Dios te bendiga!

We just had a FABULOUS time with two of Rachel's main respite workers and their families! We haven't been all together since the funeral. Esperanza and her husband are from Columbia and they brought their two kids.  Jose and Patricia are from El Salvador and their son Melvin came too.  They made Mexican/El Salvador tacos for us and we had some Canadian rhubarb crisp and ice cream for dessert.  The kids put on a little show for us, dressed in costumes.  And we laughed and laughed.  It was so good, so very good. 


I feel richly blessed to know these beautiful people.  For a long time, I missed our daily ritual of passing Rachel back and forth, asking each other about our days (and nights).  We had the shared bond of knowing Rachel but we also shared each other's griefs and struggles. So very often I walked away from these conversations with a feeling of utter amazement.....at their JOY in the midst of grief (!), at how they sensed God pursuing them, and these conversations often inspired me to focus on what really matters.  Our story with Rachel may be on a blog but there are so many other stories too.....and what a priviledge it has been to have known their stories.  I learned so much from these friends.  And I love that God brought these specific people and us together.  I feel so full, so thankful tonight...


This is what we often said to each other as we passed Rachel, from our arms to theirs, at the end of the day.  Or rather - they said it and I mangled it! I'm not sure how to write it.  If you speak Spanish, you can correct me! "Dios te bendiga!" (God bless you!)


and....
Buenas noches! (Good night!)

Patricia cooking up a storm for us!

Esperanza fixing Abigail's bunny - the ear came off.