new discoveries

So, I had my first paid day off EVER today (I hope payroll remembers!). It's been a great weekend. Got some things done in the apartment, got a lot done at work on Sunday, spent time with my friends and family, had some alone time, read an ENTIRE book (Whoo hoo!!!!!!!!!!), did laundry, played UpWORDS with my conversation group, talked to the love of my life (who says he will be home wednesday!) and most importantly....i relaxed.

It has been good for me to be alone a little bit, but I am very ready for Pablo to come back home. I am looking forward to doing so many things together. Truth is though I am a little nervous. What if he doesn't like the apartment, all the stuff here, the cat, OR ME? It has been 3.4 months since we have seen each other, so I am going to be nervous for the first few days (weeks???). I'm just ready for us to build a home together. Most importantly I hope he and Marbles love each other! (Who by the way is currently curled up on my chest with her head nuzzled between my neck and shoulder....she's so perfect!)

Ok, I'm sleepy. I want to be lazy in bed for a little bit before I go to sleep.
Alissa

Pablo

This is Pablo :) The lucky daddy to be!

Marbles

This is my baby kitty MARBLES

A long day

Well, I'm finally home after another 9.5 hour day at work, which is my average. My best week was 51 hours in 6 days. Some people are telling me to slow down but the truth is that I love my job. There are some times when people really stress me out but I enjoy it overall, which is why I end up there for so long. I don't even take lunch breaks really. Since I haven't mentioned it yet, I am working as a property manager of a 136-unit complex in Ann Arbor. I love it ecause it is a perfect mix of so many things: 1) I get to sit at a desk AND I get to spend a lot of time outside 2) I get to see and talk to a lot of the same really cool people AND i get to meet new ones daily 3) I have a LOT of responsibility...never ever a dull moment 4) I get to play detective, police officer, social worker and friend all in the same day 5) I get to plan events/parties and make rules 6) I get to speak and use spanish EVERY SINGLE DAY! 7) I'm the boss!
Of course there is a lot more to all of this but the bottom line is that I got very lucky with this job. And for all of those who don't know, how I came to get this job was just amazing. I had only been back in the states a week (not even, maybe 6 days) and had been looking for jobs when on friday I had this idea to see if the apartment complex where i used to live was hiring (why, i have nooooooooooo idea) and there was no listing so I called, and they said they weren't but that I could submit a resume just in case. Well, this is something that i have NEVER done, but a few hours later i said "What the Hell" and sent a resume. Within a matter of hours I received a call saying that a position had just come up and they were thinking about placing an add for it, and I was their dream candidate because I speak spanish. We arranged an interview for Monday and by Tuesday I was working full time! So, after 4 or 5 weeks of commuting from TROY (nearly 3 hours a day with traffic and construction) I moved in to a 2 bedroom apartment here (which was nice because I had the distinct advantage of handpicking my neighbors!!!!) and now every morning I wake up and take a relaxing 2 minutes or so to walk to my office, and if I'm hungry, forget something or need to visit my cat i just run home real quick....i love it :)

Ok, there's more but I'll have to write later because my kitten "marbles" likes to chase my hands and walk all over the keyboard!
aLISSA
PS: I think i'm starting to feel the baby moving! He/she is about 5 inches now ( a large onion!) I am so in LOVE :) Only 5 months to go till I finally meet my first child.

My life, my confession

What events must take place in a person's life to change the desire, the uneding thirst for adventure, excitement and the occasional risk to shift a powerful need for family, security and stability? This is, without doubt, different for every individual. For me, the past two years of my life have been essential to my growth as, I Would like to think, a valuable meber of the World, of the Human Community; I moved out on my own, managed to work and mantain good grades, I traveled to Europe and Central America numerous times and South America once, I've explored the communities around as well as those far away, I've broken down at the sight of extrem poverty and literally walked on death in Lago de Atitlan after the mudslides...but, I have also been uplifted by the bottomless barrel of joy and positive spirit that some of the Worlds people have to offer. Personally, I graduated from the University with good grades and great memories, I have shown people the best and worst that I have to offer, I've pushed my own personal boundaries in public and in private, and have done the same in personal relationships. I have fallen for the worst of men and I have fallen in love with a man that still makes my heart race, mouth turn upwards and my stomach flip when he calls or enters a room...a man that is teaching me forgiveness, how to be a better person and how to be fragile once again.

Throughout my 23 years I have succeeded and I have failed, but I feel that I have come out on top because I can honestly say that I am happy and that I wouldn't change any of the past because every moment has worked to make me the person I am now, has created the life I currently have and is the backbone of my future. Of all the things I have learned, two stand out in my mind: ONE) I can never make every single person I encounter happy. Occasionally disappointing, hurting and/or pissing off others is inevitable. TWO) That all people are "inextricable intertwined" with no person or culture more important or deserving than another. ONE person really can make a difference and that compassion, patience and a desire to understand is key.

The lessons and experiences are uncountable, and with all that said, I would like to announce to officially announce to you all that I have embarked on a new journey. One that will be difficult but rewarding, drainging but full of excitement, heartbreaking but joyous... I have found my one event that has forever changed my focus... I am going to be a mother. I am due in October. I am overjoyed and I am terrified, however, every part of this feels right to me. I am not blind (ignorant???) to the many challenges that await us, but they are going to be the very things that will make my child, my family and I stronger and more efficient (dare I say "better") people. I have spent several months preparing for this child. I left for Chile as planned in order to see for myself what I would be leaving behind temporarily. No part of be is disappointed to be back in the United States. I am working full time at a job that I love, I have great medical care for my child (I will deliver at the University of Michigan Hospital through the Midwife Program), I have a new apartment that I love and a baby kitty to keep me entertained until my boyfriend returns from new orleans. Pablo, the very very happy father to be, calls every day to check on us and talk to my stomach.

I have kept this to myself for sometime because several people have reacted with less than enthusiasm. I can understand the disappointment because many were expecting me to do many different things right now. But my feelings are that since I am happy about this, that I have done everything in my power to quickly adjust in order to create a new life for my new family, that people should be happy for me. I have already done so many things with my life and I will keep doing them,...even though many must wait a little while. I am very driven to explore and make positive changes in this World, and with creativity and hard work I can still do this with my child.

Thank you for listening, and feel free to say congratulations and happy mother's day because I am going to be a mommy!!!!!!!!!

"Everything happens for a reason, and to accept this is to allow yourself happiness."