Life

I forget every once in awhile that life keeps on moving and because we live far from friends and family, they're not exactly sure where it's taking us. So, here's a quick update.

Of course, we must start with Hazel, since she is the number one most entertaining thing in our lives right now. She just turned 6 months old and is learning and growing more and more every day. She is constantly rolling over and then crying when her arm gets pinned and she can't roll back over. She loves sitting up by herself and proudly smiles at us when she does. She's eating semi-solid food and making quite a mess of it as any good 6 month old should. She's getting two teeth and chewing and drooling on anything within arm's reach. Through all this she is full of smiles for anyone who looks her way, especially Dominicans.

I'm still working part-time at the school with Hazel. I keep her in a playpen or pass her around to waiting arms amongst the staff and students. Terry has a slight change in schedule for the summer months. Our school runs a summer program that is separate from our normal school program. We have a girls program and a boys program. Terry is working with the boys. It is a group of 6 boys (and staff) who are moved off campus to another house in the middle of a small mountain village about 30 minutes from us. It's centered around community service projects, a Dominican experience and building leadership skills. Terry was eager to get the chance to work with this group of students for the summer. He'll either drive out to where they are or meet them at the school one day a week to teach Dominican studies or Bible. It also involves many field trips to the Capitol, Santo Domingo or other historical places on the island. Last week Hazel and I joined them for a quick camping trip to the beach to see the very first settlement of the New World. Unfortunately it was so hot that we really didn't care what Christopher Columbus did, we just wanted to get in the water.

The second week of July Terry will once again conquer Pico Duarte, the hightest peak in the Caribbean. I may hike in a day,camp and then out the next day.

The most exciting news for us is that Terry's brother, Bob and his wife Carrie and family (Brodie, Drew and Ethan) will be moving down here in July to work for two years. Bob took the Tech position and Carrie will be a part-time teacher. So, we've been busy trying to find them a house, dishes, furniture, a car, and of course scooters. It'll be so weird, yet so much better, having family around. We can't wait to have them experience our little world down here.

We're coming home this August but only for a few weeks so that we can return for a few more weeks at Christmas this year. We miss the snow!
So, lots of people are asking and in case you haven't put the clues together yet, we are staying another year. As much as I'd like to be back in Manitoba with family, we both feel like this is where we need to be right now. So even though life keeps moving, it's keeping us here in the DR for a little longer.
Of course, we couldn't end this blog without a few photos of little Crocus.