I Get Around

Antigua, our home for nearly two years, is about a 45 minute drive from Guatemala City, which by many measures is one of the most dangerous cities in the entire world. (#2 according to this most recent 2012 statistic: http://www.mostdangerouscities.org/)

Antigua, however, is an oasis of relative safety, tourism, and beauty.

Part of the charm of colonial Antigua is that the small 10 by 10 blocks of only 35,000 residents are paved entirely in cobbblestones.

The cobblestone streets are flanked by three picturesque volcanoes. The picture below is the actual street where our neighborhood is located. Take a real moment and look again. This actual picture is from my actual camera on the actual street where I actually live. The beauty takes my breath away every day.

There are more transportation options within these ten blocks than I have ever seen in my life. Many people walk, bike, and ride motorcyles, but that's not all.

Let me introduce you to the "tuk-tuk" pictured below. I particularly like this picture because when he saw I was taking it, he threw me the deuce. Come on, you know that's cool.

The tuk-tuk is the town's version of a moto-taxi. While we have "real" taxis, this is the most popular option by far. It's a three-wheeled vehicle and costs 15 Quetzales (or about $1.80) per ride no matter where you're going in the city. Before we purchased our car in October 2010, this was our main mode of transportation. Sam spent the first five months of our lives here saying he wanted to be a tuk-tuk driver when he grew up.

Although mostly for tourists, you can also see the city in a horse-drawn carriage. I like this picture because our Guatemalan chofer is texting and driving. Come on, you know that's cool.

In my opinion, the most unique mode of transportation is the buses. You may have never thought about it, but what happens to old American school buses when they're far too past their prime? Well, they're driven down south, given some mechanical work and a brand-new paint job. The design of most buses is decided by the driver and/or owner and tout phrases like "Mi nenita preciosa" or "Dios es fiel" or any other religious and/or sexual phrase. Come on, you know that's cool.

Buses can be dangerous, and not just because they're far too big for our quaint cobble stone streets as you can see above. Monthly deaths occur on these buses due to driver error, armed robbery and more. (There's actually a documentary making it's debut at SXSW this year about these unique buses and I'm excited to eventually see it: http://latinalista.com/2012/02/giving-new-life-to-old-american-school-buses-in-guatemala-is-subject-of-documentary-premiering-at-sxsw)

And while the cobblestones are pretty and quaint. And while there are a lot of fun ways to navigate them. They can be a pain. in. the. butt. I will not miss the bumpy cobble stone streets.

Guatemala has six months of rainy season followed by six months of dry weather. During our six months of rain, the cute little cobblestones wash away one by one by one. Driving, walking, busing, biking, moto-taxining - anything, can get tricky during the rainy season because there are so many dangerous pot-holes.

Then comes the dry season when it's time to fix all the pot-holes. And that makes navigating these streets tricky, too.

Because on our already narrow streets, you have to go around guys like this...

Doing things like this....

So that we can have the finished result like this...

So, no, we may not have the most modern systems or the best roads in the world. But I live in gorgeous Antigua, Guatemala. Come on, you know that's cool.

Hablas espanol??

As of today, we officially have less than three months left in Guatemala. I am sad. Over the past year and a half I have used this blog to share our day to day experiences as well as to keep my own personal account of our time here.

However, as we anticipate the future and reflect on the past, I see that I've talked a whole of Dove and not much Guatemala in a blog called "Doves in Guatemala."

So, one of my many goals over the next three months is to share with you (and for my own 21st century scrapbook-memories) a little bit more about Guatemala. And, of course, about the Dove family in Guatemala. Lots to come. Be excited.

One of the most amazing things about being in Guatemala has been watching my children learn and speak Spanish. Both Ruth and Sam are fluent, no kidding, and it makes me so proud. In the house I don't often get to hear them speak because the language of choice is English. However, there are a few moments I overhear them speak with friends or with our nanny, Leyda, and it's really cool.

Recently, I shot some "secret" video footage of Sam with his friend Sebastian speaking in Spanish. It's terribly out of focus (in my effort to have him not realize I was filming), but the audio is clear. It's only 36 seconds long. Take a listen. Be amazed.

We still struggle with him counting to 20 in English and a few other "basic" things in English, so I imagine there will be lots of adjusting when he starts Kindergarten in August. But in Spanish? No problemo for my little canche.

