Day 62: Crazy Rainforest Days

We've been without internet (again) for a few days. I have to admit, between having unpredictable ferry service and inconsistent internet, it gets somewhat frustrating at times! The only thing that seems to be consistent around here are the mosquitoes. You can always count on them!!!


Anyway, today at school our schedule was pretty crazy. The kids are studying the rain forests of the world (did you know that cocoa comes from the rainforest and a disease has pretty much wiped it out in South America; and a drought is threatening to kill it in Africa???) and they're getting ready to put on a presentation to show what they know to the community. 


I was able to have my younger kids for English language arts for their normal time and then the first-graders for math. I'm so proud of all they're learning! Each one was able to read a book and then count by fives to 100 today - without looking at the 100s chart!!! Yay!


After that, we switched things up so the kids could all rehearse their music together for the first time. It was pretty cool to hear them sing out with their parts and watch them enjoying the sound they were making! Abbie told them they gave her goosebumps on one of the songs they did. (They gave me goosebumps, too!) It was awesome! The songs they're doing all have to do with nature, to go along with the rainforest theme. For me to be able to teach music again has been like putting on an old favorite pair of shoes that was lost for a long time. The results in just six weeks have been amazing. Almost 100% buy-in makes it that much better, too. Since these guys don't have the opportunities kids in the States get in school, their appreciation for having music class is greater. In turn, it makes the teaching part that much more rewarding.


At any rate, after music we went back to the typical Thursday schedule, in which I'm "done" at lunch time. Since Mamacita's is now closed until mid-November, I figured I'd get some extra work done at school. However, our big fund-raising shipment arrived, so I volunteered to get it all checked and ready for the kids to take home. Abbie was having the students all work on rainforest projects for the afternoon, so she "loaned" a couple of kids to me to help with the work I was doing. There was such a high participation level with the fundraising that even though I worked on it for the entire afternoon I didn't get everything checked! The money raised will sure help out the school, though. Plus that the kids will be able to place at least one more order. Hannah would like to add to her orders, so if you're interested and didn't order the first time around, please check out the website and let me know if you'd like something!!





http://www.naturesvisionfundraising.com/


After school most of the kids stuck around to work on a dance they're doing for the rainforest presentation, so we didn't get away from school until after 4. We headed to the post office where we finally received a package my hubby sent "2nd Day" - he sent it on September 29, so it actually took seven days. Second Day - Seventh Day - close, right?? We're definitely on island time around here...(He'd better be able to get a refund, that's what I think!)


Once we got home we were both pretty beat from the day, so we had a light supper and Skyped with Stan and his mom. Then Hannah headed off to finish up her homework and I checked out Bernadette Peters on YouTube. (She's awesome, by the way.) When I went into Hannah's room at 8:00 to check on her she was out! I'm feeling like following her example and heading to bed as well.


Thank You, God, for a day that included making music that was truly beautiful and musical. Thank You that Hannah's day was full of good things and we were once again able to see faces of people we love.