We have been “advised” by an avid blog reader that our last post was October 29.  We hope this entry will appease said reader and bring you all up to date.  The order of events are quite random as some things were previously penned and not posted.

November 17^th, we woke up to snow!  No, it wasn’t an ice age in the jungle, but a normal event for Winnipeg.  We came back to Canada to meet our grandson who just couldn’t wait to play in the snow.  Thomas Hilding was born in the early minutes of November 15, as we were in transit home.  Weighing in at 5lb, 7oz and about 19 inches, he is just perfect!  Both he and Emily are doing well and the new family went home November 18.

We had a long trip home.  After changing our flights (8 days early) we left Shell on Monday (14^th) arriving in Quito for some last minute items and a good night’s rest.  Thanks to Ron and Margie Grant, we didn’t have to endure the bus ride and ensuing transportation “adventures”, arriving at the airport for our 10:45 am flight.  In Miami we intended to rebook through Orlando to Winnipeg, but delays at the terminal with customs and security made us unable to make connections.  We continued with our original Minneapolis flight arriving there at 11 pm.  No rental cars were available so we stayed overnight and drove up the following day.  We learned of Thomas’s arrival when we got to our hotel that night.

Previously, in Shell.

After hearing of the probable early appearance of our grandson, we rebooked flights and Valerie began a wrap up of teaching units and reports.  The instructor Valerie had replaced was back in Ecuador and able to step in to the classroom to complete the time before the Christmas break.  Garth, meanwhile, changed worksites and was at the hospital working with the maintenance department.  Working with Spanish speakers (5 in all) has some challenges. They know more English than they admit and with my seven words, we can get the job done.  It is a very relaxed atmosphere and the jobs I am assigned have not been critical, but projects the crew cannot get to because of more pressing things.  At the moment I have been refurbishing furniture that will be put back into service. 

Presently, in Winnipeg.

This afternoon Thomas has a scheduled doctor’s appointment.  As Emily feels she is still unable to drive, we will accompany her (such a hardship!).  Everything is going well for all of us.  It is surprising that Thomas is already more than two weeks old!   He is such a good baby.  Jason is back in school so that gives us grandparents most of the day to spoil the baby.  On weekends, when Jason is home, we are able to travel to Minnedosa to visit and reconnect with family and friends.