Where I was

I thought you all might want to see some pictures of Enma's house and the surrounding area so you would have an idea of where I was and where Davie is now.  Turns out I didn't end up getting a good shot of the house from the front, but I've got a fair amount that will help you get a picture of the area.  I uploaded all of my pictures to Walgreens and sent an email with the link.  If you didn't get the link and would like it, please let me know and I'll send it your way!

Okay, it's taking forever to upload photos tonight.  :P  Here's a start and I'll post more soon! 

The front yard - the close tree is a coconut tree and the tree behind it is a mango tree.  There should be mangos in March when I'm there!

The empty building across the street from Enma's house.  I have no idea what it's for or who owns it.

Another tree in Enma's yard - I love this one!

The top of Enma's house and the hills across the street taken from the hill behind the house that we used to try to get better access for internet / cell service.

The loudest rooster EVER!  He was really pretty though.

I love this picture of Davie and Eduardo.  My boys are cute!  :)

Eduardo is so sweet.

 

Thank you

I wanted to say thank you to all of you for following along on our journey and for sending us good thoughts and prayers as we make our way through this process and travel to foreign (for me anyway) countries. I also wanted to say thank you for the cards, emails, messages, etc that you've sent me since I got back (and even before / while I was gone). They've helped me stay strong, knowing I've got lots of people cheering me on. :)

It really hasn't been as hard as I expected, which is good. Although I wonder if it will get easier or harder the longer we are apart. The nice thing is that we can talk every day. The yucky thing is that service is non-existent in some areas and spotty at best in others, so we don't always talk when we want, but we're making it work. It's easiest when Davie calls me, which actually works out better cost-wise since the Nicaraguan phone carrier he is using does almost weekly specials on phone cards where we can buy a $10 card and get $50+ in credit. I'm not really sure how that works (seems kind of fishy), but I'll take it!

Because my parents are pretty smart, they got Davie and I matching 2013 wall calendars personalized with pictures of our life that we can use to count down the days until we see each other again. I've got mine hanging right by the light switch in the bedroom so it's the last thing I see before turning off the light. I love it! :) (We're at 71 days, in case you were wondering. :))

I promise to post more pictures soon. I've been very lazy since getting back, but I will get motivated! I did take down the Christmas lights (~20 strands and three extension cords - my husband has a thing for Christmas lights!) and tonight I cleaned the kitchen. I say I'm doing pretty well as both of those are Davie jobs normally. :) I've mostly been reading and watching tv. Not the most stimulating of activities, but they are keeping me occupied!

I wanted to share this quote by Maya Angelou that was emailed to me today and that I think is perfect for Davie and I:

"Love recognizes no barriers. It jumps hurdles, leaps fences, penetrates walls to arrive at its destination full of hope."

I certainly feel like Davie and I have jumped a lot of hurdles, with more still to come, but there's no one else I would want to jump them with and we have so much hope for our future!!

One down!!!

Davie went to Ocotal yesterday and today and got the police form for Nicaragua today!! Now we just need the Costa Rica form and we can get Davie's appointment scheduled at the embassy! It's nice to know he's making progress there without me. Because of various circumstances (language, car, job), I did a lot of the paperwork and legwork pre-Nicaragua and it's kind of nice to let him take the lead for a change. :-) Not that I've minded doing any of it, of course, and it's not like I was doing it all and he wasn't doing anything, but I definitely don't mind giving up some of the responsibility, that's for sure!

Davie also got his driver's license today, but still no motorcycle yet. Not that I mind that either! :-P

It's been much easier than I expected to be apart, but more boring too! :-) Of course the continued sickliness has kept me from doing much beyond just watching TV. I've got an appointment at the onsite clinic at work for Friday, but I'm going to try to get in tomorrow if they have a cancellation. At this point I don't feel too terrible but my sore throat is totally killer. Blah.

I'm loving being back at work. I'm on my own for the first time since I started the new job and it's scary and overwhelming and awesome. I think I'm going to really like the new job. Better pay, fewer hours and work that's actually fun and challenging? Can't beat it!

Home

I'm home!!  It's so nice to be back.  It is weird though.  The house seems big and empty and quiet being here by myself.  I loved living here by myself in the pre-Davie days, and I always thought I would have a really hard time if I ever got married getting used to having a guy around and having to make room for his stuff in my space.  Now I walk around and see all the places he used to have things and it all just seems empty.  However, it also seems clean and open, so I'm hoping maybe he returns with a few less things and my goal for this time apart is to go through my things and try to get rid of some things that haven't been used in a while.  I have things in boxes that have been in boxes since I left Texas 10 years ago.  It's time to either unpack the boxes and put those things somewhere useful or else to get rid of whatever is in there!  My plan is to go room by room and clean things out.  It might actually be a good thing that Davie is going to be gone for a while - I can see it taking me a looooong time to actually get the whole house sorted and cleaned out.  :)  But I need to go through things before he gets back if we hope to bring Eduardo with us.  I don't know much about kids, but I do know they come with A LOT of stuff!  :)  I've got to make some room for him!! 

