Of Danny and Irini...

We had intended to add this summer's stories on this blog entry. We would have spoken of Prague and Colombia, of Athens and of flights to and fro. But as life played its game on us, we allowed ourselves to be "caught up" in the runnings of returning to work, and the summer stories will have to wait. Danny (Dad's cat) had other plans for us, unfortunately.

Yesterday the world turned upside down. Dad was hit the hardest as Danny's little body finally stopped working. He had been refusing food for days, and apparently had decided that his time had come. But as with any such decision, it is perhaps harder for those around you. Dad worried, intervened, took Danny to the doctor, but finally agreed that Danny was to decide his own course in death as he had in life. Danny passed away at 23:13 on Sunday, August 17th.

After much thought, support, phone calls, thoughtful contemplation and tears over the past week the Malaysian Myers-Giraldo gang found nothing but silence this morning. We hugged and cried and found solace in the fact that Danny did not go in pain. He continues to be loved, and we are happy that, even for a short while, Irini was able to meet Danny and to share part of her summer with him.

Still vivid in our minds was the meeting of the two. Nestled in dad's bed, Danny was wakened by the low murmur of footsteps of jet-lagged relatives, as Natalia, Irini and Laurence descended onto the family bed. Years earlier Aleko and Laurence used to do this with their parents. This time it was a slightly different make up. Dad was awakened by giggles and movement on the matress, and we plopped down beside him. It was early and we had just arrived the day before. We were so looking forward to the meeting between Irini and Danny, but we were also concerned. How would they respond to each other? Would there be scratching, grabbing, pulling?

Danny saw us and got himself up from his spot. He moved over toward us slowly and with purpose, and was met with a pat or two from Natalia and Laurence. As Irini focused on him approaching, Laurence took a breath and waited to see how things transpired... Irini raised her hand as Danny's head came nearer and, as she touched the top of his head - parents on hand 'just in case' - Danny turned his head and pushed it toward her hand, allowing her to pet him. Instant success! Irini and Danny would continue to get along and be happy spending time in the same apartment.

Of course, we don't think that Irini will remember, but it was a moment held in our memory as testament to the essence of both Danny and Irini: Gentle, loving, open and trusting.

They say that love knows no boundaries. There is plenty of it to go around this family, that is certain. Danny, we will miss you.

Greece finally...

As summer arrived we prepared for Irini's first flight. The plane departed at 3:30 am, which meant a good deal of concern on our part for waking her up, lugging her into taxis, across airports, onto planes and accross the world. She did perfectly! She slept for a long time in the under-sized bassinett with her leg sticking out the side and her head nudged between a strap aimed at keeping the bassinett from moving. Luckily for us, Irini didn't mind the slight discomforts and took both her first and second flight very well. Arriving in Athens was, as usual, a sight, and we happily re-united with Walter (dad, grandpa, papou, abuelito, etc.).

The weekend of youth

This was the weekend for the youth of the world at ISKL and in our apartment. The stars converged to bring the young to the forefront. First there was graduation of the Class of 2008. In among the speeches and the awards and the accolades, and just after the tossing of the hats in unison, I found myself in a familiar place... realizing that my job is done and this celebration belongs to those students whose stories are just beginning in so many ways. Their exhuberance, their tears, their last few moments with friends and, in some cases, family. It was their night, and I just allowed myself to dissolve into the doorway and move on out of their lives. I can only wish them well. My job is done.

Today was a day for youth as well - youth of the baby kind - as we moseyed on to breakfast with Nancy, Pedro and Jamie. Along the way Irini and Jamie shared some friendly moments on the sofa where their infant manners were as lovely as ever. They started with simple sitting next to each other, and slowly they lost their balance, reached for each others arm, head, face, you name it. By the end of the photo opportunity (as it turned out) they were a ball of arms and legs on a sofa. Absolutely cute!

The day continued, however. Only this time it was Irini's opportunity to hang out with the teenagers. I joked about having Irini doing wonders for the social life, and they all laughed, but in some ways it was very true. Here were three graduates (from last year) asking to have lunch with us (and Scott and Rebecca too) only to meet Irini. Ahhs and ohhs were the norm, and Irini proved that she can hang with the best of them. Instant success.

So, as graduates return for a visit in KL, and as students become alumni and move on, and as Irini grows by the day, it is apparent that the youth of the world is slowly becoming part of our fabric of society and lifestyle. We are, after all, teachers for that very reason. We love it!

