I Can't believe it's already Christmas Eve!

First off, Wow I didn't realize how fast time can go! It's Christams Eve and I can't even believe it! I feel like only yesterday I was saying goodbye to everyone. I'm not sure if I've said this but it's been really strange getting ready for Christmas when it's 90 degrees outside and no snow. I hear ya'll are getting snowed on I hope you all stay safe and have a wonderful Christmas.

Well, let me get you all updated. I got my Site Assignment last week. . . and the verdict is. I'm now the Mom of the OSSO orphanage which takes care of the handicapped children!! This assignment means that I'll be specializing in this orphange learning on a more one-on-one bases the needs of the children and training the new group on what to do!! I couldn't be more happy with my assignment. Every day that I'm here I find that I have more love in my heart then I ever knew I even had. I understand what the older group of girls keep saying when they just exclaim "I just love these kids". I used to think, "well yea, how could you not? They're cute and fun to be around." But no, I understand the deeper meaning of love! That unconditional love that parents have for their children!
Christmas here in Ecuador is full of Fiestas and parades and tons, I mean TONS of food!! We have had at least five fiestas a week and the kids get toys and candy like there is no tomorrow. It's wonderful to see the community reaching out to these children and giving to them what they can. They call Santa Clause "Papa Noel" down here and we had one boy in the OSSO Orphange that had us all dress up in a robe and other random articles of clothing and act like Papa Noel. He just squealed with laughter and delight as we 'HoHoHo'ed and rubbed our belly's. Even the OSSO Children know it's christmas time and love helping us make decorations for their Casas and dressing up in costumes and especially eating candy! One little girl always goes 'hohoho' and rubs her belly it's the cutest thing in the world.
We now have two families volunteering with us down here for the next week so that brings the total persons in our home to 31! It's a blast. The older girls are leaving on Monday, and it's going to be really hard to see them leave. Hardest because it means that we become the older group and that's just weird. I remember when we first got here what they looked like to me and how much love they had for these kids, and I don't feel like I thought they looked! But, maybe I am. We have a closing Banquet on Saturday which is going to be bitter sweet.
This week we went on Zip Lines in the mountains!! It was crazy insane! I got to go upside down or Mariposa which is Butterfly on one and it was nuts. We also got the opportunity to take a portion of the girls orphange that we go to twice a week for an hour swimming today in these natural heated swimming pools. It was a lot of fun to just splash around and give the girls an enjoyable afternoon.
This past month has been amazing and I'm looking forward to spending the next one as the Mom at my site. Hopefully I'll get some of the landscape pictures up really soon for you all. And I hope I can get an update done more often for you all. But if not, it just means that I've got to come visit you all and share my stories! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all I hope this holiday season is filled with love and charity to those around you!