Back in Louisville

April 24

We got back home around three this afternoon. We left the little family there at the gate to their townhouse around 6:50 last night. It was sad to have to say "good-bye" to Laura, Javier, and Mark Xavier. Marcos blew kisses until the taxi turned the corner! We loved the visit and had a wonderful time.

Check-in at Ezeiza airport was fairly quick for our 10:35 flight out of BA. All the American flights were delayed so we actually didn't pull away from the gate until after 11:30. The eight-hour flight was uneventful despite the man across the aisle from me who snored all night long. Clayton slept a lot but I read and watched a movie before I was able to dose off and on. We got to Miami at 7:30. The passport check point was closed for a while due to computer problems so that took about an hour there. Our luggage was waiting for us and after passing through customs we left our baggage at the American counter and headed toward the next security point to get to another gate area. Going through security is no fun and takes a long time due to the long lines and all the checks that have to be done.

Our flight to Louisville was uneventful. Gail met us at the airport to bring us home. It was neat to get home and find everything fine. There was unpacking and laundry to do as well so we have been busy. Then there were phone calls to be made to talk to family.

Our time in BA was a wonderful experience and lived up to our expectations. We anticipate to begin to feel more like we will now feel that we are now ready to settle into life in Louisville.

My Grandson

April 23, 2007

Mark Xavier woke up this morning with a sleepy smile. I just happened to be upstairs so I went into the bedroom to pick him up and he looked at me and said “Mama Car”! What a wonderful feeling to hold our little grandson and that he recognizes us even though we hadn’t seen him in person for nine months. He is almost three now and weighs close to 30 pounds and is three feet tall. His parents have kept us in the conversation and have called us frequently so we can talk to him. He calls us “Mama Car” and “Papa Car” because we used to take him in our car when we lived here. We don’t have a car on this trip so he thinks it strange – asking where the car is.

MX is a sweet loving little boy who is doted on by his parents and anyone else who knows him. He never meets a stranger and is known by all the storekeepers and neighbors because of his friendliness. We just in from a walk in the neighborhood and to do last minute shopping before leaving tonight and we took him in his stroller. One of the storekeepers gave him a piece of candy and said that he didn’t know Clayton or me but he knew “Marcos” (his name in Spanish).

Right now he is watching the movie “Cars” which must be the 20th time that it has been on since we got here 10 days ago. He loves the movie that Uncle Eddy and Aunt Pat sent by us. He is a “Cars” fan since first eyeing the “Cars” logo on the orange juice box. One of Laura’s students brought him a “Cars” replica toy which makes sounds when hit. He asks for the “Cars” movie as soon as he wakes up. He will watch something else when pressed by one of his parents but as soon as that is over he is asking for the “Cars” movie. I can tell you that I am tired of watching it but can now recognize the characters in it!

He understands and speaks both Spanish and English. He can count to ten in both languages. He only wants his dad to speak Spanish to him and his mom to speak English. Javier knows lots of English and Laura speaks both languages fluently. It is interesting how he switches from one to the other without missing a beat.

He recognizes and is learning the colors and plays with his blocks. It was neat to watch him stack the blocks and put them in “perfect” order or at least try to. He and Javier play the counting game with the blocks and he loves that.

He has been diagnosed with a mild form of cerebral palsy which has affected mostly the right leg. He is now being fitted for braces and will have botox injections on May 4th. The twenty or so injections directly into the leg muscles (below the knee) will relax them enough along with the braces to aid him in walking. The CP has seemingly not affected anything else except for a slight weakness of the right hand which has improved with physical therapy. He does go to a PT twice a week and his parents continue the exercises at home daily.

He is a loving little boy who has a wonderful hug and lots of kisses which he blows from his hand. It is so sweet to watch him do that. He will wave “bye bye” and blow kisses as anyone walks out the door. It will be difficult to see him wave that last “bye bye” as we leave tonight!

Clayton is 62

April 21, 2007

Today Clayton says that he now has joined the “old men’s club” whatever that means. It hardly seems possible that he has reached this age because that means that I have only four months until I reach the magic age!

