Thursday, December 1, 2011

Jimmy Asked Me On a Date!

Since the boys have been born, if Grandparents were not visiting, one of us has been with them. I think it is great, we all have a really strong bond after the first 2 years. Well Jimmy had the idea of asking Benj's sister, Kendra, (the couple that came over for Thanksgiving) if she would babysit the boys. She is studying to be a nurse and the boys really love her.

Jimmy worked everything out and last Saturday he asked me on a date! We had dinner at Las Puertas. It feels like I'm missing an appendage when I'm without the boys, but we really enjoyed our time together. It was like when we were dating. We both were a little nervous and dressed up for our date. It was so much fun!

Afterwards we went to our favorite hardware store to pick out Jimmy's Christmas present. Then... Jimmy did something I couldn't believe. He took me to my fabric store, the only fabric store I will shop at in Petén. I didn't even ask, he just told me we were going. It is the most wonderful place. I went to a fabric store when I was back in the States and it hurt to even read the prices. Fabric here is so much cheaper and wider. This particular store is full of polite workers too, who show you books of example fabrics and cut your fabric choices for you right away.
I got a photo for proof he was there! This store has recently moved and the only way I knew to get to it was a creepy path through all the taxis and buses. I usually get harassed as I walk through there and I really just dread that route. Well Jimmy helped me find another path at a different entrance. I wish you all could visit the market one time. Corn mazes in KS have nothing on the indoor market in Santa Elena. I really should drop crumbs as I walk through there to make sure I can get out! I am so directionally challenged.
Jimmy was taking me to pick out one of Jonah and Silas' Christmas presents. Jimmy is building them "big boy beds" and I am making their bedding. Their comforters are going to be striped. Silas' will be red and blue striped and Jonah's red and gray. They really like having their own stuff... similar things, but things that they can differentiate whose is whose.

On the drive we saw some guys with baskets on the side of the road. I have been trying to find these for months. All the beautiful handmade practical household items get taken to villages to sell rather than to the market or artisan shops. We just got lucky because these guys were waiting on a micro to take them back into the jungle. We got 3 large baskets for dirty laundry to place in the bedrooms and some smaller baskets for my pantry (The boys had already stollen some in this picture. The small ones are perfect for their little barn animals.) They are made in Coban. I just really appreciate the artistry many people have in this country.
They are about a tenth of the price as something similar would be in the States anyway, but Jimmy was bartering with them of course. He added everything up in his head, gave himself a bulk discount and then made the offer to they guys. They were thrilled to sell some stuff before they even got to their destination, so they said "yes!" I could tell they were still trying to add up all the actual prices in their head to make sure they were making money after they said yes, so we waited. Finally one of them got out their cellphone and added up all the stuff. Then he confidently smiled and said "yes" again. That made me feel better. We were all happy.

We had a great time together, just moseying around town and talking. We will probably try to do this every couple months. The boys had a blast with Kendra. We are so thankful for her. I felt very comfortable leaving the boys in her care. I was a little worried about THEIR behavior though. I wasn't sure if they would take advantage of someone who didn't know all of their boundaries. She said they were sweet and offered to babysit again without us asking, so hopefully that means they weren't too naughty!

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