See Turtles, Sea Turtles

Yesterday we spent the afternoon cleaning up a beach in preparation for a sea turtle release.  A local charity cares for a strip of beach which is a long used area for sea turtles to lay their eggs.  The turtles return every year and this group fences off the area to keep predators out.  I was really proud of the kids as they worked really hard cleaning the beach.  Then they got to release the turles and we watched as they made their instinctive and surprisingly quick bolt for the ocean.

They say that they're very worried because each year fewer and fewer turtles are returning.  It was a great experience.

And I just loved this picture.

McKay Bridge

When we come for a visit, we plan to play a lot of McKay Bridge with Mom and Margaret. We love it. However this trip seemed to bring a lot more awful hands my way. The first photo is my typical hand. But then I started to get a lot more like the second picture. Out of the numerous times we played over the 3 weeks, I think I bid like 8 times, maybe. Good thing I really enjoy the company of Mom and Margaret.

I thought some of you could appreciate my pain.

From DC to ES



Our stuff finally got here and with it came our camera cord. It's been an exciting 3 months. Here's a few photos from DC to ES.  Please excuse the highlighting, I don't know what I did.

Traci took the kids and left DC a month before me. They had a great visit to WA and then I met them in UT. The tough part was the all day flight by herself with 4 kids. This photo was taken at the beginning of the flight. The kids did great but I don't think this picture told the whole story.



It was great to be able to see everyone in SL before we flew south. The kids were especially grateful to have time with all their cousins. And a tramp makes it even better.  Tramps make everything better.

We loved seeing everyone at Heather's baby shower. Congrats to Heather and Debbie, by the way. I was happy to stay in the background and eat the food. Lance stayed in the background as long as he could.

I remember Dad faithfully watering the little garden that runs between the fence and driveway. Occasionally he would flip the spray over and hit Henry and he'd get the slightest mischievious smile. I'm so glad to see Ben (in the last post) and here Simon getting a chance to mimic their Grandpa.  Dad would have loved these little guys that are like him in so many ways.

One evening all the kids got a turn with the famous Aunt Margaret neck tickle. Simon is the newest fan of Marg's many talents.

After some tears, confusion, and quite a few conversations that ended with, "I know Uncle Lance said you can live with him but it's not going to happen" the day arrived to head south. Grandma and Carrie dropped us at the airport for a tearful goodbye. That was tough but there was no turning back so off we went.

We landed in Central America and were swept away to our temporary house.  On the first night there we looked up above the tv and there was a gecko.  That was the moment that the kids realized there was a chance they just might like it here.  Geckos running around the house have become so commonplace that we don't try to catch them anymore, we mostly just try not to step on them and wish them happy insect hunting.

While in DC we tried to spend as many Saturdays seeing the sites as possible. We're attempting to do the same while in Central America. We spent one Saturday seeing Mayan ruins. Very cool.  The area was completely covered by a volcanic eruption several hundred years ago.  They don't have the funds to uncover ruins very quickly.  Apparently in the area of this photo only about 5% of the ruins have been uncovered.

Having dinner on the porch.

At the botanical gardens in San Salvador.

This tree is screaming to be the subject of a Gospel analogy.

The kids have been promised a dog. But this little guy is tiding them over until we can make that happen.

The kids have made a lot of fast friends. Maggie, as usual, leads the group.

The kids were not thrilled when they found out their school requires uniforms. Traci and I think it's a lot cuter than they do.

On another Saturday we were able to go ziplining. Super fun and really beautiful. Viv and Abe got especially into it.

The beach.



Here's Mag with her new friend from school and church. Yes, we realize we are in big trouble with this girl. Maggie stakes out boyfriends wherever she goes.





Traci has told me for years that she wanted to live on a coconut island.  I think this is close enough. But she hastens to remind me that "it's not an island".  So she still counts as a long suffering wife.

Must Be Genetic

The first photo was taken when Eliot (18 months old) and I were staying with Dad. Eliot always had to eat with "Ampa". Well the next photo was taken last week. Since Benjamin never met Dad, I think it is safe to say the two dish clothes necessary for eating is genetic. Ben started this about two months ago and often insists on at least a dish cloth on his lap before eating.

