Catching Up

Several months have gone by and it feels like a year. I won't bother going into details but here are some highlights:

Ben took a job in Iraq with the International Medical Corps in Baghdad. It is a year contract and he gets a week off every two months so see us which is more than before! He is running a center for returning refugees and I am so proud of him. We miss him but love him so much for doing this. I am even happier about it since in the fortune 500 alone there have been 330,000 layoffs since November!

Henry got his molars, speaks a lot in Spanish & English and also had a trip to the hospital for an IV due to dehydration. That last bit sucked. The health care here is good but you have to bring your own blankets, sheets & pillows and share a room with 3 other screaming babies with IV's. (Although we got lucky enough to have our own bed in the "diarrhea" room.) Oh - and Henry is now is school every day for 6 hours. It is awesome.

Claire has a new best friend (aside from her cousin Cal Bear/Matthew) named Maria Jose. She (Claire) grew an inch and doesn't stop talking. I told her I was going to go jump in the shower and she freaked, "MAMMA! Please, don't jump - that is dangerous. You have to go slowly."

I think blogging is like exercising - you have to do it regularly or you won't do it at all. And no, I never exercise.



Claire and cousin Ethan in San Mateo


Auntie Katie & Henry in San Mateo


Last sunset of the year.


Patio dried coffee at a local micro-beneficio La Cabana


Henry at our family Christmas party