A Special Kind of Love

 This is a view from our front patio. The water tank on the left is one of the many ways my family collects their water from the rain.

 This is my youngest host sister, Kimvong, having a playful water fight with her mom.

 When ever it pours she likes to run outside and run in the rain. I have yet been able to find that determination but I'm slowly starting to lean towards that idea. Maybe next time...

 My sister and host mom wanted to take full advantage of the rain and wash their hair in it.

 This is my other host sister, Kelly. She is the eldest of my three sisters.

This has probably got to be my most favorite picture that I've taken since I've been here. Not only does Kimvong look adorable she also reminds me so much of my family from back home, especially my nieces. It's been a great comfort to hear her laughs and to see her smiles. Each time I hear her laughing I think of my niece Annie. Their laughs, their humor and their playful, kind hearts are similar in so many ways. We like to play jokes on each other...the same way my  nieces and I would play jokes on each other. :) 

 

This is a short footage of the rains drops falling.

Later on in the evening my family started making a delcious dessert made out of coconut and rice wrapped in banana leaves.

 Kimvong reminds me so much of my nieces but I should also say that the rest of my host family makes me feel just as much love and support as my family from back home gave me. I truely am grateful and feel blessed. I left my great family and traveled thousands of miles to be apart of another endearing family that has made me feel completely welcomed and loved.

 After filling each banana leaf with the paste, they let them sit and bake in a container outside that was sitting on top of a burner. They weren't ready until the next morning but needless to say, it was a delicous treat to wake up to.