Another walk to the village...

Today we went for a little walk to enjoy some fresh air, stretch our legs and hopefully make it easier for daddy to work (he was wearing ear phones when we left). Last minute I ran back inside and grabbed the key to check our PO box for the first time.

I grew up going to a post office box to get our mail. Costa Rica didn't have the ability to handle mail the way the USPS does. In fact as children, my siblings and I were mesmerized by the American mailbox. At Nana's house, we would beg to be the one to get the mail even if we knew nothing would be for us. We loved opening that little black door and pulling out what could be treasures. I took countless pictures of Nana's mailbox (which I heard was recently replaced).

Now as I walked past the olive press museum with my chattering 2 year old, I remembered how the PO box had its own charm...

As we walked up to the aqua green post boxes, my friendly girl tried waving to a passer by and I pulled out the little key. With a bit of effort, I slid the key into the lock, lifted Charis to open it AND there was something in there! An address I knew well! I pulled out the manila envelope...

"Charis! It is from Aunt Kelly!"

I opened it right there. To make it even better there were drawings from her cousins.

"Oh and Susanna!..and Miriam..."

She was so excited that she wanted to hold them on the walk back. We talked about the drawings and about doing ones for our cousins - How she would draw one and then mail one and then wait, wait, wait and on a day you didn't know there would be one back. I told her about pen pals. I told her how I was pen pals with my cousin Laura and how I loved going to the post office for letters from her. I didn't even get to tell her how that is how Daddy's and Mommy's story began. I guess the charm isn't in what box you pull out the letters from, but in the experiences you have with those boxes.