My husband and I met on Catholicmatch.com in June 2008 and met face-to-face early August. By the end of August we were "official" and having a great time dating. I had just finished interning with Fox Sports in Phoenix and was extremely excited that the NFL season would be starting.
The Thursday that NFL season opened up with the New York Giants playing the Pittsburgh Steelers, Louis took me out to a Chilli's so I could be sure to catch all the action (Isn't he great?!). I was starting my second senior year of college, as there have been a couple - another story for another time, and had just been making contacts with connections at ESPN in Bristol. This was a great advantage as well as a downer since I had just been getting to know Louis and I thought he was the greatest guy in the world (still do, but you know what I mean).
NY Giants 21, 
Pittsburgh 14
While I was sitting there mumbling about the refs and enjoying my Cajun Chicken Sandwich, Louis started to stutter: "You know... not to be creepy or anything...I just want to put out there, I have no ties to Tucson if my future bride or wife or...again, not to get creepy and seem like I'm pushing things - just in general - I can move wherever she needs to move to follow her dream job or for her to get a job. There's engineering jobs everywhere."
I thought it was the cutest thing and was one of the reasons I started falling in love with him: he's genuine and supportive.
Now, to continue with the madness that is the oh-so-exciting meeting coverage of RPA...
On Tuesday, Feb. 23 the Tucson City Council heard a number of things including how the city is going to have $33 million in debt going into the 2011 fiscal year starting July 1, and that water prices will be going up. One of the last items I listened to was a woman from the Arizona Legislature (maybe Tucson's Lobbyist - this journalist gets a fail on this information) talking about some items that, again I'm not sure of, will be brought to the floor for legislators to vote on.
The first and most important, to me, was a bill that would allow anyone to attend school in Arizona no matter their legal documentation status. The first person to chomp at the bit (not to mention she only took 0.5 seconds to move that the City of Tucson back this bill) was Regina Romero. She said through all the economic turmoil, education is vital to coming out in the black.
I completely agree with her, education is huge to the economic survival of our future. I also believe that anyone in search of an education should be able to get one. But at the cost of taxpayers paying for someone to get an education who's not a legal resident of the country, I don't agree. I also don't want to believe that our city would support "illegal activity" so to speak. I know that the process can be lengthy, but wouldn't it be easier to enter the country and not have to worry that INS would be knocking down your door any day?
My family came to the country legally, well more forced. My great grandfather, Joaquin Felix Tena Murrieta, has a rich history as a politician in Mexico. He was a member of the Sonoran Legislature and was even asked to run for president. He declined due to many of his friends being assassinated if they even thought about running against Álvaro Obregón. I could be getting facts wrong, but I do know Tena was a well respected man in Mexico. He fought with Obregón against Pancho Villa and was considered a friend of Obregón. When a corrupt official thought of "getting rid" of him because my great grandfather wouldn't conform to an idea the official had, someone told the official "You do not 'get rid' of Joaquin Tena." Thus, he was sent to San Diego and worked with the fish and game office in the Mexican consulate. He even got to meet Robert Taylor and Gary Cooper when they wanted to go hunting in Mexico. Their tour guide ended up being a Nazi Spy, but I digress...Another story for another time.
My grandmother's happiest day of her life was in 1985 when she became a naturalized citizen, my mother said. She wore red, white and blue and carried her little American Flag all day long. She bled and breathed this country. She even refused to teach my mom and her brother Spanish because we're in the United States. I think that part's depressing since I would love to be able to speak Spanish now, but I can understand her viewpoint. If you'd like to hear about that, just let me know.
My husband's family history is similar although I don't know much of it. His father is now a naturalized citizen like his grandparents. Louis was born here in Tucson and has really lived the American Dream, as I see it. He grew up in Littletown, just south of Davis-Monthan, which is pretty much a rundown part of the city. I don't knock anyone living there at all, but it's not the best part of town. Louis tells me stories of his first encounter with "lizards" aka hookers and drugs and bullies.
