A whirlwind of events

I arrived at the guarderia late on Thursday morning. I had puffy red eyes and a half hearted smile. I had just spent the last hour at the airport saying goodbye to Michele. I was going on only a few hours of sleep, no food, and I was emotionally drained from the past two weeks. Needless to say the guarderia was the LAST place on earth I wanted to be when Diana, one of the teachers, approached me to see what was wrong. Thinking that I was ok, I began to explain what had happened and found myself bursting into tears...again. She put a comforting hand on my shoulder as the children began shouting "MARIA ESTA LLORANDO" (mary is crying). Yeah, thanks kids.

I was able to finally calm down after talking with Raquel, another teacher, who I thought wasn't too fond of me. She actually sought me out and told me that she had been meaning to talk to me because she could tell I was sad. It meant a lot to me to know that the women I have been working with actually care for me. While talking to Raquel I thought "maybe this place isn't as bad as I thought." That was until snack time.

We were having snack as usual when I felt Jean Pierre's (yeah a french named Ecuadorian, crazy I know) hand on my shoulder. I turned around to see what he wanted but was met by his fast jumbled spanish, and so I turned back around. Jean Pierre tapped me again, and this time when I turned to him I was met by a vomit covered child. Jean Pierre has puked all over himself. It was running down his shirt and half his pant leg. He looked at me with his puppy dog eyes and said in his small high pitched voice "yo vomite" (I vomited). Yeah ya did. It was disgusting to say the least, and I took him to the classroom to clean him up and help him change. Truly a humbling experience cleaning up a 4 year old's chunky vomit. Thanks, mom for cleaning up ours! And much respect for my sisters in law. Keep fighting that good fight.

So you can believe me when I say that this weekend's retreat was much needed. Thank God for great timing because just after the roughest part of our year came our first all RdC retreat at the beach. It was a wonderful weekend away from work, responsibilites and Duran. We spent the majority of the time doing whatever we wanted, being selfish as Ethan, our leader told us. So I spent my time being selfish with Jaime, Lupita. With the crazy work schedules and living in different houses we don't spend too much time together and so finally we had some time to sit down together and be friends. It was just what I needed.

We ate "US food," sandwhiches with lettuce!, cheeseburgers and bacon! Can you tell that we've been missing food from home? Not to mention meat especially! It was wonderful to pig out on comfort food, but we were also very excited to come home and make some good ol rice and beans for dinner.

But we didn't spend all our time eating (just about 70%), we did manage to fit in some great reflections, talks and community time that was well over due. The AJS community had a great conversation on Sunday afternoon. As we sat listening to the waves crashing upon the shore we finally came together as the 5 of us to remember why community is so important. We reminded each other that as much as we need to hold each other accountable for our actions, we also have to be each others support systems. We need to be open, honest and vulnerable. We need to be willing to love but more importantly we must be willing to BE loved. Perhaps that is the hardest part for me...realizing that even at my worse I am still worthy of love.

We left the beach with mixed emotions of how the rest of the year is going to play out, but without a doubt we left knowing that we are beginning to form community. That night at mass,as I made my debut as the newest member of the church band, I felt a sense of peace and calm rush over my anxious heart as I came to understand that we are exactly where we are supposed to be...

As always, thanks for reading. Love you family!

Funny story:

Last Wednesday morning Steve came running into my room to tell me that there was a mouse in the kitchen. Still half asleep I went into the kitchen to find a very plump mouse/rat sitting in our dish rack. Laura, Steve and I stood there whispering (because if you talk too loud the mouse might move right?) about what to do and in my usual manner I said:

"I gotta go to work. Don't do anything until I'm out the door and it is shut behind me." I didn't want a rodent chasing me down the stairs.

And as I left I heard Steve say to Laura, "What should we do?"
To which Laura replied "I don't know, call animal control?"

Well here in Ecuador animal control turned out to be our guard Wellington and a shovel. Poor mouse didn't even know what was coming.