Back in the USA

It's my first two weeks back in the states and I wonder how many people will actually read this post now that it's no longer my adventures from Republica Dominicana!

Two weeks ago my family was sitting in an empty apartment waiting to fly to the USA, after a weekend full of people in and out of our home as we sold and gifted everything from our kitchen dishes to towels to couches to our two giant televisions!  We were very blessed to have been able to sell so much.  Along with saying goodbye to our things, we said goodbye to our friends.  Everything finally sank in that we were leaving and may never see many of our friends again.  Visas, even tourist visas, from there are few and far between.  As it was sad, we moved forward with faith and made it to Minnesota.  We flew two overnight flights with several suitcases, a puppy and a baby and luckily the two little ones slept through both flights!  We stayed in Minnesota for two days to witness one of the biggest snowstorms of the season.

After that we were Utah bound so Joaquin could finally meet his grandparents on Jesus' side in person.  They were so happy to see him, play with him and feed him all day!  I know Jesus' mom wishes we were closer so she could love little Joaquin more often but for now we will continue to facetime...wonders of technology!  We spent the week attending our church's General Conference to hear the Prophet speak, eating at our missed American restaurants (mmm Tocanos...Utah's Fogo De Chao), visiting the park and children's museum for Joaquin and just hanging out.  Here are some photos from the trip. 

Mother in law's Birthday Dinner

Waiting for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints' General Conference to start with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir in the background

This one just 'cause it's cute

Yes he did climb up there and try to jump in...

Grandparents with Joaquin walking around the Salt Lake LDS Temple

Family photo with the beautiful Christ statue in the Temple square visitors center

I do think Utah's mountains are beautiful!

Fun at the Gateway Children's museum in Salt Lake

One thing people have mentioned to me or asked me about is the culture shock returning to the States after living abroad for a year.  Both Jesus and I have agreed that there hasn't been any yet!  Except for Utah however...I've visited there before but during this trip the culture shock really stood out.  Utah is full of members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints of which I'm also a part but being around so many is almost...well...weird.  Let me apologize for offending before I continue as that's not my intention.  It's almost like there's a clear difference between LDS people and those that could be no farther from it...I often wonder: why can't you just be "normal", not one extreme or the other?  In addition to noticing that, here are some other examples: As Jesus and I were walking to General Conference, people lined the streets with signs trying to get tickets because tickets go very fast.  There was a group of young people holding their sign and singing hymns, thinking that would help them get tickets more easily.  As Jesus and I walked by and heard the beautiful singing, he voiced what I was thinking: "weirdos."  Who just sings hymns in the middle of the street?!  On Saturday night of conference is a meeting for Priesthood holders and I remember plenty a time that me and my girlfriends would all hang out while the men attended their session.  Well in Utah as we were eating out for a family birthday dinner, the restaurant was full of groups of women and I knew this was because all the men were at Priesthood session.  That's not something you see in Minnesota because there aren't enough Mormons to make that kind of impact.  I also recall sitting in a different restaurant for lunch and overheard the girls behind me talking about dating and whether or not men should go on LDS missions.  To hear gospel related topics in a public place is strange because normally I am the only Mormon in a restaurant!  Oh an another thing was that I saw sleeved wedding and prom dresses in the wedding store window...wouldn't that have made my life easier than going the extra mile to make everything modest.  Not gonna lie, I was very lucky to have found a wedding dress with sleeves that fit my style online!  LDS people have a special importance placed on modesty.  Anyway, see what I mean with the culture shock?

So where are we now and what are we doing here in the United States? Espeically after so many of our friends have moved away or have new things going on in life without us!  I don't know!  Just kidding...kind of...we know we are here to renew Jesus' residency.  We also know Jesus loved his old Company and they would love to take him back and they have an in person interview this week.  We are staying at my moms for a while as we get re-established here in the states and with that comes my brother, his wife and new baby living close by!  That might be the most exciting part of being here!  Living with mom is going as expected.  We're a big group with a baby and a puppy so it's a little stressful but those two little ones are making up for all the stress by loving their grandma.  She also has a three bedroom home all to herself so we've taken over the two rooms downstairs and are living comfortably.  Maybe my next blog post can be about a new job...fingers crossed!

Family reunion sheet with my parents, brother and sister in law and their new baby!