Why Julie Mango?

So not that anyone cares - but I thought I'd fill you in on why I'm Julie Mango.

Now lest you think I've quit being The Princess - as they say on the Island - no worries, mon. I will always be The Princess. But when I first arrived on the Island - I decided I needed to reach out and make friends, thus I started going to a Mom's prayer group at my church.

So these woman who were somewhat familiar w/ the little white girl from the US were so very kind to me and took me right under their wings. Especially Sister Janet, the wife of the elder of the church. Sister Janet is a British woman who is one of my favorite people on the entire Island. It was she who for memory sake decided to give me what she calls a "pet name."

Turns out there is a type of mango called the Julie Mango. Thus, my pet name. Apparently the Julie Mango is quite sweet. This I like. It's also shaped funny, as all mangoes are - I choose to believe that has nothing to do w/ why it reminds Sister Janet of me. Although, that said - funny thing about living in the Caribbean. I live in a place which is a mixture of so many different cultures - some of which have no problem mentioning it to you when you gain weight. Yay me! Like the other day when I took off my sunglasses to say hello to my friend who works at the pharmacy at the hospital. She was looking at me like she didn't recognize me, so I started to say, "I know - it's the blonde wig (chemo patient)." I said that at the same time she was saying, "You're face - it's so round, I didn't recognize you." Speechless. Which you will learn if you don't know it already - I am not.

Back to the topic at hand. So right after my new friends named me Julie Mango - I'm outside w/ my husband, Scott, and my son, Jesse, and someone rides by in her car, reaches her arm out the window and waves and yelled, "Helllllllooooooo, Julie Mango!" My husband smiled and looked at me for explanation, but recognized my happy face knowing I had friends in this new place and might stop the crying.

Probably the day I decided - I'm home. Yes, definitely the day this became home.

Julie Mango