Trust

So this past week has been really hard. I am going to visit my sister in a week so I am really excited, I have sent off some resumes, the year is coming to an end I am exhausted, and one of my boys broke into my room and stole some very personal items. This whole year I have had very little if any privacy at all, and now there is none. But the really sad part is this whole year I have put a lot of trust in this one boy. Whenever I needed to know something I always asked him, and now I feel like he has been lying to me this whole time. Which is why I am hurt rather than upset. He broke my trust and that is one of the hardest things to regain. So know he is living with the big kids and I never see him because they are on an entirely different schedule. So all I can do is pray for him, and hope for the best. It is just so frustrating because I cannot go one week with problems. Last week one of my boys was suspended for his behavior in school, and then he got a report this week, one more and he will be expelled from the school and Casa Hogar. I am just so tired I have very little energy at this time of year. I have to just keep telling myself that it is all coming to an end, and I know that once I am home I will probably want to be back. I talked to my mother today and having raised three kids she knows what she is talking about, and gave me some great advice, which she has been doing all year, and I am so thankful for all she has done and how much she has helped me throughout this experience.

MENUDO, Fist time for everything

OK so Deanna was here this past weekend, and she is awesome. We went to movies, talked a lot in English which I have been missing, and just hung out. Well on Saturday there was the First Communion for the boys. Well went and and then we were invited to eat at one of my boy´s houses. Well we walked over to the house and sat down and were given food. It was a bowl of greasy soup with chucks in it. I knew what it was but I had to ask so I asked Chio in English, what is this, and I got the answer I did not want to hear, her and Deanna at the same time said, "Menudo." At that moment I thought I was going to vomit a little. If you are not familiar with this speciality dish it is pig intestine and lining of the pigs stomach. Well I do not eat hardly any pig product let alone its intestines. I was instantly grossed out, but did not want to be rude. So I slowly sipped the soup, and I tried one chunk of the meat. Well it was horrible I had to swallow it whole to get it down. Let me just say it was "fuzzy" as Deanna described it. Deanna by the way lived in Mexico last year and successfully avoided it, until her visit on Saturday. So I am trying to eat it and I look over at Chio and ask, "Do you eat this all the time," her response, "Never in my life, my mom never prepares this, it is so gross." Well I could not finish it I had to stop laughing and I took Chio´s bowl and switched it with mine and said, "cometelo." Well she was not too please that she just choked down a bowl of menudo and had to eat mine. Needless to say I am fully indebted to her for the rest of my life.

Funny Boys

So this week I have been working with Chio and it is absolutely wonderful. The boys have been perfect and it has just been so easy. Deanna came to visit yesterday and is here for the weekend, so it is really nice to have an American here. I never realize how much I miss certain things (English) until I have them. She is awesome and the kids are always enthralled with people from the U.S. As I am counting down the days to my departure, I have this bittersweet feeling. I am so tired from all the work, and not with the kids, at this site we have so many other obligations here outside of the work with the kids I am exhausted. But I am so sad to think this year is almost over only 4 more weeks with the boys. But I know that God has a lot in store for me, what I am not sure, but I know there are many doors to be opened. The boys have been amazing though, and they say the funniest things all the time, I cannot help to have a smile on my face because they are hilarious. This morning Martin woke up with a crick in his neck and he cannot move it, so he is walking around with his head tilted and I cannot help but laugh and then he laughs and forgets about the pain. Or last night we were being attacked by mosquitoes so I had to spay every boys with spray and they were all freaking out by it, not sure why. And then Chio drew a 6 pack on Martin´s stomach and he was showing everyone his fake abs. They are just so damn funny that is the part that is so hard to leave and to think I will not be waking up to 11 boys every morning. But I am still looking forward to what is in store to come.

A look at whats to come

This time in 8 weeks I will be in my house. I cannot believe that this year has gone by so fast. I am so saddened that I have to leave, but it is all part of the experience. I am not ready to leave my boys, and they are not ready for me to leave. They keep asking me to stay and take care of them for one more year. But I cant I have to get a job and share my life changing experience with as many people as possible. This has just been such a great experience, I cannot explain how much I have enjoyed my time here. The boys, brothers, and my community have truly changed my life. I have learned truly how to give myself and let God take control. Without the relationship I have with him this would be impossible. The boys have given me such a different outlook on life as well. And I have stuck through this journey alone, which I think is a pretty great achievement in itself. I am looking for jobs and my next step and I cannot believe I will be in my house in 8 weeks. I will have been living here in Saltillo for exactly 13 months to the date of which I came. I am so sad to leave, but I am looking forward to what I have in store for the next 13 months, I am sure it will be another great chapter in my life.

Word of the day ardilla (squirrel)

OK so this was my afternoon yesterday, not really on afternoon, about 45 minutes of a lot of excitement in Casa Hogar.

