i could tell you ...

We have been in Taganga over a week now. I've sat down to write so many times, I know people are waiting. Waiting to hear what we are doing, where we are living, what we are seeing, feeling. I know. Truth is, its been a long week, a very long week. I knew it was going to be hard. I didn't know it was going to be really hard. I've been wanting to write, I have, but I can't put my finger on what to write.

I could tell you about the rain, how much of it there has been. How gross the beach is from the rain. How there is no hot water, not for a shower or to wash cloths. How the rain makes the air wet and my cloths take forever to dry because, yeah you guessed it, there are no dryers. There is barely a washer. I could tell you how I ate corn arepas for 3 meals yesterday. Oh by the way, I don't eat corn. Well I should say, I didn't eat corn. I could tell you its been harder on Luis and I than I imagined. Not on me or him but on us. I could tell you how our stuff is still sitting in the container at the port because we failed to plan. Failing as in we didn't know we had to pay a ridiculously high tax to bring our things in. The difference between 10% and 26% is a lot, a lot when you're talking about thousands of dollars. I could tell you about how badly I want out things. Or what I would do right now for a highchair or food, any food that's not corn. I could tell you how we are living in 1 room again only this room has the tiniest little bathroom and no closet. I could tell you its hot, like really hot and how we sweat all the time. I could tell you how home sick I am. Not for food or culture but for people, for comfort.

I could tell you about all those things but I wouldn't want to bore you.

What I will tell you about is how much Spanish Nico is speaking in just 1 week. Not instructed Spanish but speaking on his own, knowing what to say when and how to say it. I will tell you about how grateful I am that we have a washer right by our room and don't have to send our cloths out with the high possibility of not coming back. I will tell you that the rain will pass soon and it leaves behind a refreshed beach. Clean, ready for business, for the high season. I will tell you the rain makes the nights cool enough to sit outside and listen to the ocean. I will tell you how happy I am they cook everything in oil and I haven't had a single dairy or gluten issue. I will tell you that in Colombia its law to label gluten. Ah happy day! No reading every Spanish label wondering if I'm about to get sick. It's right there is big bold letters, "contiene gluten". I will tell you that we found a store that sells gluten free pasta, cookies and carries rice milk. Okay, yeah its still corn but could be worse. I will tell you this again, this makes me so happy! I will tell we were blessed with some help to get our things. I will tell you the business looks promising and that we will be up and running, ready for the tourist season. I will tell you how I met multiple contacts for a teaching job. I will tell you about the homeopathic doctor I was connected with and how she tests and treats food allergies. I will tell you they have soccer leagues here in town for women. I will tell you about the beautiful farm we went to yesterday. A coconut farm on the beach in the rainforest. I will tell you how cool it was to swim in the river, looking up at the mountains and out at the ocean.

I will tell you all these things because these things are what matter.

 

Negative thinking only does one things, breads more negativity. And I don't have time for that. Truth is, this place needs even bigger prayer than I thought. That's okay. I've got nothing but time and a really big god on my side.

 

I'm not sure this is the first post you were expecting to see but its all I've got right now. Thanks for reading. And thank you for your prayers.

 

Peace & Grace







Nicolas Tomas

I want to tell you that I loved you even before I knew you,

 but I can't,

 because I didn't.

You see, you were not supposed to be apart of my carefully crafted plans.

The ones where I could be free.

There was no story for you and me.

 But god had other plans.

 In that time, I was learning that god very often has other plans.

So I trusted.

I remember feeling like I wouldn't ever actually carry you home.

As if some magical thing would happen and you weren't really mine.

  Like I might actually be able to be free.

 

But it didn't.

You very patiently came into this world.

 Way too small, I swore you weren't ready.

But you were.

We struggled in the beginning, you and me.

You wouldn't eat, gain weight or be the right color.

I was tired.

I took care of you, I cared for you, but I don't know I loved you.

Not yet at least.

 

 Every day, one by one, you made me fall more and more in love with you.

I could never love another like I love you.

You and me, we got healthy together. We got happy together.

Your laugh fills a room and your smile captures audiences.

