Hot Holidays

Well here we go again….

A lot has gone on since last I posted, the whole Christmas season has passed in a blur of heat, present buying, present sending, sun, decorating houses, biscuits and being really hot. Spending Christmas here was so different but also so fun. The first Christmassy thing we did was at the boys’ home at the beginning of December. We had a day of fun with the boys and we really went for it; we had biscuits to decorate, christmas carols to sing, a magician, a balloon artist, consequent balloon sword fight, christmas dinner and then the piece de resistance of two bike which we purchased for the kids. It was such a good day, the kids had the best time, it was wonderful to watch them just have fun and enjoy themselves. They couldn’t believe we were actually giving the bikes to them, it was amazing that we could really provide so much for them with such little effort on our part.

So my personal christmas really lasted three days, I was not complaining! On Christmas Eve all of Mauge’s family came round for dinner because here they celebrate mainly on Christmas Eve. Then the fun began. I decided I would like to give the kids something individual for Christmas so Mauge and I went and bought each one of them a t shirt and then made Christmas bags filled with sweets, chocolate, bouncy balls and all of the stationary from Faith Mission, thank you the Lynns. The most exciting part was when we (Mauge) decided we would make the bags. As in, make the actual bags from scratch out of wrapping paper. That was why we were awake until half 5 on Christmas morning, when we had to be at the home at half 7. I finally understood what my Heather and Paul went through all those years of sleepless Christmas nights preparing the presents from ‘Santa’ After the night of bag making and one hour of sleep we Mauge, Ana, Coco and I headed over to the Home to make the boys a special Christmas breakfast of pancakes. So festive. They loved it. Most of them took about 4 pancakes and all the sauces of the world and then after two bites were about ready to finish! We then proceeded to play games and give out the Christmas bags and they loved it. They were so excited to get their gifts and see what was inside, and after we had skirted round the issue of why some of them hadn’t got any bouncy balls (obviously because someone else got two. questionable) we took a big group photo of everyone with the christmas bags. It was the best morning.

That afternoon I went to my mentor’s house to have Christmas lunch with him and his family. WE HAD TURKEY. AND STUFFING. AND YORKSHIRE PUDDINGS. AND MINCE PIES. AND CHRISTMAS PUDDING. I was excited. It was a really nice time spent with them, and while Sleeping Beauty is not normally my choice of Christmas afternoon film, it was so kind of them to open their home to me and let me share in their Christmas.

But it doesn’t end there. On the 26th myself, and two friends from language school, Lauren and Savannah, gathered in Mauge’s house to open the presents we had received from our mothers. Just that cool. And I don’t want to brag but I’m pretty sure I have the best mum in the world, who else but Heather Maginn would manage to send four packages of presents AND a stocking? Hello cadburys.

All in all my festive period was pretty darn good. It’s been really great to spend more time just me and the boys in the home as the other people who work there are off this week. While the boys are off for the holidays, I am trying to take them out for at least one day trip a week so that they get out of the house a little bit. I started out taking 4, then I took 7, last count I took 14. We went most recently to a huge park with them which was full of slides, a pool, bikes, swings, everything. The highlight of my day was probably when one of the kids got really angry and walked off. “Just ignore him” said one of the boys, who’s 8, “he’s demon possessed.” I had to turn away so I did not laugh in his face. Those boys get me every time.

I’m sure you will be pleased to know that I have come to the end. So all that is left to say now is thank you all for all the cards, gifts, emails, everything I received over the Christmas, I really feel so blessed to have such a wonderful family and friends.

Blessings to you all this New Year,

Mateo

ps Just because Christmas is over don’t feel you need to stop sending those packages yeah?