Wednesday, Day 6

I am tired. The day began again at 6:30a. In charge of breakfast again and was able to make oatmeal and toast for the ninos. It is still cold but no rain today and some sun. the wind is very strong. Joyce went to visit a family that she has helped financially. Melissa Kluge came to get her around 1oam. Then Marc asked Karen and Dorian to go with he, his wife and the minister that is leaving and his wife to eat at lunch. They left at 11:15 and were back at 2p. That left Me, Olivia who just got here, Sandra, a Honduran lady that helps with children twice weekly and Dilcia. And of course Dilcia has laundry and food to fix. Sandra worked with the four not in school and I tried my hand at making a chart on a white board for chores. Hopefully they can use it to assign chores for a week at a time and the children can look and know what they will be responsible for that week. Then once again the children dribbled in from school. They never seem to stay the whole time. Second graders had good grades on their papers. Fitto was especially happy as he came in middle of year and has really struggled. I tried to assist Dilcia with lunch but mostly just watched as she made pasta with a salsa stirred in, beans, and guacamole. (She figured she needed to use them before I watched Mario in the kitchen again). Her guacamole is fantastic and out of this world. I would love a bowl to sit down with some chips with but it disappears fast. After this it was nap time and I got the boys. Nine little boys...well the first one, Fernando would not stop jumping on bed and talking. I gave him one more chance and yep you guessed it he ended up in "el corral". I think he will believe my threats next time! I lay down with Antonio and he went to sleep quickly. As I got up from his bed I saw that he still had his chewable vitamin in his little hand....So much for me watching them...Mario wanted me to lay down with him, and he even conceded to lay on another bed (his is upper bunk) I think he knew he might never get me down again. He had me rub his back, his head and I was almost asleep. In the room with me and Mario were Fitto above me and Antonio, Brayan, and Yovani.Only Antonio and Brayan went to sleep. In the other boys room were Rudy, Marvin and Francisco. Remember Fernando had already been sent to the corral. In this room only Francisco was asleep. It took everything I had to stay awake until the boys went to sleep. Yep, that is right they did not sleep. Karen and Dorian came home and I was up. The afternoon was sort of choppy, some doing homework, some outside playing and some inside playing. The wind was so strong, the little ones had trouble standing up in it. Eventually they came in and we started showers. I got the boys (I see a trend here) Trying to keep them moving, ie bringing one in and while he is in shower, getting another one and then when one gets out giving him lotion and helping find pjs that are not several sizes too small or too big. Antonio stayed in shower through 3-4 other boys but eventually got out. I gave him his "crema" 2-3 times and helped him get dressed. I put his socks on and he threw a fit because I did not give him crema for his feet. Well guess what? He visited el corral at this point (No, Fernando was not still in it, Dorian had saved him earlier). Rudy was having fun with us and made his bed to look like he was in it but it was just clothes...He got us all on this one...As for other disciplines....Yovani for yelling at Karen, Rudy for yelling at Karen and I think that wraps it up. Oh and I forgot another one for Antonio for throwing another fit when it was time to come in and he was not allowed to bring in his "outside toy". Mario once again took forever getting dressed and Brayan also seemed to want to linger while getting dressed....But finally they were all clean and smelling very loveable. I walked out to kitchen to fold clothes and Dorian told me to go to apartment and rest as he would do whatever was needed until he needed to go to church at 7p. I tried arguing but he insisted that he "rested" while he was visiting people in the church that afternoon. I am beginning to like him more, all the time...So off I went and I am sitting in apt. typing this blog after trying to get on internet for around 30 minutes. Oh I forgot to tell you that while we were fixing breakfast we lost electric in kitchen. I thought here we go again, but we had just tripped a breaker...Guess you can't run everything in kitchen at once....what a gringo I am. I need to go back over and sit with kids as they play and watch their movie.......Life is good and these children are truly a gift from God (even if they do spend time in Corral). If anything else happens between now and bedtime I will add it..