Marta Lidia's Birth, Foggy Weather and Riding Horses

This was the beginning of a contraction and the moment that Marta Lidia smiled hugely and said, "yes, I'm having another one!" and her baby was born.

On Tuesday we had a birth in Chimazanga, a neighboring aldea. Our mom Marta Lidia, is wonderful and amazing--I am in awe of, and just love her. This was the most 'ecstatic' birth I have ever witnessed. I shouldn't put words in her mouth, but I haven't ever seen anything quite like it, and this doesn't seem a poor word choice. 

Marta Lidia smiled, joked and laughed through her contractions. The room was filled with kind and strong women, the mood was beautiful and it was a lot of fun being there. Looking at these photos of her almost brings me to tears, wow…just wow. 

After the baby was born the room filled with sisters, cousins, sisters, aunts, grandmothers and a slew of babies and kids. Marta Lidia snuggled up under the covers with all of her babies and we chatted and giggled before heading home. The man who drives the 'busito' to Antigua came and picked us up in his truck, he's a sweet guy and always keeps an eye on me and calls if I don't make the right bus home. As we drove home to Calderas the road was swallowed up in a secretive fog that was nothing short of magical. 

The next day Jelvir surprised me with a horse in our courtyard. We had the horse all afternoon and took turns riding it one and two at a time, and I obliged a little girl with a run through the field, even though I felt like a less than adequate rider to accompany a girl who was; as light as a bean pole, and egged the horse on to a gallop faster than I felt comfortable with. 

Despite the necessary benadryl and puffy red eyes (I may be allergic to anything with a face and fur), it was worth it. Next, week we are borrowing a black horse that, 'has a lot of anger'… I think I translated that right!? Somehow this was made to sound like a positive attribute. 

I also included some collage and colored pencil art made by the kids. Because they are artistic geniuses.

My favorite photo of Marta Lidia, despite it's blurriness. Completely captures her presence.

Skeptical.

Two doulas and a midwife.

 All eyes were waiting to see what she'd do next, she was the life of the party.

Marta Lidia's house at the top of the hill.

Our ride. I rode in the back, much to the dismay of Dona Eulalia. I was insistent and wanted to take in the foggy, moody day.

The eery fog the swallowed up everything.

Jelvir and Kevin on our borrowed horse.

Toddlers eating oranges is grossly cute.

This is the face Samuel would repeat every time we asked him to smile for the camera.