Siem Reap

I have fallen off the blogging wagon again. It happens. I am back, if only for a moment, to play a little catch up. We will start with our visit to Siem Reap.

We intended to stay in Siem Reap for four days, though we were hoping to be ready to move on in three. We enjoyed the city more than we thought we would and ended up staying for an entire week! The number one reason for this was not, in fact, the Angkor Archealogical Site, beautiful as it was, but we stayed for the food.

Food is usually the number one thing that makes or breaks a town. Food or hammocks really. Across from our hostel was another hostel with an awesome restaurant. It was cheap and delicious -- two things we adore. We had plenty of traditional Khmer food. The interesting thing about Khmer food is that we can't find the same meals in different restaurants... they all seem to serve different "traditional' Khmer food. how does that work?

Aside from the food, which was excellent, we also enjoyed the Ankgor Archealogical Site. We purchased a three day pass as there was much to see and we wanted to take our time seeing it. The only thing that disappointed me in the park was the lack of information given at each site. There were billboards that explained the conservation of the sites, but nothing to tell of the history or significance of the massive temples. I think that would have helped me connect a bit more. Instead I was just in awe of how beautiful they were, but I would have appreciated and enjoyed reading about the people who lived there and what they were used for. Some of the sites held entire cities!

On our first day in the park we decided to bicycle from our hostel to Angkor Wat. Angkor Wat was about 5 km from our hostel and we ended up leaving later than we anticipated, at 09:30. It was already hot and humid, but we made it. We spent a few hours walking around and appreciating the sites and sounds. We watched monkeys playing in the forest while we had a snack and we climbed many many stairs. The Wat was beautiful! Stunning in fact, especially when one considers the time in which it was built. The heat and humidity wiped us out and at 14:00 we decided to head home rather than continue on to other temples. After all, we still have two more days of exploration ahead of us.

We hired tuk tuk drivers and did a full day tour and a half day tour on the following days. All the temples were amazing, but they start looking the same after a while. We were pretty templed out by the end of the third day so it is a good thing that the last temple we visited, Ta Prohm, was our favourite.

Ta Phrom was absolutely stunning! I enjoyed it because it was an engaging juxtaposition of tree and stone, organic and inorganic, thriving and ruin. It was breathtaking and mysterious and awesome!  This temple was unique; you never knew what would be around the next corner or through the next doorway. It wasn't necessarily the temple itself that created this mystery, but the unexpected dominance of nature. It was amazing to see giant trees growing over, between, and through the stone structure. Even so, the trees didn't appear to bring destruction, they only added to the beauty. As I said, it was absolutely stunning.

Play Date!

I missed another play date with my six favourite littles. My jealousy was outweighed by my pure delight of seeing them all together. Oh to be snuggled on the couch with the lot of them.

The three youngest hardly resemble the babes I left four months ago. Our reunion will be oh-so-sweet, though I am anticipating stranger-danger from at least four of them.

Elinor is four months younger than Peyton and Avery (half their age) and she is the same size as them. This comes as no surprise as her big sister was ahead of her class in size.

Just look at them! Oh how I love them.

{this moment}

{this moment} - A Friday Ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

Wishing you a fabulous weekend!

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Wasting Away

My muscles (my entire body) has been wasting away.

W.A.S.T.I.N.G.A.W.A.Y.

And I'm not exaggerating. It is almost worrisome. I still feel and look healthy (though quite skinny), but I have definitely lost every ounce of muscle my body once possessed.

 Explain this to me: Erik and I have been eating the same things in the same quantities. We do the same activities. Everything is exactly the same yet he has maintained his pre-travel weight and I have lost 16lbs.

16 pounds!!

That is a lot!! It may even be up to 21 lbs, but I'm not sure what my weight was when we left. I always have a five pound range. I'm being generous and saying it is "only" 16.

Yes, I am eating less than I did at home, but let's be honest, I ate waaaaayyy to much. We eat proper portions and seek out nutritious meals (though, before South East Asia, they were hard to come by). We don't snack though... maybe that's the deal. But Erik hasn't lost any weight!

My muscle wastage was only reiterated at the gym (obviously). We ran for 12 minutes and then did two other exercises (abs and arms) and I was beat! We went on our 32 hour trip the following day and I think I must have pulled my lower abs a bit because I was miserable.

I actually spent the first day here in Siem Reap on self-prescribed bed rest because I was in great discomfort any time I stood or sat. Going to the bathroom was exhausting and painful so I honestly stayed in bed all day. It worked though -- I felt much better the next day. It obviously wasn't a torn muscle and I was unable to describe the pain (not stabbing or sharp or anything) but I was miserable. I had to get out of bed like a patient who had just had abdominal surgery. But it is fixed now. I was far too sore and uncomfortable post workout though. Especially considering the workout only lasted 20 minutes. Walking doesn't do much for muscle maintenance.

It's too hot to do anything overly active in these parts, but we went biking yesterday and we walk everywhere. I am looking forward to hitting a beach and maybe swimming or diving or something. Maybe I will pretend to know how to surf again, though I doubt that will happen.

On To Cambodia

It took a long and exhausting 32 hours, but we have made it to Siem Reap, Cambodia. In South America I didn't mind the 31 hour bus ride we took from Guayaquil to Lima, but this adventure was quite unpleasant. For starters, we weren't on the incredible Cruz Del Sur (you can read about Erik's love affair with said bus company here) and we had to change vehicles seven times. The buses we were on were of varying comfort levels. They ranged from sleeper buses (essentially beds) to uncomfortable, non-reclining buses (much like you would expect when traveling in this part of the world). Needless to say, we didn't sleep much and were beat when we arrived at 0200.

I haven't posted in a while. Woops. After our jaunt to Northern Laos we spent a couple days in Luang Prabang before heading to Vientiane (the capital of Laos). We stayed with a friend of a friend and it was awesome! They were lovely. They had air conditioning, which was obviously lovely. And we had a lovely time.

We lazed around. We played with their one-year-old son. We painted some furniture for them. We cleaned. We helped them organize. We cooked. We went to the gym. We got massages. We toured the city. And we had plenty of delightful conversations.

Cambodia has been lovely and humid so far. We sweat from the time we start moving in the morning until after we have fallen asleep at night. It's something.

We went to a circus/performing arts show last night. Erik knows more about it than I do so you should head over to our travel blog to read about that... when he gets around to writing about it. It was held outdoors, which shouldn't have surprised me, and was fun to see. I wish I could do acrobatics or tumbles or the splits even, but instead I sat with my mouth gaping as I watched the performers.

And we have plans to explore Angkor Wat today. By bicycle. It's going to be awesome.

For Your Viewing Pleasure.

I know that I appreciate and enjoy looking at peoples photos. I feel as though my posts have just been words, words, words lately so I uploaded a few pictures to share with you.
Cruising down the Mekong in a river boat. I think this was actually crossing the border from Thailand into Laos. What life is like along the Mekong. I am sadly not a fan of temples. It's not that I don't like them, but I am not really interested in them. And I am in South East Asia, what's my problem? We stopped by this one on a walk around Luang Prabang. This was our little bungalow in Muang Noi. It overlooked the river and we had a decent view when it wasn't smokey or hazy. This is where I spent four hours each morning wrapped in a duvet and lounging in a hammock. And this last one is Erik playing cards with a few of the girls from the village who were brave enough to venture onto our porch. The game involved holding cards in your hand and randomly laying various amounts of the cards on a pile and then giggling furiously.

A Trip Further North

We spent just over a week in two villages in northern Laos -- Nong Khiaw and Muang Noi.

In Nong Khiaw our days were spent eating yummy food, reading, exploring the river and a cave, talking, and siting on the front porch of our bungalow. Our evenings were spent at a delightful little restaurant in town that played nightly movies, the two most notable being Forrest Gump and Good Morning, Vietnam. We had a nice rhythm in Nong Khiaw with three restaurants we ate at daily. We discovered a new dish that we enjoyed -- a sticky rice patty wrapped in an egg omelet.
Surprisingly delicious with a sweet chilli sauce. Two new dishes actually; Erik really loved this crushed olive sauce that we dipped sticky rice in. The dish was a bit sour for my liking, but it was alright.

