A Gecko On the Stove

Happy fall!

A tiny part of me wishes that I could see the trees with their leaves changing colours but the rest of me is content to be here in the warm sun.  It has been so hot that we have been leaving the doors open to try to get a breeze flowing through our house. That's probably how a gecko got in and came to visit my kitchen today.

At first, I thought he was a cockroach. I saw something scurry under the toaster when I went to make lunch. I got a shoe ready to attack but then this little guy came running out.

I put my shoe back on and grabbed the camera. When I tried to catch him (with a box...I'm not the type to catch lizards in my hands and my helpers were out bike riding) but he ran onto the stove.

The box was not working. As soon as I made a move he would run to another part of the stove. Finally, with two identical sized baskets that we use for homeschool, I trapped him. 

I set him free outside the door and after resting for a few minutes he hopped off into the grass.

I spotted him again later on in the day but he was not heading toward my kitchen. Hopefully he learned his lesson. At least it was better than a cockroach!

Marcie Cooper

Homeschool

Hello!

My lack of writing lately is all due to one thing--homeschool! These two go to school in Spanish in the mornings but do homeschool with me in the afternoons.

They are as different as night and day. 

She is creative with an huge imagination that takes her far away from the tasks in front of her. She loves to learn about the world and has improved in reading but is still scared to write because she doesn't want to make mistakes. I can't fit everything in that I want to teach her.

He wants to get started as soon as he gets home and do everything in his bins and more. He is having fun with numbers in ways that his sister never did because she was too busy making objects talk to each other. I am already looking for more things to do with him and he only started homeschool three weeks ago. Kindergarten math suggestions anyone? 

I feel like I am more prepared for homeschool this year than ever before but am still finding it challenging and time-consuming. Their best hours of the day have already been spent at school from 7:30am to 12:30pm. They are learning Spanish and building friendships but I don't want their English to suffer. I'm going to try to keep them home on alternating Fridays to have some individual time with them but I'm still not sure if that will give us the right balance between school and homeschool.

Please pray for God's wisdom as we try to give our little missionary kids the best education we can while also keeping them involved in the culture we are in.

Thank you!

Marcie Cooper

Hurricane Day

Hello!

We just had our first day of school on Tuesday but we are already staying home for our first "Hurricane Day." Tropical storm Isaac is giving us a lot of rain but we are far enough up in the mountains that we are not in any real danger. The government wants to be fair so if it cancels classes for one area it cancels classes across the whole country. Can you imagine if schools in all of Canada closed every time there was a snowstorm somewhere? Of course, the Dominican Republic is a much smaller country. It could probably fit into Canada 200 times!

Children usually walk or are driven to school on motorcycles so it is harder for them to get there if it is raining hard. Dominicans also think that they will get sick if they go out in the rain so prefer to stay inside. We are enjoying a relaxing day indoors too. It wouldn't be complete without a fort!

We may have to add some homeschool and baking too. What do you like to do on a rainy day? We can always use more ideas during hurricane season!

Have a great day!

Marcie Cooper

First Day of School

Hello!

It feels like the middle of summer here but today was the first day of school. For one little boy in our house it was the first day of school ever. He couldn't wait!

His big sister was more nervous about her new class than he was but, at the same time, she has been wishing and wishing for this day to come.

He came home saying, "I did a lot at school today!" and she told us, "My teacher is perfect!" Both are excited to go back tomorrow. 

Maybe I'll be able to catch up on some summer pictures...

Have a great day!

Marcie Cooper

Praying Parents: 1 Samuel 12:23

Hello!

Yesterday I found a stack of cards with Bible verses on them thrown all over the floor. The chewed off corners of the package led me to believe that it was the work of my teething almost two-year-old.

Constantly biting on fingers--those teeth must hurt!

At first I was frustrated by having to clean up another one of his messes but, as I started looking at the cards, I was reminded of the excellent parenting Bible Study they came from and of my favourite verse from the series, 1 Samuel 12:23.

Moreover, as for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the Lord by ceasing to pray for you; but I will instruct you in the good and right way (NASB).

The Israelites has asked for a king and God allowed them to anoint Saul. Samuel confronted their sin and warned them to serve the Lord with all their hearts. He pledged to pray for them and instruct them in what was right.

As a parent, I also have the responsibility to pray for and guide my children. The question was asked in my Entrusted with a Child's Heart  study, "If you're not praying for your children, who is?" It is not just a task for today, Sunday, but every day. 

How about you? Who are you praying for? Do you find it hard to pray every day?

I hope that you will be encouraged today to pray for your children, family members, and those, like Samuel, who you are instructing in the Lord.

Have a great Sunday!

Marcie Cooper

Summer Kids

Hello!

As promised, here are some cute kid pictures instead of museums and ruins. The summer has flown by but we have had lots of fun!

I hope that you've been enjoying your summer too!

Have a great day!

Marcie Cooper

Santo Domingo Tour: Museums and Ruins

Hello!

A one day trip to Santo Domingo is taking me almost three weeks to write about! Let me quickly show you a few last sites so we can more on to another topic.

After the National Pantheon, two-thirds of the group opted to go shopping and the rest of us continued on to tour the home of Diego Columbus. He was Christopher Columbus' son who became governor of the island in 1509.

 One remaining wing of Diego Columbus' palace

After that tour, more left to go shopping but a few of us continued on to learn see some more of the country's history. 

We walked through the Royal Houses Museum where I took my favourite picture of the whole trip.

Gate to the courtyard of the Royal Houses Museum

Then we saw the ruins of a monastery and a hospital built in the 1500's.

Ruins of The Monastery of San Francisco

Ruins of chapels in the monastery

 

We wondered what it would have been like to be 

a patient in the first hospital in the New World

There were more churches that we rushed past on our way to meet up with the group but by then I think we were all toured out anyways.

Here are the three of us who made it through the entire tour: Johanna, a summer intern; me; and Vic, our Island Director.

Thanks for tagging along. I promise you'll see cute kids instead old ruins next time :)

Marcie Cooper