Our happenings

Our pictures pretty much show what's being going on. A few weeks ago we went hiking (view the pictures). We also went hiking a week later (a week ago). We hiked up one of the harder hikes in Jarabacoa but it was a beautiful view. Unfortunately, we didn't have our camera. This past weekend we got a lot of good work done. Daniel made a cat play tower thing out of wood. I re-organized and cleaned the pantry from bat doo-doo (after we cemented the holes we missed earlier). Unforatunately, I developed some strange rash covering my hands. I wore yellow rubber gloves all day so I could do things, but it was ouchy. Luckily, Daniel thought to go to the pharmacy and get some cream medicine. It cleared up quickly after that. Thank you Daniel! I was afraid I wouldn't be able to teach Monday (it hurt a lot). What a good husband! This Wed. we are going to one of my student's family's house to eat. Thursday is the Thanksgiving celebration. Friday we're going camping with JCS people. This weekend we're going to buy a little Charlie Brown Christmas Tree and decorate for Christmas! Yay! :)
We'll be in touch. :)

Our mighty jungle beast charges at the camera... 

Roasting a marshmallow using a toothpick and pliers.  

Hello Chai! 

Our makeshift grill 

My man. :) 

We live here? Sometimes it's hard to believe! 

The view from one of our day hikes a few weeks ago. 

Mrs. Peterson and her class 

12 weeks down... almost

At the end of this week, we will have been in school for 12 weeks, a full third of the school year. We'll also have been here for 3 months on Thursday, and then we go back to Chicago in less than a month after that for Christmas. Yes, time flies, but most of you know that firsthand already. Classes continue and Teresa won the "Teacher of the Month" award for October and I am so proud of her (As you can tell, I don't teach language because that is a run-on)!! The rainy season has begun and it has poured almost two days straight, leaving us without water for a while, and very dirty water now... so dirty, in fact, that we didn't want to do laundry in fear of making our clothes dirtier and even worse, that you can't really tell if you flushed the toilet or not by looking.
The rain here is not like Midwest rain. It's like someone flips a switch and it's suddenly a torrential downpour (we've gotten 10-12 inches in the past two days). Then, just as suddenly, it stops. Our plants are loving it, though!
Chai is continuing to grow and play. She's still little and she bites a lot. We're trying to train her. We give her toys, but she likes being around/ on us continually- even if we're in the bathroom. Any tips, Ashley? Well, that's all for now. Next week is Thanksgiving! Yay! We'll send picture of our American feast.
Peace,
Us

The D.R. in the fall. 

Me at the pie eating contest (sorry, we didn't have time to rotate it) 

The Thai girl and the pirate 

Fall is here... or not

I miss fall...not that I don't like the warm weather. But I miss the leaves changing color and the smell of autumn. The past week has been good and busy. On Friday afternoon we had our school fall festival. This year's theme was, "it's a small world." Each classroom dressed up as a country/culture. My class was Thailand and Daniel's class was pirates. There were pony rides, chicken catching, three legged races, bag races, pie eating contest (that I somehow ended up doing as my students chanted my name), dancing, etc. It was a lot of fun to hang out with the students. On Saturday we, along with 7 other JCS/ 1 Escuela Caribe Staff went to Sosua beach. It was wonderful and relaxing. Then we drove back and stopped in Santiago at a huge grocery store (it was exciting) and the mall for dinner and a movie. Daniel and I ate Chinese food and watched Cinderella Man. It was such a wonderful day to get away. On Sunday we went to church, ate with some people from church, and went home to get work done, bake bread for the week, and do laundry. That night one some of the other teachers from JCS were having a costume party so Daniel dressed as a Pirate and I dressed as a skater girl. This week has been good so far. The JCS "character trait" for this month is peace (we are going through the fruits of the Spirit) It's so good to teach about it and be reminded about the truths were telling our students. Today I was teaching my students about peace and how we have peace and what peace is (resting in God). We were looking at some verses in Philippians 4. It talked about rejoicing in God, giving thanks, and giving our problems up to Him. I forget that so often. I try to take on all my worries and anxieties forgetting that I cannot control the situations around me. But God is in control and worrying about things won't make them get any better. God's teaching me so much as I teach my students! Yay God!

Hope things are going well for all of you. Love you all!

Teresa

Our Newest Addition

On Saturday night, we were outside our balcony talking to our next door neighbor. A boy walked by the house and threw a kitten into the neighbor’s yard below us. We ran downstairs and that neighbor helped us get the kitten. We took it upstairs into the house and gave it some milk. We’ve been wanting a cat, and decided that this was God’s answer. Daniel ran out to buy kitty litter and food. That first night, the kitten kept hiding from us under the couch. By the next day, she let us play with her some. She soon got used to the house, and us. We’ve been keeping her in the bathroom when we leave. She meows for a while because she wants out. But then when she’s free to roam the house and we’re in another room, she’ll meow because she wants in. She’s very social and likes to be wherever we are.
We’ve posted pictures of our kitten (Chai té, or Chai for short). She’s beautiful and tiny. We love her already. We’ve also included pictures of our house. Hopefully this will give you a taste our lives here. :)

P.S. Ashley- we need tips on how to raise and kitten! :)

Daniel and Chai 

Teresa and Chai 

She matches the floor! 

Chai te- our new cat! Isn't she adorable! 

Our pasola