It hasn't been as hard as I had expected.  I tend to build things up in my head, so I'm not terribly surprised that I had made it a bigger deal than it actually turned out to be.  As I've said before, I can be a bit dramatic.  :)  One of the things that helped put things in perspective for me Friday, as I was sitting in the Managuan airport, eating a breakfast sandwich and feeling like a freak as tears were falling down my face (not a lot of tears mind you, but some), was this article about a couple who found love letters and other mementos that had been hidden in their home by a previous owner.  The items were from the WWII era and the owner of the letters had been in the war.  One of the letters was quoted in the article as follows:

"My Dearest Stan, Sweetheart, it was hard to see you go this morning, knowing that it may be the last time I will see you for a time, which we don’t know how long it is going to be before we see each other again."

So many things about this letter made me realize how lucky Davie and I really are.  We live in a time where we have techonology to be able to talk multiple times a day, email, text, maybe video chat.  We'll be able to keep up with each other and know what each of us did during the day.  And, because I was able to visit Nicaragua, I can mentally picture where he is at any given moment and I know what it's like there from personal experience.  We also know when we will see each other again. I return on March 28th and my flight lands around 11:26am.  We have less than three months to go before we're together for six days.  And after that, I'll go again in May, July, September, November, December, etc., etc., etc. for as long as needed until he is able to return.  We don't have to wonder if/when we'll be together again.  We know we will.  And, because my parents rock, we have personalized, matching calendars to help us count down the days until we see each other again.  :)

We are so lucky in so many ways.  So while our house feels big and empty, I also am reminded of the love that we have for each other and the time that we spent having fun within these walls.  And I look around and picture the future when Davie and Eduardo are home, where they belong, and instead of focusing on empty spaces where things used to be, I see the spare bedroom as a kids room with a fort bed and toys scattered every where.  This time apart is necessary and will fly by, just like the three plus years Davie and I have been together have flown by, and then things will be even better than they have been up to this point!

I still have tons of pictures and videos to post from my time there.  I'll work on doing that as well over the next few days / weeks.  I'll also keep everyone up to date on the latest news from Nicaragua and let you know how things are going with the Visa.  Davie is planning on going to Octocal tomorrow to try to get the police form from Nicaragua.  He's also going to call Costa Rica to figure out what we need to do about that one.  He says he's already bored, but I imagine he'll find enough to do to keep him semi-busy.  His "job" for this time that he is in Nicaragua is to learn English!  So he has his Rosetta Stone and is planning on taking a class in Jalapa with one or more of his nephews.  That should keep him plenty busy! 

Thanks for all of the thoughts and prayers over the last few weeks.  We appreciate it!  It was certainly an interesting trip, but I am glad to be back in the land of running water, flush toilets, warm water showers that don't involve buckets or the outdoors, food that doesn't consist of rice and beans, English television, not seeing my food alive before I eat it, free clinics at work to help me get over whatever crude I came home with (sore throat - yuck!), and so many more things.  :) 

I hope everyone else had happy holidays as well!

I did it

So only a few tears!! But I know I'm not done crying yet. I just have to focus on getting checked in and through security first. :) We got here at 6:30, which was an hour and 45 minutes before the flight. But the lines are crazy and after 30 minutes I still haven't finished checking in yet. I'm not going to worry though. If I miss this flight, there's always another one. I'll get home eventually. :) I'm kind of glad I didn't shower this morning now - I'm already hot and gross. There is just nothing comfortable about traveling here!

It feels weird to not have Davie with me. I guess I'll have to get used to that for now.

Well I made it to the gate with 15 minutes to spare. Just enough time for the bathroom and to get something to eat. Perfect timing!

The bus

The bus is definitely the way to go. I actually feel safer in a bigger vehicle and the price can't be beat. We paid around $150 to Giovanni to pick us up in Managua and take us to Enma's house. Our bus tickets were around $6 total. So we're splurging on the hotel tonight and staying at the Hilton. We're going to do it right. :) I'm so excited!! A real bathroom and shower. It's going to be awesome!

