March 21--Day 4

So...today was a pretty eventful day. First off, we had to get up super early because our bus was going to be here at 6:45 to take us to school. The Monday morning ceremony starts at 7:10, so we wanted to definitely make sure and be there for that. Well, we all got up and were ready at 6:45...no bus. So, me, Amy, and Steve had out coffee in the little cage room and thought that surely the bus would be here soon. 7:00...7:05...7:10--still no bus. So, finally Kennedi looks out the front window of the hotel and says, "I think this is our bus." Well, she was right. Our bus had been sitting (parked) on the street behind the bushes. We don't really know how long the bus had been here, but we were extremely late for school. When we finally arrived at school, we were very pleased to find out hat they had not done their Monday morning ceremony yet! YAY!! So, we did get to see it. The boys almost immediately began working with the concrete, and the girls did various things. We found out when we got to school that Xiomara didn't want us painting the building while the kids are in school...which is understandable, but it also makes it difficult to get anything done. So, a few girls helped me sort the stuff we brought, and then I helped Summer hand it out later. It was so nice to get to see their Monday morning ceremony. I love to watch them and hear them speak in unison. Today, they all sang the National Anthem as well. I found Jorshua (Eddie's Jorshua). He has really grown since last year, and he talked/played with me more this year. I got to help him with his classwork--drawing diagonal lines, and he let me help him. He even played with me at recess. Also, at recess, I brought back the uno, dos, tres game. :) Once again, it was well-received. Recess is always really fun. The kids have so much energy, and it is so much fun to play with them. They are so fun and loving--they want us. and it makes me happy. I like to be wanted. After recess, the kids went back to class, and some of us tried the leftover food the kids had for lunch. It was cheesy noodles and rice--it was muy bueno! :) When the kids left, we all went to the Bracken's for lunch. Amy and I fixed PB&J or ham/turkey and cheese sandwiches. We hung out for a little while, and then we headed back down to school. The girls started getting all set up to paint. And, the boys went back to working with the concrete. We had (were told) to mix like 1/2 a gallon of paint thinner per 1 gallon of paint--that, my friend, was disastrous! Not only did it not make the paint go any further than normal, but it also made the paint so thin and runny that it dripped EVERYWHERE!! We had so may girls painting that we were all over each other and in each other's way. We were dripping paint on each other, and we soon realized that the paint doesn't budge until you put paint thinner on it...which really burns unless you put it on carefully with a rag. Amy opened the bigger bucket of paint, and it was not mixed AT ALL. She had to stir it by hand for a very long time. It was just a disaster. Finally, we made an executive decision to not mix the paint with the thinner anymore, and that made things a little easier! It was pretty relieving when the bus arrived and our day came to a close. :) We all washed off with paint thinner, and we headed back to the hotel for showers. After showers, we loaded the bus and went to eat at...HOLLYWOOD PIZZA!!! :) YAY! We, Chris and I, sat with Summer and Cynthia. It was a lot of fun--except the TV in the pizza place kept playing inappropriate music videos. The pizza and the company were wonderful! I did hit my leg on the table when I got up to get another piece of pizza, and it left a surprising mark. After we ate, we stopped at On the Run and got some ice cream, went back to the hotel, and had devo around the pool. I don't think I have mentioned it yet, but I keep getting sicker every day. What started out as a scratchy throat has now turned into a full blown sinus/cold ridiculousness! My head feels like it is going to explode off of my body, and I might feel better if it did.

BB.