Its like having a baby-

So if you have ever had a baby you know the feeling.  The first two weeks are a blur.  They third week you start getting disgusted and by the 4th week you realize that you have to get it together or you are going to go CRAZY!

It doesn't matter that you are in love with the little bundle.  It doesn't matter the excitement involved with the newness of the baby in your life, or the joy it certainly brings you, it is still a beating.  When you finally come out of the fog that is being a new parent you realize that this is your life and you have to go forward, joys and challenges together.

I am there...albeit my baby is my new home, Bogota.

I mean any move is stressful, no matter how positive it is for your future.  I can say now, an overseas move is doubly so.  Lucky for me I try and keep a that positive outlook in mind as I try and figure out how to do every day things.  

Maybe it started with my first home cooked meal, or finally organizing the toys, or just coming to terms with my new home (or as Rays says, my mother coming into town...ekkk clean!).  Either way we are moving forward.

I started off the week looking for a pre-school for Trifon.  As far as I can tell, pre-school here is a luxury only for the rich or somewhat affluent.  That being said, it seems that the few I have visited or read about make it all very very child centered, or Montessori.  Unfortunate for me, I just don't get it.  I know a lot of my educator friends out there will say it is good for a child to choose his/her interest and work a project to completion at the pace they desire, but I am a little more strict.

The good news is that Trifon will be going into an all spanish preschool.  No English spoken or taught.  We can do that at home.  The other good news is that it is still preschool and as my mom says, all they really do is color and paint with their hands.  So I am not overly worried about picking the 'right' one.  And finally it also seems that the schools that are more 'child centered'  are more expensive.  I won't be choosing that for me anyways, so I've just saved Ray some money!

If any of you are interested here is a link to the very Montessori school that Trifon is NOT going to:

http://plateroyyo.edu.co/

Making new friends has also been a big step forward for me! I have to thank my Koumbari Amy Smith (Trifon's Godmother) for putting me in touch with her little sorority sister, Jane!  She has been a blessing to me.  Jane has two little girls, almost the exact same age as my kids.  She also lives 5 blocks away from the hotel and has lived here for 1.5 years!  She had us over the other day for lunch and then we took the kids to a Gym.  Just like the states!  A picture included is Trifon partaking in the class.  He did great, considering the teacher spoke no English.  We are going to get signed up there for swim class too.  A short walk from our temporary home, the hotel.















Wednesday was Colombian independence day.  Ray had the day off.  We went out of town.  Up a ways is where they process all the milk into cheese and yougurts and deserts for Alpine.  They have a nice little store out in the country where you can buy yummy treats and cheap cheese.   There was also a great play ground and the weather was very pleasant.

We then went to eat at the most wonderful restaurant.  I am seriously going to have to do a whole blog on the food here.  I need to start taking pictures of what I'm eating.  Soon enough though!  Here is a picture of the view from our seats.

If most of you have been following my facebook then you already know we are in the process of trying to get an apartment that we found we love.  Now we are just waiting to get approved for a lease through the embassy.  It is a long and difficult process so there is no news yet.  It is the show stopper that I spoke of in an early post, the first apartment we saw.  It is a VERY large 2 bedroom, so plenty of room for guest.  There is a nice maids quarters that we will turn into my mom's room for when she comes and visits (right next to the washer and dryer and ironing board, so that when she wakes up at 3 am in the morning she will have something to do).  The views are spectacular and the front door is an elevator door!  But we can't sign a lease till the owner agrees and makes all the changes the security office may request.  So keep your fingers crossed for us!

Video of the apartment we want...

As you can see we are keeping very busy.  They had a great food festival in Parque Vilrey over the weekend that we went too.  Again, going to be part of my food blog.  We did that after we went to Unicentro, a large mall in town.  Pretty similar in set up to any American mall, but the eat street was far superior and they had few American stores (lots of brands though).  Lots of shoes.  Trifon has been a very good boy and his daddy gave him 10,000 pesos to spend.  He bought a whistle and is very proud of himself since he paid the lady from money out of his own pocket.  He even has saved some change up.  I wonder where he gets that from????

The kids at the food festival.


This next week, like I said above, is my move forward week.  I have plans with my new friends Jane and Cory (met her and her daughter at the embassy first week we where here).  My mom is coming in town for 2 weeks.  I am going to get Trifon signed up for swim and gym lessons and find him a pre-school, and of course keep you guys up to date on it all!

A Blessed week to each and everyone of you.  I love you all!

Lindsay