In Muang Noi, a town an hour north of Nong Khiaw by river boat, we could be found lounging in hammocks, venturing through rice patties to a smaller town, swimming in a cave, reading, playing cards (cribbage and rummy), swimming in the river, eating at buffets and swatting bugs. It was surprisingly cool in the mornings and I would drag the duvet into the hammock with me until 11:00am because I was chilly.

Muang Noi was literally a street -- a single dirt road riddled with children, puppies, and chickens. The roosters made it impossible to sleep past 06:00, though I usually didn't manage beyond 05:30.

I have been a sleeping champion lately. I usually go to bed around 20:00 and wake up around 06:00. And, I nap most days. I don't know what my deal is, but I am so glad I am on vacation because sleeping feels oh-so-good. I am dreading going back to work and needing to be awake and functioning for twelve hours straight! Ugh.

One thing that has surprised me about traveling, though I suppose it shouldn't, is how important food is. I cannot tell you how much food affects our days. We are grumpy when we can't find good cheap food and are elated when it is plentiful. We have noticed that we sometimes enjoy a town solely because we found wonderful places to eat. These establishments range from the delicious Thai restaurant in Nong Khiaw (where we had Pad Prik Gaeng every night) to my little noodle soup lady on the street in Luang Prabang. We are on an increasingly tight budget so we are always on the look out for cheap, delicious, nutritious food that is preferably big enough to share. Or I am looking for Pad Thai -- that is always delicious.

We are going south tonight. On a night bus that gets into Vientiane around 05:00. We are being picked up at the fountain in the town center at 10:00 by friends of a friend. After I posted a few photos on facebook a friend emailed me saying that he has friends living in Laos and they happen to live in the city we are headed to next. They graciously offered to host us and we gladly took them up on the offer. So, that is where we are staying tomorrow night.

I believe we are making our way to Cambodia the day after that, though I could be wrong. There is a bus from Vientiane to Phnom Penh that takes 24 hours and we are thinking of taking it. Or we may stop in Pakse, a town in southern Laos where another friend of a friend lives. We need to be back in Bangkok on the 22nd to meet some friends (real life friends) so we have to figure out how long we want to spend in Cambodia.

But that is where we are at right now. If we do head to Cambodia right away then I am assuming you won't hear from me for a bit.

Hope you are well.

{this moment}

{this moment} - A Friday Ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

Wishing you a hopeful weekend!

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On the Move.

We are on the move again. We are leaving Nong Khiaw and heading about an hour north, by river boat, to Muang Noi. I don't think there is anything to do up there, which we are both excited about.

I think we have come to a point in our travels where we are exceptionally conscious of our budget (friends are meeting us in about a month and we will want a little extra cash while they are here) and, as I said earlier, we are tired. We have just been using our time to mosey around, take walks, and do whatever we want. We are investing in ourselves and in each other and it is w.o.n.d.e.r.f.u.l! We have endless amounts of time to do whatever we please and it we are taking advantage of it.

How often do people get a chance to live without responsibility, time constraints, or appointments? How often are we able to "do nothing" all day long? That is exactly what we are doing and it is refreshing. Days that we "do nothing" are sometimes the most full and memorable days.

I am sure we will get back to being adventurous and being busy, but this is exactly what we need right now and we are savouring every moment.

Muang Noi has no internet and we are told it only has power from 19:00-22:00. That's why I felt the need to squeeze in this little post -- to update you and let you know you won't be hearing from us for at least a few days. We have no plans beyond getting on the boat so we could be back tomorrow or we could be back next week... who knows?

I hope you are all enjoying spring! It's one of my four favourite seasons. It even holds the number one spot for a quarter of the year.

Love from Laos!

{this moment}

{this moment} - A Friday Ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

Wishing you a peaceful weekend!

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Northern Laos, Reading, and Whatever Else Comes Out.

We have made our way up to Nong Khiaw in Northern Laos today.

I had a bit of a rough night, I was feeling nauseated and a wee bit poopy so I was up quite often. My nausea sadly hadn't subsided when we boarded the bus so I had a bit of an unpleasant trip. At one point I thought I was going to vomit all over, but it passed as Erik was trying to communicate to the driver that he needed to pull over. His panic almost equalled mine as I sat there desperate to either puke or have the nausea subside. I was thankfully able to swallow the bit of vomit that made its way to my mouth and then the nausea was held at bay until we arrived at our destination. I promptly fell asleep on a bench while Erik went in search of a hostel.

And now I sit in our little bungalow thing. Erik went to a restaurant that is playing the King's Speech tonight, but we decided it may be better for me to stay in and get some actual rest.

I finished my book today. I was reading Cider House Rules by John Irving. It is the first "good book" I have read on our travels. The rest have been entertaining at most, but I would not go as far as to callany of them good. Erik read the book last week so it was fun to be able to chat with him about what I was reading and what we both thought about it. The book is character driven rather than plot driven and I found that refreshing. I enjoyed Irving's writing; it was fluid, entertaining and engaging. Erik and I are both looking forward to watching the movie sometime. Has anyone seen it? Is it any good?

My sister and brother-in-law just had their 20th anniversary! I cannot believe they have been married for 20 years already. They spent the day in Disneyland with their boys -- what a treat!

I thought I had more to say, but this is apparently all my weary brain can muster. Goodnight!

Parenthood

No, I am not pregnant. Nor do I have any plans in becoming so in the near future.

Traveling, at least long term traveling, gives you plenty of time to think. I could write a book about my many thoughts, but it wouldn't be interesting to read. And it would be far too embarrassing to share. I started a post like this a few months back. I have actually started it many times, but felt like an imposter writing it as we aren't quite there yet. But, there or not, parenthood, birth, and babies are regularly on my mind.

I have been baby crazy for as long as I can remember. Getting married intensified it and now leaving all the babies I love has made it almost unbearable at times. Without the usual children-that-don't-belong-to-me to distract me, I only have my non-existant wee ones to occupy my thoughts. My loving husband trudges on as I regularly plead my "let's have a baby" case. He is unfazed and unfaltering. Just my luck.

I do have a few concerns regarding parenthood and, more specifically, being a mother. I don't worry about providing for an infant's daily needs, but I worry about what kind of a mother I will be.

Does anyone else think they will be a bad mom? Or did you? I can honestly say that I am a great auntie, but being a mother is a whole different ball game. Maybe I don't think I will be a bad mom, but I do have concerns.

Firstly, and most frighteningly, I am worried about sleep deprivation. Not sleep deprivation itself, I know this is inevitable, but about what it will do to me. Sadly, sleep deprivation makes me into a not-so-nice person. Strangers, friends and patients are safe from my wrath, but my poor husband, and I fear our future children, are not so lucky. I am afraid that sleep deprivation, coupled with a crying dependent, will turn me into a harsh, impatient, unkind and "yell-y" mother. When I know I am feeling this way as a wife, I just sequester myself and nap, knit, eat, or read until it passes and I feel like a human being again. You don't have that luxury when you are a parent.

I am worried that, once my child needs parenting rather than just caregiving, I will be inconsistent, too strict and emotion driven. I am worried that I will discipline based on my emotional response to a child's behaviour whether the response is warranted or not. I want to discipline appropriately and fairly rather than based on how I am feeling on a particular day. Kids don't need to be disciplined for being kids -- they aren't misbehaving just because they are being annoying.

I am very worried about how much I will love those wee ones. My heart aches and my eyes well up when I think about children that aren't mine so I can't imagine how it will feel when they are mine. I have spent many a night snuggled up with a tiny child and weeping because of how deeply I love them. The thought of loving anyone more (maybe not more, but differnently) terrifies me.

Along with this deep loving, I am worried about not being able to let go. I know that I often feel the weight of others' decisions, especially poor decisions. I feel embarrassed when someone embarrasses themselves. I feel sad when they do something I know they shouldn't (and I know best, right?). I feel heart broken when they are heart broken. I very much carry the burden of others decisions and emotions.  I should clarify that I only do this with people I care deeply about and I have no problem with this at work or with acquaintances. But my own child?? I am afraid I will feel responsible for their decisions and that I will be hurt when they make poor ones. I think everyone feels this to some degree, but I am worried that I will be a bit ridiculous.

