January 13

I went sledding today, and I had forgotten how fun it can be. Sliding down the hill, the wind whipping in your face, and if you're lucky flying over the snow mound at the bottom and tumbling into the street. Unfortunately the snow was too soft to build the snowman my friend Carolyn and I were so excited about, but overall it's fun to be a kid again. My mom and Leonel took me to a Chinese buffet for dinner, and they had something to "discuss" with me.  As I filled my stomach with things we Americans call Chinese, I wondered what it could be they had to say. I was a little bit scared because I had no idea if it was bad or good. Finally after we had finished eating everything Leonel said he had something very hard to tell me. He told me how important I am to him and how he sees me as a daughter, which is why this was to hard to get out. With tears in his eyes he stated that at the end of this month he would go back home to Brazil and he would have to leave my family and me. It was hard to comprehend this because Leonel has always said he was going back to Brazil, but this time it was for real. He said he had already sold his truck, which is everything to him. Of course all stupid me said was "I love that truck." Leonel relied "yes so do I, but I love you and Eric so much more." To see him so emotional was heart wrenching. I couldn't get out the right words to say how much I would miss him and to thank him for all he has done for my family. Leonel is one of the hardest working people I have ever met. He has such determination and drive to do things for other people out of the kindness of his heart. I envy that and I hope that someday I can be as generous as he was to me. As I sit here and write this post my sweatshirt still reeks of the buffet (barf). I don't think I said what I wanted to say to Leonel or expressed my gratitude for him enough. I'm going to write a letter to him so I can get everything out and make sure it conveys my great amount of sorrow, but also my appreciation for what he has done.