What We Have Been Up To....

This pic just cracks me up: Hello, I'm New Here.

Obviously, getting PINK has been the absolute highlight of a lifetime, let alone the last few days! But, I know many of you want to know just what it is that we do to pass the days while we are here counting down the days to bringing our family all home together... So, here is an account of the last couple of days~

Monday:
Mom moved to her new "casa" on Monday and Sam, Lucy and I did some exploring on our own. We stumbled upon the open market and had a great time walking up and down and in and out of all the vendors. I could do some damage there! hee hee. The one thing that caught me off guard and made me laugh out loud was the signs pointing out the "pharmacies". The use huge sandwich board signs of the doctors from Scrubs! Ha!

Tuesday:
We headed to the arch for lunch. It is so pretty in that area, and the lunch was delicious!

After lunch, we hooked up with our favorite Mayan Mamma, Ruth, in the square. She always remembers my name (smart lady!) and is so helpful with tips and info. Yesterday, Mom purchased a beautiful table runner from her. She always says, "Business is business." I adore her!

We took a little break from the heat to let Sam play at the playground at McDonald's... a very different experience than home, but sooooo good for him to have a place to get out some energy after so much walking! There are 3 fast food restaurants with small playgrounds, so we just pop in in between here and there every now and then... Sam plays, Lucy has a bottle, and we are back on our way!

After Sam's ice cream and playground adventure, and happily running into some other Mommies, we headed to the Cathedral off of the square. I am going to try to write more later about some of the history here and include more pics of beautiful places like this one!

Picture from La Antigua Guatemala Daily Photo (I forgot to take one!?!)

On the way home from our sight seeing, we popped into La Bodegona as usual for this and that... so far, I wouldn't say I exactly miss Hannaford, but there are moments when the stroller is stuck in the cereal isle that I truly appreciate it! I don't know how to explain my grocery shopping experience, so I will try to post pics of it the next time I am there.

Monday night, we were pretty wiped out from so much walking and I could not imagine telling Sam that we were going to walk back into town for dinner. Granted, we have a kitchen and I have been making many meals here for him, but Mimi and I were just craving good ol' take out. We ended up locating the number to Pollo Campero! You guys, this place is too good to be true and I need to avoid it for the remainder of my stay... and, it has already started setting up camp in the states, so you may soon know the dreaminess of this fast food craze, but try to resist... we could not. We ordered pizza in... and it arrived via MOTORCYCLE!! hee hee.... I love this town!

Wednesday morning, we called up our favorite Tuk Tuk driver, Luis, and had him take us to this great spot above Antigua. We had great intentions of hiking it, but in reality, that just is not fair to Sam. Luis suggested driving us, and as it turned out, was the greatest tour guide we could have asked for! He shared openly about Antigua, his family, his views on the current government (not too encouraging), and his Mamma's cooking! Mamma sounds like a saint! Here is Cerro de la Cruz ("The Hill of the Cross").


Luis stayed with us as we did the tourist thing, and then delivered us happily back to the square all before 10:30am... a perfect time to get a coffee (Mimi and I) and a muffin (Sam) to people watch in the square. It was a beautiful morning. Sam and I had lunch at the apartment, followed by "school" while Mimi continued to explore. Lucy really is with us during all of this adventure seeking, and she justl loves it all! She really is what it being here is all about... not the sights! Still, it is such a joy to see some of her country. She is the most amazingly adaptable child! Today she mostly hung out in a sling at my hip, and we were just as happy as could be!

When we were not doing school lessons, Sam and Lucy played. I can not begin to tell you what a joy it is to watch my two children together. Lucy is of that perfect age where she is totally entertained and animated. Sam is the perfect entertainment for her, and now that he is so comfortable with her, playing and entertaining her is one of his favorite pasttimes in this little aprartment. Many of you have commented at how truly happy I look in pics (finally)... that is the same sentiment I feel when Sam laughs as he plays with his baby sister.... he is so happy, so smitten, and so totally in love that it breaks my heart in every blissful way. Sam has the most amazing belly laugh... always has, since he was a baby. His laugh when Luciana is paying attention to him is the most genuine, straight from the heart laugh I have ever heard out of him. For all the ways he loves his Mommy and Daddy, he has discovered a new love and it is all Lucy. If I ever had a doubt about bringing him along for this hairbrained adventure, that laugh has erased it.

So, finally, Wednesday night:
The night we have promised ourselves as a celebration of PINK! We put on our pretties and headed to Casa Santo Domingo for dinner. We (mom) even splurged on a taxi! The dinner was amazing (again, thanks MOM!), the atmostphere was gorgeous, and Lucy was a total crank! ha ha! Actually, she really did fuss a bunch, but we traded her back and forth and managed to cheers our great news. Sam liked all the flowers and candlesl and chocolate ice cream, and we all enjoyed the gallery on our way out... and I enjoyed talking to the artist, too! We took a leisurely tuk tuk home... getting very used to that, and here I am writing to you all... still smiling ear to ear as I have one of those moments when I realize... Luciana is coming HOME!




This just in! Keith arrives 2/29. I saw his flight itinerary pop up in my inbox and I almost cried as much as getting PINK! Life IS good... and it's only getting better. It looks like we are all booked to arrive HOME March 7th!! Can you believe it?!??!

Whew!

I have so many more pics of "moments", so I will probably throw together a montage for you all in the next day or two. I just wanted to send along these details so you can picture us out and about. I had a moment yesterday when I had to laugh... Antigua is amazing. It really is. But if we were meant to be Luciana's parents, I think I would believe that any place I was with her would be spectacular. This is so about our family, and the views, sights, sounds, and amazing people are all icing.

I am missing you all terribly and beginning to have fantastic daydreams about our homecoming!
Much love.