Weekend Review May 7, 8, 9

My apologies that you are receiving this update a little late.  I have been off this week (mother-in-law visit in progress) but I hope you will find the information from last weekend entertaining!

As I am typing this I can hear the boys outside playing basketball on the basketball court, and the girls are down in the front field playing games with local Dominican children.  The sun is beaming down and it's a fair bit muggy, but all in all, it's a beautiful day!

*Be forewarned that I'm going to post some pictures that I took from the last Mother's visit soon - most of them were from the Silent Football game where some of you sat nervously and hoped to not suffer humiliation and/or embarrassment.  Good times.

Okay, without further rambling on my part, here is the weekend review from last weekend:

Saturday Night Family Unity:
Lance house went to visit one of their housemates who had been sick and was hospitalized.

TBK house had a chinese themed evening in which they dressed up,  ate culturally typical food: orange chicken, rice, egg drop soup, and fortune cookies.  In addition, they ate on the floor, used chopsticks and played a  typical Chinese "tag" game.  They were only allowed to speak in Chinese and  played a game where they had to decifer a "code" written in Chinese. 

Sunday Afternoon:
There was a Good-Bye Reception after church on behalf of Mr. Owen Postma who departed a few days later.


Lance house girls took some initiative and cleaned up around the basketball court, clearing debri and other obstructions (cow patties!) on and around the court.  Then they all played basketball.


TKB boys all helped cook lunch for Mother's Day. After that they watched some TV,  played boardgames, basketball, and ping-pong.  They enjoyed some skim ice after all was said and done. 

Monday Freeday:
Lance house had a service project day on the campus.  They invited local children to come to campus and play games, and then after wards they cleaned up the Escuela Caribe playground, scrubbing the little tikes slide, repainting the tire obstacle course, clearing debries, etc.  (The Sawyer kids totally noticed that this had been done and loved the new brightly painted tires! They were very appreciative.)


TKB took a day trip to Santiago where they walked around the Cathedral and observed while others participated in a Catholic Prayer Service. This was followed by lunch in the park, and shopping on Calle Del Sol. A gourmet dinner was consumed  at Burger King, visits to 2 malls were made and there was game playing at an arcade.

One thing I love about my mom is . . . .

This post is LOADED with photos (because I'm a "more is more" type of gal, which likely works in your favor with this blog, hopefully!)  Towards the end of the post (mostly because I can't get the photos to load in the order that I want them to!) you will find photos of the "One thing I love about my mom" project.  The rest of these photos are from youth group at my house last week,  Enjoy!

Students making hearts for the slideshow.

Mr. Photogenic

Playing a game during youth group.

More of the same game.

Blurry photo, I know.  But I wanted to show  proof of him being a ham!

HAPPPPPPPPY Mother's Day! In case you didn't catch it, below is the link to the EC Mother's Day Slideshow.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ApLbB5Urn5k

I realized as I was watching the slideshow in church this morning with the students, that some of the hearts are difficult to read either because of pen color choice, fancy and/or messy handwriting, etc.  SO, I am posting the pictures below with the captions of what each heart said.

I pray that even with the massive and obvious hole that you feel because of your child being away from home, that you would today be encouraged, knowing that the Lord aims to restore your family, and that you would be enveloped with His mighty love for you and your child.  So, without further ado . . . .

One thing I LOVE about my mom is  . . . . . 

I love you with a passion.  I love how you are always there for me and don't give up on me.  Feliz Dia de Madre.

Hard working.  Pretty.  Funny.  Trustworthy. Always there for me.  I love you.

You can go all day.  Speed.  Never Stop.  Awesome.  Energetic.  Unique.  Love you.

I love how she's amazingly supportive.  Great Listener. Patience.  Caring. Smart. Her Smile.  She loves me (no matter what.)

What I love about my mom:  she is always there for me.

Loving.  Always there for me. Hard working. A lot of patience.  Smart. Beautiful.

Great Cook.  The Boss. Wise.  Patient.  Great Leader.  Good looking. Smart.

Real mom.  Love me no matter what.  Happy Mother's Day.

I love you so much mom. Thank you for adopting me.  Happy Mother's Day.

One thing I love about mom is that she never gave up on me.

One thing I love about my mom: You always came to every basketball game.  You're the best!

