2nd falls at the Wilds during Music Conference.

Zasheyra and Karimel, two more 5th graders.

Ariana and Lizmarie (5th graders) at the "Sit-go" station-so named because with the roof it actually looks like a gas station, and that is where they wait to be picked up in the afternoons. Keeps them out of the sun, and at times, the rain.

Lyanne (10th grade student) and Janice (fellow teacher) at Janice's birthday party.

Four of my oldest players clowning for the camera. Or maybe not for the camera-they're usually clowns anyway. =)

My nutty soccer players, minus one of my 6th graders. Back row (left to right): Frances, Daniella, Gabriella, Ashley, Raquel. Middle row: Shalibel, Stephanie. and laying across the front, Andrea. My missing sixth grader is Ruth Anne. Our record now is 3-3 after winning 2 awesome games last Friday afternoon. Finally we won a game that went to penalty kicks-2 of our losses were penalty kick games, the other we lost 2-1.

I took this picture because it looked interesting to me at the moment. This lady was sitting on the steps outside the Catholic church. She was talking loudly and excitedly, and as you can see there's no one there. I'm not sure if she was on the phone, or what. There was actually a Mass going on in the church as this picture was taken. We had walked in to look at the cathedral, when we heard the service going on.

Pictures again

Oscar, a K4 student, started the year coming in crying every morning, babbling in Spanish. Now he comes in bouncing and laughing, sometimes running, all the while talking non stop in English.

My whole family New Year's Eve.

La Boca, literally "the mouth" is a beautiful out of the way spot we found a couple of weeks ago, definitely worth a return trip!

Church during missions conference. Each flag represents a country where we have at least one missionary, though not all the countries where we have missionaries are represented.

Happy Valentines Day!

Last night I went shopping. I know, I'm an idiot-going shopping the night before Valentine's Day. Here in Puerto Rico, the traffic and lines in the stores were as bad or worse than Christmas in the states. If this is Valentine's Day here, I don't think I want to see what Christmas is like. There was actually a good reason I went, and with the good deals I got, I'm glad I went. On Saturday when I was out shopping, I hadn't really thought about what I would do for Valentine's Day for my students, etc, so I didn't want to just randomly buy things. After all, Walmart had tons of valentines on Saturday, surely there would be some left on Monday. When I went on Monday, all they had left was Superman and Barbie. I was kinda disappointed, because I really didn't want to have to go out on Tuesday, but oh well. Last night, I went straight from school to the mall. I was looking for a few cards and some other things. As I passed Champs, I happened to see they were having a shoe sale, so I stopped in since the running shoes I've been wearing for the last 6 years are falling apart. I know, 6 years! Kinda depressing that they lasted that long-in highschool I ran so much I needed a new pair every year. I have been running and exercising more lately, so I've noticed the wear on my shoes much more. Anyway, as usual, there were hardly any shoes in my size, but I did find a few. Only problem was that most of the shoes were pink! I like pink ok for clothes, but for athletic shoes??? Nope! I happened to find a pair of Nike Shox for $20 in an acceptable color-white, silver and a mint green. They fit, so that was even better. I also found 2 hats on sale for $3-Texas Longhorns, and Braves. I was very excited about my first pair of Nikes, and I became even more excited when I looked at the receipt. The normal price for the shoes I got was $150, and I only paid $20! The feel of these shoes is incredible, too. After shopping and standing from about 5:00 to 9:30, I put the new shoes on at home while I hung my laundry, and let me tell you they felt good!! I also got a purse from the clearance rack because my purse was falling apart. So, in spite of the insanity of traffic, I'm glad I went. This morning I came in and found on my desk a couple of cards and some mini Snickers. Students and teachers have given me hazelnut chocolates, brownies, and chocolate dipped strawberries-those count as fruit, right??.
As for much more important news, on Monday night visitation, I was translating for one of the first grade teachers. As usual, when I know I'm going to be translating, I call mom and let her know so she can be praying. We talked to the mother for a while, and then Julie (the other teacher) asked if she could share the gospel. I was nervous and praying that the Lord would give me the right words to accurately convey what Julie was trying to say. God was good, and the mother prayed to trust Christ! It was really exciting to be able to help-you could see on her face that she understood about sin, the penalty and the payment, and that Jesus Christ is the only way to heaven. Praise the Lord! If you think about it pray for Brenda, she told us when we came in that she was a practicing catholic-Mass every Sunday, etc. Pray that the Lord will continue to work in her heart, that she would be able to grow, and that she would be able to come to church.

