Week One.

 Today marks a week of living in San Benito, Texas.  Papi, Annelisa and I began our journey on July 21^st.  It took us about 10 hours to get to Orange County. Fun.  Then it took Papi and I another 4 hours to get to Indio.  Yay for taking 14 hours to drive 450 miles!  On the way down we got to say goodbye to Mya and Coco who drove and waited for hours while we were in traffic.  They are the best.  We arrived to the Guilin residence at about 10:30p.m. and Tia Tete had dinner waiting for us!  We were in dead stopped traffic in Palm Springs at 9pm due the highway being closed.  Who does that?

We then made it through Arizona and New Mexico in one day.  Speed limit is faster on the 10.  The scenery changes to nothing, to rocks, to nothing.  We ended up staying at Las Cruces after looking for a steak house for Papi.  Next stop Texas.  Texas is a whole lot of nothing.  However, the speed limit is 80, which was nice.  Baby Baluga took it well (that’s the Honda’s new name; thanks to Mya and Coco).  Baby Baluga also was a trooper because he was packed full of stuff. I have no idea how we fit it all.  We fit it all in the Fit!  Way to be Mami and Momma.  We dropped down after San Antonio and actually saw trees!   That was a nice little stretch. We were planning on going to my new little home, but then realized we didn’t have a bed, and we were pretty tired from driving 14 hours.  So we stayed at yet another hotel in the valley and slept in!  We had 99¢ breakfast burritos from the gas station, which they call tacos here because the distinction from a taco and burrito is the fold not the size.  Interesting. But tasty. 

We made it home around noon.  Met the wonderful landlady Maria, met the goats, saw what how much love was needed for the house and went to find a mattress.  Papi was trying to convince me to get the comfy expensive bed, I went to for the cheapest mattress instead.  I feel good about it.  Papi made me a bed frame so the scorpions won’t sleep with me in the middle of the night, and with the extra wood I got a bookcase!  Thank you Papi. 

I’ve been in training since Tuesday, which is a lot better than Institute.  It’s weird to be back, and nice to try and make it home here.  I dropped off Papi on Wednesday morning.  Thanks to me and cheaptickets he went from McAllen to Houston to San Diego to San Francisco.  Good flight.  It’s weird to be in a house with no furniture alone.  But Jesus has kept me company.  No, not a man named Jesus, the spirit Jesus; I guess that means the Holy Spirit. Whichever.  I’m not alone. 

We have a great group here.  Friends are easily made, and carpooling is the best! 

I should probably get back to work.  Or fake work.  I’m pretending I don’t have work yet.  That’ll kick me on the 22^nd.

Happy day!