And, of course, I am concerned about how having a child will affect my marriage. I love my marriage. I love my husband. I love the endless amount of time we can spend together. I cherish our time together and the thought of sharing him makes me a little sad. I am afraid our marriage, though it will always remain a priority, will be the thing that gets the short end of the stick (is that what I mean to say?). I feel as though parenting takes over your whole life... I want us to maintain our roles as husband and wife rather than just becoming parenting partners. I want to know how to maintain both roles now though I know it will be a journey we have to walk through and discovery together.

I want everyone to get the best of me all the time, including myself. How do you do that? I hope you will all have wonderful advice for me when we are ready to journey into parenthood. They say it takes a village to raise a child, but I'm hoping that village is there to raise this mother as well.

It's too bad worrying gets you no where.

And it is a good thing that I can put my hope in the Father, trusting that He has shown me areas in which I can grow, and knowing that He will be faithful as I journey along.

South East Asia so far

It has been a while since I have given a proper update. We have been in South East Asia for nearly two weeks now. The heat has been a welcome change from Scotland, but I have to admit that I really miss Scotland. I loved it!

Coming to South East Asia feels like starting over again. We were expecting this, but the excitement of figuring out an entirely new place has lost its luster and seems tedious at times. It probably doesn't help that we haven't been feeling the best. We spent our first two days in Bangkok in our room trying to sleep. Then, we both had lingering colds. Then, I lost my voice and I still have a wicked cough. Thankfully the cough is as far as my unwellness goes; I feel fine aside from that.

Bangkok. That was a bit of a blur. The main thing I remember from the few days we spent there (I think it was three nights) was the yummy pad thai we ate for every meal. I kid you not, we had Pad Thai for every.single.meal. And let me tell you, it was delicious. It was cheap, it was twenty feet from our hostel and it was yummy.

We headed north from Bangkok to Chiang Mai. We were relieved to get out of Bangkok. We have learned that we aren't particularly fond of big big cities. We much prefer towns that at least have the feel of being much smaller than they are. Chiang Mai was less aggressiventhan Bangkok and for that we were thankful.

We didn't spend much time in the city. We ended up doing a three day trek the day after we arrived. I have no idea where we went, but we did have a view of the tallest mountain in Thailand while we walked. erik liked the trek more than I did. I would categorize it as a glorified walk as it certainly wasn't hiking. In my opinion, hiking requires sweating and being short of breath. You need breaks when you hike and I, for one, hate hiking every single step of the way. Yes, I hate the act of hiking, but I love love love everything else about it. We "hiked" for seven hours, in the sun, and nobody broke a sweat. That isn't hiking.

On our trek we also rode elephants and did some bamboo rafting. The rafting was surprisingly the highlight. It was peaceful and relaxing and lovely. I was disappointed with the elephant riding. It seemed... I just didn't really like it. We were told we were going elephant riding, but we didn't know who we were going with or how they treated their animals and I didn't like that. I also didn't like that all we did was climb up to a platform, walk in a circle on the elephants, and then climb back onto the platform and they left. I didn't even have a chance to take a picture! I know pictures aren't everything, but when am I ever going to ride an elephant again? Never, that's when. I think I had the romantic idea of interacting with the elephants a bit more/at all.

We were supposed to do cooking classes the day after the trek, but I woke up sounding like I smoked 40 packs of cigarettes every day of my life. I felt as terrible to so we rescheduled for the following day. Trekking was Erik's highlight, but our cooking class was definitely mine. I learned hoe very easy Thai food is to make. The only difficult part is finding the proper ingredients -- that will be a challenge. We made seven dishes (4 individually and 3 as a group) and they were all so delicious! Thai food is so yummy!!!

We headed east to Chiang Khong where we spent a day before crossing the border into Laos. We spent the last two days peacefully slow-boating down the Mekong to Luang Prabang and we are, again, without plans.

We never have hostels booked and honestly only have a very rough idea of where we want to go. We change pur minds frequently and fly by the seat of our pants. I haven't even read about Luang Prabang yet... We will have to do some exploring today.

Just yesterday we decided that we are cutting Vietnam out. I am a bit sad about this, but it is just too expensive. We would want to travel cross country and that would include either back-tracking or flying, both of which are expensive. So it is getting the axe. A some point you do need to make decisions based on money alone. I know this will probably be the only time we are ever in South East Asia, but that is just the way things go sometimes.

I think we are being hit with a bit of exhaustion right now. We are tired of always being on the go and always figuring out a new city, a new mode of transportation, and a new culture. It is exciting, but it gets tiring. Sometimes you just want to know and be known, on those days we go on dates. We sit in a cafe and journal, read or talk all day long and it is so refreshing. I think we just need to get our South East Asian groove on.

So, to leave this a bit more positively, we are very excited to explore Laos. We have been told that the north is particularly lovely and we have plans on heading there in the near future.

Much love.

{this moment}

{this moment} - A Friday Ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

Wishing you a wonderful weekend!

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Another Jansen

My sister-in-law, Heather, is pregnant. This means that my brother, Zachary, is going to be a papa! Yippeee!!!! They are due August 3rd and we are very excited for them. 

We found out before we left, which I am thankful for as it is always more fun to learn such things in person. It is strange to think that we are gone for the majority of Heather's pregnancy. She didn't even have a bump when we left and she will be great with child when we return. 

Another baby. This auntie is pumped. 

:: right now ::

Right now, I am...

:: listening to the monks chanting in the temple beside our hostel. 

:: clearing my throat. Everyone seems to smoke in these parts and it is doing a number on my respiratory system.

:: losing my voice as a result of the above.

:: wishing I were home. This is the first time I have been homesick and it is because there are some big changes happening at home and I wish I was there to participate/help/love people. 

:: smelling sewage. Nothing new there. 

:: adjusting to being in South East Asia. It is so much different than South America, as I knew it would be, but it sucks to be back out of our groove. You know?

::  organizing our migration to Laos. Soon and very soon we will be floating down a river toward Luang Prabang.

:: appreciating how delicious Thai food is. It is exceptional and by far the best food we have had all trip. 

:: looking forward to cooking lessons tomorrow. We rescheduled this morning because I woke up unable to talk. 

:: salivating at the thought of the yummy food I will be surrounded by all day tomorrow. 

:: sweating. Just a bit. 

:: reminding myself that I'm so lucky to be here. I don't take any convincing, but I enjoy being fully present and grateful for this adventure. 

:: perusing photos on Facebook -- mainly old ones I have taken. 

:: willing someone back home to wake up so I can chat with them. I'm not even sure what the time difference is, but I feel as though you guys should be waking up soon, no?

:: planning adventures for the summer when I am home. I have plenty of catching up to do and I want to make the summer as full and friend-filled as possible. 

:: remembering to enjoy and appreciate this moment too rather than just looking forward to being home. 

:: conversing with my husband. It is funny how we can spend every moment of every day together and still manage to "miss" each other. We sometimes needs to have catch up days where we are intentional about talking with each other. 

:: unraveling the baby booties I was trying to knit. The pattern has me stumped, but I will give it another go soon. Or maybe I will email the ladies back home at Art of Yarn for some help. I love them. 

:: absorbing as much as I can. Thailand is beautiful and being thrown into another culture is outrageous and I love it!

:: decluttering  my house even though I don't have one. I have enjoyed living with very little and would like to continue to do so when we get home. Well, maybe not very little, but definitely with less things than before. 

:: commiting to having a clean house when I get home. This will make Erik happy. 

:: gagging because people are horking and spitting outside my window. This is sadly very common.

:: resisting the urge to itch the bug bites that are covering my legs. They.Are.Driving.Me.Batty!

:: trying to remember where I put the postcard I wrote. I sent three away, but can't seem the find the last one. It is frustrating me!!!

:: giggling at the poem Erik just read me. He is reading The Cider House Rules and it is a great book (at least the bits he shares with me are). 

:: bidding  you all adieu. It is time for me to rest my weary eyes. 

