Tuesday, October 14, 2008

Landslide

The Inter-American Highway begins in Nuevo Laredo, Mexico, and passes through Central America before its terminus in Panama.  In Costa Rica, this "highway" (really a two lane road) crosses the highest mountain range in the country as it winds from San Jose to the southern frontier.  This section of the Inter-American is notoriously dangerous and travelers are often subject to delays due to car accidents and landslides.

As a result of heavy rains, one such landslide happened a few days ago.  This landslide completely closed traffic through the mountain range.  Some friends of ours were on a bus, returning from a short vacation in Panama.  Their bus and countless other cars, trucks and buses are still stranded south of this natural roadblock.  What was supposed to be a 3 day trip, is now on day 9, and counting.

Now, pretend that I-75 was ONLY road that connected south Georgia and Florida to Atlanta.  If there was a landslide that blocked traffic on I-75 in, say, Cordele, can you imagine being stuck there for a week while workers tries to clear and repair the highway?

Wednesday, October 8, 2008

A Year of Changes

Sunday marked the 1 year anniversary of our arrival in Costa Rica.  Over the year, it's been amazing to see how much the kids have grown.  In October of last year, Claire was still such a baby.  She could not yet walk and just had a little bit of hair.  See for yourself...



Thomas has grown, also.  The transformation physically and mentally from 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 is incredible.



More later on our year in another country with little kids...

Sunday, October 5, 2008

"I Always..."

I don’t know about general rules that I live my life by but I do have some “I always…” statements.  Hope you enjoy this rare glimpse into my strange life.  Ali


I always look at my children sleeping before I go to bed.


I always subconsciously cross my big toe on both feet over the toe next to it and slightly wiggle them off and on with rhyme but without reason when I’m sitting down.


I always laugh at commercials where people either fall down, get hit in the head with something, or both.  It gets me every time.


I always count while I pee…it’s true.  I’ve done it since childhood.  I cannot explain.  (okay, I might have to delete this one…tmi.) 


When eating in a restaurant, after factoring in being left handed and being able to sit next to Claire so she can eat off of my plate, I always sit in the seat where I will be least likely shot in the back.  I am a strategist. 


I always save the best bite for last.  Always- whether it is a bite of cake with the most icing, dorito with the most cheese, or part of the pancake with the most syrup and butter on it.


I always get internally irritated when someone takes a bite off my plate and they choose what I had deemed from the beginning the best bite.  I just don’t know where to go from that point especially since I always eat the second to the best bite first.


I always have the ability and desire within me to sleep for fourteen hours a day- but I rarely get the chance- which is probably good.


I always feel better no matter what happens when Kyle tells me “Everything is going to be okay” whether or not it really is going to be.