A Case of the Mondays? NO WAY!

Mondays are different for me than for most people.  (You are probably saying, "Only Mondays?  Your whole LIFE is different from most people's!"  Okay.  I'll give you that.)  On Mondays I usually wake up and think 'Yay!!!!  I get to see the kids again today!'  For me "A case of the Mondays" means a day to be excited about the week to come.  I am very blessed.  Not enough people can say that.

So I woke up excited this morning.  Turned on some music and sang through my morning rituals.  Jairo called to ask me to meet him at the pulperia.  I'm sure he had no idea what I meant when I responded, "Gotcha Jairo!"  Aaron was in Lourdes' seat today.  Apparently Lourdes has not been sleeping well.  I am not sure if this is the case, but I do know that having trouble sleeping can be part of fibromyalgia.  Lourdes has struggled with sleep in the past, but not in a few months.  I was disappointed to hear she did not sleep at all last night and barely at all the night before.  But the Breakfast Program must go on!  Fortunately, Marlin and I can handle things when Lourdes is not able to be there.

There were 64 kids today at the Breakfast Program.  When they all came together to meet and pray, Karlita organized an activity for all of them using a rope.  She laid it out on a straight line on the ground.  To me, it looked like a long, long, balance beam so while Karla was getting organized I pretended it was a balance beam and did cartwheels on it.  Then the kids tried cartwheels on the rope.  They did really well.  I must admit it's been a few years since I tried a cartwheel.  It was fun.

We had eggs, espaghettis (spaghetti left over from a church meal yesterday), cheese, tortillas, and beans today.  Tomorrow is pancakes and Wednesday is my favorite - pupusas!

There was no school, so everyone came early which meant we were done early.  Today the teachers had a meeting.  At least for today there was a legitimate reason for no classes.  Two weeks ago the kids had no classes for the whole week for no reason!  In my mind, education is the key to overcoming poverty, but these kids are not getting access to education.  It is frustrating.  All I can do is tutor them at the church.

Marlin handled the kitchen and I supervised the kids.  My favorite moment was when one of the kids from preschool came up to the kitchen door and said Thank you for the food!  That made my whole day!  I was so proud of him.  We have been working on please and thank you.  It was so cool that he thought to do that all on his own!

Don Juan is working on various projects for me.  Saturday I broke the faucet for my pila.  The little knob that turns the water on and off snapped right in half.  Apparently you can't buy just the knob, we have to buy a whole new faucet.  But my faucet is so old it may as well be soldered on.  He told me to take it off and bring it to him, but I can't detach it.  We'll get it fixed, but it may take some time.

Don Juan also helped me to keep from loosing my pants.  My belts are too big so I can't keep my pants up.  Last week I was so excited because I weighed myself and I still weighed the same as when I left the US.  My pants have been fitting well and I was thinking maybe for once I could maintain my weight.  (Usually when I come here I drop 10 pounds instantly for no apparent reason.)

This morning my pants were too big.  I put on a belt, but the belt was so big it didn't even hold up my pants!  Frustrating.  I knew Don Juan could punch another hole in it.  He ended up doing even better!  He and Samuel, another man from the church, took apart the belt at the buckle end.  They cut off a few inches, then hooked it back together like new.  So now it looks perfect, without all of the extra slack hanging off the end.

When everything was clean we worked on homework.  Aaron pulled out some games for the younger kids.  He is really great with kids.  He and some of the little ones had super fun time with Hungry Hungry Hippos.  Then he helped them play Bingo until it was time to leave.  Aaron told me that my vocabulary has really grown and asked me how I had learned so much Spanish.  I told him I'm not sure, but thank you for the compliment!  I really enjoy seeing how Aaron and Josselyn have grown and matured since I first met them four years ago.  They are really special people.

Jairo told me today that he is looking for a car, but that it will take time.  He said I can choose to go to a dealership if I would like to.  I will pay more, but I could have a car today.  Or I can choose to be patient and trust him.  He said when we do eventually find a car, it will be a process of checking internationally to be sure the VIN number has not been changed and the car is not stolen or used for crime.  Also we will have it thoroughly inspected because there are no guarantees here.  Even at regular stores you can't take things back.  Once you buy something, if it is defective, that is your problem to deal with.  He said if I want to trust someone else to help me, I can.  But if I want to choose him to help me get a car, then I need to be patient.  I told him I have all of the patience in the world to wait for the right car.  I just feel bad because he has to drive me around all of the time.  He told me don't worry.  He is also working on the paperwork to extend my stay here.  I am supposed to only be here for 90 days at a time, but my flight home is not until Christmas.  He said it will be an easy process.  I just don't want to wait until the last minute.  My time here seems to fly by!

Yesterday I was honored to attend Valery's birthday party.  Valery is the 8, now 9 year old daughter of my close friends, Jose and Karla.  She has Down Syndrome.  When I lived with Karla and Jose 3 years ago, she was physically aggressive.  We all had bruises on our arms where she would pinch us.  She has learned to communicate more, through sign language and a few words.  She can say some things pretty clearly.  She is very talkative, but it usually sounds like jibber jabber.  How frustrating it must feel to be unable to communicate effectively!

First we went to church.  I had an amazing time of worship.  We sang about 10 songs and I knew all but 2, so it was easy to sing along, which I enjoy.  I had a few burdens on my heart, but I lifted them up to God and by the time worship was over, I felt great!  Then Karla and Jose took me home with them, where everyone napped except Dana Sophia and me.  (Dana Sophia is Valery's little sister.)  Dana talks non-stop.  Except when the whole house is sleeping, then she loudly whispers non-stop.  Understanding a child whispering in Spanish is not easy, but we made it.  We baked a cake.  She tried to manipulate me into letting her eat chocolate snacks by calling them Corn Flakes - didn't work.  She did get real Corn Flakes as her snack.  Then we colored in her new Princess coloring book until everyone was awake.  Karla and Jose's house is like a second home to me.  I love being there.  Except once again we had no bug spray when the mosquitoes came out.  Last time we used sunscreen.  It kind of worked.  This time we used baby oil.  Either it worked or the mosquitoes weren't as bad last night.

Dana Sophia and her Princess coloring book

Guillermo Mario, Norman, Walter and his girlfriend, Reyna all came.  We had corn on the cobb, hamburgers, and a special dip that Karla made - kind of like chili.  Valery was in heaven when it was time to blow out her candles.

Valery is enchanted with her cake

Afterward the adults played Pictionary and another game where you have to mime a word so your team can figure it out.  Playing in Spanish was not easy.  I kept yelling guesses in English.  We played and laughed until I was exhausted and had a horrible headache.  We all kept saying we were tired and going to leave, but the game was addicting.  We started to leave at 8pm, but ended up staying until 11pm!  Jose was hilarious.  He acted out being a mayor by mimicking a badge and then doing this strange movement that looked like he was slaying the ground.  He said he was trying to demonstrate that he was fixing the roads.  We were all giddy by the end and Karla walked around slaying everything in front of her, pretending she was Jose.  I hope Valery had as much fun as the adults did!

Valery and Dana dancing

Playing Pictionary - No cheating when you have to wear a hat and blindfold!

Is there anything you would like to know?  Anything you would like me to write about?  I would love to answer questions and get new ideas for my blog.  Just let me know! -  mlfager@hotmail.com

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