Missing my BabyGirl!

posted by Cheri on Sun. Dec 7, 2008
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Leaving Tulsa yesterday morning was SO HARD. I thought BabyGirl would be asleep (as she SHOULD have been at 6am). But she was awake... and sick... and miserable. When she saw Angela and me put on our coats, she ran over, wrapped her arms around my leg and said "no coat - no coat mamma - no coat - peeese" It was enough to break any mother's heart.

I picked her up, reassured her that I would be back in several days, and asked for a kiss. She clung to my neck and said NO. I tickled, cajoled, hugged, and again asked for a kiss. Again she said NO.

By then Gary and Angela were murmuring about us missing our plane. But I said I was NOT leaving the country without a kiss goodbye. For a third time I asked for a kiss and for a third time she buried her head in my neck and said NO.

Suddenly I asked "do you want ice-cream?"

Eliana squealed with joy and gave me a big kiss and hug.

Angela said to Gary "when she is out of control at age 16, you'll know why!"

:-)

Fast forward 30 hours... our flight was perfectly uneventful. Everyone, and every suitcase crammed with supplies, made it safe and sound to Panajachel. We are all SO EAGER to get to work. But we're all missing our kiddos something fierce!

This morning I video SKYPED Gary and Eliana at home. At first Eliana wasn't sure what to make of seeing me on the computer, but she quickly caught on.

What's on the computer?  Hey, it looks like my Mommy...   It sounds like Mommy...

IT IS MY MOMMY! YAY!   MOMMY!

But then she tried to hug and kiss the computer screen. And she told me "home, mamma" more than once. Little heart-stabs. At least she's no longer sick.

Besides the mommy-guilt of leaving for a week, being back in Guatemala hasn't been as emotional as I expected. In a weird way, it feels like going home. Everything is so familiar - the cadence, the people, the pace, the beauty. It really is wonderful here.

And our group is fantastic! And the work Mayan Families is doing is amazing.

I can't tell you how good it feels to be a part of this.

So I'm glad I came.

But maybe next year we'll all three come down.

Cuz I sure am missing my family.