New friends

We decided to get Dennis a guinea pig. We were planning to visit the pet store on Sunday after attending the tea for our new pastors. I happened to check Facebook and saw a post from a friend asking if anyone wanted 2 guinea pigs. So we got 2 guinea pigs, cage, food, bedding, hay, book on their care, water bottle, food dish, and hideaway log, and it was FREE. What a blessing! Dennis has named them Flash and Spike. They are about a year old. They seem to like it here, and we enjoy their cute little personalities.

Bedtime negotiations

The proportion of how irritating Dennis can be exponentially increases as we pass the bedtime hour. Just now I told him it was almost 10:00 and he needed to go to bed. He informed me that he goes to bed at thirteen o' clock and not a minute before.

Just beachy

Dennis and I enjoyed a spectacular short getaway this week. We spent a night with Granny and explored Landmark Park, and then we were off to Panama City Beach to visit Gigi. It was breezy and perfect for most of our trip, and Dennis enjoyed a long morning beach frolic. He rolled in, built with, dug through, and immersed himself in sand. He made a friend, a fellow sand creature a year or so bigger than himself, and they happily alternated between wave jumping and beach excavation (all with ninja flair). I sat blissfully in my beach chair under an umbrella, enjoying the delicious breeze and gorgeous sea. And then a seagull pooped on my leg, so I enjoyed some ocean wading myself.

We swam in the pools. We played putt-putt and discovered that Dennis is not so bad at it. We shopped some, giving Dennis the opportunity to acquire for himself a very reasonably priced Thundercats sword, of which he is immensely proud. It makes sounds and extends, you see, and he used it to fight off invisible bad guys while we watched the dancing fountain show from a gazebo on the lake. I'm certain we left that gazebo a safer place.

I hope to raise Dennis to enjoy the journey as much as the destination. Daunted by the 4 hour drive home, I employed delay tactics. First, just as we made the turn away from the ocean, I changed my mind. A u-turn (safely and legally executed, of course) brought us to Pier Park for amusement park rides and lunch. I rode The Scrambler with Dennis and delighted in his giggles as he squished me against the outside of our seat during the fast turns. We eventually left Panama City and took a less traveled road home. We happened upon Ponce de Leon Springs State Park and stopped for a frigid swim. There might have been more detours if my traveling companion hadn't sacked out before 7pm. He was not thrilled with the backwoods route. He said "Mom, there is no signal on my phone to watch movies. All I see is trees and a house every once in a while. Reading makes me carsick. WHY did we come this way?". True, there was little to spark imagination on the route. I stopped and downloaded an audiobook to keep me company.

We are home now and have spent another water filled day, this time at the lake. We enjoyed time with good friends and a fun kayak jaunt down river. We've had summer fun in abundance!

Aqua freedom

Memorial Day weekend nearly always marks the beginning of summer lake swimming. Today was no exception, though the water was extremely refreshing (chilly). We enjoyed ourselves despite the cool of the water. Dennis tried out his kayak for the first time today. He seemed to intuitively grasp the mechanics of paddling and steering. He didn't flip the kayak but did jump off so he could learn how to climb back on. He loves his kayak and is thrilled with his skills in piloting it. We are pleased at its sturdiness and maneuverability and its resistance to flipping. All those phrases about it being a kid friendly model in the online description were quite accurate. He can really zip around in the thing!

Hours in the water always make us hungry, and we shared yet another fine meal with family & friend. How relaxing it was to spend a recreation day on the water, to share good company and conversation. Dennis put down the iPad (at our insistence) and was soon begging for more funny family stories. Though several family members were missed, the time was still well spent and highly enjoyable. And we are ready for a repeat tomorrow!

The graduate (g-rated)

Today Dennis' class had a little graduation party. His teacher asked them to raise their hands if they wanted to tell something they had learned this year in Kindergarten.  Dennis raised his hand but kept squirming out of his chair in his eagerness to share.  When he finally remained seated, she called on him and he had forgotten what he so desperately wanted to say. She asked what he'd learned in science, and he said they'd learned all the shapes.  She asked him to name a shape that he'd learned.  I don't know what I was expecting him to say, but it wasn't "rectangular prism", which was his answer.  He received his diploma and celebrated with his friends, and now he has finished his first year of elementary school.  Summer, here we come!

