Goodbye Costa Rica!

This week has been one of the most beautiful albeit challenging experiences we’ve had as a family. Last night as Maddie and I went out to the local market, she said “I love it here. I don’t want to leave.” Ah what that does to a mama’s heart who questioned whether a homestay would be too challenging and different. ❤️ I’m actually almost teary eyed thinking about leaving Quepos, Costa Rica and our new Costa Rican family to head to Ecuador.

In one week:
— the girls have learned to easily navigate themselves on the public bus and can get themselves to and from our homestay to the bus station and all the way to Manuel Antonio Spanish school.

— we have truly embraced the meaning behind “Pura Vida” (it’s good/pure life) 💕

— the girls have opened their minds and have given their all with an intensive kid’s Spanish class while I had to laugh my way through mistakes I made trying to have conversations in Spanish with my Spanish teacher who became a fake hospice patient and family for my learning enjoyment.

— Brian got to thoroughly enjoy being out taking video and photos in this stunning landscape.

— we have experienced the BEST home cooked Costa Rican food gracias a Francisca(!!) - lucky us. As the kids have said, “Sorry mom - but when you try, it just isn’t the same” - uh yes I agree!

— we got to learn first hand about the beautifully diverse wildlife here - from two toed blond nocturnal, omnivorous sloths versus three toes grey vegetarian diurnal sloth, to VERY loud red macaws, monkeys everywhere overhead, to iguanas eating flowers in trees at the beach overhead(never expected to see that!)

- we have learned that we LOVE seeing this through the eyes of our children: the mind expanding experiences, the beauty, and even the hardship - because from hardship there is growth. We have seen so much and I’m so grateful.

— !! I have learned that packing and doing laundry for 4 is way stinkin harder than when I travelled independently or when it was just Brian and I. Home/worldschooling books, sheer volume of technology/chargers, masks and JUST SO MUCH stuff. It’s ridiculous. I’ve done laundry 3 times this week. Francisca saw me and said “la Vida de una mama” - we both smiled and sighed. It’s beautiful and exhausting.

Thank you Costa Rica. Sad to leave but on to Ecuador!!! Time to pull out our pants and jackets!

Pura Vida!!Read more