Overwhelmed, but God is still good!

So it's been quite a while since I started this post because the internet has ben down, but it's kinda funny how the title is still quite appropriate.

Wow, it's been quite a weekend. The fun started on Thursday, when we got home, and there was no water. What made it really interesting, was that we had invited Avieria and Nicole over to spend the night since we had PTM the next morning. So, on Friday morning, we left for school early so that we could take showers in the dorms. It made me really glad that the school I work for includes a college with dorms. =) All day Friday until 6 pm we had parent meetings, then we took 4 college girls to the mall before we finally went home for the night. Friday night and Saturday morning we still didn't have water. On Saturday, we took one of the girls to the airport to buy her ticket home for Christmas, so we decided to go to Plaza Las Americas (the big mall) because we were over in that direction anyway. We took a couple more college girls and really enjoyed ourselves. When we got home on Saturday night, we had water! I did 2 loads of laundry because we're never sure how long the water will last. Sunday morning, I found out that one of my friends from my church in Greenville was killed in a construction accident. It's hard to find out about those kind of things no matter what, but it was extra hard hearing while I was sitting at the piano. Let's just say that my playing on the next song left a little to be desired. The young man was a Christian, but it's still especially hard on the church youth group because it is a very close knit church. Friends that are there say everyone at church is just walking around in shock. It's hard for me to believe, and right now I really wish I could be there with them, but I know God has me exactly where he wants me.

Now to more current events. There's so much I could say, but don't have enough time to, so I'll go ahead and start with this week. Sunday started the FBF Carribean Conference, and so far we've had 2 people saved, and 4 incredible messages that were very much needed. I'm especially excited to have Dr Bob Jones III here, although I must say that it was slightly scary to be scheduled to play the offertory last night right before he spoke! It went well, despite my cold hands. I was fine during the service before the offertory, because I was squished next to Carlos Santana (see picture on a previous post) and it was quite warm. When I went close to the front for the offertory, I began to freeze. They have to keep it very cold for it to be even comfortable with that many people in the church. Last night we were packed with people standing in the back of the church, as well as many people in the airconditioned tent that has been rented for the occasion. I'm really looking forward to this week and the things the Lord has in store for us. It has already been good to be in the house of the Lord.

Student quote for the day: "Teacher, you look tropical!" (this from Diego in 5th grade)

Grades

Grades are due today, so everyone has been trying to get to computers all day. My grades are done, and it was relatively easy. I only have 5 separate classes, only 2 different classes, to enter grades for. This means PTM this Friday-parent meetings. I probably won't have as many as most of the teachers, since I teach mostly piano lessons, and that doesn't go on their report card. The one nice thing about PTM is that we get to come in around 9 AM instead of 7 AM. We have to stay until 5 PM instead of 4PM, but I have always preferred staying late to arriving early. Yea for more sleep Thursday night!
It's raining again today. It's been raining all day. It's been raining every day except one for about the last 2-3 weeks. In fact, I emailed a friend today, and said "hello from the beautiful lake of Puerto Rico. Yes, I said lake, not island." So it's not really flooded, but there's lots of water everywhere. I really don't mind, though, since it makes a huge difference in the temperature inside the apartment.
We're stopping at the mall on the way home to get a hand made wooden top for Priscilla's mom, who starts chemo tomorrow. From time to time, different vendors set up booths in the hallways of the mall, and this week, its "Artesania Puertorriquena". Basically all kinds of folk art, mostly handmade. There's lots of fun stuff to look at.
I will close with the interesting student comment for the day. Ariel (a first grader) has been telling me in his piano lessons that he has a brother and a sister "in his mom's tummy". When he came to his lesson today, he said, "My babies are out! They are in my house." He was so excited about his new brother and sister. His brother Andre is at home, but his sister Ariana is still in the hospital.

Progress

Yesterday I had my first student learn to play more than one note with one hand at the same time. Exciting stuff! Charlene is in 4th grade and is doing very well with piano. She was a little overwhelmed with the new info, but I think she'll do well with it.
Something strange has happened the last couple of nights-I have actually been cold! Clarification for those who don't know-I have no air conditioning, and the only way I've been able to sleep is the 6 inch clip on fan I have in my room. Normally it's quite warm in the house, but the past few days it has been nice because of all the rain. Who knows how long that will last, but for right now I am really enjoying needing a blanket at night!
This weekend was nice. We went to El Morro, and after that to the beach, where I got sunburned, but not as bad as last time. Don't ask me which beach we went to, because I have no idea. We got a little lost (Priscilla was driving), and when we saw water and sand, we decided to stop. We figured all we had to do was follow the water and we'd get home eventually.
Here's some pictures from our grand adventure.

Walking up the lawn towards El Morro

One of the outside walls of the fort

View of the lawn from the fort

Doorways inside the fort- I love pictures like this!

What the fort looks like from inside the walls

The beach we found while we were lost =)

This weekend we have fall festival, so that's going to be really busy, but next week we only have 3 days of classes. Yeah for Columbus Day on Monday and Parent Teacher Meetings on Friday!