Random Pictures of the Week

Here are some random pictures from the week. Enjoy!

Since moving into a new house a few weeks ago, I have loved sitting out on the balcony in the mornings and watching the sun rise.

Although this is not from the fruit tree we have in our yard, this is a picture of a guanabana.

This guanabana is from our yard and this is what the inside of one looks like. I never knew how to eat one of these until a (Dominican) friend showed me.

It definitely has a slimy texture and almost every bite has a seed.

Some pictures from 'Coloring Wednedsay.'

Isn't she beautiful?!

I love happy kids.

PS- these kids still need sponsors! :)

This weeks sighting of 'the lizard.'

Getting some more 'thank you hugs' from the 5th graders after our ice cream party.

Celebrating May, June, & July Birthdays!

Before summer vacation starts I wanted to make sure we celebrate summer birthdays. Every grade is on a different schedule so we end up having several birthday parties (we had 5 this time!). We had presents, ate brownies and chips, and enjoyed Pepsi and Red Rock to drink. :)

Here are a few pictures from the festivities.

Happy Birthday!!!

Library Prizes!

The end of the year has come which means it was time to give out library prizes! During the semester I kept track of the students and class who behaved the best, walked quietly in line, obeyed, turned their books in on time, signed the note card correctly, and read the most. I gave a new book to one student in each grade, to the top students who checked out the most books, and to the class who participated and behaved the best.

Here is a picture of the prizes I gave out to individual students- thank you for all the donations!

We had an ice cream party for the class prize. I also gave each of them a pencil with an eraser, a bookmark, and a bracelet.

I think all of the 5th graders love me a little more after today.

After we were done eating our ice cream we had some fun taking pictures. :)

Thank you teacher Yudy for helping your 5th graders win the class prize!

Melia's Birthday

Yesterday was Melia's birthday. Melia is one of Paul and Marcie Cooper's children. They are fellow Kids Alive missionaries that I had lived next to until a couple weeks ago. Paul works with me at Anija (he's my boss) and Melia is in first grade there. I've loved getting to know them, play with and babysit their kids, eat dinner with them, call them for a helping hand, having good conversations with Marcie, and so much more.

I took Melia for ice cream after school.

Melia invited the girls from her first grade class (and me!) to her birthday party.

The Coopers also have a little pool which was so fun for the kids to play in. A Dominican tradition is to dump water on the birthday person so they were chasing and splashing Melia in the pool.

Luisanna didn't bring her swimsuit so we stayed inside and colored. She is so sweet and well-mannered!

The party was fairy-themed. They played a cute game which ended with them all dressed up! Overall, I think Melia had a very fun day. :)

Yescauly

This week I took Yescauly home after Awana.

We colored with her little cousins :)

Library Class with the First Graders

"De Paseo Por La Selva"

Future Anija Students?

Here are some more pictures of kids we visited as we continue our search for future Anija students!

Lindsey (above) already attends Anija, we were visiting her little sister (below).

This little girl's sister also attends Anija already. It's cool to hear what a difference families can see in kids who attend Anija compared to a public school.

One of the things we look for when talking with the family of a potential student is if they really can't afford to pay for school. In this case, the mother asked, "If my child doesn't get a scholarship, can I pay for my child to attend Anija?"

She was a cutie whose older sister already attends Anija as well. She just wanted to go outside and buy an ice cream.

And this guys sister also already goes to Anija. I don't think he'll end up coming to Anija as his dad told us that they are probably heading back to Haiti in July.

Very Random Pictures of the Week

Here are some very random, not sure if they are even worth putting them on my blog, pictures.

Unfortunately I've almost stepped on my lizard friend a couple times this week. :-/

Playing a nice, friendly game at Awana...

which unfortunately did not end so well for everyone. The girl in the white shirt, Kenyely, ended up taking a big fall along with 3 or 4 other kids. Her face and upper lip were cut up so badly that she stayed home from school for 2 days! I went to visit her Wednesday and gave her some 'hello kitty' band-aids which she enjoyed.

What is it you may ask?

Some yucky looking worm chilling out on the wall!

Potential Anija Students!

Here are some more pictures from visiting families who applied for a scholarship for their child at Anija. These kids would be entering our preschool class next year.

It poured on us once we left visiting this little girl. I guess it's bad that's the thing I remember...

I think he was woken up from his nap, whoops!

This little girl was being really shy about taking a picture so we tried to trick her to coming out. We said that I would take a picture of her baby picture instead...

This little guy had been playing with his cute puppy!

Sponsorship

The kids usually write a card to respond to a letter or to say thank you for a little gift their sponsor sent. We also send welcome cards to new sponsors.

A lot of times the kids ask me if they can write to their sponsors just because.:)

Thank you cards

Welcome cards

Books!

This week I happened to take a lot of pictures of books, which is understandable seeing as how I'm a librarian.

Usually I'm the one reading a book to the first and second graders but this week I brought in books for them to read. I've been teaching them how to take care of books so they will be ready to use the library next year (at least for the 2nd graders).

All the books were short stories from the Bible.

And the best part is, all these books were donated! I already had copies of these particular stories so I gave them to the second grade class to keep in their classroom.

These are some of the new books I bought a couple months ago. Since each book has a lot of great stories in them, I've decided to keep these 4 in the library instead of loaning them out (I don't think I'd ever get them back). These girls like to come during recess to read them.

Here is a book that one of our fellow Kids Alive missionaries, Marcie Cooper, wrote and got published! It's a great book to help kids learn the 'teen' numbers.

You can purchase your own copy at http://marciecooper.tateauthor.com/.