Here's the latest picture of our little boy-in-training. We expect to meet him in person in the next couple of weeks!!

In case you thought this was all fun and games...

I thought I should post a reality check about our lives. In between our trips to explore Ecuador, we actually do some other stuff - some that is a bit more mundane. We are finally moved into our house, and this past week has been spent with all of the fun "just moved in" things that you can imagine. We just got our household goods yesterday, so we have boxes galore to unpack and sort through. (Who allowed me to let the movers in DC just pack every last bit of stuff we had in that house?) Dealing with repairmen, movers, installers of all sorts, etc... It is giving my Spanish (and Ecuadoran patience) a run for its money. So far so good. We have - and have located - a bed, dishes, and 2 cribs, so we have the basics. It will still be a while until we're fully settled, but we're getting closer.

House, Mountain, and other fun things

So we moved into our house last Sunday. We're super happy to being one step closer to settled. (We don't expect our furniture etc for another 7-10 days and oh, we're having a baby in 21 days) Poco a poco...

We took a fun weekend trip this last weekend to Cotopaxi, the main mountain in Ecuador. It is massive and absolutely gorgeous. We spent a night in a beautiful hacienda (dating from the 17th century), and then drove part of the way up the mountain.

We were shocked (why I'm not sure) when we opened the door to a BLAST of thin frigid air at Cotopaxi. At 5000 meters, we should've expected it. Jacob and Santiago braved part of the hike up the hill, while I kept the car warm. :) At 37 weeks, I'm not in the shape to hike at that altitude. Or at times even to walk around Quito, it feels like. Anyway, it was gorgeous even from our midway vantage point. We returned to the modest 4000 meters and did a hike around a nice lagoon with lots of birds, and then called it a day.

Santiago's spending some time in Cuenca, a beautiful town south of Quito. Jacob and I are getting to know the parks in Quito, in between figuring out how to set up the utilities in our new house.

Let us hear from you. We hope you are well!

Time Flew!

I've been here a month! I can't believe how quickly the time has flown. Part of me feels like I just got here, and part of me feels like I've been here for ages, or at least done about that much stuff. Life for me has been filled with Spanish classes, getting household goods, dealing with normal move preparation issues, and being with Jacob. It's been such a huge transition, and the major transitions are still ahead - moving into our own place, getting furniture, having a baby, adjusting to being a family of 4, and plugging in further into Quito/Ecuadorean life.

This time has been really wonderful in teaching me patience and perspective. (Two things that were not paramount in 10 years at the State Department and my personality, if I have to admit it.) Seeing every day as another step in building a life here for Santiago and me, and for our boys, is a real eye-opener and a wonderful undertaking. And what a change from the day-to-day life we had in DC.

We are moving into our house this weekend. (I'll send our new address around privately.) We are excited about finaling moving into our new place, and getting slightly more settled. We will miss the comforts of the Swissotel, where service was just a call away. (Still trying to negotiate with Santiago who is in charge of chocolate on the pillow!) Most of our furniture will arrive at the beginning of August, so we'll be in a bit of transition until then. The arrival of the rest - the "expedited" air freight - is still up in the air. (don't ask...)

It's been great to hear from various people and to get updates on everyone's life! Keep them coming.

Here are Some Pictures!

Birdwatching in Nono
Sedacas on the Equator
Santiago and Jacob in different hemispheres
Jacob walking the hemispheric line


Santiago, Jacob and a Coco salesman on the coast
Papa and Jacob on the beach
Trip to a local park in Quito

Jacob at his best
Jacob explaining his thoughts to Santiago
Nicole and Jacob on the coast
Birdwatching in Mindo
Birdwatching in Nono

Visit to the Coast and Birding in the Cloud Forest

Thanks for all of the great comments. Several have mentioned getting pictures up. Hopefully, I've figured out how to do it!!

We made our first road trip to the coast. (Same, a small town near Esmeraldas for those of you checking maps.) What a fascinating trip! As we wound through the curvy mountain roads, we knew immediately as the coast drew nearer. The air was thicker - a welcome break from Quito's high altitude and a reminder of the DC humidity that we left behind. Rather than dry mountains, lush thick vegetation - everything from palm trees to banana fields, thick forests to primary bush growth - whizzed by our windows. And the colors and appearances of the faces changes significantly. Esmeraldas is home to far more indiginous, Mestizos (mixed indigenous and European descendant people), and Afro-Ecuadorians. It was amazing how different the people and this area looks than Quito and its environs. It is also a far more resource-poor area than Quito. The roads were far less well-kept than those around Quito. (Fortunately, Santiago's pothole experience in AU Park in DC came in very handy!) The towns didn't have the same upkeep as the little pueblos outside of Quito, which are quaint little places that consist of a few restaurants, a convenience store (overrun by Maggi products), a church, and a mechanic.

Towns are few and far between when traveling from Quito to the northern coast, so we enjoyed the lush greenery, and the occasionally house. Most are concrete block houses or modest wooden constructions on stilts. There are always people walking on the street. Young girls carrying babies, groups of women keeping each other company, teenagers carrying goods to market or home, or men traveling home from working in the fields or in a factory. Road rules are "liberal" so people feel free to walk or sit along the roadside, while cars "share" lanes with oncoming traffic.

The beach was a nice break from Quito. Weather was OK, but just being on the vast Pacific was wonderful. We spent most of our time playing in the waves, watching the dogs run by, eating fresh seafood - particularly in the local style in coconut sauce, and trying to get Jacob to stop eating sand.

After a few relaxing days at the beach, we went to Mindo, a small town about 2 hours outside of Quito known as a birders paradise. We went birding last weekend (July 1), so considered ourselves quite experienced. On our first trip, most of our comments consisted of "look there's the fat blue one again!" We were in an area known for humming birds, and were able to see a spectactular array of these beautiful little birds. In Mindo, we saw amazing birds, including tucans, an owl, a quetzal (which Santiago's been searching for since he lived in El Salvador), and many more. It's really amazing what beautiful wildlife exists here.

So... back to Quito for work (for Santiago) and preparing for a July 16th move. I've started daily Spanish classes, which are going pretty well. I'm trying to cram in some learning before el nino arrives and my brain ceases to function for a while.

We hope all of you are well and look forward to being in touch!