And a few days. 2 countries, 3 islands, 5 flights, 6 cities, 8 ‘homes’ and more memories than I think I can remember 😉
We have yet to settle down but the prolonged vacation is still a pleasure. We are off the malaria pills, have yet to have any major illnesses or injuries (knock on wood!) and I haven’t even had a bad sunburn! (hard to believe). We are getting used to dairy being beyond rare (We miss you milk and cheese!!) and I almost don’t reach for the faucet to rinse my toothbrush. Though we do wash our veggies and our dishes in the water without thinking twice (ok occasionally I think twice when I’m not going to cook the cucumber, but still do it. I think our tummies are doing well).
Oh these girls. They are just the best. water babies for sure, swimming and learning to dive and have built their walking legs to respectable strength. We walk and ride and swim and learn and play and bizarrely haven’t gotten sick of each other! Spending so much time together is really the gift of this. I mean, too, because there are so many gifts. But these girls, getting to watch them, be with them, entertain and be entertained. They are so creative and kind and silly. They’re constantly cracking us up and making the journey so much more fun. yes they’re kids, and humans, so they get hot and tired and cranky with each other or us if they feel slighted (Alys got to listen to a real good lecture on fairness, equity and equality…oh eye roll, Mom…but the boxes and the fence really helped). But overall they are delightful. Every day Marion seems to find that something is the BEST EVER. Maui Sunset may even be being replaced as her future home by Bali (was quite surprised to learn this! That’s saying something. I think it’s the front yard pool). This despite the fact that she gets in a bit of a slump of sadness when we start talking about friends at home, she does miss them so much. But she is happy to play with sister or mom and dad. She loves a good joke and “Good one, Dad!…ate…mom.” is a frequent phrase as she appreciates a good jab or tease.
Alys is our little chef and loves to help prepare and manage and present our food in delightful fashion. Travelling about She is so observant and absorbs the tidbits of Our surroundings more than it seems I’m capable. I always trust her when she says we’ve turned the wrong way on the way home!
“School” continues to happen, if not on an exact schedule, with reasonable frequency that it seems somewhat a norm to pull out notebooks and books after breakfast most mornings. Sometimes pushed to afternoon if a morning beach trip is required. Buoy and Ate are only a little begrudging but as mom and dad learn how to be a bit better teachers I think things are improving (amazing the power of earning stars! Even when said stars are just ball point pen scribbled under their names on scratch paper 😆). We’re having great fun learning together about Bali and Hinduism, the Philippines population density (ok we didn’t make them learn that term but there are a lot of people on these islands!!) and rice farming and new foods and new words. The Tagalog is slow going but is happening…except paused while we pick up some Balinese/Indonesian.
Beyond being great sources of joy for us, they are so great to be with while we’re out exploring. There’s just something different that happens to people when they see kids. Strangers are warmer and our hosts and people on the street or in the shop…we have something to talk about. Even if it’s not really talking, it’s rare for a stranger to ask me, how old are you? What’s your name? Or exclaim “so pretty!” And try to squeeze my cheeks. I mean, kinda thankful no ones pinching my cheeks (mind out of gutters folks) but it is another gift that I find delightful and am extra thankful for. It’s like social lubricant (sort of hate that term) but like alcohol or a puppy in the mix it just seems to put everyone, including myself more at ease when the kiddos are there to smile and charm and laugh.
The Adobo Hobos 