We're Not (Really) Missionaries

Despite popular belief here in Guatemala and in the US, we're not (really) missionaries. So why are we in Guatemala, again? And we're moving where?

I think I can best explain with a timeline, even though it will barely skim the surface of events in our (almost) nine year marriage.

All of these events and moves and changes in our lives have been coupled with a more beautiful story of spiritual growth and "love" growth. Many parts of this more beautiful story can be inferred as you read through the trajectory. And the deepest part of the story takes too many words– lovely, eloquent, challenging words – which I just don't have for a blog.

1999 – We meet at Baylor through a Christian missions group

2001 – We fall in love and talk a lot about missions

2002 – We engage



2003 – We marry and live in San Antonio, Texas. Stephen works at the San Antonio Express News and I work at BaptistTemple. We want to be missionaries, so we decide to save money and raise money and do it.



2004 - We move to Chiapas, Mexico and volunteer at the Good News Friends clinic (www.goodnewsfriends.com) for seven months. We love it, but start wondering if this is the "kind" of missions we are destined to do. In August, we move to Pasadena, California. Initially we were both to enroll at Fuller Seminary in our journey to become missionaries, but for some reason I have a change of heart about this and don't want to go. Stephen still does. I decide to get my teaching credentials instead. I enroll at Pepperdine while he's at Fuller.



2005 – I land a job as a high school Spanish teacher even before my degree is finished. I love the job. Stephen starts talking about maybe not wanting to be a missionary in the traditional sense after all. Through the help of professors, friends, and the seminary experience in general, he realizes he may be cut from a very academic cloth. He begins to think about how he can tie together academia, missions, living abroad, his gifts, etc.

2006 – I finish my Master's degree and then we get pregnant.



2007 – Samuel is born in February. Stephen decides to enroll in a PhD program and applies to University of Texas's History program with an emphasis in Religion in Latin America. He's accepted even though he has no background in history. And didn't even take one history class in college. And has a seminary degree. In the summer, we move to Austin and Stephen starts
his PhD program. I continue to work as a high school Spanish teacher.

2008 - After the first few months of being full time mommy and teacher, I realize it's too much. Money is tight, but I am fortunate and start working part time. We become licensed Foster parents. I get pregnant again.



2009 – Ruth is born in July. That fall, Stephen stays home with Ruth in the mornings while Sam is at preschool and I'm at work. He balances work and classes in the afternoon/evenings. We have 3 short-term Foster care placements.



2010 - In the spring, Stephen is awarded the Fulbright Fellowship to research his dissertation about religion in Latin America in Guatemala. In July, I am offered work by Wayland Baptist U to translate textbooks. In August we move to Guatemala with our 3 year old and (barely) 1 year old. Stephen dissertates. I translate.



2011 – We enjoy Guatemala so much that we talk about perhaps living here during Stephen's 5th (and final) year of the program. In the summer, UT decides for the first time ever to offer a study-abroad program here in Guatemala. Stephen is offered the assistant teaching position and we have an official reason to stay. In the summer, I'm also offered a new on-line teaching job. I get pregnant again. In the fall, we start our new jobs and have our new baby. Stephen starts applying for tenure-track professor positions.

2012 – Stephen gets a job as a professor at Centre College in Danville, Kentucky. And then…

Little Miss Ruth Noel

Little Miss Ruth Noel is often times a little too articulate, and perhaps even too self aware, for her mere two and a half years. Here are a few recent, favorite quotes.

On going to school…
Ruth: "School again?"
Me: "Yes. Ithought you liked school."
Ruth: "Uhh. Not that much."

On being a good girl…
Ruth: "I'm a good girl, but I cry sometimes."
Me: "Why?"
Ruth: "Well,that's just how I am."

On potty training…
"I'll just go in my diaper like a baby does."

On sleeping…
Ruth: "I did sleep."
Me: "No you didn't."
Ruth: "Oh, I was just tricking you."

On demanding Mommy's attention only…
Me: "Ruth, Daddy or Leyda or Bubba or anyone else can help you, too. Why only me?"
Ruth: "Becaaaause. I like you."

I like you, too, Ruth.
Truth is, I really love you.

Don't want to forget...

Georgia,

One day I may forget to tell you, but I would still love for you to know that

- Sam and Ruth really love you and they say your name about 158 times a day. "Ooooh, Georgia, Georgia, Georgia" is one of their favorite expressions. It's a very pretty name on their little tongues.

