Now having a child makes me think an awful lot about family.

What is family? How do we define it? How do our children recognize it? How does something as random as biology compare to the other bonds that we share by choice? For me and mine, I think that all are important. Maybe the ones that we share the most quality time with have the most effect on us, but then again, the lady in the check-out line at the grocery might also wield her influence. Every little interaction makes a ripple, and like they say, it takes a village.

Raising a child is not easy. In fact, I think that if we did not have a biological urge to procreate, far less of us would do it. It takes a certain selflessness that I have not encountered in any other occupation. This being said, like any difficult task at hand, the more you put into it, the more you get out of it. The love we give to Ana comes back to us ten-fold. But on the days when she is sick, or we are sick, or work is busy, or life is busy, it is imperative that we have family to fall back on. And while our nearest genetically related relatives are several thousand miles away, we are fortunate for our family of friends, colleagues, Ana's Tias and Tios, caretakers, and even the lady at the grocery that provokes a toothless smile.

...a few photos enjoying time with family at the IMA.

"Winter is great to stay in and cuddle, but put me in summer and I'll be a... happy snowman!"

It has been awhile since I have posted anything, but that does not mean that I have left for good. My time for creative pursuits is more often spent inventing dances to disney songs and ways to get all manner of gooey foods to be eaten. Baby girl is just a few weeks past seven months, and while she takes a great deal of my time, energy, and sleep, life with her couldn't be more wonderful. I have very little experience with other babies, but Ana seems particularly happy and calm. Her laughing brightens any dark winter day. She is our whole world. 

Recently, we escaped the southern winter to soak up some Indiana summer. It was a glorious respite that we all very much enjoyed. Ana loved swimming, and she got to be the center of attention both with the family and when we took her for her first visit to camp. The eight year olds crowded around and cooed "oh a little baby, she's so cute" as I thought the same about them. But it seems it makes no difference if you are eight months, eight years, or 80 years old, camp is always fun. We splashed in the lake and sat on the pier. We said hi to the horses and took in the stillness of the trees. There are few other ways that I'd want to spend a summer day. 

The last three months...

As we nestle into Fall, we look back on our first sweet summer with baby girl. We were graced with many visitors that were just as eager to meet Ana as we were. We battled out the hottest days under the shade of the roble trees and baby girl splashed in her new bath tub. We tried out new sunglasses and took many walks, getting to know all of the plants and animals in our neighborhood. 

Time seems to have flown by and now our little lovey is no longer a newborn. She grew like a weed in the summer sunshine; now many little too-tight clothes are stored away. As Ana moves into her third month of life, we see her personality starting to show, shining bright like her still-blue eyes. We are loving this phase of goos and gaas and toothless smiles, yet we know that it too will pass before we fully cherish it. We wonder what the next season will bring. 

We bought a house!

Rather, the bank bought a house and is letting us live in it... but we are really excited! As with all things in Chile, the process has been a long one, and we still won't move in for another month or two, but finally the paperwork is complete and the house is ours. 

So now with a two month old baby, a new house, on-going renovation work, and dreaming up garden and chicken coop designs, we are really busy! Even still, this moment in our lives feels impossibly sweet. Summer here might be turning to Fall, but we are entering Spring with all of the fresh new additions blossoming in our life. 

 Hello World.

It has been quite awhile since I have posted here. This is not for a lack of happenings, rather life has taken a new rhythm that is both fast and chaotic and slow and pensive. Like never before, I feel like the list is forever growing and time is continually shortening. The garden has gone to seed, the floor hasn't been washed in weeks, and the poor cat is more often forgotten than not. At the same time, we have slowed down. During this summer vacation, without classes to teach, or major research obligations, the mornings start later, we have been able to relish a long evening sitting around with Ana and her grandparents, and everything moves in function with nourishing ourselves and our baby girl. 

It has been the sweetest of summers.

At 4:30pm on the 28th of December, 2016, little Ana came into this world.

Since then, our favorite activities have included snuggling with her, watching her while she sleeps, and taking countless photos which our families are probably already getting sick of. But you see, we have fallen in love. You know that feeling when you can't stop thinking about someone else, when it seems that your heart could burst from fullness, when you are completely distracted, and  you make everyone around you ill from your shear disconnect from the physical harshness of reality? That is us right now. 

So far, the sleepless nights feel like a small price to pay when we are nuzzled by a little being this is both half him, and half me. The diaper changing is not so much a burden, rather a new adventure that we are embarking on together. Even the most difficult, the fear of failing or somehow getting it wrong, doesn't seem so overwhelming when she gives us a sleepy little smile. 

Needless to say, it is a happy new year. We hope the same for you. 

A few weekends ago Pablo's uncle decided to visit us over a long weekend. While the weather was pretty dismal, we made the most of it! After a classic paisa breakfast complete with homemade arepas, quesito, huevito, and colombian coffee, we headed out to Curiñanco for a hike. We lucked out that the rain didn't dampen our day, so we were able to completely enjoy the spectacular olivillo forest and ocean viewpoints. While Valdivia is a much nicer place to visit in summer, it is always enjoyable to have a visitor. Gracias Alberto!!

It only took me two hours to upload these photos and rework the wonky html code... grrr Google...

Tirate en un charco!

While in Jardín, we asked some people where we could find a charco... or creek. They sent us to the perfect spot. Just outside of town, we wound our way around a dirt road, past men moving entire felled trees, and there it was. A beautiful flowing spring! We whole-heartedly fulfilled the Agudelo family vacation legacy by jumping of the rocks into the icy water below. We screamed, and swam around until we could take no more, and then we headed for lunch at a little mom-and-pop shop that is not only famous for its trout, but also for the panela that is made right on site!

sugar cane husks! it smelled sweet and damp, like forests in the fall

the mill used to squeeze the sugar cane

giant fire heated skillets to purify the sugar

I think more than one brother-in-law was jealous when I got served first!

only way to finish lunch is with a tinto!!

Last night we returned from five days of fun in the sun.

The plan had been for the family to all go to Rio Cedro together, but with rampant cases of Zika in the region, we opted for another destination. An uncle was nice enough to lend us his new finca near Bolombolo, and might I say, we were not disappointed with the accommodations. 

Finca San Felipe is located a few hours from Medellin in tierra caliente. As our road curved along at ever sharper angles, we marveled at the surrounding mountains that despite being dry due to El Nino seem to be beautifully carved from ancient volcanos. As we moved further and further from the city, the urban sprawl gave way to cattle and coffee farms. 

The majority of our time in San Felipe was spent cooling off in the pool just catching up on the lives of our family members. I am not sure if this is just a Latino attribute, or if this is a family specific phenomena that transcends cultural boundries, but it seems that ample time for conversation and interaction are all that is really needed to forge bonds. You don't need to ride every ride in Disney World, or climb the Eiffel Tower to better understand your brother in law. You don't need to go to a gourmet restaurant to catch up with your parents. You will not know your sister's boyfriend better in Alaska than you will in your own city. All you need is time together. Time to recount the last year, or memories of childhood. Time to joke, and time to laugh. Even time for long silences. 

every family has one that always makes the others laugh!

we drank pina coladas and danced in the rain!