One Year Later

I finally changed our heading picture from this:

To this:

...which was taken just last weekend in Union Station by my talented photographer sister.

I also made the words say we are now in Virginia. Well, we've actually been here since LAST SEPTEMBER. And so goes our blogging existence.

---

The last of Wonderful Mexico

My parents came to visit 

We also took a road trip for the ages to Mexico City and the wonderful Guanajuato - during Semana Santa (Holy Week) nonetheless, so it was crowded, electric, and fantastic. 

The Teotihuacán Pyramids: Racing to the Pyramid of the Moon 

View from the Moon: The Pyramid of the Sun

Cubby appreciated Diego Rivera's murals at the Palacio Nacional.
(If "appreciated" = "was scared of the scary faces and wanted to go home.")

Yes, there was a Bob Dylan citing in DF as well

Universidad de Guanajuato. White against blazing blue.

N took this on a solo trip up the hillside, while I was back at our place with sick Deevie. 

But even from inside our perfect little rental, the vistas were amazing.

Overall, the visit was one for the ages. I could never put into adequate enough words to explain how nice it is to share our experiences with family and friends. I am so thankful that my parents and N's parents could - and wanted to - visit us in Mexico! I do not take that for granted. Financially, health-wise, adventurous-spirit, having preconceived ideas about Mexico based on Breaking Bad, etc. I know those words don't line up grammatically, but you get my drift. There was a lot to consider before trekking it to GDL, and I for one appreciate it very much.

It was sort of funny taking my dad to the Costco near our house though. "We are never sending you anything from the States again! You have EVERYTHING here!" 

We said a sad good-bye to my dear, amazing grandmother 

flying back to the States to celebrate her extraordinary life. The kids even got to paint in her garden, which she worked in until the day she passed away. Grandma truly remains with us everywhere and in everything. As my father put it once we returned back to Mexico, "Now Grandma knows what your life is like there."

We visited our favorite places one more time 

Chacala with the Gs

Our place was on the hillside, with infinity pool. Kids would wake up and swim in pool. Then we'd go to the beach. Then come back and we'd all swim again. 

Cubby actually enjoyed the sand, and really enjoyed the fresh mango we ate -
inadvertently sprinkled with a little sand

A tradition I've done for as long as I can remember - place/date marker in the sand,
feet optional. In this case, Birdie joined me.

N and I ran the complete shore length back and forth twice each day.
Totally attainable for us as we checked off one instance of our 4x a year exercise routine. 

    Tapalpa with the Zs

Horseback riding near the famous rocks of Tapalpa. S and I opted out - mainly due to lack of sports bras.

 N thinks he can make it, silently pointing like Babe Ruth.
Thankfully he realizes he is not spring-foot man. (Name inspired by Cubby.)

 S brings ingredients to make sugar cookies!
One problem: the house has nothing that even resembles a cookie sheet.

 Church in Tapalpa Square. I remember when Cubby was an infant and could say one word - a form of "tick-tock."
On our first trip to Tapalpa shortly after we arrived in Mexico, he loved pointing at that clock tower and shouting "tick-tock!"

I love Mexican popsicles. This one is "tuna" flavored, with a perfect touch of chile

A last trip to our beach: Chacala once again, this time with the Zs

 Perfect snack: tortillas with some chopped up aguacate, jitomate, cilantro, limón i sal.

Birdie and Deevie

 As I mentioned, tradition.

And I have an apprentice!

Our amazing hillside rental again had an infinity pool.

Do we have to leave?

We said good-bye to school 

(a.k.a. the American School Foundation of Guadalajara)

We'll miss a lot about school, and are very thankful for our overall positive experience there. The girls both spoke Spanish after two years, having had none before we arrived. Birdie even joined the regular Spanish program after one year with her teacher's recommendation. It was a struggle for her though, so we opted for Special Spanish one day a week and that seemed to go ok. We loved our teachers and our wonderful driver Chema. We will also miss the school itself - open air halls surrounding the main field.

One of my favorite things: eating in the open-air cafeteria. The options were fantastic, and so fresh.
The kids loved getting cut up fruit or vegetables (cucumber and jicama) after school. With lime and salt, of course.

