Buenos Tardes Amigos!

lo siento for the long break - we´ve been away from the internet and i´ve been sick. Nothing in comparison to Wyatt´s ordeal, so an ear infection and a runny nose is no excuse! So, onward we trudge...I know Jenny has kept you posted on most of the daily adventures, but I haven´t had a chance to talk about my last day at school.

Emotional in many ways, but I left on such a positive note, it´s hard to be sad. I brought in an art project - they all had so much fun! Professora Maria even made one! I took pictures of each of them with their beautiful plates! After putting the plates way high up on the cubbies so they could dry (this was a chore - they all wanted to keep them close - I don´t know how many times I had to pull Harold down!) After this I had them sit on the floor so I could thank them for letting me come in and help out, took lots of silly pictures, and gave them each a piece of gum!

Maria had asked me a few days earlier if I would come to her house...not only was I not sure if this was "allowed" but I certainly didn´t know how to relate this to her...so, once the end of the day came she asked again and asked if Rudy the program director could come in so we could ask. Seemed like it was a go!

I think I was a little nervous, but once 3:oo came around and I was welcomed into her home...I realized I could have stayed forever and I knew 4:00 would come way too fast!

She has a beautiful home - one of her son´s, his wife and two daughters live upstairs while she and her parents live downstairs. (Maria´s huband lives and works in Lima)I felt so fortunate to meet her parents - it was reminiscent of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory - they were sweetly laying in beds in their room. As I held their hands, I told both of them what a pleasure it was to know and work with their daughter.

After this, Maria, her two grandaughters, and I sat on the couch and looked through pictures...We all had brought some from home to show thekids at school, so as I was going through, I came across one from Jenny´s graduation. Maria then excitedly got up andbrought back hers...she has just recently started teaching - at 48, she went back to school! Oh, how I wish I had known the word for PROUD.
After this, we retired to the cocina for tea and crackers. Maria asked when I would be back - she wanted to make sure I knew I was welcome to stay in her home...we made sure to exchange information - our birthdays are one day apart, so our emails are so very similiar!!!!
The knock on the door came as a jolt...we were just really getting comforytable, and I was feeling so lucky. It was hard to say goodbye...but truly how lucky I feel to have worked with her and her students. Maria is truly a wonderful teacher...
The rest of the afternoon was spent busily packing and doing last minute litle thin gs...but the sweet feeling of being in Maria´s home and our last hug lingers on...
Muchas Gracias...