Two thoughts

First: Anthony, a second grader, asked me today, "Teacher, if my skin's made of dust, why can't I take it apart?"

Second: Tomorrow, I will purposely wear pink on Valentine's Day for the first time I can remember. Why, you may ask? Because I can!

New soccer season

The after school soccer season started last week, and we have our first games this week. I have 3 returning team members from last year, as well as some others I'm looking forward to working with. Since there are only 3 teams this year, we are alternating multiple practices and games. Each week one team will have 2 practices, and a different team will have 2 games. My team has 2 games this week and 2 practices next week.
In other news, Carlos turned 10 on Monday, and while I was talking to his mom, I learned 2 new Spanish phrases-flat tire, and the Puerto Rican expression for old maid.
The reason I learned about flat tires is simple-I had one. Monday morning on the way into work, I started to hear a funny noise, but I wasn't sure what it was. As I've told people here, even if one side of my car was lower than another, with the road conditions here, you never know if it's because of a pothole or a flat tire. By the time I figured out it was a flat tire, I was not in a safe place to stop. I know it's not good for the car to keep driving on a flat tire, but Dad always said you can replace a tire, but not a life, so get somewhere safe. I drove into the parking lot of a Texaco station, where I saw a couple of men, one of whom I was sure I recognized from seeing him begging at the traffic light. He ended up being the one who changed my tire. After about 45 minutes, a changed tire, and an interesting conversation with an older man waiting in the parking lot, I finally made it to school at 7:50, only 50 minutes late. Thankfully on Mondays we don't have chapel, and I don't have a piano lesson until 8:30, so I was there in plenty of time.
A few recent student quotes:
The other day, I was coming out of the restroom, and I heard one of the teachers ask if there were any students left in there. We both heard a voice from one of the stalls say, "No, teacher, nobody's here!"

The other day, Gabriel in first grade told me, "Teacher, I like chapel days!" When I asked him why, he said, "Because I like to be with God!"

I was talking to a few of the 5th grade girls in the park, and Yolimar said, "Teacher, when you get mad, you get real quiet. You don't get loud, you just talk really quiet and when you're mad at the boys you get in their faces and talk to them really quiet."

More pictures

I love taking pictures of the water here, especially the varied colors you can see.

Puerto Rico is so beautiful!

One of my favorite buildings in Old San Juan. I think I end up with at least one picture of it every time I get my camera out.

For our Columbus day activity each team had to solve a series of riddles to find the word "Spain," which they had to spell using their bodies on the lawn of the big fort on the island. You can see the word if you use your imagination!

My team serenading a random stranger with a Christmas carol.

My team with a blue Ford Mustang (happened to be at the Ford dealership)

My lovely car, which celebrates its 20th birthday this year. Any suggestions for a name (female) are welcome. Yes, I parked first, no, they're not touching.

Manmade waterfall in Centennial Park. I like water!!

Downtown Atlanta's Centennial Olympic Park with the Peachtree Westin hotel in the background along with other buildings.

My favorite picture of Will and Anna together. This was taken while we were waiting in line to "spin the wheel" at an Atlanta Thrashers game.

The kids also got tickets to an NHL game-Atlanta played New Jersey. I went to my first NBA game on a Friday and my first NHL game the next day in the same place-Philips Arena. While we were at the hockey game, they have one of those things where you can spin a wheel to win prizes. Most of the time there aren't that many good prizes, but this time I won 2 free tickets to another hockey game! So, the day after Christmas, Dad and I went to Atlanta 4-5 hours before the game started to make sure there would be tickets available. We were able to get the $55 seats, but still had to kill time in cold, windy downtown Atlanta before we could get in. That was one time I was definitely missing the Caribbean! I did enjoy the cold most of the time I was home, though.

Our seats for the Thrashers game were higher up than for the Hawks game, but still good.

All of us kids (minus Ruth) in front of the CNN Center Christmas tree after the basketball game.

My brothers and sisters did some sort of reading contest, and got free tickets to an Atlanta Hawks game. The Hawks played the Pacers, and lost. I don't remember the score, but I really enjoyed the game!



Half time practice at the Hawks game.

Delaney cheering on the Hawks, even though they were losing.

Anna and I at the Hawks game enjoying the hats they handed out at the door-this was the Friday before Christmas.

