2 MONTHS IN ECUADOR!! :)

BEAUTIFUL MURAL OF ONE OF CUENCA'S CATHEDRALS I THOUGH IT WAS STUNNING!

ILLNESS AND DOCTORS

So as many of you know, we have been struggling with illnesses.  Jared came down with a stomach flu and was literally bed ridden for two days.  We were so disappointed because the first day he became ill was the day we had planned to go with our friends to the Cajas National Park.  Our friends, who are Cuencans and very familiar with the mountains, were going to give us a great hiking experience.  Unfortunately, Jared was ill and I became nauseated and sick as well.  Somehow, Coco has been immune to it all, thank goodness.  I would have to say it has been really hard to both be sick and miss familiar conveniences.

My shoulder began to have excruciating pain last week and I had called an English speaking doctor, board certified in the states to see me.  He answered his phone immediately and got us in that night.  I was asking for a cortisone injection in the joint, but he was very hesitant to give me anything because of the pregnancy.  He also stated he felt it was caused from a flare of my RA.  I left in tears, worried it was returning and in pain. :(

The next day Jared called a MD who specializes in acupuncture, I was very hesitant and thought there was no way it could help with RA.  I was instantly calmed when entering his peaceful office, where he took my history, writing it in Chinese on a huge scroll ;), speaking to me in English and to other patients in Spanish... Wow, they say Cuenca is the Athens of South America, I believe it!!  So many of the people and professionals I've met have been so interesting and well educated.  After my first session, I felt instantly less pain, but through the night my arm had tightened back up.  I called the doctor on his cell (unheard of in the states) he had me come into his office on Saturday and massaged my arm and gave me another treatment.  I must say I AM A BELIEVER, by the next morning I was pain free!!! :)  No exaggeration here as this skeptic became a believer.  It was a remarkable difference... The next day I couldn't help researching more about acupuncture and plan to now try it more often with "RA" aches and pains.

One night I began to crave Oysters Rockefeller?? Who would've imagined??? Such a random craving!  We called a ton of different restaurants and the closest we could get was crab.  We went to a very well known and respected seafood house to get this "amazing" crab we had heard of.  Well lets just say it was horrible.  It wasn't in the shell, it was a pile of mush on a plate with a coconut sauce to spoon on it.  You could taste the "cartilage" or whatever the grizzle stuff is...  I was just grateful it didn't actually look like crab or I think I would have an eternal aversion to it.  :(  We left very disappointed...

GOODBYES

Then our dear friends Don and Donna (father and daughter) left for the states.  I was so sad to see them go. 

YOU KNOW HOW YOU MEET SOMEONE AND YOU INSTANTLY CONNECT? THAT WAS US AND THEM... I LITERALLY CRIED THE DAY THEY LEFT TO GO HOME... COCO KEPT SAYING, "ITS OKAY MOMMA YOU'LL SEE THEM AGAIN"...  

DON IS ONE OF THE NICEST KINDEST PEOPLE I HAVE EVER MET.  HE LOVED COCO AND WAS SO PATIENT WITH HER.  HE ALSO LOOKS LIKE MY GRANDPA (WHO I MISS DEARLY) AND MY GRANDPA'S TWIN BROTHER DEAN... 

LOVED MAKING FRIENDS HERE.  AT LEAST JORGE IS STILL AROUND (YAY!!! :) )
P.S. I LOVE JARD'S FACE IN THIS PICTURE I THINK HE AND JORGE WERE HAVING AN INTERESTING CONVERSATION... :)

Donna and I had taken a great water coloring class the week before she left... 

THIS IS ALLY THE ART TEACHER.  ONE OF MY FAVORITE MEMORIES FROM THIS TRIP WILL BE PAINTING IN HER BEAUTIFUL FLAT (WHICH HAS BEAUTIFUL WINDOWS ON THE ONE WALL) AND TALKING ABOUT LIFE.  I LOVED HEARING HOW THIS BRAVE STRONG WOMAN CAME TO ECUADOR AND STARTED A LIFE HERE ALONE AFTER THE END OF A MARRIAGE.  WHAT COURAGE!! :)  DONNA IS ANOTHER COURAGEOUS WOMAN!! I LOVE SURROUNDING MYSELF WITH SUCH GREAT INFLUENCES... 

