Meeting her mother....

There is nothing quite like the thought of finally getting to meet your Girlfriend's mother. The one you have been hearing about for so long; the one that she is so close to.  The mother who lives in a different county and speaks a different language.  The monther that still calls your Girlfriend's Ex her daughter....

There is nothing that builds up more anxiety than being the unrecognized girlfriend who isn't even capable of communicating her way to being noticed.  Add in a family who either isn't aware or won't fully accept the fact that your Girlfriend is gay and you're in for an interesting (to say the least) trip. 

August could come a bit slower; I wouldn't mind much.  I could use a little more time to learn a new language, get promoted or, you know, think of some other way to out-shine the beloved Ex.

The only thing that is keeping my anxiety at bay is that my Defender will be with me for 10 of the 16 days.

Can't Stop, Won't Stop

So many things are happing in my life right now. It is so exciting!! First off, spring is starting to show here in Utah. People are starting to come out of their caves; and the streets have been filled with positive vibes and smiling people. It's warm enough that I have switched to ice coffeeJ. Everyone at work is giddy for spring, so the all-around vibe is up. I am starting to get a handle on all of the new and stressful tasks I have been assigned, and I am feeling in complete control of my workload.

My girlfriend and I found our new apartment this weekend. It is in a great downtown location and it is bigger and better than where we are now. What I am most excited about is that patio. I miss having a patio so much. There is nothing better than enjoying my morning cup of coffee with the rising sun...and this patio has a killer view. During the day we can enjoy the livelihood of downtown and at night we get a great view of the city lights. Plus, the apartment complex has a pool. So, there is much to be excited about there. We are signing the contract this week and will be moving in April 22.

We are booking our flights for Brazil tonight. We are going to Rio de Janeiro for a couple weeks in August. We are going to visit her family and meet up with my best friend who I haven't seen in 2 yearsJ. My best friend and I pretty much grew up together. We spent almost every day together until she was deported back to Argentina in 2009. I went to visit her in 2010, but have not seen her since. Thanks to WhatsApp and Skype it hasn't been complete hell, but I miss her energy like crazy so we are going to fly her out to Brazil to spend 10 days with us. I am preparing for Brazil with Rosetta Stone. It is helpful to have my own Portuguese dictionary living with me :) I want to be able to communicate a little when I get there.

I am about finished with my MBA application. I still need to get 2 letters of recommendation and write a 1 page essay on why I would be a good candidate for the program. I don't think either of those will be too difficult. What will pose a challenge is the GMAT. I plan on taking it before Brazil and aim to start the program January 2013. I attended a GMAT prep class at the university last week and decided that I really need to scrap up $650 so I can take the full 3-week prep course. The professor mentioned that the average applicant for the program gets somewhere around a 550 on the GMAT. Since I slacked a little during my undergrad, and my GPA reflects that, I need to do better than average.

My girlfriend and I are doing great. Things have turned around so much recently. We are finally starting to understand each other more and we have been working on our communication skills. I am working on how I handle her mood swings. Although I don't always handle them perfectly, I am getting better and she is doing much better at recognizing when her emotions become irrational. She has been back on her medicine for a few months now and I believe it is starting to stabilize her moods a little bit. Honestly, the biggest thing is me learning to accept them. First it is recognizing them and then it is learning that I should not take them personally. My reactions seem to play such a large part in how these episodes play out, so my reactions are my primary focus.  It is getting easier and it is so worth it. She is my world and if she can put up with me I sure as hell should be able to handle some mood swings...

Who am I?

I am someone's daughter, sister, aunt, girlfriend, and friend. I am a college graduate, an employee, a business school applicant and a lesbian. I am a recovering addict. I am mostly liberal, often a dreamer and generally an optimist.  I am undoubtedly a fighter and a survivor.  I am an explorer, a contemplator, and an inquisitive girl who is just trying to sort through this baffling thing called life.

...and I am extremely grateful for every moment of it.