We started the day by getting up early since Laura had a 7:30 student who comes on Saturday morning. We drank coffee and read the newspaper while Laura worked with her student in the living room. It was one of those rare mornings that Mark Xavier slept late. We chatted with Javier quietly so as not to disturb any of the learning that was taking place in the next room.

Clayton and Javier took care of MX while Laura and I went to the 17 blocks by bus to reach the center of Ramos Mejía for shopping, coffee and a manicure. It always takes longer to find things on the list that planned. It began to mist rain before we got home. That seems to be the weather for now. We enjoyed a nice lunch together.

It began to rain heavily around three so we just chatted in the house. Laura and Javier had some chores to do so Clayton and I stayed here while MX slept. It was still raining when they got home and we planned to leave to take the bus to Haedo where we last lived so we could visit with our former neighbors and see some of the people in the shops we frequented.

That was a nice walk in the rain on the sidewalks of Haedo (just two miles from Ramos Mejía) as we stopped in the Laundromat and other places to talk to people we knew. We had a great visit with some of our former neighbors and then visited the missionaries who live in the apartment where we last lived.

We got back to RM in time to meet Laura, Javier and MX at the “Fogon de RM” to eat supper to celebrate Clayton’s birthday today and an early celebration of Javier’s birthday on the 27th.

Downtown Buenos Aires

April 20, 2007

The trip to downtown Buenos Aires takes an hour or so on public transportation from where Laura lives in Ramos Mejía, ten miles from downtown. (Clayton always says that he can drive from Louisville to the farm in Larue County (50 miles) in less time than it takes to get to downtown BA on public transportation!) We got on a bus two blocks from their townhouse and rode for 30 minutes to arrive at the subway station. The subways were off schedule so we had to wait 15 minutes for it to leave the station. Our stop was 12 minutes away. Then we walked for about four minutes to get on the connecting subway to take us to Lavalle Street, one of the main pedestrian streets downtown. When we arrived up on the sidewalk, it was about 12:30 so we decided to eat before doing any other errands or shopping. We stopped at “El Gaucho Restaurant” for a nice typical lunch – steak and salad with bread and a “chorizo” (beef sausage grilled to perfection). We enjoyed looking at all the Argentine cowboy memorabilia – hats, bolos, knives, whips, saddles, ponchos – on the walls.

The sights and sounds of downtown BA have not changed since we were there last July. The bumper to bumper traffic, crowded sidewalks, hawkers selling their leather and “cashmere”, beggars, smoke-filled restaurants and bars, green spaces with lots of trees and grass, sidewalk entertainers with guitars, drums and other instruments, plus the tango dancers giving free shows in the middle of the sidewalk, food stalls, newsstands in the middle of the sidewalk, lots of places to eat whatever your favorite food is, sidewalk coffee shops, etc., are all memories of the years that we spent in BA.

Homelessness is no stranger to this bulging city. One old woman had made her home on the steps of a cathedral with all her belongings cluttered around her. Empty containers of food were scattered on the steps and her hand was extended to all who passed by. One’s heart cannot help but be touched by the scenes of poverty among the affluence of many of the passersby.

In the late afternoon Clayton and I stopped at a sidewalk café to have some ice cream and coffee (actually I was the only one who had coffee!). It was a perfect day to sit outside and sip coffee and watch people pass by and just drink in the sights and sounds of a busy city. I must admit that the noise of the traffic is not a pleasant sound but it calls forth a certain nostalgia for the years that we lived here and grew accustomed to it.

Buenos Aires has a population of almost 14 million people, four million of whom live in the capital district. Public transportation provides for easy access to all parts of the city but the distances can be quite long and time is often eaten up waiting for the ride. Taxis are also a common mode of transportation for those who can afford the fare.

We got back home by getting on the subway going in the opposite direction to the end and waiting on the train until it began the ride back to our stop to catch the bus. It meant that we got a seat and didn’t have to fight the crowds headed out of town for a seat! We got on the bus at the first stop and had seats all the way back home.