One last celebratory cactus fruit cup. Me gusta la tuna!

On the last day of school, I'm pretty sure we were the last people on campus - just me, Birdie, Deevie and Cub. No one wanted to leave. Cubby and the girls played until the janitor asked us to move so he could clean. We wandered around and said good bye to each part - the gym, the classrooms, the pool, even the water garafons. We said good-bye to the "gran arból" (giant tree) just outside the gates. 
Me: "Remember this tree? On the very first day of school two years ago, I pointed it out and said 'tree is arból'." The girls couldn't believe they didn't know even that when we arrived. 
Before we left for good, Deevie kissed the rock wall surrounding the school.

I love how in the end, they took all their good memories of school with them. All the struggles with language, hatred of swimming days, hardships with new culture and making new friends was left behind - or at least was a faint memory they could laugh about and reflect upon thoughtfully. 
Birdie even asked if there's any possibility we could be in Guadalajara again so she could graduate from ASFG. 

We had our home summer school - 

mainly in an attempt to fill up those loooong, hot days

Each morning began with singing the Star Spangled Banner, a recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance, and Work Book pages (the girls each had summer bridge activity books for corresponding grades and Cubby had a big Pre-K book filled with age-appropriate activities). After that we'd either go on a quick walk or do exercise around the house, then have a specific craft (per above: that day we did Corn Husk doll making).

Note: Laying it out like this with photos makes it seem like summer school was a utter, complete success. NOT. There were many complaints, whining, and a few straying students who got bored - and complained of not wanting to do what was on the agenda. It's amazing to me that I have this many good pictures of our home school because when I think about it, it seems like we did this strongly for like 2.5 days. Birdie in particular was generally very excited about school and woke up with her usual bing! wanting to know what the day's plan was. Deevie wanted to sleep in - which I let her since it's summer. And Cubby just wanted to cub around - but with Mommy, which was limiting since I was usually the sole instructor. I did have the bright idea to ask Eva and Esme to help out though, telling them that any day they taught they wouldn't have to do any housework but they'd still get paid. Time is money people, and I've never cared too much about housekeeping anyway. Score. 

 Paper weaving. This was a perfect activity for the girls.

 Curtain/wall decor craft, lead by guest-teachers Eva and her daughter

 Cooking! Eva taught the girls to make guacamole. Birdie has made this or salsa several times by herself.

Some days we'd have "student choice" activities. Deevie decided to do a unit on drawing faces.

Then she made Toothpick People. We ended up using these in a point-system for class.
If someone got a question right, they'd get a Toothpick Person. Eventually Deevie was giving these out to everyone that came by the house.

Canvas painting: landscape by Deevie, self-portrait by Birdie. I especially loved this activity.

 Box diorama making with guest-teacher Esme, using recycled soda bottles.

 Folding unit. I have a wonderful memory of Grandma teaching me how to tri-fold a towel - and once she taught me that one way, I never went back. My mother taught me how to fold shirts in a similar way, and again, I have been programmed to that one way. Why not pass this on? I made the instruction sheet and cut out cardboard "guides" for each kid, even Cubby. Boy I am optimistic, huh?! That didn't go so well. I remember him throwing the cardboard back at me and asking me to play cars. Birdie LOVED this though. She spent a good hour refolding and organizing her drawers after we did a few practice pieces. Then she asked if she could do my drawer.

We got our hair braided for ol' times' sake

We ate our favorite neighborhood tacos from Taco Petón

Perfectly grilled arachera, guac, pico, soupy frijoles, warm corn tortillas, grilled onions….mouth watering

We ooh-ed and aah-ed at the very random Mexican hail storm - in JUNE

We hosted our last guests in our GDL home, 

the wonderful O family

who N and I last saw at their wedding before the addition of their four kids. I was a little worried about having guests so soon before our departure, but who am I kidding?! I am a last-minute person by nature, and any prep for moving would've happened after the O family departure, whether they had come or not. And a big plus to having guests that late in a tour -- we got to revisit so many key places that we love - and miss very much.