Louis graduated from Desert View High School, avoided gangs and drugs as best he could, and knew he wanted to get out of Littletown. He started college at the University of Arizona and finished his computer engineering degree at Arizona State. When I met him he'd already been working at Raytheon and had his own house in Marana and his own truck. (funny story there for another time...) Needless to say, he's done well for himself. He's not rich, but he's comfortable.
After I relayed the story about documentation status and education and what Councilwoman Romero had said, Louis started laughing.
"When do we get to move after you graduate?"
I thought it was the cutest thing and was one of the reasons I started falling in love with him: he's genuine and supportive.
Now, to continue with the madness that is the oh-so-exciting meeting coverage of RPA...
On Tuesday, Feb. 23 the Tucson City Council heard a number of things including how the city is going to have $33 million in debt going into the 2011 fiscal year starting July 1, and that water prices will be going up. One of the last items I listened to was a woman from the Arizona Legislature (maybe Tucson's Lobbyist - this journalist gets a fail on this information) talking about some items that, again I'm not sure of, will be brought to the floor for legislators to vote on.
The first and most important, to me, was a bill that would allow anyone to attend school in Arizona no matter their legal documentation status. The first person to chomp at the bit (not to mention she only took 0.5 seconds to move that the City of Tucson back this bill) was Regina Romero. She said through all the economic turmoil, education is vital to coming out in the black.
I completely agree with her, education is huge to the economic survival of our future. I also believe that anyone in search of an education should be able to get one. But at the cost of taxpayers paying for someone to get an education who's not a legal resident of the country, I don't agree. I also don't want to believe that our city would support "illegal activity" so to speak. I know that the process can be lengthy, but wouldn't it be easier to enter the country and not have to worry that INS would be knocking down your door any day?
My family came to the country legally, well more forced. My great grandfather, Joaquin Felix Tena Murrieta, has a rich history as a politician in Mexico. He was a member of the Sonoran Legislature and was even asked to run for president. He declined due to many of his friends being assassinated if they even thought about running against Álvaro Obregón. I could be getting facts wrong, but I do know Tena was a well respected man in Mexico. He fought with Obregón against Pancho Villa and was considered a friend of Obregón. When a corrupt official thought of "getting rid" of him because my great grandfather wouldn't conform to an idea the official had, someone told the official "You do not 'get rid' of Joaquin Tena." Thus, he was sent to San Diego and worked with the fish and game office in the Mexican consulate. He even got to meet Robert Taylor and Gary Cooper when they wanted to go hunting in Mexico. Their tour guide ended up being a Nazi Spy, but I digress...Another story for another time.
(Tour guide/Nazi spy is the short man in the middle)
My grandmother's happiest day of her life was in 1985 when she became a naturalized citizen, my mother said. She wore red, white and blue and carried her little American Flag all day long. She bled and breathed this country. She even refused to teach my mom and her brother Spanish because we're in the United States. I think that part's depressing since I would love to be able to speak Spanish now, but I can understand her viewpoint. If you'd like to hear about that, just let me know.
Ana Maria Tena de Goyeneche
My husband's family history is similar although I don't know much of it. His father is now a naturalized citizen like his grandparents. Louis was born here in Tucson and has really lived the American Dream, as I see it. He grew up in Littletown, just south of Davis-Monthan, which is pretty much a rundown part of the city. I don't knock anyone living there at all, but it's not the best part of town. Louis tells me stories of his first encounter with "lizards" aka hookers and drugs and bullies.
Louis graduated from Desert View High School, avoided gangs and drugs as best he could, and knew he wanted to get out of Littletown. He started college at the University of Arizona and finished his computer engineering degree at Arizona State. When I met him he'd already been working at Raytheon and had his own house in Marana and his own truck. (funny story there for another time...) Needless to say, he's done well for himself. He's not rich, but he's comfortable.
After I relayed the story about documentation status and education and what Councilwoman Romero had said, Louis started laughing.
"When do we get to move after you graduate?"
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