CRAZY day so far today! The kids are in gym, so i thought I would update! 1-went to the beach this weekend and it was incredibly relaxing and fun! I went windsurfing....which is now my new favorite thing! ANYWAYS, today. I am teaching full time now, which is really fun but also quite overwhelming! Bible/devos is first thing in the morning, and I am trying with all that I have to get the kids EXCITED to read God's word and just to learn more about Him, so we are starting our days singing "This is the Day" which is fun and a good way to get them thinking that YES today is awesome because God made it and He has things planned for us today! It is not just some random day that we are here! SO that is cool, buuuuuut still they are 5th graders so it is hard! The craziness began after this today: one of the boys got really mad at one of the girls, started screaming, and so I told him to go into the hallway and compose himself, which he refused to do...THEN picked up his chair (I thought he was going to throw it at me!! hahaha!) but proceeded to run across the room with it because he did not want to sit by the girl anymore. Next, another boy goes crazy because he was half laying under the table during all this and I told him he had to get up, so he of course threw a fit too.......FINALLY was able to get them into the hallway where they proceeded to scream and kick things, all while I tried to continue the Bible lesson. REDICULOUS! Finally, the Spanish teacher came to teach Spanish class, and I was able to take the boys downstairs, let them cool off a little and then talk to them about what happened. After that things got better...but what a start to the day!

A funny story about this past week too--- i am copying this post from my roommate, Maddie's page....

If you could only imagine...

AH!

Suddenly, Jess cries from across the hall, "There's a hUge spider in my room!" I run over to see it first before getting something to kill it with. Well, this thing was GIGANTIC -- literally the size of my palm. Pre-historic like.

I ran to get my tennis shoe and then decided my hiking boot would be better. I was in that swing and hold position, grappling with fear before following through. I was praying out loud and encouraging myself while giggling with nervousness.

I swung and -SMACK!-missed. The spider fled down below the shelf. Maria got home amidst the shrieking shrills from the three of us. Kymberlee could no longer watch and went back across the hall.

Little abuelita Maria (comes up to my shoulders) comes in and tells us not to be afraid, while describing its bite to us. We've got two wooden rods we're using to try and trap and squish the spider.

Clothes start falling off the shelves, or we're pulling them off as the spider continues to escape in its cubby area. Screams get louder each time as she misses yet again. Little Maria comes in slowly to the corner where the spider is "hiding" and then -BAM!- tries again. Finally, she tries a tactic where she uses the broom end of the stick.

This is my favorite part. Maria says, "en el nombre de Jesus!" and then going in slowly with a sudden movement closer to the spider, she gets him! He falls to the top shelf, and once more she squishes him to his ultimate death.

PHEW. (Unfortunately, there's one twice that size still lurking somewhere.)

Maria reminded me of the Power and Might of God. Afterward, she told me I don't fear anything. What if we could all trust in Him that much?

Life in the Dominican Republic is never boring, thats for sure!
Love and miss you all!