My morning started face to face with a nun greeting me in full habit. Once again I've slept until 7am without waking. She says, "Buenos Dias Peregrina" and then makes little walking motion with her fingers to let me know that I need to get a move on. Clearly Saint James isn't going to come to me. I quickly pack my goodies and resist the strong urge I have to snap a quick picture of her making the bed in the next room.
My goal today is 26.8k away in Terradillos and will mark the halfway point for my journey. I find it hard to believe but at the same time find it to be very empowering. (251 miles completed!)
I begin walking without breakfast & decide that I'll stop after 15k. It's a straight shot all on road, which some people are finding to be difficult, but as long as the sun is shining, I am a happy girl! The path however, changes unexpectedly after 10k to flat gravel road through farm fields, this is lovely.
I stop at the first place that I come upon and have a great feast. Scrambled eggs with cheese, ham, & mushrooms. The first time I've seen this in Spain. As I head out I see Cheri & Annette sitting outside. They suggest making a booking because they've heard that many places are already full. I call to find that only a double is available for 45 euro, but Cheri offers to share with me, so we are set. Cheri is planning to take her time so this works out well for her too. I head off with a much more relaxed feeling to know that I have a bed no matter how late I arrive.
As I come through Terradillos I know it marks the completion of half my journey. I look at the time in Honolulu and see that it's midnight but I decide to try Login anyhow. I've only spoken with her once during my trip, at Mother's Day, and I got all choked up and started crying when I had to say goodbye to her. I am so glad when I hear her groggy little voice answering on the other end of the line. I know that today was her last day of classes for junior year and it's hard knowing that I'm not there to do our usual end of year celebrations. We walk together and talk for 2k while she tells me all about her end of year awards and her final grades. It feels as if she's right next to me. Eventually we say our goodbyes and I continue along with this amazing young lady on my mind.
As a sophomore in high school, she found herself in a very tough position. Her father had taken a posting in Hawaii her freshman year which, he was told, would only be for two years since he was going without his child. During the two years she spilt her time, continuing to go to school in the lovely little (North) Lakewood, Washington where she was thriving and then heading to Hawaii to see her dad during school breaks and summer holiday. This meant that she couldn't continue her summers as a camp counselor at Camp Kiloqua, she couldn't attend summer training with the wrestling team she managed, she also missed piano lessons for these breaks and she couldn't get a part time job to begin saving for college as her brother & sister had. It also meant that her dad missed everything that happened with her during the school year.
When Brooke found that his orders were actually written for 3 years vice two and went to see what leeway he had in his command, he was told that they would be happy to extend a year but not to allow an early transfer. Login was devastated to think that he would now most likely miss her last two years of high school as well.
I was just finishing up my Masters program, and while very happy in our little Lakewood hamlet as well with loads of people we loved, I knew that once they finish high school and go to college, it's just never the same. I told her to do some soul searching and decide what she felt she wanted to do. What a decision for a 16 year old, but I've never believed in raising the children without letting them make life choices along the way, and at 16 years old, she tends to be more self-aware, mature and reflective than many adults. She visited her dad one more time during spring break and then came back to Washington ready to make the move.
She left a school of 500 students, all of which she knew, and the teachers as well, to go to a school with over 2,000 students and knowing none of them. She started the year off with a schedule of AP & honors classes and an additional online class she would do on her own time from home. She started concert choir and was quickly nominated as the music board representative and then was asked to play some accompaniment pieces as well. She has continued her private lessons and study of piano, and has worked hard and grown bounds as a musician. She took drivers Ed, as well as her drivers examination test, and is now driving with confidence (and caution) in chaotic Honolulu, Hawaii traffic. She took every Red Cross certification class that was offered and began babysitting to fill her free time and to save money for college. She has become the babysitter for many of our Ft. Shafter families and in just one year has saved (I can't say the exact amount, but it's very impressive!) thousands of dollars for college. I have seen her babysit for three different families in one day, and work the scheduling out with ease. What's even more impressive to me is how much she loves and enjoys these kids and their parents.
She hit the ground running, and when she was making her way and selecting friends, she didn't mess around. There was not enough time to spend with people whose goals didn't align with hers, so she learned to quickly recognize friendships that weren't healthy and positive and let them go. This is so hard as a new student in a big school, but she rocked it, and has some great friends now going into senior year.
As she finishes her year with a 3.94 gpa, and a 107% in her online class, awarded the Moanalua Music Award for Most Outstanding in Chorus, and placed on the Moanalua High School Music Wall of Fame for her contributions this year, I'm just astounded by her courage in making this move, and her determination to make the very best of it.
There's honestly not enough I can say about how genuine, kind, and bright this beautiful girl is. I am so proud of her for the decisions she's made and the hard work she's put in this year. I can't wait to celebrate with her on June 16th!
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