Happy Valentine's Day!!!

Sorry we haven't posted in a few days....I know the grandmas are getting itchy for some new pics!!!! Here you go, girls :) Everyone is adjusting well and our new little man is sleeping well which makes mommy and daddy very happy!!!!! Abby and Alex are being so super great and are eating Jack up!



Jack learning how to watch "toons" with the big kids!

"Look mom, we are playing Lady and the Tramp!!!" How could I possibly not love that?!?!?!

You gotta love a pirate and a princess!!! (This started out as Alex as "Belle" and Abby as "Sleeping Beauty".....luckily daddy suggested the pirate outfit, but we do have a pic of Alex as "Belle"!!!!)

Look at our cutie little man!!!! Jack loves the johnny jumper....but nothing else...no swing, no bouncy seat, nope! Only jumping for him!!!! Really, he is just too cute!!!!!!!!

We're Home!!!

At last, at last....we are HOME!!!!!!!!!!!! Oh, we are more than excited to be here!!!!! (I think my mom might even be more happy than we are that we are home ;)
Everyone met us at the airport which was so special!!!! Thank you to everyone who was there! It meant alot to us to see you and we of course love you all!!!!!
Our first "official" family photo!!!!! I was so relieved to have all of my buttons in one place!!!
Jack touches US ground!!!! He is pretty pleased, I would say :) We are so thankful and blessed to have him home!!!!
His first go-around in a car seat....he has never been so bundled in his life!!!!
Abby being mommy's little helper already!!! I don't think she has left Jack's side since he got home!!!

Last post from Guatemala!!

Kelly is in a packing frenzy right now. If I don't keep moving, she's going to stuff me in a suitcase! Here are a few last pics from Guatemala. See you all tomorrow night!

This is in a courtyard at the Marriott. We just finished our McDonalds take out.
Sleepy man...
Hungary man!!!
This one is for Abby. She loves seeing the women with the baskets on their heads!

Earthquake!!

So Kelly and I are watching a movie with a McDonalds cheesburger and a piece of yummy chocolate cake (from McDonalds Cafe) and the floor starts shacking. It shakes, gently I might add, for about 5 seconds. Then we feel the building swaying back and forth and back and forth a few times. Makes for an interesting ride on the 11th floor! Kelly is freaked and makes me call the front desk. Their explanation is: "We live in an earthquake region Mr. Pethan and that was not an earthquake. It was a tremor." He goes on to assure me the building is built to handle earthquakes.

Anyway...I thought it was cool and Kelly is still weirded out...

Goodnight...

One day closer...

TO HOME!!!!!!! We were up bright and early this morning for our Embassy appointment. All went well and we were back to the hotel in less than two hours! Now, we just need Jack's visa (which we should have by 4ish tomorrow) and then we can COME HOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Not that we are excited about the freezing cold temps, but we do miss everyone so much and can't wait for everyone to meet Jack :)
Happy man just hanging out.....


Jack slept well again last night and woke up only once....We had to actually wake him up this morning to go the Embassy!
Mommy and Jack are ready for the Embassy appointment!!!! Let's get it done!!!!!

"Hi Abby!!!!!! Mommy and Daddy love you very much and WE MISS YOU!!!!! We can't wait until Wednesday when we get to see you at the airport! Daddy is holding the rain stick we got you....told you we got a big one! AND....Daddy has on the super fun rainbow skirt that we bought for you! He is so silly! We love you!!!!!"
"Hi Alex!!!!!! Mommy and Daddy miss you SO MUCH!!!! We can't wait to see you and let you meet Jack!!!! We are going to hug you and kiss, kiss, kiss you!!!! When Mommy gets home, then you don't have to go to school anymore!!!! We get to stay home with Jack!!!! Mommy and Daddy bought you a rainstick.....they don't have any swords in Guatemala though so we couldn't get you one of those :( See you after you go to McDonald's with Pop!!!! WE LOVE YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

Went to the Zoo...

We had a good time...we went to the zoo and the market across the street. The zoo was surprisingly very nice and beautiful!!!! You could get much closer to the animals than at our zoo. Jack's first trip to the zoo was spent sleeping....in the Ergo, drueling all over daddy!!!!!

