Everybody's Birthday Day

HAPPY BIRTHDAY EVERYBODY!!!
I just wanted to tell you guys how much fun i had and the children had Friday at our "Everybody's Birthday Party."It was sooooo exciting. To explain a little bit of why we were haivng this party is becuase all my children had their birthdays (two that week, one before school started, 1 in teh begining of Aug. and one in Dec when were already out of school) So i thought why not celebrate them all at once and make one huge party full of fun out of it....So thast what we did..... I set up a little Thursday- but finished my room off with balloons, little party whistles, hats, a b-day sign, and stickers Friday so it would be a surprise for them, I was all set and ready for when the little ones got to school. I asked them what today was and they just started screaming and hollaring about a party...it was too cute. When they walked in and saw the balloons they were beyond happy/ excited (i was too so i cant blame them...lol) we started our day by coloring bday pics that i had found for them. My kids LOVE to color so i had a bunch for them.... After that we had balloon time (my favorite part of the day). They were tooo cute and had sooo much fun that i had severall teachers come in to just watch them play with'em. Cristian even decided to dance with as many balloons as he possibly could it was too funny. After all the excitment with balloons they calemd down "a little"...lol... and we watched a movie (Veggie Tales is awesome) and they love it...As they were watching thier movie i got things ready for next Monday for class- so it was nice to have them so quiet and calm but still have a blast. After their movie time we had cupcakes...and man were they good. Karen three of my kids' mom made them for us..... YUMMMMMY ! Much thanks to Karen for all her help..... We then did centers which they really enjoyedwe did people centers animal centers, dinosuar centers, blocks, and playdough......It was a blast..... then we had more balloon time, and topped off the day with some story time! I think the day went great!!!! Alot of FUN! The only problem of the day was little Deisy had a siezure and scared me to death, we knew she had them and so I called Jennifer right away so Jennifer came to check on her and make sure Deisy was fine (which praise God she was) ....just scary for me and miss reina.... that was at the very end of the day so at least she had a blast and loads of fun before all that happen. After that we got their shoes on, pakced up their bookbags, and took them to their families....Ithink our everybody birthday party went great. I kinda wish we could have on of them parties everyday...lol...
Well i gotta go for now but i wanted you all to hear about our fun, excting and very crazy b-day day....I'll be writing and updating my blog again very soon so keep in touch. I love you all and pray for you all everyday! God Bless!

School and all that comes with it.....

Hey everyone! I miss you all sooo much. I hope your all doing great! Know that i am thinking and praying for you all everyday. I am doing pretty good- staying busier now that school started. We are into our second week. It's so awesome.....God has blessed me so much to be able to work with the children here. My preschool children are tooo cute, they keep me busy- but its a load of fun. I love it! My science class (the one I was worried about the most) seems to be going very well too. I have 3 girls and 1 boy in that class (2- 8th graders, & 2 - 9th graders). The girls told me before class ever started one night "i hate science- i don't like it..." so i was kinda worried but its going great. They are very hard workers. My Public Speaking class is amazing. I have 4 - 12th graders . They work very hard too, and we have had a lot of fun so far this year. They already had their first speech (last Friday). It was an "About Me" Speech . They did awesome. All A's & B"s so i was extremely excited- and when i actually get my public speaking book that mom is sending me, then I think the class will get even better. Music and PE are so much fun- in fact my music classes are going to be singing for graduation in November. I'm not sure what the 2nd & 3rd graders are singing. But my 1st grade class is singing: Jesus Loves Me & The B-I-B-L-E. My 4-6th grader class is singing "Lord I Lift Your Name On High....I think I am going to have an incredible year-!
Wednesday's when we have brigades here at the ranch, we go to the compo (soccer field) and the older kids play soccer with the brigade team, and my class and the kindergarten class plays on the playground until 12 then i take them to their houses. And schools over for me for the day! It's really cool.
This week is going to be exciting for my preschoolers because today was Marlon's B-day, tomorrows is Deisy's b-day.... Yolibeth was in July, and David's was in Aug as well....Cristian's is in Dec. (but were not in school for it) So Friday is B-DAY PARTY DAY for everyone!!!! Karen (David, Yolibeth, and Deisy's mom) is making cupcakes and I'm going to find games and have them able to play diff. centers all day long.....no actually work just FUN!!! Their very happy and excited. (me too...yeah!!!!)
Other then that i pretty much just hang out with my roommate's/ other teachers, watch movies, listen to music, and grade papers when needed...fun stuff.....Well i have to be going now- Going to go watch a movie with Jae and Brett.....Love and miss you all ! Keep in touch... God Bless!!!!

