nearing the end.

My kids recently realized that school was nearing an end. Only because I told them. They seem to only have a developing concept of time, so I thought I'd help them along so that it didn't hit them too hard. Shortly after their realization and excitement that a long vacation was in sight, they realized that the end of school meant the end our face-to-face relationship.

I've been receiving extra long hugs lately. Today from Fátima, Maria José, and Jasson. And I found Maria José crying while everyone else was playing checkers and Hungry Hungry Hippos. When I asked her what was wrong, she said, "I no want you to go to da United States."

I have a feeling these next few weeks are only going to get harder.

my kids are beautiful.

Ana Maria:
Sarahí:

Maria José:
Marvin:
Kimberly:
Miguel:
Lesly, Paola, Kimberly, & Jasson:
Paola:
Deyssi:
Mario:
Lesly:
Fátima:
Héctor José:
Lorean:
Edgar:
Tito:
Fausto & Jonathan:
Levi:
Irma:
Manuel:
Fausto:
Maylim:
Oscar:

closer to home.

The school bought me a plane ticket, and I'm coming home. I'm so happy about that. Twenty more days of school. Only four weeks. And it's all over. I will be so sad to say goodbye to my kids, but my anxiousness and excitement to return home currently far exceed my departing sadness.

I wish you could understand how beautiful it sounds to do my laundry in a washer and dryer. I'll do laundry all day. And my hands won't go raw from scrubbing in cold water (Not that I did that all year. It only took a couple times before I started paying a muchacha to do it for me.). And my clothes will be warm and smell wonderful when I pull them out of the dryer. And they'll be really clean.

I'll go to church. And feel at home. I'll sleep in my bed, and bugs won't bite me in the night. I'll drink tap water, and I'll drive a car. I'll call my friends, and I won't lose signal. I'll walk around barefoot, and I won't step on a dead moth. I'll hug my mom and nuzzle my puppies and kiss my dad on the cheek, and I won't be sick from the ever changing mood swings of the climate. And the list goes on and on and on.

I've never been happier to be coming home.