Birthday Surprises

Turning quarter of a century old couldn't have been more jam packed with surprises and fun than what it was. I was told that I would have a busy day, but I never expected the birthday I got.

It started out on Monday when my students told me there was "something they weren't supposed to tell me." After the many indiscreet whispered huddles that stopped and started based off my proximity and  of course the kid who told me "I'm bringing cups," I was pretty confident by Wednesday that something was going down. It's hard to be discreet when you're ten, it's not who gets to keep the surprise the longest, but who gets to tell the teacher that matters. Anyways, even though I did know or was aware of something going down at lunch, I still was surprised and overwhelmed by the amount of love and of course the "confetti" that ended up being hole punch circles that I still am finding in my hair. Also, the size of this gigantic pink chocolate cake!!

After school, I was told to not make plans, but that my afternoon was already planned out. Since no one seemed to know what I was doing (yes I admit to talking to several people to see if they just knew) I figured it was going to be something simple. I was told that my night would involve my three favorite things: food , family and friends and unfortunately sometimes it probably really does go in that order, especially if ice cream or pastelitos or oyster crackers are involved. First stop was my favorite restaurant where I got to eat pastelitos and empanadas. DELICIOUS!!

The second place we went was the Rosalias and got the most delicious orange popsicle ever and found out that Rovian had gone to the grocery store and purchased all of my favorite foods. YUM!! Then of course, game night which involved me losing three straight games of Rummikub. So, I suppose ever since turning 25 I haven't won a single game...that's unfortunate. Anyways, it was still very nice. 

Then for the final stage I was blindfolded, so I didn't know where I was going and anyone who knows anything about me, knows that I am directionally challenged, so I had absolutely no sense of where I was. All I knew was that I was climbing a lot of stairs and then I was left standing somewhere with a hard edge to the left of me. At the time, I was convinced I was outside in a park somewhere at the start of some maze and that I would have to wind my way through things or that one step would send me down a hill. I was very chatty and I found out after the blindfold was removed that I was standing in a doorway, surrounded by people.....laughing. There was food, and the highlight of the night was definitely Karaoke and the  performance by all of us on "My Heart will Go ON" in spanish. especially belting out the chorus with everything we got.
Titanic Spanish Version

THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR MAKING MY DAY SO SPECIAL!!

Thursday Thoughts

I tutor a student who is low in math and every single day, there is a moment when he gives up, he throws his pencil down, tears come to his eyelids and he sits listless. Everytime I try to coax him, it doesn't work.

"Don't look at the whole problem, just look at the part we are doing. I don't care about the problem, just do 72 +7, you can do 72+7." Too often though he gets so caught up in the whole picture, he cannot break it down into steps. I keep reminding him that I know how to do it and I am helping him, but when he is lost in his frustration, he cannot see that I know where we need to go.

I'm frustrated with this situation, but also its eye opening for me. How often do I throw up my hands in frustration and say, "God I can't do this, are you crazy? What you're asking me to do is simply impossible, I'll never make it." God reminds us that we don't have to look at the big picture; the end product, just the first step. He also reminds us that he is there with us through our problem and he knows exactly how to solve it and he will help us get to the "big picture"

My next step is to stay at Jarabacoa Christian School for another year. I don't know where I'll be after that, but I just feel like I'm not done with Jarabacoa yet. I feel as if I left now and returned home I'd be filled with regrets and questions of what might have been. There is more for me to learn here. There is more for me to do.

 I've learned so much about myself too. I want to see what God has in store for me for another year.