To Whine or Not To Whine...

I believe that happiness is a choice no matter where you are.  If you go to a foreign country with a negative attitude, you are bound to have a negative experience.  If you go with love in your heart for the country and its people, I think you will see that returned to you.  Sure, Belize has its problems, but so does anyplace on earth.  If you focus on the negative all you will see the negative.  I choose to focus on the positive, and I see it around me everywhere.  Someone suggested that I change the name of my blog because Belize isn't paradise.  It isn't?  It's hot, really freaking hot at the end of August, but is that a reason to complain or an excuse to go swimming?  Yep, there's a LOT of bugs.  A reason to complain or evidence of a thriving ecosystem?  A poor economy, yes, that sucks for everyone, but it gives the community a chance to pull together.  Just like me volunteering at the schools.  I would not be needed like this back in the States.  Just like the proverbial glass, it is your PERCEPTION that makes a place Paradise or Hell.  Attitude is the minds paint brush, it can color any situation.  Paradise?   Maybe not, but this is where I have chosen to make my home and raise my children and I will be damned if I will let some one else's negativity alter my happiness.

New chapter in life.

I never pictured myself as the teacher type.  I am not the most patient person in the world.  I did have fun home schooling my kids, when they did what they were supposed to any way, but other people's kids?  Well, it is time for me to learn a new skill.  I am going to be a teacher!  Wow, it is weird seeing that in print.  I will be teaching computers at the elementary school for a couple of months until the real teacher can get back.  This is just as a volunteer.  I am also volunteering at the high school and will be teaching computer diagnostics and repairs.  Seems like a lot and I am feeling a little overwhelmed.  It started out with me volunteering to make sure the elementary school's computer lab was up and running for school.  Simple enough.  Then the high school asked if I would be willing to teach an elective class.  One hour a week, actually sounds fun, ok.  Then I went to the elementary school to work on their computers and the principal said that the computer teacher wouldn't be back until the end of October, and could I please fill in for her until she comes back?  Three days a week, Standards 4, 5 and 6.  How can you say no to kids?!  I couldn't.  So, I am now a volunteer teacher four days a week.  I am excited and terrified!  I will keep you updated, provided the kids don't kill me...

It's only 1:30...

It is 1:30 in the afternoon and I have already done the laundry, cleaned the kitchen, scrubbed the bathroom, made a pot of beans, steamed two chickens, made four dozen home made flour tortillas and cleaned the kitchen again.  Not bad.  Feeling pretty productive today.  Since dinner is already cooked I think I will take the rest of the day off.

Brotherly Bonding

Who knew that Trey could be a patient and thoughtful teacher?  He conned Chandler into helping him with dinner dishes (by promising to play Chandler's DS game for him, how did THAT ever work?!) But Trey pulled up a stool so Chandler could rinse and stack for him.  Since Chandler just turned six last week, he doesn't have any experience with dishes, so Trey is showing him how the dishes go in the rack, and how to make sure you rinse the handles of the pots and pans.  When Trey first asked Chandler to help I thought to myself, "Self, you probably need to get some earplugs and a stack of towels ready because this is going to get ugly!" But they are doing a beautiful job, and being kind and helpful with each other.  Oh, now I see!  They must be plotting to overthrow the establishment and take over the world!  Now that makes sense.  Much more in character than getting along while doing chores.  Or maybe body snatchers, can I keep the replicas instead?  Please?  Please?

August birthday shout outs!

I admit, I quite forgot to post birthdays as they were happening, but I did remember to call those who aren't here.  Since August is our birthday month, I will just say Happy Birthday to my Dad, kicking off the season on August 6, to my little girl following up on August 8, my brother joining in on August 10th.  My baby Chandler will be six tomorrow on August 15, and my hubby rounds out the August birthdays on August 17.  Trey decided to be different and held out until the 12th of September, guess he didn't want to be in the Awful August Assembly, LOL.  So happy birthday to all of you Leo's out there!  If I accidentally left you off the list, email me, August is just kind of a cake induced blur at this point.

Is it too late for a refund?

I have decided that children are too expensive and I demand an immediate refund.  If some one can please give me the contact information for the government oversight committee in charge of refunds I would be grateful.  We had to go to San Pedro yesterday to get all of our passports stamped again, then today we had to go to Belize City for school supplies and books.  We were so careful with money, two uniform shirts per child, one pair of flip flops a piece for the boys, and school books.  I nearly choked over the price.  Granted, prices here are cheaper than the States, but I still can not work yet, so every penny is precious.  I was seriously eyeing them trying to decide which of them really NEEDED to go to school and which of them might make better ditch diggers.  We did get all of the books except for two, which are out of stock until next week, so I guess they will have another year of education before I put them to apprenticeship as diggers.  They better pull top marks!  I am exhausted after two days of nonstop go go going, so tomorrow I am going to have a nice, peaceful laundry day.  No one bothers Mommy on laundry day for fear of getting drafted.  So, seriously, if you know who gives refunds on kids, let me know, I will even throw in their uniforms and books!

My first hurricane

Well, Ernesto is coming.  This is my first hurricane and I have to admit that I am a little nervous.  I have been through white outs, tornadoes and even earthquakes, but never a hurricane.  Rick went through one while he was in Guam and he is not nervous, so I suppose I should be reassured, but I'm not really.  Our island is so small and the storm is so large.  We have done all the preparation, brought Bridget over here, stocked up on water (both drinking and pipe water), I fixed the storm shutters, stocked up on canned goods, checked all the flashlights, cleaned off the balcony and cleaned the yard of debris (and coconuts!) so I feel a little better.  At least with hurricanes you have some warning.  I helped our neighbor board up windows today, we are supposed to do ours tomorrow.  It is storming tonight, but just regular storms so far.  All the tourists were evacuating yesterday, you should have seen the line of people at the water taxi!  LOL. Well anyway, we are as ready as we are going to get, and even if I am a little nervous, I am ready to meet Ernesto, and even readier to bid him adieau.

*** UPDATE *** The hurricane missed us completely, a little wind and rain but not even enough to make us close the doors.  I have walked to the grocery store in worse weather.  I am glad that it didn't hit here, but a little let down after all the hype.  I will squash that feeling though because I would just as soon NEVER see a hurricane, thank you.