My Girls

I am in love with my hogar. These girls are so completely wonderful. Being with them makes me forget everything else – my frustrations at school, my personal issues, everything. I have never been told that I look pretty so many times in one day as yesterday at mass. I put on a dress, make-up, and bright pink nail polish, and the girls were delighted. Before the evening activity (a singing competition), they took my hair down and brushed it because they like it suelto and lent me earrings that matched my dress. They are so patient with my Spanish, explain things when I don’t understand, and teach me new words. They encourage me in my hopeless attempts at chapearing and thank me just for trying. They make sure I get enough to eat and worry about me getting eaten alive by bugs. They show me their photo albums and letters from their godparents. They give me hugs and kisses and lean their heads on me when they’re tired. And they trust me enough already to tell me things they’d never tell their tias. I feel like I have 16 new little sisters, although most of the time they are the ones taking care of me.