The Internet

After eight months of waiting, our cable modem was finally installed yesterday!  This was a big day in the Bailey house.  We all talked to my parents on video Skype.  The kids were excited to SEE Mimi and Papa, Uncle Shannon and Aunt April, and, of course, the dogs!  We are looking forward to easier communication with our friends and family back home.

Random News and Quotes

Okay, I know it has been quite some time since our last post.  The family is all doing well here in Costa Rica.  Here is some recent news and quotes:

- Thomas and Claire are going to "school" (the daycare at the project) three mornings a week.  At first, they both cried and cried when we left them, but now they both like going.

-Claire is in the 6 month to two year class and eats the food at daycare.  We told her it was time to go to school and she said, "See babies!  Eat rice and beans!"  That girl loves babies and to eat Costa Rican food.

-Thomas likes school once he gets there.  During their walk to the project on Monday, he tried to convince Ali that school was closed that day.

-Thomas and Ali took the bus to HiperMas this week.  They sat down next to a little girl and her mom.  The girl exclaimed, "It's Tomas!"  Ali recognized her from school, and asked Thomas, "Is that girl in your class?"  He responded, "No mama, she's on the bus."  Thinking he misunderstood the question, Ali asked him again.  Thomas was more emphatic this time, "Mama, no, she's on the bus!" 

-Thomas and I were outside (in the garage) playing basketball.  I made a shot and Thomas told me, "Good job Daddy!  Give me a five!"  Oh, they grow up so fast.

The guard on our neighborhood has three street dogs that he has adopted.  The largest dog is a female with a sagging stomach.  Ali asked me if I thought the dog was pregnant.  I told her, no, but she has definitely has had puppies a time or two.  She thought for a moment and asked, "Is that what you think when you look at me?"

Thanks for checking in on us.  We would love to hear from you.

Home Again, Home Again

After a trip to see family and friends, we have been back in Costa Rica for just over a week.  We all had a great time in States (State, really - Georgia).  The kids loved seeing their grandparents and toys that did not make the journey here.  Ali and I enjoyed having a car again and the freedom to go to Kroger (or, nowhere) at any hour.

We were all excited to get back, though.  There is nothing like sleeping in you own bed.  The kids were overjoyed to see the toys that did make the trip and were content to play in the garage (err, courtyard) for hours.

I will post a few pictures when I have the time and patience to wait them to upload!  

In the States

We are in the States for short visit.  It just so happened that Thomas' birthday and the Kingdom Expansion Conference were on the same week.  Thomas was thankful for his 2nd and 3rd birthday parties (at the Bailey's and at the Burford's), and Ali and I were thankful to be here for the conference!  We will be around for another two weeks (in S.GA and Marietta).

Thirty-three

Greetings from Costa Rica! I apologize that it has been nearly a month since our last update. Thanks for checking in on us.

Ali’s parents were here for the week of Christmas. We all had a great time, especially the kids. They loved having the grandparents around. They also loved all of their gifts (thank you family!). It was sad to see them go, but hopefully they can come back.

The season has changed here and it is now officially verano (a.k.a. summer). During this transition we had a week of high winds. The wind battered our house and metal roof throughout the day and night (particularly at night), causing some minor damage. After a few days wind and sporadic power outages, the power went out for good on Thursday around 3:00 pm. At our house, no electricity means no cooking and no hot showers and no coffee! On Friday morning, no power. Friday at lunch, no power. After 24 hours, Ali called a taxi and took the kids to a hotel in the city. I came home from the project and was about to leave to join the family downtown, when I heard a shout of joy from a neighbor’s house… the lights were back! We stayed at the hotel anyway, though. I considered it an early birthday present.

My birthday came and went quietly last week. I am 33. At least two people commented that now I am the same age of Jesus… when he died! Thanks. However, it did make me think of how Jesus lived his life…fully surrendered to the Father and abiding in his love. Even though I don’t really know what this looks like (or were it will take us), I want to live this way.

Well, that is enough for now. Next time, if you are lucky, I’ll share some Thomas /potty-training stories.

Nos vemos pronto.

Panama

We traveled to Panama (the country) this past week. We had a great time and saw some interesting places. One of the pictures above is from the observation deck at Miraflores Locks on the Panama Canal. In the background, you can see a massive ship getting pushed into position to squeeze through the lock.

The other pictures are from our hotel room in downtown Panama City. Thomas liked the view (there was a construction site next to our hotel) and Claire enjoyed rolling around on the carpet (we have tile floors here). It was nice to see a new place, but we were all happy to get home to Costa Rica

It's a Charlie Brown Christmas...

Christmas is a BIG deal here in Costa Rica. Stores began displaying Christmas supplies in October, and nearly every house was decorated with lights and trees by the middle of November. We wanted a tree for our house, however, we knew it would not last long with two chicos under 3. The only small tree I could find was this cheap, M.i.C. table topper. It's not exaclty was we were looking for, but it will get the job done... this year.

Thank for checking in on the Blog. I'm sorry I do not keep it updated more regularly. We have a no-speed internet connection.... it is like communicating with refrigerator poetry. I am thankful we can connect from home, though.

I hope all is well.