email update 3/8

Sunday -
today was our least structured day so far. we had set plans at 3:30, but were free until that time, so after breakfast we headed to the mall. we picked up books and walked through, but the kids were not really 'into' shopping, so we hit the grocery and then went back to the hotel to swim.

the hotel pool is like pools in boise - no heat, a WELCOME relief from the 90s heat. We played "marco lolo" (lolo=grandpa, and we thought it sounded funny...) lots of laughter during this game. also, it exhausts the players. (yay!) we came down, got dressed for church (which was rocking, btw! they can really blast the tunes there!!) and had a little bite to eat. Rey is Henry's soul mate on the nutella issue. they both want nutella/pb sandwich every moment of the day. :) oh boy, increase the budget! coop got a little sunburn on those cheekies. thank goodness for the swim tops!

Walking with the three is interesting. Rey is very independent in public, very confident. He is not a little boy. so he walks kind of in front and all over. the net effect is kids kind of walking wherever the heck they want, snaking around. It is hard for me to keep track, and the it makes me anxious. so i keep telling them to fall back and stay together. It is driving rey crazy, but i guess he'll get over it. and as we get into a groove, i will loosen up. It is just 'one of those things'. i asked him "who is in charge: rey or mommy?" ....he smiled and said "mommy...." so there you go!

Saturday night was my first little tinge of homesickness (missing my bed and my regular boring life), and i could see little bits of that appearing in Coop & henry too. Especially as they are not used to go go go go go. when they begin the meltdown process, they just want to go home.

That's the thing about all this - Rey is our son, and i don't doubt fr a second that we are doing the right thing. But just because we are doing it does not mean it is easy all the time. (is anything worth doing EASY all the time?) Right now it is like we have an exchange student with us...except stronger than that...but you get my drift. Like we are all kind of trying to be 'nice'. like i don't want him to see my nasty mean mommy face. it's a lot of coping mechanisms. :) Last night the kids spread out with books and/or ipods and all had some alone time. it was great, and i am thankful for cooper who can actually articulate that he wants to be by himself. thankful for a hotel room that will allow for it! and thankful that after 45 minutes i discovered all 3 boys crawled in together watching woody woodpecker. very reassuring to mommy.

okay, one more note on this adventure: Jollibee at the mall on a sunday night = unpleasant mommy. The mall is huge. h u g e. like 4 floors and the layout is all over - you can't just go up or down, they have the escalators liked up so you have to explore a bit. They have movies, arcade, a train (yah!) and all kinds of fun there. we FINALLY found jolibee - the pinoy mcdonalds - and went up to order. well guess what? we don't know what the heck to order! and there are huge crowds and i am all flustered because it it LOUD and i am deaf. a nice lady cam out and took our order. so WHEW! better!! Coop is a champ and ate everything. As did Rey and mom and Dad. Henry ate rice. the hotdog tasted different and had a little cheesy sauce in it and he didn't want it. we cleaned it off (i'll spare you the details, but i was mortified by HOW david did this. i think i can never go in there again!!) he still wouldn't eat it! brat. hopefully today will go a teensy bit more smoothly.

Monday is ICAB day. That is government appt day. It will be great, but it is serious business - happy and sad. Our trip is halfway over. Rey wants already to fly home. more on THAT tomorrow!

here is one of the few pics i took yesterday: rey with his new obnoxious flip flops. this is what happens when DADDY helps you pick your shoes!

godbless!