- Ruth is really rough with you. At first I thought she just didn't know better, but I'm not so sure anymore. She likes to squeeze your hands, your feet, and even one scary time, your nose.

- Sam always asks to hold and/or touch you. He's gotten very good at holding you, but he doesn't have much stamina. Each cuddle session usually lasts about a whopping 20 seconds.

- You are amazingly healthy and I am so grateful for this. You are definitely my strongest baby so far. Too bad you're also my fussiest. I can't figure that part out.

- Don't brag about this too much to bro and sis one day, but your dad and I both think you're absolutely the prettiest baby. You're stunning.

- You were born with a Mohawk and it's awesome.



- We've asked so much of you in your first little eleven weeks of life. You've already gotten a passport, taken an international trip, celebrated Thanksgiving and Christmas with multiple parties, played outside in the park with Sam and Ruth, been to the grocery store, etc. Thank you for being willing to come along for the ride.

- I'm such a different mother than I was nearly five years ago. I am able to mother you from a much more relaxed place, thank God. I still tend to be way too worrisome, though, and pray frequently for trust and peace.

- Please know that I as you grow, so do I. That is my commitment to you.

Christmas Cheese

Here's a little, cheesy holiday poem to tell about the end of a big year.
The pictures will be our guide as I recount of all our Christmas cheer.

The season began in Guatemala. Sam and Ruth in "summer" school.
Mary and Joseph don't fight the snow here; sandals help keep them cool.

We sang and celebrated and partied and made Guatemalan memories
Before we took our international flight over the Mexican seas.


The American festivities began just a day after landing in San Antone.
Our first stop was "Grandma Cookie's" house, the place Pieniazeks call home.




First a flight, then a Pieniazek party, and then the very next day
Was Christmas Even with the Sligh's, celebrated in our traditional way.

After Christmas Eve of course, comes the excitement of Christmas morn'.
For unto us a Savior... and Tinkerbell, and baby dolls, and bikes are born.


And the day after Christmas? Our celebrations keep on going
With a visit from Mimi and Grandaddy and even more presents flowing!

So our children are convinced that Christmas is more than one simple day;
But when the week is finally over, we're back to real "work" and lots of play.

Now it's time to ring in the New Year with even more fun and games.
We're still in bed by 7, but not before Uncle Erik shows us fireworks and flames.
We didn't head back "home" to Guatemala until Tuesday, January ten,
Which left us plenty of time to hang out with our longest, dearest friends!




So of all the presents, parties, and food - what could the best part be?
Take a look at our last three pictures, and you can easily see...

Dedication

On Sunday, November 27th my little chapina was presented in front of our church, Vida Real. We committed to raising her in God's love and to provide her not just a biological family, but a church family as well.



Our Vida Real family surrounded us, prayed over us, and expressed such a powerful love for Georgia that it will affect her life forever. It was so moving it brought me to tears.



Our church here in Guatemala has meant the world to me. I have literally never met Christians like the ones that belong to our church.

When we first arrived in Guatemala, we visited many, many congregations.
(You may even recall me writing about the experience in my blog entry "La Vid Verdadera" on 10/24/2010). We even regularly attended a very Pentecostal church for the first three months or so we lived here. Although we enjoyed that church very much, after about three months we realized that Sunday mornings were getting to be too hard on our family.

There is a monthly magazine printed in Antigua that carries a classified section. One week I was saw an ad for a church service that would be meeting in a local hotel. The ad said there was a 9:00 a.m. service and an 11:00 a.m. service and that there were activities for children.

"Stephen," I said, "If they have another service just two hours after the first one starts, surely the service finishes within two hours." (Note: This statement gives a little insight as to why the other church started to be very difficult for our young family.)

So, the next Sunday we went and loved it. Come to find out, the church had opened its rented hotel doors just a few weeks before. We started attending regularly and literally became one of the first Antigua families to commit to the congregation.

Here is why I love this church:
1) My kids love it thanks to the amazing people that minister to them.
2) The people pray. And mean it. This is huge.
3) There is a vision and a plan and they are executed.
4) There is kindness so genuine you wonder if it's really genuine. But it is.
5) I am excited to go on Sunday mornings.
6) I am excited to go to my small group.
7) I have made wonderful friends.
8) I invite people without reservation because I am proud of the church.
9) There is a beautiful balance of being served and serving.
10) It feels like what church should be – not free of differences, but free of the pettiness that easily turn differences into problems.

I will miss you, Vida Real.