Going Home Part 2

Today we are leaving the place where my hubby and I grew up, 

the place where we spent our childhood, met each other and got married. 

It will always be "home" to us even though we were both born elsewhere - 

my husband from Cuba and myself from Chicago,

but our lives are rooted in Miami and we will always carry special memories from this place.

It didn't look quite like this when we lived here.
There are a lot more people now, and way more overpasses, but still a beautiful sky!

We visited with Mima (my mother-in-law) most of yesterday.

She lives in Little Havana. 

In all honesty, it's a very congested, run-down area of Miami, 

but that is where she has chosen to live. 

She lives in a two-story apartment building on the second floor. 

There is no central air conditioning 

only a window unit in her bedroom. 

It's a tiny apartment and very congested, but she seems happy. 

She likes being in control of her life, and is very independent.

She has one daughter who still lives in Miami 

but about 30-40 minutes away depending on the traffic. 

The rest of the family moved to Central Florida years ago.

The remaining daughter, Noemi, visits Mima several times each week. 

She cleans for Mima, does laundry, and oversees Mima's medical care. 

She makes sure Mima has food and pays for hot meals to be delivered every day. 

It's a huge responsibility -believe me, I know!

Mima is blessed to have her daughter to take care of her, 

even though Noemi has her own family to take care of. 

Now we are heading back home to where we live.

A place we truly love. A place where we raised our boys, 

they met their wives and had their children. 

So it's with mixed emotions that I leave behind the remains of my parents

 and my father-in-law, too, but their real life is in Heaven now. 

They are happy and whole and more alive than they ever were on this earth. 

I look forward to seeing them again one day

and letting go of all the worries and struggles of this life 

but until that day comes I want to live life to the fullest, 

and share God's love wherever I go. 

My kids may not need me as much, but I think my grandkids do.

I love them so much!!!!!

😘😘😘😘

Still, Manny and I are always sad to leave this place, 

and to leave these loved ones behind, 

even though we would never want to live here again

(Uh-oh - they say never to say "never", lol).

But we truly love the town we live in - so quaint, and "hometown" like

and we long to see our children and the smiling faces of our grandchildren! 

But this morning, before we left, we visited one of our favorite eateries

We had breakfast there, along with my favorite Cuban Coffee

Cafe Con Leche 

AND we bought lots of yummy pastries to take home to our kids. 

I did pretty good on this trip, but I always joke about how much more I would weigh 

if I lived down here! 

Here are some reasons why:

Ay, mi madre!