I think two months is more like a blink...

Is it still today? Really?? I think that 12 hours ago I was freezing in -22 degree weather. Goodness it's been a long day! Since its late and I'm tired, I am going to try to keep this short (ha. ha. ha.) and a summary of my day, not a novel.....

Because of our flight being delayed five hours, I got to see the sunrise from above the clouds. Due to my all-nighters two nights in a row, I slept through the very beginning, but if you haven't seen a sunrise (or sunset) from a plane, I would add it to your bucket list.

No, the picture isn't much, but you'll have to take my word for it.

As we neared Costa Rica, my excitement grew from Christmas morning to winning the lottery kind of excited. Ask Kayla. I was pretty pumped. As we came in for the landing I made her videotape it because this is the moment I feel in love with Costa Rica ten months ago:

Okay, I'm failing at good photos. Blame my iPod and multiply beauty by 100 and take my word for it: it's breath taking. The mountains and valleys and ridges and trees... Perfection in landscape, really. Costa Rica is popular for good reason. (Darn. I'm rambling...)

After getting settled into our third choice hostel because the taxi driver didn't know where the first two were, we took a selfie to show our excitement. Er...my excitement. Pretty sure Kayla was ready to call it a day at five.

Buuut no way I was going to let that happen! I had places to go and people to see! It was crazy how everything seems so familiar, as if I have been living here for the last year instead of just dreaming about it.

We walked down the road taking in the crazy sights and sounds of downtown San Jose; the buses, the smog, the well dressed business people that without fail smelled like they stepped out of a perfume shop. 

We found a place to eat and indulged on INCREDIBLE meat and rice and beans and plantains - typical Central American meal that gets me every time.

Can you say yyyuuuummmm!?!?!

After the meal I was anxious and impatient. Kayla wanted to relax and take it slow and let her brain adjust to culture shock overload and I wanted to see my friends and jump back into the bus system and see everything that made me fall in love with the crazy city.

We walked down this road -- the road that leads me to my second home. I was going to see my host family and I couldn't contain my excitement. I had cried my eyes out when I left them last year with no plans of returning (but my host sister was sure I would.) I hadn't contacted them at all since I'd left and crazy thoughts were running through my head - what if they weren't home? What I'd they didn't remember me!?!?  Well, they definitely hadn't forgotten me.

I walked up the familiar street - the same houses, and even the same cars parked out front. I walked up to the door and heard my host mom talking inside and I had to step back and jump around in excitement before talking to her. I missed them like crazy!!! I said hola, and after a moment of squinting in the dark my mama came and hugged me excitedly. A moment later Diana came out and grabbed me and hugged me for a full two minutes and said she never wanted to let me go.

We talked excitedly, introduced Kayla, and spent the night helping rearrange furniture and then enjoying more rice and tortilla chips. They refused to let us leave without eating. They're so beautiful, so welcoming. 

I was reintroduced to baby Milenna, who has grown a ton since last April! She's a year and eight months old and soadorableshemakesmyhearymelt.

That would be her favorite face. She refuses to smile but will gladly make that face for the pictures. Her mama just rolls her eyes.

Some heartbreaking news, though.

My dear abuela (grandma) passed away two months ago. Deep down, I knew she had, even before I arrived, but I hoped she would be there with her quiet, comforting love an presence. She had been 92 and passed away in her sleep, active until her last day, despite fighting colon cancer. Prayers would be appreciated for the family, especially my host mama who has always lived with her mother. She's having such a hard time and doesn't want to be home anymore.

Annywayy, enough with the sadness, everything else is so wonderful. Even Chester, a real live grumpy cat! 

I'm pretty sure even he missed me!

Anyway, that was my day in a nutshell. There will be many more observations and details in the coming months, I am sure. For now, pura vida amigos! :)