Missions Conference

Tonight is the last night of missions conference. I'm exhausted, but it has been good.
School has been very busy this semester-hence the reason this is my first and only post of January! Soccer started yesterday, so I'm sure it will only get busier. Hopefully sometime soon (maybe after the weekend) I'll be able to post some pictures from Christmas break-I got a new camera, so I had a lot of fun with it, especially going to an NBA game, 2 NHL games, and then spending a week at the Wilds.

Field day pictures

I know, these were promised last March. Sorry, I had computer glitches. So, here they are now.
Several of this year's 5th graders, with a few others thrown in. Starting with second from the left, Sergio, Deborah, Ariana, and Cristal. (guess which one's not a fifth grader, and tell me what grade you think they're in)




Jancarlo, a 6th grader, doing the long jump.




6th graders, from left to right: Natalia, Johanys, Paola, Zuania.
The middle two are not at CBCS this year.

Several of the 6th grade boys.


More 6th grade girls. From left to right- Rosalin, Darlene, Johanys, Natalia and Raquel, with Ruth Anne in the background


Lower elementary blue team tug of war.


This year's freshmen. From left to right: Cristina, Jadys and Nildaly


Karina, a 5th grader, gets ready for sack races.

More pictures

My pastor and his wife.


Me with a family friend from Texas. Looking at the dress (and the ice cream cup) this must have been before someone bumped into me as I was spooning ice cream into my mouth.



My 16 yr old sister (in the blue dress)

More pics

This is all of us-the last time all of us were together before the wedding.



My sister and brother in law show their true personalities. =)

Pictures, finally

Here goes an attempt to finally post some pictures, since I am at home and can use dad's computer.
These will be a very random assortment going all the way back to last March!

Finally a decent picture of an iguana. This one was taken in the Atlanta Zoo, but is very typical of what I see, although the ones I see in PR seem to be a little more green. Fascinating animals!

Wedding party plus ushers at my sister's wedding this summer.

Speling

(the title's for you, Dawn)
Spelling was always something interesting for me in school, and I find it even more so now that I am teaching in an ESL school. I'd like to share with you the text of a birthday card I received from Ezequiel:

Dear Miss Nething,
I hope that have a good day in your work and have a happy Bierthday and what shout for the revench of Miss Griffin. Piece.

I enjoyed immensely the reading of that card. He is speaking of the 79 water cups trick that I wrote about in my last post. After the cups, with a little help, of course, found their way back to the offender's (Ezequiel's teacher) desk she informed me that this meant war, to which I said, "That's ok, my room has a lock and yours doesn't!" =)
The fifth grade class was greatly entertained by all the proceedings of the day.

My birthday

Well, so far today I've been serenaded at least 3 times, and found 79 cups of water arranged in a grid spaced about 2 inches apart on the floor in my office, making it impossible to get very far past the door. Wish my digital camera was working so I could post pictures. Oh well, when I get my film developed, we'll see how those came out.

A couple of student quotes:

During chapel, Mr Daniels asked the kids if anyone knew what a veteran is. A third grader raised his hand and said "A veteran is someone who doesn't eat meat!"

Yesterday we were singing a Christmas carol from the Huron indians in Canada. We discussed how they talked about hunters instead of the usual shepherds because they were hunters and trappers and had no word for shepherd in their language. We began discussing what it meant that they were hunters, and Christopher raised his hand to say, "Teacher, they must be carnivals!" I told him he probably meant carnivores, and he said, "Yeah, carnivores. Teacher, what's a carnivore?"

Well, life has been crazy recently, but around here I guess it always is. Since I last wrote, much has happened. We had the FBF Carribean Conference, which was really a blessing. This year I was half responsible for the special music schedule. That meant choir numbers, offertories and special music for 9 services within a week. It was quite an experience. I enjoyed meeting new friends and seeing old ones again, including a member of my mission team to Spain in 2002. That week I also received a package that made me smile-now I have a new shirt.
The weekend before conference started, we had a birthday party for Andy, and the weekend after conference we had a surprise birthday party for Carolina. At Carolina's party, we had over 50 people in the home where we had the party. I was in charge of games, and that turned out to be a lot of fun.

Love is in the air!