One thing I love about my mom: her unconditional love for me and she's always there for me.

One thing I love about my mom:  your laugh, your wisdom, your love,  your smile!

Her musical talent and her honesty.

Finally, here is a poem that the Escuela Caribe Business Manager, Taty Hernandez, who also happens to be famous in these parts as a poet, wrote for her mother.  It is in Spanish, and then translated into English.  Taty wasn't sure about the English translation, but I left it as she translated it.

Mamá
Mía. Dulce. Fuerte. Mamá
Visión de mis luchas.
Ruta de mis extravíos.
Caudal en mis sequías.
Orto de mis despertares.
Granos somos del mismo trigo.
Mujer. Afrodita. Mamá. Amazona.
Carne de mi misma tierra.
Antorcha de mis conflictos.
Paciencia de mis búsquedas.
Aliento en mis desencuentros.
Piedras somos del mismo río.
Planeta. Mamá. Volcán. Cascada.
Parque de mis rutinas.
Chispa de mis sentidos.
Azúcar que apaga mis hieles.
Manta que cobija mis heladas.
Troncos somos del mismo bosque.
Titán. Trino. Árbol. Mamá.
Mástil de mi velero.
Aceite de mis sobriedades.
Embarcadero de mis bocetos.
Brisa suave de mis huracanes.
Aguas somos de un mismo estanque.

Gigante.  Montaña. Mía. Mamá 

Mom
Mine. Kind. Strong. Mom.
Vision of my struggles.
Route of my mistake.
Flow in my drought.
Dawn of my awakening.
We are grains of the same wheat.
Woman. Aphrodite. Mom. Amazon.
Flesh of my own land
Torch of my conflicts.
Patience of my searches.
Breath in my disagreements.
We are stones of the same river.
Planet. Mom. Volcano. Cascade.
Park my routines.
Spark of my senses.
Sugar off my gall.
Blanket that cover my frost.
We are logs of the same forest.
Titan. Sing. Tree. Mom.
Mast of my sailboat.
Oil of my sobriety.
Landing of my sketches.
Breeze of  my hurricanes.
We are waters of the same pond.
Giant. Mountain. Mine. Mom.

Weekend Review May 1 & 2

Saturday Night Family Unity:
Lance house had a relaxing barbeque dinner with guest staff member, Owen Postma, who will be leaving Escuela Caribe next week. 

TKB house had a WORSHIP & WRESTLING event around a bonfire.  I could hear shouts of "SHOUT TO THE LORD LET THE EARTH PRAISE HIS NAME!"  along with "GET HIM!  TAKE HIM DOWN! DON'T QUIT!" from my house just down the hill!    The boys had a waterballon war, made smores around the bonfire while singing praise music.  Afterwards, the young men were curious if any of them could wrestle their housefather, Steven Cofield, to the ground (oh the minds of testosterone filled teenage boys!) which explains why I heard things like "GET HIM!" drifting down the hill to my house! The answer to the question, "Can any of us take down Mr. Cofield?" is "Only if we all join forces and take him down while his back his turned and he is doing something else!"  They each had an individual chance to sort this out, which led them to plot, scheme, distract and gang up on their adversary to accomplish their goal.

Sunday afternoon:
There was a Pasta Potluck following church on Sunday.  The students and staff left STUFFED with yummy pastas.  In a few days, I will post (because I love you that much!) Leah Cofield's recipe for Cheesy Alfredo sauce and Chris Linehan's Sweet and Spicy Pasta, two of the yummy dishes that were consumed at the potluck.

Later in the afternoon, some of the girls (Carter, Lauren, Melanie) participated in p.e./recreation activities with all of the boys, who played kickball and basketball.  The rest of the girls planted various vegetables in the garden.

Monday Freeday (In):
The girls were disappointed that they could not do what was originally planned for this day (horseback riding) because of the rain, and instead had a Lance House Salon where they straightened each other's hair, did makeovers, painted toes & fingers, etc.  Mackenzie and Nancy plaed Risk with the Geyers, and the other girls played canasta and cards.  They also watched the movies Step Up and Toy Story III (which they all LOVED!)

The boys worked in the yard, watched Toy Story III and enjoyed shishkabobs and homemade caramel corn on their freeday.  A good time was had by all!