Good Days

This week has been very good, but exhausting. I'm so happy for the relaxed day today. Granted, it won't be so relaxed when I start to tackle my loan paperwork again after lunch, but I'm enjoying the peace while I've got it right now.

I've had a very good few days at work. At SBEC I've been doing the job retention classes, which are different everyday depending on who I have coming. It feels so good to end a 2 hour long session knowing we've made some progress.

The kids at the Kid's Cafe are growing on me more and more everyday, and it honestly breaks my heart to have to tell them every Wednesday that I won't be there the next day. Yesterday I had more kids than usual wanting my attention and seeking me out to play. It was the first time in the two weeks that I've been there that I had any of the boys actually want to hang out and play a game or two. It's exciting that they are starting to warm up to me more everyday. I'm not just the random white girl in the room anymore, I'm Miss Carrie, I'm here almost everyday, and I really enjoy spending time with you. Progress, I love it.

Two other women got hired about the same time I came on as a volunteer, and yesterday the three of us walked down to the street corner to watch the kids as they walked over from school. The kids were screwing around, shoving, fighting, running in the streets. They were going nuts. As I stood out there, a Sister who lives nearby had come out too, and we were chatting as we watched the kids acting wild and praying no one got hit by a car. She asked me if the kids were difficult to handle at the Cafe, and I said "of course there are hard days, but good too. With so many kids, you never really know what you're in for day to day." 

Not long after I said that, one of our younger girls started to cross the street, she saw me and yelled "MISS CARRRRIIIIEEEEE" and ran up to me for a huge hug. The Sister turned to me and said "But I bet that right there makes it all worth it." And that is absolutely the truth, and it's why I'm there.