[the people in my life] Perla

            I've decided to start a mini "blog series." No, not like all the blog series that I said I would start way back in the beginning of my time here in the DR.. because we all know how well those worked out (hear my sarcasm). But this time a blog series that I think will better introduce everyone to the life I live here, as well as a blog series I feel in many ways that the Lord is leading me to. (How many times can I say, "blog series" in one post).
            It was through various conversations and prayer that I've realized the great importance of... relationships. Pretty simple revelation, right? It is so easy to get bogged down in the details of ministry/the job, and forget how amazingly glorified God can be through the relationships we're forming/cultivating in our time here.   I therefore want to start introducing the various people the Lord has placed in my life, here in the DR. The posts will be random and they will be great. Just you wait and see.

With all of that being said, I want everyone to meet Perla.

Perla is in the 2nd grade at our Makarios school, has a super sweet personality and is crazy eager to learn! Perla is behind most of her classmates when it comes to reading, so in the last few months of the school year I began to work with Perla one on one. Three times a week I would pull her out of her phonics lessons, so that we could privately work on her letters and sounds. 

As Summer School continues, I plan to continue spending time with Perla to continue to advance her reading level. Not only do I hope Perla will continue to grow as a reader, But I pray our time can be filled with moments where I can minister to her heart with the gospel!

Other random things about Perla:

-Every time we start our lessons together, I ask her to pray. Hearing a 7 year old prayer is one of the sweetest things ever!
- Perla is one of the shyer students in a class full of 15 other energetic kids. She's also one of 7 children. I love being able to give her one on one attention!

-We had a week off from school, and during that week I heard that Perla was asking for me to come visit. #meltmyheart

- Her teacher this past year, (Johan) is also her Uncle. 

April. In photos

April recapped in Photos.
Photos include: Me & Bekah's amazing spring break trip in the capitol, pictures from the school, pictures from village visit and a few pictures from one of my ESL classes.
If you haven't yet, be sure to check out March, February and January as well!

my happy list this week (May 28-June 1)

As a missionary, I have found it incredibly easy to "focus" on the bad, and almost never on the good. Who am I kidding, this was my tendency in the states as well. Life is "hard" at times, and  Life is "good" at other times. Life is a paradox all the time. Whenever someone (from home) asks me the simple question of "how are you?"... the first thing that always comes to mind is the bad. Why? Why do I only ever want to complain and not rejoice? I dont know exactly where I'm going with my little speech, so I'm just going to stop and introduce where I wanted it to end up. Introducing.."My Happy List this week." Inspired by this blog, I hopefully will begin to blog (with frequency), the various blessings throughout my week, to remind myself about all the "good" in this paradoxical life. 

My Happy List This Week
(May 27-June 1)

1. Chopping down a dead tree in the Makarios school yard.
 The guys were the ones really chopping, but us girls wanted to take a few whacks ourselves. It was hilarious, especially to the neighbors that began to watch us.

2. Finishing "The Help" 
Saw the movie last year, and I was finally able to read the book! I'll be honest and say I appreciated the movie a little bit more, because it was a bit funnier... but Kathryn Lockett: kudos for writing such an amazing story!

3. Finishing the entire series of Felicity.  
Few things about this:
#1. This TV show was amazing. Like seriously, amazing. #2. This show is over 10 years old, and I just watched it now for the first time. #3. Thank you Dena for owning  all the seasons on DVD.  #4. Watching TV show series on DVD (or Netflix) has become my new favorite post-college hobby.  #5. Next series I'm going to watch = Friday Night Lights! (But I'm not letting myself start it until GRE studying is over.)

4. Receiving not one, not two, but THREE items in the mail on Tuesday. 
An amazing package from Emily, a sweet card from Carissa and the wedding invitation for Amanda & Rob's wedding! Made my entire day!

5. Laughing hysterically during lunch with my coworkers. 
Seriously, you can give us ANY topic of conversation and 5 minutes later, you will find us all in tears from hysterically laughing. I love them so much.

