Week 5 of 5- changing "mailing" address!

Here's the yellow jungle house with the incredible profusion of color that Chilo delights in tending. In honor of our leaving, he asked if he could do a major hair cut- and promptly chopped it all down to about 6 inches! He was afraid that in our absence, it would become an uncontrollable mess. Sniff! 

Dinner with Sonia, longtime hospital employee and friend

Our last week is a blur...Abby helping me get past the impasse in packing by pushing me thru the first 2 50# bags, daily visits at 7 am from 2 yr old Aleyah, savoring our last days together and getting her hair in braids for mom, impromptu counseling sessions with an old neighbor, Suzanne, who providentially arrived in the country for our last week, many "last" quick runs next door to enjoy Heidi,  dinner with Tumlinsons and their 3 special kids. Then there were meals with local Honduran friends, all memorable. I am thankful for digital memories for when my own memories fade! 

In our last blog, we shared a trip to Arenalosa to visit Jesus and Milagro. While there, we tried to convince her pregnant sister, Decy, to come down the mountain to be closer to deal with her twins, who we knew had problems. Decy did not cooperate, but she did have her C-section and had a 2# and a 4 #er, both boys. The little fellows went home about a week out. I got a call just about 12 hrs from the time they left the hospital, at 1 am, that teenie twin had died. So a dawn trip out to the community they had gone home to to pay respect to mom and family. VERY sad way to end our time there with that family we've been so involved with. 

Teenie 1 and Teenie 2- 

Bad storms our last days, causing rising rivers. Were able to get to church Wednesday PM, and enjoyed pastelitos  as a going-away treat. Everyone filed by us to bless us and hug us. I did OK til Joni, our 15 yr old friend, came by. He did not shed a tear when he dad/grandpa died in the fall, so was not expecting him to fall apart. He hugged and hugged and cried. The next day, at our planned meeting time to say goodby one last time and chat, I couldn't get across the river. By God's grace, we got across at sunrise on departure day, to deliver a frozen chicken for an upcoming wedding, and various other things we were gifting to the church folks. Thankfully school was closed, as the next river was flooded also, so had a sweet time with Joni and his mom. 

Dave Fields drove us out on Friday, along with Christine Bell, who had to leave for a visa trip, so we had a kind of prolonged goodbye with them. We stopped and had a late lunch with the Drs. Lanzas, radiologist friends, at a resort halfway to the airport- a delightful treat. They have been very special to John. 

Maria and Allen Lanza

Dave arranged for a wheelchair to meet us in Houston, which made it possible to make our connecting flight! Even with 4 huge bags, carryons and backpacks, we had a smooth trip, made more enjoyable by having access to the USO in Denver for our 5 hr. layover. Blessings upon blessings. My sister, Shellie, met us at 930 PM for the long drive "home"- was hard to settle down, as we were greeted by a beautifully complete remodel job! Our neighbor, Mike, had come in when we left and spent the 5 weeks finishing up trim work and laying the new flooring. We kept coming back out of the bedroom to admire our kitchen and flooring! 

We were heavily laden- Yeah for Errol from United for his help!

Next blog from WA- a 3 week stay here before we take a roadtrip to Tulsa, seeing supporters and family along the way.  More about what our future holds then! Blessings.