Show-off

Dennis attended a church event for 5th & 6th graders tonight. It was big fun for him, especially since they were having shaving cream battles and wrestling in jello. After an hour, they all went in to clean up and change, and while they were eating, they all got out their iPods and phones. Dennis went to the car and got his phone, too. It caused a stir, as it always does. "YOU have an iPhone? And you're in what, KINDERGARTEN?" followed by, "Mrs. Christi, is that really his phone?". Yes, I tell them. I give the reasons, as usual. It was cheaper than an iPod touch or any of the Leap Frog learning devices. He can Face Time or text his grandparents, who are in another country. He always hogged our iPhones before he got one. Sure, there are infinite numbers of learning apps. Sure, I can call him if he's in the men's room too long. It has its benefits.

He told me in the car on the way home that he loves it when kids react that way to him having a phone, especially an iPhone. It reminds him of how fortunate he is. And it makes him feel cool enough to hang with the bigger kids. He's always kind enough to let others play with it, so I fear a little less that we are teaching him rampant materialism. He's very excited that he has a Bible app that he can read on his phone.

There, I think I've convinced myself that I'm not a terrible parent. iPhones are just terribly useful devices, and I'm glad that he enjoys it.

Grieving

I haven't written in quite a while! Dennis is still his wonderful, witty, fun self. He can read now, and I wonder how much longer I can feasibly blog about him without causing him embarrassment.

Lots of changes going on around here. Both our pastors have been appointed to other churches and will be leaving at the end of June. While I intend to stay put, I wonder what will happen to my ministry with a major change of leadership. And I love both our pastors and am so sad to see them go. How many more loved ones will move away from us? Dennis is handling it well, I think, but I know he will be terribly sad when it's time for them to go. One of them is not going far, just a half hour away, but our senior pastor is moving to Pensacola.

I suppose it is part of the growing up process (my own) to stay behind while people you love go on to other callings, but it's so difficult to remain behind!

So Kindergarten will end in just over 3 weeks, and Dennis and I are hoping for a fun summer together. We are both ready for a break from the intensity of our current routines! David has just started a new job that he loves, but it is a half hour away, and I'm missing our lunches together!

I probably should write more when I'm less sad. I hope to report soon that Dennis and David will be advancing to new belt levels after their upcoming Taekwondo testing on Friday.

Why, indeed

We are early for Taekwondo tonight. This works out well, since Dennis' girlfriend is in the child care room in the gym and he gets to hang out with her for a few minutes.

Last night we asked him to go and get his backpack so that he could do his homework. He wanted us to go and fetch it for him, and David told him it was his backpack and he needed to get it himself. He sighed (loudly) and asked (dramatically), "Why do I have to be responsible for all the stuff that's mine???". Life is hard when you have to pick up your own Legos.

serving

I'm so proud of Dennis for participating in the community's Great Day of Service. We had been scheduled to help clean the city cemetery, but we were moved to the elementary school instead. I'm so glad we worked there. What a wonderful outdoor space the children have now! In addition to the outdoor classroom area, we finished the greenhouse, put in a butterfly garden, hung birdhouses, repaired the bicycles that the children get to ride, put in a fish pond, and built a labyrinth with a birdbath at the center. We planted fruit trees, hung giant colorful metal butterflies on the trees, and put out bird feeders all over. By "we" I mean the 20+ volunteers that worked there today. Dennis and I worked on the labyrinth, moving bricks around and securing them in the pattern that was sprayed on the ground and then dug. I feel good that we improved their play space, but I'm even more thrilled that my son gets to spend time learning in this wonderful space!

Alternatives

Dennis could not wait to tell me about the most exciting part of his day. He had to go to the bathroom while he was with his Daddy, and there wasn't one available. So I got this: "Guess what! I peed in a Gatorade bottle for the first time today!!!". Does this imply there will be more times? I think I'll not drink any yellow Gatorade I find around here for a while.

Whoopee

It's good to be the fun parent. David and I were at the Dollar Tree and I slid a whoopee cushion into our basket. At the register he gave me that look he gets. I explained my plan and got his surprised approval. We inflated and installed said cushion in Dennis' carseat when we went to pick him up just now. He was shocked to see it, of course, and we learned that he didn't know what a whoopee cushion is. Suffice it to say that he quickly caught on to its purpose, and we've had a very fun ride home. I love those giggles!

end of the adventure? NOT!

It's 5 AM. We are almost back home, another 20 minutes or so and we will be there. We were scheduled to land in Birmingham at 7:40. That didn't happen by a long shot!

