Family and a New Room/ Familia y un nuevo cuarto

One thing I was looking forward to was being closer to family. On Wednesday, my Grandpa G spent the afternoon with us at my parents' house. This picture is of my mom and her daddy--my grandpa.

Una cosa que me emocionaba al pensar en volver para los E.U. era estar màs cerca de mi familia. El mièrcoles, mi abuelo G pasò la tarde con nosotros en casa de mis papàs. Esta foto es de mi mamà con su papà--mi abuelo.

I´ve also been enjoying setting up my new room and decorating it with souvenirs of Puerto Rico. On one wall I have the typical parranda instruments, a tostonera for making fried plantains, a pilòn for making mashed fried plantains (mofongo), and several Puerto Rican handcrafts.

He disfrutado tambièn de acomodar mi nuevo cuarto y decorarlo con recuerdos de Puerto Rico. En una pared tengo los instrumentos tìpicos de parranda, una tostonera, un pilòn y varias artesanìas puertorriqueñas.

Northern Spring/ La Primavera del Norte

I arrived in the States on Tuesday, April 27. It was so exciting for me to come home during spring. I decided to go for a walk and take pictures of God's beautiful creation--of things I hadn't seen for a while.

Lleguè a los E.U. el martes, 27 de abril. Fue tan emocionante para mì regresar en època de primavera. Decidì a caminar y sacar fotos de la bella creaciòn de Dios--de cosas que hacìa tiempo que no habìa visto.

The tulips are from my parents´ yard. The bird in the tree is a robin. There are no robins in Puerto Rico. It was exciting for me to see one.

Los tulipanes son del patio de mis papàs. El pàjaro en el àrbol es un petirrojo. Ya que no hay petirrojos en Puerto Rico, para mì fue muy emocionante verlo.

New Blogger/ Una blogger nueva

Today I decided to start a blog in order to stay in touch with the friends that God has given me all over the world. I also uploaded many e-mail updates of my adventures while living in the beautiful isle of Borinquen. Now I´m embarking on a new adventure in the land of blizzards and looking forward to what God has in store. Although older posts are in English, from this point on, I will write in both English and Spanish.

Hoy decidì a empezar un blog para mantenerme en contacto con las amistades de todas partes del mundo que Dios me ha dado. Tambièn, pude subir muchos e-mails de las aventuras que vivì en la bella isla de Borinquen. Ahora estoy empezando otra aventura en la tierra de las nevadas grandas y tengo ganas de ver lo que Dios tiene planeado para mì. Aunque los ¨posts¨ viejos son en inglès, de aquì en adelante, escribirè en inglès y español.

Lìmber de leche

This is a recipe that my titi (aunt) C makes. Lìmber is a frozen treat typical of Puerto Rico. It´s good! This recipe makes about twenty 3-oz. limbers.


Ingredients for milk mixture
4 c. milk
1 can (12 oz.) evaporated milk
1 can (13.5 oz.) coconut milk (optional)
2 c. sugar

Ingredients for egg mixture
1 egg yolk
1 T. sugar
½ T. cinnamon
¼ t. salt
1 T. vanilla

In a large saucepan, combine the milk, evaporated milk, coconut milk and 2 c. sugar. Warm and stir occasionally until the sugar dissolves completely. Do not boil.
In a separate bowl, combine egg yolk, 1 T. sugar, cinnamon, salt and vanilla. Stir egg mixture with a spoon until it is very smooth and blended. If necessary, spoon some of the warm milk into the egg mixture to make it easier to mix.
Add the egg mixture to the milk in the saucepan and stir. If the sugar is still not dissolved, keep warming the milk and stirring it occasionally.
Taste it! If you like, you can add a little more sugar.
Pour into plastic cups (3 or 5 oz.) and freeze.
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For variety, titi C suggests trying to add one or more of these ingredients:
rice, corn meal, farina, oatmeal (cooked in the milk mixture)
1/8 t. ground clove
1 star anise

Saying Farewell

The countdown begins... My last day in PR is just 6 days away. A door is opening to the next, new adventure in my life. It's exciting to see family again, yet sad to leave people that I have grown to care for here. It's also an exercise in trust since I don't know what the future will hold although I have some plans. It's also a good time to reflect upon what the Lord has done here in PR.

He gave me very kind co-workers.

He gave me Christian landlords and a furnished apartment with a roof terrace! (I turned over my apartment two days ago and am currently staying with my aunt's family until I leave.)

He gave me a good church, where I enjoyed helping with the children and music ministries. The Lord gave me one of my dreams here--to be a part of a praise team!

He is my Healer and Protector. The surgery (Sep. 2008) left almost no visible scars. (I know where to look, but other people can't tell.)

He provided someone to buy my car yesterday, and I can still use the car until I leave!

He gave me His creation to enjoy--wild parrots, chirping tree frogs, tiny lizards, big iguanas, Caribbean beaches, tropical rains, palm trees and exotic flowers, rainforest waterfalls, green mountains, arid hills, cacti, people. (Even fire ants, spiders, and mosquitos are part of his creation although I admit that I do not enjoy them as much...lol)

He gave me a chance to play handbells with the staff at the school for the deaf.

He provided E, who gave me a temporary place to stay and who has also been a wonderful friend.

Now, as I go to the States, I am looking forward to being closer to my parents and siblings and to having some good friends. I am also looking forward to visiting my Alma Mater (a Bible college in the midwest) and staying in the dorm. room of one of my closest friends.