Alahonda (Cori at Aldea)

Dear Southern Cross-

We definitely have had a strange week this week with the kids back in school. . . the Aldea is . . . quiet. Something that hasn't really happened since we have been there. It has been quite weird, but its great to see how these kids are so busy and have so much going for their futures. The mornings however are quite different. This week I wanted to highlight the Alahondra in casa 9. I was looking at the part that said she was shy on the website, which is definitely true. . . at first. :) Once she is comfortable with you she is so playful, full of laughter, and such a jokester. So one of the nights we were sitting playing jacks. . . Wow! That girl is amazing at jacks, its fun to see how patient she was in teaching me when she was simply incredible. We had so much fun chasing the ball around on the floor when I messed up over and over again. Alahondra, Antonia, and I just laughed, laughed, and laughed. Great girls, who again taught me what true joy is, that you can find it in the simple things in life. And that communication really is heart to heart. She also is quite the cuddly girl, when I was watching something with all the girls in the casa she was sitting with the other girls and you could tell she wanted her way to feel loved. She would lay her head down on the laps of the older girls, it was adorable, at the same time it hurt me. Hard to see that these kids don't necessarily get that same love you would receive from a mom/daughter relationship, a sister/sister relationship. I know that they are all family here, and I absolutely love how that happens here, but it still made me wish she had a chance to feel that, made me wish she could experience that. But one thing I admire about her, is that she loves so much and that is how she receives love is by giving love too. I wish I could learn that myself. What an example she is in my life.