Back home in Louisville we often reminisce about all the things that we love about Buenos Aires despite some of the inconveniences of traffic and other things. I know we will talk about this day many times after we return to our home there in Kentucky.

Un Paseo en Ramos Mejìa

On Tuesday morning we walked the 15 blocks to the center of Ramos Mejía. It was quite warm which I had not expected so I put on a pullover sweater. The sky is overcast but rain is not in the forecast. I pushed Mark Xavier’s stroller and Clayton and Javier walked behind me. We were taking MX for his physical therapy session. Laura met us there. She had classes to teach before meeting us. MX’s therapist is named Gloria and she is really good. He responds to her very well. The PT is in preparation for his upcoming surgery and placement of braces that should help him walk. (Laura and Javier continue the PT at home every day.)

Clayton and I walked on to the photo place to leave some digital pictures to be printed. The sidewalk was quite crowded as we walked along. The sights and sounds came back to us as we listened to the train whistle, the train barrier going down, the car horns and the people talking. It did not seem strange at all to hear Spanish being spoken. We wondered how it would be after nine months of little Spanish but it was so natural. We stopped in our favorite coffeeshop, Eidleweiss, and had coffee – actually I had a capucchino and Clayton had a banana shake (it doesn’t have ice cream in it). It was fun to sit at the little table and watch people pass by, watch the waiters attend to the clients, and listen to the hum of conversation. One of the things that I don’t miss here though is the cloud of cigarette smoke in the coffeeshops and restaurants.

We continued to walk and soon headed back to the townhouse where Laura and family live. We stopped in a small grocery store to pick up some items I will need to make the chicken potpie, one of Laura’s favorite meals. I make it from scratch with a little adaptation of the original recipe.

Even the crowing of the rooster each morning seems somewhat natural though it is out of place in the city. Many people move in from the interior and continue their “country” habits. So after almost 25 years here, we are accostumbed to the unusual as the usual!

"Mi Querido Buenos Aires"

My beloved Buenos Aires... It is like we never left this morning as we rode over to the mission office from the apartment. The familiarity of the potholes, the black water on the streets, the horns blowing, the buses, taxis, people on sidewalks and in the streets.. a part of our lives for almost 25 years. How could we not fit back in as if we were never gone! There are some changes - like a big pharmacy where a restaurant was, the new coffeeshop at the end of the street but some things may never change.

We attended the weekly prayer meeting in one of the homes and enjoyed the companionship of other missionaries. Some were new faces but yet the same spirit and purpose. It was great to hear about the work that is going on and how the Lord is working in the lives of people here.

The first Argentine steak in nine years was all I remembered, grilled to perfection. The time with Randy and Sandy was great as we got caught up with them and their lives and their children.

We went to church at Nueva Vida yesterday. The new pastor there preached a good sermon and is looking to lead the members in evangelism and growth of the church. There were mostly familiar faces so we were able to share about the changes in our lives. It was a wonderful experience.

Spending time with our grandson, Mark Xavier, and his parents is wonderful. We have gotten to talk a lot and just be together. That was the main reason for our trip back. MX is growing and such a sweet friendly and happy child. He will soon be three. He has some hurdles to overcome due to cerebral palsy which affected his legs below the knees. He has been measured for braces and will have some surgery on May 4. The doctors are optimistic that he will walk at some point.

I know more adventures await us as we look toward the days ahead. I am just thankful that we could come at this time and share in their lives for a few days.

We are in Buenos Aires

The plane touched down right on time at 8:05 this morning. It felt good to be on Argentine soil again after almost nine months in Kentucky. I had already been trying to talk to people in Spanish so I am right at home now! After we boarded the plane in Dallas last night, the man who sat beside me had to have been an Argentine because he asked to borrow my glasses and pen so he could fill out the customs forms. The tenn-long flight was quite tedious but it was worth it when we saw our grandson. He has grown so much and was shy but responsive to us. Soon he was sitting on our laps and talking. I can hardly believe that he will be three years old in two months. Laura and Javier are doing well and enjoy the townhouse where they live. We are so happy for them. Laura is in talks with a school about a change in jobs. We are all praying that it all works out for her.

