Last two days in Elm Mott, TX before going to NM

I had a great time during my month in Elm Mott at Homestead Heritage. I got to spend time with friends and do many activities. I want to let you know that I am always made to feel welcome and special.  I left there on Friday, September 21st.

One day early in the week before I left, Kim was sitting at the table and when I joined her she said she is planning meals for the rest of the week and she wanted to know what my favorite food or foods are. I said I like most anything and I named pizza, Italian food, Mexican food, etc. I also said that I like the duck enchiladas or tacos that they make.  I didn’t think anything else about the food.  Wednesday night Kim said that the Durkin family will be having dinner with us on Thursday night and I said great since I had not seen them because they were away most of the time I was there.

On Thursday afternoon, I offered to help prepare dinner and was told I was not to help, just sit and relax.  So I did. Didi was baking a carob cake and I thought that was nice to have for dessert. The girls usually bake dessert, or make great sorbets for dessert when they have company. A while later Kevin, Kelly, and the girls came over and we all sit down for dinner. When the plates of food were served, it was Mexican rice and duck enchiladas and salad… now I know why Kim wanted to know what food I liked. They told me that this is my going away dinner. After we ate and then sat around and talked for a while, the lights went out and the girls came in with a birthday cake with candles for me. Boy was I surprised!!! I had no idea.  My birthday is September 26th and since I was not going to be there on that date they did a birthday dinner before I left.  Everyone in the Gristmill gave me a basket with various Gristmill mixes and a beautiful card thanking me for all the help I was to them. The Yardens and Durkins gave me a special filtered water bottle so I can drink water safely on my trip, even from streams if necessary.

Friday morning, before I left, I had family time with the Yardens, then breakfast which consisted of a hot cereal and also homemade cranberry scones that were baked fresh that morning. I was given a lot of scones and some pieces of my birthday cake to snack on during my trip.

Sister Jean said I could pick a few of the pomagranates off her trees, so I picked four of them to snack on later on. It’s really interesting to see them grow. In the spring they are bright red flowers, then little fruit start growing. They hang down from stems on the tree, sort of like mangos, but the trees are not as large as mango trees. I found out that there are white pomagranates and red ones. The white ones have the fruit inside that is white with just a touch of red, versus the red ones which have only red fruit inside. I think they taste about the same.

After breakfast, Shahar and John changed the oil and filter in the van, checked all the fluids, and tire pressure and sent me on my way with a family prayer for a safe journey. How loved I feel being a welcome part of the families that are my friends in Elm Mott. I wished them a safe journey since they were going away for the weekend. I have my spot reserved for when I return in early November.

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