NEWSFLASH!!
I have two more months to exercise, rest, unpack from Africa, and repack for Albania. Yes! Albania, Eastern Europe! I have accepted an invitation to serve as a US Peace Corp Volunteer for 27 months in Albania in Community and Business Development. I am so excited about this opportunity to continue my service work and to travel to a totally different part of the world I have not yet explored. What a joy and a blessing. I am truly a lucky woman......
Jeremy, Kayla, David, Me, and Dustin
Here I come USA! 25 hours flight time + 20 in layovers....it's gonna be a LONG trip! So happy to be spending the holidays with my kids! This Thanksgiving, I am truly thankful for my country and my family...the two things I missed the most!
A day after entering the US after almost two years of absence, I posted this on my FB Wall:
The 1st 3 things I noticed after being gone so long: 1. Water fountains. Free clean cold water everywhere! 2. So much stuff at Walmart it makes me dizzy and fruit that is perfect like it's been painted. 3. Electrical outlets on every wall. So many to choose from . I can charge everything at once, and not worry about surges or supply.
I am thankful to be in the USA. I missed it so much. I am thankful for my children and am surrounded by their love. I AM SO HAPPY TO BE HERE WITH THEM; let the cooking, cleaning and shopping begin!
Me, Jeremy, Lindsey, Kayla, David, and Dustin
And begin it did! I cooked and cleaned and cooked and cleaned for almost 6 weeks! When I wasn't cooking and cleaning, I was shopping for more food to cook. It seemed an impossible task to keep these grown kids fed! We watched movies, and spent lots of time together. It was truly a season of love. It was such a joy to be with them again!
Our Christmas tree lacked a topper, so Jeremy put his "Golden Surfer" trophy on top!
Two years of living with the worst imaginable level of poverty, death that is accepted as a daily occurrence, life taking diseases like HIV, Malaria, and the still unknown Nodding Disease and accepted daily corruption, bred hopelessness and distrust and has taken its toll on me. I need to heal and rest.
I am still paying the school fees of 13 children in Uganda, so if you are interested in donating, I can send you the information.
Jeremy and Dustin on Christmas morning.
David, Lindsey and Kayla on Christmas morning.
Christmas morning with the kids.
On December 28th, after 6 weeks of "togetherness" with my kids, I went home to Hawaii. Yes, Hawaii is still my permanent home in my mind. As each of the kids left home, they migrated back to Texas where they grew up. Perhaps someday I will have to relocate to Texas to be near the kids if they all stay there, but for now, I consider Hawaii my home. Hawaii is just so beautiful and peaceful. I have some thinking and healing and preparing and praying to do, and there's no better place to be than in Hawaii. .
Hawaii is actually my home. It is so beautiful.
I took this picture as the sun was setting. The ocean is calm and the sky is cloudy.
Happy New Year to all my family and friends that love me and support what I am doing with my life. Stay tuned as another adventure awaits for me in Albania 2013-2015. Mahalo!
No comments:
Post a Comment