Last week was completely fantastic. I was still busy, still running around getting who knows what done, still recovering from my tarantula encounter, but it was truly glorious.
Then retreat crunch time hit. Then Friday hit. You see, Friday was the third consecutive retreat I had planned and instead of being exhausted, I was actually super pumped the whole time planning it. Everything was falling into place so wonderfully. That should've been my big red flag. It's important to know that it's the rainy season here, after all I do live in a rain forest climate. What this means is that it likes to rain for 3 days straight, rest a day, and then go again. It's usually not a problem (and we're actually keeping our fingers crossed to have school cancelled a day!), but when you need to get 45 teenage girls to walk to the retreat center and it's pouring down rain, there is just no way that is going to happen. After a brief debate between postponing the retreat to next week (since there isn't one this week, thank God!) or moving it to the parish hall (only a 5 minute walk in the abating rain), I made the executive decision to just have it at the parish hall. And you know what? So many girls went to Confession, a lot of them had fun at some point or another, the Holy Spirit was working. But the whole time I kept thinking that I should've moved it. I noticed everything that went wrong, everything I should've done differently, more so than on the other retreats. And you know what the sucker punch in the face was? By midday, the sun was shining bright with a perfect breeze to truly make it hammock weather.
I came home after that retreat to an empty house (such a mercy at that time), got my computer, and put on Aladdin while I ate some peanut butter and chocolate chips. I felt so drained and spent and I realized why: I had been wrestling. Like a little child who has a death grip on an old blanket that's now rags who won't relent even though her stubbornness is just ripping the blanket even more, I keep holding on to these little things that I'm "in charge" of. But I lose. I always lose, which is beautiful and I'm grateful for it because I lose to God and it's always for the best. But fighting wears you out. And after my best week, I was wiped out.
But I'm on the struggle bus, this is nothing new. What is new is that there are the more gringos in Benque! There are 6 education majors from Miami University in Ohio doing the last 7 weeks of their student teaching this semester here in Belize. Wild right?? Two of them are at our school and the rest are at the primary school in Benque or in Succotz which is only about a 15 minute walk away. This past Friday, we had them all over at the boys' house for eating and movie charades. I think it was a bit of a relief for them to be around other Americans after being thrown into Belizean culture and I think Daniel, their one guy, really enjoyed being around other guys that weren't high schoolers. They're a fun group, I think we totally freaked them out with our Catholic-ness and how tight we all are, but overall I think they enjoyed themselves.
The rest of the weekend was busy because Saturday MCHS hosted a Catholic Student Leadership Convention that we all worked at in shifts. Mine started at 7:30 am. But then I got to babysit Joana the rest of the day and the night was spent quietly preparing food for Sunday night and reading with Joe. Since we went to Flores, we've been reading The Boy Who Met Jesus by Immaculee Ilibagiza who is someone I could write pages about. We're almost done with our book which is crazy because it's just another reminder of how we're almost done with the semester.
Sunday. I just love Sundays! Before Mass was spent planning Sacraments classes (which I'm still obsessed with. Please keep praying for my little babies!). Mass was great because Jesus was there and one of the girls from my Sacraments classes came and sat with me. She's not even baptized yet, so it's that much more wonderful that she's starting to come to Mass. The rest of the day was spent preparing for.......our Fall Fest!
Yes that is a hand turkey! Compliments of Michael.
We decided that since everyone has been blowing up all of our Facebook homepages with stupid statuses about pumpkin food products and fall and leaves and such, we were going to have fall in Belize. Thankfully the weather cooperated by cooling off and those of us in fall garb weren't completely miserable. But we were complete with long sleeve shirts, cardigans (with long sleeves! Trust me, it's a big deal), and scarves. Of course, it wouldn't be our little family if we didn't have food.
What you see is a classic fall assortment (of desserts): pumpkin bread, apple fritters, a take on apple crisp, carrot cake, a parfait layered with chocolate cake, peanut butter glaze, bananas, and Cool Whip, and glasses with pumpkin seeds and candy corn. Not pictured: apple cider and chocolate banana smoothies. We don't mess around.
We had full bellies, happy hearts, and blood sugar levels that would kill a diabetic. Our house smelled heavenly and it was full of some of the most wonderful people. Fr. Scott, Fr. John, and Deacon Juan even stopped by for a bit!
Yesterday and today have been uneventful and sleepy. And rainy. Actually the uneventful part is kind of a lie: Sunday Eric's brother, Jeremy, came down to be a volunteer and help out with Campus Ministry, so that's good news for me! Also, Sunday night our washer machine broke.
In conclusion, here is a family picture from our Fall Fest
Jack is missing. But this still makes my heart happy.
Keep up the prayers! They really are doing big things down here. Thank you all so very much.
St. Maximilian Kolbe, pray for us.
Totus Tuus, Maria.
:)
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