Tropics, Here We Come!

I just thought I would take this opportunity to make a last post before we take off. We will be without access for the next week, unless we spring for the ship internet connection. In a couple of hours, we will board our cruise ship for the Southern Caribbean. Yay!

The kids are with their first foster parents for the week, and I gave them a 10 page write-up on "what to expect," schedule details, contact information, our itinerary, etc. Most friends think that might be excessive. My SIL, whose daughter has Asperger's, and similar behaviors to DD's, just said, "Yep, done that." I think the foster-mom got a better idea of what she'll be dealing with when she heard that DD was caught stealing someone's lip gloss and forging my signature on an incomplete assignment notice, all in the same day. These behaviors are always present, but seem to ramp up when we're gone. I think it's a good sign of attachment though, that DD says she is nervous about our leaving - in the past, it never seemed to phase her.

I also wrote a brief letter for the kids for each day of our vacation, showing where we are and what we will be doing, with pictures, since any post cards we send won't get there for a while. I created a journal for each of them, with a letter from DH and I, and multiple pictures of our family, the adoption, special things, the pets. I left them with my teddy bear, and the crocheted blanked I just finished (after 3 years), so they could take turns with something from home. OK, maybe I over-prepared, but I would rather they have more connections to us than less.

We arrived in San Juan, PR yesterday morning at 6AM, after an all night flight. As you can imagine, we were pretty exhausted, and thought we would drop our luggage off at the hotel until they allowed us to check in. Imagine our surprise (and relief!) when they told us our room was ready right away. Some breakfast, a nap, and a shower does wonders for the spirit.

We did a little exploring yesterday in Old San Juan - an authentic Puerto Rican lunch with fried cassava sticks and mashed plantians w/ garlic chicken. Yay for DH for being an adventurous diner - he said I've rubbed off on him over the years. It was very good, though different from the tastes we are used to. I can see why plantains are a staple of the Caribbean diet - they are very filling, and I've heard they are very nutritious, too.

I am listening to DH giggle maniacally, as he is on the next computer checking the local newspaper website. Apparently it's 1F degree back home - 1 whole degree. (I sometimes think they put 1F instead of 0F only so that people don't get entirely discouraged.) Now he is cackling at the -14F winchill, and rubbing his hands. What a cruel husband I have....

I would never be so mean as to laugh at your misfortune, or to mention that the low here yesterday was in the mid-70's, and that it was so hot yesteday in the mid-80's that we were sweating. I am just too noble.