The Munchkins

This week, it it is me and the kids... four days, three nights while Nicki and Scott are in Panama. Today the boys went to play at a park with Elle, our housekeeper, skipping their naps. And, despite my best efforts, Cameron fell asleep sitting up at about 4:30. It is 8:30, and I can here him singing in his room as I type this.










Getting four kids up in the morning is no easy task, especially when the first one stumbles down the steps at 5:20 am. Add to that both oral and cream medications for bacterial infections and a lost bathing suit for gym day and we are running to get out the door by 6:40, to be at school by 7. Backpacks, lunch bags, and a snack for the road. Check, and double check.










I hardly know what to do with myself when I get back to the house, wide awake at 7:15. At nine o'clock I am ready for another pot of coffee, hardly believing that I have been up for 4 hours already. And it is at this point that I think about my friend at the beach who asked if I wanted to have kids. My response was, ahorrita, no (in the immediate future, not so much)... and it is normal for women my age to have five-year-olds here... but for now, I'm okay with sleeping past 6am.

One of those days...

Today, I felt truely felt like a stranger to this country and its systems... I found myself looking at the clock, shocked that was only 11:30am. I had already made three trips to the airport (15-20min each way), about 30 phone calls, and 14 trips up and down the mountain.

Let me elaborate, and give you a little glimpse into my day- filled with the unexpected. My first trip to the airport, was on the schedule. I dropped of Nicki and Scott, who were planning on taking the 8:00 flight from Quepos to San Jose. They were headed to Panama for a few days. However, when I got home I got a call that their plane was not going to leave because of bad weather in San Jose. So I headed to the airport to pick them up. They were trying to get on the next flight (which was booked- so they were hoping that some people wouldn’t show)… so I was waiting with them at the airport, to pick them up so they could drive to San Jose. But Nicki had forgotten their camera, so I scooted back to the house, delivered the camera, and found them ready to board a 9:40 flight. Third trip was a charm. They were lucky to get on, but it worked great. You can’t control the weather, but we were able to work around it.

I go back to the office to make some phone calls, and run back to the house to change cars so I can get gas and run some errands in Quepos. On the way, I receive a call from Diego (our contractor) who tells me that in about 10-15 min., ICE (the electric company) is going to cut our power because we didn’t pay the bill. (Mind you, I got the bill two weeks ago and it is my job to pay it. Here, you don’t just send a check in the mail, but you go to the bank and have them transfer the money into the electric companies account. When I had gone two weeks ago, they said “no tiene pendientes”- that the bill was already paid and there were no charges to our account. Guess what. They were wrong).

So, at this point, I kind of panic. Because if they cut the line, word on the street is, it takes about three days to get the power hooked up again. Let’s recap. No power. Since our water is pumped to our house, no water. Anna is alone with the kids for three nights. This just cannot happen. To make a long story short, I went to the bank, who still said “No tiene pendientes”. I went to the pharmacy (where you can also pay utility bills), and their system was down. I go a bill-payment center, at which point I am running, and finally pay the bill.

Then I take the receipt to ICE, to show them that the bill is paid, hoping they will stop the process. Meanwhile, Elle (our housekeeper) is waiting outside our house, trying to stop any ICE man from cutting our line. I show the receipt, and the man chuckles at me and keeps saying things like “I hope it isn’t cut yet!”… and “I can’t call to stop him, because he is on a motorcycle and is on the mountain…” and “well, at least now we know you paid”… Not so much reassuring at all.

At this point, I have done all that I can, and am crossing my fingers that when I pull up to the gate, the electric door will open and all will be well. I find Elle, sitting at the end of our driveway. The ICE man did come on his moto, but he was a friend of hers. She explained the situation, and he said it was no big deal, and drove away. An anticlimactic ending to a very busy morning.

New Friend, Old Friend, Unwelcome Guest

While I was in San Jose, dropping off my family at the airport, I had the chance to both meet someone new, and catch up with an old friend. I met Elverth about seven years ago, in Sarchi, Costa Rica. He was one of the youth leaders in the church our missions team was visiting. I was able to work along side of Elverth and his group on four different trips, and we have kept in loose contact over the years. Since I have been here, he has been part of my Costa Rican "family", who has made me feel welcome and at home here. I had the chance to meet him, see his place, and catch up!

I also had the chance to meet Abigail, Silvia and Manfred's precious baby girl! (I went to her baby shower earlier this year). The family is currently living on at the Sonlife campus, and is planning on staying in Costa Rica until next August, when they will go back to Central Asia. I am hoping that they will have a chance to come and visit me in Manuel Antonio before they go, and that I can spend more time with Abi while she is here!