Every weird and not so weird flavored popsicle you can imagine - made with the freshest ingredients.
Cucumber! Coconut! Strawberry and cream! Jicama! Tuna! Coffee! Avocado!
(Usually with a "con chile" version as well.)

Michelada on the Ajijic pier, made to order: Mexican beer, Worcestershire sauce, Tabasco, Maggi sauce, ground pepper, salt, fresh lime juice, ice, orange and cucumber slices for garnish, and plenty of Tajin on top.

 Wall art in Ajijic. I wonder if I could do this on a wall in my own home. Hmmm.

 Horse-back riding in Bosque Colomos. It was a little bumpy.
("A little bumpy" = "I think I'm going to hurl!")

 Jardines Japones. Who would've thought I'd find Japanese sereneness in the middle of Guadalajara?
We love feeding the fish and squirrels.

 Our Lady of Zapopan Basilica

 Hands down the best restaurant (of many) in GDL: iLatina
Here I am with one of our favorite appetizers: the sashimi infused with lime juice and sesame oil, served with tortillas. Our other favorite was the sashimi tacos. Good gracious I'm hungry.

iLatina decor. Love it.

 Taking a bus tour of Guadalajara -- otherwise paying to see all the sites we saw on the drive into the city!
We love seeing Minerva in all her glory though. N saw this every morning heading to the Consulate.

The last night we let the kids stay up as late as they wanted - past midnight. Birdie and Deevie got along so well with the O boys - they were thick as thieves. That last night the older kids made fresh tortillas, using their new tortilla presses they'd bought in Tónala. I got roped into pan cooking them. Fun Mommy.

We generally prepared to leave GDL

 Physically (how in the world did we amass so much crap after only two years?!),

 Mentally (is it possible to eat anything without lime, salt and chile?), 

and Emotionally (so hard to say goodbye to Eva, Esme and all our wonderful friends)… 

Stuff. This particular pile is the "van" pile - i.e., stuff that would go in the van to be driven by hired driver to the border where N would meet it to drive the rest of the way to Va. Yes, Buzz Lightyear was N's trusty co-pilot the whole way.

 Look at all that random "don't know where it goes" filing up the ledge!
It gives me hives just looking at it now!

Packing, against that wonderful yellow wall.

 Crating.

Good-byeing. We won't see that load of stuff until a year later in Sarajevo, summer 2014!

 
Last pedicure with Birdie and Deevie at Pedra Luna, walking distance from home.

Hugs for dear Esme.

 One last building of block city with dear Eva.

 The last glance I took: that streak on the floor was from the last humungous bag of apparently juicy trash that I dragged out.  Goodbye lovely purple wall!

 Trying to capture it all. Adios Z house, and our house!

Adios vigilantes! "Soy Roberto - como Roberto De Niro."

N had left before me by plane to meet the van across the border. I flew with the kids, each of us wearing our "Yo (heart) Guadalajara" shirts to N's parents'. I remember leaving the airport and taking a deep breath of hot and breezy summer air, with the hint of fresh-cut grass. Birdie was beside me, and I remember her smiling and saying, "That smells like America."

And with that, our time in Guadalajara, Mexico was done.

"All changes are more or less tinged with melancholy, 

for what we are leaving behind is part of ourselves."

~ Amelia Barr

Chacala Beach with Geema and Geepa!

The wonderful Geema and Geepa came down for a visit, and here are some pics of our perfect trip to Chacala Beach.

Geepa and Cubby watch the sun go to bed.

Boats and beautiful sky.

Unprompted sisterly closeness.

Even with 7 people traveling in a 7 person van, we had to have room for the guitar.

Cubby was a little worried about coconuts falling on his head - so he'd put his hoodie on for protection.
We were a little worried about them falling on the van.

Fresh coconut, just like the Philippines. Except here we (I) ate them with chile, limón and sal.
A heaven. 

Daddy and Birdie show Cubby how to jump the waves.
Chacala was the perfect beach for kids - long, very slowly sloping shore, with gentle waves and silky sand. It helped that our house was right on the beach and we could hang out in our palapa while the kids frolicked.

Couldn't get enough of the sunsets.

