It's a girl!...and other random updates.

It's a girl!

It's official, John and I are expecting our second little one in November and it looks like it's gonna be a girl.  We are thrilled...and a little nervous :-).  Just figuring the out the whole rough and tumble little boy thing out around here and now were throwing a girl into the mix, should be interesting! One thing's for sure with 3 older 'brothers' (Ronan and the V's Eli and newest little Liam)...she's sure to have a hard time having a boyfriend, but I imagine I'll be thankful for all that brotherly protection when we get there.  Anyhow the countdown has begun...only 2 months remaining and there are days I'm already not sure how this belly can get any bigger!  In the meantime, we are so enjoying the newest little addition around here...and my growing belly is the perfect shelf for little Liam to sit (or stretch his legs to stand) on :-).

5 month bellies...trust me they're a lot bigger now (well mine anyhow :-) 

Haven't decided yet on a name but the great debate has begun.  When I was pregnant with Ro, John and I both really liked Elaina (or Elena).  We'd actually like this name since very early in our marriage and it also happens to be a Spanish derivative of Helen: both John's mom's name and my mom's mom's (grandma's) name.  However, nicknames are a very important part of the selection process (especially for John) and he was totally sold on calling her "L".  Now that we live in Peru we decided it just wouldn't work to be calling her "El Tovar" and so the great name search has begun again :-).  This is a fun but labor-some process for the two of us...how does it sound in Spanish?...how will it sound in English?...something not too common...but not to difficult to spell or pronounce.  We go round and round but I'm sure we'll settle on something good soon enough. :-)

Amazing Toddlers

Ronan and Eli are changing and growing SO much.  Eli is just 10 months older than Ro and teaches him everything...from jumping to talking (whole phrases and expressions now) to wrestling...Ro is determined to keep up with his big bud.  They share a room and both sleep in real 'big boy beds' now.  Ronan thinks this is the coolest, and unfortunately often has a hard time settling down at nap time, or not waking Eli up out of sheer excitement as soon as he opens his eyes.  The other day I overheard them chattering away in the monitor towards the end of nap time and realized it was completely in Spanish!  We speak mostly English at home with the boys so they usually speak English with us...but they are learning a ton in school and I'm starting to hear alot more Spanglish from Ro these days...especially when he's talking to Eli.  The other day they finished at the table and Ro looked over at Eli with that mischievous Tovar grin to inquire "quires play?".  It is such a blessing for them to have each other and to be learning and loving their school time as much as they do. 

"Ro-bot"

"Space Mickey" Eli

Off to school in their 'recyclables'!

Learning the Language

Ronan and Eli aren't the only ones getting more comfortable with the new language around here.  Virgil and I are still taking classes (rather one-on-one tutor sessions) for 2 hrs, 3 mornings a week...most weeks anyhow, as children and paperwork allow.  My teacher, Melena, and I spend most of our time conversing, which is great fun!  I love hearing another Peruvian's perspective on life, and where to find or buy things.  We are constantly swapping stories on the many humorous or strange differences in our countries.  For example, the other day I was telling her about the inordinate amount of convenience foods in the U.S...how pretty much anything can be bought cheaply in a box or can..about the endless section of refrigerated Pillsbury rolls and Toll House cookies that can be baked 'fresh' in minutes.  She was completely enamored by the idea and thought we should start a business importing such items, LOL.  But I quickly explained that (aside from the abundant additives) the issue is that by the time you import such conveniences the resulting cost would be hard to justify verses making from scratch or buying from a local bakery at a fraction of the cost (a basic box of Betty Crocker brownie mix cost the equivalent of $5 or $6 compared to a dozen fresh rolls or sweets from the corner bakery for $1 or $2).  On the other hand, she gets a great laugh at me and my subconscious block in connecting live animals with the clean cuts of meat I buy at the grocery store.  When I translate a Spanish sentence about 'pollo', I'm thinking about what dish we're making for dinner...not a live 'pollo' running around the back yard...or someone's house! :-)  In between swapping stories about life, I am slowly but surely learning to conjugate verbs and to use present and past tenses.  This is where Virgil and his teacher are light years ahead of us, they've been much better about buckling down and getting through the grammar structure.  Virgil is much the same in Spanish as in English, he doesn't say a whole lot unless necessary...but he is listening to everything, understanding a lot, and when he does speak it is very correct!  I am notorious for just jumping right out there and taking, not in the correct tense, the deeper the conversation the less I use correct congregated forms, but somehow we figure a way to communicate ideas.  Anyhow, little by little we are learning and getting more and more comfortable communicating in this new place.    