:: wishing you a wonderful Wednesday, wherever you are!!

the best

This was waiting for me when I woke up this morning. It makes me ache for the people back home -- especially these six and their mothers.

I would be on a plane and on my way home for some serious snuggles if it weren't for the wonderful time we are having. And if we weren't going to Thai cooking classes today.

But these are my little sweetie pies. Aren't they precious?

Isle of Arran

One last Scotland post. This past weekend we went to Isle of Arran with Kurt and Erin. It is clear across Scotland and it took a whopping three hours to get there in the form of two trains and a ferry ride.

We rented a little cottage and settled in for a weekend of fellowship and fun. The sun was shining when we arrived in the late afternoon so we decided to go for a walk through the countryside around town. We walked to a castle overlooking the sea and continued on through the hillside. It was breath-taking and I continually reminded myself that I am so lucky! I didn't really need reminding, but I was intentionally grateful for each moment. We played rook late into the night. Kurt made me stay up until 22:30, which was a feat as I was ready for bed two hours earlier.

We had a relaxed morning before catching the bus that circulated the north end of the island. We stopped for a tour at the local distillery before making our way to the east and embarking on a three-hour walk along the seaside and up a... bluff. The Scottish have non-English names for everything and I am frequently confused. The sun didn't shine this day so it was a wee bit chilly, but we made do and the scenery was no less lovely. Again, our night was spent playing rook, a game which I just learned and am not very good at.

And on our last morning on Arran, we set off on yet another walk before making our way back home to Edinburgh.

The weekend was wonderful. It was great to spend time with our friends as they were both busy during the week. We were able to properly catch up and to have conversation that was both challenging and encouraging. I really miss having Kurt and Erin closer. They usually live in Vancouver, but seem to be galavanting around the world more often than not.

Arran was absolutely stunning, as was all of Scotland. Erik and I were both sad to leave, but we have hopes of visiting again in the probably-distant-future.

For now we are on to sunnier and sweatier things -- South East Asia.

{this moment}

{this moment} - A Friday Ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

Wishing you a lovely weekend!

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Date Night

This is how we roll. Yes, I am wearing everything I own even though we are inside. And yes, I am desperately trying to convince my niece that she loves me. She probably just thinks I'm crazy. Isn't she sweet?

Some more of Scotland

I feel as though there is so much to say about Scotland. Every single day has been full of activities. We walk for the majority of every day, which is necessary to keep warm in these parts.

We spent a day in Stirling, though we wish we had a bit longer. We visited Stirling Castle (my favourite) and Doune Castle in a neighbouring town. Both were very interesting. It was a beautiful day and we wished we had more time to leisurely walk around, but we had a bus to catch so we were in a bit of a hurry. 

At Stirling we had a private tour because we were the only two there. The guide was very informative and took us places he doesn't usually take tours as two people are much easier to accomodate than fifty. I would say it was my favourite castle because it had the most history, it was the most ornate, and we were told about the lives of the people who lived in the castle, both servant and royal. 

We went to Doune Castle because it was where Monty Python and the Holy Grail was filmed. I have never seen the movie, but Erik happens to love it. The castle was deserted when we arrived, but we found an audio tour and off we went. The tour was done by one of the Monty Python fellas and it was very well done. We laughed our way through the castle and thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. 

And then we met our friends in Edinburgh. It has been so nice to see them! We love them dearly and even if we didn't, it is nice to see a friendly and familiar face. We spent our days in Edinburgh walking the Royal Mile, visiting Edinburgh Castle, perusing the Surgical Museum, doing an underground tour, walking through Holyrood Park and spending time with our friends. We also hopped on over to Linlithgow Palace, a short train ride from Edinburgh. It has been awesome!!

Scotland continues to woo me. I would love to come back in the summer sometime, but I can't complain about the weather. It has been cold, especially when compared to South America and South East Asia, but the sun has shone most days and we have yet to see the rain the UK is notorious for. 

One thing I find disgusting about Edinburgh is the dog poop all over the sidewalk. Nobody cleans up after their pets and it is foul! But that may be all I have to complain about. Yes, I think it is.

Erik keeps telling me he could move here. He specifically loved Inverness as it is a smaller town and there was plenty of green space. That's one of the things with Scotland though -- there is plenty of uninhabited green space which we find very refreshing. And absolutely beautiful. Scotland is absolutely beautiful. All of it. I sadly fall asleep the instant I the mode of transportation I am in begins to move so I miss some of the scenery on bus or train rides, but Erik likes to inform me of the beauty I have missed. 

My only regret? That we don't have more time in this beautiful country. I felt ready to leave South America. I would have gladly stayed there longer, but I was also ready to continue on our journey. I don't want to leave Scotland. Not yet, at least. 

fixed it

Woops! I posted the wrong link in my last post, but I have fixed it. The link to the ravelry page is updated, but I will post it again so you don't have to scroll down. 

So, here it is!

Made Me Smile

Now for something completely unrelated to traveling. I won't even brag about sitting in a cosy cottage in Scotland with a view overlooking a castle and the sea. I won't make you jealous by talking about my husband making crepes behind me or talking of our plans to walk around the island today.  Instead, I will get straight to the point.

As you all know, I love knitting. because of this, I adore this site called Ravelry. I don't know if you have heard of it, but Ravelry is an online knitting... Goldmine. When I was first introduced to Ravelry I only used it for browsing through patterns. More recently, however, as in for the past year or so, I have actually been messaging other knitters asking them questions and getting some knitting support. There are blogs you can check out, people you can "follow" if you particularly like their projects, and forums you can participate in. I use ravelry to keep track of some of the things I have knit and to store some of the patterns I want to knit. I in no way use Ravelry to it's full potential, but it is awesome and there is my plug for it.

That is not what this is about.

I just checked on Ravelry for the first time in a couple months and I had a very important message. I have received messages only a handful of times from people asking about patterns I have done or yarn I have used or whatever, but this message was a wee bit different.

I received a message from one of the powers that be with a request to feature my photo.

It obviously doesn't take much to make me smile (most days), but this elicited a grin from ear to ear. Do you remember this post? Well it felt kind of like that. Only better.

I should probably take a moment to clarify what "featuring" a photo looks like. It means my photo is displayed with the original pattern along with some other 15 photos or so... it really isn't incredibly special, but it kind of is.

Now for the photo. Of course you recall these adorable tunics I made for my nieces (they are adorable not because I made them, but because the pattern is adorable!). The request is to feature the first photo, which happens to be one of my favourites of both the girls and the tunics.

That isn't even the best part.

If you check out the Ravelry page here you will notice that my photo is featured alongside soulemama's. I absolutely adore her and I am a bit star-struck at the thought of even being remotely associated with her or her work. It made me smile.

And, as a sidenote, I didn't even make the pattern because she did... I found it myself.

{this moment}

{this moment} - A Friday Ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

Wishing you a sunny weekend!

*** *** ***

Inverness

I will have to keep this fairly brief as I feel I could go on and on. I will do my best and use pictures to sullplement so I can keep my words few(er).

We flew from Amsterdam to Inverness and spent three nights in a great little hostel there. We spent our first day walking around the city, familiarizing ourselves and enjoying the river that runs through town. We explored a cemetery and climbed a hill for what would have been a view of the city if there weren't so many trees in the way.

The room we stayed in the first night was at the back of the hostel with a separate entrance. There were only three rooms back there and we had our own kitchen to use so it was a delightful little secluded area just for us. And our room had a view of both the river and the castle - yes please.

On day two we made our way to Drumnadrochit for the day. We went to Urquhart Castle which is situated on Loch Ness. We sadly did not see Nessie, the Loch Ness Monster, but the castle was lovely and the Loch was stunning. We decided to walk back to Drumnadrochit from Urquhart as it was a two mile walk that winded along the Loch. The clouds were clearing and the sun started shining just as we ventured off and it made for an absolutely lovely stroll. Along the way we happened upon an Equestrian... Farm? We walked on up and ended up booking an ride for the next morning. Then we were going to head to some exhibit in town but saw a sign for a footpath to some waterfalls just three miles out of town. The sun was shining and warming our bones putting us in exceptionally jovial moods so we decided to follow said path. I am so glad we did as it was incredible. It took us up the hillside, through fields, along deserted roads, into forests, and to the falls. The falling water itself wasn't impressive, but the icicles certainly were. There were icicles clinging to the rockface behind and around the falls. It was beautiful.

