days cannot go fast enough it seems. However, the 13 days that I got to spend with Raul did fly by much faster than I wanted them too.
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| Raul in his new Journey Church t-shirt |
We both greatly enjoyed my latest visit to Mexico. (Well, at least I think Raul did as well!) I flew in to Mexico City on the 4th of July and we stayed the first 3 nights of my visit there before we headed to Puebla. For the first night, we found what the person at the airport called a good hotel for a reasonable price. I will say that it was pretty cheap and the location was good. In addition, the room was clean. However, when we opened the door to our room, I was surprised by how tiny it was and the fact that the wall that divided the bathroom from the bedroom did not go clear up to the ceiling. I know we're married and all, but I guess we're enough of newlyweds yet that I wasn't too keen on the fact that what was done in the bathroom could be heard (or smelled) by the one who was not in the bathroom. Needless to say, we only stayed there the first night. The second night, we stayed a Hotel Marlowe. We ended up getting a good deal on it from hotels.com. It was a good location, quiet, clean, had a purified water faucet for drinking water, and the bathroom walls went clear up to the ceiling. What more could a girl ask for?!
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| Raul being a good Samaritan in Puebla |
We took the bus to Puebla for the next two nights and ended up staying in the same hotel that we had been in before. Why mess with a good thing? The highlight of this brief stay in Puebla was marching in a protest regarding the recent election of Mexico's next president. We mainly joined the crowd so we could move down the block and across the street to our hotel, but Raul did vote for the same guy that this movement was supporting so we joined in the chanting as well. :) |
| Raul's Street |
On Monday, we traveled 4 hours by bus to Raul's town, Santa Monica. Because it is the rainy season there, it was not quite as hot this time around. In fact, after the evening rain, we were probably a little cooler there, than my friends and family in the Midwest. The rain knocked out our power on Monday afternoon, but it came back on Tuesday. Though the rain prevented us from being out and about visiting relatives like my last visit there, it was quite impressive to see it approaching over the foothills. Eventually, the rain completely hid the foothills. On Tuesday, I did get to "meet" all four of the pigs that Raul has been caring for. He is lamenting the fact that one of them is getting almost big enough to eat. For those of you who know Raul, you know he's a softie when it comes to animals and not even living in Mexico can change that about him.
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| Our favorite waiter |
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| Sportin' our 20 peso sunglasses on the balcony. |
On Wednesday we headed back to the city of Puebla and again stayed in the same hotel. One good thing about it is that it is right across the street from our favorite restaurant and bakery. In the evening and early morning, the smell of fresh baked goods wafts in through the balcony doors. The hotel is also very close to the town square (zocalo) and cinco de Mayo street, where all there are a lot of shops and fun things to look at. We spent most of our time just walking around and looking at things (and people). It rained some in the afternoons and evenings, but that usually didn't last that long and it kept the temperature pretty cool. While my friends in Illinois were experiencing 90 degree weather, we were walking around with our jackets on most of the day.
We stayed in Mexico City my last two nights there. We again found an amazing deal on hotels.com and we stayed at the Gran Hotel Ciudad Mexico. It was much nicer than any of the hotels we had stayed at before and was only a block away from the square.
I will spare you the smaller details of the trip as this is already a pretty long post. I was truly blessed to be able to take this trip, yet it made me long even more for the day when the end of vacation does not mean saying good-bye to the one I love. I will be doing a second blog post to bring you up to date with all of the immigration stuff and the waiting in the mean time.
Thanks again to all of you who made this trip possible by your support--financial, emotional, and prayer.
Monday, June 18, 2012
Count Down Begins Again!
Sixteen days and counting until the Gizzos are reunited again for a short time. I will fly into Mexico City on July 4th and will not have to leave my love until July 17th. My trip this time will be much like the last trip. We plan to stay a few days in Mexico City and then head to Puebla. If all goes according to plan, we will be headed to Santa Monica for a few days as well.
I hope to get the final evidences of "extreme hardship" sent in to immigration before I leave. After this step, all we can do is wait. We're hoping to hear the news (hopefully good) by the end of the year, but the letter said it could be up to 12 months which would make it more like next Spring. Thankfully, I will be pretty busy in the Fall and am hoping that this will make the time pass for me a bit more quickly.
I finally got all of the details worked out and I will be completing my practicum for school with an organization called Teen Mother Choices. In addition, I get to lead a class/small group at our church called Vantage Point 3. Both Raul and I participated in it a couple years ago and we still talk about the many lessons that we learned about God and about ourselves during that course. One project that is assigned is to write a personal narrative. So much has happened in the past year that I am not sure how I will limit mine to the 10 pages that is allotted for the assignment!
Raul has also been keeping busy lately. His role as volunteer police officer has supplied him with quite a few interesting stories. He has "towed" donkeys because they were illegally "parked" on the road. He has spent a night outside of the jail because it was his duty to stay there after he put someone in there for the night. And, he has broken up more than his fair share of fights at weddings. I am so thankful that Raul can see the humor in so many things. I am pretty sure that I would have a much worse attitude if I were the one down there waiting.
Thank you again to all of you who faithfully pray for us and ask us how we're doing. You will never know how much your prayers mean to us. Please pray for me and my family as we are really feeling the loss of my father right now since Father's Day was just here. Mom has been posting many wonderful (and not so wonderful) pictures of back in the day, and I am so thankful for the wonderful memories that we have of him. Pray also that my trip goes smoothly and that God will give me wisdom on the documentation that needs to be sent in. As always, you can continue to pray for peace for us both during this time of waiting.
I hope to get the final evidences of "extreme hardship" sent in to immigration before I leave. After this step, all we can do is wait. We're hoping to hear the news (hopefully good) by the end of the year, but the letter said it could be up to 12 months which would make it more like next Spring. Thankfully, I will be pretty busy in the Fall and am hoping that this will make the time pass for me a bit more quickly.
I finally got all of the details worked out and I will be completing my practicum for school with an organization called Teen Mother Choices. In addition, I get to lead a class/small group at our church called Vantage Point 3. Both Raul and I participated in it a couple years ago and we still talk about the many lessons that we learned about God and about ourselves during that course. One project that is assigned is to write a personal narrative. So much has happened in the past year that I am not sure how I will limit mine to the 10 pages that is allotted for the assignment!
Raul has also been keeping busy lately. His role as volunteer police officer has supplied him with quite a few interesting stories. He has "towed" donkeys because they were illegally "parked" on the road. He has spent a night outside of the jail because it was his duty to stay there after he put someone in there for the night. And, he has broken up more than his fair share of fights at weddings. I am so thankful that Raul can see the humor in so many things. I am pretty sure that I would have a much worse attitude if I were the one down there waiting.
Thank you again to all of you who faithfully pray for us and ask us how we're doing. You will never know how much your prayers mean to us. Please pray for me and my family as we are really feeling the loss of my father right now since Father's Day was just here. Mom has been posting many wonderful (and not so wonderful) pictures of back in the day, and I am so thankful for the wonderful memories that we have of him. Pray also that my trip goes smoothly and that God will give me wisdom on the documentation that needs to be sent in. As always, you can continue to pray for peace for us both during this time of waiting.
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