Come July when I return to the States from Honduras/Costa Rica I am flying into Denver, Colorado. And Colorado............. is where I am going to stay. After a lot of consideration I was just not ready to say goodbye to colorado just yet. So this visit was not only special to share with my mom Honduras but it could be awhile before I see her again.
As I mentioned she flew into Honduras on Wednesday. This could not have come at a more perfect time..... It was wonderful to have her here to distract me but more to share with her this place......... I am going to recap below. I will probably miss a lot of things. (this will still be a long post) but I wanted to try and remember what we did. (Sorry in advance if it is a bit long).
Last Wednesday she flew in.....Alison and I picked her up at the airport around 11:00 am. We immediately grabbed lunch and went to visit the Public Orphanage in San Pedro. This was a place that I wanted my mom to see. (my first visit to this orphanage I wrote about here) Alison, my mom and I held babies, feed them bottles and loved on some kids that nearly broke our heart. My mom became particularly attached to one little boy who had just weeks before been found in a box at the bus station in San Pedro. When my mom went to lay him down he just cried, so it became impossible to let him go..........That afternoon we went grocery shopping with Alison (she has 14 girls so watching her shop was impressive) and gathered some things before finished our night at the D and D Brewery eating dinner with all my roommates. You can ask my mom yourself but she was pleasantly surprised with everything. She kept saying she loved it. That she felt like she was in a jungle, and our cabin had really comfortable beds and an incredible shower (it really did). For less than $40.00 per night. It was so nice to stay with her, get out of my house and sleep in a comfy bed. Hard to leave it this morning.
Thursday our day started early taking the bus to school. Mom jumped in the van with all my roommates and I to arrive at school for the 7:30 am start. With a long long day at school, my mom quickly understood why it was so exhausting. It was really hot. She kept repeating over and over it is really hot. At one point we were making clocks with paper plates for math and the kids started using them as fans. My mom too. While then trying to read a book during reading class they continued to use them as fans but became very distracted. I asked the class to put them away and that they were not allowed to use them. My mom along with my kids were quite upset, it was very hot but they were driving me crazy. My mom as you can imagine was a huge hit, with lots of candy, stickers and helping with things. It was so special to see them show her the work they had done... I think they enjoyed having her at school.
That afternoon we hopped in a bus with the kids to be dropped off at the Orphanage in my town that focuses on malnourished and sick children. Despite the heat we played with the kids, pushed them on the swings for an hour before walking back to my house. We stopped by the coffee shop first, where we tasted the most horrible cake (still not sure exactly what it was). On our way home I introduced her to the family where I often buy fruit and vegetable. She was able to see the many shops all lined up (she referred to this as the mall), the families all piled in the back of cars and the variety of vegetables in the stands.
We then headed back to the D and the D for the evening. A group of us circled around the table and ate dinner, shared food and played Scategories My roommates friend Katy was visiting at the same time from England. She made up the categories and it turned out being a lot of fun. We laughed and argued about whether our answers were worthy of points. It was an evening well spent. Kylie moved in with me and my mom for the next three nights too.....
Friday morning we woke up to have breakfast before heading to school again. My Fridays are shorter days at school so we were able to enjoy a few cups of coffee before heading in for class. It was a bit later than usual. During my lunch break we visited the Hotel Las Glorias for lunch and so my mom could walk on the bridge that overlooked the lake (She did not make it very far, she was a bit nervous as it was swaying back and forth). We also spotted the largest and most scary looking iguana. He was a few feet long (huge). We watched him jump in the lake. He swam super fast like an alligator. It was a bit terrifying...... We had some trouble getting back to school as the taxi did not come, and then had a close encounter with a herd of cattle (But we made it). After school we met up with Matt, Ramone and Lotte to take a boat out onto the lake. Ramone and Matt were our rowers while Lotte, my mom and I spotted birds and laughed the boys. We saw a lot of families fishing and watched Matt jump from the cliff. (I did this jump last fall so mom now got to see what I had survived). It was a beautiful day and so nice to see the lake from a front row seat, on a boat.
That evening we headed back into town to my house for Family Dinner. While dinner was being prepared we sat outside on the porch and drank wine. Matt, my mom and I talked about Honduras, our time here and how much we have changed. It was really nice for her to hear from someone else what this place has meant to them. Philip and Molly were the cooks for dinner and served Fish and Chips.... (mom still talked about how good it was this morning). After dinner finished up at my house we went back to the D and D to sit around, drink wine and hang out. We met more people traveling. A group of US soldiers were staying for the weekend as well so we talked with them and stayed up late around the fire. (there is a air force base here in Honduras so they were off base for the weekend). Mom was able to experience a common evening for us at the D and D. I think she understood why we love it so very much. It is so nice to meet people and enjoy the night outside around a fire.
Saturday morning Kylie, my mom and I slept until 8:30 am. We had no big agenda for the day except to go see the waterfall at Pulpansak. Mom and I left for the waterfall early..... (Kylie took advantage of the comfy bed in our cabin and slept in) After walking down close to the waterfall we sat in the shade (really hot again) and talked while waiting for our taxi to return. Although I have seen the waterfall three times, it still is so beautiful. Later that afternoon we stopped by the grocery store so she could pick up some coffee to take home and as well she bought me some groceries. I think we spent about $15.00 total :) (things are very very expensive... NOT).
That afternoon Kylie, my mom and Shannon (a girl we met from Canada who is traveling and staying at the D and D) walked up/ hitch hiked to Alison's house to visit all of her girls (Alison's has the Eternal Family Project). The girls were all outside playing, jumping on the trampoline and swimming so it was really nice to visit with them outside.
Moms last evening was spent just as many night before, around the campfire, talking about life, talking about living here, where people are traveling too and reminiscing about all that we had gotten to do for the last few days.
I cannot say enough about how wonderful it was to have my mom here. How much it meant for her to see this place, put faces to the names and reality to the many stories I have shared. Perhaps I could get my mom to share a bit about her trip for the blog and I think you will find that it was an incredible experience for her....... from the lady at the D and D getting bit by the tarantula, seeing our falling apart house, the children at the orphanages, Alison's home, riding in a chicken bus (old USA school bus), riding in the back of pickup truck, riding in the small tuk tuk, Experiencing our weekly family dinner the humid heat, the kids that shout in spanish, the landscape, the beauty of the mountains, the lake, my roommates and the D and D.... I think she was able to see why this place has captured my heart.........
Below are some pictures of her visit. Enjoy.
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| While getting the oars for the boat, we met the cutest puppy. |
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| In front of the bridge, mom was too afraid to go up. Looking out on the lake. |
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| Terrifying cattle crossing, near taxi crash. |
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| Lotte, Ramone and Matts Head on the lake. |
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| Mom and me on the boat on the canal. |
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| Visiting Arturo at the orphanage in my town. |
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| Mom riding in the back of the pickup truck home from school. |
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| At Pulpansak the waterfall. |
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| Mom in front of the massive waterfall. |
Dear Mom,
Thanks for everything, for loving my kids like I do. For acting like a grandmother would to her grandchildren with my class. When mom says no (me) they would come to you and you would give them what they want. (lots of candy, bathroom breaks, more paper)
Can't wait to visit You, Britt and Dad in Kentucky.
Already miss you! Until then.
Love Me
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