Not that I want to equate either of these amazing people with the following, but this has been a big deal in my recent day to day life. I have had a few "guests" in my house. To the left, is the smaller of the two. He was in my shower about a week ago. For those of you who know me at all, you know that I am on the verge of being arachnophobic. Well... this topped it. Last night, I had Scott come down to remove a very large, black, hairy spider from my closet. I swear, its legs were 3 inches long! I freaked. and may or may not still be dealing with it...

Family Visits! Part 4: More pics

Family Visits! Part 3: Canopy Tour

After being here for three months, I have started to forget that I live in the middle of a rainforest. One thing I have wanted to do ever since I have been here is go on a canopy tour. So, with the help of a friend, I got a great deal and booked a tour for the family.

To get to the tour, we needed to take a small bus through the banana plantations outside of Quepos and into the mountains. It was about a 45 min ride, and half way there, I was "that person". I hadn't felt well all morning, and the ride did me in... I definitely had to stick my head out the window to avoid a repeat of my second-grade sick-on-a-bus incident. But, afterward I felt better, for the most part, and was able to throw on a harness and zip a through the rainforest. Before we headed out, they fed us a "tico" breakfast, including rice and beans, eggs, fruit, coffee and juice. As you can see, Jonathan and Elliot cleaned their plates. I was still recovering.

The tour had 9 lines, 2 repelling lines, a suspension bridge, and lasted for about two hours. Here are a few shots of us enjoying the tour.

Family Visits! Part 2: Loving the Water

While we are just getting into rainy season, and had our share of afternoon rains, my family and I still had the chance to spend a lot of time on the beach, in the pool, and on the water. The boys bought a small soccer ball to knock around and everyone got beat up by the oceans waves. And while a lot of time was spent in the shade, it was still great to relax, puravida.

We also had a chance to go out on a boat called The Pink Panther. And pink it was. We took off from the harbor and sailed out to get a view of Quepos and Manuel Antonio from the Ocean. I was able to pick out our house! We sailed out and around the large rocks that you can see from my earlier pictures, and into the National Park.

While we were out we pulled into a small cove, where we were able to jump off the top balcony of the boat. You can see Elliot mid-jump. We swam to shore where there were hoards of crabs scurrying about the beach. Even though it started to rain, the water was warm, the view was amazing, and and we were served a wonderful meal of fish, mashed potatoes, and salad- all of which was prepared for us on the boat.

Despite the rain, it was a great trip (and we would have been stuck at home in the rain without power, so why not be on the ocean!?). The crew was talented and entertaining, and it was great to get a different perspective from the water. There's nothing like a great boat ride.

When I was in Colorado for a semester, I remember telling my mom about the mountains. I told her I loved the hiking, being outdoors, and the beautiful views, but that I missed the water. And while it has taken a while to get used to the salt, I know that I couldn't be in a place without waves and sand. And I am glad I got to share that with my family this week.

Family Visits! Part 1: Seeing my World

Last week (yes, I know, it took me a week to get this up), I had the chance to spend time with my family... in Costa Rica! Everyone flew down! Mom, Dad, and Elliot drove (the truck!) to Chicago, picked up Jonathan, and two flights and a three hour bus ride later, met me in Manuel Antonio.

One of the great things about the week was that my family had a chance to see my life. My apartment. My office. My favorite restaurants. (Including Agua Azul, a small place with a great view and amazing hamburgers. To the left, Jonathan shows off the burger, which is always a treat when I am craving a real taste of home). We hit up Cafe Milagro- the best local coffee shop, La Cantina- outdoor grill and great kabobs, and Monchados for late night Mexican cuisine.

They had the chance to see and experience the culture that I have tried to embrace since I have been here. They waited for me while I was in the tedious bank line, ate in local Sodas (mom and pop style restaurants), and walked the streets of Quepos. Elle (our housekeeper and friend) even treated us to traditional Costa Rican dishes, such as arroz con pollo. And to the right, you can see that I even tried my hand at patacones- a fried and flattened plantain that tastes amazing with guacamole.

Most importantly, they got to meet my friends, visit my church, see what I wake up to every morning, and get to know the Chandlers. I am not sure they were ready for the daily 6 am wake up calls (consisting of three small boys yelling into the screen door), but there were numerous pillow fights and soccer games. You can see that Elliot had to hold his own against the boys. They loved it!

I feel so blessed that my family was able to see my world, put faces with names, and enjoy the people and places that have been such a large part of my life over the past three months.