There is nothing I enjoy more than yelling GOAAAAAAL in a street soccer game. Except maybe seeing 7 year old William slide across the field on his knees and yell goal when we make one too.
This week has been awesome yet completely ordinary. It hit me hard when I took note of the date realizing my time here is halfway up. Every minute has become so much more valuable especially knowing we'll be traveling around a little this month therefore missing out on time with the kids here.
In the morning, after teaching the 6th grade class at the neighboring school I used to come back home and sit at the table with everyone else for a few minutes before we start property work. Now Olivia and I have picked up teaching 5th grade as well and instead of coming back right away I have to drag myself out of the school yard pulling myself away from the hundreds of little girls hugging us goodbye for the day. But even then I know I'm not actually heading home because jumping in on the 6th grade soccer game in my maxi skirt has become the highlight of my days. I'm here for these kids, my heart melts for that school and whenever I see an opportunity to hang out with them whatever I was going to do fades away and I get caught up in Spanglish and soccer.
Simple routines have turned into amazing opportunities. Becca and I wake up at 5:45 every morning to walk a few miles inland behind the property in order to take in some scenery and serenity before breakfast. Yesterday our daily routine became more than a walk and more of a memory. On our way home yesterday we noticed a little boy literally toppling over under the weight of his bookbag plus his sisters so she could run up the hill. I sprinted ahead to help out the little cutie and carried the bag up the hill with him. I ended up carrying his bookbag and holding his hand the entire 2+ miles to school. Not only were walking those two to school but we ended up with a possy of kids as we passed by more homes gaining more kids. By time we got to school I had two kids hanging on my hands and 5 news friends.
Time should always be valued but when you realize your in a 3rd world country and you may just never see these kids again time becomes gold. If I'm tired, crawling into my tent isn't an option anymore, I down a cup of stale leftover coffee and trout outside for whatever Zion's Gate has cookin' or even better whatever the kids from the neighborhood have gotten into. This will undoubtedly become my favorite summer to look back on and I refuse to remember naps or "down time" and am determined to remember how ridiculously full of fun and kids my days were.