Madeline Sofia Minson

Maddie is finally here! It took 23 hours of labor, but she finally came... 7 lbs 8 oz & 22.5 inches long. Everyone is doing well. Her mom and dad will be posting better pictures, but here's a first look...

Sooner than Later

So it was only a matter of time that one or more of us got sick but it happened sooner than I thought it would.  We were at the mall and for lunch decided on Subway.  How do you go wrong with an American chain?  Apparently easier than we thought.  That night Abe and Mag both got sick.  It was a rough night but Abe turned a corner the next day and felt better.  Maggie, however, couldn't quite turn that corner.  After a full day of not being able to keep anything down the embassy doctor finally recommended that we take her to the hospital so that she could get rehydrated and take care of whatever it was that was causing it.  We are right in the middle of a 5 day national holiday and the roads at night are unsafe due to the many holiday partiers that decide to drive.  So we called a cab and the embassy nurse arranged for an escort to get us safely to the hospital.  A police car arrived at the house followed shortly by a cab.  Maggie and I got in the cab.  The cab driver then proceeded to drive at mach 1 speed to the hospital.  I think the escort threw him off.  Either he thought that our lives depended on our speedy arrival or he was just used to driving as fast as possible when followed by a police car, I don't know.  About half way to the hospital I informed him that we weren't in so much of a hurry and he slowed down a bit.  The worst part of the experience was when I promised Maggie that putting the IV in would only hurt for a moment.  Then the nurse couldn't make the stick.  The poor little girl screamed and looked at me as if I had broken the promise of all promises as the nurse chased her vein around.  It appears that Maggie inherited her Mom's rolling veins.  Once the IV was in things improved quickly.  Today has been spent watching movies, coloring, and otherwise trying to occupy a little girl who is feeling better but stuck in a hospital bed.  They tell us that she'll be able to go home tomorrow.  It will be great to get home and put this first and hopefully last trip to the hospital behind us.

One week down in Central America

Hey I thought I'd give a quick report on our first week in Central America.  The camera cords are still somewhere in limbo so I have no way to post photos.  Those will be forthcoming someday.  Our first week here has been absolutely amazing.  El Salvador is a beautiful place.  Green as can be.  The weather has been perfect.  80's during the day and then once we're home for the evening it rains.  Then the next morning it's sunny again.  We spent the first week in a temporary house which was lovely but a little bit farther away from work than we wanted.  Our permanent house became available last night and we moved in.  The house is beautiful and it's a two minute drive to the embassy.  The embassy looks to become the center of our lives.  The campus is huge.  There is a running track that goes around inside the outer wall.  There is a pool, tennis courts, a playground, basketball courts and a soccer field.  Because El Salvador isn't exactly safe for kids to be cruising around there is a covered area where all the kids keep their bikes so any time they're at the embassy they can grab their bikes and cruise all over safely.  Our car is still somewhere between Miami and San Salvador.  Nobody seems to know where it is or when it will arrive.  Without it we're limited to taxis so we're feeling a little bit trapped.  Looking forward to it arriving so we can get out more. Traci spent the day today visiting the schools so that we can make a decision on which is the best for the kids.  Apparently they were both outstanding and I'm sure the kids will have quite the experience once school starts next month.  We went to church on Sunday.  It is a Spanish speaking ward but does have a handful of English speakers.  Everyone was very welcoming.  The kids didn't understand a word of Sacrament meeting.  They just colored and drew pictures.  So basically it was exactly the same result as an English speaking Sacrament meeting. Work is going well.  I'm pretty lost most of the time which is typical for any new job.  Hopefully I will shortly gain a better idea of what I'm doing and how to do it.  So far we love the Salvadoran people.  They are so sweet and helpful and welcoming.  As they are turned down for visas to the U.S. (which they often paid half a month's salary just for the interview) they don't get angry but often say thank you and god bless you.  To summarize, we're doing well and I think we're going to really love it here.  I'll post again when I have a way to post photos.  We love you all.