What are we REALLY up to?

A girlfriend recently sent me an email asking "What are we up to?" and she is one that keeps up with the blog. I realized then that I have written about certain events, but not about our day to day much.

Scotty is enjoying work, although the stress level is much higher here than in Elko. He's learning how to work with non-Americans as well as balance family with his work during the week. Most daddies don't come home midweek like he does. We are very thankful he makes it a point to stop working and come home! Scott initiated Sunday family time 5 weeks ago and every Sunday we reflect on the week and then work through the prayer acronym ACTS. We then focus the rest of the week on what was listed specifically that Sunday. For example, we are focusing on adoring God this week for making us in His image. We purposely work on putting off our old man for what we confessed together as a family. The next Sunday we reflect on our spiritual journey on putting of the old man and seeing how God answered in supplication that week. I'm very proud of him for this.

I'm working on training/disciplining from the heart. I made a commitment 4weeks ago to try to change how I discipline and see if I see a difference in my children after 8weeks. I'm seeing small progress. I'm reading Sheperding a Child's Heart and pairing it with Ginger Plowman's Wise Words for Moms chart to accomplish getting to the heart issue when dealing with misbehavior. I highly recommend Plowman's chart!

Adeline is now in a Montessori school 2 days a week. Not one day of tears yet! She really likes having a smaller class. She was one of 20 in her school in the Fall and now one of under 10 at her Montessori school. Not to mention the room is twice the size and has all the cool hands-on Montessori material. The teacher explained that she needs to work more at home on vowel recognition and I then realized that if I don't step it up at home she'll learn to read in Spanish before English! Many children start school here 5 days a week and about 5 hours a day starting at age 2. Therefore many know their vowels by now. Don't worry, I'm still American enough to know that it's totally fine that my daughter doesn't recognize all her vowels by age 3 1/2.

Dman is becoming more of a toddler every day; although I have adopted the nonAmerican view of letting my son still be on a bottle beyond the age of one! :) He can repeat anything in English or Spanish. Ana and I laughed the other night when I was trying to teach Ana English and she was teaching me Spanish and Darton could say the words before either one of us could. His favorite phrase right now is "Oh maaaaan" when he's disappointed somehow. It's hilarious. He still refuses to say he has a poopy diaper even when you are changing him and he's yet to not fuss during a diaper change in his 22mths of life. 95% of the time when you tell D something or ask him somthing he responds with "no" and then the last one or two words you said. This to me really sums up his temperment. His favorite song to sing is "Swing Low."

Life with Ana

When we first moved here I thought I'd never have a live-in maid. Now, a year and a half later I'm not quite sure how I got along without Ana. Ana lives with us Monday through Thursday. Most families have help 5-6 days a week. I enjoy my "Sanctification Fridays" though.

How does having a trabajadora change your life?
Ana's main responsibility is cleaning the house. Therefore Monday through Thursday I rarely pick up any kind of cleaning utensil. This includes not washing a dish for four days. For the last year (Ana became full time last February), I have not cleaned a toilet. I have yet to mop my new home that I've lived in for 2 months now. My floors get cleaned 2 times a week (I remember I was lucky to clean once a week in the States). The amount of car/road pollution as well as having all tile/marble floors forces you to need to clean the floors more often here. Some trabajadoras clean the same floors every day! Carpet hides a lot.
Using a washing machine isn't a Dominican's forte, so I wash clothes but Ana folds them. Ana also washes sheets & towels. I haven't washed my sheets in a year. Ana washes them weekly.

Ana is wonderful with my children. Usually something is always chewed up by the dog if she's in charge, but I'm willing to sacrifice a few toys. Having Ana means:
I can go to a coffee or a Bible Study without my children (children are included in very little in this country b/c it's just assumed you have a nanny).
I can take Adeline to dance and leave Darton at home sleeping.
I only have to take one child to the doctor at a time.
I can do any errand childless.
I don't change every diaper.
I don't clean up every mess.

Ana is also a good cook, and while most trabajadoras clean and cook, I share the cooking responsibilities. Ana usually cooks one dinner for us and puts together most lunches. Today for instance I was able to play with the kids outside for 3 hours and then without asking, Ana put together lunch for us.

