enjoying life

Somebody special just a had a birthday!! Hard to believe, our A is now three!



She arrived a tiny, quiet, peaceful newborn in November 2006. Aww....

Even after so many knocks in the road both health-wise and in the family department (two failed adoptions - in fact the only two we've had to this point), she is still a delightful little person who brightens the day of everyone she comes in contact with!

Thought you might enjoy the Alseths account of making A's day special. (In an effort to use their limited resources wisely, all the kids at CDA III are having more personal, small "family birthdays", which is still really special to the child!)

We took her out to see a dinosaur movie and go to an arcade. The movies were buy one get one free that night so we took JG with her to celebrate. They both had the best time ever experiencing everything. A couldn’t get enough of the rides at the arcade and they both enjoyed eating their candy popcorn.

They were so entertained by the movie, which was a surprise to us because they don’t usually pay attention to things that long when we’ve put movies on the television at the house. They were the cutest! Their laughter was louder than the movie sound system and every time something funny would happen; A would look over at me and repeat everything that she just saw, and then laugh all over again. I couldn’t understand half of what she said but, her sound effects were the greatest. I was laughing at her more than the movie!

Even the people around us thought our kids were the highlight of the show. Fun, fun, fun!

See for yourself:

Happy Birthday, A, and many, many more!!!

{pictures courtesy of the Alseth Family}

what I see

My view...

...from my room in Bolivia

mountains, people walking, airplanes, clothes drying, snow on mountains, children swinging and sliding, dust storms, visitors arriving, highest peak in Cochabamba, K bus passing by, diapers hanging to dry, breathtaking bougainvillea vines

My view...

...from my room in Tennessee {actually sister Emma's room}

tall stately trees, picnic table, lawn mowing men, gorgeous fall color, parking lot, falling leaves, moving trucks, people walking little dogs

Love the nature!

So long as I'm not too close to it =)

what to do on a Saturday night...

When you're a Thompson in Tennessee, that is.

Go to the location of your opening soon cookie store...

...to clean up a bit...

...try out the new phone...

Then we go to their first store...



...to put out Mom's new fall cookie cake designs...



...serve cookies to customers who think we're open...




...count the dough from the day...




...read while waiting for the new gingerbread cookies to cool...




...taste test the icing (not really!)...




...scalp a gingerbread man with a pocket knife (totally her idea, I know, a shocker!!)...




...and decorate and put out the first 11 "gingerbread people" of the season!



Happy Saturday!

little big helper

Just like a content little housewife, five year old S is undeniably the happiest when she is washing dishes, sweeping the floor, folding cloth diapers, or feeding a baby a bottle!

Wordless Wednesday

can we say luxury??

Last year I was in Texas in July and quite possibly my FAVORITE purchase of the trip was a diaper bag from Wal-Mart.

So cheap and SO HANDY when you are constantly out with 1-3 babies/toddlers, or {many} more.

Remember this picture from a long ago post? Girl Twin E famously climbing IN TO aforementioned diaper bag at a restaurant while her brother slept peacefully. At least it kept her distracted for exactly 1.7 minutes! Multi-use, indeed.

Now with the volunteers and staff taking the kids out even more than me, they are wanting a diaper bag as well....or maybe not something that screams "I'm a mommy" but is just more practical than your purse, where that milk bottle WILL spill or leak before your day is done, and it WILL wet important papers.

So this week I checked out a few links I had saved, of "mother of multiples" recommended bags. WHOAH NELLY!! It's a whole new world! Unfortunately, stuff you never knew you needed until you heard of it. Now I'm not saying that I even understand what all of this means, much less do I want or need it, but what a dizzying array of features and options...

reversible
ultra lightweight changing pad (no foam)...oh, was SO concerned about the weight of a changing pad!!
machine washable
Crumb Drains (hm...)
magazine pocket
anti-microbial lining ....let me tell ya, you really don't need this in the US, you need it at the ends of the earth where hand-washing has yet to catch on and diseases that have died out here still thrive there
Mommy pockets (for lipstick. oh, of course.)
Pacifier pockets
key fob
Rhinestone studded zipper pulls
Lots and lots and LOTS of pockets!!!
Picture pockets
Light colored lining (explanation: to avoid the “dark hole” affect when you’re digging around for something. Clever!)
Wet/dry bag for messes
Diaper beds with “memory” foam so that there are no uncomfortable “pressure spots” for baby (???)
Stroller straps
Insulated diaper pockets (and diapers need to be insulated why?)
Premium shoulder padding on straps
No slip grip on straps
Stroller clips
And the “zippered pocket that works on the inside of the bag or out”. Huh?


Some bags had 20 or 30 fabric options, with names like "lotus lullaby" and "black bouquet". Lot of fun, but would make me want 5 or 6 to coordinate with outfits. =)

Loved the name "MotherShip" for one big kahuna bag (the striped one here).

And oh yeah, the prices were nuts - upwards of $100, so I was just dreaming!

A couple of the links (but if you have a baby, you've been forewarned!!):

Ju-Ju-Be

Fleurville

taste testing

A few weeks ago when I was at Casa de Amor II, preparations were underway for a double birthday party.

Tia Nahara, "chief baker" at CDA II, icing a big cake

finishing touches!

And there was much loving going on between the kids/tias and our baby F...

Then I was happy to see this sight in the kitchen...

...as the dozen children were told to form a line!

FREE CHOCOLATE SAMPLES!

