November 2008

November got even crazier! I had 2 more kiddos added to my class! Luis Sebastian and Yanpier (FINALLY we know their real names!!) came with nothing. They were found on the streets with nothing, including no clothes, and their stomachs full of parasites. They didn't know what a bathroom was and went outside to the bathroom. Luis Sebastian was really scared of the bathroom at first, but learned that it was ok after a couple days! They are cute and lovable kiddos! I miss them A LOT! They LOVE cars and books! They aren't as into puzzles as the other kids, but they would spend hours looking at books!

Sam's friends came to visit and we had a Thanksgiving Eve celebration with the Americans and some Peruvians! We played Mofia and a few other Peruvian games, which was really fun!!! We had Chinese food! We didn't "celebrate" Thanksgiving as Mom and I would have at home, but it isn't what we do and eat, but rather where our hearts are and what we are thankful for, and remembering that! This is the first Thanksgiving I have EVER "worked"!! We didn't do anything special, but now that I think about it, we should have had a Thanksgiving party!! They would have liked it!

This month was REALLY busy, I was giving the task of the Kinder curriculum! For about 3 weeks I worked 15 hour days. I spent A LOT of time on the curriculum...preparing the pages that go with their days, and then translating it. I finished 20 of 109 days for them! It was a challenge, but it was a great challenge.

I do have a funny, yet scary story with Luis Sebastian and Yanpier. They LOVED to escape (and it didn't help that I was potty training Zuleica and had to leave the room frequently)!! I was chasing Yanpier because he escaped and was headed for the main door....which he couldn't have gotten out but still! So when I caught him and went back to the room, all the kids were there except for Luis Sebastian! I could hear his voice, but didn't know where he was. I realized what he was doing. He was counting the steps going up to the roof. I ran up the stairs and he was running away from me. That was the scary part! He could have fallen 3 stories if he would have decided to climb over the edge! He cried, and I asked what he was doing, a little scared tone in my voice. He said, "Tia Amy, I just wanted to count the steps." Oh the joys of being the Kinder teacher to 9 students! We decided to split the class not long after this, and now they have a gate, which was a GREAT idea!!! I had the younger 5 (Zuleica, Yanpier, Luis, Ericka, and Lady) in the mornings and the older 4 (Jhonatan, Paúl, Saúl, and Edwin) in the afternoons. It was working a lot longer hours, but the stress minimized A LOT!

Oh, Yanpeir......and Tia Amy! I miss that little booger! He is quite the character.....and runner!!!

Here is Lindsay (Sam's friend) with Luis Sebastian! He always wanted to be held and loved on! He got lots of it before I left!

Paúl is really fast at handwriting coordination exercises and writing his name. He's getting better!

Edwin LOVES writing his name!

Jhonatan working on handwriting coordination! He doesn't like it that much, but he does it without fussing about it!

Saúl working on handwriting coordination! He was doing great!

All of my class, Miss Aly's class, and Lindsay running down the sand dunes....together as a team! It was a great sight to see, but we almost lost Luis Sebastian to the grassy area up top. Thanks to Lindsay we got him before he ran up there alone!!!

Miss Aly running down the sand dunes!

Here is Miss Aly's class and my class for a farewell party for Tia Lindsay! It was fun, and we went to the dunes too!

Lady showing off her painting!

Paúl reading to his "students".....the puppets! How cute!!

Jhonatan working on his letters....so we think! He really does like to put them together and learn them!

Edwin is "reading".....haha! He loves the giraffe the best!

Saúl loves books, especially the Cubbies books! The kids things they are just fun to work will and learn the verses!

Paúl reading "Perro Grand, Perro Pequeño"......I think it is called "Big Dog, Small Dog" about 2 dogs who are friends and do everything together! They really enjoyed this book!

Oh, the Spot books! Here Ericka is reading it to Jhonatan!

Amy working on the Kinder card program with Zuleica. Even though she doesn't look like she enjoys it, she really does!!

Angela and I took 5 boys out (mostly from Kinder) for Jhonatan's birthday! We went to church, eat lunch, then to the beach!
From left to right: Angela, Jhonatan, Yen, Paúl, Edwin, and Saúl

My FAVORITE picture of Edwin.....taken by Rocio!!! What a great photographer she is! She is only 14 years old!

Here I am with ALL my kinder class! Yes ALL 9 of them for a few days was enough for me!

Here I am working on the curriculum in the office.....and Miryan INSISTED on taking a picture!!!

Zuleica "helping" me with my curriculum! She spent the whole day with me and didn't want to go back to her casita!

Angela is holding Yanpier. He is one of the newer boys, but looks A LOT like Jesusito (a previous child who was adopted). Oh how I miss those little ones!

Luis Sebastian is one of new ones, and he LOVES to play soccer (futbol!) He would play it all day if you let him!!!