The little companion pictured above accompanies 3 women that I love very much and most recently my brother too. She offers the world sweet snuggles and a gentle sometimes fierce spirit. I found comfort in her company here.
As this year comes to a close, I wanted to reflect on the many gifts this year offered.
January.... teaching the nuggets flew by as fast as the little hope of snow humorously flew past us all in the south. Ivette visited Memphis!
February brought attending a university event as a grad student and quickly realizing we just came for the free chickfilia, a llama cake rang in my 27th year, bad bunny attitude with Ozuna feelings.
March brought a surprise visit to momma for her birthday on my way to celebrate beautiful Megan’s wedding as well as a visit with dear old friends, my first 901 memphis soccer game, roomie bonding riverside biking, one of my students gifted me a mermaid tail, a classroom dream come true, March ended with an amazing bucket list serenade by Reik in Atlanta alongside my best friends.
April finally revealed my upcoming summer trip to Peru to my old peruvian students via a fun puzzle that disclosed a mystery message, we made it to Easter break with the nuggets rocking and rolling in the classroom, I drove back from Easter break with new wheels, thanks mami and papi!
May brought goodbyes to my peruvian friend Br. Henry, exploring Memphis with Vanessa and the family, the college graduation tradition (or should I say curse?) of rain followed me as I walked across the stage to receive my Masters but I still got to celebrate with all those I love, indoors! Then the celebration continued at Tulane Law with another graduation! Congrats Chris! The nuggets graduated K too! Celebrated another bff's birthday! My godmother joined the choir of angels in heaven after a long and hard fight, always in our hearts, que descanses en paz Madrina bella.
June brought the second half of my Reading Specialist training (SMILA) with fun friends, I enjoyed teaching the older nuggets, we had one last hurrah in Avery with the longest attempt at barbecueing burgers ever but in the company of seriously loyal friends, the Jonas sisters were reunited for Stephanies beautiful wedding (#minnicktowinit #CheersChristie!) the last week finally brought me good rest at home while packing for Peru.
July brought a moment I had been waiting for since I left Peru in January 2017, as I returned to visit and stay with my lovely host family once again, I accompanied my dear friend Hermana Yoli in Canto Chico in Lima for several days, then arrived to the Tacna airport with Grupo 3 holding their sweet poster with our pictures all over it welcoming me back, it was a month of sweet reunions and reminiscing, eating my favorite meals, hanging out with my adorable goddaughter, my host cousins, dancing marinera with my host sister, being taken care of by my sweet host mom when I got sick, eating pollo a la brasa while sick because who can say no to pollo a la brasa? meeting the new JVs and loving them, visiting my burger bestie luchito, karoake, burgers and mojitos at the newest bar in Tacna with my favorite squad, finally cooking picadillo for my entire host family, having a photoshoot with Mica at my host Dads fire station, baking brownies with the mes de misión kids now college kids, going out with Ginna and the crew, the best salchipapas I’ve ever had with Mayra and girls night living on, being showered once again with immense love at Fe y Alegría and getting to share an office with my best friends again as I read to the littlest nuggets at school, and who can forget getting to celebrate 4th of July in TacBloc and channeling my inner chibola. Oh say can you see 
Leaving still brought tears to my eyes and tugged at my heart as a people I love so much once again showed me an immense love that continues to form and shape me.
Once stateside I moved into my first place!
August brought a sweet weekend trip to NOLA to see Maddie, free night kayaking on the river in memphis, and I met and welcomed my new nuggets to K! I also sprained both of my ankles...and Guadalupe dance practice also began.
September brought ChairFest to life and my friend celebrated her golden 21st birthday and I surprised Tía Rosy for her 60th birthday
October brought Rompe Fest to life and in K we found great joy in the nuggets learning to read their first words! I got to hang out with Hna Yoli and Hna Maritza stateside in St Louis with a fun visit to the zoo and pizza and shortly after celebrate another bff's birthday!
November brought Coquito season in full swing and a much needed break at thanksgiving home with family and friends.
December brought dancing for Our Lady of Guadalupe and mom and dad came for the festivities, K put on the Christmas Play the same week, “We bring wool!”
Christmas in Miami brought sunshine, Coquito, frijole freak family Friday, reunions, the Everglades, Miccosukee Casino, brunch, painting with a twist and lots of family love!
As I reflect on the joys and aches of this year I am reminded who’s behind the head and the heart. As I prepare to ring in new beginnings and new ventures I try not to feel restless anticipating what is waiting. I remember that wise men still seek Him.
And I leave you with some profound wise words from Pope John Paul II to reflect upon:
“It is Jesus that you seek when you dream of happiness; He is waiting for you when nothing else you find satisfies you; He is the beauty to which you are so attracted; it is He who provoked you with that thirst for fullness that will not let you settle for compromise; it is He who urges you to shed the masks of a false life; it is He who reads in your heart your most genuine choices, the choices that others try to stifle.
It is Jesus who stirs in you the desire to do something great with your lives, the will to follow an ideal, the refusal to allow yourselves to be ground down by mediocrity, the courage to commit yourselves humbly and patiently to improving yourselves and society, making the world more human and more fraternal.”
Be humble, be patient and make the world more human y’all.
In whatever part of the world you are in, be great in your own little way.
And May you find comfort in the company you keep this year. May it be good as He is good.
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