I am home. The last couple of days, I have noticed that I am not exactly sure how I feel about that just yet. My experience the past three months was so wonderful that I wasn't surprised when unexpectedly, I ended up in first class on the plane home. There is a reason for everything and this too proved to be very valuable to me.

Before leaving, Rosalinda had talked me into letting her cut my hair! I was badly in need of a haircut. Being a talented hairstylist, she had given many haircuts at the house for different family members and friends. I waited until the last night, before the party, to let her at my hair which had not been cut in three months. I wanted to see what my hair would look like after that long without a cut; it wasn't pretty!

The haircut became quite an event with everyone gathered in the kitchen to watch. I did my best to make the process interesting, acting worse than a child until eventually she would yell at me to sit still! She did a great job and it felt so good to be lightened up. My hair had become thick and heavy.







After this, we got the pizzas ordered, complete with cheesy bread and brownies. Manuel, Rosalinda, Amparo and I walked to the tienda to buy enough Gallo for everyone this evening. My family had noticed that my Spanish improved after two bottles of beer. Amazing, was how just a little Gallo allowed all I had learned to flow uninhibited. 

The pizzas are here........


This final night, after three months of studying, speaking, reading, writing, eating, and drinking Spanish, everyone, Rosalinda and myself included, was blown away by how well I sat with all of them understanding and engaging in what was going on. I captured a five minute video on my camera of the kids playing and the family talking around the table. Amparo had translated into Spanish, the paragraphs of my last blog where I had written about the family and Rosalinda. I was so glad she read it aloud as most of them had not seen the blog. 
 
The family had written me letters, made gifts, bought gifts, there were balloons.....the emotion of it all made ojos humedos an understatement. As one family at a time decided to head out, we said our goodbyes. Sleep evaded me most of the night. These three months strengthened the existing relationships I had with this family.....now, they are a part of my family. I look forward with great anticipation to visiting them next year.

The kids...

Rosalinda and me...

Irma.....

Amparo, Coco, Irma, Natalia & Patty....

Natalia, Alfredo and me...


Irma and me....

Mi Oso Grande (Carlos).....

Coco, Christian and me....

Coco, Christian, Willy and me...

Lots of nice gifts!

Natalia...how good she was to me.



Carlos, Yaya, Manuel, Pedro and Ojos Humedos....






Amparo and me....



They asked I read aloud the letter they had written, in voz alto, as Rosalinda always made me do when we were reading the two novels we finished as part of my studies.......



And Irma....


Rosalinda, Jose and me...



Willy and Adrian...

The kids....

To ensure none were forgotten, Alfredo wanted to review the page of what I will call "important words" that I had requested Rosalinda write in my cuaderno.  


Magdalia (Yaya) and me

Manuel hanging out with the girls...


And...Rosalinda....now that I am home, I love calling to talk with her. What a difference from before I left, in that now we can have a real conversation.... 

Back to my life, my dog, my friends, my family. Annie and Norma were there to welcome me home! Annie is moving to Utah, so Strung Out is losing yet another member. We had a going away party that was complete with a song Steve had written. How missed you will be Annie......


Lucy!!

Steve's farewell tribute to Annie!


You can't go!
 

There are so many people that were involved in making Guatemala happen, it is impossible to list you all. I can only hope you know who you are! I would like to express my appreciation to; Noah and Christine for taking care of my house, lawn and car, Mike and Dennis for giving Lucy a loving home, Mom and Tom for handling my bills/mail, Dad and Barb for their support. Dianne, Steve, Marcia, Annie, Jerri, Norma, Joanne, Molly, Jennifer, Laurie, Ashley and all the rest of you, who through many conversations, helped lead me down the path to making the decision to go in the first place.     

Of all the things I have had the opportunity to experience in my life, and I feel there are a lot of them, these three months rest atop the list of what I am most proud of and so very grateful for.    

Con Cuidado,
cathy