On day three we started the day with a horseback ride. It was more like horseback skating as the ground was incredibly icy. The lady taking us riding kept apologizing saying she didn't realize how icy it was. My horse, Florry, was particularly prone to slipping for some reason. We didn't make it very far as we had to move so slowly. It was a little disappointing, but I am still glad went. After our horse adventure we made our way back to Inverness and there we waited for the bus to take us to Stirling.

Ok, that went way different than I anticipated. I am far too lazy to edit or shorten so this will remain as is. Sorry about that... The rest, if they are written, will be less wordy. Well, maybe not less wordy, but less like a " and then we went here, then here, then here, then here." You know??

Yup, it is great.

Well hello there. I am currently sitting in the living room of some lovely friends shivering ever so slightly, but enjoying a hot cup of tea.

Scotland has been amazing. Not a single day has gone by that I haven't been overwhelmed with the beauty around me. I was very much looking forward to Scotland and it has been better than I anticipated. I don't want to jinx it, but the sun has been shining every day. Yes, it is cloudy a lot, but the sun has managed to fight its way through the clouds for at least a few hours each day. We also had a morning of snow, but we have yet to experience the delightful Scotland rain. I am sure it is inevitable so I am thanking God each day I wake up to something other than rain.

The weather, though it definitely makes exploring more inviting, is not the reason I have fallen in love with this beautiful country. As with all of Europe, Scotland is so full of history. With every step you take you are breathing in the rich history that is everywhere. Now, I am no history buff by any means, but I do love hearing the stories and seeing the sites. My skill for retaining such knowledge is unimpressive at best and embarrassing at worst, but I like to appreciate it while it is being delivered to my ever-welcoming ears.

The highlights of our time here, aside from seeing our dear friends, have been the unplanned and spontaneous adventures we have been on. The planned things are wonderful too, but it is the unexpected detours that have charmed me. For example, we were making our way to an exhibit at Loch Ness and we chose to follow a foot path on a three hour walk through the countryside to a wee waterfall. We had no idea the walk would take that long, but in the moment we decided it sounded intriguing so off we went.

Today we are planning on walking the Royal Mile here in Edinburgh. I am excited for that in itself, but I am interested to see what adventures we unexpectedly find ourselves on. The sun is shining and beckoning me outside even though I know I will be met with a bitter cold. I hope you are all asleep in your beds dreaming pleasant dreams.

Much Love,

{this moment}

{this moment} - A Friday Ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

Wishing you a cozy weekend!

*** *** ***

Scotland: We Have Arrived

This castle is right outside my window. I snapped this picture yesterday while searching for our hostel. I had a pack on my back and a bag on my front as I quickly snapped this en route. If this is what Scotland is going to be like then we are going to get along fine. Just fine.

A Day in Amsterdam

We only had a day to spend in Amsterdam. One day was certainly not enough!! Amsterdam was absolutely lovely. It was breath-taking both in beauty and temperature. I wore every single article of clothing I brought along. It was freeeeeeeeeeeezing!

We didn't want to stress ourselves out and try pack too much into a day so we took it easy. We walked downtown, escaping into every open shop to warm up along the way. We quickly found toques and mitts to purchase as I was nearing tears. I hardly took photos as my fingers were far too cold to be exposed.

Amsterdam is beautiful! It felt strange seeing a shopping mall or McDonalds in such lovely, historic buildings. I felt that every building should be a cute shop or a museum. I loved the canals, the bikes, the blue skies (yes, they were blue!), the scones, the cobblestone, the history and everything else.

The highlight of my day was definitely visiting the Anne Frank House. It was an incredibly humbling and touching experience. I had started writing a bit about here, but it got a bit out of hand so I will give it a separate post.

We spent most of our day walking the streets, moseying along the canals, and ducking into shops to keep warm. We did splurge and go on a candlelight cruise from 20:00 until 22:00. We sipped on wine and snacked on cheese while drifting through through Amsterdam's canals. It was lovely.

And then we walked the 30 minutes back to our hostel and went to bed. It sounds like we didn't do much, but it was a wonderful and relaxing day.

It's Been A While.

I have decided that I am not very good at blogging while traveling. There are just so many other things to do! Some people's priorities, eh? When I am so "behind" in updates I like just throwing a list at ya. I hope that is acceptable as it is so conventient. Here goes.

• I never mentioned that we visited the equator on our way back Mindo. Maybe I did, but I don't recall doing so. We visited the Equator and it was fabulous. We balanced an egg on a nail, tried to walk in a straight line with our eyes closed, watched water drain from a basin both directly over and on either side of the equator, saw a sundial in action, and did a strenght/gravity test (or something). All simple little tricks, but very entertaining and amazing. Really, it was awesome. 
• We spent the last two weeks in Canoa, Ecuador. Two whole weeks. We were planning on staying for a few days, but we got stuck. The main reason for our long visit was that last weekend was Carnival here in South America. Apparently it is a continental party that lasts five days. It invovles flour, eggs, paint, and foam being thrown at everyone and anyone. We were encouraged to settle in as we wouldn't be able to find a hostel at the next town we were hoping to visit. So, two weeks it was. Thankfully Canoa's Carnival was the tamest it has ever been. I only had paint thrown on me once and foam sprayed a couple times. We also stayed just down the beach from town so we could escape the blaring music and sleep. 
• I don't regret a moment in Canoa. It was a little beach town and it was great! Erik surfed every day. He had only tried surfing a couple times before this trip and after a week he is actually quite good. I'm impressed, at least.
• I tried surfing. I had a lesson and actually managed to stand more often than not. Sometimes I would stand for a few feet, sometimes a few meters, and sometimes for many meters. I would say my longest "ride" was 75 meters (though it felt like 1000). I just played in the white wash, I didn't actually try any real big waves. I told the instructor that I was afraid of waves before we started. We didn't go past our necks so I wasn't too too scared, but I am terrified of the power of the waves so it was a big step for me. I tried one other time, with Erik, but was feeling exceptionally weak that day so I only got up once. I only tried three times actually, but I just didn't have it in me to push myself up. I am weak. It's embarrassing. 
• I'm a little ashamed to admit, but we ate at the same restaurant almost every day in Canoa. The reason I am ashamed is because it was run by Americans... no local food sadly. But, the employees were all Ecuadorian so we were supporting the local economy still. It was definitely gringoland in Canoa though. It was delicious, however, and there were plenty of vegetables to be had. We ate burgers, pizza, fish tacos, salads, and sandwiches. It was Yummmmmm. We started off sharing one meal betweenn the two of us to stay on our rigid budget, but the food was so good that we soon started ordering our own meals. Woops. 
• Erik volunteered at this local establishment (the delicious restaurant) so we started getting 30% off. That helped immensely both because we loved the discount and he was needing a challenege. He was getting bored doing "nothing". 
• We ate so much that we both gained whatever weight we lost since leaving Canada.
• There was another restaurant that opened when we arrived. It had a buffet breakfast for $5 per person. It had fruit, granola, yogurt, lemon loaf, toast, meat, cheese, crepes, waffles, eggs, and cereal. It was delicious as well. Again, it was a bit expensive for our budget, but we ate there because we could finally control the nutrients coming into our body. It was such a relief to know you were getting what you needed.
• Oh, we also only eat two meals a day. Just thought you should know. We aren't ridiculous gluttons all the time. That's also how we can afford to spend so much on each meal... at times. 
• In Canoa our days revolved around the beach and food. 
• Our days usually only revolve around food so it was nice to have a bit of a distraction. 
• We ran into these two Irish girls that we had met briefly in Quito while in Canoa. They arrived about a week after us and we spent every waking moment with them for our second week there. Erik and Karen rented the surfboard together and Elisa and I held down the fort on the beach. They were easily the most lovely people we have met traveling. I absolutely adore them and it was a tearful goodbye yesterday. They are flight attendants so I am trying to convince them to meet us in Scotland for a day. 
• Internet was the pits in Canoa so I feel very out of touch with the world. It was both wonderful and painful. I enjoy mini check-ins with family and friends. 
• I did get to skype with a few families from church on Sunday. It felt like I was having tea and cookies right alongside them. It is nice to stay connected like taht. 
• We traveled from Canoa to Guayaquil and then from Guayaquil straight through to Lima, Peru. A six hour bus ride followed by a 31 hour bus ride. I miss Ecuador already. Erik and I are reminded of why and how much we don't like Lima.
  