We were just a few minutes late for takeoff in Belize, indeed were headed down the runway at a pretty good clip when we felt and heard a large bang. Instead of lifting off, the plane slowed and then stopped. It felt like we'd hit a very large pothole. The captain announced that he had to abort takeoff and we would return to the gate to check out a maintenance issue. We returned to the gate and I heard a tiny boy from farther back in the plane yell, "Look, Daddy, it's a fire truck!". We looked out the window to see two yellow trucks with the words "Airport Crash and Fire Service" emblazoned on their sides. The captain came on the speaker again and announced that one of the engines had failed and the fire trucks were going to look us over. Everything seemed fine, and we deplaned to wait for another plane to arrive from the U.S. to retrieve us. What followed were 7 (more) hours in the tiny Belize airport. Many of the shops were closed for Good Friday. The snack bar bakery ran out of food. We bought 2 $9 bags of Doritos (yes, $9 U.S.), the big bags, and water before all the shops closed at 4:30. The airline provided sandwiches and Cokes for our supper, and the new plane arrived to a thundering round of applause at 7:30. We quickly boarded to head back to the USA.

But, Delta couldn't get us from Atlanta to Birmingham until 9:40 AM. I have to preside over a big egg hung at church at 10:00 AM. So we called on Superdave to pick us up in Atlanta, offering money for gas and some for his trouble, and he drove us the 3 hours back to Birmingham to collect our van from the airport. We are actually driving through our hometown, and I'm hoping for a 2 hour power nap before heading to church.

Imagine 9 hours in a tiny airport with an active 6 year old boy. He was as good as he could be, and we know what a trial it was for him. He fell asleep before the plane took off and gamely woke up for the trip through immigration. He's a seasoned traveler now! He introduced himself to lots of kids this week. Tonight in the airport he started his conversations with "can you believe our plane broke?". He used his phone to film himself making a documentary news report at the airport. What a great kid!

true tropical explorers

Our biggest accomplishment today: climbing the 130+ foot tall El Castillo monument at Xunantunich ruins. We had a stunning view of Belize and Guatemala from the top. Because we were just 2 miles from the Guatemalan border, the Belize army presence was noticeable and all were toting M-16s. We appreciate them keeping the tourists safe! Yes, we were safe from Guatemalans, but I'm amazed that we were allowed to climb to the top of El Castillo. It is not an easy feat to climb 1000+ year old steps and traverse stone ledges. Dennis had great fun going up but was not as thrilled with the way down. I enjoyed the views and am in awe that these Mayan structures are still standing all over Belize!

We also toured a Mennonite area and shopped at their market. We visited our first air conditioned store and restaurant. We stopped at a butterfly preserve and insect museum. This is most certainly a diverse place! I think we've had a wonderful sample of the area in our short time here. I'm not sure how long it would take me to get used to hearing toucans, parrots, or chirping geckos outside the window. And if you've never before heard a howler monkey, google it and listen. Wow!

Dennis has fully experienced a taste of another culture. He made friends with local children and seemed at ease ordering his meals and asking prices in the market. Today he learned how to operate a hand crank ferry. The ferry operator let him give it a try. He's interested in all he's seen and has had tons of questions. I hope he will remember what he's seen and experienced!

Another day in tropical paradise

You could call it paradise. It was overcast and breezy while we were hanging out at Placencia Beach, not the least bit hot, which is just how we like our beach time. Dennis made his sand angels and frolicked in the Caribbean and did not want to leave. We drove a long time to get to Placencia, but we were rewarded with breathtaking vistas of the Maya Mountains as we drove through them. We made a stop at Blue Hole National Park and observed one of the famous sinkholes. We stopped in Hopkins on our way back, just to see it, and if ever there was the complete opposite of a seaside resort town, Hopkins is it. We bought gas at some guy's house (shack)--they sold us 5 gallons and filled the car from a plastic gas can. Only a few people tried to sell us stuff at the beach (despite the signs prohibiting it), so it was much more enjoyable than our Mexico beach experiences. It's amazing to me how abject poverty exists right beside wealth (really, side by side shacks and nice homes) and no one looks down on others.

We are getting into the routine, cranking open the window slats to catch the evening breezes, brushing our teeth with bottled water, showering in cool water, wearing shoes everywhere indoors (scorpions, pinworms...). Last night it was pleasant enough that we enjoyed a couple of games of dominos before turning in. We actually needed our covers, too. The weather since Monday has been just wonderful. For the record, we could shower in hot water if we used Mom & Dad's bathroom, but it hasn't really been an issue.

There is so much jungle here! I haven't before seen mountains covered in palm trees. And we had never seen a banana farm before today. On our way to Hopkins we had to stop to let a dozen coatimundis cross the road. Everything is so exotic! The lifestyle is easier, slower, but there are so many adventures to be had: caving, exploring ruins, waterfall hikes, wildlife preserves, diving, snorkeling... And everything is so cheap! I can see many future vacations to Belize. I'm also surprised by the availability of Wi-Fi all over the place. It has been nice to check in!

