Michelle Smiles

Teaching my children to question authority, except mine.

I did skip the motorized scooter

June7

Guess what I did yesterday? Well besides watching Steve leave again – but let’s not talk about that. First, I took Sabrina to meet Grandma and Pap pap. They adored her, of course.

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Sabrina also had her first swing ride.  She was a hoot!  She immediately started rocking and moving her body – she had the swing going harder than intended.

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Then? I got into my car and drove to the grocery store. I put Sabrina in the cart and wandered down the luxuriously wide aisles until I found a variety of diapers. (Okay, maybe I detoured to the frozen foods for some ice cream sandwiches too.) Then I pushed the cart out to my car and put the groceries in my trunk and drove home.

After that? I gave Sabrina her nightly bath and I didn’t have to boil water on the stove to heat it up. Then I warmed her bottle in the microwave. When I put her to bed, I opened to window and there was a screen there to keep out the bugs. Then I went downstairs and surfed my 120 channels of nothing in English and then checked out what was on TiVo while lounging on my comfy couch.

The Real Home Post

June6

We entertained ourselves at the Westin on Monday.  Steve loves to play peek-a-boo with Sabrina with various sized things.  Monday it was his shirt.  She ended up finding the arm hole.  We thought she looked kind of ET.

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I had the opportunity to meet Ashley – an agency friend.  It is always fun to put faces to the email!  Then we ventured to to Inka Grill (yes, we left the Westin and no sirens went off).  Sabrina flirted with the other diners and the waiter, shamelessly but did manage to stop and pose with mommy.

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Leaving yesterday was a complete fiasco.  I was trying to ship a box home and the woman in the business center didn’t understand that I needed to leave 5 minutes ago.  We arrived at the airport and spent 45 minutes checking in – not 45 minutes in line – 45 minutes at the desk with the clerk.  Apparently she was having trouble issuing the lap ticket because of a problem with the system.  Instead of communicating this, she just left us standing.  Then when she returned, she informed us that the lap ticket would be $200.  $200 for our child to sit on our lap and breath their canned air?!?  I was told 10% of my ticket price (a bit less than $50) but apparently the taxes and fees are more than $150.  I wasn’t even close to amused.  Then we go through security and I couldn’t get the stroller collapsed and was near tears as Steve watched me from the other side of the security gate.  They choose to search both of our carry ons.  The salt and pepper shakers sent me over the edge – they were carefully wrapped in newspaper and she ripped it apart so that they were loose in my carry on.  Steve had to tell me to walk away when I started yelling at the woman that they were just salt and pepper shakers.  But, we got on the plane with our daughter so I guess none of it mattered.  Taking off from Guatemala and landing in Houston choked us both up.  It was a dream a long time in the making.

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Sabrina did well on the flights.  She slept for a few minutes on both but didn’t take a good nap.  She was rather distressed to find most US citizens less impressed by her charm.  She tried her hardest to flirt with anyone in eyeshot but only a few were willing to be engaged.  We arrived in Houston and made it through customs in about 30 minutes.  Then we headed to Pappadeux’s for dinner.  Pretty good crab cakes and pretty girly slushie drinks.  (I kept telling the waiters gracias – how long will it take to stop speaking broken Spanish to people?)  Sabrina had her first dinner in the US as a US citizen.  She seems to be eyeballing mommy’s girly drink.

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Then on another plane to finish our journey home.

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Because my husband is amazing in so many ways, we won’t discuss the forward facing car seat and the struggle to install it backward facing at 12:15am in the airport parking lot.  We made it home (or at least what my brain still calls home while we hold the mortgage on it) and I found this:

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And this:

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Thought of by my husband and executed by my in laws.  Then I got to the kitchen and discovered milk, bread, baby food, and some other staples.  Also thoughtfully provided by the in laws (remember Steve hasn’t lived here in 6 weeks).  It brought tears to my eyes.  So wonderful to feel loved and missed.  So wonderful to be back home.  Here I sit this morning, enjoying my Guatemalan cafe con leche out of my Guatemalan mug while  my daughter and husband play on the floor in front of me.

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And this is the beautiful sight I woke up to this morning:

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My family.

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Home

June6

Just letting friends and family we are home safely.  More after some sleep.

Little something to tide you over

June3

I’m trying to fit all of my crap into 4 suitcases while keeping them under 50 lbs.  I feel an overweight charge in my future but we’ll see.  We are leaving for Guatemala City in the morning and travelling all day on Tuesday.  I don’t think you’ll see another post from me until we are on U.S. soil.