We got to the Louisville airport in plenty of time yesterday. However, getting through security was a long process! We had separated out the “liquids” as we had read on the internet but evidently we didn’t quite get the process exactly right. It was the first time we had flown since all the new regulations had gone into effect. I must have been in a “dumb blonde” mode when I packed the two music box globes in my carry-on so they would get broken in the suitcases. The woman at the check-point told me that I couldn’t take them on the plane because they had “water” in them! Since no one was with us, I had to relinquish the two items (for the homeless, she said). I was so disappointed because they were for Marcos and Laura and Javier. I suppose I should have transferred the no water bottles to the fact that the globes had water in them. I suppose all of this is to make us feel safer when we board an airplane.

We have already talked to several friends. Younghe picked us up at the airport this morning and brought us out to the house.

We look forward to the next days as we enjoy the time with our family and friends here. I know the time will pass quickly.

Argentina bound

Tomorrow we fly out of Louisville to head toward Buenos Aires. We will arrive there early Friday morning. We sooo look forward to seeing Laura, Mark Xavier and Javier as well as friends and colleagues. We are ready to be in familiar places and speak Spanish. I've been speaking Spanish here when it should have been English, I suppose my brain is already there! It will be wonderful to see how much little MX has grown and just be able to interact with him in person.

We had a good Easter Sunday as Clayton's family were able to come. Kimberly and Craig arrived on Friday evening so we enjoyed time with them. Andy, our nephew who teaches school in Japan, arrived in Kentucky very late on Friday night. His parents picked him up at the Louisville airport so we didn't see him until Sunday. Kimberly and Craig took us out to dinner on Saturday to celebrate Clayton's birthday early (he will be 62 on April 21 while we are in Buenos Aires). That was fun.

Clayton's sister, Pat, brother-in-law Eddy and nephew Andy came with Carrie, Clayton's mom. David arrived via motorcycle since his wife was visiting her folks. It was wonderful to have family for our first big dinner celebration in our new home. We had the typical Easter dinner and enjoyed being together as we celebrated the resurrection of our Lord.

It has been so thrilling to get settled into our new home and get our furniture and all in place. There are still pictures to be hung and some other purchases to be made but at least we are pretty well settled in. It is a quiet and peaceful neighborhood with good neighbors. We are far enough away from a major street to feel more secluded but close to shopping and all other things. We have some rabbits that hop around and enjoy the many different birds. Before this really cold spell there were some blooming trees and bushes plus lots of daffodils and tulips.

33 years ago

Today marks the 33rd anniversary of the big tornados that slammed through Kentucky killing over 70 people and destroyed countless dollars worth of property throughout the state. We were living in Irvington where a tornado passed by heading toward Brandenburg where it wreaked havoc in that small town. When Clayton looked out and saw how bad it was he herded us all to the basement except Kimberly who evidently went upstairs instead where she watched the effects of the tornado blew down a neighor's little garage and blew objects around. She was five years old and thought it all exciting. What a scary thought for us when we realized that Kimberly wasn't with us. Jonathan was not quite three months old so I had him in my arms and Laura had run down the steps ahead of me. I thought that Kimberly was with Clayton and he thought she was with me. We are so thankful that she was not hurt (she thought it an adventure!). After the storm was over Clayton headed down to the city building to see if the volunteers were needed. He went along with the fire department volunteers toward Brandenburg. The next few days continued to bring bad news of just how bad it was in Brandenburg and in other areas. We opened the church for shelter to those who wanted a safe place. There was no phone service nor electricity for some time.

Today's storm here around our houe is about over although it is still raining. The sky was really dark before the thunderstorm came and reminded us a little of that day so long ago. The local stations have cut into regular programming to give updates on where the storm is and what is happening in some places south of us. Evidently there is a tornado warning in Hart county and other places.

We can only pray that things soon calm down for those places and that people are safe from harm and damage.