It's Been A While...

Yikes! I have not updated this in a couple of weeks! Time seems to be flying by here, and with every minute of free time I have, I am either sleeping, showering, catching up with friends/family on the phone, working on Christmas gifts, or writing to Eric. This is not an excuse, however, my blog has fallen behind.

It would be impossible for me to recall what I did every day, so instead, I am just going to post some pictures and mention some highlights.

My schedule each work day is still the same -- working at Jane Long Elementary in the morning (or, if they don't have work for us to do, working in the BGC office), and working with the four kids that Meg and I tutor in the afternoon.

I hope you enjoy the pictures below as a means for catching up on my last couple of weeks!

Here's me during one of our ISP projects at another Boys and Girls Club over Thanksgiving weekend. We demo-ed this wall to make the doorway larger so bookshelves could be built inside. It was an Eagle Scout project for one of the local high school boys named Colin. We had a great time taking whacks at the cement!

Here's some of my teammates in front of the tiny door opening BEFORE demo started. We knocked the wall back to the left until it was even with the adjacent wall.

I love this picture! On the Sunday of Thanksgiving weekend, some of my teammates and I got up REALLY early Sunday morning to get to the laudromat before it got crowded. We left at 8am and were all pretty tired. Since there isn't any seating in the place, we each sat in front of our washers! You can see my book on the floor at the top of the picture past Joel!

This is my favorite picture of this round. Here's me with the kids that Meg and I tutor. They are great and I am going to miss them SO much. Monday (12/14) is our last day of work, and I honestly think I am going to cry. Frank told me that I was the best teacher ever in the whole world and that he doesn't want me and Miss Meg to leave! All of the kids hug us both every day and tell us that we can't leave. We are going to have a mini "going away party" with them on Monday where we bake cupcakes and give them each a photo of the six of us to keep. Just thinking about saying goodbye to them right now makes me feel horrible. They all still need so much help and they're such happy kids -- I wish I could just fit them into my suitcase and bring them back to Michigan with me. Meg and I found out today that Frank and Aaliyah (the two kids on the left)'s parents are only 25 years old. Frank is 9, Aaliyah is 8, and then they have three other children ages 7, 6, and 3. Meg and I could hardly believe this -- to be such young parents and have FIVE young kids at home must be so incredibly difficult. All but the 3-yr-old attends The Club after school, and they're all really cute and happy kids. I am sure that their parents are doing the best that they can given the circumstances, but man, my heart goes out to their family. That's another reason why I am having such a hard time saying goodbye to the kids. Meg and I give them one-on-one time practicing reading, spelling, and homework that their parents probably can't give them after they leave The Club. I am having a hard time thinking about who will help these kids after Monday. I just wish the very best for them as they continue to grow up, and they have definitely touched my heart.

Us being silly!

Frank, Aaliyah, Vada, and Chloe.

YUM! Here's a picture of Jared and I when we cooked "White Chicken Chili" for our team. I was happy to share the recipe with my group, since no one had ever had it before! It turned out really yummy!

Here's me before the AmeriCorps vs. BGC Keystone Group basketball game. We were challenged to play again the high school "Keystone Club." The staff brought all of the kids into the gym, they turned on the electric scoreboard, and we got our butts kicked. We only played for 20 minutes and we lost 7-40 (no joke!) We were pretty entertaining to watch -- all of the kids really enjoyed it!

Here's me on Saturday, Dec. 5th in the morning helping set up for the Boys and Girls Club Holiday Fundraising Gala. I took this picture because it was 9am, I was half asleep, and I said "wow, I feel like my sister right now with this whole banquet set up thing!" So, this picture's for you Morg - Love you!

Here's me at the Gala in front of the beautiful tree! It put me in the Christmas spirit, and I can't wait to be in Michigan with my family and friends!

Here's a really cute picture of me, Amanda, and Meg at the Gala -- too bad Tim ruined it by sticking his creepy head in the background.

Here's the fireplace that I made out of paper for the wall outside of my 4th grade classroom at Jane Long. My teacher is having the kids decorate "Word Choice Stockings" (practicing using the thesaurous), so I made the background. It took me about 3 hours, but I am pretty proud of it!

So that is all that I have for pictures and updates. We are leaving here on Tuesday morning and will arrive back in Denver on Thursday evening. On Friday, we have debriefing meetings during the day, and then I will be packing and anticipating my flight out on Saturday morning! Michigan, here I come!

I miss you all!

I hope that you're enjoying the snowing weather, and I will be home soon for Christmas!