Hippos for Jeremy...
A snake for Alex...
This one is for Abby and Alex.....this is a pelican like in Nemo...The pelican carried Marlin and Doree in his mouth to go and see Nemo! We knew you guys would love this!!!!!

Pink Flamingos for Abby...
Jack sleeping again in the Ergo......he loves to be in the carrier or laying on his back! He doesn't really like to be fiddled with much, so we go with the flow and keep him a happy man!!!!!

He's a good boy!!!!

Jack is doing great! He doesn't cry much unless he wants to get up and walk, or if he is hungry!!! He LOVES the Ergo carrier....thanks DC girls ;) Everytime he goes in it, he falls asleep!






He loves hanging out on the floor and just playing around. He "talks" alot and is a pretty happy baby. We are so lucky to have him!!!


Like I said he talks alot....This time he was saying, "I want to go home and meet my brother and sister!!!! We are coming Abby and Alex...hold on!!!!" (Mommy and Daddy are getting a bit itchy to get on a plane ;)

Now we want to come home!!!

Abby & Alex:
Mommy and Daddy really really miss you (Bo too). We can't wait to give both of you a great big kiss and hug!! Your little brother is so cute and fun. We can't wait to show him to you! We love you and will be home the next time Pop takes you to McDonalds for lunch! Love you both.
Mommy and Daddy!

It's been a rough night...not!!

Let's see here. He fell asleep around 8pm and woke up around 3:30. Kelly fed and changed him and then we woke him up at 7:30. Kelly and I just layed in bed wondering when he would get up. He slept really well obviously. He loves his Daddy. Where ever I go...he is watching me. He loves his mommy too. We haven't barely heard him cry yet...except a little when hungry. He is a drueler though...his shirt and bib is always wet. Here are a few pictures.

Gotcha!!!

It's over! We have him. The foster mom was really really sad, but now we have him! Here he is!!

TODAY IS THE DAY!!!!!!!!!!!

Holy crap!!! Oscar, one of the Bethany workers, just called and said that Jack will be here between 1-1:15......CAN YOU BELIEVE IT?!?!?!? I am driving Steve nuts right now....LESS THAN 5 hours!!!!! Of course, we are so excited and nervous and scared......I can't wait to hold him!!! Definitely pictures tonight!!!! :)

Panajachel, Lake Atitlan (aka Pana)

This is Lake Atitlan....it was kind of cloudy today, but still beautiful and SOOOOO nice to be near the water on a WARM day....no Wisconsin weather here :)

This was the main street of Pana...this was my favorite town to visit. It was very relaxed and fun to roam around! We bought tons of stuff and Steve was suckered a couple of times into buying things he didn't want.....

More of Lake Atitlan....this has claims to be one of the most beautiful lakes in the world!


Jeanne (one of the 6th grade teachers I work with) ....if you are reading this, I can't even tell you how many times you crossed my mind since I got here, especially today. All I can think of is all of the Amigos projects I have helped do AND how many I could do so much better now that I have spent some time in Guatemala. You would love it here!!!!

Steve and I could have taken a trip out onto the water on some pretty sketchy looking boats....All I could think of was how my mother (who hates water) would kill me if she saw what I was doing!!! We kept our feet on the sand, mom ;)

Chichicastenago (aka ChiChi)

Well, another crazy ride this morning...we made the three hour trek to the market in Chichi. Here in Guatemala, there are ZERO rules to the road...it is a bit scary at times, but our guide was a fabulous driver. There are these crazy buses all over the roads that go wherever they want, whenever they want....I thought we were definitely going to get run over more than once or twice!!! We drove through the mountains on very, VERY curvy, narrow roads...oh my!!! Also let me tell you that there are speed limit signs posted but Oscar said that no one respects them and the police do not enforce them!!!

The market in Chichi was intense....
straight out of what you see in the movies. Steve and I were in a bit over our heads but figured it out as we went! The narrow, crowed aisles were filled with clothing, produce, meat...you name it, it was there. We only stayed here for about an hour and then we were off again. I did buy a very cool nativity scene which I can't wait to put out at Christmas time!!!


Produce in the market...


This was a hotel in Chichi...Hotal San Marcos...it used to be a monestary. The hotels like this one are breathtaking and very peaceful.

The colorful buildings in the background are actually all part of a cemetary. Oscar said that when someone is buried there is a little "house" type structure built for them as well.