"Cleaning the bowl", Casa de Amor II style

tid-bits....

Checking in from Tennessee...

Today was my first truly productive day since leaving Bolivia 10 days ago. How did it feel? GREAT! Sometimes I think resting is highly overrated.

I feel so much better now that I've emailed back and forth with my administrator and accountant about finances, staff, bank accounts, speech therapists, etc., talked with our bank here about an ATM issue, finished November's CDA I & II schedules, worked on October's e-update, and updated the website.

Oh which means you can now see our brand new brochure!!! Go here, scroll down a bit and you'll see the links.

In summary I also....

Supervised all of Emma's schoolwork/guitar practicing since our Mom is currently visiting Denise Holman while she's in Virginia.

In between reading Amos Fortune and math assignments, I got two emails saying that the main pediatric hospital here would gladly accept me as a volunteer for the next two months. Yeah!!! I filled out the application and we shall see what comes of it...

Laughed out loud as I read the new article "Hurry" from a favorite blogger (also in Tennessee!). Have to admit that she brings up an excellent set of questions.

Made Terayaki Chicken Salad sandwiches for my family's dinner tonight along with Organic Cashew Carrot Ginger soup. Don't get all excited about that one: I'm lovin' how lazy you can be in the US and heated it up from a fancy schmancy box of soup. It was all YUMMY.

No idea why this post happens to have so many links. Of course you don't have to go to any of them, they're just there if you're curious. =)

Later Emma and I enjoyed 40 minutes in the workout room at their apartment complex. SO much fun - this is getting to be a daily ritual! I've never had consistent access to workout equipment before. And well, now's a terrific time! Read: all the cookies and gooey bars and cinnamon-sugar pretzels with icing a girl could EVER want, yikes!!

And in Baby Home news...

Yesterday I called to wish our childcare supervisor a happy birthday, but we could barely talk for the kids yelling my name. So the tias started passing the phone around and I had a blast talking to about 8 or 10 2 to 5 year olds! I'm not entirely sure how many because some only smiled instead of talking, and gasp I couldn't tell who was who very well by phone...and an internet call at that.

You never know what a kid will say. Three year old Jh got on the phone and exclaimed "Tia Jheny!! Have you had your baby yet?!??" The tias dying laughing in the background was just as funny. I suppose he thinks that tias who disappear for long amounts of time can only be on maternity leave!! I told a tia afterwards that I would hate to disappoint him and that I could arrange to pick up a new baby on my way back from the airport if they so desired. =)

They also report that "my baby" (that would be 6 week old baby F) had just finished her bottle and is growing and changing and her face is already different again.

Speaking of airports, a new volunteer arrived today in Bolivia! Check the volunteer blog soon for more.

AND we are off to the one here now to pick up Mom, so signing off...


Pictures in this post courtesy of volunteer Savannah!!

and the kids?

My sister Heather wisely pointed out that perhaps my blog readers would be worried for the children. Who will care for them while you’re

gone?! you may ask. So, just to clarify...

Really, I don't mean to lead anyone astray by the blog, but quite simply the details of my office work wouldn't attract many readers!

The never-ending parade of emails, phone calls to make and receive, meetings with staff members or family members or lawyers or visitors, spending hours writing and editing the next Casa de Amor update email or newsletter, transferring money from the US to Bolivia, signing papers and letters, updating financial reports, reviewing volunteer applications, going downtown to sign papers or meet with lawyers......not always a lot of fun photo opportunities!

While I'm overseeing everything going on in our third floor Baby Home office, visiting the other two homes, and running around Cochabamba, a team of dedicated caregivers and volunteers are...

...feeding the crew, preparing the food, making bottles, changing diapers, keeping the kids (and babies) on a schedule, keeping the washers running, hanging the clothes and diapers to dry, loving and hugging on kids, teaching colors and numbers and helping with homework, kissing away little hurts.....and WAY way more.

I always say I live in the Baby Home because otherwise, I wouldn't have a chance to see the babies! Evenings and weekends (or "wearing" a baby while I work) are my best time to catch moments with them and get in touch with how everyone is doing.

So, not to fear! Our 42 children ages 1 month - 13 years are in great hands while I'm away. All I'm worried about is missing them way too much ...and not recognizing them when I'm back!!

One of my favorite CDA staff pictures, from July 2007

In the US of A!

After quite the trip...

From mountainous Bolivia (and low land Santa Cruz - no pic)...




...to fashionable, cosmopolitan Buenos Aires, Argentina (awesome city!!)...






...to laid-back Montevideo...

...and beach front Colonia, Uruguay....

I'm now with my {cookie store owner} family, yeah!!



Oh, and did I mention going from three countries joyously celebrating spring (and even Mother's Day in Argentina) to cold, brisk FALL weather?!

It's been a whirlwind, all this within 4 days and 4 nights! I wouldn't recommend it to the faint of heart (or the weak of body - my feet are still recovering and it will take a while to get caught up on sleep), but the five passport stamps in a SINGLE DAY was totally worth it!! So much fun! And too many exclamation points in this post, but I felt SO blessed to be able to have that trip and finally take care of some of my curiosity about other Latin American countries.

Ever since first reading about Montevideo in a travel magazine years ago (12?) I've wanted to learn more. Finally, even though I only had two hours to explore the downtown before a 2 1/2 hour bus ride to Colonia, I've been to this rarely heard of little country!

Wordless Wednesday