Things that make life good ...

• Knowing Louie is comfortable and happy wherever he is (which is wherever he wants to be except outside).
• Listening to Nahum play his “flute” along with the radio. He HAS TO HAVE music. He has to. It calms his soul and makes him happy. He is normally shy … but with music, he is outwardly happy, and forgets he's in the room with us.
• Studying Spanish (or English) with Gener or Nahum while we’re both in the same hammock … helping each other speak correctly in each others’ language AND feeling like it’s the most natural thing to do. There’s no embarrassment … just encouragement and correction.
• Laughing at Saul’s silliness, which spurs him on to be mas loco. He’s a very dramatic nut ball.
• Breezy (sometimes windy) mornings and evenings that sweep away the hot air.
• Good coffee and time to sit and enjoy it.
• Grocery shopping with the boys in big markets or road-side stands, and seeing the delight on the boys’ faces that we are able to buy food. It’s fun to let them choose. It’s like you gave them a million bucks!
• Having the shopping cart always pushed by the boys (I don’t like pushing a shopping cart). They boys have to take turns … somehow or other they think it’s a great thing.

More later ...

Boys, bugs and laughter

Spring break for the boys (and us!) is over. We pick up Gener from the bus stop today, and then we’re starting anew. Saul and Nahum returned from Waslala on Monday – Gener stayed a few extra days – so we’ll all be together again in a few hours. Both John and I were very thankful for the break, as I was actually daydreaming about “packing it in.” That is a bit of an exaggeration, but it was a relief to be able to think of that option! With sickness and antics, it was difficult for us.

Monday night when Nahum and Saul returned home to us here in Managua, they were tired from standing for the entire 9-hour!! bus ride. They were not able to sit at all because the bus was very crowded. I picked them up at 1pm, and when John got home at 9pm they boys were more tired still, but they wanted to talk. So, the four of us sat and talked, and we learned many things that they are now willing to share. They are not new things to them, but they’re willing to share it and the info helps us understand them better. It was a very valuable time, and one of the best parts was that they chose to open up about life in “el campo.” We didn’t ask them. They wanted to stay up and talk! This discussion illuminated the reasons they chose NOT RETURN to the mountains in 2005 after their mother died. The jig-saw puzzle of their life is beginning to come together. With every new piece, we understand more … see more … and feel more for them.

During these 4-5 days with only Nahum and Saul, we’ve seen a different dynamic. Saul, though he is leaving, is the “glue” between our two boys who are very different from and also are not that fond of each other. Wow. The things you learn! Anyway, it will be interesting when Saul moves to Indiana (mid-May?) as the peacemaker will have left.

The night they came home, we had a “picnic” on the back lawn, complete with a big OFF candle. There aren’t any mosquitos yet, but it was a nice touch and helped us see the food. As the meal ended, Nahum took a knife and fork and “played” the juice jug, the salt shaker and the chicken dish as though they were drums. He got a pretty good rhythm going, and Saul was being a silly boy making faces and moving to the rhythm of the jug/shaker and dish. It was hysterical. We were laughing and having a great time until I noticed a big cricket-looking thing walking across my mid-thigh on my light tan pants. Thank God I was wearing something light so I could see it! I screamed ‘bloody murder’ which shocked Saul (who then screamed too). Then there was Nahum … fork and knife in mid-air … who did not react, but just stopped and looked at us with a question mark on his face. It was really funny. And funnier still was Saul who later told me that he was embarrassed because I made him scream like a girl. I have such a riot of fun with these guys.

There are a lot of bugs, and I hear from the boys that the ones in and around our house are nothing (in size) when compared to the 8” spiders that live in “el campo” in the mountains. Etc etc. I think they stand in wonder at me when I either 1) scream when I see a big bug, or 2) make them kill it for me. I have been told by Nahum after he’s obediently squished a bug that “I am sure he wanted to live.” He says it in such a dead-pan voice that I still don’t know if he’s kidding or not. The bug thing is getting easier, but I just don’t like surprises. I am SHOCKED at how fast a centipede runs. I always thought they would crawl slowly with their teeny legs, but those things go MUY RAPIDO. And it’s scarey. And yes, I scream. And then Nahum kills it for me. You get the picture :).

It’s time to drive to the bus stop and pick up Gener. And so another dynamic (and much more activity) will change life here. It’s a constant change, and I guess that’s good. It’s causing me to really look at life, to really be flexible and as they saying goes, "It's all good."

Our "first fruit" ...

We have a tall avocado tree in the back yard - and we just were given the first avocado off of the tree. As you can see (and as we were told), bats nibbled on this fruit ... so it's a little ragged.

There are many more avocados on the tree. We just hope the next ones are "whole."

