They're coming!!!

On Sunday night and all Monday I was super busy getting a lot of homework done as well as working ahead so I wouldn't have to do much while Mom, Dad, and Neal are here. However, of course I had to catch up with my family on Skype so I spent a few hours doing that Sunday night. On Monday I went to the Patronato as usual and finally got to work with some pre-schoolers! They are so darn cute I could hardly contain myself. All their cute little smiles and laughs just made me smile all over. I really love the names of the kids in the class. One little boy is named Moses, another Joel, a girl Ingrid. They are very traditional and different from many kids names that we hear in the states. But, when I started working with the students, I didn't know that I was going to have an amazing experience that day.

I was spending time with all of the students one-on-one before one of the teachers told me that Joel had some homework to do. He spends part of the week at a normal school and the other part at the Patronato, or so I understood. He was doing an art project that included a bird sitting in a nest in the middle of a tree. He first glued feathers onto the bird, pieces of sticks on the trunk and branches, tiny sticks for the nest, and actual leaves for the leaves of the tree. But what you don't realize, is that Joel has down syndrome. Before even starting this art project, I helped him clean the tables after they had breakfast. He had the rag and I had the cleaner. He was so diligent about not missing any spots that hadn't been cleaned and then we get to do this art project together where he is so focused that sometimes he didn't even hear me talking to him. I talked to the teacher about it because it was amazing to me that he has down syndrome and is so disciplined on whatever he is working on at the time. She said he has had a lot of instruction but now he is just blossoming. He is only about 4-5 years old too! In the states I feel like a regular 4-5 year old would not be that disciplined. But to see Joel, the cutest little boy with down syndrome being so disciplined made my heart smile. I am going to find out more information about him this week because I am interested in his story.

This coming week (after mom, dad, and Neal leave) will not be an easy one. For starters, I am ready to go home but not ready to leave the students at the Patronato as well as the staff here at the Central house. I am going to have to say good-bye to all the beautiful faces of the students that have touched my heart so dearly. Just thinking about it makes me want to cry but I am trying my darndest to hold them back until next week. I am ready to go home to my family, friends, and pets, but not really ready to leave for any other reason. These past 3+ months have just flown by. I am going to have to go back and read my blog posts from earlier because I really don't remember a lot of the things I have experienced here because it is all second-nature now.

But anyway, I spent most of Monday and I guess Tuesday running around like a chicken with its head cut off just trying to get as much done as possible before they got here. I am so thankful that they are able to come down. So thank you!