What's new with me...

Hey everyone… I miss you all and pray that you are all doing very well. Nothing major has been going on lately. I arrived 3 days earlier to the Ranch then expected, due to easier pick-up timing. Which I was very excited about. I have realized something God teaches and sends you to do things that may not really be what you think they are for. Confused yet? Lol…What I mean is that for instance me and Jennifer were talking and yes I went to the city to learn Spanish , but I really don’t think that was Gods goal for me in the city, and Jennifer agreed . I mean I learned a lot thanks to my teacher and more importantly GOD himself, who helped my out more then I could ever explain. But I think he wanted me there to learn more about myself. He wanted to teach me that I can do anything through Him. (which is my favorite verse in the Bible - Phil. 4:13) But I truly saw that first hand and learned that as well. I was happy to learn Spanish but the feeling that I accomplished the 5weeks in the city without giving up; that I actually did it all on my own, in a foreign country was amazing. I know I could not have without Gods help. But I also on many occasions just knew I was never gonna make it, but hey I can and did with Him by my side. Wow He is an amazing God. I sure hope that makes sense to you all. Now I am also finishing getting my room and our house here at the ranch fixed up and comfy. I love it, it’s more like home now that I can put up pictures, get into my own room and quit living out of a suitcase. Lol… I am so excited. Plus I am in a house with 3 other teachers (Jae, Hannah, & ). They are sooo nice and they have been very helpful with everything.

I think within the next week or so I will be getting very busy here. Right now it’s very slow and laid back. Watch movies, listen to music, get settled in, stuff like that. But starting next week is teacher training. I am kinda nervous but also very excited and hopeful. I want to do my best for God as well as the children. I am defiantly teaching (which I have mentioned several times) but now its pretty official: Preschool, 12th grade Public Speaking, P.E., Music, and Science. Please continue to keep my in your prayers as I start getting ready for the school year. Any suggestions would be very helpful as well since I am new at teaching these classes. I still at times look around and am wowed by the fact that I am really in a foreign country and on my own living for God and hoping to be a good teacher who the children can open up to, trust, and learn from. I still really miss home and my family and friends but being at the ranch and with my roommates will defiantly be helpful, I don’t think I will get tooooo lonely with everything going on here. I would love family and friends pics though (if anybody has some to send for my family/friends wall, you can do so through email). This really has helped me. Whenever I am alone and start to miss home all I have to do is look up and see everyone, and I feel a little better. Well I got to go for right now I will post again soon. I love you all and miss you all bunches! God Bless!

I'm Back...

Hey Everybody…..I just wanted to update you all and let you know I am still alive….lol…thanks for baring with me and keeping me in your prayers through my schooling for 5 weeks in the city. Its because of pray that I made it through that’s for sure. I had many ups and downs. I think I learned a lot more then I expected too. Praise God. Its because of him and only him because I hardly know English good let alone another language…lol…..

Before I go into what all happen, I want to let everyone know that if you have written me emails please give me some time to get back to you, once I get my internet hooked up now that I am at the Ranch I can email back. I am sooo excited to hear from everyone about how things are going and what’s new in your lives. As well as if there are any prayer request for me to be praying for. I miss everyone soooo much.

