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I will be the first to admit this particular short coming of mine - I have been a terribly lame blogger - it is true. I know it. I had this whole theory about people, relationships and experiences being more important than my computer... and then a dear friend reminded me that it wasn't just my computer - it was my friends and family back home waiting on news... former volunteers and people associated with the albergue.... and others that had a genuine interest in my life in Peru and the things happening at Hogar de Esperanza that I was choosing to ignore when I made no time to update my blog. Valid point, and with that in mind I will try to do better. So here I am - it is sunny Saturday afternoon blogging time.

I originally came down to my Hogar for August 2008 - April 2009... but lets get serious. This place is too beautiful, the children are too wonderful, the workers are too fantastic, the volunteers are too amazing, and the experiences are too fabulous to leave after such a short time. I have been able to extend my time serving here in Hogar de Esperanza until next March (2010).

I came home to Virginia for a 3 week visit in April. It was a wonderful time of reconnecting with friends, visiting with family, worshiping the Lord in English, and eating a lot of mexican food.

I got to have sleep overs with old friends... and shop with my sister... and eat meals with lots of people who love me... it was a wonderful time.

The three weeks felt like a short time to get to spend with loved ones, but like an eternity to be away from the albergue. Things in the Albergue change so much, every day... nothing is ever the same. While I was gone children left, new workers came, and volunteers came and went. Sarah and Nikki, two of the long term volunteers filled in for me while I was away. I am so grateful to them for all of their efforts while I was at home relaxing. I took them out to dinner as a thanks, but I feels that falls quite short in repaying them for all the extra things they had to do while I was away. They are both quite remarkable women. I am very grateful for them.

I am also grateful to be back. It was sweet to be back in the land I am from, but there is some thing about being in Peru is just perfect for me... so for now, I am quite happy to be Back Home.