Current Update...

I wanted to take a detour from our trip home briefly, and let you know how things are going right now. We are now feeling more settled back into our normal lives here in Lima, especially since Noah has finally reestablished his regular naps and earlier bedtimes without having to have us in the room with him, singing him to sleep. It was a LONG and difficult fight to recover the schedule he had before we left for the States. We had no idea what effect keeping him up late nearly every night, laying down with him (because we were constantly in new places), and often skipping his naps would have on him. All we have to say is we are glad to have our more cheerful and easy-going son back.


He is becoming quite used to the idea of having a baby brother. We got him a (boy) baby doll. When I asked what his name would be, he replied "baby brother!" This doll goes everywhere with him and he is so sweet to watch as he cares for it when it cries.

Here I am last Sunday, 19 weeks pregnant. Our friends say I'm finally showing, so I thought I would let you all know. This little guy is kicking a bunch now. Michael felt him kick for the first time a day before we took this picture. I'm feeling great - my appetite and energy have returned for the most part, but I'm always better off when I have an afternoon nap. I must say that having Noah already sure makes the time on this pregnancy pass quicker!

Our Trip Home - Part 3 - The Wedding!

On Thursday, Michael and the rest of the groomsmen spent the day hanging out in NYC, making Matthew a street musician. He carried with him a guitar that read, "Will play for tips and marriage advice." He made nearly $100, with which he bought some flowers for his bride and drinks for his groomsmen.

Meanwhile, Mom, Dad, Noah, and I drove up from Virginia and arrived in the late afternoon, just in time for me to take a train into to the city to meet up with the bachelorette party in midtown. Mom and Dad were so gracious to take Noah for the night and allow me the night out with the girls. We had dinner at a seemingly normal Italian restaurant, and then we found out why a lot of bachelorette parties go there...anyways, we went to a low-key club afterwards. I met up with Michael at Grand Central Station around midnight and we took the train back to the hotel in White Plains. Haven't had a night like that in a LONG time!

Friday, the family arrived! I saw my parents for the first time in a year and a half! It was a sweet reunion for all of us. Lots of Michael's relatives and parents' friends arrived that day too in time for the rehearsal dinner that evening. We went to the rehearsal, where Noah met the flower girl, Emily (4-yr-old cousin of Kerry's). He was immediately enamored with her, and most willing to hold her hand down the aisle! On the way to dinner, the ONLY thing he could talk about was Emily. Emily seemed to be okay with him too. They were the perfect match.

That evening, my Mom took Noah back to the hotel and put him to sleep so that Michael and I could stay longer and spend time with folks there. After the dinner, a lot of people returned to the hotel to keep hanging out in the hospitality room that was reserved for us to use. That was another great opportunity to visit with friends and family that had just arrived.

Then it was Saturday. Michael played tennis with his cousin, Gabriela, in the morning while Noah and I went out to breakfast with my parents. We returned in time to take a dip in the pool before getting changed and ready for the wedding at 3. Noah and I got to accompany the groomsmen to the church in the limo!

Noah and I waited for Kerry to arrive and then once the wedding was about to begin, I took my seat and Noah stayed with Kerry and Emily. The pair of them came down the aisle, hand-in-hand without any problem, preparing the way for Kerry's entry. The whole wedding was beautiful. Michael and Jeff Heck (groomsman) sang "Great is Thy Faithfulness" on piano and guitar, and I read from Romans 12. Noah stayed with us the whole time and was only slightly distracting when he ran up and held Daddy's hand next to Uncle Matthew near the end of the service.

Soon after, we all fit into the limo with Mr. and Mrs. Matthew Salvatierra and went to the reception, on the grounds and in the fellowship hall of a beautiful Orthodox church. Noah had fallen asleep on the ride, but eventually was aroused for some bridal party pictures. The weather was perfect and the scene just right - we can't wait to see the professional shots taken!