Now for all the details of my trip in the city and language school: First my host family’s one daughter did speak “pekito” English. Pekito means very little….. but I thank God she did or I really aint sure I would have made it all 5 weeks. It was very trying. The life styles are very different and much harder but along the lines of what I thought it might be like. One of my biggest difficulties was showering in a bucket with dirty nasty city water. That doesn’t sounds so bad but try it for 5 weeks when you never know from day to day if you’ll have water or not. But I still think it was a good aspect of life for me to see. I had a lot of problems with your everyday SPIDER. However I didn’t see any tarantulas or scorpions so I guess I should count myself lucky. But I had my battles , in fact one night because of them I almost had to sleep in another room with the mother, but God helped me, as well as keeping one of the lights on most of the night…lol….I felt kinda dumb but at home I cry over the littlest ones and only see one maybe now and then. My room in the city was literally covered in them ranging from small to fairly big….So after the one ordeal with them Dona Ingrid saved me and took a broom to them all the next morning….Thanks Dona Ingrid. I am sooo grateful!

Anyways some other interesting things that happen were just living day to day, taking walks and going to class. I walked two blocks each morning by myself. The weird and kinda scary thing till I got used to it was that each morning I had to walk by and normally talk to guards of the area I was staying at “Los Robles” that just carry huge guns with them in case of anything bad that could go wrong. Yikes!!!! Around here its nothing to walk past someone holding a rifle or gun and just watching everyone . Its pretty creepy but its just another way of life here.

Another night I was in my room and Cory one of the daughters came home rushed to tell Paola something and took off. Paola kinda went crazy but I had a lot of problems understanding until she managed to slow down and tell me “policia matar” What she meant was a Police officer had been murdered. Shot right at one of the markets we walk to everyday in Los Robles. So I was pretty scared. But through everything our “Amazing and Awesome God was there keeping me from harm and showing/teaching me new things each day.

I think my biggest ordeal came straight from Satan himself. And I honestly thought that’s it I’m done, I’m going back to the ranch and I don’t care if I have 2 weeks left or not. I’m leaving. ….. The reason for this is my teachers dog attacked me. However its looked at the time worst then what it really was. I prayed and asked God to heal it, and keep me safe. I was very scared, and on top of it when he attacked me I went into a panic attack too. I couldn’t breathe, I felt nauseous, and dizzy, and everything. I’m okay now it took me till the next night to feel back to normal (as well as a phone call to mom and dad- I think that’s what made me okay…lol thank you mom and dad no matter where I am I know your with me and there for me. I love you more then I could say! ) My hand is hurting pretty bad but now I’m sure it will be just fine.

Anyways that’s just a few things that happen through my stay in the city. Some not so good but most of the time it was ok. I learned a lot, made new friends, and realized I can do anything with Gods help! I also learned that Satan is powerful and he can and will do anything to stop you from doing God’s will. But never forget Gods more powerful and in the end HE WINS!!!! What’s impossible with God on your side? (That’s my daddy and mine’s favorite saying from on of my families favorite movies “Facing the Giants” (if you haven’t seen it, you really need to it’s amazing” . I would think about that when I became overwhelmed with the hard or difficulties in the city, and I told Satan he can have a dog attack me, he can make me lonely, and try to stress me out but I’m not giving up and with Gods help I’ll make it no matter what. And guess what I did with Gods help.

Now I am back at the Ranch. Happy, busy, and loving it. Please continue to pray for me as I pray for you all too. I miss and love you all, Also thanks for all the prayers and support while I was in the city. I really needed them.

I will write again soon about my newest adventures. I have moving into the new teacher building, teacher training, and school starting all coming up fast. I m so excited and glad to be back at the ranch and with the other teachers and children, however

I miss and love you all very much, and if you couldn’t tell am kind of homesick, so please just keep me in your thoughts! PS. Here are some of the pictures of my host family, their house/my room, school, and my dog attack wounds….(they definitely felt worse then they look…the pics aren’t great of my bite but the hole in my palm actually is pretty deep, but like I said its getting better, I’ll let you know how it heals up…. We’ll talk to you all again very soon! God Bless!

