I know I have abandoned you...

Alright here in goes- one giant entry. Let the party begin. Hopefully you will get a better understanding of what is going on here, how busy it is and why at the end of the day I never seem have time to write as much as I want to.

So the three day break we took a month ago is where I will begin. Those three days were orginally schedule to regroup, talk about the structure for the boys and while we did talk some about that stuff we got a little side tracked by a big thing. It is funny/perfect how God works. We knew we need the three days, but we did know that we would desperately need them. On the first day, though community members we were informed that we were on the radar of the Dominican immigration officials. As we dig deeper and find out more information we come to find it is our neighbors who are pressuring the government. The government actually cares very little but our neighbors made a big to do. I can understand. The PE house is in a middle class Dominican neighborhood, not exactly a welcoming environment for illegal middle school age boys who dont actually know that it is possible to be quiet. Our neighbors had called the press and released their one sided story to pressure the government. The neighbors had warned us they would do this. So all this comes into the light on the first day and then shortly later we find out that immigration is coming to our house in 10 days. We looked everywhere and there seemed to be no house available. July 2nd was just a few days away and I am more than stressed. I also owed the internet cafe 10 pesos. So I stopped in to pay them back and then continue the search for the solution. I was attempting to explain to the man at the internet cafe but i was so exhausted I couldnt get a word of spanish out. then in an american accent he says ´try english, if it works for you it works for me.´ after commenting on his accent we were in conversation about what i was doing here. he was completely interested and explained that the cafe supported his work here (a free clinic, a school for dominicans and haitians without birth certificates, a church). I explained to him our current pickle and he said okay here are all my telephone numbers. I want you and the directors to call me, because i have a great house. can you believe it. and he did. it was true. we moved our boys in on sunday after church and when immigration showed up on monday there was no one there. talk about miracles!!!
the boys house is now their house and we are treating it like a home and not a base for daily activities.
daily activities, lunch and dinner all happen out of the building we finished behind Pastora Susana´s house. The boys are stilling getting use to how everything runs, but it is solving a lot of the behavior problems. Though plenty still remain.
We have had several soccer games 3 wins 1 tie and 2 losses. The supastars are still super. I have a team picture, I will post it on the blog when I return to the United States.
I still go to the market with Rosa daily which is great and I am still keeping track of finances. I must say I am motivated to continue and love it everyday, but I am exhausted. I have never worked such long days in my life. I wake up at 6am and finish the day with the boys around 8:30pm and then work on finances. I am not trying to make myself out as wonder woman, but this is my excuse in failing to write more frequent.
I have made so many friends in the community. I go to this one store everyday at the market and I also have a short chat with the owner. I love it, because I feel like a member of Puerto Plata. I also get 2 bananas from this one old man in his garage store everyday. Recently he hasnt had any so he gets me some from his personal stash in his house. It is just like these little things that friends do that are just so uplifting. It is knowing that I am not just another gringa. I cant tell you what a high i get when i realize that this becoming my community too!
Parenting. I have whole new insights into the job and way mad respect for my parents. I understand the phase `this hurts me more than it does you´or `I really want to give you this, but I cant´or why parents have to go on dates or mini holidays or why summer vacation is not nearly as exciting as it is for the kids or why snow days are a pain in the butt. I knew why before, but now i understand. when the kids use to get out because the school had flooded from rain, it was fun to do some creative things with them, but it was so hard to get the daily tasks of the house done. I apologize, Mom and Dad, for saying `you dont understand´and it was a lie when i said `i will never do this to my kids.´ I just understand, because now for almost 3 months I have had kids. it is not the same as babysitting. no, not at all. this is a lot of work and sometimes my heart is just broken. but when they have a victory, even a small one. i have never felt such joy and pride. parenting is one heck of a rollercoaster ride.
i have one more surprise...
which i will tell you in august...
it is a good one...
hopefully as things are getting into some sort of orderly chaos here, I will be able to write more. I want to be able to share specific stories.
Love and hugs from one grateful girl in the DR!