The reception was a lot of fun, as you might imagine, when you put together the families and friends of the Salvatierras and the Houlihans. When ceremonial events and eating were not taking place, most people were dancing. It was a blast! Again my parents sweetly took Noah home and put him to bed when he got tired. We are so grateful for their willingness and joy in taking care of him over the weekend. Michael and I enjoyed celebrating with everyone, practicing some Salsa dancing along with the bride and groom, and trying to make the night last as long as possible before we'd have to say good-bye in the early morning before his return flight to Lima. When the end came, Matthew and Kerry slipped out while the party went on and they were off for their honeymoon the next day to Costa Rica.



Early Sunday morning, Michael took a taxi to the airport and returned safely to Lima that evening. Our Moms, Michael's Dad, and Noah drove back to Virginia. Now, my Dad and I had a date - thanks to the help of Kerry's Dad and his sister, I gave my Dad tickets to the Yankees game for Father's Day this year. This was particularly special for several reasons: I hadn't been with my Dad in over a year and a half, this is the Yankee's last season playing in the historic stadium, and my Dad - growing up in NY and being a life-long fan - had never once been to a game there. We arrived just in time to sing the national anthem, to which my Dad always proudly sings the bass line. Surely he didn't notice the others around him start to join in when they heard him. I was trying to sing, but the whole scene was too much for me - being home, hearing our anthem, seeing our "home flag" (as Noah calls it), and being with my Dad, I was fighting back the tears. The Yanks played a great game, defeating the Royals 15-6, with a grand slam homerun, and several other great moments. We sunned ourselves in the upper deck for the afternoon - it was a real treat. The Houlihans even welcomed us by name via the jumbotron during the 3rd inning! That night Dad and I had plenty of time to catch-up in the car as we sat in traffic for much of the way home, but it was a terrific memory made together.

Our Trip Home - Part 2

So after getting some Jaz kisses, Noah began to explore Grandma and Grandpa's house of surprises. They had prepared the house for Noah, with several of the rooms containing toys - some we had left behind, others Grandma had picked up for him. They also had a jogging stroller to go for long walks in the woods, a Radio Flyer Tricycle, a big wheel, AND a Little Tikes Police Car! Sorry we only have one grandchild for you right now to play with all those fun things. (c: Their sweet neighbors had been looking out for things they could use while Noah was visiting - the result? Noah had an absolute blast with the constant choice of activities - and so did Grandma.

We're pretty sure he remembered their house, since we lived there for seven months before leaving for Peru and he always sees himself in pictures there. It was so wonderful to be home again, returning to a house that hadn't changed too much while we were gone. And aside from the gargantuan, misfit house being built across the street, the neighborhood hadn't changed much either.

Saturday, we had the chance to visit and have lunch with Alicia, a Peruvian friend. She made Lima's speciality for us, ceviche - a tangy seafood dish that, during this pregnancy, I've been craving! Our time with her was helpful in connecting our life in Peru with being home, as we have visited with her family several times in Lima.

On Sunday, we got to return to our home church, Alexandria Presbyterian. How sweet it was to worship with our church family again and share with them about our lives in Lima. They hosted a lovely reception for us after the service, which gave us a chance to catch-up some with friends. That evening, we got to spend time with old friends, Brett and Krista Miller, Jacquie, Justin, and Nora Prather, and Seth and Jess (soon-to-be) Blanchard. Dad grilled out for us and we had such a fabulous time just laughing and being together again.

Monday, Noah stayed with Grandma and Grandpa while Michael and I took a road trip to Richmond and Charlottesville. We got to meet up briefly with Matt & Kristen Purdy and their boys, Owen and Baxter. So fun to see them in their new home in Richmond! It was a great day of being together, just Michael and I, talking, thinking, and dreaming together as we drove. Please pray with us as we seek the Lord's direction in the next step to take.

Tuesday, we hung out for most of the day with Cindy and the girls at their house, letting the cousins get to know each other again. Wednesday, we all went for Nana's (Noah's Great-Grandma) music thearapy session where she lives. She looked wonderful and was doing really well that day! We had a lot of fun singing old folk tunes with her. The thearapist brought extra percussion instruments so that everyone could play along. Noah LOVED it! Following this, Michael and I ran errands, trying to find all those coveted items that we can't get in Peru. During this and several other times that Noah was with Grandma and Grandpa, they did all kinds of things together - going to the woods, playing in the creek, going to the library, the pool, the school yard's playground, or just playing with all those fun toys at home.

