Palm Sunday

Today was a beautiful day for los Ramos (palm sunday). Julia and i went to la misa (mass) at 11:45 and got our palms and stood outside in la plaza, where all the people were gathered. It was so beautiful outside. All of the priests walked outside (the procession) and the rest of the people followed. I was in awe b/c there were so many people. I've never seen so many people try to fit into one church,,more than xmas time. It was so cool, even the little kids were just dressed to adorable and behaved EXTREMELY well. Julia and i didn't get to sit next to each other but we could see each other, so every once and awhile i'd look over and smile at her. There where the cutest 2 little girls prob about 4 or 5 thathad to stand the entire mass with their mom and grandma (b/c there were so many ppl, ppl wer standing in the aisles) but i couldn't believe how well behaved they were. For the entire 50 min they stood and listened, and i would look over and smile at them every once and awhile, and they would smile back hehe,,but they were so well behaved. and their mom had them dressed so cute. My little girls are going to be just as well behaved someday if they have to stand the entire mass at church, and i'm going to dress them as cute too heheh. Oh i cant wait!
Julia and i had a nice photo taken of the two of us afterwards with our palms in la plaza...i asked a stranger just b/c i thought that we looked so nicely dressed, etc. We walked over to Maribel's house afterwards, and they had just gotten home b/c they spent the night in Salinas last night. We are all worried and frustrated a bit with Inoa, b/c in the last month she's lost 9 pounds, and continues to not want to eat. Maribel is so stressed (let only she is a biology professor so she has that stress and now Inoa), so Inoa was in the house, and we talked to her a little. I had a talk to her last night in Salinas, just the two of us, about how i regret doing some of the behavior when i was younger b/c now i am paying the price as i'm having such problmes with the bones in my legs. Man if i would have only known, i would have eaten and drank so much more milk. I hope that she shapes up. Julia's mad at her too. or more worried. we also think she is starting to suffer from depression. It is hard for me to see that b/c it reminds me of someone i know so well who went through that same thing with the same behavior. I recognize everything. It's so amazing how one grows and and changes and realizes however. I know fully understand the importance of when my mom would and does tell me "Honey i know because i've lived longer". I never wanted to believe her b/c i thought i knew it all, but really i dont. Those who are older really do know so much more, and man the things we can learn and take from them if we would only just listen and take what we hear as truth. I tell Ainhoa, but she doesn't want to hear me.
I came home after that, and i went straight to my desk to begin my finalizing for italy. I'm so stressed since we'll be gone for over 12 days, but everything will be fine. I was just mapquesting, doing some banking business, and making sure we know were we are going, have our documents, plane tickets, checking the weight allowances for luggage, things like that
Then this afternoon i worked on my research for the debate i'll have to give after semana santa vacation. This afternoon i went for a run in the park. I was just so mad b/c my legs hurt, but i sucked it up and just went b/c i was mad enough about it. Whether that was good or not..prob not,,i went anyway. God punished me though, b/c it started pouring rain...no kidding...like a downpour rain. I just laughed and kept going until i got to the bridge and i went under it and stretched and waited for the downpour to pass. It was actually really nice for me to just chill, think, and clear my head. Then, all of a sudden, the sky's cleared, and i saw a small rainbow. the sun came back out, and i went one more time around the park. I felt better upon my return :)
For some reason, i was homesick today, really missing mom, dad, ben and lady. I think it's just the anticipation since i know i'm going soon, and im just preparing my self for classes, leaving spain, saying goodbye, etc. It's not going to be easy eiether way i llook at it, b/c i don't want to say goodbye, but i also miss them. I got to skype with mom and it was so wonderful just to see her voice. And ben's too :) and dad. they are just going on with life like usual, but it is so comforting for me to see them. If i've learned anything about life since i've been here, it's this: regardless of how many friends you have, how many boys mis-treat you or hurt you, how many hardships or setbacks you've had to go through, and how many people you've made mistakes with, your family never stops loving you. They never stop caring, believin in you, supporting you, and caring for you. Even when you don't see it, they are still there, loving you and waiting for you to see them. If i could teach anything in this world, it would be this--because it is so true,,and so often we don't see that.
I got my hair cut last week--a real European style haircut. I couldn't look at the floor when he was done however b/c there was SO much hair on the floor omg. i don't even want to think about it. But guys i LOVE it, it is so much cuter..still long, but i have layers ALL over, and my hair has so much more body now! It has been fun wearing it down b/c of this, and it will be so fun when i get home to use my curling iron hehe . I really nice Spanish guy cut it for me at this peluqueria near my house. Now after all my friends saw it they want to go there too, so that is good. And it was so cheap..just 9,50 Euros! My friend Maribel from the med school (we go to class their together) came with me just since i was so nervous and wanted a good speaker to accompany me incase i needed help explaining. But we did a good job :)
Tonight i just finished some homework, so i think i will just go to bed since i will have a very busy day tomorrow with classes and preparations for the trip.
I wil bring my laptop along since i have to do some homework (unfortunately :( ) but that way i'll be able to update you as we go.
All my love,
Lorena Beatriz