Hot & Humid

So, as soon as Jeremiah gets used to the heat, the temperature rises even more & we're back to square one. It's getting into rainy season, but the heat of the dry season hasn't gone away just yet. The past few days have been around 105 degrees (sometimes more) and the nightly rains have keep the air filled with humidity. Hopefully soon, the weather will change.

We've switched to cloth diapers. The first day involved a few extra changes of clothes because I hadn't yet gotten a handle of them, but now everything is good. They're not as bad as I thought they would be. The cleaning is easy since it rinses right out.

Everything's been going really well for both me & Terrez. I still work in the school in the mornings, but in the afternoons I help out in the main office, which involves answering phones, filing paperwork, and updating children's pictures. Terrez just started a new quarter of math. Things have been going so much better than last year. The students are understanding the material better & their grades are finally reflecting that. They have more motivation to do well, and in turn the classes go smoother for Terrez. Even still it's a struggle because he always has more material to teach than time allows. He seems to make it work though.

We have a doctor's appointment for Jeremiah tomorrow, so I will be writing an update on his weight & things of that nature soon. Hopefully I can get some good pictures of him to put with that blog.

Sleeping

He is sleeping through the night.....PRAISE THE LORD!

We're Back!

So, we’re going to start up the blog again. And this time we’re really trying to stay dedicated. We’ve decided to also use this as a way to share updated pictures of Jeremiah. That way if someone misses an email, they can always come here & have access to all the pics we put up.

What’s new? Well, we have a new house down here & we love it. They finished it while we were in the US. It’s a longer walk to the school for us, but it’s a lot closer to the boys’ house where Terrez works. We’re all moved in & getting ready to start back in the school. Terrez will continue to teach middle & high school math, and I will be the school secretary so I can still take care of Jeremiah. He can come to work with me & my time is more flexible, so if I need to do something with him, I can.

Terrez & I have readjusted, but Jeremiah is still working on it. Since he was born in that big snowstorm, he’s not used to the hot weather down here. So in the afternoon he’s down to his diaper & we have to wipe him down with a damp cloth from time to time. He still gets fussy, but it’s not as bad. The first night was a long one. He did not sleep well at all. But we’ve learned how to keep him cool, and he’s back to his regular routine of only waking up once during the night. Hopefully soon he’ll be sleeping through the night.

Baby Update

We had an ultrasound last week and found out that we're going to have a baby boy. Both the baby and I are in good health & everything's just fine. Right now I'm 21 weeks, so the estimated due date is Feb 15th. We're hoping that he comes earlier though. We're both excited that we're going to have a baby, especially a boy. I feel a lot better and have more energy now that the morning sickness/extreme fatigue stage is over. I've started to show, so now I can't wear most of the clothes I have. Thankfully people here and back home gave me some maternity clothes. They're coming in useful already.

June Update

Our blogging has been getting worse & worse. I guess I should have know that since it's the same with my journaling. Since the last update much, but not much, has happened. To renew our visa at the end of April we took a trip to Costa Rica & had a nice chance to relax for a few days. It's a whole lot cheaper to travel between these countries once you're out of the states. Just last week we were the chaperons for a camp that some of the kids had to chance to go to. It was hosted by a group from North Carolina, but the campgrounds were in Honduras. It was nice getting to see the kids play, laugh, and have so much fun. Those who went got to miss school, so they were even happier. The camp had a trampoline, so they definitely took advantage of every free moment by getting on it. They did crafts & games and the girls had a makeover day with hair and nails (they were too young for makeup). All the kids loved it & were asking when they were coming back before they even left.

Internet's Out

The internet has been out for a long while, so we haven't been able to post anything for about a month. Give us a few days before and we'll update how our lives have changed :)

God's Strength

"Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong." ~2 Corinthians 12:8-10

That Scripture is so powerful & applicable in our lives right now. Truth be told, working in the school is extremely challenging for the both of us in one way or another. It takes everything out us. Everyday we come home so exhausted, only to have to make more lesson plans or grade papers or whatever. Sometimes it seems like it's too much, but God is faithful to His word. I feel Paul when he was pleading with God to take his burden away from him. I've asked God the same thing. But God has placed me here for a reason, and in the school for a reason. And as people in my church always say, "If God brought me to it, He'll bring me through it." And He's doing just that. The past few weeks have been so much better than the first few. He's showing me different techniques and helping me with the lesson plans. My biggest problem in the classroom was filling up the time with lessons & activities. Because English class is new in the elementary, there is no set curriculum. So, for the past few weeks I've been creating a curriculum that at least I can start with. Those who follow can build on it & improve it, but at least it's a place to start. It helps me to know what I need to teach day to day & week to week. Then it becomes easier to plan how to teach it and fill in activities. Thank God for internet access! Now I don't feel as weighted down when I walk in the classroom.