8 Hours with Infants later...

Day 5 on Mildenhall Airforce Base. England..?

Sooooo I actually forgot I was in England the other day....with all the Starbucks, Baskin Robbins, Taco Bells, Burger Kings, Southern drawl accents, and Colbie Colliat playing constantly. This is England, right? I guess living on an American Airforce Base means I'll be seeing a lot less pubs, Boots, red phone booths, and Marmite and Nuttella commericals. More or less, I am getting much the culture shock. Seriously...what an experience living on a military base! And I'm not even military! These places are like their own community...it's just so interestingly silly. Everything you need on a daily basis is provided on a base. Yes...I'm seeing how easy it can be to get cabin fever due to a bases' isolation, but overall, I am very intrigued by this world and the people that come in and out of such a community. These men and women work very hard to be where they are and I commend them.

Speaking of cabin fever...still getting over a "silly flu" bug I had 5 days ago and has seemed to have formed into the so-called Swine Flu. Welcome to England Jess! haha...but seriously...any of you out their believing in prayer, I'd appreciate some love because the sickness (along with jet lag and jumping into work) has made my transition a bit more difficult. thanks so much :)

Back to the Base life. Not only do the parents have it rough on this base, but man, the kids struggle more than you know. My job is to be available to the kids whose parents have been deployed overseas or are on their way back. And gosh, what a life it is for these kids. To see one parent for six months and then have them disappear for another six months?! How do you handle such an extreme change? I pray, and hope you all could, for all the kids whose parents are commanded to leave them to serve our country. It is a big sacrifice that has caused many issues and contraversy in many families. We are blessed.

So...imagine 8 infants. Yes...8 babies, whose parents are gone overseas for months, and have very unstable home situations, all in one room waiting to be taken care of. Yes...that has been my job this past week. Loving on 8 babies at once. Changing diapers. Wiping noses. Stuffing apple sauce and mushed peas in their faces. Holding one down in each hand rocking them to sleep. Quite the experience! I will admit, not what I expected, so it is a bitter-sweet experience, but all the same, it is a wonderful learning experience. And I can't wait to learn more and more! Now...preschoolers I was expecting to take care of, not infants. But these babies need just as much love as any other age of children. Maybe more.

We shall see where I work next week! :) The Child Development Center moves us interns around all over to whatever classroom is in need. My work schedule will be 8:30-5:30 everyday....so until I find time, I hope all is well in the states!! Cheers!