Ecuador- As the room in my journal is ending, a new chapter is starting.

This post will be packed with photos.

6-18

This morning we were up and packed and heading out the door by 6am. Somehow I managed to wake up and be pleasant. We walked outside and Andres and Efren were ready and waiting.  We squeezed into Efren's car and picked up Eric. The plan for the day was to drive along the coast. Jen and I had no idea what to expect. Somewhere in my mind I was imagining myself dripping sweat as I stumbled through the rain-forest all the while swatting a flies and wishing I had brought bug spray with me.

 We began driving up the coast and made our first stop at a little breakfast place with outside seating. It was beautiful.

We sat around eating our breakfast of plantains mixed with cheese and bacon. Eric began reminiscing (in Spanish) with his best friend Efren and began laughing so hard that he was crying.

Eric is usually the more analytical, logical, careful, and more serious sort of person, so to see him let his guard down and laugh that hard was so great. Then we headed on up the coast and stopped at our first beach of the day.

It was absolutely breath taking.

The beach was deserted of people. There was only us and a couple hundred sand crabs running around.

Jen and I excitingly ran along the beach with giant smiles on our faces.

We spent some time taking in all the beauty of the beach and not imagining ever ever seeing another thing so beautiful.

We squeeze back into the car and drive on to beach number two.

I am just going to spare you all alot of time reading now and tell you that we went to about 5 beached that day. (I am even forgetting how many we visited.)

 At every beach I ran around like an excited 5 year old. I ran to the water and walked in until my rolled up pants were getting wet.

I then scoured  the beach for any shells I could find and treasure.
 

Efren saw how excited the shells were making me and even began picking up one that he thought were pretty and giving them to me. He was well pleased when I freaked out at the sign of them as if they were the best thing I had ever beheld.

At every stop I kept my eyes open for anyone selling colorful beaded earrings. I had seen some before and decided that I must have a pair before I left Ecuador. Finally the time came!

I found them, and Andres bartered with the guy for me, so I got them for $1.50. ( I still adore these earrings.)

We then got lunch together. We were getting very hot from walking along all these beautiful beaches and not swimming.

We thought it was probably about time to swim. Jen and I did not dress for swimming because we didn't expect to spend the day at beaches.

After lunch I went to find a swim suit or something to swim in.

What I found instead was wonderful.
We looked for shorts,but they were all way to small. Then I looked up and beheld it. THE PURPLE DRESS OF MY DREAMS! haha

It was the only one that they had. I tried it on, and found that it fit me perfectly. It had to be mine. I bought it without taking the time to even barter for it.

We then drove on to a private beach (I'm not even sure how we got into the beach area).

I swam in my scrubs,and Jen swam in what she was wearing. It was beautiful! A great end to the day (not the end to my day, but an end to beaches.)

I then put on my new purple dress and colorful earrings, and Jen bought a wrap that was obviously from Hawaii and wore that. I am going to be totally honest, We looked so great!haha

On the way home Andres and I sat next to each other and continued to talk as trusting friends do.
He then nervously asked me if I would be his girlfriend.
Maybe it was the beaded earrings, the purple dress, or all the beaches we had just visited that bewitched me, but I thought about it for a few seconds and told him that I would.
This girl who doesn't date!!
Who was completely content with the idea of being single forever, 

Who thought that no guy could ever compare with her daddy, 

now has a boyfriend.

Here is where I change topics real quick.
I know so many people are curious about this boy so let me tell you a few things about him.
His name is Andres.
He loves Jesus more than anything.
He is 20 years old.
He speaks Spanish, English, Portuguese, sign language, and some Italian.
He is trained in Martial Arts.
He is studying to become a dentist.
He plays Bass guitar on the worship team.
He loves learning.
He loves to read and watch movies.

He thinks that Sharks are pretty cool animals.

He likes the color red.
He knows how to dance the tango but not salsa (well aside from what I taught him).
He is just a really great guy and takes really good care of the people around him.

 I also just want to add that he Loves Ecuador and has no desire to come to the States. (except for now, to visit me)


That night Jen and I got dropped off at a hotel which was to be our new home for the last week. No more living in La Roca. :[
We also met the big team that was just arriving from the States. A team of over 20 people from all walks of life and training.
It felt a bit overwhelming to go from being a team of 4 to becoming a team of about 30 (including translators).

Imagine how spoiled Jen and I felt to be in that hotel with hot  water in our shower, and pillows and quilts on our beds.


So lets recap the day;
So many beautiful beaches,
Colorful beaded earrings,
PURPLE DRESS,
seeing Eric laugh so hard that he cried,
hundreds of sand crabs,
swimming at a private beach,
a boyfriend,
a hot shower,
pillows and blankets,
and a huge new team to work with.

    I should also probably mention that we saw a rainbow on the way home.