Weeks

Life has been, well, full.

There's the busyness. Conferences, hosting people, planning meetings, another conference next week with our partners from all over Guatemala and El Salvador. Meetings over Skype. Meetings in person. Planning and emails and deadlines and finances and the usual work week, but amplified.

One of the most intense parts of our jobs is the responsibility we carry over our staff. We currently have 11 staff spread between Guatemala and El Salvador. They are all living in different contexts and facing unique challenges. We are responsible for "worker care," making sure they are being supported physically, emotionally, mentally, spiritually. It's a huge job, and this week has been extra tough. It's difficult to do these things in a context that is unpredictable, dangerous, and with limited resources. It's like somehow playing a parenting role (some more literally than others) for 11 people from several hours away, while also dealing with 3 girls age 5 and under at home. It's one of the most rewarding parts of the job, but also can be the most challenging.

Cumulatively, I'd venture to say it's been one of the most stressful months we've had here in Guatemala.

We decided we need to rest and have some family time during Holy Week in a couple weeks. We planned a trip and then the plans fell through. I was bummed. Super bummed. I realized I was over-stressed and extra disappointed when this happened and I took it out on my kids, yelling and screaming and super impatient. Don't worry, I made it up to them by buying them ice cream. Mom Guilt at its finest.

Then we realized we have some pending visa issues and we have to travel to either Belize or Mexico to renew a couple of our family visas. Another complication. Fortunately, we figured out new plans, and with a bit of travel we still get to rest for a bit and we will get our visas renewed. I'm counting down the hours.

During such a messy, full, tense month, obviously Ellie would come home from school yesterday with an excited glow. She was chosen to be "niña de la semana" (girl of the week) next week. This is a big deal for her. Like, she's been talking about when this week will happen since last year. Every week the girls come home with reports of whose week it is, what treats they brought to school, etc. This entails us making a large posterboard with pictures of Ellie. It means she gets to share her favorite book with her classmates this week. It means her parents are invited to bring a snack on Thursday (good thing we decided to cut our partner meeting short by a day next week!). It means we need to come up with a sorpresa, usually a fancy version of a birthday party gift bag. Last week one of the girls brought home a brand new water bottle filled with candy and bubbles, for example. Those over-achieving parents sure can ruin it for the rest of us.

Last year's posterboards:

Of course she would be the "niña de la semana" in one of our busiest weeks of the year. Michael and I could only laugh at the timing.

Oh, and then I found another little paper in her backpack that told me that this Tuesday she has a presentation on panthers, in English, Gracias a Dios. This includes another posterboard or visual aid. For her last presentation we just let her draw some pictures on paper to share, and I couldn't help but notice all the fancy books and posters that the other kids rolled into school with. Darn over-achievers.

I started the week off with a couple days of running. I even got a 4-mile run in one night. But by the end of the week I'm so fried I sat on the couch last night and couldn't move. I had the fleeting thought to exercise, but after a day sitting in front of the computer on video calls and answering emails, I was done. I couldn't even make dinner due to the whiny, fussy, sick baby who insisted on being held AT ALL TIMES. Gracias a Dios for Chinese delivery.

I will spend my weekend finding and printing pictures to help Ellie make her posterboard. And learning about panthers. This morning she was singing to herself, "I'm the chica de la semana." She's thrilled, and I want to let her be, and set aside the busy week ahead and let her feel special.