  And that is that. We fly to Amsterdam tomorrow and then we are off to Scotland soon after that.

Back in Lima

You can't imagine how many blogs I have written in my head. I write them at the beach, on the bus, in bed, and walking down the street. I write them while I am eating, showering, swimming and reminding myself to shave (noted). Sometimes they are witty one-liners, sometimes it is just a story I want to share and sometimes it is pages of droning. I am sometimes impressed with my intelligence and wit, but I am usually humbled by how dull and uninteresting I can be. I have the best of intentions and I thoroughly enjoy blogging, but the wind is taken out of my sails as soon as I open this thing.

I am sitting on the roof of our hostel listening to the city awaken. Lima. It is probably my least favourite city. Definitely not a destination, it is merely the gateway to Peru. We have 36 hours here and I intend to make the most of it (now that I am done complaining... Sorry about that).

I have a friend from nursing school flying into Lima today. Her flight should be landing as I type this. We are staying at the same hostel and I am so very excited to see her. She is not only a friendly and familiar face, but also a peron I love. She may be one of the funniest people I know. Erik and I have prepared for her welcome by foregoing showers for the past five days. Gross.

I have yet to be homesick, but I do get peoplesick. Sometimes the distance feels greater or more real than others. I think about the people I love every single day. This is usually in the form of "Mandi would love to (insert fun activity here)” or "Lindsey would do fine with the twins here" or "Milena would think that (insert object here) was beautiful"... Etc etc. I often wonder how people are doing and what they are doing. I wonder who the little ones are becoming.

Erik is reading up on Scotland. Yes, we are planning ahead a bit....Europe requires it. We only have ten days there which is not nearly enough, but it will have to do.

I think that is about all I have to say right now. Unless you are interested in hearing about my nieces' most recent developments, but I know you aren't. Have a lovely Sunday!

{this moment}

{this moment} - A Friday Ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

Wishing you a restful weekend!

*** *** ***

It is February.

• I cannot believe it is February.
• I will be home in five months! Home in Canada, at least. I haven't quite figured out how I am going to get back to Kelowna.
• This morning I briefly skyped with a friend who just had a baby and I got to "meet" her little fella. He is absolutely perfect and she is looking and sounding fabulous. It was so nice to have a chat with her, no matter how brief. I wanted to hound her with questions, but decided that those can wait. I already emailed her a bunch which she graciously answered. What a gem. 
• We are heading to Canoa tonight. The only available bus was the night bus, which I am dreading. There is no first-class Cruz Del Sur in these parts so we are in for an uncomfortable (and long) ride. Canoa is a coastal town so I am looking forward to sand and sun while Erik can't wait to go surfing. 
• We rented a motorcycle for 24 hours and ventured off through the back country to a sleepy town called Mindo. It poured rain for much of the trip so we were both wet and muddy on arrival at our destination. It was the highlight of Ecuador, even with the puddles that I still found in my shoes the morning after. We visited the Equator on our way back to Quito. That was actually a lot of fun too. 
• Our shoes smell something fierce. So foul. I may have to soak them in vinegar or baking soda. Would that help? If not we could always make little volcanos in cups. That would be fun, at least. 
• It is no secret that I have had baby fever since... well as long as I can remember really. Sadly that baby fever is turning into whatever could be worse than baby fever. It consumes me. Even more sadly, Erik has yet to catch said fever. Four and half years of asking and his answer has never waivered. Apparently we are operating under a renewable five-year-plan. 
• Speaking of babies, Peyton and Avery are six months today! 
• We have had strawberries and cream every day for five days. We share a bowl so I feel about myself. The owners of the little icecream parlour we go to laugh when we walk in. They are very sweet. And I get zero dairy so heavy cream is better than nothing... right?
• Gravol will be my friend on this bus trip we are taking tonight. Yes, I am hung up on it. That is how full of dread I am. 
• I love clean laundry. I love not having to clean my laundry. 
• Our GPS broke while we were on our motorcycle adventure. For some reason it couldn't find the satellite so we had to navigate Quito on our own. That was a little stressful. We had to get the bike back on time and we had only a faint idea of where we were going. We made it though. Quito is huge, in case you didn't know. 
• We have to check out of our hostel so that is all for now. I'm going to get me some strawberries and cream. 

{this moment}

{this moment} - A Friday Ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. 

Wishing you a fabulous weekend!

Look What I Did!

What Do You Call Your In-laws?

I recently read a blog where a lady discussed this "controversial issue". I can't remember where I came across it so I can't provide a link to it. Sorry about that. The blogger wrote that she had been married for five years and had just started calling her in-laws Mom and Dad. 

I started calling Erik's parents Mom and Dad in the receiving line on our wedding day.

I remember it being such a relief to finally know what to call them. I even sent them an email once while we were dating (they live in Washington so I couldn't just pop on by) in which I asked what I should call them. How awkward is that?? They asked me to call them by their first names, but that just felt wrong so I didn't really call them anything. I would just make eye contact before speaking. You know, speak only when spoken to or looked at. I called them Mr. and Mrs. Olson in the beginning, but then I just stopped calling them anything altogether.

Then came our much anticipated wedding day and I finally had an appropriate and comfortable name for them, Mom and Dad.

Seriously, it was a sweet relief.

And it wasn't even weird. Not for me anyway... it may have been strange for them. It was completely comfortable and just rolled nicely off my tongue and out of my mouth.

I even call them just that, mom and dad, when I am talking to my own parents about them (Erik's parents).  I asked my mom if that was weird for her and she just shrugged and said, "nope".

Erik, on the other hand, doesn't call my parents anything. I think he has tested out the big M and D words, but they came out halted and awkwardly. He speaks only when spoken to or looked at.

What about you? What do you call your in-laws?

:: right now ::

Right now, I am...

:: listening to Erik, a Brit, and an Aussie discussing music.

:: smelling three different deodorants, some wickedly strong body wash, and smelly, sleepy boy... I may have a headache.

:: thankful that the Aussie was brilliant enough to open the balcony door as I wrote that last sentence because it smells in here. Thank you, Andrew!

:: hoping it stays sunny today. I love love love the sunshine.

:: planning a trip to the equator. We are hoping to rent a motorcycle -- Erik is pretty pumped about it.

:: laughing at all the boys around me. Staying in dorms is certainly an adventure.

:: enjoying having no responsibility.

:: dreading going back to work... And that is still over five months away.

:: thankful for our iPad. I can text my sister and she sends me photos and videos of my nieces daily. I also get videos and photos from Mandi. I look at them every single day. Over and over. It is wonderful.

:: needing to use the bathroom, but dreading that adventure.

:: uploading photos. I am surprised by how few photos I have taken... I am not big on city photography and Erik is tired of me snapping his picture.

:: loving spending every waking moment with my favourite person. I don't think he would say he same.

:: anticipating parking myself on a beach for a week. Erik is going to surf and I will attempt it for one day, but I plan on reading to my hearts content. That being said I am...

:: shuddering at the very thought of surfing. I kind of have afear of giant waves. This is especially true when I cannot touch the ground. And I am...

:: hoping our hostel has a book exchange and that there are English books to exchange with.

:: thinking I should drink some water. This girl is dehydrated 100% of the time.

:: reading the Bible from start to finish. I am thankful to have made it through Deuteronomy already. That was a wee bit painful.

:: praying that one of my dear friends has had or is having her baby very soon. Also praying that everyone is healthy and happy.

:: wishing you a wonderful Tuesday wherever you are!

{this moment}

{this moment} - A Friday Ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. 

