Life after Valencia just wouldn't be right without some periodic visits back to Valencia now would it?  We are all so excited that a family trip to Valencia awaits.  And because we have an agency renting our apartment and didn't book it ourselves right away, we were actually without a place to stay for five days.  But lucky, Mitch had the idea to get out of Valencia to our private little beach house (ok - so it feels like ours ok :)) and luck had it that it was available.  Relaxation and beach glass hunting galore!Luckily, we were able to book our apartment for the rest of our visit.   More blogging to come - now that I have an excuse!

Ben never ceases to amaze me.  I guess that's how we mothers are with our children.  But Ben surprised me yesterday as we drove to school.

B:  Mama, what color is God? 

M:  What Ben?

B:  Is God red or blue?

M:  Gosh Ben, I really don't know.

B:  Is God always in the sky or can he be in the car?

M:  Well yes Ben, God can be around us and very close to us.

B:  Well then what color?

M:  I guess he can be clear.

B:  Like the color of the windshield - that color?

M:  Yes Ben.

Thank you God, for giving me this wondrous child.

Brrrrr, it's cold and gloomy here these days.  I'm missing sunny Spain.  Sure, Valencia gets cold.  As a matter of fact, it was quite cold when we visited in November.  But that sun.  Nothing beats the Spanish sun.  I'm so glad our little apartment has great light.  These pictures give a good sense of that light.  

There is a nice open western view from the balcony which adds a lot of light.

There is a double bedroom with a queen bed and a double bedroom with two twins (or a twin with a trundle)

Valencia anyone???

A year ago today - or almost so - we took Benjamin to ride this great ol steam engine replica train in Burjassot, Valencia. 

Sigh.  Sometimes I miss the excitement of a new adventure every day - the sort that one feels when living in a foreign country with one's family for a time.

Of course, when parenting a little one, there is also new excitement, no matter where you live.  We are back home and much of our excitement, ahem stress, these days comes from debating professional choices, bank account balances and the other thrilling matters.  Ben's hair is a little less white these days and he talks much more (English AND Spanish thankfully :)) 

Tonight he proudly lit all of his candles on his own menorah, ate up more than his fair share of latkes and happily announced that he was not sad at all that Hanukkah was over.  After all, there were no more candles to light after tonight.  It appears that the only sentimental woos in this family is his mama.  Let's hope my nostalgia doesn't stifle him!

What can I say.  Ha lloween has got to be one of the best parts of life after Valencia.  A very exciting time in the U.S. When Mitch was deployed, I was shocked to find myself bawling on Halloween.  Ben was just learning how to say trick or treat and he was so precious.  Last year in Valencia, we went to an American party that was a lot of fun.  But nothing beats the old fashioned door-to-door in costume. 

I made the most of it this year and bought great costumes for the two great men in my life.

Dear Baby.  We still miss you even though you were never born.  We tried so hard not to fall in love with you so soon, but when we saw these pictures, there was no stopping us.   You looked so precious.  We can only dream about what life with you would have been like.

Today, Mitch moved his office to the small bedroom upstairs.  He told me he likes it, although what he really wanted was for a baby to be there. 

Benjamin talked about the baby for more than a week.  "The nene (baby) died - right mommy?"  "Right," I would sadly agree.  "The baby was okay but mommy's tummy just didn't work right.  That's why we adopted you Ben."  By the time I would get to that point he had already moved on.  That's the beauty of being four.  

It's been a bit harder for me to move on.   25 days have passed and I'm finally making progress.   The baby measured 13 weeks when I miscarried.  The cause was most likely the massive subchorionic hematoma in my uterus, but honestly, no one so far can tell me anything for certain. 

So, perhaps this explains why there wasn't much blogging on lifeinvalencia.com or on what could have been lifeaftervalencia.com.  There is a quick trip to Valencia looming.  And after that.  Well, time shall tell.  We certainly hope and pray that another baby, however that baby may find us, will be included.