Back in business!

Aaaaand I'm back. I took a break blogging, but I am now back to give a recap and tell stories from our time in Nicaragua.

To begin:

The night before the kids and I left for Nicaragua, Adele got sick. The throwing up kind. Adele had never been throw-up-sick before, and I don't think she liked the experience. So while I was all packed and ready to get a good night sleep before beginning our long travels, the night ended up with my mom and I up late washing sheets, cleaning up vomit, and keeping a little girl hydrated and rested.

The next day, the kids and I had a long trek to Nicaragua. First flight went well, LONG layover in Dallas went fairly well (though exhausting with Henry constantly on the move and Adele with no nap and wanting to sit quietly while playing a game or watching a show), and the last flight to Nicaragua was decent. At least the second half was good. We had good help upon our arrival in Nicaragua to get us through customs with all our luggage and belongings, and finally got to see David. 

Adele was ecstatic, to say the least.

We only got a few days with David in the beginning, and Adele was in some sort of funk that she just wouldn't snap out of. The night David left, about a half hour after him leaving, Adele began throwing up again. This time, Henry also had a fever. Great way to start out our time without David. 

Those were our "dark days". 

I admit, those first few days without David I did some serious soul searching and wondered if it was a mistake to have come to Nicaragua. David was only going to be with us for a handful of days over the course of the first 5 weeks, and it was a really rough start when he left. 

I had wanted Adele to have some good memories of Nicaragua - Spanish, new foods, new sights, new experiences…and I had myself wondering if we should have just stayed in Oklahoma. Sure, it's tough to be on my own with the kids. I'm not cut out to be a single mother. But at least in Oklahoma we had routines. The comforts of familiar foods. Our own beds. Familiar toys. People to call and beg them to entertain us.

But with the help of some people staying at the condos near us, Adele started turning a corner for the good after 4-5 days. Henry's fever broke after a couple days, but you'd never know he was sick by his demeanor. 

The interesting thing about hindsight is that not only is it 20-20, but it also can somehow be rosy-colored. 

When I think back to our Nicaraguan days, I don't think much about our "dark days". I remember the fun, happy experiences. The kids speaking Spanish. Our dance parties. Our outings to the park to pet the horses. Lots of swimming. Popsicles after swimming. New friends at the condo we stayed at. Interesting taxi rides. The extreme anticipation and excitement over David's return each week. 

Before we embarked on our trip, I had lots of people tell me, "Oh I could never survive a trip like that". Whether they were referring to the actual trip down TO Nicaragua, or the time spent IN Nicaragua, the comment was always the same. 

I always wanted to respond, "What's the alternative besides survival?"

The thing is, traveling alone with two young kids is never easy. Being a single mother sure isn't easy. Traveling to another country and attempting to live, mostly as a single mother, with two young kids is obviously not easy. 

But survival? What's the alternative? 

Many people choose not to take on such an adventure. But anyone CAN. Just because it's not easy does not mean you won't survive. 

We actually had plenty of "dark" moments. Kids crying. Lack of sleep. Kids wanting only comfort food. 

But as I look back at pictures, and the stories I will tell…they will be the good memories. The ones that I'm sure Adele will also remember. 

The memories that made it completely worth going to another country with two young kids. 

More to come…