Anyone out there??

Not sure if anyone checks anymore, but YES we are home. Max took to the plane well, the dogs well, his new home well, his bedroom well, and he HATES daycare. We had a great welcome home party, max had too much beer, and has been running a 104 degree temp this week. We're hoping for warm weather soon because he doesn't like mittens, and has not taken to the snow. This from the kid who was constantly outside in Guatemala. He has played with his Guate friend Mason, been to the Chicago Children's Museum, and has fallen in love with his car seat.

We are all tired due to adjustments, and there are times all of us want our old living arrangements, but life is good. Did I mention that Max realized tv isn't actually a laptop? We miss our friends, and keep hoping Ana Maria is doing well without her gordo lindo.

If you still check the site let us know and we will be better about keeping up to date. We miss the old life, but this is where we belong.

Hope all are healthy, happy, and have a little money left to survive on thanks to this awful economy.

Love and best wishes to all!!

Mark, Jen and El Rey MAX

Tom Cruise? Get Your Clothes On!!! We're Outta Here!!!

Uh huh, that's right, just looking cool for that embassy appointment on Monday. Perhaps I'll wear my pink shirt, or my pink culottes, or maybe even those pink Dora the Explorer pull-ups I've been admiring. I gotta look good for my pink appointment. Perhaps I'll blow a call in to Guncle Steve. He's good with pink. He can tell me what all the fellas are wearing. No matter what, I know I'll be looking good.

It's hard to believe we will actually be leaving. I mean c'mon, I was just born like 2 or so years ago. Mom was a little upset that we weren't leaving Friday as planned. Well, that was until dad booked us three nights in the executive suite at the Hotel Grand Tikal Futura. That means the Tikal's grand hotel in the future. I think we might be probed by aliens. Anyway, it's connected to a mall, something mom claims is really cool, so she is saying a few more days is no big deal. She says it's more fun than the Bodegona, but I'll be the judge of that. Sorry to any folks who don't get my obscure reference. And yes, it's my dad. Of course he found a deal on the hotel. It's what he does.

And thanks to our dear friends the Blasingames, we're gonna be going home in style on Wednesday. First class baby. "Umm, excuse me. I believe that my sippy cup has run a little low on champagne." Hopefully they'll be showing a Toy Story marathon. I'm sure if i flash them a quick smile and a little "deet" I'll be taken care of.

Anyway, I have to say I'm pretty excited to get moving on. New adventures await with snow, cold, Foxy, Rufus, stuffed pizza and a party for who else but me on the 14th at Guncle Steve's bar The Wild Pug. Everyone's invited!!!!

Getting excited! See you soon. Stay cool,

El Jefe Max, and Mom and Dad.

Besitos!!

Pondering PINK

Well the last few days have been a whirlwind of positive things!

Last Friday, we received Max's birth certificate; yesterday we went to get his 'precioso' passport; and today we obtained our ORANGE slip, 2nd DNA test, visa pictures, and last MD physical before our visa appointment. Now all we have to do is wait for Max's 2nd DNA test to be processed and then we will have our PINK appointment (the PINK appointment is another term for the visa appointment with the US Embassy).

If all continues to go well, it is looking like we will be home by the very end of the month! We are very excited, but for now I am very exhausted and need to get some sleep before my mom and aunt arrive tomorrow to have a fun visit in Antigua before we all head home.

More updates to come!

XXOOXOOOXOXXOX
Jen y Maxito

Happy New Year Guatemalan Style - Redux

Feliz ano nuevo all! While it may have been a snoozer for some, others enjoyed the tranquil celebration of New year's in Antigua. Gone were the Pepsi sponsor ships from last year. Gone were the bad Guatemalan rap groups on a main stage. And the mayor made a point to hand out fliers stating that drinking on the street and throwing fireworks at others would not be tolerated this year. Other than the drinking part, I was a happy camper, as was Max, in the family atmosphere of the celebration this year. Much better than last year.

This year we celebrated with our Norwegian neighbors who happen to be travelling the world for a year. We tried to recommend a year in Guatemala instead, but they were not having any of it. Off to Tonga and Samoa soon enough. I got to knock back a few aquavit's with dinner since he brought a bottle from Norway. It made me feel again like the Dane that I am. Of course, the beer, wine and champagne on top of the aquavit made me feel a little more like a college kid again this morning. Take 2 advil and introduce a "movie day" tradition in the house so that you don't have to do anything active. You will see in one picture that Max was very excited about watching our Guatemalan bootleg copy of Valkyrie, but was ultimately disappointed with Tom Cruise's poor acting ability. What's the deal with releasing a Nazi movie on Christmas anyway? Oh, and enjoy the video of max torturing me while I am trying to watch my Nittany Lions get killed in the Rose Bowl.

So, another new year in Guatemala, and another year where none of us had our arms blown off by the millions of fireworks that go off all night long. It's shaping up to be a good year already.

See you soon.

Mark, Jen and El Jefe MAX - xooooooox