I literally woke up this morning singing, well, in my head. I think I experienced the deepest sleep that I have since I arrived and felt the healthiest I had all week. My restful sleep and sense of wellness was in part due to the fact that Pete and I bought some highly recommended bug repellent devices that you plug into the electrical outlet, which slowly disperse some type of liquid that keeps the bugs out and they work! I haven’t seen, heard, or felt any bugs in the house since I plugged mine in (although it doesn’t keep out the little geckos that scale the walls, but they’re ok.) Another reason that I felt so well is that I am finally getting over this buggy stomach bug that I’ve had for the past week. This morning, I took the last of the antibiotic pills that I’ve been on, and I feel so much better. It’s amazing how good it felt to wake up feeling well. So good, I rejoiced.
Another reason to rejoice today is that I had a wonderful afternoon with Jules. Jules is a woman from Boston who first came to the Casa with a group from First Church. She returned with Owen to help plan and construct the computer lab that the Casa now has. She is here for the week, and I am so glad for her visit. Today, we took a walk in the midday heat to the ATM, Wal-Mart, and a coffee & pastry shop where I enjoyed a rich chocolate chip pastry and cappuccino, which I savored after not being able to eat or drink much this past week. Jules and I spent about three hours there chatting away about our experiences at the Casa, life in Boston, our love of music and the arts, US politics, the US education system, our mutual connections to and appreciation for small town Ohio, and much more. I am so grateful for the opportunity to connect with her, learn from her, and share with her during our time together.
This evening, Pete, Jules, and I took three kids and an older teen out for dinner. We went out for pizza for the first time here and it was pretty good. Jules and I shared the a veggie pizza and everyone else shared the one with pepperoni and salchicha (which is essentially cut up hot dog). When we got back to the Casa, we shared the leftover pizza with a staff member and the few kids who had either stayed behind for different reasons or had just arrived from their weekend at home. Tomorrow morning, the majority of other kids will return from time with their family members. The weekends provide a nice respite to the busyness that life is at the Casa Monday through Friday. They’re quiet, low key, and you can do special things like take a small group out for dinner or a movie without leaving a host of other kids behind. It is especially meaningful for kids who are at the Casa on the weekend to have special time with adults because they are here because they are not able to go with their families or do not have family members present to visit.
I am thankful for the quiet times, for the weekends, for opportunities to connect with new adults in my life, for opportunities to share special times with children, and for the blessing of feeling well.
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