June and I

The first time I came to America I was 19 years old. Just a teenager! I still remember the first time I met June and her family. How she greeted me in the hallway, in this very house, with her husband and their two kids, Sophie and Ruben. Sophie was 6 and Ruben 4. I have such a clear picture in my mind from that day. I even remember that Sophie was wearing a white dress.

Little did I know then, that June was the woman who was going to change my life forever.

Many years have passed by since that day and so much has happened in both mine and June´s lives. We´ve both been through joy and sorrow, happy times and bad times (actually, very happy times and very bad times) and through it all, we´ve been there for each other. I have seen her beautiful kids grow up and she has seen me become a mother of three beautiful boys. She knows things about me that nobody knows and without her I wouldn´t be the woman that I am today. Not only did she inspire me to become a sign language interpreter, she has also been my saving angel so many times when I was going through horrible things while living in Wasington DC. She is the sister I never had. My soul sister. I love her with all of my heart and I am so grateful to have her in my life.

I love you, Junie Lou <3

Isn´t it amazing how life is?!? There I was, a nineteen years "young" woman, living in her house and helping her out with her children. And twenty years later, I am still here (!!!), in the same house with her. The only thing that is different now from then, is that she is now the one helping me with my children.

June Gordon with Floyd Gordon <3

June having breakfast with my three little ones;

I so, so, so, so love how everything turned out <3

And today, while I was entering Hell,

 
June took my two oldest kids to Gumbo Limbo, a nature center, to look at turtles, fish, butterflies and heeeeeeeeeeeeelp, spiders.

Two happy campers;

Lennon: "Mummy! When I was about to walk out of the weird tree, I looked above me and there was a huge spider. It was a good thing that you didn´t come!"

Come to think of it though... Spiders and shopping malls are pretty much the same for me. They scare the hell out of me.

Lennon in great danger!!!

Luckily he got out of it alive.

With them today came Max, June´s nephew, whom (who? whom? I am a terrible writer in English!) I used to take care of back in the day. I still remember his cute little face when he was three years old, trying to sing "old Macdonald had a farm" in the backseat of the car.

Max, no longer 3...

Max now has two fans. One of ´em hanging from a tree.

Lennon: "Mom! Max and I climbed the tree in June´s garden! And we played ping pong! And he jumped in the pool with us! And, and, and, and....!"

So happy and proud. My heart almost exploded with love and gratefulness!

Following Max...

So.

While Johan, Floyd and I walked around that hugehugehugehuge mall (it wasn´t as bad as I expected, though) (but still bad!!!), our older boys had the best time ever with June and Max. AND they got to speak English without parents to ask for help!

I truly believe that everything happens for a reason. I am sure I was meant to meet June and her wonderful family. There is no doubt in my mind about that. But little did I know back then, that twenty years later, I would be nursing my third child in her backyard while my other two where playing in the pool...

 

Life is a beautiful mystery. And I am truly blessed.

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!