My Pre Algebra Class...

Welcome to my crazy math class. I have 17 7th graders for my Pre-Algebra class.

Home work board...just because...

Passing back homework at the beginning of class.

Hard at work (they knew I was taking pictures...they are good at pretending!)

Teaching about patterns in math

Partner working...good job girls!

And there you have it. The other side of my job. Where I actually get to be in the classroom and use all that valuable information I learned in college about classroom management and things like that! I do love teaching this math class so much. It is a lot easier for me the second year around and they are a great bunch of kids!

Making dinner with Mom's help...

I got a package in the mail from my mom this week. Inside was a packaged mix for making beef and broccoli stir fry. Daylan and I felt domestic and decided to make it for dinner last night. We even sat down at the table so we had to take pictures. It was my first time making rice-and I didn't burn it and it wasn't too crunchy either!

Ready to eat!

YUM YUM YUM

no broccoli but the other vegetables were good

Daylan enjoying our delicious meal!

My Basketball Teams' First Game

Yea- coach! Don't ask what I was saying, because I probably didn't even know what I was saying at the time. GOOD JOB GIRLS! PLAY HARD! :)

See that good defense PAPA! Offense wins games but defense wins championships! :)

My team, notice how dirty my pants are at the bottom-HA! Life in Kenya!

YEA WE WON!!!

MADNESS...NO OTHER WORD DESCRIBES THIS

Pouring rain makes it hard to see the people and pot holes-and whatever else is in the way.

Driving in Kenya has proved to have its own set of difficulties. In my last prayer update I asked for prayer as I learn to drive our (Daylan and My) manual car. Well, I want to thank you so much! I have been driving a little bit at a time and today I drove all by myself. I know that may not seem like a big feat-but believe me it is! Maybe some of these pictures will help to make it make more sense....

This is where the madness begins. The gray car on the right was towing the car behind it through this busy intersection during high traffic time.
They were fine, until the rope broke
leaving the broken down car in the middle of the intersection.

The broken down car tried to reconnect the rope but it kept breaking.
So the gray car kept going.

Of course no one wanted to wait. So they all just went through and around the car.
This is supposed to be two lanes of traffic.
And the best part is that we are in one of the lanes.

Dirty bus with lots of diesel..YUCK!

More pictures

On the edge of the mountain side.
The ride up on the bus was really long. So, we decided to ride in the back of a truck down the mountain. This was during the hail storm. It was CRAZY-but brought back PNG memories.

Walking through the plains looking for the giraffe-so sad we didn't see them.

More retreat pictures

Just so cool...(yep, this is basically my back yard)

Heather and I at the top of the mountain before the hail really started coming down.

Beautiful sunset

Staff Retreat

This weekend we had our staff retreat at Lukenya Getaway. It was fun to get out of the city with all the staff. It is always good to get to know each other better, outside of the school/teacher context. We had fun playing volleyball until the ball landed in the acacia tree and a thorn popped it, we had fun chasing the animals until we got attacked my ticks and African biting ants, and we were really enjoying the beautiful view from a nearby mountain that we drove up until it started to hail. All in all-it was still a good and restful weekend!

Not much else to say except...THIS IS AFRICA!

Just hanging out by the pool before dinner.

More picture to come soon.....

Daylan, Heather and I

Weekend Away

It was so good to get out of the city for the weekend. We took a trip about a hour up country to Mayor's Ranch. Heather (one of my house mates) brother is working as a manager of the ranch. Mayor's Ranch is originally owned my John and Jane Mayor. They have developed the land for various reasons such as cattle, planting roses, and various other endevours. Most recently they have been producing fresh spring water and botteling it. The Mayors are currently in the process of selling the ranch to be used for a children's home for Kenyan children with disabilities. It is going to be awesome when it all gets going. Until then-it is our personal retreat center!
I was able to spend the weekend with some very good friends that I have made here in Nairobi. Hannah is a friend of mine that works for Amani. Amani is a place for refuge women in Kenya. The teach them a trade, like sewing or cooking or bead work, and then offer them a place to live and a job. It is an awesome out reach. Some of the other people in the pictures or teachers from Rosslyn Academy, another MK school here in Nairobi. Kelly is a girl who has been living with us for the last month. She grew up in Kenya and attended Rift Valley Academy with Bryan and Heather. She just left last night and we were sad to see her go!
All in all the weekend was sunny and beautiful. It was an awesome chance to get to enjoy the beauty and creativity of God's creation. On Sunday afternoon we had a picnic in the back yard on a blanket. After we got done eating Heather, Hannah and I stayed out on the blanket to take a nap in the sun. Unfortuanely we could not get much sleep as monkey's started surrounding us. There were probably about 15 of them in all. They started getting really daring so we had to move to the porch. So many good stories and fun times. If you come visit me I promise I will bring you to Mayor's Ranch-just a little motivation!!!

My visit to the "Garden of Eden"