HOPING YOUR HOLIDAYS WERE JOYFUL

AND WISHING US ALL THE BEST FOR A HAPPIER NEW YEAR !!

It's been a while since I've sent out our holiday update.... to be honest, I'm coming off a few years that were more than usually unmanageable !! Many good things, but also

a few that slowed me down.

Starting with Art Workshops and our friends in Guatemala. I am happy to say that they are all doing well!! I worry about Dona Filo's health, and Dona Felisa's age ... but man oh man, they

keep just plugging along ... Gracias a Dios, as they say. I am very grateful they are all a part of my life. Dona Filo and

a few of her daughters (that is Mirna) brought me to see what had been San Miguel los Lotes,

the first village in the path of the lava flow erupting from Fuego last June. It was total devastation. The villagers built a wall with the drawing which says - you are our heroes - to all the people who came and helped during the tragedy.

Lidia and her family are doing well... Here's Lidia and Odilia during one of our photo shoots at San Francisco. Dona Felisa, their mother, is now in her mid 80's and honestly she never changes !! She just keeps on weaving and walking up and down that big hill up to their house, often barefoot and always with a big smile on her face.

I
ran just one workshop this year .. a Mayan Culture and Textile group

to Nebaj in February ...
It was FABULOUS !!

We hadn't been to Nebaj for years. I was so glad to get back up and reconnect with folks, not to mention I put out one email flyer and it filled with a wait list.

That's my kind of trip.

So I will do it again soon.

We stopped to visit Magna (holding the red threads) at her cooperative on the way . Her daughter Linda explained the process - in English. They are also doing well and very much appreciate our visits. Kathleen (in the blue blouse) is the person who introduced me to Magna years ago. She lives in Minneapolis part time (summers of course) and brought Magna up this September. I had a potluck and we sat around my fire pit in the backyard. It was great fun. I would love to bring Dona Filo up to the states sometime. She is dying to visit ! If anybody wants to help with that, please let me know.

And here is Edith ... loaded down with bags as she
helped folks get their stuff on the boat in Pana, coming from Nebaj on our way  to the lovely Posada in Santiago Atitlan.

What would I do without Edith ??!! She posts a ton on facebook, so I think most of you are up on her life, including that she is over the moon about her daughter Melanie winning the title of Little Miss Earth Guatemala 2018.

I know I have mentioned that I am putting more focus on

Maya spirituality and healing in the workshops I am offering. This has included working more with Juana in Chichi and Dolores in Santiago Atitlan, in addition to Calixta in Antigua,

for Maya ceremonies and instruction. They are all doing well, and I wish I had room for pictures of everyone !!

That includes Ceci, she is very busy (and happy, by the way) and hasn't had time to work with us lately.

But she still feels a part of the family.

That bring us to us - my kids and now a grandchild !!

Yes I am a grandma, and love all the joys that brings. Although it also brings more than the usual challenges.

Jessenia is doing well, very well as a matter of fact. She moved in with friends just a few days after Tommy graduated from high school.

I must admit I wasn't sure how she would do on

her own, but she is doing just fine, thank you.

She works with the zip line at the Mall of America, loves her job, has a very sweet boyfriend,

so all is right in her world.

Tommy graduated high school this spring,

which is a huge milestone. He also has a lovely son, Sebastian, who is just as sweet and goofy and active as his dad was.

In fact, I couldn't get him to stop fooling around and rolling his eyes back for our Christmas picture, so I just went with it.



When we have him with us, I take him down

for walks at Lake Harriet, just blocks from our

house in Minneapolis. I thought it would be nice

for you to see him looking like a normal kid.

Tommy is working at the YMCA as a swim instructor

and pursing dance, his passion.   He just finished an intro dance video, has a utube channel, all that stuff. We found his birthfather a few years ago. He discovered he has siblings in Los Angeles and that has been a wonderful addition to his life.

As for me, well ... the plan was get Tommy through school and then be able to concentrate a bit more on business, finally get to those other countries I've been threatening to offer workshops in, spend at least winters in Guatemala, finally put away some money and get a life! And hopefully, slowly but surely, I am getting to those things.

I visited the Washington DC area this spring when I took Tommy for his high school choir field trip. All the folks I visited while there were participants, helpers and/or instructors, who have all become friends, from Art Workshops in Guatemala. Here I'm with June Geoffrey (took writing and photo) and her daughter Delia Sullivan (taught yoga and also took photo workshops).

It was great, and I hope to get out more in the future. Also, I am FINALLY getting to

Cuba and will at look at how it might work for workshops for us.

We think of you all fondly ,with love and gratitude,

and send our best regards and warm thoughts to all of you who have joined us, and become friends, over the past 25 years. Come visit us again !!

Abrazos fuertes de Liza, Jessenia, Tommy, Edith, Dona Filo and family, Lidia and family,
Magna, Ceci, Calixta, Dolores, Karin and all the rest of our friends in Guatemala.....

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