Adventures in Coffee      

When I'm not learning Spanish, or cooking, or wiping faces and changing diapers...I am often drawn to one outlet in particular: Coffee!  Something you are bound to hear alot more about from both Yahiara and I.  Coffee is a favorite commodity and has become quite a passion, even obsession of mine.  First off, there is the sheer Experience of enjoying a good cup of coffee...and with that comes my Starbucks Confession.  LOL, I guess to understand why this needs confessing you'll need some background.  A few years ago I had my first cup of delicious local, artisan coffee roasted by a friend of a friend in Dallas (Oak Cliff Coffee) and it changed the way I enjoyed and sought out coffee.  No longer was a mocha from the conglomerate of Starbucks quite good enough.  Greune Grind Coffee became my favorite local work spot and 'watering hole' if you will in New Braunfels.  Yahaira and I tried to stop at our favorite Local Coffee almost anytime we were in San Antonio.  I made an effort to always get freshly roasted whole beans from Fair Bean or Summermoon (in Austin)....all this not just because it supported local businesses but because their coffee was so incredibly delicious, so perfectly crafted and brewed that there was just 'no going back'.  Sure if we were stuck in an airport or passing through a city where no local shops could be googled and scanned for rave reviews, we could compromise for a sweet but predictable cup of something from Starbucks...but a local (artisan) shop would be pursued at all cost.  (I realize I'm sounding a bit ridiculous now, don't worry...I'm about to eat my words).  Now that we're in Arequipa oh how the tables have been turned back.  Here in Arequipa Starbucks has regained some major appeal.  First off, you walk in and are somehow transported back in the U.S....it smells right, it looks and feels like you expect a coffee shop to be...and when I order a 'grande cafe mocha helado, medio-descafiando' (1/2 caf iced mocha) it tastes exactly how I expect it to taste!  You see here in Peru, we're finding all these factors a bit hard to come by.  There really are no safely processed decafs available (a crucial factor when your pregnant or breastfeeding) and the few 'local' roaster/shops we've found feature semi-fresh whole beans but of significantly different quality, roast levels, and flavors than what we have come to enjoy.  Anyhow, all that to say...Arequipa's two Starbucks locations are now our our 'best', most comfortable and predictable, options t...for the time being anyway :-).

In addition to enjoying the experience of a great cup of coffee...I'm coming to enjoy and be submersed in the science of coffee!  In anticipation of the coffee bean 'dilemma' described above...John got me a small home coffee roaster last Christmas.  So, the last few months Yahaira and I have been trying our hand at roasting our own coffee!  Only small batches for the time being, but we are quickly experimenting our way through the pounds of green (unroasted) beans that we brought from the states...and starting to seek out sources to buy beans grown here in Peru directly.  I have had some fantastic Peruvian beans that were freshly roasted state side, but am finding it's much harder to get your hands on the good quality stuff from with-in country.  Little by little though, we are determined to learn the processes: the science and finesse of creating your own roasts, exploring good sources for the raw ingredient, even learning new ways to taste and evaluate coffee.  It is all so much fun, it engages a part of my brain that is definitely in need of a constructive outlet...and oh the sweet reward of being able to make and enjoy a cup of something delicious!

(Be sure to read Yahaira's post for pics and the need for a prayerful balance on all such excitement and obsession :-)