Aqui! Safe and sound

Buenas noches!

Mom and I had a (mostly) uneventful trip to Piura. We were so lucky to spend last night with Erin in Chicago and hit the ground running at 4 o' clock this morning. The only potentially big/ hopefully fixable hiccup we encountered (aside from aggressive seat recliners and an incident with a bloody nose) was a mishap at immigration in Lima- you know, where mistakes are casually shrugged off! The agent stamping my passport accidentally processed my paperwork for a 30 day stay instead of 60 days. We are still unsure as to how this will be rectified, but are keeping our fingers crossed that this will not dramatically affect our travel plans.

These last 2 1/2 weeks have been a whirlwind for both of us. I left my job, accepted a new one across the country, moved out of my apartment and Grandpa was admitted to St. V's. I think both of us have been waiting for the reality of our leaving the country for a couple months to sink in. Today was truly the first time I allowed myself to feel apprehension and with that, soul crushing self-doubt and a near paralyzing sense of "What did we i get myself into?" It is late, so I hope you will forgive the hyperbole. This is, perhaps, an inadequate way of articulating just how incredibly GRATEFUL I am to be sharing this experience with my mom.

When my mom called me one night to tell me she had been thinking a lot about this opportunity and wanted to join (you should ask her someday about her childhood plans of becoming a missionary nun), it would be dishonest of me not to admit I had mixed feelings. I loved the idea of her companionship from the get-go, but at 28 years old, was hesitant about the idea of carrying my mom along like a security blanket. The ridiculousness of that notion was eschewed from my consciousness almost as swiftly as it entered. Aside from being an excellent travel companion, an adventurous spirit and a familiar face in a foreign country, my mom is one of my best friends and one of my favorite people to spend time with-- domestically or abroad :). I have nothing but extreme gratitude for her for embarking on this adventure with me so wholeheartedly and trustingly. Though we are less than 24 hours into this journey, I can't imagine taking this leap of faith without her.

I would be remiss not to also mention at this time the tremendous gratitude and love I have for my dad, sister and extended family for supporting this endeavor. An emphatic THANK YOU is in order for our entire family, but especially to my dad, for giving us roots, wings and peace of mind that our home and Grandpa will be well cared for in our absence. Though rooted in the best intentions, I feel there is something inherently selfish about this trip. I craved change, adventure, an opportunity to reconnect with a part of my soul I had lost and a people I remember as being among the most hospitable and generous I have ever encountered. In the contemplation of this trip and chaos of the last month, I was reminded that I really have the best family and friends a gal could ask for and am so thankful for all of your support and encouragement.

I apologize for the novel of a blog post (word vomit is better than actual nervous vomit, right?) and promise to be more concise and articulate in the future. We were able to touch base with Dad and Facetime Grandpa from Lima, which was a pleasant surprise and are now nestled in our room at the parish in Piura. We are hoping to rest peacefully and thank you for your prayers for safe travels

Suenas dulces,

Kathleen (not to be confused with Cathy, which has already proven to be problematic with the locals)