My little friend Jesus that I met 3 years ago in Panajachel, Guatemala is still around, selling his hand-embroidered postcards and assorted bracelets. I love seeing his sweet smile and hearing his stories of what he’s been doing. He works very hard each day to make enough money to go to school – and he [...]

Last night I dreamed that I was riding in the back of a truck (something that is commonly done in Guatemala – where I was last week, although I sat INSIDE the truck) and on the side of the road I saw a walking stick insect that had a leash in it’s mouth. On the [...]

I attended the funeral of an 18 year old this week. He was a local boy – a phenomenal baseball player who had just started college a few weeks ago on a baseball scholarship. He died in an automobile accident, on the way to a party with friends. As I stood outside the funeral home, [...]

Sucre` and Simba These two cutie pies joined the family on June 22nd. They are so much fun to watch as they play and wrestle. After losing Shadow, they sure have eased my heartache. Beebo and Luby each picked one and named him. It’s the first time my daughters have had a kitten and lemme [...]

In a rare moment of stupidity…. my husband did this: He meant to burn the overgrown brush at the side of our house. Not what I would have recommended but he meant to do that part…. seriously. But for the fire to flare up quickly and melt the vent to the crawl space under the [...]

I got this sweet picture from Santos  (the cutie pie boy I sponsor to attend school in Guatemala) and the words written on it are precious: Translates to say: Dear Godmother, I am very grateful with you for the gifts that you sent me.  I thank you with all my heart for being so special [...]

My best friend has a heart of gold. She really and truly does……. I am honored just to know her and call her “friend”. But then, to know she is my BEST friend – the one I can always count on, no matter what, is just nearly unbelievable. I am beyond blessed. Go here and [...]

Santos and his teacher So after huffing and puffing up the hill to the home Santos lives in with his family, as I wrote about last week (or the week before!) – we finally arrived. Whew, not a moment too soon, lemme tell ya. I didn’t think I’d make it much further. In the small [...]

**Sometimes coming up with a title is far too much work.** My poor little (and big) dogs had super long toenails because I seemed to have misplaced the toenail clippers and couldn’t remember to purchase new ones for the longest time. So one day last week, I was flipping channels on the tv and I [...]

All the Christmas decorations are put up for another year. The house is back to normal once again.  Today we ate a hearty meal of pork roast, cabbage and black eyed peas (blecht!). December always rushes in, on the heels of Thanksgiving, so full of anticipation and excitement as the promise of family time approaches [...]