Go, baby turtles, go!

The boys had a day off from school in September, so we took a drive up the volcano. It didn't result in many photographs, but this spot is located well beyond the end of what Anthony would consider a "road." For the record, there is also a little school just beyond this plaza for a town that may someday surround it. 

Samuel and I have continued to try out nearly every park in Colima. Check out the cool tree!

Anthony plays soccer on Tuesdays with students and other Math faculty.

Two weeks ago, we went to the Tortugario in Cuyatlan. It was amazing!

We took D'Anna and Darla with us, who are our sweet new friends (from Nashville) who are volunteering at Hogar Amor, the orphanage. Can you see the cute 9-month-old? (It is a turtle.)

We had a great tour guide/scientist who was willing to speak slowly and clearly enough for me to understand most of what he said. Some days, I understand a lot of Spanish and other days I understand almost nothing.

We make quite a big bunch of estadounidienses (trickier to say than "americanos," but more courteous here, since Mexicans are Americans, too, by virtue of sharing the continent.)

We went on an awesome boat ride THROUGH the mangroves.

In honor of my mom and her sister, Elaine -- a gorgeous Great Blue Heron in his southern home.

I learned something new about Samuel -- he feels secure if he has something little in his hand.

Samuel's Maestra was bragging the other day that Samuel knows how to say "Iguana" in Spanish. (It is "Iguana," but he says it with a Spanish accent.)

We left the Tortugario for some fish tacos, REAL shrimp cocktail, and 

the chance to play in the ocean while our meal was being cooked.

 Can you tell how strong the undertow was based upon Paul's feet?

 Here is my new favorite picture!

I've been collecting brilliant Mexican ideas in my head (maybe that will need to be a post in itself sometime.) Here is one of them. Our lunch table is right next to Micah.

We went back to the Tortugario for the releasing of baby turtles.

Do you know how sometimes pictures (at least those that I can take during the two seconds that we were willing to borrow from the turtles' voyage into the sea) just don't fully capture the preciousness of some experiences? 
I was so excited for my baby turtle's adventure.

Releasing the baby turtles was possibly my highlight of our time in Mexico so far. I'm pretty sure it has something to do with the feelings that I was able to embrace in the midst of it. While cheering for my tiny turtle to go and thrive in the huge ocean, I experienced so many emotions about letting my boys go off into the world.

Samuel's turtle was a little shy and slow to get started, resulting in concern for his 3 year old caregiver.

Paul's turtle was almost as fast as his dad's (which I am convinced was the fastest turtle of the whole 100.)

Micah's turtle did great, too.

I don't know if it was Sam's cheering or the crab that came out of his hole to scare the little turtle towards the sea, but his turtle picked up the pace and got to the huge ocean just behind mine.

I don't know why aliens abducted my husband and replaced him with this man who is willing to be buried in black sand. Regardless, I sure love watching Anthony be an amazing dad. I am amazed at how he selflessly loves me and our sons. I am thankful for all of the quality time the 5 of us have had together here with this different pace of life.

 Paul was excited to follow his dad's lead,

 even Sam was able to stay still just long enough,

 and Micah became a talking head.

 Samuel's friend Camila invited us to her birthday party, so we got to have 2 data points before throwing Paul's birthday party on Friday. Camila's mom made delicious posole and we enjoyed another 5-hour-long party.

No, it isn't an optical illusion. The pinata was twice Camila's size. Do you also see the cool zig-zag hairdo in front of Tinkerbell? The woman to the far left, with the ponytail, is Samuel's amazing Maestra, Maricela.