A little update from my weekly report for Hands and Feet... Enjoy!

Teaching the Alphabet

This week was a short week at the school and a good time for me to catch up on school work.  We had Monday and Tuesday off because of Day of the Dead.  I spent most of the day, on Monday and Tuesday working on school work and getting caught up.  I’m glad to be caught up, and now I have a bit of a break from school because I am on time with all of my assignments and have time to rest a little bit more.  I already really feel like I need a break, not so much from teaching as from my own school work.  I feel like I’m always working.

            The week was also a little bit different because the time changed in Nava to an hour earlier, but not in Piedras.  This meant that the teachers left Piedras an hour later than usual, and left to return an hour earlier.  This made for a shorter day and some needed rest.  Other than that the week was pretty normal.  I got to carve pumpkins on Monday with Ramiro, Tex, and Marissa and we started new material for the next two months at school.  I’m still very challenged to help the kids learn the best with all of the work that I am responsible for, but I think we are making a difference just being there and I want to keep doing my best.  The biggest challenge is English, how do I teach the students so that they learn the concepts completely, but don’t get bored?  This is rough!  Last week and the week before I wrote a song to Chris Brown’s “Forever” so that the older kids can learn how to ask someone “how are you?”  they really enjoy this, especially when I’m dancing in front of the classJ.

Prayer and Praise

Prayer:
-Please pray for continued rest both spiritually and physically.
-Please pray that we know how to best help the children learn and grow and that we can do our best doing so.

Summer sky in Mexico (from July)

-Communication: That we could all communicate our needs well to one another as we work together at the school.
 -That I can focus on why I am here and being in the moment.


Praises:
- Fall festival (Fogata):  This was one of those moments when I was reminded that I am supposed to be here and that we are making a difference.
-We are learning a ton (Bere and I) about how to best teach the students and run class, things are running smoother and smoother.  I can see that the students are learning daily.

It finally feels like fall in Mexico

Hi again,
 I hope you have all had a good week.  I hear some areas of Colorado received snow this week, congrats :).  We started at about 90 degrees this week, but now it feels like fall.  So for the last few days I have made myself a cup of tea and sat in a very sunny living room to work on my homework.  It is the little things in life right?
Tomorrow is day of the dead, so we don't have school today (Monday) and Tuesday so I've been catching up on school work.  That is a good thing, because I have been behind for weeks now.  I'm caught up and have more time to get ahead now.

My pumpkin is the chili on the right, Tex's is the cross and Ramiro's is the Mac Apple.

This weekend has been awesome on Saturday night we had what they call a fogata, or a bonfire.  We went to the school to set up at noon and at six the kids arrived.  They bobbed for apples, tossed bean bags, shot basketballs.  Then we had races: potato sack races, and balloon pop races ( they ran to a chair and popped the balloon by sitting on it and ran back).  After that we ate hot dogs (salchichas) chips and cupcakes.  Ok, ok, the best part was the hay ride, we drove around the whole town, looking at stars, and singing the whole way, and when we got back Chris and one of the men that helps at the school jumped out and sprayed us with silly string.  It was a ton of fun.
Finally we roasted marshmallows (bombones) over the fire, sat, laughed an threw light up sticks into the sky (y'know those sticks that shine colors when you break the capsule inside).  It looked like it was raining colors, very beautiful.  One of the women that works at the school told me that this festival was the best thing that had ever happened for the school.  I laughed a lot with the other teachers as well, it was awesome!  I'm so glad that I get to be apart of what is happening at the school.

Yesterday, we went to the orphanage, House of Peace, and had carne asada (barbecue mexican style).  I got to play soccer, got my hair braided, laughed a ton and ate amazing food!  It was a blessing.
Tonight, Monday night, Tex, Ramiro and I carved each a pumpkin. It was a great time to just hang out and be with friends.  I'm grateful for the break.

-

Little bit of life....

First Grade Teachers

Because my dreams are bursting at the seams...

Hello friends and family,
 I apologize for lacking updates, but my life is crazy right now...not just because I live in Mexico.   I would ask for prayer for getting my work done for school in a timely manner and for rest. 
Quickly, I was so blessed two weeks ago to go to Bistro Strodes...o sorry, Bistro Ashida's, wedding.  It was amazing to see the fall colors and the faces of so many good friends and family.  What an encouragement to laugh like old times with the plethora of roomates we have accumulated over the years, but more importantly to just talk about and continue to share life together.  (it seems like I become more romantic by the moment with these blogs).  It was so good to share Bistro's moment with her and be a part of it. 
Now in two weeks a lot has happened.  I've killed ticks, a mouse, seen my first live scorpion, and gotten in a slight car wreck.  School is hard but I am encouraged regularly and I really love my job.  Tex and Marissa (the missionaries I live with) are back after being gone for a few weeks, so everything is getting back to normal.  ( I was living with Ramiro and his mother which was also a blessing- I learned more Spanish than a confused and tired Coloradan native immersed in Piedras Negras Mexico...o wait...).  I'm making friends and loving it here as much as ever.  Bere the other teacher and I are probably going to try to play some soccer at the orphanage this week, sometimes I'm amazed at my life :).
 The school is going good, the other teacher and I are seeing that the students are learning.  We are very much learning ourselves so it is always a challenge, but I see that we are making a difference.  Zac and Katherine Roland (the missionaries that run the school) are back now too, and are an encouragement daily. 

