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The year is over...I'm happy.  and processing the year.  I'll write a more detailed update soon...hopefully! :)  I come home in 9 days!  SINGLE DIGITS!

Photos!

Here's a link to some of my favorite photos from this year!   Also I just sent out my June Update Letter.  Let me know if you want a copy!  Leave your email address and I'll put you on my update list!

Awesome DR Photos

Birthday: Part 2

So yes.  Yesterday was awesome.  The day ended with me getting SOAKED by the kids...all of them.  1st-7th graders attacked me with buckets, cups, cones, bottles, anything that could hold water.  It was great.

  So my friend Karyn knows that I love Diet
Coke.  Throughout the day, every 24 minutes to be precise, I received a new soda with a letter on it.  When all the letters were to be had, it spelled out Natalie, Happy Birthday! 24!  (There are 24 sodas, just in case you were wondering!)  Since I only have 19 days left in the DR, I think I'm going to have to share with my roommates! :) :)
I got 2 sleep outfits from my students, some peanut M&M's, and a little Dominican statue/pen holder. Holly gave me 2 canvas paintings that she had painted, and Laura gave me a set of Seasons paintings that she had done.

After school, I went out to dinner with my friends here.  It was fun to spend time with them, talking, eating pizza, cheesecake, and frappucinos.

From left to right:
Karen, Jenny, Tim, Laura, me, Holly, Karyn, Brooke, and Nat

Happy Birthday!

So today is the best day of the year.  In case you didn't know, it was my birthday. I share my birthday with a very special little boy, named Jose Leonel.  He's in 1st grade, so of course I had to snag a picture with him and his ridiculously large hat.  :)

The kids soaked me!  This is an awesome Dominican tradition that I got held down by my kids while one of my students, Christofer, threw a huge bucket of water on me.  It was awesome.

My students threw a surprise party for me.  It was awesome!  They diverted me by getting me soaked then sending me to change.  Unfortunately,  I didn't go home and change.  I just chilled up in the library.  They all brought in snacks and Laura, the 5th grade teacher, made a cake.  I felt so loved.  I feel so blessed to spend time with my students and to be celebrated by them.

Marta, my student Nicole's mom, brought me an amazing lunch today of rice, beans, tostones, green salad, potato salad, grilled chicken, fried chicken, chuleta (the English word is escaping me...maybe pork chop?), yuca balls, and a cupcake.  Karyn and I shared it and I still have tons of leftovers!  Yay for having lunch for the next 2 days...

I had a blessed birthday.  And pray the blessings will continue.  Going out to dinner and dessert tonight with some really awesome people.  Thank you God for the many blessings that you have given me over the past 2 years of being here in the DR!