Outta Sorts

It’s been an unsettling couple of weeks here – in our family and in Guatemala.  The government is all in an uproar with the president being impeached and then arrested for corruption (Google it if you are interested in reading all about it).  There have been protests and demonstrations for months now.  Our school was closed for safety reasons the day of the big protest last week, the one that the whole country participated in to oust the president.  Sunday was primary election day and it was crazy.  There were riots all over the country.  We could hear the one in Magdalena from our house.  It was in font of the school, which was the voting location.  We went to church in the morning but were advised by friends to stay in and not leave.  On Monday morning when we took the kids to school, there were fires still burning, presumably ballots, and police at the schools.  We also saw truck loads of police with riot gear throughout the day.  It was slightly nerve wracking and makes us sad for this country and how it’s been taken advantage of. 

On August 10^th, we got the keys for the Project for Hope property and it’s been non-stop ever since.  LONG days working, making repairs, cleaning, etc., and getting the place clean enough to move into which we did, a week ago Saturday.   It doesn’t stop there though.  There is a tremendous (I am not exaggerating with that adjective) amount of work to be done here.  Right now, we are working on our leaky roof, getting internet, a working well so we don’t have to pay for water, and laundry hook-ups for the Nortons.  Not to mention cleaning and gardening this soon to be oasis.  The place was vacant for several years, which gifted us layers and layers of dust/dirt on every surface imaginable.  I will write more about this endeavor later. 

giving Pete some love

With all the changes in our lives since the property and the boys starting school, Kendy ,aka Baby Gurl,  is all outta sorts.   She doesn’t know if she’s coming or going.  She’s 4 and in her short life, her world has been rocked many times.  She’s gone from home at birth, to an orphanage shortly after, back home, to another orphanage and then here with us.   I am sure in between those trips to orphanages she was placed in foster care too.  So, something like moving to another house takes her back to a place and feeling she can’t express with words, just actions – crying, screaming, etc., when things feel out of control for her.  When are things out of control for her?  When it’s time to eat or get dressed or go to bed or go somewhere.  So let’s just say all day.  It’s “Toddler Insanity” all over again.  She’s not been sleeping well and gets in our bed most nights. Everyday  I tell her over and over that we love her, we will never, ever leave her, this is her family and she will be with us forever.   I was happy this morning because she was able to tell me that she missed our old house.  That gives us something to go on and something to talk about.   As for Angela, she’s a trooper and takes it all in stride.  Her feathers aren’t ruffled quite as much and she’s able to talk about her feelings most of the time.