Three generations watching the pelicans dive for breakfast.

Whale watching. As Cubby would say, "That is really cool!"

We all hoped that the whales were smart enough to not come up right under our little boat.
Birdie: "I feel like every wave we go over is a whale!"

This one was particularly close. You could see all the scars on his back - which made a big impact on the kids. The girls kept asking why he would have so many scars. "What is he running into? Isn't the ocean just water?" 

Just chattin' in the sun.

One of my favorite memories: walking the entire shoreline in each other's foot steps.
Deevie: "Dad, it's like there is only one set of feet!"
Daddy in a deep, booming voice: "My child, that is when I carried you..."
(I may have been the only one to get that.)

Mexican Corn Husk Doll Making

I have SO many ambitions when it comes to crafts.  And living in Mexico adds a whole other dimension to my dreams and desires.  (Yes, I am that passionate.)  Everywhere we go we see handmade things that I want to try at home.

Well, I actually managed to do something! With the kids even!  And we survived!

I saw a package of corn husks at our regular grocery store - sold for making tamales, and decided to try my hand at the corn husk dolls I've seen in Guadalajara markets.

One package of corn husks, bought for 7 pesos.  That's about 55 cents.  You heard me, FIFTY FIVE CENTS.

Soak in water for 15 minutes.  They needed a weight to keep them from surfacing.

Lay 4 even-ish husks on top of each other (I trimmed them a bit to make them the same size, and cut a straight edge at the top).  Tie with string about 1.5 inches  from flat side and pull the two outer layers over the tie to make the head.

Tie the husks together again to make the neck.  Roll another husk and tie the ends to make wrists.  Insert the rolled and tied husk between the four layers (two on top, two underneath).

Have cute kid hand hold what you have so far and snap a picture.

You can tie knees and ankles for boy dolls, or leave husks untied at the bottom to look more like skirts.  But as Deevie pointed out, EVERYONE has knees and ankles so you really should tie those in all the dolls.

Cut out cute clothes from felt scraps.  The girls especially loved this part.  You can attempt to glue gun these clothes on, only to find out it won't work - like we did, or you can go straight to sewing the clothes on.  It works much better.

We've added the dolls we made to our Christmas supplies to bring out each year.  The perfect memory of Guadalajara.  The smaller ones in particular make great Christmas tree decorations.  

My next ambition with these is to make an entire corn husk doll Nativity set.  (Why did I have to say that out loud?)

Wow!! We are the WORST BLOGGERS EVER!

I'm reviving the blog.  Now.  Here are some pictures of Mexico I submitted to the 2013 calendar put together by the Guadalajara US Consulate Community Liaison Office (CLO).

Happy 2013!!

Wonderful Balneario San Juan Cosala in Ajijic

Beautiful views!

Cactus fields on the way to Guanajuato

Guanajuato

Guanajuato Basilica and that gorgeous Mexican yellow

Guanajuato Basilica

Guadalajara Zoo inhabitants

Sunrise over San Miguel de Allende

Vendor selling Mexican Independence Day wares

Mariachi, performing for Mother's Day celebration planned by the neighborhood husbands

Agave!  Waiting to be roasted at the Jose Cuervo Tequila factory.

Happy Travels.  A nice farewell at the Hacienda el Carmen.

My Husband Accepts Me

We went to Tequila (finally!) weekend before last with our awesome A-100/GDL friends K and D, plus another A-100 classmate who was visiting from Monterrey.   Tequila is only like a 45 minute drive from Guadalajara, so it was the perfect day trip.

Tequila is a nice little town that obviously has some wealth (aka. tourism money), and some really delicious and refreshing cantoritos.  Let's just say I think I found my new favorite alcoholic drink. 

I hope to post more about our trip - plus pictures, but I started this post in the first place because of a funny thing I just remembered, and I want to make sure to at least get that down. 