Tomorrow is our last day. We considered boating out to the islands (and a real beach resort), but I think we are going to tour more Mayan ruins and a Mennonite settlement. Dennis is very excited about it!

Foreign!

We are adjusting to life without air conditioning. At night we open our window slats and have the fans blowing across us. Sunday the temperature reached 104 and Dennis got a bit overheated, but a cool shower fixed him right up. The bird song we hear outside our windows is a constant reminder that we are not in the USA. We hear toucans often but have not seen one as of yet.

Dennis likes Belize but wouldn't want to live in a country with no toy stores, he says. He enjoyed touring the ruins at Cahal Pech yesterday. This is the area's oldest Mayan settlement. It was amazing to explore rooms that were built 3000 years ago! We climbed and explored as much as we cared to before sharing a delicious lunch at San Ignacio Resort Hotel. We have eaten rice and beans several times--it comes with chicken, pork, or beef, and is accompanied by potato salad and fried plantains. It seems to be the staple meal around here. We are also enjoying lime juice and lots of fresh fruit, and chocolate croissants from the French Bakery.

Yesterday afternoon we played around at Rio on Pools, walking/wading/swimming around and having a lovely frolic. The road there was very exciting, to say the least, and we did enjoy views of the Mayan Mountains and Big Pine Ridge, where they are (sadly) suffering from the southern pine beetle that is the same critter busily eating up Alabama forests.

Today we will visit the Belize Zoo (the only thing I remember from my last vacation here, which was a short hop off the cruise ship). Dennis is very excited to see it. And tomorrow we will visit the beach! Things are slow and relaxed here. I have seen no traffic lights, and road lanes seem to be merely suggestions. Our shower is cold water only, but that was preferable the first day! Now that temps have settled in the low 80s with a breeze, we haven't been getting in the pool as often. It's overcast, and that's actually quite a bit nicer than a hot tropical sun beating down on us.

From 28,600 feet

After driving through some truly terrible weather, I'm happy to report that we are in route to Belize. I am posting this from the skies over Georgia. Dennis has loved the whole experience thus far, most especially riding the "plane train" though the Atlanta airport. He is happily playing his Nintendo right now while David naps and I continue to wish that I was one of those people who could sleep on planes.

big break

Tonight we have started to pack for our trip to Belize. We are all so ready for Spring Break! Dennis has been busy asking to do this, watch that, go here, play there... Tonight we sent him to put his pajamas on and he never returned. He'd put himself to bed. Every night this week he has fallen asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow. It'll be nice to maybe sleep in some in Belize!

birthday eve

Tomorrow a six year old will be living here. He's been celebrating for days, with an awesome party on Saturday with many of his friends. Cards and gifts have been arriving by mail. He is a loved little boy!

I'm proud of the prankster he's turned out to be. He loves a good joke. If we are snuggling in my bed (before he goes to his bed) and I lean up to get something, he will quickly and stealthily stick his hand in the spot I vacated so that I will lean back on it. He knows I hate this, and he laughs every time. I can't believe I still fall for it.

Tomorrow is Math & Science Day at his school, and parents are invited. We are very excited to be able to go. What a fun way to celebrate being born on Pi Day! Friday we get to do the cupcakes-at-school thing, and more partying will follow at the lake that evening. It must be fun to be Dennis!

enter the red ninja

Dennis was thrilled to receive his red belt at Taekwondo tonight. This is his 8th belt, and we are very proud of him! David received his green belt tonight. It looks like Christmas around here!

Preparations for the birthday party are cranking into high gear. We let him invite his entire class, and he told us "well, I started not to invite Blaze, but then I told him he could come. I told him he couldn't act all crazy, though, because my party will be at the CHURCH." I'm glad he's thinking ahead.

Dennis lost his second tooth yesterday at school and brought it home in a bag. The tooth fairy dutifully showed up to purchase it while he slept. This growing up process seems to be accelerating!

author Dennis

To celebrate Dr. Seuss' birthday, Dennis' school has planned a week of events. The first was Young Authors Day where the Kindergartners read the books they have written to high school students. Dennis wrote and illustrated a lovely story entitled The Alien about a resident from Mars named Zeb who is brought to Earth by scientists and eventually becomes a scientist. I'm so proud of his work! We will treasure his work forever, preserved as it is in a lovely hardcover composition book. He dedicated his book to "my family".

In other news, he reportedly did well at Taekwondo testing. I was at a children's ministry class and missed it, but I'm hopeful that he will be bringing home a red belt at the ceremony on Thursday. I also hope that David will be advancing to his green belt.