copan and a birthday

well, it's been a couple of weeks since my last post. some quick updates:
1. my cast is off! woo hoo! 5/10 days of physical therapy, and i'm taking a little break. i have some home exercises to do, and can start working out, so i'm hopeful that the healing will continue quickly and thoroughly. i really loved meeting with ana at physical therapy. i could practice my spanish, take some power naps while the machines were doing their job on my elbow, and i even benefited from some of her marriage advice (in spanish) she was great! also, i loved the walks home with jason. we RARELY walk here, but it was only about a mile home, and down a busy street, past a school. we felt pretty safe, so we walked. it was a dream come true. being outside free and able to just take in our surroundings. this hasn't happened too much in the city.
2. we have been having some fridge drama. the first one we were given leaked water everywhere, mostly inside but also outside at times. our food wasn't cold. and our energy bill was through the roof. so, we did what anyone else would do in our situation. we requested it to be fixed. hmm... not sure we'll do that again any time soon :) our latest fridge is bordered with a thick layer of rust and lacks a strong enough door seal to stay closed. at least it's cold enough ;) oh well...living in honduras is building my patience daily, and increasing my tolerance for the inconvenient. i hope.
3. jason planned a wonderful 29th birthday for me! he woke me up with breakfast in bed and my favorite u2 song. it's was a beautiful day, of course. after school, we rushed home in a cab so we could steal away some time together before our busy night with new friends. he surprised with me with treasures from guamalito (honduran market), including (all local): a shirt, headband, bracelet, wallet and necklace. good work jas, good work! then i was able to treat myself to a mani/pedi thanks to my super thoughtful sister, larm! "sand in my suit" and "you don't know jacque" all the way in honduras. awesome. then dinner at a local mexican restaurant with some teacher friends. all in all, a great day. definitely not the same... didn't really feel like a birthday without home. but enough to help me realize another year has come and gone. so grateful for this year and all that it means...
4. we're getting pretty excited for the honduran independence day holiday coming up this week! we're off to Roatan on wednesday with some other teachers. hope to post some pretty incredible pics from paradise! a much needed escape from so much work and stress that always accompanies the start of a new year.
5. i'm really missing home these days. i wish i could be there with my friends who are about to dive into motherhood. feels wrong to miss this. i wish i was experiencing the many joys at home right now: owning your first home, 3rd grade, 1st grade, 1+ years of beautiful life, experiencing new homes, as well as homecoming returns, fall, school, work, the daily grind and so many new challenges. i miss you all and my heart aches without you here.
6. to end on a positive note... jas and i spent a couple weekends ago in Copan Ruinas, Honduras; the site of the ancient Honduran Mayan ruins. we didn't actually see the ruins, but we did enjoy the pace of the rural (and safe) town. the cobble streets reminded me of galavanting around Europe. the calm in the air reminded me of home. i can't wait to go back. hope you enjoy our most favorite moments...https://picasaweb.google.com/107299224727339466941/Copan