First Week of School

Well I survived my first week of Casa Hogar with the kids. I have 12 beautiful young boys who are hilarious. Last week was rather tough Elizabeth was deathly ill and I was alone with the kids. The good thing though was the kids all understood me and for the most part we had a very successful week. The boys listen well and in the morning it only takes about 20 minutes for them to all shower, dress, and head down to the comedor for breakfast. And last night the kids were all asleep within 10 minutes. They listen well and are all very respectful, I am looking forward to getting to know each and every one of them more and more. I cannot get over how well behaved these kids are they all listen so well, and there is not much discipline needed on our end (which is awesome because it allows the boys to just be boys). Each one has their own distinct personality as well.

Elizabeth and I have a locker that needs to be put in our room, we just have to figure out how and where to put it. Anyway each day the boys have been scrunching up and squeezing into the locker, I captured one on my camera peeking out of the door it is quite hilarious. Each day the kids do something funny to put a smile on my face. And I know this is going to be an amazing year with Noé. Andrés, Roberto de Jesús, Roberto Luis, Armando, Josué, Emilio, Martín, Charli, Daniel, Luis, and Gabriel. I promise pictures will be coming soon.

A Day in the Life of Casa Hogar

6:00 Rise and Shine
6:15 Wake the kids, they take showers and wash their socks
7:00 Breakfast
7:30 The boys brush their teeth
7:45 The boys go to school which is connected to Casa Hogar
8:00 Morning Prayer
8:30 Daily Mass
9:30 Sometimes we have community meetings
11:30 Shower
Lesson Plans for my English Class
Cleaning the Papelería
2:00 Boys get home from school and change out of their uniforms
2:20 Lunch
3:00 The boys do their chores/Brush their teeth
3:30 The boys go to Estudios and I am in the Papelería incase supplies is needed
4:30 English Class
5:15 Papelería again (it was left a mess)
6:30 Lavandaría to make sure the boys have their clean clothes especially uniformes
6:45 Boys shower
7:30 Dinner
8:00 Recess
8:45 Prayer
9:30 Kids go to bed
10:00 My dinner
11:00 Bedtime & Prayer time for myself which is always needed

Durango

Well we made it to Mexico safely and I have been going nonstop since. Right after I got back to Saltillo we headed to Durango with the older kids for 10 days. Our adventure started on a schoolbus for 10 hours and then a hike in the dark to a condemned house where we told ghost stories to the kids. Then we went on hikes for the next 8 days. It was amazing, and on our second hike we were so high in the mountains I was litterally walking in the clouds. And then we walked in tunnels through the mountain in water and it was so much fun I felt like I was in The Goonies. The older boys took care of Elizabeth and I. On our walk back to the bus I got completely drenched by the rain that then turned into hail, it was AN experience!

Well a few days later of walking everyday we were going on our short walk, and I was climbing over a barbwire fence, and talking at the same time so of course I fell and cut my finger. But the cut was not so bad it was the fence that was completely rusted. Needless to say I was in the hospital for a tetnus shot. And the tetnus shots or any shots for that matter are not the same. Lets just say it was not in my arm, and I had 3 more hikes to go. But Elizabeth and I got a good laugh about it. Oh and I get to enjoy another one in one month. And finally on the last hike I fell down the hill and busted my knee, but I was fine. But Elizabeth, Hno. Genaro, Durango, Pachuko, and myself went on our own hike and it was amazing. We walked down train tracks and on bridges that was half burnt. And then we were on top of the mountain and Hno. started beating the ground with a stick with every step he took. Apparently he was looking out for Rattlesnakes. As we started to descend I got the feeling we were lost. And I was right, I aksed Elizabeth what Hno. said and he said he knew the way back to the highway and we could just walk back to the cabin and be there safely by night, (it was 1:30 p.m.) Well we made it back to the bus, and the next day we headed home. It was an amazing 10 days, but also long and tiring.

Elizabeth and I took a nice vacation from Casa Hogar for a few hours without the kids. We had a fun night with Julio (the guy whose family I had to stay with in July) and his cousin. Elizabeth and I danced all night.It was a great way to end our vacation And Sunday started our first week as vonunteers with the kids...

No Turning Back

These past two weeks in back in the States has gone by rather quickly. I will officially be leaving the country tonight at 11:30, and will be at the border around 3:30 a.m. I am very anxious and ready to go. But I know I need patience. God has spoken to me several times throughout this retreat and preparation time. I have been given the tools I will need to get through this next year. I have no doubt in my mind that this is where I am supposed to be. God called me to do His work, and it was through His will that I was placed in Casa Hogar so I know I will be well taken care of through Him. Sometimes it is hard to let go of complete control, but I have learned through my own past life lessons and this past 6 weeks in Mexico how much easier life can be if I do just let go.

As I face my final hours in the U.S. a huge sense of calmness comes over me. I am just ready to get to my new home and get settled for the next year serving God and His children.