because im happy!

i find myself frequently smiling at little things. i realized that being here, and having a dream come true, was exactly what i needed (and some r&r). i really feel called to be a mom, and right now, im fulfilling that call to 34 nine-eleven year old boys. making the decision of which section would be mine for the year was extremely difficult.

i had great experiences in all the sections, all in different areas, so it wasn't just comparing things. it was weighing pros and cons. i even told one other volunteer who was having trouble to write 

down on paper the pros and cons of the two sections she wanted, and to look at what was more important. she said if she were to do that, the decision was very easy. thanks mom for the advice - still use it when making tough decisions ☺️ 

the kids here range in age from one and a half to seventeen years of age. i got to work in kinder (the one to five year olds), and it was so fun but i was reminded that i do not have as much patience as i wish i did. i also worked with the older girls, and they were fun to joke with, but there are 90+ women in there and, while i like a challenge, the idea of creating and maintaining solid relationships with that many girls seemed like a challenge too large for one year (dear kw peeps, i know that if your dreams dont scare you, they arent big enough. however, i didnt want to take childrens' lives and relationships into a challenge i couldnt reach). i also will be leading the edge program, which is an extra religious class/gathering for older children who want to be there. therefore, i will be seeing these older girls every week (: 

today was a special day for the años de servicios (the children of the house who graduated from the high school and in turn, give back a year of service, or two if they want to go to university). they all (75 kids) got to have the day off. that left the employees and volunteers of all sections to work. there are about 20 employees here, and 9 volunteers, so we are all exhausted. we also got to serve a dinner to them as a thank you for all their hard work whenever we need them. this did mean that i got to wake up at 5:45 and make sure the kids got up, and work all the meals, help with homework, and work until they go to sleep at 7:30 tonight. i do love doing it, and after 5 days of this last week, im quite conditioned for it - doesnt make it less tiring though (: 

i love being here and seeing all 500+ kids every day. i feel a different happiness than ive felt in a long time, and while i experience struggles here, i am overall sooo excited for my year (: 

for all who read this - what more do you want to know? ☺️