Last Month in Quito

Our last month in Quito was such a crazy blur of activity. Saying goodbye is never easy to do and I felt like we were doing it over and over again...we moved out of our house, but we were still around for a whole month! Living in the Swissotel was definitely a better experience for us than the first couple of months in the Sheraton, but hotel living is never ideal especially with 3 little ones. Thankfully the "Bigs" were still in school during the week, and we had lots of activities to keep us from going crazy on the weekends. 

Here are a few pictures of some of those last memories... 

I'm so thankful that God brought these two people into our lives during our time in Quito. Monica and Rafael, were such a pleasure to know and they helped our family in so many ways. Rafael, is a talented and hardworking carpenter who made some beautiful pieces of furniture for us. You could literally, print out a picture of something you liked, give him the dimensions, and then he would make it down to the last detail. This man was so generous, he made a couple of frames for paintings that my dad had bought during his visit. And he whipped them out in a matter of a couple of days so that my dad could see them before he flew home. He was a very soft spoken and humble man which is a rare find in the culture built very much on machismo. 

Monica, his wife, was a Peruvian firecracker. She was super sweet with a quick wit and she always stood up for us Americans when we were being taken advantage of by the local gas guy or other such person. She was a maid for our next door neighbors, but since we didn't have domestic help during our last year in Ecuador, she took very good care of us as well. To her, all the kids in the conjunto were her little chicks; they minded her like they would any of the adults and she always treated them as she did her own children. The Romero family left Quito shortly after we did in search for a better quality of life with their family in Peru. We wish them the best and hope they find happiness in their new home.

"Mr. Joe" was definitely a favorite character for the kids in their Quito memories. Alex & Aidan's dad, and Alane's husband...Mr. Joe was loved by all. During our last year in Quito, Joe took an assignment that sent him to Afghanistan, while the rest of the family stayed behind. This was extremely difficult on their family as their youngest had been born literally weeks before his departure with a heart defect that required him to be on Oxygen continuously. Joe was able to return only a few times during the year for a short visit, but when he did, he always brought gifts for each of the kids in the conjunto and he spent most of his R&R clowning around with them on the trampoline or out in the common yard. His example of patience, generosity, and fatherhood will always be remembered and we hope that one day when he's a well-known Ambassador, he'll remember us:)

Thank you to Kikirikids!!! This little girl grew up SO much during this time in Quito and we are so very proud of her. Of everyone in the family, I think she had the hardest transition. During her first year in Quito, we placed her in a full-immersion preschool that didn't quite work out. She spent most of that first year at home with Mommy going to and from the hospital for OB visits etc. Then we uprooted her for 3 months and when we returned, we threw her into another full immersion preschool...this time it was the right choice. With only her buddy Alex to translate for her, she quickly adjusted and blossomed. In no time, her Spanish was better than mine and she was teaching me all sorts of things. A huge thank you to Maria Jose the director for taking Malia under her wing during those first few challenging months. She guided us on the best ways to help Malia adjust to being back and she was always looking out for her during the school days. 

Maria Jose "Chili"

Thank you to Tia Kris, the gentle spirit, who was always there to give Malia that extra TLC and distraction when Malia was upset in her first days.

And to Tia Maica, Malia's teacher, who truly loved those kids and treated Malia as her own. She would always call to check up if Malia was out sick, and she was quick to call me if she knew that Malia was having a hard day. In our last days at the hotel, Maica came to visit us and dropped off a special gift for Malia to remember them. We will truly miss you!

What a treasure this school was and such a great place for Malia to be during this tour!

Shay's last activity with the Scouts was such a fun one for our family. He participated in their Rain Gutter Regatta. Who knew that recycled materials could be so fun?! The boys (and their younger siblings) constructed boats out of empty water bottles, juice boxes, straws, etc. When the boats were ready, they raced them side by side in an inflatable canal. This was such a great group for Shay to get his start with the Scouts. We will surely miss each of these dedicated families!

It seemed like every weekend in May and June we had a birthday party to attend. The last one was definitely not to be forgotten! Sean was Shay's best buddy during our time in Quito. They met in Kindergarten and quickly clicked. I would receive calls on my cell and on our home phone from this sweet little voice asking me if Shay could play. Sean was always welcome at our house and I loved that he always included Malia in their play. We hope to reunite with their family when they move back to the States!