back-to-back!

HOORAY is what you're probably thinking right now, as you have gotten not one but two life updates in the last 24 hours!

Today was a good day. LOTS of laughter. Good, quality crossword time. quality learning. jeez. I was so happy because my friend Estheisy was back today after being gone for 2 days. It was so good to hug her and talk to her again! Today after school I just held her and carried her around until her grandpa came to pick her up. Can I bring her home with me?? Seriously!

1.bomit
Gooooooooood morrrrrningggggg Missssterrrrr Peeeeterrrrsonnnnnnn.
Every morning every class gets in line as we say the Pledge to the Bible, Dominican National Anthem, and Mr. Peterson says announcements and prays for our day. WELL. well, all of a sudden I see Miss Elmer hurry this little girl off to the office. I notice she had some mud on her pants. NOPE. not mud. definitely VOMIT. some little kid had vomited all over and splattered like 5 other kids. Man, as sad as it was, I was dying laughing. The splash factor and seeing all of the kids FREAK out was just so funny. shame on me! But man. poor kids. how do you recover from vomiting on many of your classmates? is it possible? probably not. but a good story for the future!

2. a super-secret, special project...
Kelsey and I finally revealed our super-secret, special project to the girls in the other house. The day that Karyn's computer was stolen we figured they needed a pick-me-up. Little did we know that would turn into a 3 hour long stint including washing dishes, finishing up dinner, house sitting, and eating dinner! All we wanted to do was cheer them up with our awesomeness. BUT alas. since all of those things happened, we were not able to share with them our super-secret, special project. THEREFORE we have to wait again. It's been about a month and counting. I cannot wait to reveal the finished product to one and all. ANTICIPATION. get excited.

3. badminton.
yep. Taylor taught me well. Not only did they make sure I am a "caring, competent, and reflective teacher prepared for world service" (Dr. Tyner, you should be proud!) BUT they also gave me the knowledge in the highly competitive sport of badminton. This weekend Kristen and I were challenged to a game by the one and only Christy "Birdie Killer" Elmer. Basically Kristen and I had to defend Taylor and Dr. Winterholter's honor. Although Christie put up a strong front, Kristen and I ultimately had the fundamentals to put Christy and Brooke in their place.

4. the nicest note I've ever received.
staff comrarderie? high. let me show you how well I am received at JCS...here's a note I received. After I had sent this sweet, sappy "I think you're the best. Let me know if there's anything I can do to help you. etc. etc." note.
this is what it said:

(Emmanuel Garcia helped me translate this sweet note.)

Eres loca. Te falta dos
dientes. Tienes sicote
y grajo. Tienes pelos en
los sobacos. Necesitas
un bano urgente. No me
agradas. No te quiero.
Que tengas mal dia. Miss Staats ♥

English translation:
You are crazy. You are missing two teeth. You have bad body odor and your feet stink. You have hair in your armpits. You need to shower right now. You do not appeal to me. I don't want you. Have a bad day. Miss Staats ♥

As I struggled to translate and had to ask the secretaries at our school for help, and judging by the amount of laughter that was rolling through the office, we were all loving it. Yusenia (one of our secretaries) made all of the people who came in the office read it. At first, I am not sure people realized that it was just a joke, but my laughter, along with the laughter of Yuesnia and Rosaline (the other secretary) tipped them off that Karyn was just kidding. The cleaning ladies, Kenya and Clarisa, just kept looking at me and laughing, laughing, laughing. I'll probably keep this note forever and ever. I have never felt more encouraged in my entire life.

5. basketball practice.
yesterday we had basketball practice! unfortunately for us at about 3:45 it started pouring raining. POURING! so Christie gave the girls the option to either suck it up and play or leave. Some of the girls (oh-my-gosh-i-went-to-the-salon!!) opted to leave, but the ones of us who stayed loved our lives as we sloshed through the puddle-ridden court, attempted to stay on our feet as we ran down the court, and just laughed and cheered so loud when we managed to get the ball in the hoop! I came home SOAKED (that is an understatement...) and was ringing out my t-shirt and shorts, which are still hanging wet in our bathroom--over 24 hours later...yeah, things don't exactly dry quickly here! :)