We now have a jardinero (gardner) 3 days a week and he stays busy busy for those three days with the jardin (greenery), piscina (pool), los pisos del terraza y nivel uno (terrace and first floor floors). Theo is also a blessing to our lives because the little time Scott does have at home is spent totally with the family instead of keeping up the yard or washing the car.

I'm not saying my life is better than yours because I have help in the house. I just want to communicate how much life is different here. Ana makes less than $15/day and Theo even less than that. House help is very affordable here. While most woman go through multiple trabajadoras in one year, I have a woman who people ask "how do I get one like her?" We have been truly blessed...I do not say this lightly.

There are days when I think, "Will I be able to live without Ana?" Many, many, many days I think of my friends with 3 or more kids juggling all the responsibilites of the home, mother, and wife. I stay in awe of you.
I really don't know what life would be like for me right now in the States. I've never raised toddlers before. I assume I'd even be pregnant with #3 like some of you are right now. I usually question "would I be able to survive without Ana?" and question my abilities as a helpmeet/mother/caretaker of the home.
I do know though that I thoroughly enjoy being able to play with my children without the responsibilities of the home weighing on my shoulders. I do not to take this for granted since life in the DR will probably end for us one day.

I laugh that I use to say I'd never have a live-in maid! Thank you Ana.

Creativity & Beach

Flour and water are a favorite pasttime right now.

Painting is always fun too.

We spent Wednesday through Sunday in Caberete. Lots of fun with friends!

There is an apartment complex with a very nice waterpark for the kids. Can't wait to get back and visit!

The past week

Since last post....
The Orthodox Presbyterian Missionary to Haiti and 2 OPC members came through on Thursday night to crash here before flying out of Sto Dmgo. Flights out of Haiti are so backed-up that it's worth it to drive the 7hours or so to Sto Dmgo and find a flight. Ben will come back through early next week before heading on to Haiti. It was so nice to meet him and we hope that one day we can meet his family who is right now living in the States during all the chaos in Haiti.
On Friday we were able to spend half the day with a dear Christian friend who has just returned after 3 months from having her baby in the States. Adeline and Hartleigh were in the jacuzzi one and for 4 hours! We were amazed at how well they played together. Not one fight the whole 6 hours of the playdate!
Saturday I had a golf lesson. I'm trying to take advantage of living in a climate that you can play golf in 12 months out of the year. During my lesson I met an American who works for the embassy here and he and his wife joined us for picaderas (appetizers) along with another couple Saturday night. Saturday night was our short story discussion date night. We have a list of 15 interested couples/people, but we usually only get 1 or 2 to show up.
Sunday afternoons are a lot more fun with a house and pool. As soon as we get home, weather permitting, the kids and Scott hop in the pool while I throw together lunch. We eat casually outside and then head in for a nap. The kids are old enough now that we can all take a nap on the same bed! (old enough meaning it's not a distraction to sleep with the family) It's SO sweet.
Today I never made it out of my work out clothes because Darton fell out of the car AGAIN! This time he fell on loose gravel instead of concrete, which resulted in a cut that we felt worthy to be checked out at the hospital. My Monday morning routine is to take Adeline to school and on the way home stop at the Botanical Gardens with Darton for a brisk walk. Once again I learned that when in a high-stress situation NO HABLO ESPANOL! Praise God He put a girlfriend in the park at the same time and I found her to help us. Jen is a veternarian and she drove us to the hospital wHere we were miraculously in and out in 40minutes. That doesn't happen folks..not here, not anywhere. Our pediatrician was on his way over to the emergency room to see a baby who had been burned by coffee, so it wasn't long before we got to see him and he shewed us out of the hospital reassuring us Darton was fine and didn't need stitches or an x-ray. Since the emergency room doctor didn't see us, we went in and out without having to pay anything! The same thing happened the last emergency room visit. Our visit the first time did include seeing the emergency room doctor, but since he didn't have to perform any assistance for us he didn't ask us to pay either. Craziness!
I just knew I'd have to miss my 2 hour Spanish lesson because I was going to be stuck at the hospital. I got home at 9:45a and handed Darton into trusting hands (Ana's) and headed to my lessons.
He doesn't have a large bump, just a small cut. But he is the most pitiful thing when you talk to him about it. It's quite funny listening to him explain what happened.
This afternoon I pureed through the food processor 150 bananas for a missionary who is making anywhere between a dozen to 4 dozen of banana breads for YWAM teams serving Haiti. It was a disgusting amount of pureed banana!
The kids and I head out Wednesday afternoon for the north coast to spend with my girlfriend Olivia. Scott will join us on Friday night. Please be praying for protection as I make the 3 hour drive through the mountains solo.

