Did Someone Say We're Having a Surprise Party??

Kim Loosa was the brains behind the idea to have a surprise party for the first grade teacher, Peggy, who is turning 50. Even with about 70 to 80 guests, we pulled it off without her finding out!!! Quite the accomplishment for 20 first graders :)

The two Kims on the lookout.

Beautiful flowers for the birthday girl!

Presents are ready!

She's here! The excuse was that she went grocery shopping with Diana, and they were on the way to Peggy's house :) Ha, think again.

There she is!!!!!
Kim made Peggy's favorite... apple pie. Ha, yes, it's a square apple pie.

Birthday cake for the birthday girl.

Gathering around the dessert feast.

1st grade mom congratulates 1st grade teacher.

And Mimi, our school secretary, congratulates Peggy. :)

Gracias a Dios

So I used to think the title phrase meant "Thank you, Goodbye"... so I always thought the people were saying they didn't want to talk to me anymore. Haha, thank goodness that now I realize that it means "thanks to God"... My tico family got a big kick out of that story.

Along the lines of "thanks to God," He has provided for me in lots of little ways recently. I mean, He's always providing in lots of little ways, but I guess the past few weeks He's really been opening my eyes to realize how much He provides. With the play, items that we need continually are donated or loaned to us... For example, yesterday one of the Sojourn teachers told me she had more fake flowers that we could have for the play AND Kim's parents confirmed that they have a top hat they can bring for the costumes. 2 things in one day!!! Also, God continually provides the finances to make life possible here. I am so encouraged to have so many here and in the States supporting the work God is doing in my life (and all of our lives!). Gracias a Dios!

I tried "Vaca Negra" with the family last night -- translation "Black Cow" -- and it's basically a root beer float with Coke. We were at the grocery store after that and I found a can of root beer, so when we got home, we tried round 2 of Vaca Negra but this time with the gringa way. Ha, we all enjoyed it.

The set for the play is well on its way to being finished. We have one more work day a week from today, and I'll take my camera I promise :). Sorry Mom that there's no photos yet. Just know it's looking good :)

Sarah, Jenny, and Kim arrive Monday at 12. Wowee, I'm super excited!

Life is busy and all is well!

A Sheepish Hello

I can hardly believe it's March 12th!!! Time really is flying here, as there's so much to do and so little time!

Friends Jenny Olson and Sarah Mikan (and Sarah's friend Kim) are coming in just 2 weeks, so I've been busy making reservations and plans for when they are here. It will be a quick visit -- only Monday to Friday -- but I'm the travel agent/hostess/chaffeur/Spanish translator, so I've been working hard to plan for that.

The play is approaching quickly as well. Just 3.5 more weeks!!! A group of high schoolers are helping me with the painting process, and we actually accomplished quite a bit today. There's so many details to think about! I'm also in charge of actor's costumes, so that's been quite the adventure to nail down. We have 3 of the 10 actors with full costumes... the rest are still "works in progress".

Oh yeah, and then I'm a teacher. Also an adventure.

Life is good and my bed is calling my name for the night :). G'nite!

Shout Outs

A big hello to Jason and Janna Crumrine as they sat under this same tree with me during their December vacation to Costa Rica. This photo was taken this past weekend when I returned to Playa Conchal with my friends. HIIIII tios!!!

This week begins a new term and along with that are lots of new ideas and strategies in my bag. :) Ha, my tico family calls my purse the "Mary Poppin bag" because they (and I!) never know what's coming out of it. In the classroom, we changed reading groups and I grouped one tico per group so now they're surrounded by English :). I'm loving that because they're constantly asking questions -- "What is this? What is that?" Sounds a lot like me in Spanish. We've also been creating our own life-sized drawings of the human body and it's systems. You should see our masterpieces :)... they're currently hanging on the balcony for parents to enjoy. I am also working to use every moment of the school day for learning... so we've been practicing quicker transitions, doing mental math and trivia during bathroom breaks... you know, I'm thinking more and more like a teacher.

And I have friends coming in just a few weeks!!! How exciting! Jenny Olson, Sarah Mikan, and Sarah's friend Kim will be joining me for a quick 4 day visit to San Jose, and I can hardly wait!

But before they get here, we are working furiously on the set and costume design for the upcoming production at the school. I am seriously so glad to be using my artistic background in this way -- it gives me so much satisfaction and joy! A group of high schoolers and adults helped build the set yesterday, so we will begin painting next week. Hurray!!! Sorry, there's no photos of any of this action yet, but you will see the final project on here for sure! :)

Tenga un buen noche!

Playa Conchal con Mis Amigitas

Here's some fun in the sun for you... It was a great weekend!

Snapshots for You, Mom!! :)

We're heading to the beach this weekend... but before I go, I thought I would give you some of the latest photos... Nothing spectacular, but ideas of what it looks like here.

A chair back at the family's house in Heredia. Que bonita!! They have a room with all antique furniture that has been in the family a long time.

Theatre camp last Saturday with Kim V. and the kids dancing to High School Musical.

Trish before the haircut

and after :)

And the past neighbors, Steve and Diane. I tried taking their photo for their latest support letter, but it was so windy!! This is one of the best, but it doesn't do them justice with the wind.

Time for Funny Stories

So I thought there was a bat in my room last Friday night. No joke. I'm laying in bed, it's pitch black, and I hear the sound of wings hitting the curtains. Swish, swish. 'What the heck' was all I could think. I finally wrapped my blanket tight around me (I was freaking myself out, ha) and turned all the lights on (not just one -- all!) and opened my windows and doors... I looked under my bed and desk to see if it was hiding there... and I thought for sure I saw it under my desk. Turns out what I thought was a bat under my desk was actually just a part holding the legs on the desk... right. But then I heard it again... and I saw it... but it wasn't a bat -- it was a HUGE moth. Yup, that's right. I was freaked out over a moth in my room. This thing was seriously huge though. Too bad I didn't think to get my camera out.

The funniest part came the next morning as I'm trying to explain the midnight adventure to my family. Judit says "Oh yeah, I saw your lights on when I got home last night, and I thought, 'How strange that gringas sleep with their lights on and windows open.'" Ha, thanks for the help, sis. We laughed about that one.


I was riding in the car with ManRi and Blanca, returning from the family party on Sunday, and ManRi was driving, well, kind of fast through the city traffic. I said (as usual, not thinking), "Que un taxista!!" (What a taxi driver!) and they were laughing so hard. Blanca repeated what I said to Judit and Rebecca later... They were cracking up too.


Today we were learning about the digestive system and, well, 4th graders fill in the blanks that the textbook doesn't exactly mention. For example, the book calls "pooping" ... "elimination." Ha, quite an official word for that process. So anyway, today we were acting out the digestive system and Gabi jumps out of her seat and declares herself the nutrients that the small intestine is absorbing and then she jumps up in the air like a firework and falls on the ground. The whole class was laughing and then Gabi picks herself up off the ground and says, "And then I was the energy that the nutrients make." Good, we're learning.


That's all for today <3