It's "Spring Break" aka Holy Week here

This is a picture of the boys the evening before they left to visit their dad and extended family in the mountains to the north of Matagalpa. They are Gener (ice cream), Saul (guitar), and Nahum (playing the flute with his nostrils). They are happy, silly and much younger in every way than their ages (16-1/2, 13-1/2 and 18 in April). We're glad that they're not older than their years ... that's for sure.

This trip will be the last trip the brothers will make to the mountains together, as Saul will soon be leaving for the United States. It appears that his adoption will be complete in late April or early May. Everyone has suffered through the tortuous process, so we'll soon see the end of their childhood together and the beginning of new lives (separated). Saul didn't get to visit the family over the Christmas holiday, so this is a good opportunity and "adventure" where they can all be together one last time.

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It's also good that we get a break. The task is difficult, but we keep our eyes on the fact that we have a good reason to be here: their education so they can support themselves in the future. We are encouraged when we see even small changes such as table manners, improved English and a growing bond. They DO appreciate their new teeth (the last four crowns were "installed" Thursday) and the big, good dinners they get. Our motto is "take all you want, eat all you take." And that has morphed from taking way too much ... to learning to take a lesser amount and go back for seconds. They've learned! They appreciate. The looks in their eyes (BIG SMILES) when they go back for seconds is priceless.

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Our main challenge has been overcoming their idea of what we would be like! With team after team, year after year, kids in the orphanages equate North Americans with soccer games, going to the beach, candy, gifts and movies (and more). So, no matter what we SAID (like, we're here to make sure you have a home and an education for a better life), they HEARD (we'll get an education inbetween all the constant activities of the North American lifestyle). When we finally put that together and talked about it with the boys, the lights started coming on for all of us. And now the path is illuminated by that light ... so if it should start to be a "when are we going to ...." we can quickly bring them back to their education, how they're doing in school, and the basic stuff first. We can always add the rewards and treats. They are malleable and they're good boys, but they have tested the limits - and we sincerely hope the boundary testing is over hahahahahaha (but we won't place any bets on it). We'll just have our eyes wide open.

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So, our week off now is good because it's quiet. We had our friends, Wil and Karen (from Colorado) stay with us a few nights and we took them to their language school in Managua this morning. Now we're totally alone (except for Louie). Life is good. We're recharging for the "next round."

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We've found some new friends (North Americans) in Nicaragua that we didn't expect, and it's SO NICE to be able to exchange stories and laugh, and begin more friendships. We're looking forward to coffee / dinner / just hang time with each of the couples ... see ... life IS good! It's not all teenage boys.

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As a matter of fact, it soon will be another Forward Edge team ... so John is getting ready for that next Saturday. And there will be another team immediately after that team leaves ... which is a returning team from Sarasota, Florida ... so it'll be nice to see old friends and work together on their projects of interest.

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Pray for us when you think of it. Life isn't easy. But character isn't made without hardship either. The boys are worth it. And we're being re-tooled too!

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We love you all.

Louie "putting up with" Nahum

... just barely.

Silly boys with our "dollar store" glasses

They don't wear glasses, but there are so many pairs around here ... they like to wear them and be silly.

Any time is hammock time ...

It's been some time since we've posted ... and it's not just because we've been swinging in the hammocks by any means, however we make time for the hammocks every night. We live in the foothills and there has been a breeze most every day and night - but unfortunately the breezes are slowing down. Also unfortunate is the fact the temperatures are heating up. The month of April supposedly has the highest temperatures of any month, and it feels like it's making a run at it now ... it's really heating up.

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The boys are in school and are approaching their exams (next week). Then they have "Holy Week" (in this Catholic nation) and they'll be on break from Mar 14 thru the 24th. They want to take a looooooong bus ride to visit their father, sister and family members in Waslala during some of that vacation time. So, we will drive them to the bus station at the end of next week and have a little "exhale" from the parenting thing for a couple of days.

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The house, though lovely, has many problems which we are correcting slowly and as we are able. This week we're having the inside of the cupboards tiled so they can actually accommodate "things." They were cast in the crudest of cement, were very uneven, were mildewed (p.u.) from leaky plumbing, and it was both impossible and unwise to put anything inside the cabinets under the countertops. Soon, though, we will have much of the kitchen CLUTTER hidden. YEA! Though it is "Nica time" and we understand the meaning of the term oh so well now, we "think" we'll have a clutterless kitchen by Friday.

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Saul is still with us, but he will probably be able to leave Nicaragua in April or May. He is our private translator and a lot of fun. We'll miss him!

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We're safe and sound, in a different lifestyle completely - but we're walking one day at a time and drawing closer to each other.

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I will post pictures next as they are so much better than words!