Spiritual Emphasis Day

Sorry for the blogging delay. This past week has been a dozie!

This past Friday was Spiritual Emphasis Day at NCA. It's a day that is focused on spiritual growth for our students.

(On a side note, I think it's fantastic that NCA will take a day away from academics to focus on the spiritual lives of our students.)

This year, the theme was 'HUNGER' - hungering after God. There is a speaker, that spoke about a changed life, a life that was fully devoted to Christ. There is a worship time and then 4 breakout sessions.

I was able to come up for some of the worship time and hear the speaker. It was so neat to see our students really worship the Lord. The kind of worship that makes you cry, raise your hands, and be so thankful for who God is. The speaker also challenged our students to come wholly to the Lord.

I walked away from that day excited. Excited to see the Lord move. Excited to see how our students grow in their love for God. And excited because we know and serve and love a wonderful God.












David led some of the games that day. They were playing NCA's version of 1 vs. 100 (or 20)


The mob squad

NCA 1st Annual 3 on 3

This week was the first annual 3 on 3 basketball tournament at NCA. Basketball season is about to start here, so in order to create some excitement, we had a little 3 on 3 tourney.

David was the referee and also played. He dominated, because he's awesome!





Even though he's awesome, his team didn't win (he didn't want to make the other teams feel bad - he's kind like that)

We came up to watch/play with a coke bottle! You know whatever makes you happy!



Here's some other fun pics from the tournament:


Morgan schooling the boys.



Tomas and Gerardo fighting it out.



NCA's court

It was way fun! Have I ever mentioned that I LOVE basketball??

Haiti

I just heard that Haiti had another HUGE earthquake and it makes me feel sick.

I can't imagine what life is like there right now. I hear stories of tons and tons of orphans without food, water, diapers. I hear about disease setting in. I hear about families torn apart.

It's beyond sad. It's devastating. And to the people there, it's life altering.

I am guilty of reading or hearing about disaster and not thinking twice about it. Since it doesn't really affect me, I'm not moved. That also is sad.

But these people are real and they are really hurting. And I'm sitting in my house, comfortable and content.

But this time is different. I'm going to give and pray. I'm going to give to help meet their needs. And I'm going to pray that people are drawn to the Lord through this.

GREAT Grandma Tate

I was looking through pictures today and saw these.







This is Beckett meeting his great grandma. She's a really neat lady, who has recently been through a lot and perservered. It seems like once a year, something major happens to her - she falls and breaks her ankle, she has heart issues, her lung collapses. And everytime something like this happens, I think she's not going to make it; that this is the last major thing she can handle. And yet, she always makes it. She's a survivor, she perservers. I love that about her. She doesn't give up or take the easy way out (which I am guilty of doing ALL the time). On top of all that, she is witty and ornary.

Needless to say, it was incredibly special to have her meet Beckett! He just crawled all over her and she laughed and laughed. A memory, I won't soon forget.


(Off topic: I just read my last post and saw about 15 trajillion spelling errors, how embarasing!)

1st week

This is David's 1st week back to school. It comes with mixed emotions. He was and is way excited to see his students, but also apprehensive about the busyness that comes with teaching.

This semester, he's teaching 2 classes of World History, 2 class of U.S. history, 1 class of Bible ethics, and an elective - Strategy Games. That means he is teaching 6 out of the 7 class periods. That might not sound like a lot, but it is. Teaching is one of those jobs that you always have more to do, you can always make something better, you can always work with one more student. It's beyond time consuming. So, this semester to say he's busy is an understatement - for sure!

He is excited about a lot of things too! This semester he is teaching an elective - Strategy Games. If you know David, you know he L.O.V.E.S games. So, this is the perfect class for him. About 2 of our bags coming here were full of RISK and Stratego, and Chess boards, and desk of cards, and much more. Although, Strategy Games sounds like a blow off class, it's really not! You'll hear a lot of people here say that Nicaraguans lack creative thinking. They tend to do what they have always done and don't think outside the box (which honestly, sounds a lot like me too!) So one of the desires for David is too have his students learn to think creatively and strategically - while also playing a fun game! He's put a lot of work into this and it will be neat to see where it leads. Maybe I should take it too!

He also is working hard with student for their HACIA trip. HACIA is an educational government simulation that focuses on domestic and international issues in the Americas (yeah, I took that from their website) So basically, David is helping prepare students to go and "debate" different issues/concerns in the Americas. It's a big deal to be choosen to go! In March, David will go with his students to Costa Rica to debate these issues. He's excited about spending time with the kids and getting to know them better. We're big believers that people connect while on trips!

So yeah, that's what he's up to and how the 1st week has been.

Messy

Oh the joys of eating prunes!

Toy of the Month

Orell, David's mom, had a really sweet idea for Beckett. Because she doesn't get to see him all the time or bless him with gifts, she created the Toy of the Month. While she was here in November, she wrapped a toy for every month that she won't get to see Beckett (Jan- May). So every month, he'll get to open a present from his Loli!

Today was the day to open for the month of January!

When we laid the present down, he immediately crawled towards it and "tried" to open it!



Got a little side tracked by some other fun toys!



It's a stacking toy!!!



Thanks Loli!



Yesterday I went to the doctor for a check-up for Beckett. He always ask about how Beckett is doing and where he is developmentally and then he gives me ideas, suggestions etc. He was telling me that Beckett should be playing with more educational toys and he mentioned the one with circles that you stack. I was thinking that I haven't seen these in Nicaragua and I wished I got one when we were in the States. And then lo and behold! That's what he got! What a perfect gift!! :)


(By the way, doesn't my baby look huge?! He's 18lbs this month)

Christmas in Dallas

We had a wonderful Christmas in Dallas this year! It was Beckett's 1st Christmas, which made it a lot of fun! Not that he knew what was going on, but it still was special.

We had Christmas morning at my mom's house and then Christmas afternoon at the Russells!

Here are some pics!






Beckett "opening" a present!



David got a Kindle!



Jamie being ridiculous.



Gift exchange at the Russells!

Back in Nicalandia

We're back!

For some reason, I have a ridiculously impossible time blogging while in the states. I just can't do it. I think it has something to do with the fact that when we are home, we are always so stinkin' busy. So sorry for the lack on blogs!

I do have a lot to blog about though. In no particular order:
-Beckett's first Christmas
-An Ohio Christmas
-How it feels to return back

and much more!

I know you're excited!