Winding down...Speeding up.

It's the end of May already. How fast did this month go? Just yesterday it seems like we were on Spring Break and now, with the coming of June, the classes are nearly over, a few grades are missing but mostly completed, and the final touches on student comments are being made. Exams begin tomorrow. Classes end tomorrow. The 2007-08 school year is officially winding down. Being the first place where we have spent a "6th" year in, it's quite impressive how easily it went by. Now all that's left is the little stuff - fixing up the office space, grades and final reports, signing out, and getting ready to head home. Natalia is more thrilled than I am to get to Greece and sink our teeth into a nice juicy souvlaki. I will need to move from the academic mind-frame to the summer mind-frame, but I am sure it won't take long.

As the academic year winds down, the summer is steamrolling toward us, larger than life. Suddenly we are talking about what to pack, how to travel with an infant. What, really, do we need to take with us? Will we be prepared? Will we forget anything? How does one feed an infant and hang on to an arm rest for dear life at the same time as a plane goes through turbulent weather? Luckily, this only applies to the father. The mother is perfectly content going through whatever weather the world has to offer, but now instead of picking her head up from her nap and offering it to her husband, she will check the baby to make sure she's okay.

In less than two weeks we will be in Athens! We can't wait to land in Athens and show little Irini the olive trees, the blue blue Aegean and the countryside that have been so powerful in the formation of who I am. We can't wait for her to take a walk in the park outside the apartment in Marousi, and put our hands on my mother's, Anna, favorite cypress tree. In many ways, this is Irini's introduction to her past and her future. When Malaysia is a chapter we've moved on from, Greece and Colombia will still be there. The pillars of cultural identity and inheritance. Who she will become we cannot say, but we certainly hope that, as she grows up, she will embrace both Greece and Colombia and allow them to be a wonderful and integral part of her being. She is destined to be a citizen of the world, to be sure, but there is nothing wrong with having a place to call home, or, in this case, a couple places. :-)

Our plans in Greece and Colombia include a lot of staying "at home", getting used to being in different living environments with a baby on board. We expect that the onslaught of visitors will be somewhat overwhelming at times, but given the nature of our lives it is something that we are counting on. Fortunately, Irini is a social little thing, happily being passed from one lap to another. With each hand off she welcomes the new lap owner with a smile to brighten anyone's day.

But they also include a fair bit of taking Irini to see stuff, to be there, to feel, smell, taste, and see the things that make the world so diverse. A Greek Orthodox baptism for Irini. A drive to the Peloponnese. A walk around Athens' old-town with a frape under the Acropolis. A swim below the ruins of Sounion. Meeting her 90 year old maternal great-grandmother in Bogotá, Abuelita Celita. Trying the tropical fruits Natalia grew up with and misses so much. Enjoying her cousins and rest of family who are so excited to finally meet her. A weekend road-trip to Villa de Leyva. A walk at the ciclovia on a Sunday morning in Bogotá. A visit to Creppes & Waffles. We can't wait. Seven weeks of 'doing' to do and "familying" to be. It should be fun. :-)

In the meantime, it's not all work and no play. Just last week we took Irini downstairs (yes, we do this often, don't worry) and, dressed in a little water-proof bathing suit (though topless in true European fashion), plunged her into the pool. Her head stayed largely above water, but we wanted her to enjoy being in water. As would be expected, she went from apprehensive (particularly as the water was somewhat cold) to happy as can be! We are so glad she enjoys the water. Perhaps we can put her in a novice scuba-diving course over the summer. Do they offer infanct classes in underwater breathing apparati? :-)

Summer jet-set...

This is a different kind of blog entry. All dates and numbers and no real substance... so far. The substance will be filled in as we meet up with friends and family, share experiences and introduce Irini to the world! Our plans are set for the summer, tickets purchased, seats arranged, cots in order, and we just wanted to share them in case you had a chance to mosey our way over when we're there.

June 9th - 15th: Athens
June 15th - 19th: Prague
June 19th - 22nd: Athens once again
June 22nd - July 15th: Bogotá
July 16th - 27th: Athens
July 27th: Return to Kuala Lumpur
July 28th: Year 7 in Malaysia begins (can you believe it?)

Will we see you?
We'll be paying our self-imposed carbon offsets well into 2009, I'm sure. :-)