The bus was great. The hotel is amazing. It's a good way to end the trip!! Tomorrow it's back to the States!! It was harder to leave Eduardo than I expected, but I knew I had to just walk away. That's my plan for tomorrow morning. Give Davie a big hug and kiss and the just make myself walk away. I can do it!! :)

The last day

Today is my last day in Muyuca with Davie's family. And, of course, I've been sickly! I feel bad about spending most of my last day resting, but better that I recoup now instead of being sick while traveling!

We are taking a bus to Managua tomorrow. It leaves from Jalapa and is a straight shot with no stops. Davie thinks that will be better than asking his BIL's cousin to drive us again. Since Davie is making a quick round trip, it does make more sense for him to take the bus back versus having Giovanni stay overnight in Managua too. I'm curious too see how the bus goes tomorrow. :) We've seen lots of buses on the road and they all seem decent. Hopefully it's not like the hotel though! :) (A better idea in theory than in practice. But at least now we'll know! And I'm only bringing one bag back, so it's not like when we were coming here and had half the house.)

I packed my bag this afternoon. Crazy to think my time here is almost done!

Jicaro and Domingo

Wednesday, January 2, 2013

This afternoon we are going to Jicaro to try to get the police form for Davie from Nicaragua. I bet we can't actually request and get the form today, but at least the request will have been made! I should really call it his police record since there's not actually a form, but that, to me, implies that he has a record, which isn't correct or something I like. :P So form it is. :)

Jicaro was better than Jalapa, in my opinion. It was cleaner and the streets were better and there weren't as many people. Of course, turns out he has to go to Ocotal to get the form, so it was kind of a wasted trip, but at least now we know! We have to go through Ocotal on Friday on our way to Managua, so we'll try again then. And it wasn't a completely wasted trip because I had some really awesome fried chicken there. :) I'm telling you, the fried chicken here is awesome!

It was also an even prettier drive to Jicaro compared to Jalapa. It was more country side. It was a fun trip.

However, before we headed to Jicaro, we had an unexpected visitor. Unexpected in that at this point, I figured he wasn't going to be making an appearance since we had already been here almost two weeks. Domingo (Sunday in English) is Davie's dad. He finally came by today to see Davie, who he hadn't seen or spoken to even in almost eight years. People are always randomly stopping by, so I didn't think anything of the latest visitor at first. Davie finally leaned over and told me it was his dad. He seemed nice enough. We showed him the wedding album and some other pictures from home. And then he left. I tried to see some of Davie in his dad and I really couldn't. They don't look anything alike. I definitely see him in his mom a lot more.

Tonight was a birthday party for one of Davie's many cousins. It was a lot of fun. Her name is Vanesa and she's Alfredo's sister. Their dad is in New York and they haven't seen him for the past eight years - basically half of Alfredo's life. I was talking to their mom about being strong when apart from your husband. She said its hard but they make it work. I know Davie and I will too!

It's a new year!

This has been a good first day of the new year. It's been another lazy day, which are my favorite kind! And I'm hoping that means that maybe this year will be slower and less stressful than the last. I read for awhile and Davie and I took a nap. It's been rainy for the fifth day in a row or something crazy. I think people are going a little stir crazy, honestly.

I made French toast this morning and actually got people to try it!! Everyone said they liked it and Eduardo had two pieces! It wasn't as good as what I make at home, but it was still good! I'm definitely ready to get back to the food at home. It's not bad here, but I still miss the food that I'm used to.

We didn't end up doing the fire crackers and stuff last night, so we did them tonight instead. They were too cool and I'll definitely be posting video when I get home. I know they are crazy unsafe, but they are too fun. :) I'm not a huge fan of the really loud ones, but the ones that just light up I like!

Melvin!!!!

Monday, December 31, 2012

I took a shower in the rain today. But at least now I'm clean!! Everyone makes a big deal out of bathing here. Random people will ask if I've bathed yet. Since I have a habit of being an every-other-day bather at home on the weekends, it's definitely made me a little self-conscious. :) Yesterday was cold and wet so neither Davie or I bathed. It's not the same skipping a day of bathing here as it is at home. I'm way dirtier here, even when I've been inside all day, doing nothing! So today's shower felt good. Cold water, rain and all!

We're getting ready to head to Davie's uncle Melvin's house. Melvin lived in Tulsa up until a year or so ago, so he's the only other person here that I know. We saw him Friday in Jalapa randomly and he's just so nice. I'm excited to get to see where he lives!

