From Joie
[Dated Thursday, but written Wednesday afternoon.]
It’s lunch time now (almuerzo) and Michael has Braden and Johanna downstairs while the Princessa Georgia takes a nap.
First, let me say it’s very weird calling my daughter my own name, but she would like to be called “Johanna” (no “H”, as in Spanish, the “h” is silent”). Braden and Georgia both still call her “Kelly” but she doesn’t seem to mind.
Went to buy our return ticket to Bogota this morning and then did a little shopping for zapatos (shoes) for Johanna. Her opened toed sandals just aren’t going to cut it when we get home!!!!! Carlos dropped Michael off at the internet-room and took us back to the hotel as Georgia was getting way too restless for the little room, and it was very very stuffy! The kids and I went swimming while we were waiting for Michael to return. Georgia loves to throw the (water resistant) watches into the pool and yell at the top of her lungs “LOOK, KELLY, I DID IT!!!!!”, and then Johanna will dive down and retrieve it. It’s incredibly repetitive but they have fun doing it! Braden and Johanna took turns diving, falling backwards and jumping into the pool, seeing who could stay down the longest, who could make the biggest splash etc...
Georgia finally got tired and said she was ready to go so we got ready to go upstairs and Daddy showed up so we got ready for lunch, which was delicious!!!!! Now, we are hanging out in our room, the oldest watching PowerRangers in Spanish (it’s either that or Spanish Soap Operas…..YUCK!). I don’t mind the music videos so much but I have to draw the line at the Soaps! At 3:30 this afternoon, Carlos is coming to take us to a zoo-park, with Kiddie-pool and animals. It will be a good time to get the kids out before dinner. It does cool down a little bit in the evening but it’s still pretty humid and sticky…….those cold water showers feel pretty good at bedtime!!
Kelly Johanna…….of course I think she is beautiful and every once in a while, we get little glimpses of her personality but I think it might take awhile. She has a very quiet voice and every once in a while, we get a word of English. She isn’t talking much, even in Spanish, although she does love to sing along with the videos, but it’s only been two days… She has totally latched on to the Gameboy (THANK YOU JANET!!!!) and Michael’s camera. I gather the clothes we brought are acceptable but I doubt she would say if they weren’t. Of course, it’s not the style of clothes worn here but I think the Summer should bring a different style she’s more accustomed too!
This is something only my mother can appreciate…..I HAVE A DAUGHTER WITH CURLS!!!!!!!!!!!!! = O )
We are in a very small room with 1 double bed and 3 twins and we have two twins on either side of the double and are sleeping with them all together….Braden and Michael on each end and me with a daughter in each arm………. There doesn’t seem to be a lot of people in the hotel, occasionally, we see some people in the bar/restaurant and maybe a few children in the pool but we seem to be alone here. The few people we have met are friendly (Sylvia’s family, especially) but for the most part we are left alone. We are very very grateful to Carlos for his presence (he escorts us EVERYWHERE) and sense of humor! He seems to wear a few different hats and truly loves helping to translate, just for the enjoyment. Oscar (our attorney) is wonderful (he doesn’t speak English but it doesn’t seem to matter….) and if he is able to get us back to Bogota this weekend, I think I might just kiss him. It’s not that this place is “bad” (for lack of a better word) but it is awkward, not to mention HOT and STICKY and Georgia is in need of a total immersion or at least a very warm shower, complete with soap ~ she will have nothing to do with the cold shower so for now it’s a washcloth and soap! As I said, we did purchase our tickets for return to Bogota this morning so it is looking good. That will give us time in Bogota to get a little sightseeing in and maybe do a little shopping. I now wonder if the clothes I brought for Johanna will keep her warm and if they will fit her as she is taller than Braden, after all! It would also be nice to get a few more souvenirs and some more coffee!
So very sorry to hear we missed the freezing rain, hopefully it will stay away. The weather in Bogota was very pleasant and it will be nice to return there. The kids want to watch a movie and I am apparently hogging the computer. We won’t get to post these until this weekend, maybe once more before Saturday if it works out but know we are thinking of all of you and hope you enjoyed our pictures! Tomorrow may very well be an all day pool-day! We may come home with a tan after all!
Friday is going to be busy as we need to finalize all business here in Florencia and Saturday morning we need to be at the airport at 10:ooam with an arrival in Bogota shortly after 12N.
Hope everyone is well!!!
Momma Sue, if you click the little white envelope at the bottom of the “blog”, you can send us messages! Hopefully the house is still standing and the cats are happy! You can use my email as “from” joie@thelander.net and Michael’s (to:) is michael@thelander.net (p.s. then hit “send”) = 0 D
Lots of Love to you all ~ Johanna Marie
It’s lunch time now (almuerzo) and Michael has Braden and Johanna downstairs while the Princessa Georgia takes a nap.