Fun day this summer (month of July) and a good view of the school.  My classroom is the blue door in the background.

 The infamous Jessie Goforth and her friends and family have sent five boxes of food which have spurred many joyful, goosebump filled conversations in the kitchen (thank you note to come Jess) and fall is here...which means 80 degree weather and yellow flowers lining the highway.  It is ok to be jealous...I miss the snow and fall colors...Children are getting sponsored, we have been blessed with a new stove in the kitchen and we laugh every day, a lot, all together and working with the kids.

 Thanks for your prayers.  If you keep could pray that I could finish my work, get some free time (I would looooveeee to play some soccer!!), and rest physically and spiritually that would be awesome.  For continued support for the school, that Jesus would work through us to show his love and mercy to the kids and their families and that smiles will grow daily.  Safety is always a big thing too.

More fun times in July

We did this a couple of weeks ago with the kids as well...only this time with all the teachers in their dress up clothes :).

I am going to get a camera charger this week  ( I lost mine) so be waiting for pictures.  Love and Joy, Katt (gatitta).

Because my dreams are bursting at the seams...

I just returned from one of the most encouraging weekends so far.  I got to spend time with friends whom I love very much and talk about life and the crazy things that are happening in our lives...More to come...Right now I have to do homework :).

Photo courtesy of Ramiro Yanez

The Meaning of Adventure

Ok, I need to apologize for not writing for so long.  I have been very busy but I realized today that I have a responsibility to update you on what is going on in my life.  From now on I will update every week.  (you can keep me accountable :)).

Mexican Opera

 So we left off before Independence Day here in Mexico and I must say that since that time I have realized, more than once, how blessed I am to be hear.  We spent the 15th with the orphanage, House of Peace, and got to see fireworks, laugh, eat ice cream, run around, dance, try on sombreros and Mexican Mustaches, listen to Mexican Opera and our friend Isai talk like Donald Duck (Pato Donald), and, yes, this is very Mexican, eat dinner at about 12 o' clock in the morning.
 I am so thankful for the family that I have here with Tex and Marissa and House of Peace and I can't wait to hang out again.

Tex wearing a sombrero and Mexican (fake) mustache.

 Since the Independence day House of Peace came over to Tex and Marissa's house for dinner one night, where I got to play soccer with two young boys, hold little two year olds, and laugh and eat with the house mother and father.  I also visited the orphanage for an afternoon of playing soccer with the boys.  I know I already said this, but it is quite a blessing!!!

SCHOOL

Escuela de Nogal is has been good, but difficult.  I have spent many a night planning lessons and doing homework up until six hours before I have to get up and do it all over again.  But every week (at least), I find it is worth it.  I know that I am in a unique situation, but as a teacher what an honor and blessing it is to love kids no matter how hard it is and to be a constant source of care for them.  To all of my teacher friends out there, you are doing the right thing, and encouragement will come.  Hold on to your purpose and thanks for doing what you are doing.
 We found out last week that our school is the second from lowest in the state.  This was rough to hear because as a teacher it is my job to help my students improve, and upon hearing this news I was at a loss.  How do I help these kids improve?  As a teacher am I not doing my job?  But my friend Chris and others have encouraged me since, that we are doing the right thing and that we aren't going to see change over night.  We just need to keep doing what we are doing.
 The other day because it has been raining a lot here we didn't have bible class (it is usually outside).  So it was the teacher's job to give bible class.  It was kind of a spur of the moment event, but I ended up giving my testimony... to first graders and sharing with them Ephesians 3:18, which says "How long, wide, high and deep is the love of Christ."  It was one of those things where I didn't know what the response was, but what a joy it was to share with those students how much we are loved by Jesus and how he has changed my life so that I can be where I am today.  It was quite a blessing.

Right now I would ask for prayer in getting everything I need to done, and in getting enough rest.  Thanks for being interested in what is going on in my life and I pray that you have an amazing, awesome, super, blow your mind week!

Love

Katt