Staying!

Dear Blog...you have been sadly neglected due to living life to the fullest!

I have not written about all the exciting experiences of December 2014!  I have spent much of my time sorting through the 1000 pictures that I took and which clearly I cannot post in their entirety!  I will hopefully get to these pictures and stories soon, but first, I want to announce that after a long process, Dave and I have decided to extend our stay in Belize for one more year!  UnBELIZEable!

Dave and I have had been looking from every angle possible the consequences of returning to the States (and where) or of staying in Belize to continue our work here.  We sat down and made a long "Ben Franklin" list of pros and cons, then weighted each entry.  California won for where in the States, as we have a great house in Pleasant Hill and the state of the economy and the support for mental health treatment is better there than in New Mexico.

But the more difficult balancing act was whether to stay in Belize or not.  Two primary considerations for staying bubbled to the top:  the wonderful relationships we have made here, both with adults and with children, and the purpose in life that we feel while working here.  At least we know what we're doing here!

Major considerations for leaving included bugs and heat/humidity.  And we have some business that does need attention in the States, as well as a trip to the Philippines planned with our family.  We cannot do much about the bugs, but with Yvette's support, we will hopefully get air conditioning downstairs in the apartment.  And we will take a trip in May or June to handle some business in New Mexico and to see some family (Maria and kids and Nathan and Megan, at least) and friends in a few spots of the country.

I realized during this process that Dave and I have seldom really considered for so long all the options before making a decision.  We have certainly had long-term goals that we worked toward, but then an opportunity (usually from the preceding work) would present itself and we'd just jump in!  But so many things needed to be considered about staying.  I actually did quite a lot of research myself, including going two blocks down the street to meet the opthamologist to see if he could remove these bothersome cataracts!  I felt very confident that he can do it.  I liked the dentist that I met, as well.  And the Wagner Foundation kindly supported my staying here, as did the people with the Child Care Center.  Yvette, too, has been very supportive of our staying, and we so appreciate her friendship and support.

So...here we are and the invitation to all to visit is still out there!  If you haven't come to Belize, or if you've come and want to return, we would love to play tour guide!  Summer/fall months are pretty miserable, but you are welcome anytime (except when we're gone!!).