Home Away From Home

Señor R and Señora A take care of us when we come through Santa Cruz. They're related to the owner of the hotel we are renting in Santiago. The motto of the ladies in this family seems to be "tranquility". They're always telling us to take it easy and be calm. The house always seems to be full of people: uncles, aunties, cousins, grandchildren, and friends. They really seem to enjoy taking care of each other, and us. The house is always full to overflowing when we're here and they always seem to be smiling and caring and gentle as they speak with us and with the children. They also spend plenty of time being quiet in their own rooms too! 😁

We arrived at the airport in Santa Cruz early in the morning. It was the middle of the last week in June, and we had been in Florida in the warm summer sun.

The sidewalks were wet when we left the airport, and the cool, humid air was a relief after the heat of summer.

We went immediately to R & A's home to sleep. We stayed and rested for a day, partly because we needed to buy another mattress, and partly so we could rest a little before making another long journey.

Sña. A has a granddaughter the same age as Juliette. While we were out shopping, Juliette learned that she could play just fine with someone who doesn't have any language in common with her. They were "cooking" all day, and when we asked what they were making, JJ said cake, and the other girl said beans and rice!





















Naomi came with us to buy the mattress. Before we left Utah, we had told the girls that ripped jeans wouldn't be acceptable clothing in the village. So, of course, the first day we went out to the city, we met a shop owner with some admittedly more artistically ripped jeans than I've ever seen. But ripped jeans nonetheless.

The son (Big Brother) of our host helped us buy a double cab truck. He brought it to the airport when we arrived (at 4 a.m.!) so we could manage our great pile of luggage. A couple days later, we piled back into the truck, ready for the roughly 6-hour trip from the city to our eventual home.

We arrived in Santiago on Friday, the 30th of June, at 9 p.m. The next morning, everyone immediately got to work rearranging furniture and unpacking. A friend of Jon's, who he calls his "Little Sister" helped fold all the kids' clothes and put them in the closets. What a godsend! (A brief explanation - when Jon lived here in the late 90's, he stayed with our current hostess and her family. This family includes the people I am calling "La Abuelita", "Big Brother", and "Little Sister".

We replaced one of the single beds with a bunkbed so all of the kids could sleep in the same room. They are having the time of their lives, staying up past bedtime and talking and playing. 

It was winter break when we arrived, so the kids all had plenty of time to get to know the grandkids and their friends while we went running around collecting the essentials for running a 

home.

This is our home and our hostess, La Abuelita. She has opened her kitchen to us, and regularly prepares a lunch (the main meal) large enough to include our family. She loves her yard and garden!

Our hostess' daughter (Little Sister, who is in her 20's now), has passed on her old jewelry making kits to our girls. They are in heaven, always brushing each other's hair (and mine!), putting on necklaces, threading beads onto string, and sharing earrings with their dolls. It has been a promising beginning.