Wishing youa lovely weekend!

-- knitting --

I miss knitting.
Like really really really miss it.
I miss it almost as much as I miss the people I love the very most.
Ok, maybe I don't miss it that much.
I do miss it though.
Very much.
Let's be honest... I haven't knit anything since July (I think).
That is my longest drought yet.
And I miss it.
I miss creating.
I miss the softness of the wool in my hands.
I miss seeing the string of wool become a row of little uniform stitches.
And then watching the row become many rows.
And watching the many rows become something.
A sweater.
A scarf.
Wrist warmers.
A blanket.
Anything.
I miss knitting.

I Love Ecuador

I love Ecuador. I don't know if it is because we have settled into our traveling groove or because Ecuador is more lovely than Peru, but I really love Ecuador. We even spent the better part of a week in a hostel having less-than-enjoyable diarrhea.

Did you know that diarrhea is even worse when you can't flush your toilet paper? And did you know that it is even less pleasant when your wastebasket isn't cleaned daily? Well, I can attest to the fact that it is worse than just plain-old-North-American diarrhea.

Even with the scoots though, Ecuador is lovely. We have been to Guayaquil, Riobamba and Banos and had a good time in all of them.

Guayaquil was a very big city. It is the biggest city and Ecuador and it was... big. We walked along the river, ventured up to a lookout, and met some wonderful people at our hostel. We were only there for a day and a bit, but we will be returning in just under a month as we are catching the bus from Guayaquil to Lima, Peru (a 31 hour bus ride).

In Riobamba we visited a friend and former co-worker of Erik's. His family operates an orphanage in Riobamba so we spent a couple days playing with the kids and helping out where we could. It was wonderful to be in a family-like environment again, even if it was only for a few hours a day. It was also nice to talk to people who spoke English as a first language. Only two of the kids spoke English and none of the employees at the orphanage did so it was an adventure to try to communicate with them. Thankfully babies don't care if you understand them and they don't understand you anyway so I was ok most of the time.

We are currently in Banos and we have enjoyed the zoo, the hotsprings, go-karting down the highway and walking around town umpteen times. The weather has been less than stellar -- we were rained out on the go-karts and had to return earlier than anticipated --  but it is great here. We are surrounded by mountains on all sides. Banos is just a tiny town nestled in a little valley.

Tomorrow we are hoping to make our way to Quito, the capital of Ecuador. Erik tells me it is the second highest capital city in the world. I'm glad he likes fun facts like that because.... I don't. We don't have any plans beyond finding a hostel when we get there.

We have been traveling for just over a month. I can't believe it has been that long! And I can't believe we still have five months left!

Hope you are having a wonderful Tuesday!

Nori Joy's Birth Story: Part Two

I just realized I only wrote the first portion of Nori's birth story. I suppose I could just leave it as it does include her emergence into the world, but I love stories and I love birth so the story continues.

It was very special to see Sam interacting with his newest daughter, but I was even more excited to see Milena reunited with her littlest one. When she came up from PAR she was exhaustedly beaming -- radiating joy, relief and excitement. Sam wheeled Nori Joy in and Milena took her in her arms for the second time.

Little Joy took to the breast instantly and Milena fed her baby as satisfied as could be. Sam and Milena made calls to their families sharing the news of the baby's arrival.

It's been over a month so the exact details fail me, but Sam and Milena called for Mor Mor and Maelle to come meet the baby. I was super pumped because that meant I could almost hold the little one. Sam went down to get Little Miss and to help Milena's mom carry her things up.

Maelle suddenly looked like a giant when she walked in. Doesn't that always happen though? Older siblings seem to grow up the instant the younger one comes along.

Maelle was very excited to meet and hold the baby. She already knew her name and called her Nori Joy (Nowee Jowy). She beamed as she held her little sister and gently kissed her head. Maelle cried when Nori was taken away from her, but the baby needed to be fed and changed. Milena lay in bed with a daughter on either side of her and all was right in the world.

Mor Mor had a snuggle and then it was my turn! At long last I got my hands on that little cherub and I savoured every second. She was so plump, round and perfect. Her dark tuft of hair was delightful and she looked so peaceful and serene resting in my arms. The weight of her little body was wonderful and warm and I loved it!

Erik came to the hospital shortly thereafter and was rewarded with snuggles with Elinor and rough-housing with Maelle. I love seeing Erik with new babies. He is much more experienced and comfortable with them now then he was when Sawyer made her arrival two and a half years ago. He hasn't had much of a choice in the matter.

I went home with Erik and Maelle went home with her Mor Mor leaving Sam, Milena and Nori to get to know each other a little bit better.

The midwives, doctors and nurses were never concerned with Nori's blood sugar even though she was almost 10lbs. Milena had two separate gestational diabetes tests and they both came back negative. This made for a much different hospital experience this time around and Milena wasn't encouraged (read forced) to "top up" Nori after feeds and their new routine-making-process went relatively uninterrupted.

I still cannot believe how greatly you can love someone in an instant. I am always overwhelmed with how much my heart can grow and how fiercely I can love these little babies the moment I meet them. It is truly amazing.

Elinor Alida Joy. I know she has forgotten all about me, but I am confident she will be unable to resist loving me when I come home.

{this moment}

{this moment} - A Friday Ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. 

Wishing you a wonderful weekend!

Happy (belated) Birthday Gus Gus!

Kaden John had his first birthday on January 12. He's one!!! I would have loved to have been there to celebrate with him, but I'm confident he felt loved just the same.

When he was just wee I called nicknamed him Gus. This was for a few reasons. For starters, he looked like a little old man. Secondly, he was a grunty, gassy, and grumpy little fella and what sounds cuter than Grunty Gus, Gassy Gus, and Grumpy Gus? I went with Pukey Pete on occasion because that was another skill of his, but Gus won out. He is now none of those things, but Gus Gus is a name that has stuck for the poor guy.

Little Gus was born at 34 weeks. He was a fighter from the get-go and it's a good thing too because he has a big sister to defend himself against. He absolutely adores Sawyer and she manages to get the best smiles out of him. She calls him Kade, Buddy, Gus, and Handsome. Kaden especially loves wrestling with Sawyer... or at least he did a month ago. I would sometimes worry that she was a little rough with him, but he loves rolling around on the ground with her. I love watching them play together -- they really are best friends.

Kaden is a bit of an untrusting little man and always has a look of suspicion on his face. It is one of my favourite things about him though. He often looks unimpressed so when I get smiles out of him it is extra rewarding.

He is an easy-going little man. He is observant and he loves watching what goes on around him. He is busy -- he loves crawling around and gets into everything, but I would still say he enjoys watching what is going on. He especially loves watching Sawyer.

I can't even explain how charming he is. He is just so... lovable. Erik and I were talking about how fond were of him yesterday and I had a hard time putting my finger on what it was I loved so much about the little guy. He is my little Gus Gus. He is the only boy in my gaggle of tiny human beings. He's my buddy.

So Gus, even though we are far away right now, we love you so much and wish we could be there to toss you in the air and tickle you. Happy Birthday! You are a gem and we can't wait to see you in five and a half months.

Last day in Peru

Well, it is our last day in Peru. It isn't actually our last day as we are flying out of Lima, Peru on February 18, but we are heading to Ecuador tonight. Our bus leaves at the delightful hour of 23:45 and I believe it is a 16 hour busride to Guayaquil. We have absolutely no plans beyond safely arriving in Guayaquil. This provides me with the usual terrified excitement. Having no plans is wonderful, but having plans is wonderful too. I wouldn't mind having at least an idea of how to proceed, but things don't seem to work out when we have them well planned anyway so we have been living by the seat of our pants (did I use that expression correctly?).

Erik and I have been talking a lot (imagine that). We've been talking a bit about the trip and how things are going and have decided that backpacking is not entirely what we expected. We are both thoroughly enjoying ourselves and don't regret a thing, but we feel we'd be more inclined to move somewhere for six months and volunteer or work rather than travel the way we are.

