Getting back to my blog topics challenge (which I still want to finish even though I am way past the initial time frame) here is a list of things I love about living in Chulu.

Our House:  It’s big and spacious and uncluttered which is perfect for a two year old.  It’s also light and airy and I love our furniture and the way we have decorated.  It feels like us.

Community:  Chulu has a real community to feel.  The down side is it can be a bit gossipy but I love bumping into family and friends everywhere we go and stopping to say hi and chat to almost everyone.  Again great for Nina.

The pace of life:  The pace of life is slow and I very rarely feel rushed.  I love the routine we are all in.

Things are local:   I love shopping at the markets or local corner stores which are owned by the people rather than big shopping monopolies.  So much is also locally grown too.  There is very, very little advertising around so I never feel bombarded with that.

The beautiful places:  There are so many places in and around Chulucanas to go to that are beautiful.  The river, the moutains, the street and parks.  These are all very restoring for my soul and help me connect with me and God and to go to with Martin and Nina.

Getting to know family:  This year in Chulu has helped me so much get to know Martin’s family and where they all fit so much better.  Family is very important here.  I feel I know Martin better now too.

The Pool:  I love my pool.  I love walking or running there.  Being able to do exercise is such a blessing.

Transport: I love that I don’t have a car.  I love that I can walk most places or catch a moto which are so much fun.

Nina is two years old.  Here in Peru her birthday isn’t til tomorrow but given it’s 11am in Australia, this time two years ago she was 9 hours old and I was trying to get some sleep.  Something I continued to try to do for a about 18 months at least.

I just read over the post I wrote this time last year and the one I wrote two years ago about this day.  Like last year I am feeling very emotional again and in awe of the whole process of giving birth and becoming a parent and building a relationship with your child as they grow.  It truly is the most amazing miracle.  I am happy to say though things are much easier than they were when I wrote both those posts and I am enjoying motherhood immensely these days. I know I have said it a thousand times before but Nina is just so gorgeous and I just love watching her grow and learn new things.  I am especially excited about how quickly she seems to be learning to talk and communicate.  That’s not to say there aren’t still challenges of course and like last year I still wish I could be more patient with her and more in the moment with her but with God’s help I think I am getting a little better.

So Happy Birthday to my beautiful Nina Luz.  I love you so much and I thank God everyday for all that he has created you to be and the blessings that you bring to our life.