Oh So Teacherly

There's something about these things that makes me feel extra-important. A real teacher uses these things - at least in my mind. If you're a new teacher, let me make a couple recommendations.....

#1 - Real teachers have a bell. Real teachers ring that bell, and ring it LOUD. But don't leave your bell out for just anyone to touch. There's nothing like a bell being rung by a well-meaning saint of God that thinks prayer meeting should be ending. *DING!* It's a little...surprising.

#2 - When I went to Mexican public school at the age of 7 my teacher graded all my work with these crayon-pencils. They are super cool because you just pull a string to get more pencil out instead of sharpening it. When I saw these at the store I had to have them. I feel important when I grade with them.

And...that is pretty much all I need to feel like a teacher. These things, and of course my stellar intelligence! Oh, and a drawer-full of snacks in the filing cabinet :))

Any teachers out there? What items do you have that boost your teacherly confidence?


~Bethany~

Napa

The last day I was in the US this past month was spent in Napa, Ca with our dear friends, the Bledsoes. They recently took over the pastorate of Elder Price's old church. We were excited to see the church, and of course our friends. What a beautiful, beautiful city Napa is. I mean, just gorgeous! It was a little nippy and it seemed like fall was in full swing. I don't have that many pictures, but here are the few I did get...

Look at them colorful trees! 

Mom and Austin

Me and my buddy

Sweet boy :)

Saying goodbye :(

~Bethany~

I Hope I Don't Get Ebola

Everyone in my family except for Austin and I left on Monday for the border. Our car has to be driven out of the country every six months. Nicole hasn't been out of the country in a while so she decided to go. So here I am, taking care of the school, building project, and house...all by my glorious lonesome. I am thoroughly enjoying it though so don't ya'll go feeling bad. Everybody needs some alone time - and I'm getting mine this week! (Except for the fact that Austin is still here...)

This morning, Unnamed Student informed me he was having stomach problems and asked to go to el baño. A couple factors influenced the next sequence of events.

1. Too much TP
2. A wooden stick when a plunger couldn't be located (can you say "frantic"?)
3. One too many flushes

Vile and wretched story short - I spent my lunch break bleaching the bathroom within an inch of its life and wishing I owned an Ebola containment suit. I'm a leetle tempted to go into more detail, but my dad's warnings are ringing in my head. Something having to do with not lowering my blog's standards...hahahahaha.


~Bethany~

Too Good for School

Sometimes I think Austin thinks he's above school....

(Yes, I know millionaire is spelled wrong, and yes he corrected it)

When he brought me his book to grade, he had a cocky little attitude and a smirk on his face. He rolled his eyes as he told me, "I used a little sarcasm.". Said he needed to add a touch of humor. Apparently his work is just a little too boring for his taste. 

~Bethany~

Voting 2014

While we were in the States, just so happened, it was voting time! How perfectly providential! We filled out our absentee ballots that had been previously mailed to us while sipping hot chocolate and other yumminess at Starbucks. 

Filling out my ballot

Austin read his Bible while we filled out our ballots. 

We hardly knew any of the names of the people we were to vote for...Google to the rescue! Between Dad and I, we looked up every single name on the ballot to see what they stood for and who we should vote for. 

Research, research! 

~Bethany~

Vianey's Funeral

As you all probably know, Sis. Vianey passed away after months of suffering. We went to the hospital Saturday morning to see her and say our last goodbyes. On Sunday we got the call that she had passed away. Monday we had a small service at her house for friends and family. Tuesday we had the funeral at the church. 

This was me and Nicole's first Christian funeral in Mexico - usually when someone in the church dies, the family swoops in and takes over and everything is done in the Catholic way. We were very pleased when Sis. Vianey's family chose to honor her wishes of having her funeral in the church. None of the Catholic nonsense. No chanting and wailing over the body, no sprinkling it with water, no money left in the hand of the deceased to get them past the Jordan River and buy them food and clothes in the next life. 

This funeral honored Sis. Vianey and it honored the Lord. 

Hno. Baltazar reading her obituary

The flowers from the younger Wakefield family

The flowers from the Elder Wakefield family

The casket was opened so the family could say their last goodbyes

After the funeral, we drove about 14,000 miles out to the middle of nowhere, where there was a cemetery. It started out as an ordinary trip, but then Elissa had a diaper blow-out and I got to witness how to deal with a terrible explosion in a moving car. 

We had a little service around the casket then we watched as the casket was lowered into the ground. The men started shoveling dirt on to the casket - it is the creepiest sound - and a few people started wailing and crying. It was sad. 

My precious Gramma

Elder Wakefield saying some last words

Beautiful flowers - all the flowers that were given to the family were used to cover the grave. That is the tradition here. 

~Bethany~

Thanksgiving 2014

 We had a nice little Thanksgiving this year. For the first part of the evening it was just Nicole and I and Gramma and Grampa. Then a couple hours later Tio Mario, Tia Hayde, Abner, and Elissa arrived. That is when we started to eat. About an hour later, Bro. Jorge, Sis. Natalia, and Eliana arrived. About an hour after that, Grampa left to go pick up Mom, Dad, and Austin up from the airport. The rest of us stayed home and continued eating :)

Grampa and his battle-scared arm. He got in a fight with a thorny tree. (He did win, no matter what it may look like!) 

Our little princess

Group #1, round #1

While we ate, Elissa sat over in the living room on her blanket playing. It was the weirdest thing - she dozed off while sitting up and her eyes were still open. She was kind of swaying backwards and forwards...it was funny and pitiful! I went over and scooped her up into my arms and her eyes immediately shut and she fell asleep. Zzzz....

Shnuggling on the couch 

Nicole and little Miss Eliana

Trying to get Elissa to show us how she crawls

Seeing our boy for the first time in a while

Elissa fell asleep...again...this time, in the arms of Nicole. Look at that little smooshy face!

~Bethany~