Point of View: How the Girls Are Adjusting

How are we adjusting? It's hard to summarize these days, but mostly, we're doing well. My Spanish has come a long way, but it's hard to see progress on a daily basis, and sometimes that gets discouraging. We had a team retreat recently and I was happy with how much more I understood and could say compared to our first retreat in September. So, there's progress.

But today I'd like to focus on how the girls are doing, since they're cuter and more fun.

When we first arrived to Guatemala my biggest stress was about my girls. I had been a stay-at home mom with them both and we were all accustomed to a few hours apart, at the most. When we landed in Guatemala we plunged straight into a week-long meeting at a retreat center where there was childcare. The women watching the girls spoke no English, though thankfully a few of the older kids did and translated my basic instructions about not feeding them meat (this is before we gave in and started eating meat) or how to get Ellie to go to the bathroom. It was frustrating to not have the ability to communicate my children's needs to strangers.

Our First Week in Guatemala

Ellie and Hazel did OK, but it was a rough week for us all. I was still nursing and we were in and out of the meetings a lot, tending to a crying 9-month old and a crying, confused, and clingy 2 1/2 year old. 

Immediately following these meetings we started language school, and we had a few days to decide on a plan for the girls. There is a small preschool/daycare near our office and apartment, and after touring it we felt comfortable with it from the beginning. 

Our First Day of School

The first day of school was hard. Ellie cried as she realized we were leaving her there, and I cried walking away, hearing her sadness and confusion through her tears. I knew hoped she'd be fine, and was more worried about leaving my 9 month-old who would be forced to change her nursing and nap schedule to fit our new routine.

Before the end of that first week, I think it was the third day, Ellie was excited and smiling when she walked into school, and has felt the same way about going ever since. 

Hazel took a little more adjusting. Mostly, I had to explain to her teachers that she was screaming and crying in their arms at nap time because she preferred to fall asleep on her own, in a crib. Once we broke through that communication barrier, Hazel's (and her teacher's) mornings improved. Hazel has been sick a lot since we've been here. Between adjusting to germs at school and microbes in the food and who knows what else, her poor little body is acclimating. Hopefully this will cease soon.

Skipping language class to stay home with my little sickie

We have lived here in Guatemala for 7 1/2 months. Ellie loves her school. It was a significant moment a few weeks ago when I picked her up from school and she started crying. I thought it was because I was late and she thought I was leaving her there, but it was because she wanted to stay at school and play with her friends and didn't want to go home. 

Now, when we take the girls to school, they both walk right through the door and don't look back. They don't even say goodbye because they're too busy greeting their friends and teachers with hugs. This is one of our biggest blessings so far. I know that if the girls had a hard time at school, life here and my job would be much more difficult. 

Ellie's Spanish is improving every day. She has several words where she doesn't realize she uses the Spanish (her Spanglish). But the most fun part for me is watching her interact with other people in Spanish, and the way her accent immediately switches, like the way she says "Hazen" in Spanish instead of Hazel. She had her first fight with Hazel in Spanish the other day. The things we notice. 

At church last Sunday Ellie asked me to leave the kids time. She wanted to stay with her friends and didn't want me there. I thought that didn't start until the teenage years! But really, I'm thankful she's that happy and comfortable with her Spanish and without me around.

Hazel has several words these days, the majority in Spanish. She seems to respond more quickly to our Spanish commands than when we use English. 

We are so grateful we found a place where the girls feel safe and loved. They are learning Spanish, and Ellie is getting a preschool education. Pretty soon, Ellie will probably be translating for me.

Our crazy family in Antigua

Spanish Bonus:

Here's a video of Ellie, singing a song that we often sing before we eat with our MCC team and at home. (I couldn't get it to load straight to the blog, sorry). 

Click here to see Ellie singing. 

The words: Gracias, señor por el pan. Da al pan a los que tienen hambre, y hambre de justicia a los que tenemos pan. AMEN

My translation: Thank you Lord for bread. Give bread to those that are hungry, and give those of us who have bread a hunger for justice. AMEN