I don't like being a tourist. Every city we go to is overrun with tourists and we are just one of the same. I feel we aren't getting a real picture of the culture. In Ghana I really enjoyed meeting people and having the time to get to know them. We were invited to people's villages and into their homes. We, as travelers, were the odd man out, but South America is full full full of tourists.  

I feel like a bit of a complainy-pants so I want to reiterate that we are loving our trip! It is awesome and fabulous and wonderful! I don't know if Erik feels the same, but I love spending every moment with him. I really enjoy his company and couldn't pick a better travel companion.

Peru is beautiful. I especially love the Andes. There was a moment, or rather there were a few moments, while sitting on a rock at Machu Picchu that I felt transported back to the beautiful coast of British Columbia. There was a thick fog clinging to the mountain, rain threatened to fall and the air smelled so sweet and wet and fresh. It was lovely.

I love how colourful Peru is. Clothing, cloth, buildings, flowers, paintings... everything is colourful. I love the cobblestone streets and the heavy colonial influence. I love the historical buildings. I love the hidden nooks and crannies. I love the hustle and the bustle of the streets. I love the markets. I love the landscape (desert, forest, beachfront, mountain). I love that the sun is there to greet me when I wake up at 5:00am. I love Peru.

And tonight we head to Ecuador. Anyone been there? Have any advice?

Right Now

This is what is happening right now. Life is good. So very good.

How goes it?

I haven't been blogging as much as I thought I would (read: at all), but thankfully Erik has been. I miss this space though... I don't like the new space. So I will give a brief update.

I am still sick. I thought I was getting better for about a week. I was coughing less and my nose wasn't running. We even managed to do a three day hike. But now we are in Cusco and I can barely talk. I have a raspy man voice and I have been having to whisper because sometimes sounds don't come out otherwise. I constantly feel like I need to clear my throat. But I don't have a headache or anything... Just a sore, phlegmy throat, a cough, a running nose, and a man voice.

Traveling is wonderful. Budgeting for 6 months is not. But traveling is wonderful none-the-less. We were tourists the first few days -- traveling from one place to the next as quickly as possible. We were always busy and always spending money on something or other. I feel like we have become less like tourists and more like touring travellers (I don't know if that makes sense). We are traveling slower, having lazy days, and really enjoying the hustle and bustle around us.

The highlight of my trip so far has definitely been our trek in Canyon Del Colca. It was stunning and breathtaking (partly due to the altitude). The first two days were lovely but the third was a little less fun. We hiked what felt like straight up for two hours. It felt so nice to do a hike though. And the Andes are absolutely beautiful.

Sometimes it feels like we have been gone forever and other times it feels like it has been only a day. But it usually feels like a lot longer than it is. I think we just hit the two week mark. I am still at the point where I am acutely aware that I am "missing out" on life at home. There are a few sick babes at home and I would typically make sure to go help the mamas out, but I am a bit too far away. Prayers will have to suffice for now. I wonder if that will ever lessen - the wishing I could be in two places at once. Or the thoughts that I occasionally get that go along the lines of "is this really better than my life at home?". It isn't better than life at home as nothing could be better than that, but it is different and it is an awesome experience and it's only for a short while.

FaceTime has been wonderful to have. I have really only talked to my mom, but it is convenient to be able to call her cellphone from my iPad rather than waiting for someone to come on Skype. I have also managed to get ahold of Mandi through FaceTime and of Milena through Skype. Oh! And we talked to Erik's family at Christmas. Traveling certainly isn't the same as it was ten years back (or so I am told).

Well it is now 7am here... I should probably get up as we are catching public transit to a neighbouring town today. Hope this finds all of you well. And I hope that your sick children are on the mend.

2012 in Review: July to December

Much of July was spent waiting for the twins. Lindsey was becoming less mobile as her babies and her belly grew so I often went to visit her at her place. Erik was in Alaska for the greater part of the month so I spent my time at home, in the garden, at water parks, having sleepover's with my little people and working. My parent's sold their house and made plans to move to Kelowna at the end of the month. We also went to Washington for my brother, Joel's. And Little Miss Maelle turned two at the end of July.

My nieces were born on August 1 -- Peyton Ashley and Avery Sharlene. Many hours were spent at Lindsey's snuggling those sweet babes (as you can imagine). We also attended a family reunion near 100 Mile House and made a trip to the coast (with the twins) for Zachary's 30th birthday and my niece's profession of faith. Lynn also came to Kelowna for a visit!! That was wonderful.

In September my mom, sister, the girls, and I made another trip to the coast for my Oma's birthday. My Oma was not expecting us and when we walked into the house she got down on her hands and knees and admired Peyton and Avery with tears in her eyes. Erik and I took advantage of the nice weather and spent a few afternoons cruising on his motorcycle. We were knee deep in trip planning, but still made time for our friends and the little people we love. My niece, Jessica, moved in with us in September as she started attending the local university and my parent's gained possession of their house here in Kelowna.

October seems to have been a relatively uneventful month. I donated my hair for the second time, had sleepovers with the girls, and started thinking about packing up our house. We spent Thanksgiving at my parent's house and many of my sibling's made their way to Kelowna to spend the weekend with us. Kaden, Sawyer, Henry and Sylvia joined us for Thanksgiving dinner. Kevin and Mandi hosted a Murder Mystery at the beginning of the month.

I remember November just being crazy. Every spare moment was spent packing up our house or making final preparations for our Grand Adventure. I managed to squeeze in a girl's weekend with Mandi and Milena at my parent's Bed & Breakfast and Erik and I headed off to Mexico with the Jansen Clan for a week. Both of those were incredibly amazing!

And finally December. I had the pleasure of witnessing the birth of Elinor Alida Joy -- my friend, Milena's, daughter. I didn't have much time to spend with her as we left Kelowna just 12 days after she was born, but I took advantage of the few days we did have. The beginning of December was more ridiculous than November, but those moments spent with Little Nori Joy were so peaceful and refreshing and they really helped me make it through the rest of the mayhem we were experiencing. We had a "Last Supper" with family and friends and then we headed off on our Grand Adventure, starting in Peru.

And that, my friends, briefly highlights the events of 2012.

2012 in Review: January to June.

It's that time of year again -- the very beginning. The beginning of a new year always provides a lovely excuse to reflect on the year that has just come to a close. Erik and I were going through the months and there were many that seemed to pass by in a bit of a blur. The only reason I have any recollection of anything is because of this here blog... my memory seems to fail me at times.

I sadly won't have pictures to accompany this post as my computer is far from Cusco, Peru, but I will try to briefly sum up the main events of each month.

January. January was a babyful month for me (aren't they all?) as my dear friend, Mandi, gave birth to Kaden John at 33+6 weeks gestation. I was thankful to be there to support Mandi and her husband during the labour and delivery and spent many days and nights afterwards cuddling with the little fella and helping Mandi out whenever I could. I also learned that my sister, Lindsey, was expecting not one, but two babies.

Sadly I cannot recall much of February. I will assume I spent it with tiny people and with patients. It was at the end of February that I was offered my full-time position at the hospital though my line didn't start until the beginning of April.

In March we made a trip down to Washington to visit Erik's family as his sister was in town with her three boys. We camped out in my in-law's backyard for the duration of the visit. We also bought our camera in March -- a very momentous occasion.

In April I got to see my sister's future offspring for the first time. I accompanied Lindsey to a few of her ultrasounds and learned that she was most likely having two girls. I swear they were the cutest little blobs I have ever seen and Bronco (Avery) even did somersaults when I came into the room. Erik and I planted our garden (which ended up being awesome!) and my Little Sawybean turned two!

My nephews came over in May and stayed with Erik and I for the long weekend. We went fishing, had picnics, and they camped out in the backyard. They were "bored" the entire time, but ended up saying the visit was awesome! May brought many barbecues with friends as it usually does due to the warming weather. And, Erik and I went to the coast to hike the Chief and stay at Howe Sound Brewery (where my brother, Zachary, and his wife, Heather, joined us) to celebrate his April birthday.

And Erik headed off to Alaska in June as is customary. I probably did a whole lot of nothing while he was gone. My parent's put their house up for sale at the end of June as well.

Next instalment to follow shortly. Erik and I have a day to plan.