6. Having some pretty great skype conversations. 
Sarah Elyse, Emily P and Gabby, you ladies are amazing.

7. Going to pick up our new summer intern from the airport with various members from the staff.
We arrived at the airport and  spent an hour planning (read:hysterically laughing) how we were going to welcome her. Various plans included clicking our heels, screaming "hello my friend" and  a special arm thing (that only Dena could seem to do). In the end our plans fell through, but we still had a great time. I love my staff. And Bienvenidos Paige!

Waiting for Paige to arrive.

8. Josh Turner's "Would You Go With Me"
My friends and I share so much music that I often have songs on my iTunes that I've never listened to. I'm not sure how long I've had "Would You Go With Me" or who gave it to me,  but I just listened to it for the first time on Tuesday and I'm in love.


9. Opening my "membership" at a movie rental store!
A friend/fellow missionary, Rachel, showed me this place about a month ago, and I can't even describe to you how excited I was to realize its existence. Movie watching is one of my favorite past times ever, and the ability to rent current movies in the DR is the bit of "normalcy" I am so incredibly grateful for.

10. Iced Coffee and Air Condition at Casa Colonial
Casa Colonial is a super fancy expensive hotel. We couldn't afford to stay there, but we can afford the coffee in their little lounge area. We bring our laptops (and sometimes our GRE study material) and treat it as if it was an American-like coffee shop.

11. New flavor of Coffee Creamer at La Sirena (our amazing grocery store, and one of my top 5 happy places in the DR)
Vanilla Carmel. I'm drinking it right now. It's divine.

12. Taking our new Makarios summer intern, Paige to our favorite beach (Playa Alicia) and favorite restaurant Gorditos. 

13. Sleeping in until 10am.
I love sleeping in, and the older I've gotten, the harder it's become to sleep in without waking up once or twice. This morning I slept in WITHOUT waking up until 10:12am, and it was grand.

13. Waking up in a grateful mood this morning (Friday, June 1st). I've been making this list all week but these last 5 items were added literally in the last 7 minutes. God is good. 

March. Recapped in photos.

Like January and February, I've recapped March in various photos.


March included: mini moto lessons, a "fancy" dinner at Taste, a visit from our biggest short term mission team: Hill Country High School, handing out sponsor gifts and various moments in Chichigua & Pancho Mateo. Enjoy:

 April tomorrow!

February in Pictures

Continuando with my attempt to make up for lack of blogging, here is the month of February recapped in photos. It's a long scroll to get through all the pictures, but it's worth it! At least I think so :)

February included:
-Our AMAZING staff retreat in Jarabacoa (where we were able to relax in beautiful cabins, receive great teaching from the Word, spend time together, jump off water falls and tour the coffee farm where Dominican Joe purchases its coffee), a Valentines Day dinner, Staff village visits to Chichigua, a Dental team serving our school, My favorite beach, Morning singing & prayer time at the school, Dominican Independence day, A trip to Samana to go whale watching!

*Photos from Chichigua are Andy's
*Last photo of whale is Lauren Ferguson's (she got the best picture out of all of us)

March & April Photo Recaps coming in the next few days.
(And click here for January's)

January. In pictures

I'd like to believe that I'm fairly good at documenting my life. But my half empty journal, and 4 blog posts over the last 5 months would beg to differ. I could go into the million & two details that justify my busyness and therefore lack of time to blog, but I think I'll spare you guys the details.. and just try to start blogging once a week!

I've decided to makeup for the last 4 months of my non-continuos blogging by recapping each month with a few pictures. So here's January, in pictures.

Pictures include: Birthday celebrations*, Austin Stone College Group visiting Makarios, the 2nd grade class celebrating Juan Pablo Duarte Day, various shots of some of the Makarios students  and a full rainbow!

I'll post February's tomorrow! 

*

First two pictures are from Dena & Andy's camera- respectively.