We had brunch today with Eliana and Cheri.  I felt so sad leaving them…especially since she still has no answers on the process to fix her previo.  Keep them in your thoughts.  But brunch was lovely – it was good to sit down with them one last time.  A couple of photos to keep everyone happy until I am back in the states.

Dinner at Frida’s last night:

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Brunch today:

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I didn’t realize until I saw this photo that my t-shirt looks really sloppy because it is a bit big on me now.

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Noticing a theme here?  I’m actually missing Sabrina a bit because I’ve been letting daddy hog her since he has been away from her for almost 2 months and has to leave her again once we return home.   Tonight, he was putting her down for the night (a job I’ve retained even after his arrival).  She was sobbing.  It took everything in me to walk away and let him calm her down.  It isn’t that I feel he isn’t capable – he has infinite patience.  I just felt like she might want mommy.  But I did walk away and he did get her down for the night.

Adios my friends for a couple of days.  We will take lots of photos while we make our way home so you will all get a big dose of cuteness on Wednesday.

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Enjoying Antigua with my family

June3

Antigua is even more beautiful when viewed with my husband and daughter.  We had a nice day wandering the markets.  I had a few things I wanted to pick up as I am doing the bulk of my Christmas shopping here in Antigua (in June! how freaking organized does that sound?).  Anyone who has spent much time in Antigua has likely met Ruth.  She is quite the businesswoman.  She says hello when I see her on the street, calls me by name, asks when I am going home, and extracts a promise from me to come and buy something before I go home.  Today I finally fulfilled that promise.  I had trouble bargaining with her very much (much to Steve’s chagrin) but bought a few lovely items that I hope will be appreciated at Christmas back in the states.  Here is Ruth with her son:

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Steve is still enjoying his role as dad.  Here he is showing off his “Rookie Dad” t-shirt:

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We took a nap as a family this morning.  It was great knowing that there was someone else to take care of Sabrina when she woke up.

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Sabrina enjoyed our wandering around Antigua today.

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And if you look closely, you can see my belated Mother’s Day gifts.  The jade earrings and jade ring I am wearing in this photo.

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Sunday is our last full day in Antigua.  It is weird and wonderful to know we are ending this chapter.  There are parts of life here that I will miss greatly but many other things I look forward to enjoying again in the states.  We leave Monday for Guatemala City and Tuesday for home.   (I’m in denial about having to pack up my entire house when I return home…I’m focusing on the home part now.  So you have whining posts about moving to look forward to upon my return.)

June2

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Because no one should be denied the insanity joy of a family.  I hate hearing about couples who are forced back into the closet so they can adopt.  I hate hearing that some agencies refuse to work with a couple based on sexual orientation.  I hate hearing ignorant comments about gay or lesbian couple raising children.  And I hate that states are working hard against allowing same sex marriage.  Don’t legislators have more important things to worry about than legislating private family issues?  These families are fighting for the protections and priviledges that come about when you love someone – let us all support them.

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It is a done deal

June1

We took an oath and everything.  Some how the embassy was rather anti-climatic after all we’ve been through in this process.  We were inside for less than an hour.  They asked us when we first met her and if we were happy with our agency.  They took our money and said congrats.  Her visa will be ready for pick up on Monday afternoon.

Steve arrived last night – SO SO SO glad to see him.  He has been doing the lion’s share of caring for Sabrina since his arrival.  She woke up around 10:30pm and he of course didn’t want to put her right back to bed since he hadn’t seen her.  The result?  She was up until after midnight.  We all got up around 5am (ugghh), had breakfast, and left for the embassy around 7am.  We are now back in Antigua.  I got a belated Mother’s Day gift at one of the jade shops.

We are very excited that we can officially call this process done.  It has been a long, strange trip.  We both are thankful that it is over and Sabrina is offically ours.  A few pictures from this morning after we returned from the Embassy – introducing Sabrina Kelly Xxxxxxxxx.

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I have to say this girl charms everyone she comes into contact with.  Half of the embassy staff and quite a few of those waiting were talking about how beautiful she was and how sweet she was.   She was grinning and flirting and laughing at everyone who looked her way.  Our agency reps said that everyone in Antigua knows the beautiful Sabrina.  I don’t think that is even close to true but I do have to agree that she is quite the charmer.

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Just to prove that she isn’t always happy (I usually just post the smiley photos) – she was cranky this morning from lack of sleep (and frankly so was mommy).

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