Davie's brother-in-law, Byron, went to Jalapa today and Davie had him bring back a bunch of fire works, sparklers and fire crackers for tonight. That should be fun. :P Supposedly one kind makes a Christmas tree. Which will be neat to see. I should have had him bring me some ear plugs! :)

So it cracks me up that the first night in Managua in our less than stellar hotel, I made the comment to Davie that at least we were together and there weren't bugs in the bed. Once we got to the MIL's house, I realized quickly that only the first part of that sentiment would now apply - there are bugs everywhere!! Not really everywhere, but there are a lot of bugs! The house has a roof, but it's not closed all the way around the house between the roof and the walls of the house. And there's no ceiling other than the roof, so things are able to get in pretty easily. Not the rain, only tiny drops of it come through now and then, but bugs and lizards and things. The other night we kept finding ants in the bed. I think Eduardo might have brought them in because he had been playing in the dirt. And last night we had a moth that didn't want to leave us alone. It's very freaky to have a moth fluttering around when you can't see it, only feel it. My legs are covered in bug bites. Which is partly due to going up the hill most nights in search of Internet, but also partly due to the bugs in the bed, I think! :) It's actually probably surprising that there aren't more bugs. I think that's part of the eating outside too - that way, when something drops, they know one of the animals will eat it before the bugs can get it and they don't have to worry about cleaning up. :)

Speaking of the animals, I decided this morning while watching one of the pigs sleep on the path to the bathroom and trying to decide if I should go a different way or try to sneak past him that I don't mind looking at pigs and chickens from afar, and they can be really cute from a distance, but up close in the same living space really isn't as fun. :) They are soooooo noisy! It's hard to go to sleep at night because they are squawking around and they wake us up at night and VERY early in the morning. I thought roosters only crowed at first light! If that's the case, the roosters here can't tell time - they crow all day long! And all night too! :) I thought we would get some peace and quiet in the country, but I was wrong. :) Of course all that went out the window when we say baby pigs on the way to Melvin's house. :) Then I couldn't wait to get one! They were so cute and tiny!

Today at Melvin's was a great day. It was one of those days when things just feel right and like you're where you are supposed to be. The food was good and everyone was very nice and Melvin's house was pretty nice, all things considered. Melvin has two daughters and two sons and two grandsons. His oldest daughter and wife are in Spain working. His youngest daughter is very pretty and polite and wants to be a vet when she grows up. I hope that works out for her - going to college is definitely not the norm here. But I think Melvin will try to make it happen for her. Maybe Davie and I could sponsor her to come to the US for school in exchange for free vet services when she finishes. :) That could work out to be a good deal for us, considering the amount we pay a year on the cats and Bella! :)

Melvin asked how I was liking Nicaragua and I said that its definitely different, but nice too. Even he made the comment that it's not nearly as comfortable as the US! I know Davie has had some adjustments to make coming back here as well. He had been in the States for so long, I think he had gotten used to the comforts offered there. Neither of us are loving the bathroom situation or the cold showers! Davie wants to try to put in a flush toilet for his mom, but they aren't sure there's enough water to make it work. She gets water delivered everyday. She does have a water line, but she's normally not able to get water from there. Davie said there's not enough water pressure to get water all the way to her house. So she gets water delivered instead and fills up this big concrete tank with it and she uses that throughout the day. That's also what we use to shower with. Some houses here have these big, black, plastic containers that catch rain water and that's what they use to shower / create a flush toilet. Other than the rainy season though (and the last few days, I guess), there's normally not a lot of rain. So it may not work. I told Davie that's his goal for the next three months though - try to figure out how to install a flush toilet and then do it. :) (That is in addition to his learning English goal. He has just a few things to do in the upcoming months.) I'm sure there won't really be a flush toilet when I get back in March, but it would be nice!

Did you know coconuts don't grow on the tree in the brown, round ball shapes like I feel like I've seen on TV? Melvin had coconut trees in his front yard and the guys acted like it was the greatest thing. We had barely pulled up before they were climbing a tree to try to get to the coconuts. I don't really understand the attraction. The coconut water didn't taste like much to me and the flesh didn't really either. And, on top of that, they are a lot of work!!! The "coconut" part like I knew it was hidden inside this big orange-yellow pod and the guys had to use a machete to cut through the pod to get to the coconut. And then you have to cut open the coconut to get to the water and the cut it up to get to the flesh. It seemed like too much trouble to me! But it kept the guys busy and out of trouble, so it's probably worth it. :)

The little boy is one of Melvin's grandsons. I just thought he was too adorable!! And his eyelashes are crazy long. You can't tell in the picture, but he's hit naturally what all those false eyelash places are selling for big bucks! He was a very pretty little boy. But most of the people here have been very attractive. Not sure how that works! :) Although I guess most of the people I've met have been related to Davie, and I find him attractive, so one would expect his family to be as well, I think. :) Seriously - his family is crazy big. I really need a family tree to be able to keep them all straight!

My boys are so cute. :) I think they are very happy to be together again!!