Holidays

We had the typical holidays that were both happy and horrible.

The Honeymoon

Sean came for a visit and we were on a honeymoon. We showed him our favorite places and the magic that fills our days.

Sean got to ford our river that is now low in the dry season… but still fun.

We took him to the sea turtle reserve where mama turtles were laying eggs and nearby babies were hatching

I love the squinting expression on Leo's face as he studies her plopping an egg out one at a time

We let Maya hold one that was dying from the vultures eating off his front arm

All done and the long struggle back to the ocean before the vultures peck her to death.

 

More mama turtles are coming in with the waves.

The kids have sticks to shoo away the vultures, who peck the sea turtle mamas to death and scoop up the babies who just made their way to the ocean. It's a brutal lesson in the cycle of life and the odds against surviving.

 

Nice! Diesel fuel in water bottles

Sean's victory

Sean took up surfing and so did the kids

Our Xmas tree

And although we celebrated Christmas more than Hanukkah, we really understood the Hanukkah lesson of making a little go far. With few resources, we made our own interpretation of finding what is available and making it work. The kids got Santa letters recognizing their special personalities, iTunes downloads and paper airplanes and they couldn't have been happier.

We found an island:

It's not as deep as it looks

Some La Luna smoothies

So after these few wonderful days, we endeavored to leave our small village to the "big city" for the day and we got in a car wreck. Everybody is fine but the damage is costly. 2 days later our truck broke down. In a true lesson of life in this remote area, it will take a month to receive the parts. When we tried to get a rent-a-car, the cost was obscene because it is high tourist season, and anyway none of the companies had a car available in the area. We've been walking for a couple of weeks which poses its challenges in 90 degree weather with 3 young kids.  The dust is suffocating and trucks speed past us.

It is hitting us that this area is prone to mishaps and solutions are few and far between, not to mention costly.

This holiday has given new perspective on our ability to stay here long term. We are lucky that now our only problem is car trouble but if it were more serious, I'm not sure how I could manage alone. I think this is a beautiful place but it poses extreme and perhaps unnecessary challenges to be here alone with 3 kids who are still so young.  We also had a revelation that this is supposed to be the simple life but some things are far more complicated. It makes me appreciate the simple life we had in Germany. It was not extravagant, just simple (and cold).

Well, it might just be our 4 month homesick blues...

House rental

So the last 2 posts were pictures for Sean to see the new place we will rent. I decided to move out of our small gated community and try living on my own near the beach. These pictures were taken when the place is getting fixed up but when you are there in person, it is beautiful. The rent is almost the same as what we are paying now but the house is bigger, it sits on 2 lots, we will have our own private pool and a separate cottage "casita" for friends and family to visit. BYOH -There are hammocks and hammock hooks everywhere! The property is 300 meters walk to our favorite beach, Playa Pelada. We move in February and I'm really excited.

House

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Rental

Looking from the house at the drive way, gate and entry road

Garage

Main house outdoor shower

Guest house bath

Gazebo by pool with 4 hammocks

Guest house

Guest house back

 

Guest house kitchen

 

Guest house front

 

 

Pool

 

Garage

 

 

 

Art as life

I am now approaching my 90 day mark and the only thing I was uncomfortable with was my uncertainty about being/staying here. After a particularly rough week and feeling pretty disconnected, I had a great day on the beach with the kids. Actually most of the trips with the kids are awesome. I went from feeling funneled into a small space with them to feeling like I can really spend quality time with them. I’ve grown particularly close with Oliver and I love my kids here. In all honesty, I hate this particular phase, where they have different developmental needs and the sibling rivalry is insane, but if it is a necessary course, I’d rather have it here. What solidifies all of this sudden comfort in my uncertainty is the kids: their conversations, their new found discoveries and their drawings. I am moved to tears by Maya’s drawings (-and Leo’s, they are just more abstract.)

Maya depicting herself with the activities of the day in boxes above:

bonfire building, swimming pool and home

 

My personal favorite: Mom and Maya in the waves

 

Maya going down a waterfall near a treehouse:

 

Maya and Leo on the rock cliffs overlooking the ocean and the fishermen in the distance; the fish is a "cool looking" yellow and black fish that they saw and insisted I missed out on (while watching Oliver on the beach) so they had to draw it for me:

 

Flower clouds over fishermen trying to catch huge eels under the pink sunset:

I love the elaborate explanations.

 

The kids have become so connected to the natural environment and they have entered a space of pure childhood, one that is disappearing in much of the social and educational environments in North America and Europe. There’s only one chance at childhood and people spend the rest of their lives reflecting and celebrating or lamenting and mourning their childhoods. I see my kids blossom here and I want them to take these associations throughout their lives. I want these trips to the beach to be the catalyst for the trips they will take with their kids. I ask them to smell things all of the time, especially Leo because he is so prone to comment on how things smell. I want them to have a sensory repertoire of everything we are doing now.

I decided to stop worrying about how long we are staying, about how far my commitment to this place will run. I want to just enjoy seeing my kids grow here now. I want to save all of these drawings.

I came here because I wanted my kids to feel the thump-your-chest call from within and feel free to express that. I watch Maya and Leo walk way out to the furthest rock, where the waves crash the hardest against the rock. They stand there drawn to the intensity of the ocean, absorbed in observation and moved by the power of the water.

They get it!

Everyday

Sean has been asking for more pictures but it is really more of the same. I guess in paradise those are photo worthy moments to post.

This is Leo playing "You can't catch me" with the waves:

 

Maya loves tree climbing and the low trees near the beach are the best

 

I want to be the dog in this picture:

 

The kids love to see what the fishermen bring when the boats come in:

 

This older boy started playing ball with the kids and Leo loved it. I think it filled his need for big boy time:

 

Tire swings, ropes, boats and tree climbing

 

Maya in her moment:

 

Leo is encouraging Oliver to jump: