Living on 5.5 with the fam

Most of the kids are back home again. Courtney came back after leaving Ecuador to start a new life and go back to college, Christina and her two girls, Frank, Manuela (his wife from Ecuador) and their son, and of course Nick is still with us and awaiting college in the fall. Ryan and his long-term girlfriend have moved up North where they are both teaching English.

We have goats (for dairy, eventually), chickens for eggs, dogs for protection and companionship and cats for mousers. We have been trying our hand at gardening, not doing to well, but we will continue to try. This year Frank and Christina will help. The property has an apple tree, peach trees, plum tree, elderberries, raspberries and blackberries. We are luck those don't need to much help. :)

Frank, Manuela, and Christina and planted some veggies for the spring, hope they do well.

Steve and I live in a THOF (Tiny House on Foundation), Frank and his family, Christina and hers, and Nick live in the Main house, and Courtney lives in a THOF also.

Steve stays busy working on projects on our farm, Windhorse Family Farm. I work as a Administrative Officer for a medical clinic, Courtney works a a college bookstore and goes to college, Frank works for a construction company, Christina just enrolled in college for the summer.

Hope  this catches everyone up for now.

Stay tuned...

Today is a big game for soccer fans, Germany and USA will face off. I have taken a day of from work just to watch and I am sure so many others will. I am a loyal Germany fan since that it's my place of birth and I want the US team to win also since this is my home. I wish both teams the best of luck.

Catching up

March 2013 - I moved back to the US, stayed with our daughter Christina in Macon, GA.
April 11 - our daughter Christina marries Avery, he prepares to leave for the Army.
May 2013 - found a job, left the job in June.
July 2013 -  Our son Ryan and Melanie moved to Savannah. To teach at Savannah State University. Moved to Asheville, NC for a job at a VA Medical Center, worked in Enrollment and Eligibility.
August 2013 - Steve and Nick joined me. Nick goes to 10th grade biggest challenge, not knowing what classes would transfer. Most classes transferred can graduate ahead of schedule. Steve is adjusting to high prices at the stores, we really miss the open markets.
December 2013 - Missing Courtney and Frank in Cuenca. A new addition to the family is born, our first grandchild Laura-Ann, lovingly known as Dash. My grandma was there for the birth. We had five generations of us there. I received a promotion at work. Nick turns 16 and doesn't want a license.
January 2014 - Nick takes Spanish 3 honors and doesn't find it very challenging, his middle schools Spanish was harder.
March 2014 - Our son Frank marries a beautiful Ecuadorian, Manuela. Steve takes a job to get out of the house.
April 2014 - My dad ends up in the hospital again and it reminds us how short life is. Steve and I wonder what we are leaving behind for our family and our son Frank has talked about moving back to the US with his wife and son, so we are thinking about buying a home.
May 2014 - My grandma passed, so happy I got to see her when our granddaughter was born. Our first grandson is born Abdiel Ramses. Wish we could be there to see him and hold him.
June 2014 - Found a house that needs a lot of TLC on 5.2 beautiful acres.
Throughout this time we have continued to try to live simply, we have saved money for the renovations and we would like to share our journey with you on this next part of our life.

Walks

Here are a few pictures from my walks around the outskirts of Cuenca. Enjoy...

Four months into the year

Wow, where has time gone? We are already in April. So much has happened in four months, I left Ecuador, Steve, Nick, Courtney, and Frank are still there. Our friends Bill and Tommy moved in with Steve and the kids. I have gone to church two times.

Let's start with me leaving Ecuador. I hated leaving behind my friends and family but I struggled so much with boredom in Ecuador. While other people went to social gatherings and day trips, Steve and I stayed home. While friends traveled the world we stayed home. Ecuador is a beautiful place to live and there are many obstacles to over come moving to a foreign land and I feel i overcame most of them, except for the boredom. I even volunteered while I lived there,was a co owner of a small cafe, and attended meditation almost every Sunday but it wasn't enough. So I am back in the US living with our youngest daughter looking for a job, hopefully another career. I have applied for a lot of jobs and I have had one interview with a BIG insurance company that I thought would be a lock in but no I am OVER qualified. They are most likely not willing to put the time and training into because they assume that I will leave when something better comes along. I guess they don't have much faith in their retention program.

