sala uno

whenever i'm in sala uno with the babies, i write during my downtime. so this is the result of hours of boredom and loneliness...

im back in sala uno. we got 2 new girls plus a visitor last thursday and last night we had our orientation dinner. we went around and each said things that were to be helpful to the new girls, and then they shared why they were doing this and what they expected to get out of it. by the end of it we were all happy and crying. there were some things i really needed to hear. chantelle the visitor, who had been here 2 years ago said to cherish every moment. every laugh, every kiss, every bath, even every sopa feeding and diaper change. because when i get back to the states i'll miss it all, and kill to come back. amber said be in the moment because the time flies. athena said be detailed and specific when journal writing so you never forget. emily said recognize and understand that every girl in the house is incredible and had something to offer. ariel said to remember that its the strongest ones that Heavenly Father sends to the orphanages. caitlin said to love them all individually, as well as collectively. i'm so glad we all got to share that with everyone. some days are really hard. they really are. some days i get super frustrated and wonder why i'm even here. but then i just remember that this isn't about me, at all. it's all for these kids. they need us. without us, and the dedicated workers that love them so much, they would have no chance. and theres a reason they made it. theres a reason that they're the lucky ones. there's a reason God spared them. every day i'm learning something new. i'm learning about the kids, about the culture, and about myself. every day i'm beginning to love these kids even more. i love the way fabricio smiles when i say his name. i love the way angie laughs when i tickle her, and the way liz rests her head on my chest when i do her nebulizations. i love the way ana maria tells me she loves me back. i love the way emily kisses me when i ask for un besito. i love the way rosa runs to me, clapping her hands, ready to play pattycake. i love the way belen's face lights up when she gets excited about something. i've fallen so in love with these kids and i've only known them for a month. i'm getting to experience their little quirks and tendencies that their moms are not. the gift of life is one that should be handled with all the care in the world. though their birth parents might not have realized it or cared, each of these kids is beautiful and precious in their own right. they were brought here for a reason and with a purpose. i'm looking forward to discovering what those are.

say hello to my day yesterday