That evening, Michael drove with Daniel Harlan (another groomsman) to NYC for the start of the wedding celebration festivities.

Our Trip Home - Part I

As things are settling down a little here, we're finally trying to catch-up a little on all the blogs we haven't written.
Matthew and Kerry picked us up at the airport at 3:30 am and right away we drove to the Long Island Beaches. Mom and Dad were waiting with open arms when we arrived at the beach house at dawn. What a happy reunion that was! Noah was ready to get out and play with Grandma and Grandpa after his snooze on the plane and in the car a little. The rest of us slept in for the morning.
Our time at the beach with Kerry's family was a real treat, but admittedly a big shock as well. Coming from cold, cloudy, dirty, impoverished Lima, straight into the apparent perfection of Sag Habor and the Hamptons was especially difficult for me (Laura). It was absolutely wonderful to be there with family, to relax, and make so many precious memories together, but it was just SO different from the world we now know. (I'm happy to share more of the cultural challenges I encountered - just shoot me an e-mail.) That week we rested, went to the beaches on the ocean and the bay, had lots of tasty meals with family, and met a large part of Kerry's family. Grandma and Grandpa were such a big help and were delighted to wisk Noah off to play at the bay, in the yard, or go on excursions together. It gave Michael and I some good times together to process transitioning back to being home. Being the end of my first trimester, I was just beginning to get over my food/smell sensitivities, but was still tired and not a very willing chef in the kitchen. So, THANK YOU Mom and Dad, for doing so much cooking that week for us and bending over backwards to make our transtion easier!
The week flew by and on Friday, we all crammed in the car (Mom, Dad, Michael, Noah, and I), with all of our bags, and TOYS that Grandma had brought for Noah to have at the beach (c: We arrived in Arlington in the afternoon and Noah right away wanted to see Jaz (Michael's parents' dog). Little did he know how many more surprises would await him at Grandma and Grandpa's house!

what a weekend...

Forgive us for a terrible delay in our blogging. Noah and I returned to Lima safely a week ago and we were off and running! Unfortunately, on Saturday, we think due to something we ate, I began a serious bacterial intestinal infection which took me out for the next 2 days. Michael had to skip a few ministry events to care for Noah, while he himself was also not feeling very well. On Sunday, after church, Tito came over and played with Noah so that Michael could take me to the clinic. There I received an IV and fluids immediately and they prescribed me some medications that would be safe to take with my pregnancy. By Monday morning I was feeling so much better, Noah started back to school, and then Michael got hit really hard by a similar illness. Yesterday afternoon, he took himself to the clinic and got the same routine, but his exams revealed a viral infection! By God's grace, I was on the mend enough to take over with Noah and Daddy was done for the night (aside from watching an "Office" re-run).

Then today, Elita came early to watch Noah while we went to my OB appointment with Dr. Garcia. I'm four months along and officially able to determine the sex of the baby. So, like we did with Noah, we made a little note and envelope and asked the doctor to circle which one it was. Then afterwards, we went out for a lovely lunch together (this time it was ceviche!) and opened it together. She had sealed it well, placing inside a sonogram picture of the evidence and a list of Spanish baby names, which we discussed over lunch - but the jury is still out on that. Then we came home and told Elita and Noah, both of whom were delighted. If you want to find out (I know some people like to wait 'til the kid is born), you can watch the video of Noah.

(Forgive the un-candidness of Noah's reaction, that was the 3rd take)

After all this excitement, I noticed on Noah several little red bumps on his neck that had grown in number since the weekend, then found more in other parts of his body. We called the doctor right away and got an appointment to rule out chicken pox. Thankfully, it was just an allergic reaction to some bug bites. Being in and out of doctors' offices four times in the last 48 hours wears on you.