Music is a big part of life in our family.  And of course we usually all want to be listening to different stuff.  This makes road trips that much more interesting and fun!  Because we are often just too tired to fight, N and I end up deferring to the girls and what they want to hear.  Well, on the way to Tequila, Birdie had ruled the iPod for the first half of the trip.  She's got her own playlist on both of our iPods, and loves to be in charge.  Although some of her songs are songs that we all like, the majority tend to be dance-beat heavy and very up-to-the-moment songs that make us realize we are PARENTS from a different generation.  (This side of her music taste is influenced by Chema's "party bus" school car pool where teenager Stephen rules the music, and from kids her age in general.  Going along with music, our Birdie just LOVES to dance.)

Anyway, half an hour into the boom boom boom of Birdie's playlist, N had had enough. 

N: "OK.  DADDY'S. TURN."
Birdie: "You mean "Dad.""

N fiddled with the iPod looking for a song.  I was prepared to hear some Dire Straights, or Nickel Creek, or maybe even some Paul Simon.  I like those too (at least NC and PS - N would laugh if he heard me saying I was a DS fan), but would honestly prefer some stuff that is more me.  But I don't really care.  See, in the whole music hiarchy of our family, it tends to be a battle between Birdie and N for top dog, with Deevie and Cubby vying for second place.  (Yes, Cubby has definite song wants as well.)  I usually just accept.  What a martyr, huh?

So N chose a song and adjusted the volume.  I just gazed out the window as Jalisco sped past, the distinct blue-green agave fields zipping by.  Suddenly the song that N chose came on.  It was Robert Pattinson singing "Never Think" from the Twilight soundtrack.  I snapped to attention and whirled around to look at N.  We both burst out laughing.  As if he'd really choose that! 

I know, I know.  Long, over-dramatized story for so little pay-off.  But man was it funny. To me.

Mexican Root Canal

I had a root canal a few days ago.  As one friend on Facebook said, now I can honestly say "I'd rather be having a root canal" and really know what I'm comparing things to!

You too could have this much fun!

All in all, it wasn't really that bad.  Here are the highlights:

- My appointment was at 7pm.  Pretty typical for Mexico, where the doctors cater a lot more to patient schedules.  Plus there's the whole "siesta" thing they do for a few hours in the afternoon, where they go home for "comida" with the family.  But still.  Having to work until 9 or 10 pm just to make up for an afternoon break at home?  I think I'd prefer to get my work day done and over with in one fell swoop! But I certainly appreciate the doctor catering to my needs (i.e., the need to have N home from work to be with the kids).

- Speaking of N, when I pulled away from the house, looking back at him holding a screaming-for-Mommy Cubby, with the unbathed/unfed girls still running around in the dusty evening, he shouted that popular saying to me: "I'd rather be having a root canal!"  It was a funny thing to be left with as I drove away.

- I wasn't sure what was going to happen at said appointment, having discussed everything in Spanish with my regular dentist.  I just knew that a "specialist" was going to be at his office at 7pm.  Maybe we'd discuss the procedure?  Maybe he'd take measurements?  But no.  As soon as I arrived, the endodontist had me lie down in the chair while he began prepping the anisthesia.  Ack!  I had made tentative plans to meet up with some friends for a birthday restaurant celebration, and immediately texted my regrets as the drugs in my gums strated to take effect, wooziness taking over.  This was really going to happen!

- The first question I asked the endodontist, which is what I ask most people in Mexico, was: "Hablas ingles?"  He happily switched to English.  I probably would've been fine listening in Spanish (since it wasn't like I could say anything myself), but it was comforting to hear English while having such intrusive things done in my mouth. 

- The most painful parts of the root canal were the blast of air the endodontist shot on my tooth (to test sensitivity) before it all started, and then the three shots of anesthesia.  Man, those hurt!  It felt like they were being shot into my skull!

- I loved the endodontist.  Such a nice guy.  Now that you know I have no ill feelings towards him, here are some of the more amusing things he said, and the more amusing thoughts that went through my head.  Keep in mind that I could only respond with grunts!:

"I am sure before you came to Mexico you thought this was going to be a dusty village with mustached men drinking tequila on the side of wood buildings.  With sombreros.  Most Americans think that is Mexico.  Most Americans don't know anything about the world outside the United States."
(Me out loud: "Ungh-eh!" Me in my head: "Not at all!  I am not an idiot!  And most of the Americans I know are not idiots either!")

