In case if you have been wondering about Anthony's work, he has been researching with Jorge from Argentina and Carlos from Colima. Anthony is trying really hard to get used to long lunches, but he is enjoying his international collaborations. In fact, Anthony just found out that the Tongen family will be spending the Spring 2014 semester (approximately one year from now) in Salamanca, Spain. He will be the faculty liason for JMU's study abroad program to Spain.
It is hard work for us to show up late enough for birthday parties. When we drove past one 20 minutes late only to see that there was no one there yet, we went to see the cemetery with its post Dia de Muertos decorations.
I think the variety in cemeteries across different cultures is intriguing. Yet, Anthony and I still don't want our kids to waste their money or a nice piece of earth for the sake of our memory.
Regina's birthday party was fun for our whole family. We have consistently sat with kind, hospitable people, which is important when the order of the day is to have 5 hours of conversation.
We were invited on this day to hear recitation of poems. Micah recited Buen Viaje by Amado Nervo.
Con la mitad de un periódico
hice un buque de papel
y en la fuente de mi casa
va navegando muy bien.
Mi hermana con su abanico
sopla que sopla sobre él.
Muy buen viaje, muy buen viaje,
buquecito de papel!
Micah has continued to excel in third grade, both in grades and in making many friends.
Paul is a good little student! He has learned an amazing amount in a few months, including how to read and write in English and Spanish. It is easier for him to read in Spanish, but easier to write in English.
Things that have become normal #9: trucks loaded with sugar cane; #10: sugar cane ash "raining" down on us as they burn the stalks to prepare them for harvest; and #11: enjoying a 10 peso bag of freshly cut sugar cane at every festival.
I am so thankful that our boys are being positively influenced by this culture, including taking responsibility for their homework (both types.)
Lest you feel sorry for Paul and Micah, you can see that they get plenty of time for fun, too.
We experience this beauty one block from our house.
This is the location these three guys picked for their dream house, with 360 degree views of mountains.
Things that have become normal #12: seeing future neighborhoods planned around big trees; and #13: hearing fireworks that are very loud but with no pretty lights every morning at 6:15 am and often around 10 pm. (I have waited so long to post these pictures that the loud booms have pretty well subsided now that it has been a month since Revolution Day.)
The boys in their Revolution Day costumes were a riot!
Can you believe that I sent my sons to school wearing fake bullets across their chests?
Who looks the most like Pancho Villa?
I hope you are laughing by now. I was, and am.
Then, Paul turned into a mouse and this picture really makes me laugh every time I see it!
Things that have become normal: #14 papel picado banners hanging across streets with colors according to the festival currently being celebrated (I hope you have caught that there is always something being celebrated!); #15 beautiful colonial churches; #16 beautiful sunsets on the way to school; #16 old right next to new (on the right); #17 vendors on wheels (on the left); #18 stop signs that really mean yield.
Micah's class sang and danced to "La Cucaracha" for the school ceremony on Revolution Day.
Can you find Micah????
Of course taco tuxpenos were a key part of Revolution Day celebrations. It turns out that the preschoolers weren't expected to wear costumes, since the girls' long skirts would get caught in their wheels for their parade, but Samuel wanted to keep his mustache and all.
Maestra Maricella made the parade fun even for the kids who didn't bring wheels.
This year's Thanksgiving included a pre-preschool fútbol game instead of the Thanksgiving Day Football Game . . .
and a feast with friends between school and fútbol practice. For the record, Samuel wanted a tortilla to put his mashed potatoes in.
Darla and D'Anna's brother Daniel was visiting for Thanksgiving, so we enjoyed sharing Thanksgiving dinner with them.
We have continued going to the beach every couple of weeks.
I love being able to have a table in the shade even if I actually play in the sand and water with the kids most of the time.
Francisco had a fun party with a lot of confetti.
Francisco's dad had more fun than I have seen any dad have at a birthday party! After 8 piñatas in the last 3 months, Samuel finally got up the courage to hit a piñata.
Things that have become normal # 19: Sam having fun talking and playing with friends in Español.
and #20: soccer 5 or 6 days per week. We put Micah and Paul onto fútbol teams, which means that they each have 3 practices plus a game every week. Does that have something to do with why I have not posted on this blog in so long? Yes, but it is good to experience being a fútbol mom here, make more friends, and see the boys get better quickly. Plus, I frequently enjoy the tennis court right next to the soccer field.
#21: helping our 3 year old do his homework every schoolday; #22: finding shade for our car and ourselves during siesta time between the Global Gas truck and the road repair truck (outfitted with shovels and pickaxes.)
#23: the extremes of Samuel's emotions have been very pronounced this fall. He is more often happy than angry, but boy is it hard for me when he throws temper tantrums, especially in public when a lot of people are watching us to see how foreigners act.
I took this picture behind Casa Cuna, where our friends take care of kids whose parents can't.
Darla and I absolutely loved going to the Volcano National Park. We both want to go hiking on Volcan de Nieve (Snow Volcano, which is the extinct one) and hopefully see views of Volcan de Fuego (Fire Volcano, the active one).
It was actually chilly enough to get goosebumps, see pine trees, and feel like we were in Colorado.
Sweet sisters.
Diego is one of Paul's friends from his soccer team and he had the fanciest birthday party yet! Unfortunately, they ended up having a game right in the middle of the party (one of the many disadvantages of finding out about soccer game dates and times one to two days prior), but we were able to do both.
During this half-time gathering of Micah's team, I heard one of the dads encourage them that they are now an international team.
Darla shared her favorite park with us.
It still hasn't become normal for me to let my kids drink pop, but it is often the only beverage option at restaurants. It is worth it to be able to get good tacos al pastor.
Does anyone want to give our sons a pet snake for Christmas? That is what they would like.
I wouldn't mind. I really enjoyed holding the snakes.
Paul the future veterinarian has many things he wants to be when he grows up. The other day, he was trying to figure out how he could be a librarian along with being a teacher, a police officer and firefighter. I just know that he will be caring for living beings.
Things that have become normal # 24: My sons know words that I don't know. For instance, I have to call these dogs "X Dogs," but Micah says, "Mom, why don't you just say 'Xoloitzcuintle'?"
Shockingly, Anthony and I have both been corrected by our 3 year old this month, when we have said something wrong in Spanish.
These were some of the best 30 pesos I have spent.
I will not let any of our boys turn 16.
Can you believe how many pictures we have over the last few months of all 5 of us? Thank you Darla and D'Anna.
Have I mentioned often enough how thankful I am to have quality time with these four guys?
