Sweet Jetlag

I like jetlag. At the start of a trip jetlag indicates that it’s just the beginning of a whirlwind vacation. And at the end of a trip it means that you’re home at last. Ryan and I got back from our three-week trip last weekend and while we have physically recovered from the time change, our suitcases still seem to be suffering from jetlag. Today is the day, though--- today I will unpack!

Our vacation was great. It actually started on February 11 when Mike and Wendy arrived from Austin. Two days later Mike (from Austin) and Mike (from South Dakota) got up to Monteverde. We had so much fun hanging out with Three Mikes and a Wendy. We showed them around our cool little town, then headed down to the beach for fun in the sun. On Sunday February 20th, Ran headed back up to Monteverde while Ryan and I left for Alajuela with the two Mikes. The next day we got on a plane. We first went to LA, then Maui and finally to Hilo to see my family. Ryan had a ball. In LA she got to play with Collin who was born two weeks before her. She also got to admire Collin’s sweet baby brother, Evan. Collin and Evan are the sons of Jenny and Steve and I hadn’t seen them since before we all had kids. Jenny and I went to high school together and she and Steve met while Jenny was in college. On Maui, Ryan got to hang out with Jacob and Joy. Jacob turned 5 this month and Joy will be 3 on Easter. Ryan had fun playing with her friends and I enjoyed catching up with Kirstin and James. Kirstin and Ran went to middle school together in Austin. She ended up going to college in Hawaii and met her husband in law school there. (What a small world.) Kirstin took some time off of work and we ate (a lot) and hung out and enjoyed each others company. Then Ryan and I were off to Hilo. My parents were so excited to see us! We spent our time in Hilo eating (oh how I missed local food) and visiting and relaxing. Kirstin managed to come down for the weekend so we also squeezed in some shopping and manicures and pedicures. Ryan fed the goat and the pig which she thought was really cool. Naturally she was showered with gifts and I ended up buying more luggage so we could take it all home. We had a lot of fun but we were anxious to get home to Ran. When we got back (after a very long day of traveling), Ran asked Ryan what her favorite thing about her trip was. Her response was, “Coming home to see my daddy!”

So life is pretty much back to normal (except for the partially unpacked suitcases in the living room). Ryan enjoyed her first full week of school and I enjoyed spending my mornings at the Pension. This is the start of Semana Santa so she has this week off. Ryan wants to go horseback riding and to visit the snake farm. We don’t celebrate Easter with colored eggs and bunnies here but I managed to buy a couple of packs of Peeps in Hawaii. They’re sitting in one of the three suitcases that I swear I will unpack today.

My next doctor’s appointment is on the 29th. My tummy is growing rapidly and Baby is having a blast tap-dancing on my bladder. Yesterday Ryan and I were walking to her art class and came upon some tourists who were headed to the Cheese Factory. They deduced that I must live here since despite my big pregnant belly I was briskly walking and talking and wasn’t out of breath. And also because I said that the Cheese Factory was just a little way ahead and it seemed much farther than “a little way” to them. Living here has been good for us. I always thought we lived a pretty healthy lifestyle but this is stuff you don’t get by going to a gym. Come experience it for yourself!

pura vida