2:55
We all leave the comedor for the dorms and chores.
2:57
A squirrel is spotted by the boys and 5 run after it to kill it.
While 6 are with me we go to the dorms and just hang out patiently waiting for the other boys.
3:02
Majo the other volunteer who works with me asks, "Did you give them permission to kill the squirrel?" I answer no. She goes to yell at them to get back in the dorm, I can hear her yelling to leaving the poor squirrel alone. I am still hanging out in the dorm with all the 5 good boys who did not want to kill a squirrel.
3:11
The boys come running back to Chicos B, and Alejandro leads it into my living room. Now I have a living room and a bedroom and the door to the bedroom was open so lets just say I am a bit upset.
3:12
The boys quickly clean the bathrooms and dorms, and Majo returns upset. Well I forget to say we had a massive thunderstorm and when it rains here the water just sits on the ground. Well Majo fell in a puddle and came back all wet. When the boys finished their chores they left for study hall.
3:20
Majo and I leave and while walking to the community room we see about 50 boys in the field having a war, they were all throwing rocks at each other, well Hno. Genaro was in the field yelling at them, but they were not listening so Majo tells them all to go line up for study hall.
3:25
I go to ring the bell, and all the boys are in front of the laundry room and all of Chicos A & B were fighting. I have no idea all this is going on I am ringing the bell, and Majo is the field telling them to go to study hall and cannot see what is going on with the little kids.
3:30
I go to ask Martin about the squirrel in my room. He is in study hall and I take him outside to ask, well I get the news from Hno. Carlos that all the boys were fighting and they are never to leave their dorm until the bell is rung. Well the boys usually do not leave they stay and do their homework till 3:25, but with all the excitement of the squirrel I made them go to study hall 10 minutes early.
All track of time is lost by now
All the kids are in study hall and I go to check on the squirrel who is in my living room. I take two of the big kids with me to capture it. Well we hear it behind the desk and then behind the sofa. Well I leave because I know this is sad to say, but I am truly afraid of squirrels, ever since I was a little girl I have been afraid of them, whole other blog entry.
4:20
Go back to my room and the door is closed. Open the door and the boys are in my bedroom on top of the other bed and one is on the ground with a broom and a trash can. After ten minutes of planning on how to trap the poor creature they finally do, and it is in my trash can with a shoe box of it.
4:30
The first boy leaves to go home, hallelujah!!
6:30
All the boys are gone.
9:30
Finally got the cheeseburger I had been craving for all day.

So this was my afternoon, I do not think anyone can beat that excitement? If you can please let me know.

Memories

I must say this week has gone by rather fast. With all the Mother´s Day celebrations on Monday, which was wonderful, and the kids being somewhat behaved it has been a nice week. I have really enjoyed my mornings once all is taken care of to just relax and read the magazines I was sent. Over the past few weeks I have really been missing my family. I am not sure why maybe because today makes 11 months that I have been in Mexico or I have not seen my parents since December. Anyway my nephew was born and he is amazing, my niece turned 7, my once best friend got married, and the other is getting married in a month, and my other friend is pregnant. I feel like I have missed out on some really big turning points in my friends´ lives. It is hard to hear all about the exciting news going on in the lives of friends and family, when I am here with no family. The community is as close to family I can have here, and they are wonderful and have made this experience truly amazing, but there is nothing better than spending time with the parents and siblings. I have really learned to enjoy my time with the family, since I have had so little. I was talking to a friend today the one getting married in a month, and I told her how sad I was to be missing everything, but she reminded me that all I am missing is happening to other people. My life here is mine and my experiences, and I will have these memories to cherish for the rest of my life. Like when I was attacked by 6 boys with permanent markers and they wrote all over me or when Noé asked me to stay another year, or the volunteers only have to say callate and I smile. Or when we get in trouble by Hno. Julian and we all just laugh. Or the tears I have shared with this community. It has all been worth it and my year here is almost up, but I will never forget the moments I have experienced here.

Mothers Day

Today is mothers day and I must say that I am quite sad that I am not with my Mom. This is the first year I am not with here of close by to give her my love. I called her and my sister is with her as well as my niece and brother in law, but it is not the same. I have been thinking about her so much and how much she has encouraged me to be here. Whenever I have a problem even here in Mexico and yes I am 24 I call her for some comfort. Not always does she know what to say, but she always has an ear to listen, which is the most important thing. Lately I guess since I have not been in Florida and around my parents since December, I really miss them terribly. I find myself calling them a lot more and relaying on them for guidance and assistance. I have lived away from my parents and been independent, but I miss them so much. They have been such perfect role models to me it is hard for me not to miss them. So I talked with my mom and everyone, and then I went to pray had a good cry, and then my boys came back.

Well after mass Hno. Julian applauded all the mothers of the boys. Well, one boy Moises came up to me and said Happy Mothers Day, even though it is celebrated tomorrow here we still recognized the moms. Anyway Mosies came up to me and said Happy Mothers Day since you are like my mom, my Ginga Mom, and I could not help but laugh. He always calls me his Ginga so I was tickled when he called me his Ginga Mom. So after all my tears and crying of missing my mom, my boys here remind me of my job and the love that they have for me.