Steve has stayed in Ecuador with the kids, while Nick finishes out the school year, and Frank and Courtney decide on staying or coming back. We are pretty sure that Frank will stay if he can get his cedula. He has a girlfriend and he had a job yet they let him go since he doesn't have a cedula yet. I miss them so much and this really isn't living the simple life. Steve is sending me money to help me with items I may need and my daughter and her new husband are putting me up in their apartment.

Or friends Bill and Tommy are still going through the immigration process so while they are in limbo they decided to move in with Steve and the kids. It helps are family a little since they contribute to the rent and utilities.Yet I think it also puts unintentional stress on the family by there being so many people under one roof. I hope they are all doing their share and leaving any one chore to one person.

Church. I miss my meditation time at the Windhorse Cafe so much I tried to replicate that here but I am in Georgia the Bible Belt. There is a Unitarian Universalist Church that our family attended a few times when we lived here before I though what the heck I will give it a try. I looked them up online and saw that they also had a Buddhist group that meets every other week. So why not. The church is beautiful they sermons and hymns are spiritual and intriguing yet not dominating as it can be in some church's. When I attended the Buddhist group last Tuesday there were only four of us, and of course I asked "do you want it to grow?" and then my mouth just kept again. I had promised myself to just go and enjoy the company learn their ways and be one with the group, but no I had to try to add my input. I was the only person out of the four without a high degree so they go for the education part and of course I have always loved going for the group meditation. I will go again and see how it goes maybe I can keep my mouth shut maybe not, but I will enjoy this time with like minded individuals.

On a sad note I am not going to be a grandmother. My daughter lost the baby. She has struggled with the loss and silently probably still does, but I hope she knows I am here for her when she needs me.

On a better note her boyfriend Avery decided to join the Army (with some nudging from Christina, I believe), so they moved up their wedding so she will be able to move with him when it is time. I love it he said to me one day, he said "well, I want to have a family with Christina and so it is time for me to step up to the plate, so I realized I needed to do something" He leaves in May for basic training.

So much has changed in my life yet so much is the same. Miss and love all of my friends and family and I can't wait to make so many more friends here. :)

Happy New Year!

Wow, the new year sure has come up fast on us. We had a great visit with our son Ryan who was able to make it out for a visit this Christmas.

Ryan and Steve

We went to Pumapungo Park for a visit.

Our daughter Christina called us on Christmas day with the biggest gift of our lives.

Christina 2011

We are going to be grandparents.

Then New Years came and we invited our friends Bill and Tom over and we bought effigies and burned then on New Years eve to get rid of the bad juju from last year and move forward to a better year.

Happy New year all!

Volunteering in Cuenca

This weekend I started my new gig as the volunteer, volunteer coordinator for Años Dorados an assisted living home right here in Cuenca, Ecuador. The home currently has 10 residents. It is not like any other nursing home that I have ever been in and I have been in quite a few. Since I was a CNA way back in the day before I join the military.

 Años Dorados is a beautiful home that has many different choices of rooms all having their own bathroom. The residents get to decorate them any way they like. There are an upstairs and downstairs dining room, a TV room downstairs, and sitting area upstairs and even an occupational therapy room. The staff is very kind. I loved meeting the residents.

I attended the Expat Day festival sponsored by Cuenca for Expats and the Cuenca Chamber of Commerce this Saturday.  Años Dorados had a booth there we gave information on the home and I tried to find volunteers. I was happy with the amount of people who signed up, I wish more would have but sometimes people are just here in Cuenca to hide away from real life.

The above picture is of me, Katy Johnson (head RN), Sonya (Occupational therapist), Fabio (Administrator) at our booth. We were giving out Tamales, Quimbolitos, Empanadas de carne y queso.

Now, I have to work on an orientation and a schedule. I hope this all works out for me and Años Dorados.

If you are interested in volunteering let me know. It doesn't have to be a long commitment or hard. You can come and chat, read, play games, help with feedings, work on your Spanish and the most important one just listen.

Update: Email VolunteerCuenca@gmail.com if you are interested in assisting. Thank you!