My goodness, my life has not slowed down since before Christmas. Christmas is always incredibly busy, but my family is growing each year and Christmas just becomes more and more work, but also more enjoyable, as we now have grandchildren. Little children are the best at Christmas. No one gets more excited than them.
Then after Christmas, we had Matthew and Ashley’s wedding. Then after the wedding, it took almost 2 weeks before I had everything borrowed; returned, everything cleaned, everything put away.
Then we found out we were going to Federal Civil Court. We had problems with our insurance company after the May 2011 tornado. They didn’t pay us for certain items. We had used a public adjuster and he said in all the years he had been doing claims that he had never seen a company do what they did with us.
He sent us to a lawyer, who said the same thing. He said he would send them a letter and that would be the end of it. We didn’t hear anything for almost a year, then it was…we will take a statement…
All this time, we are just expecting the insurance company to realize the mistake their employee made and just make things right. But that never happens and now we find ourselves in federal court.
I will blog about the whole ordeal another day, but suffice it to say that after one of the most stressful weeks ever, the jury rules in our favor, and finally this whole episode finally concludes.
The following week, I make plans to write and catch up on other things when a friend calls me and asks me to go to Laredo, Texas with her. Her husband was deported the week before to Mexico. She is a US citizen and they have been married for more than 5 years and have a little girl.
However, she was never able to do the paper work for her husband as he had been deported previously and was in the country illegally. But immigration won’t allow him to become legal so what in the world are they to do.
They paid several lawyers and tried and tried, but to no avail. They own two properties in OKC. They own their own businesses, hire workers, pay their taxes, etc. They do not drink or smoke, work hard, try to their best for their family and community.
I see this again and again. Immigration deports a hard working family man, but the single guy who has 4 or more DUI’s, has gotten into fights, has ties to gangs….somehow gets to stay…what a complete mess.
Well anyway, she wanted to drive his truck, trailer, and tools down to him in Mexico. He is a contractor and needs those things to make a living. She does taxes, so they talked and decided that she would work half the year here then go and live in Mexico the other half of the year. They plan to do so until things can be worked out.
And in a way, it might have worked out for the best, for he had been really worried about his aging parents and now he is with them and able to care for them.
We drove the 500 plus mile down to Laredo. It took 14 hours as it was the first time for her to drive pulling a trailer. The trailer was really loaded and therefore, we also went slower for that reason.
I could’ve driven it for her and let her drive my car, but I told her I would do the same with my children. As you do something new for the first time, and then realize you can do it, it gives you such a sense of accomplishment. Then you can add to your list; one more thing you are capable of, one more thing you know how to do.
We reached the border late in the day. Her husband met her there. She crossed the border, though I didn’t. I stayed at a hotel in Laredo. It was 83 degrees and it was so incredibly warm that when I got to the hotel I dived into the pool. It was surround by beautiful green gardens with flowers and the blue clear water looked so inviting after being in the car for 14 hours.
It was so cold, I could hardly breathe. I swam to the edge, pulled myself out and was immediately warmed by the hot air. I did feel refreshed, still, I could never be a polar bear swimmer…I do not like cold water at all.
My friend woke me up the next morning at 7:00am. I was expecting the paper work to take longer; nonetheless, she was at the border, ready to be picked up. Good thing I had showered the night before.
I got ready, picked her up, and we made it home in 10 hours (with me driving all the way).
I have gone to Mexico many times. I have been to Laredo, Matamoros, Ciudad Juarez, Tijuana, and Tampico. We used to go to Mexico every six months to pick up a cancer drug for my father that hadn’t been approved in the US.
This time was different. We haven’t gone to Mexico in more than 8 years and for good reason: kidnappings, human trafficking, ransoms, false imprisonment.
How is it that an American citizen is fearful while in her own country just simply because she is nearing the border? This shouldn’t happen. Our border needs to be secured.
I didn’t even feel safe until I was north of San Antonio (San Antonio’s crime rate is 115% higher than national.
Back home, tired and safe, and now cold weather and the stomach flu. We have passed this virus back and forth and have been living off popsicles, soda pop, and crackers.
We have four of the cousins here, so we have had fun even though we have taken turns being sick.
I do need to conclude in that although court was stressful; my husband is here beside me. And although I haven’t had any solid food in more than two days, my minds works, and I know my strong and healthy body will kick this illness. The cold will end. Spring will come. I have a beautiful family and live in a country where we still enjoy more security and freedom than just about anywhere else.
My Daffodils started blooming last week. They are currently covered in ice, but will endure, survive, and keep blooming, which reminds me of one of my favorite sayings:
Bloom Where You Are Planted.
The children and cousins enjoying the snow day, today. I know this isn't much snow, but the problem in Oklahoma is it starts raining, then while it is raining (with thunder and lightening) then it turns to sleet, ice pellets, and then snow. And ice is much different than snow when it comes to driving.
I sent Nick out to take a pic of the daffodils and this is what he did...
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