Sleep - Here's hoping it happens tonight

After almost two weeks of no contact with our family back home in the States, we finally put our Skype account to work today with a call home to Mike's mom and my folks. It was wonderful to hear familiar voices and to have the boys huddled around the computer shouting 'we miss you and love you'. Perhaps Sunday will be our day to connect with family and friends.

Today was a tough one...I don't even know what time we awoke...everyone ended up in our bed this morning..totally doable in our king-size mattress back in Chicago, but the full mattress here in MV, leaves little room to even breathe when you have two additional three years olds in it. Needless to say, we all woke up cranky and 'needy'. Looking on the bright side, my arm muscles are getting a work out as both boys want to be held and carried when they are tired and cranky. We had hoped to attend the Catholic service in Santa Elena this morning, but with the lack of sleep, Mike ended up going to the Quaker meeting and I stayed home with the boys. Finally, both went down for a two hour plus nap which afforded Mike and I a chance to clean the kitchen. The contact paper on the shelves have been there no doubt for years and, after asking Mike whether I should peal it off or clean it, he promptly said, 'clean it, as you don't know what you'll find when you peel it off'. YUCK. We were able to salvage some old bins that the previous tenants had stacked up by the laundry area. John helped early in the a.m. to clean them out and we have already put them to use in the kitchen, laundry area and will have some left over to store and organize the boy's crafts. How's that for resourceful.
I actually took 1/2 hour to myself - got reacquainted with my IPOD and took a run/walk up toward the Cloud Forest Reserve. First music I had listened to in two weeks...music to my ears. My eyes were glued to the road and I didn't want to end up with a sprained ankle...the roads are a mix of dirt, mud and rocks, boulders that are embedded - so running may not paint an accurate picture, more like and 'obstacle course workout'. Mike took the boys out for a late afternoon hike while I finished cleaning. A late dinner and then games with the kids....tonight on the game menu - SIMON SAYS and CHARADES. It was great fun. The TV is not missed at all and the pure and minimalistic way of living leaves it open for making your own entertainment - engaging in your relationships rather than disengaging and sitting in front of the box.

Another week is starting...final week for Mike's orientation and then school begins the following. The boys will start then as well. My work back in Chicago is a distant memory...how did I do it? Working long hours, til midnight most nights, on the weekends...the priorities shift and now it is time to focus on my family and my boys. It is late, we all need some sleep so we can have four refreshed and happy creatures, as 5 a.m. wake ups from the roosters come mighty early.
Signed: S