First, let me say it’s very weird calling my daughter my own name, but she would like to be called “Johanna” (no “H”, as in Spanish, the “h” is silent”). Braden and Georgia both still call her “Kelly” but she doesn’t seem to mind.
Went to buy our return ticket to Bogota this morning and then did a little shopping for zapatos (shoes) for Johanna. Her opened toed sandals just aren’t going to cut it when we get home!!!!! Carlos dropped Michael off at the internet-room and took us back to the hotel as Georgia was getting way too restless for the little room, and it was very very stuffy! The kids and I went swimming while we were waiting for Michael to return. Georgia loves to throw the (water resistant) watches into the pool and yell at the top of her lungs “LOOK, KELLY, I DID IT!!!!!”, and then Johanna will dive down and retrieve it. It’s incredibly repetitive but they have fun doing it! Braden and Johanna took turns diving, falling backwards and jumping into the pool, seeing who could stay down the longest, who could make the biggest splash etc...
Georgia finally got tired and said she was ready to go so we got ready to go upstairs and Daddy showed up so we got ready for lunch, which was delicious!!!!! Now, we are hanging out in our room, the oldest watching PowerRangers in Spanish (it’s either that or Spanish Soap Operas…..YUCK!). I don’t mind the music videos so much but I have to draw the line at the Soaps! At 3:30 this afternoon, Carlos is coming to take us to a zoo-park, with Kiddie-pool and animals. It will be a good time to get the kids out before dinner. It does cool down a little bit in the evening but it’s still pretty humid and sticky…….those cold water showers feel pretty good at bedtime!!
Kelly Johanna…….of course I think she is beautiful and every once in a while, we get little glimpses of her personality but I think it might take awhile. She has a very quiet voice and every once in a while, we get a word of English. She isn’t talking much, even in Spanish, although she does love to sing along with the videos, but it’s only been two days… She has totally latched on to the Gameboy (THANK YOU JANET!!!!) and Michael’s camera. I gather the clothes we brought are acceptable but I doubt she would say if they weren’t. Of course, it’s not the style of clothes worn here but I think the Summer should bring a different style she’s more accustomed too!
This is something only my mother can appreciate…..I HAVE A DAUGHTER WITH CURLS!!!!!!!!!!!!! = O )
We are in a very small room with 1 double bed and 3 twins and we have two twins on either side of the double and are sleeping with them all together….Braden and Michael on each end and me with a daughter in each arm………. There doesn’t seem to be a lot of people in the hotel, occasionally, we see some people in the bar/restaurant and maybe a few children in the pool but we seem to be alone here. The few people we have met are friendly (Sylvia’s family, especially) but for the most part we are left alone. We are very very grateful to Carlos for his presence (he escorts us EVERYWHERE) and sense of humor! He seems to wear a few different hats and truly loves helping to translate, just for the enjoyment. Oscar (our attorney) is wonderful (he doesn’t speak English but it doesn’t seem to matter….) and if he is able to get us back to Bogota this weekend, I think I might just kiss him. It’s not that this place is “bad” (for lack of a better word) but it is awkward, not to mention HOT and STICKY and Georgia is in need of a total immersion or at least a very warm shower, complete with soap ~ she will have nothing to do with the cold shower so for now it’s a washcloth and soap! As I said, we did purchase our tickets for return to Bogota this morning so it is looking good. That will give us time in Bogota to get a little sightseeing in and maybe do a little shopping. I now wonder if the clothes I brought for Johanna will keep her warm and if they will fit her as she is taller than Braden, after all! It would also be nice to get a few more souvenirs and some more coffee!
So very sorry to hear we missed the freezing rain, hopefully it will stay away. The weather in Bogota was very pleasant and it will be nice to return there. The kids want to watch a movie and I am apparently hogging the computer. We won’t get to post these until this weekend, maybe once more before Saturday if it works out but know we are thinking of all of you and hope you enjoyed our pictures! Tomorrow may very well be an all day pool-day! We may come home with a tan after all!
Friday is going to be busy as we need to finalize all business here in Florencia and Saturday morning we need to be at the airport at 10:ooam with an arrival in Bogota shortly after 12N.
Hope everyone is well!!!
Momma Sue, if you click the little white envelope at the bottom of the “blog”, you can send us messages! Hopefully the house is still standing and the cats are happy! You can use my email as “from” joie@thelander.net and Michael’s (to:) is michael@thelander.net (p.s. then hit “send”) = 0 D
Lots of Love to you all ~ Johanna Marie
posted by Michael Thelander at 8:39 AM
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