In Mrs. Encarnacion's first graders' air, to be precise. I don't know why these incidents seem to be restricted to her class, but I have not noticed it in either of the other 2 classes. First grade PE is the highlight of my Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. I wish everyone could get to know the special little people that I have the privilege to teach. These kids provide most of my funny sayings by students. A few weeks ago, I was lining the kids up in a certain order to play a game, and I told Juan to go stand between Alexandria and Nathalie. His answer was, "Between Alexandria and Nathalie??? Por fin! (translation-finally!)" I hear from his teacher that it is not a good idea to put him near those two again. She tells me this is not an isolated experience. On Wednesday, we were headed inside from PE, and Carolina raised her hand to tell me, "Teacher, Johnmarco said he loves me!" It was not a complaint, or something that bothered her, she just wanted me to know. Apparently they have to be separated in class because they have been blowing kisses, and touching each other often. And finally, this morning in early arrival, Juan (yes, the same one) raised his hand and said, "Teacher, Nayari is doing to me like this," as he went through the motions of blowing kisses. This one I think was pretty one sided because he did not seem very happy about it.

Vacation?

Last weekend we supposedly had a day of vacation, but I am very much looking forward to this weekend so I can recover from last weekend. On Saturday, we had Fall Fest (a school fundraiser), which meant booths, activities and food for 650+ kids and their parents. The entire week before was spent planning and setting up for this. Quite a busy day, but enjoyable. I was in charge of the art activity, as well as in charge of the art contest. I was rather discouraged when I arrived Saturday morning when half the art projects I had posted the night before were on the floor. Thankfully Priscilla, Valentina and Philip were there and helped me finish putting them up. I would not have finished without their help. The art activity was pretty messy, but then some of the best art projects are the messiest. For 2 tickets, the kids got a piece of paper, and they could either paint with the provided paints and brushes, or use birdseed and glue to make a picture.

On Monday, we had a college and career activity. Janice volunteered me to help her plan it, and we had a great time all around, but we have said that never again will we volunteer to plan something for the Monday after fall fest-too much to do! We split the college kids into 2 teams for a photo scavenger hunt. Each team had a list of pictures that they had to take, including things such as:

□ Everyone waving at a parking lot security guard
□ Guys on the team in front of a gas station selling gas for $0.56
□ Meet someone with the same name as a team member and take a picture of the two of them
□ Picture of group serenading a stranger with a Christmas carol
□ The Driver shaking hands with a McDonald’s manager
□ The reflection of your team in a mirror. (Just the reflection not the actual people.)
□ Your team looking over the edge of a parking garage wall. Picture must be taken from the ground. Team must be on second level or higher

(if you would like a more thorough list, leave a comment with contact info and I can email you the list)
Janice and I had great fun making up the list of pictures. For the bonus, they had to solve a series of riddles to figure out the final word (Spain) which they had to spell by forming the letters with the bodies of team members on the lawn of the fort. Since we planned the whole thing, we were the photographers, and we were not allowed to help our team at all. Half the fun was listening to them try to figure things out. The whole thing was a great success, and we've been told that we're planning the next one too. Maybe someday in all my extra time, I'll post some of the pictures we took.

Wednesday night I was especially thankful for God's protection. It was raining so hard as I went home that I could hardly see, and I missed my exit. Since the only way back home from where I was passed through a street that always floods pretty badly when it rains, I stopped at Burger King until the rain let up enough for me to make it home. I love storms, especially ones with lots of lightning, but it was unnerving to be by myself at night and not able to see the road because of the rain. But God kept me safe, and I made it home.

Hopefully this weekend will be uneventful. There is a ladies fellowship tonight, but after that, I plan on lots of sleep this weekend.

Busy weekend

Nothing much different has happened lately, although I have given an excessive amount of demerits in the past 2 days. Oh well, I think the point got across-I spent a good hour between yesterday and today dealing with 2 boys, and thankfully they realize the problem with what they did and are truly sorry, not just because of the demerits they received.
This weekend promises to be interesting. The plan, at least for right now, consists of going home, and going to bed early to recover some sleep. Tomorrow morning I'm going to a College/high school activity to play volleyball and help out because one of the youth sponsors is out of town. I'm looking forward to the chance to slam a few volleyballs over the net. Perfect stress reliever! I know I'll be sore later, though, because it's been too long since I've played much. I did play some I think it was 2 weeks ago when the highschool was playing volleyball in PE and I was able to join them. After the volleyball thing, the plan is to go to El Morro with Jonathan and Heather, and Janice. I've been before, but none of them have.
By the way, I welcome comments from anyone who reads this-if you don' t know how to comment, click on the link that says 0 comments (or 1 or 2 , etc) and there will be a place for you to add yours.