"I go to endodontist meetings all over the world, and everyone tells me that in Mexico we don't charge enough money, and that we work too hard.  You are very lucky to have this procedure in Guadalajara.  Dental care is excellent, and much cheaper than in the US.  And I see about 11 patients a day, and stop working at 10pm."
(Me out loud: "Uh!"  The cost for the root canal alone was 2,500 pesos - the exchange rate is about 13 pesos to US$1 right now.  That doesn't include the crown or the post or cleaning or other stuff that must accompany the root canal.  But from research I did, it is a good price even for this one procedure.)

Me out loud: "Aaah-UHH-AAAH!"  Me in my head: "I have so much saliva pooled in my mouth that I need to spit out NOW!!!"
Endodontist: "What?  Are you in pain?"
Me out loud: "AAAH-UHH-AAAH!" (Then I made a motion with my hand from my mouth down my neck.)
Endodontist: "You're thirsty?"
Me out loud: "UH-uh!"
Endodontist: "Your neck hurts?:
Me out loud: "UH-uh!  Ah-Uh-AAAH!" (again with the motion)
Endodontist: "Ah!  Saliva!!!"  (He got the suction thing that brought sweet relief.  Not being able to swallow must be a very effective form of torture.)

Endodontist: "So you are from the Philippines.  That Marcos and his wife Belinda were really something, huh?"
Me out loud: "Uh."  Me in my head: "You mean Imelda."
Endodontist: "I really would have loved to have seen all of Belinda's shoes."
Me out loud: "Uh."  Me in my head: "Imelda.  But yeah, I saw them when I was 12 when they were forced out of Manila."
Endodontist:  "Belinda doesn't sound right..."
Me out loud: "Uh-uh! Eee-aahh-ah!"
Endodontist: "What?"
Me out loud: "Eee-AAH-AH!"  (Finally I used my right finger to write on my left palm.  He spelled it out and got it.  Ah, little victories.)

Belinda is Mad About SHOOOOEEEE!

- I made the mistake of looking at one of the tools that was being used.  It must've been 3 inches long.  Three inches of pointy, shiney metal -- stuff you see in your nightmares.  Just thinking about it makes me shiver.


- In those late hours, it was only me and the endodontist in that office.  No assistant.  It felt weird, and my inner monologue asked myself what I'd do if he tried anything...weird.  At the point when this train of thought crossed my mind, I was pretty uncomfortable having had my mouth stretched open for 2 hours, my neck in the same tensed position, etc, that I probably would've been happy for a good reason to change things up. 

As I said, overall it was a positive experience.  I still have to get the crown on, but I don't feel any pain in my tooth.  It's still sort of senstitive, but in that good, scratching-an-itch sort of sensitive way. 

In summary: Dental work in Guadlajara, Mexico - I highly recommend it!

Mss Universe 2010: Jimena Navarrete, from Guadalajara.  Check out her choppers!

Honesty

I don't like being alone on a beach.  There is a huge difference between "not too crowded" and "deserted."  Maybe it's cause I have immense respect for the ocean.  It sort of terrifies me to look out at the waves, coming, coming, coming, coming.  Once I took a personality quiz and I had to say the first color that came to my mind after I heard a word.  They said "ocean" and I said "black."  This fear....er, I mean, RESPECT, has only grown with age.  I used to love frolicking around in the surf as a young un in the Philippines.  Last week in Manzanillo, I was body surfing in the last 4 inches of waves as they finally gave up on the beach.  I thought Birdie and Deevie were telling me how awesome I was from the shore, but when I gave them a big thumbs up, N said, "You totally didn't hear them, did you?  They're saying you have to go a lot further out to catch better waves."  Thanks, guys, but I'm doin' just fine!

I'm terrible at showing people how much they mean to me.  I don't give birthday gifts.  Or cards.  And don't often call anyone.  My little sister is pregnant, for the love, and I've only talked to her once.  I have big ambitions on sending things from Mexico to family, or sending cards for no reason at all (since I miss all big events anyway), but...nothing.  Do I lack motivation?  NO!  I have tons of motivation!  I have about 54 started projects.  I am just awful at follow-through.  I've always been this way of course, but now that I'm at home - with help - you'd think I'd be better.  It's even so frustrating to write this and have it in writing.  But it's the truth, and it makes me sick.

