brief reflections

This morning was not a horrible morning, but a challenging one. As I was doing the dishes, I was trying to figure out why it felt so much more overwhelming. It started out when we realized that we were out of butter (we did lots of baking and cooking for Thanksgiving). I knew that a trip to the grocery store was in order, but I just hadn't been able to schedule it. This week is particularly busy (extra rehearsals and concerts for Matt, and the end of the year all day event on Saturday, which includes me having to find a full day of childcare for the kids...), so trying to schedule a trip to the grocery became the piece that put me over the edge. My husband and I had some "intense fellowship" (as a friend of our liked to call it), and then we notice that the cat is pretty much camped out in the litter box, or peeing in the corner of the dining room. Great. Another thing I wasn't planning on having to deal with the other day. But of course this problem comes from the fact that I couldn't find the medication that he is supposed to be taking for his ongoing urinary infection (2 drug stores and 2 pet stores in our neighborhood didn't have it, but a clinic several miles away has it, but I couldn't must up the Portuguese to call them to ask if they could deliver....). And then there is the ongoing issue of the bank card being blocked because someone at the bank tried to help me to make the transfer for our vacation rental, and ended up causing more problems. AHHHHHHHHH!


Okay, I'm breathing now. So, I managed to convince a very obstinate 3 year old to take a shower, take the kids to the vet, to find out that we should just come back with him to give him a shot until we can track down the medication. So, return home, chase down cat, and back to the vet. Shot. Return home. Clean up from breakfast. Turn on the tube to help me gain some sanity. Phone calls to arrange for childcare on Saturday. Phone call to cancel class today because I have to meet with Sebastian's teacher, and the only time I can is during my class. Make lunch. Make lonches (snack), feed children, do dishes again. Check to make sure cat has not peed in the corner. And now I'm here. Rambling, and venting (thank you again internet).

So, I think that we've figured out how to manage our life, if everything goes as plans. But in a family of 5 with a sickly cat, nothing ever goes as planned. And in the States, I had back up plans, and people I could call, and family and the language, so it made it somewhat easier to cope. But here, it's just little old me and hubby, trying to navigate the crazy waters. I was realizing over dishes, that many of my blogger friends are married/dating/in relationships with Brazilians, and I know that comes with it's own challenges, but when living in Brazil, I think it's helpful to have someone close who can help you understand. As foreigners, we just have no "native" skills for interpreting what is happening, no local knowledge, and all our assumptions and expectations that we bring as to "how things should work." I think that's why so many people are surprised when they meet me and they find out that I'm not married to a Brazilian, but I'm living here. But, I have to say, that if there ever was a partner to help me stay sane as we live in another country, it would have to be my dear hubby. Even though we bicker about butter and responsibilities and many other important and less important thing, he works his tail off to take care of us. And he's just so good with people. And he's a lot of fun in the process.

Thank you for listening. I've now got to go take the kids to school, but that crazy feeling I had at the beginning of this post has disappeared, and I'm starting to feel grounded again.