You ask me if I'm okay when I sneeze and kiss my boo-boos.

 You love your baby Char.

You are kind, compassionate, passionate, fierce, a voice, a fighter.

You and me, we're a lot alike.

Everyday I want to know you better, listen to you, see you.

 

I pray for you.

You heart.

Your eyes.

Your ears.

Your path.

Your purpose.

Your faith.

Your hope.

Your love.

For more of you and me.

I'm not sorry I didn't love you then,

 because I know what not loving you is like,

and it makes me love you a hundred times more now.

You restored my hope, my faith, my peace, my purpose.

You are my light.

 

I couldn't have crafted a more perfect story.

I'll never stop loving you, as long as I live.

You could never change my love for you,

nothing you can ever do,

will make me stop loving you.

 

Thank you for the best 2 years of my life.

There's never going to be enough time for you and me.

 

Happy 2nd Birthday my perfect prince!

I love you!



 

 

 

 

 

 

Medellin On My Mind

Friday, October 11th will stand out in my mind for the rest of my life. October seems to get me every time. The last few days before we left, I wondered what it would feel like to actually get on the plane. Not specific emotions but literally- what would it feel like? What does leaving everything you have ever known, everyone you love, your way of life and heading to a completely new place feel like?

The truth is I felt nothing. Too many conflicting emotions to feel much of anything. Does it scare me I wasn't more excited- no. Does it make me feel guilty I was excited to move away from everything- no. I'm not sure it has hit me yet, that this is real. We are really doing this. Right now I feel like taking it all slow, taking it all in. I have so much to learn.

The day we arrived the Colombian National soccer team was playing against Chili in a World Cup qualifier match. In the US, this doesn't mean much of anything to anyone unless you love soccer. Colombia needed at least a tie to clinch a spot in the 2014 Cup in Brazil. It was like something I've seen in a movie before. There were 7 of us (at least) sitting around a little TV in a tiny apartment bedroom watching anxiously as Colombia was down 3-0 to start the second half. Although I'm never an unbiased sports watcher, Colombia had more than a few calls go their way. The result? Fire works for hours, cars honking, people cheering so loudly we heard them 10 stories up and a country so excited to be going to the world stage. I can honestly say I have only ever seen Americans as passionate about negative events. Americans seem to come together when things go wrong. But this, this was different. This was really cool. So I couldn't help but feel privileged to be apart of something so very cool. Fireworks and all.

When we landed we stayed in Medellin for 2 days with Luis' cousin. I've wanted to visit since Entourage sparked my curiosity about the city and the role it has played in so much history. Well I was not disappointed. Not. At. All. I found out Medellin was named the 2013 Most Innovative City in the World, cool huh? And you ask what there is to do in Colombia? The city is nested in a beautiful lush valley surrounded by fields of flowers and filled with birds making beautiful music. Here is my stab at 3 reasons you should love Medellin without being too specific:

1: The malls. Malls, yes malls. I was impressed. They will amazing. The first had a huge 4 story center sliding roof that opens so the fountains could do a show certain times of day. The second had 3 different amusement type parks on the inside (zip lining included). Both obviously filled with beautiful stores and restaurants. 2: The weather is perfect (in my opinion). When we woke at 6am in was in the low 60's, by lunch it reaches the mid 70's, followed by an afternoon shower which cools the evening and night off right again. No need for A/C. We even needed a jacket at lunch, rough right? 3: The first morning we woke to a Saturday Organic Market right outside our window. Lucky, yes but still awesome! The streets are busy but not only with cars but bikers, walkers, dogs and families. It like a mini NY city full of sophistication, culture, originality and life. So if life presents you with the opportunity to visit Medellin or any of Colombia, I hope you take it. I hope you won't be disappointed, I wasn't!

I imagine from reading this post you'd think I was in denial about moving, as if I feel like I'm on vacation, but I don't. I'm typically not one at a loss for words or unable to explain my feelings. All this feels like whatever it is right now and that's okay. I'm not going to try to figure it out. Today, just today (or for a while), I'll just take it all in.

Tonight we arrived in Santa Marta ... post coming soon!

Peace & Grace