Living abroad is still just living.  As Gus McCrae said to Lorie Wood (who believed everything would be better in California):

"Lorie darlin', life in San Francisco, you see, is still just life.  If you want any one thing too badly, it's likely to turn out to be a disappointment.  The only healthy way to live is to learn to like all the little everyday things..." (Lonesome Dove)

Friends and family back home have told us how brave and cool it is to be doing what we're doing, but I honestly think what they're doing is just as cool.   And aren't we all brave for getting through every day?  I don't mean to disparage travel or living outside your home country in the slightest, because yes, it is amazing to experience new things that help you understand yourself and your home on a deeper level by giving you a means of comparison.  But anyone can do that wherever they are, just by stretching their routine and traveling to another city or town, near or far.  I remember when N and I went to New York City for a weekend once, and trying to buy train tickets in the big, bad station was nerve-wracking and strange.  Certainly stranger than our routine existence in Northern Virginia!  We jumped whenever someone spoke to us because we were that out of our element.  We swore then and there that we needed to keep challenging ourselves because we were obviously sort of stuck in our ways to a degree we hadn't even been aware of.  But even with all that, I agree with ol' Gus.  The only healthy way to live is to learn to like all the little everyday things.  And if that means enjoying the everyday things while you're on a traveling adventure, so be it.

Another one of my favorite quotes by Paul Theroux:

"Travel is only glamorous in retrospect." 

While you're "in it", you're just trying to get through it (i.e., changing a big, messy poopie diaper without wipes at a 2,000 year old Mexican dirt pyramid) and appreciate the little things (the kids chasing bubbles and birds in the shadow of the Zapopan Basilica).  But maybe this is just me!

I sometimes worry that I am a worse parent to Cubby than I was to Birdie and Deevie at this age.  I mean, I'm at HOME with him - which is more than I can say for the Narra of yore and our daughters of yore.  So that just means there's more time in each day to screw up!  I honestly feel that way a lot of the time.  Cubby watches a ton more TV (soothing kid programs like Max & Ruby, or Little Bear...but still) than B+D.  He eats all sorts of things that they didn't - like candy!  Good gracious.  Birdie didn't even know what a gummy bear was until she was at least three.  I've even given Cubby gum - that he quickly swallows.  How can I avoid it when his sisters are asking for G-U-M all day long (yes, they spell it out, but Cubby ain't no dummy.  We're going to see how long calling it "chicle" fools him).   He is such a sweet little demanding boy, and I hope I'm not leaving any permanent scars on him.

I can feel a thousand different emotions about anything in one given day.  And that goes for life in Guadalajara.  Or the beach even.  (Aaaah, those palm trees swaying in the breeze were heavenly, weren't they?)  I think I've always been all over the board with my emotions, but being here in Mexico (or maybe "away from home" is more like it), I'm so much more aware of the fluctuation.

N and I watched the first two seasons of Downton Abbey and have thoroughly enjoyed being transported to that time and that world.  I'm sure we would've felt the same had we been watching this in our basement in Annandale.  Again going back to good quotes, something Lord Grantham said in season two stuck with me.  A maid asks him if he will be happy.  His reply:

"I have no right to be unhappy, which is almost the same."

That is totally, on the nose, how I feel a lot of the time.   The maid's response of "Almost.  Not quite." is so on point as well.  I am so damn (swearing for emphasis) appreciative of what we are doing - for the FS, for Nick's ability to pass all the crazy hurdles to get us here, for Mexico, for our housekeepers, for our happy, healthy children.  I have absolutely NO right to be unhappy!!!  I am acutely aware of this!!!  And yet I still have moments of nagging sadness, loneliness, what have you.  (Not right now though!  I am loving everything about everything!  I think Cubby has a poopie diaper, in fact, and I LOVE it!  Check back with me in 10 minutes though...)  This is all normal though, and that too, I know.  It's just fun to write about honest and obvious stuff sometimes. :)