MY UNFINISHED MASTERPIECE, LOL!

I think the hard thing if you were to live here permanently is seeing people come and go.  Tonight we are attending another going away party for friends who are also returning to the states after being here 6 months.  :(

Speaking of leaving, we HAD a new neighbor from the states whose in his 70's and originally from Poland... Yeasus, was his name (nice, but another complainer) he lasted 2 weeks and is returning to the states.  Not sure if the apartment next to us has some kind of "negative energy" that scare people away.  Or it could be that our power went off once again, or maybe its because his skylight fell and crashed into a million pieces on his floor, or possibly that his FBI back ground check from the states was denied in Ecuador (so he informed us), hmmmmm?  Anyhoo, once again we will be neighbor less.

The senora (our landlord) brought us a lovely bowl of figs that she prepared out of our fig trees in the courtyard.  I had never had them before but was pleasantly surprised by the flavor.

FIGS-ACTUALLY PRETTY GOOD

GIRL TIME

Coco and I decided to have a little "girl" time this week and went and got our nails done.  This was the first time we had ever done this, since working as a clinical instructor I never could have nail polish.  She absolutely loved every minute.  She had butterflies painted and flowers then she insisted that I get the same.  I would NEVER have selected my nails the way they are now, but according to Coco "we had to match"... :)

SHE'S GETTING SO BIG- ALL THE DESIGNS AND THE MANICURE $3.00

SHE LOVED EVERY MINUTE

BUTTERFLY NAILS, HMMMM?

We also went and got haircuts.  I felt incredibly brave doing this when we barely speak the language, not to mention I chose a "Colombian" hair salon.  I figured I like Shakira, whose Colombian, and her hair looks great, so why not?  Coco got a trim and I got bangs... :)

COCO GETTING HER STYLE ON!

BANGS, NOT SURE ABOUT THEM YET?

We also decided to have her try on dresses for her birthday... She is so excited and they are absolutely beautiful...

BEAUTIFUL PRINCESS

OUR SWEET GIRL

NEW BIRTHDAY DRESS ;)

CARANAVAL

This week starts Carnaval, which as we're learning is a HUGE celebration.  It started last night and the music was audibly loud in our flat until late last night and started again at 0830 this morning at the school behind us.  The kids were throwing flour at each other and shooting spray cans of washable color on passer byes.  We hear you have to be careful walking around our area of town, because they launch water balloons from the balconies on unsuspecting pedestrians.  This should be an interesting week.

CARNAVAL

CARANAVAL

OUT AND ABOUT IN CUENCA

COCO CHILLIN

ONE OF HER FAVORITE THINGS TO DO IS FEED THE PIGEONS

SHE WAS QUICK ENOUGH TO CATCH ONE :)  DON'T WORRY SHE WAS GENTLE AND RELEASED IT.

ULTRASOUND

This week we decided we better figure out how far along I am in the pregnancy.  I was estimating an October delivery, but was surprised to be farther along than I had thought and my due date is 9/21/2014.  All looked well with the baby and Coco was absolutely excited and in awe of the ultrasound.  Healthcare here has been incredible.

MY SUPPORT SYSTEM, COCO AND HER GIRAFFIE! 

DR. RODRIGUEZ MET US AT HER OFFICE, NO WAITING AND SUPERIOR CARE AND COMPASSION.  SHE IS TRULY OUTSTANDING.

HER OFFICE, WHICH COCO LOVED!

MOUNT SINAI -HOSPITAL AND CLINIC... VERY CLEAN AND WARM SERVICE.. YOU CAN SEE THE FLOORS WERE WET, BECAUSE EVERYONE WAS SPRAYING EACH OTHER WITH WATER FOR CARNAVAL.  COCO WAS READY WITH HER WATER (THIS WOULD NEVER HAPPEN IN THE STATES)

HALLWAYS OF THE HOSPITAL

VERY NICE!

This weekend we are planning to check out some of the local markets in the rural town around Cuenca, should be fun... Life is good now that we are finally getting over our sicknesses... :)  Thanks for following along on this journey!!  BE BLESSED MY FRIENDS!! :)