I'm Here!!!

Hey Everybody....I just wanted to let you all know I arrived safely in Teg. on Monday night around 12:30ish. My flight went amazing. I was a little nervous at first, but after we took off everything was perfect. I think I'm reallllly going to love flying back and forth. I took alot of pics on the plane and when i arrived to the ranch, but Ill have to wait till I have some more time to upload them and post them. I miss everyone so much already, but I'm doing good. I love it here. I kinda wish i could bring everyone i loved here on a snap of my fingers. It is soooo pretty. It is also ALOT cooler then I thought it would be. Its cooler here then in NC thats for sure. I freeze at night without my blankets when were watching movies and goofing off.

I got to take a tour that Jennifer took me on to meet everyone , and see the school. I am so excited bout my classroom. I will have 5 children for the preschool class, but will also be teaching the music class, a PE class, and a computer research class to the seniors ...I am nervous but mostly excited! I cant wait. I think school starts in August.

Sunday I leave for the city to start spanish school. I just found out my host family speaks NO english , so for 5 weeks I'll be put to the test to learn spanish to communicate with them. They do this this way to make you have to learn it faster, by submersing you into it. I am very nervous but also kinda excited. Most teachers have never done this, so they are all telling me how jealous they are that I have the opportunity, so i feel very blessed. But know that i have no internet untill i get back to the Ranch so it will be like 6 weeks till i get to post again or send emails!

I also got to go into the city for the 1st time yesterday with a group of teachers. I was sooo fun, and vey different from in the states. The driving is crazy...they just drive everywhere and anywhere they can...and im not joking! Anyone who thinks the cities in the US are bad need to come here...lol.... But it was still very nice to see the culture and everything. Plus i got to eat at Chilis in the early afternoon, and had my fav for dinner PIZZA HUT!!!!

Well I think I better hop off here for now. Ill post again as soon as possibly. Next time I'll get to let you know just how much spanish i have learned and hopefully it will be ALOT!

I love and miss you all so much, and pray for you all everyday day! Please keep me in your prayers as I start language school next week. God Bless!

Change of Plans!

Hello Everybody...
I wanted to update you a little about my flight. It has been changed to June 9th. I was going to fly out June 7th, but Honduras has closed their airport in Tegucigalpa due to a plane crash...(yikes huh?) But I will be flying into a city a few hours away from there now. I also get a once in a lifetime experience due to new flight arrangements. I get to fly First Class! YIPPEEE ! Because when we got my ticket it was the only seat available in any flights to Honduras I cant believe I got the LAST seat available. And i had to get there so thats just what we had to take. I am sooo excited!!!!! The rest of the flights will be coach, so this time will be very fun and exciting for me. Please keep me in your prayers especially June 9th at 7pm. I'm hoping I love the plane ride since i have never have flown, but everyone tells me I will , so im pretty siked about it. Well i guess thats it for now. I will post again soon when i arrive in Tegucigalpa. I will then have a bunch to tell you I'm sure. All about my flight, my language school, my time in the city, and school starting....I am so happy that God has all this planned just for me. This is already looking like an amazing and incredible journey! Love you all! Talk to you again soon.

Leaving On A Jet Plane...

Hey Everyone,
Just wanted to update you on somethings. I have recieved my email saying to pack my bags and get my plane ticket. So I am very excited! I will arrive in Honduras on June 7, 2008. That's just around the corner. Yippeeee! I will be staying at the ranch for a few days till one of the teachers I wanted to meet leaves for home. Then afterwards I will be going to a language school for about 6weeks. This makes me a little nervous, but I'm sure I'll do great! Please keep me in your prayers. I cant wait to get there, and now I won't have to wait very long!!! I'll be writing again soon, so keep in touch. Love you all! God Bless!