So, where do I begin? Well, let me just quickly review a few highlights for you...
1. I traveled to the Cayman Islands for work... our publisher and I made a presentation to a potential client! Very good trip overall. Here are a couple photos I shot with my iPhone of my hotel and seven mile beach.
2. Returned from this trip and learned that my employer was massively cutting jobs and implementing wage reductions... luckily, the departments that I oversee had no cuts and my entire company only lost one FTE (full-time employee). We were lucky. Unfortunately, we couldn't escape the wage reductions, as that impacted everyone at all levels. It was tough to look at all my employees who work so hard every day and tell them they were getting pay cuts -- especially since we have been doing fairly well and bringing in new business this past year! It's very disheartening, but I try to put on a brave face!
3. My Mami's 83rd birthday would have been March 20th. I have missed her so very much and I cannot get her out of my mind! I know she's with me every step of the way, but I so wish she was physically here with me, happy and healthy like in years past. It's been tough. I just cannot believe that I have lost my Mami and my Mom. And since I didn't grow up with siblings, I sometimes feel very alone in this world.
4. During this time, we celebrated Richard's grandma's 82nd birthday. Isn't she adorable? She's exactly one year and four days younger than my Mami.
5. And, as it turns out, my mother-in-law's birthday falls on March 20th -- Mami's exact birthday! I didn't feel like celebrating this year at all. But we took my in-laws out to dinner and we sure did have a nice time...
6. My cousin Martha, who lives in California, spent the entire month very ill. She finally had surgery this week and they removed a part of her intestine. Thank God she is recovering well...
7. Richard's best friend (and my best friend's husband), Jorge, won a prestigious award from the University of Florida Hispanic Alumni Association. We're really proud of him for all he's accomplished! CONGRATS!
8. My sister-in-law has decided (sort of out of the blue) to become a Carmelite nun after attending a retreat! YIKES! This has taken us all by surprise and the family is taking it really hard. You see, this type of nun has little to no contact with the outside world and they live in cloisters and you can only see them through a gate on a limited basis... etc... it's quite an extreme lifestyle and it's been very difficult and sad to accept...
9. My Godson, D', turned 10, but we didn't get to celebrate his birthday. Still, I bought him some HUGE Star Wars posters and frames for his newly redecorated bedroom and a Star Wars alarm clock! I love him so much! He calls me Madrina and my heart just melts :-)
10. Richard's cousin, Tommy, and his wife, Natalie (who sadly lost their twin boys last year when she was 7 months pregnant), just had a baby boy! They're doing great and I cannot wait to see Baby Iggy! Look at how gorgeous he is!
11. We're planning a long weekend in the Keys to celebrate Richard's birthday in April. Something to look forward to! :-)
12. And, finally, we just found out that we won the publishing contract that we pitched in the Cayman Islands! Great news for our company...
And there you have it... A month in the life of little 'ol me! Well, wait, the month is not over yet! I'll be back soon with more...
xoxo,
Vanessa
