Our Play on Harriet Tubman

In March the elementary put on a play about the life of Harriet Tubman.  The kids worked very hard and did a great job!  I enjoyed co-directing the play with Nancy Dubois, the 1st/2nd grade teacher.  It was a new experience for me being on that side of the script, and I learned so much and treasure the experience!

Welcoming the parents and high school and introducing the play.

Harriet being taken away to work at another plantation.

Working for her new mistress who expects a lot!

Harriet back with her original master

Mean Mr. Brotus  :-)

Rit (Harriet's mom) and Harriet talking

Harriet working hard along with the other field hands

Daddy Ben (Harriet's father) giving her some final words of
wisdom before she tries to escape on the Underground Railroad

The slave catchers!

Mr. Trent, an abolitionist, giving assistance to Harriet
as she makeshere way on the Underground Railroad

Bravo Elementary!!

Flowers were given to the directors.  How sweet!

Olympic Spirit

I have some catching up to do, as my blog has not been updated in a while.  So here we go!

Showing our Olympic spirit!

Well, most of us anyway...

A Full Day of Church in Portugal and Canada!

A few Sundays ago, we attended the ABWE church in the town of Linde Velha about 20 minutes away from where Naomi and I live.  Nick Rachevsky, a teacher in the high school, and his wife, Krista invited us to join them for service, where they regularly attend and are actively involved.

Singing at the beginning of Sunday school, accompanied by one of the youth on violin.

 

One of the future church members :-)

 

Krista and Noah (mid-blink)

Between Sunday school and the service, there is a coffee/tea and cake fellowship.  They also sing Happy Birthday to whomever had a birthday that week.  It is to the same tune of the familiar song, but the lyrics are in Portuguese.  Naomi and I sang along in English.

A little someone was about to turn the lights off!

Adult Sunday school is held in the sanctuary, so there is a bit of transition between it and the service.

"Another picture?  Really?  Come on."

One of the families in the church just had a new addition, and her picture was shared during announcements.

The youth assist the worship leader through instrumental and vocal accompaniment.

Grandma's lap makes for a good spot to hold a coloring book!

After attending the Portuguese church, the Rachevskys came back to our house where we had lunch.  Then, via Skype, we listened to the service at Naomi's home church in New Brunswick, Canada.  It was great to be able to participate in an English speaking service!

Nick, Krista and Noah Rachevsky (and Bear)

I don't think I have attended church in a recliner before. :-)

Noah tried to help us with some pesky flies that were interrupting the service.

Now what chapter did the pastor say before those pesky flies interrupted?

Ah, yes, I found the verse.  Thanks, Mom.

We had a great time worshipping together first at the Portuguese church then at the Canadian church.  What a blessing technology is, especially on this day!

A Sheepish Walk

In showing my new neighbor and colleague, Naomi, around, I thought she might enjoy a nice walk through our village.  As we rounded a bend in the road, we came upon a four-footed traffic jam...and were thoroughly amused and entertained by it!  Naomi grew up on a dairy farm, her father being a third generation farmer, so the traffic jam observations were very informative thanks to her!

The one goat at the back looks like he is velcroed to the side of the hill!

They made their way down to the pasture.

We had fun!  It was especially enlightening to have the 2006 New Brunswick Southern District 4-H Queen along.  She could tell me all about the sheep!

By the time we walked back, this herd made time going down and around the hillside to another pasture!

It was funny to also think how Europe's largest mall is about 15 minutes from here! :-)

We'd never seen a rainbow quite like this - seeming to come straight down from the sky and so broad (look at in comparison to the buildings!)

The Not-So-Quiet-nor-Uneventful Day

Some work had to be done on part of the gutters that are just above some of our classroom windows.  To help secure the scaffolding outside, the workmen had to put a brace in our window.  I prayed more than once for the workmen; the scaffolding made me nervous.  Thankfully, the workmen didn't seem bothered by being up over 30 feet in the air on a not-that-wide metal plank!

Needless to say, the class was buzzing with excitement and interest of it all and not so much in what was scheduled in my lesson plans.  So we made the most of it and chatted a little with the workmen via a couple of the kids translating to/from Portuguese.  I asked the boys to ask him if he would mind if we got a picture with him.  He didn't mind at all.

It was also Estefania's birthday, and her mom brought yummy cupcakes and juice for us at the end of the day!

Oh what an exciting day!!