New Girl in Town - Dec 30

A second child from Peru, Veronica, arrived today at Tampa Airport. She and her mother, Ynez, will join Luz at their quarters in east Tampa. Veronica has spent the past sixteen months in the Pediatric Ortho Ward at Los Ninos Hospital, Lima, Peru. Veronica is nine years old and a triple amputee and has been accepted as a patient at Shriners, Tampa, the same as Luz. They became instant friends. Luz is missing part of her right arm, Veronica is missing part of her left arm. Veronica also has no legs. We have started a weblog for Veronica, just as we did this one for Luz. Veronica's weblog is located at: http://veronica-andes.blogspot.com/

If you think you might want to edit and publish the blog for Veronica let me know. It is really an easy task and will give a different writing perspective to Veronica's blog as opposed to Luz'.

Christmas Day 2008

After dinner on Christmas Eve, we cut out and glued construction paper decorations and hung them on the tree. Soon Luz fell fast asleep and Nancy and I said our goodnights and left before Santa Claus arrived. On Christmas Day we found that Santa had left many gifts under the tree. Luz finished with her decorations and opened gifts. Papa Noel had found Luz in spite of the distance from her home.

We all agreed, with no lights or commercial decorations, it was the most beautiful Christmas tree we had seen.

A turkey dinner with all the trimmings, even a pumpkin pie made the day perfect.

Christmas Eve

Luz arrived in Tampa on Christmas Eve after a long journey from her village of Juanjui, Peru. She slept through much of the boat and plane rides over the 2 1/2 days of travel and arrived at Tampa Airport at 10:00 AM Christmas Eve. After a short rest period at the house, we headed to Sacred Heart Church in Tampa for the Childrens Christmas Pageant and Christmas Eve Mass.

Eliana arrived by train from Miami, where her flight from Peru landed yesterday but there was no connecting flight to Tampa. After mass we met Eli at the train station and headed back to the house for a waiting Christmas Eve dinner of Chicken, Yellow Rice, Black Beans and Tamales. It was good to have our little girl back with us again.

An artificial Christmas Tree had appeared but lacked any decorations. What better way to spend Christmas Eve than with those you love making decorations for a Christmas tree. More later.

Additional Thanks

Luz has friends in Jacksonville, Florida.
If you are hungry and in Jacksonville, FL, or anyplace within 100 miles of Jacksonville, it would be worth the effort to head to Piscos Restaurant. Sorry, no "Cuy", but everything else Peruvian can be found on the great menu, put together by Virginia and her staff. Evelyn or Elise will be happy to serve you. In my own opinion, the Parihuela is the best. While there, drop a donation in the jar for Luz.
Piscos Restaurant
Pescados, Mariscos y Comida Criolla
4131 Southside Blvd
Jacksonville, FL 32216
Tel: 904 646 3888

Additional locations where you can find donation containers have been established at:
Rene's Barbershop
306 W. Robertson Ave
Brandon
(near the SunTrust Drive thru)
See Teri or Rene for the best haircuts.
They made me look like Brad Pitt
Well.....almost...

The Young Texans Produce
South Parsons at Wheeler Road
Brandon
Only the best, Produce, Plants,
Paving Stones and Landscaping.
Their Boiled Peanuts are the best.