Back in Business...or rather Online

Happy 55th Birthday Dad!

The last part of January we traveled to the southwestern part of the country. The main city is Barahona and the secluded beach to see is the Bahia de las Alguilas. The only larimar mines in the world are found here in this part of the country. We didn't trek up the dirt road to see them, but we did buy larimar from a local man who buys the rough rock and makes it into a stone you would buy in the store. The color of larimar definately reflects the color of the ocean in this part of the country.
Coastlineboatride to the Bahia. The bahia is a good 2hr drive from any hotel worth recommending and then they suggest you take a boat instead of your car to get to the beach.

at our hotel. Yes, there is an unprotected dropoff where my loved ones are standing!

Except for the bahia, most of the beaches are made of large white rock.

Hello World Wide Web after 8weeks! I must say that I didn't miss you. I missed contact with friends and family and since you provide my phone line I'll admit I'm glad you're back. I really enjoyed getting to know that I could do other things besides sit and work with you. I really enjoyed the time I spent with my kids instead of you. With that said, I am going to be better disciplined about our meetings even though you tempt me every time I walk into the room with the calling of "maybe someone wrote you an email." No more of that!

We've had a fun filled last 2months with moving into a new home, family, and traveling in the DR. I'm going to try to revamp the blog soon, but that takes time and time I'm not wanting to commit to the computer right now. I have a book, a terrace, and a pool to sit beside...sounds much more inticing doesn't it? Here is a look at the last 8wks or so via pics. (not in order)

Scott's family arrived Dec 31 for a little over a week. Here we are enjoying the terraza.Botanical GardensWe drove through the countryside to the north coast to visit Caberete. Unfortunately it was cloudy and rainy, but it was great that the family got to see outside the city. Warning: What I'm about to reveal is only b/c my blog is about "Life in the DR."

Stomach cramping can be a frequent occurance here, especially when you first move here. I'm talking cramping bad enough that you swear off giving birth ever again. Well after some good spicy beach-bought lambi and salsa, these cramps hit me on the hour long curvy mountain road. We were in 2 cars and my father-in-law was observant enough to figure out that I couldn't drive any more. Half way up the mtn Adleine began crying like she was going to throw up and with me swearing of labor and delivery ever again, my father-in-law pulled over and Adeline and I got out of the car. She was fine...but it was one heck of a bounding experience for my father-in-law and me! Thankfully my brother-in-law stayed pretty clueless in the back seat and after a 5minute pit stop we hit the road again. Whew..I'm hurting just thinking about it.

We stayed in 2 apartments in Caberete near the beach. They were without bathtubs, but my mother-in-law figured out a way for the kids to have their bath :) Sandcastle time with PoppaJenny & Ella (who turns 1 tomorrow)the apartmentColonial ZoneI have been reading a book about being a creative family. Here we are cooking with nuts and rocks. Yes, I needed a book to prompt me to get creative. Church Christmas partyWould you believe this small amount of Christmas paper and tissue paper cost about $15US! I could have probably eventually found it cheaper elsewhere, but searching for items in a city of 3.5million isn't fun! I ended up buying about 15 pieces of tissue paper and this all came from a pharmacy that wraps gifts for you. We moved out of our apartment Dec 12 and here the men are lowering our couch down 3 stories!Christmas Eve was spent with Barrick friendsRight before Christmas. I love living in the tropics!