Taking one for the kids

I watched her struggle with dispensing the hospital grade anti-bacterial gel to the kids (3yr. olds), waiting to have their snack (milk and toast). It just was not coming out. She unscrewed the bottle from its unmanageable dispenser but she didn't have a good grip on the bottle. I watched it fall and then slightly bounce, while some of that intense liquid made it into my left eye. Thankfully, the kids who were sitting right near did not get hit, though I was standing up and a step back got an eye full of it. I rushed into the kitchen before I said any words that the kids could repeat later. Thankfully, the burning sensation in my eye had dissipated in about ten minutes. As I used a soaking paper towel to get the liquid out of my eye, all I could think of was that this would have been the perfect opportunity to use those eye sinks that they had in the science labs. I was always curious about them but unfortunately even with a great excuse none were within my reach that morning. Moral of the story: anti-bacterial in the eye=extremely painful and would not suggest it

Summer: safety question material for class?

It's February? Already? Really?

So its February now, that seems amazing. A year ago, I was hoping and praying that I would be doing what I am doing today. Well, not exactly, because I definitely did not imagine or nor could I have imagined what this year was going to be exactly.

The other eight YAVs and I went to the Inishowen Peninsula for our second retreat of this year. It was nice to be with the group again and feel that community that we have with each other. We were able to go to Malin Head, Derry/Londonderry and the Giant's Causeway. All of these really deserve their own post but I am afraid that I would not ever get to them since my time has seemed to escape me even more. I will have to say though that what I enjoyed the most was sitting on the Causeway and listening to the waves crash against the beautiful rock formation. It has become my favorite sound and view for that matter. Rarely, will I take the time to sit and listen, because if you know me well, I am usually behind schedule. I really appreciated that time to recharge and devote some time to just being, rather than doing. I have to also mention that there was no rain and it was sunny, the three days we were there. That is quite amazing.

I find that my best moments to reflect are when I am with a group out in nature and isolate myself for a bit. While I was in Utah, two years ago, climbing canyons with a group I let myself fall a bit behind. I saw no one behind or before me. It had only been more than a month after losing my dad and Beatles songs began to creep into my head. So as I was finishing climbing that particular canyon that day, I sang songs that my dad would always listen to and cried. It was a chance for me to breathe, which is ironic because that altitude and lack of humidity was killing me. So Thursday as I saw the Causeway, I climbed until I found the perfect place to perch and was able to sit, watch and listen. The waves became the music for me. I did not have the raw feelings that I did, when climbing that canyon two years ago but I certainly was able to have that necessary time to reflect. It was only until sitting there that I realized that I really needed that time.

I am considering so many things after this year of service, that it is kind of overwhelming. I don't know where I am headed but now after being here for half a year, I know it will be even harder because I will have another family to say goodbye to.

Word of the Week: knackered- exhausted

PS. Sorry for such a delayed post, its just hectic and I have just felt like rubbish with allergies, so free time that I had at home consisted of sleeping! And the flowers in the picture were bulbs we planted in our front garden and are now blooming a couple of months early!