18.

Eighteen years.  It's a big deal, for sure.  I've known Jochi since the first time I set foot on Dominican soil 5 years ago and a few days ago he turned 18.  If you know me well, you know I love celebrating birthdays and I'm so blessed to have been here for his.  The day was full of all kinds of special-ness and I can't wait to see what this next brings in all of our lives.  

...So here are just a couple pictures from the day...

 

Emilee, me, Jochi, Ariel, and Christine... I'm crazy blessed by this family.
 

And cake!

dependence.

Life has been crazy and beautiful and full.  Full of laughter and love and tough decisions and joy and hard conversations and grace.  I would never trade the moments and days spent here with these precious souls.  The Lord has taught me more in this past year than I could have imagined and blessed me to no end.

Monte Cristi is a pretty small town and we mostly just walk everywhere we need to go.  Walking to school in the morning has become one of my most treasured times to process and pray and honestly, just plead with the Lord.  Pleading for Him to break through and change hearts and bring peace and redeem all the brokenness and restore all shattered hearts.  Because He really is our only hope.  

The Lord has taught my independent self an entirely new sense of dependence this year.  Because when I wake up in the morning and when I go to sleep at night, my peace comes from knowing that He keeps His promises and and that He loves these dear brothers and sisters and friends and mothers and fathers and children of mine more than I could ever imagine.  And so I trust and depend on Him.  And I plead for redemption and restoration already knowing that He makes all things new.  And He always will.

...

And here are some photos from a couple weeks ago.  Elizabeth (mine and Christine's other roommate when we lived at the orphanage) came to visit and stayed with us for a while.  We absolutely LOVED having her and are sad that she had to leave.  The family we went to visit back in January came to visit as well and it was an amazing few days.  So here is a glimpse of their beautiful faces...

 Christine and Joanni eating pizza.

 

A bunch of my favorites :)

Nena and I walking back from eating pizza. 

 

A huge kite at the orphanage that one of the boys made.

Domingo flying the kite.

Bringing back old times when I used to braid Elizabeth's hair for church every week :)

...peace and a whole lot of love.

semana santa.

It's spring break... known here as semana santa! I have been so incredibly thankful for a week off from school and a chance to see some of my favorite people this week. My heart is full and it has been such a blessing to spend time with people who I haven't seen in a while. It's hard to believe that March is over and that Easter is in just a few days. The month has been full of birthdays and celebrations and salmonella and conversations that were only by the grace of God. Special moments at the orphanages and teaching math again in Spanish. Late nights and early mornings and lots of coffee and homemade cookies and smiles and joy and laughter. Bible study and ice cream in styrofoam cups and teaching my five-year-olds how to subtract. March was full of the Lord's grace and glory and I continue to feel overwhelmed with gratitude. He is good.

Here are a few pictures from the past few weeks...

One of my students coloring a map of the Dominican.

Another one of my students with an "S" worksheet.

Paper beads... Dominican style :) A friend of mine is now making these to sell down here.

We finished up these bracelets by candle light one night when there wasn't power.

Emilee, Jose, and I in Jaibon.

Hope each of you are doing great :)