Hey all,

Sorry I know it’s been way too long, I missed the last two Mondays for different reasons, I wrote last Friday and tried multiple times to send but problems with the internet/electricity… so here is what I wrote last Friday with a few things added at the end… 

Dave getting ready to start wrestling with the boys!

 

 This is how his ribs were broken

Photo credit for both ~ Beth Wiersma :)

Last Monday we had the day off school because of political elections (the DR was crazy or “caliente” as they say here), so I was in Boca Chica working on my IEP’s by the pool (I let myself jump in after each one I finished), and didn’t get to writing an email...  Any teachers reading this, especially special ed. teachers, know this is the busiest time of the year, I am crazy, and speaking of IEP’s, I wonder with each one I finish, should I really be trying to bring this process to the DR?  Am I nuts? 

Things are going good in the school, can’t believe there is only a month left!  I am soooo sad, though part of me has a hard time carrying on in this heat and is ready for the break (if only to sit in class all day taking grad classes all summer in Michigan).  Since I know I’ll be back in the DR in August though it’s not totally unbearable.  We have been doing lots with our flowers/plants unit – the usual activities – songs, dances, acting out as plants, puppet shows, read-alouds, academic activities, art projects, planting our own plants and watering the ones that are already here, field trip to the NPH garden…. The kids especially love when I pick them up and pretend they’re a seed and drop them in the hole then pretend to pat dirt on them, rain on them, etc. – they giggle and giggle and they love it.  I think I found enough activities to study plants for the next year, so let me know if you’re interested in ideas. J

I have to make this quick, as Jose Martin is waiting for me to shop (he filled his behavior graph again), but just a few random stories to share from the week…

The most bizarre one being from Dave working in the maintenance department.  Last week he was clearing out a shower drain at the youngest girls’ house and came across the usual things clogging it up – hair, toys, knick knacks, when he found not one but two adult molar teeth… real actual molar teeth, with roots attached and everything – in the shower drain!  He asked the tia and she tried to laugh it off, saying she didn’t know and changing the subject.  Can anyone figure out that one???  We still haven’t been able to, seems like something out of a horror movie or something.

Dave’s cousin came here to visit with her class of 23 high school kids to stay in Juan Dolio for a class trip and wanted to spend an afternoon visiting the orphanage, so that was a lot of my week coordinating and arranging things only for nothing to work out as planned, the way things usually go in the DR, I won’t get into details, but we tossed all my plans and schedules aside and had big Dominicans vs. Americans impromptu soccer tournament instead which they all seemed to enjoy.

This week while cleaning we found out that the big momma tarantula that’s been around the house had babies so we have lots of baby tarantulas running around all over our house… around 50 of them more or less.  Not bad now, but hoping we can get rid of them before they grow up.

Forty-some NPH staff (directors and such from various countries) went to Italy last week for this big NPH gala thing, invited by Andrea Bocelli (sp?) the opera singer who's been down here multiple times and so they asked us to write letters from the NPH kids congratulating them on the new “Francesca Rava Foundation”.  Well my girls, being pre-teens, wrote things more like “Hi Francesca, I know I don’t know you, but my name is Alejandra and I want to be your friend.  I’m 15 and pretty and nice.  Will you be my friend?  Will you come here soon to the DR?  I am really cute.  Love you, Alejandra.”  As soon as we finished the notes, I passed them off to the director’s wife and let my roomie Kristina know that I had the letters taken care of, since she was in charge of the project I thought she’d be really proud.  I explained how the girls got a little carried away with the letters and she laughed and said, but Kristin, don’t you know that Francesca Rava died?  This gala is for the foundation in her memory.  By the time I found out that though, the letters were already in route to Italy.  Hope they understand.. J

This weekend was my baby niece’s presentation at Tim and Paola’s church so we went to the capital for that, stayed with my fave Fijian family Tuks and Senata and their 4 year old Josiah (who was a baby when I lived with them before but now he’s 4 and insists he’s my boyfriend, and kisses me in front of Dave to try to make him jealous).  There was a big party for Ana Leah and Tim cooked up tons of lasagna, and delicious cake with chocolate and caramel… amaaaazing.  Speaking of parties and incredible food, we also a going away party for Jacob last week as he moved back to Texas - the special needs house volunteer / lawyer / culinary master / franchise owner / Bill Clinton's personal assist. / / / miss him here already - we had Mexican food, and it was equally fantastic.  Always a great change from the usual rice, beans, and yucca. :)

Yesterday Dave was in the MUSA hospital again because of pain he’s been having since wrestling with his teenage boys the other day – 5 on 1 so he kinda lost.  Well, you remember the MUSA hospital is the free one and it’s terrible.  He was in line for hours in the emergency room with people with all kinds of crazy awful problems and people were fighting about who would get in first.  One four year old girl waiting in line with him was waiting and waiting and finally she died.  Dave doesn’t know what she had, but the people erupted with anger when she died, they said it was simply because she had to wait too long.  After seeing that, Dave left and went to the private clinic.  Again, another devastating reminder of what we take for granted every day.  A few hours in the private clinic and a visit to a “specialist”, we found out Dave has a broken rib that will take 45 days to heal.  The doctor said no work and no physical contact, and was pretty explicit addressing the two of us as to what physical contact was.  But the “poor Dave” nickname just becomes more and more fitting all the time… and of course he is still working hard.  His latest project is making cabinetry for one of our poor Haitian workers on the farm.

Today we took a field trip to the botanical gardens in the capital and the kids were STOKED… to say the least… Kristina said it made her whole day seeing them outside her office jumping up and down screaming we’re going on a field trip to the Botanical Gardens – as if they had just won a trip to Disney World.  But I think they enjoyed it just as much anyway.  We rode a train and saw over a hundred species of palm trees, about a million beautiful flowers, went through a forest of bamboo and then came to the Japanese Gardens which were so unique and gorgeous with all kinds of Japanese statues and vegetation.  There was also a museum and video about the environment which was way advanced, the lady didn't know at first we were a special education class and asked for a volunteer to talk about the effects of forestry here on the environment... Luis Alberto raised his hand and answered "ma ba pa pa ma ma ba ba" then smiled proudly - I think she got the idea and we passed through that section quickly. :)  It was awesome though and I got some great pics so will try to attach some.    

About a million other things I could probably write about but will leave it there… it is raining and pouring here like crazy!!  Sorry for worrying those with not writing, but as always want to say thanks for continuous support, encouragement, emails, and prayers.  Let me know if you would like to pray for Anabel from my Santa Ana house.  She is one my more difficult girls and could use the prayers.  See you all in Michigan soon - less than one month from today - can't believe it....  

Love, peace, and prayers,

Kristin    

May today there be peace within. May you trust God that you are exactly where you are meant to be. May you not forget the infinite possibilities that are born of faith. May you use those gifts that you have received, and pass on the love that has been given to you....May you be content knowing you are a child of God.... Let this presence settle into our bones, and allow your soul the freedom to sing, dance, praise and love. It is there for each and every one of you.