Making Gingerbread Cookies

Today I invited Kristel and Martha to come help me roll out, cut and decorate gingerbread cookies to eat at Girl's Night.  It was so much fun to give the cookies personalities.

Here Kristel is working on a well-dressed guy with a shirt, pants, belt and bow tie.

Do you see the girl in a swim suit in the second row?  She's wearing "bling" around her waist and green sunglasses.  That one's Kristel's masterpiece.

Oops! Kristel got a hold of the camera and took a picture just as I realized my gingerbread man's hair was a little excessive.  "Oh well," I signed, "Maybe this cookie's personality is a Rock Star."

Hmm, that was fun!  I wonder what we can make, cook or create after Christmas is over...

Christmas Crafting

I love making Christmas crafts!

A few years ago Linda Leakway sent a huge box of things including many Christmas crafts and this foamy gingerbread house.  On Friday we had a half day of school which gave us time to do something fun. So Sulmi and Brittany stickered and glue gunned this cute house together.  I thought of my mother many times while they were doing it.  She has the tradition of making a real gingerbread house with icing and candy with her grandchildren every year.  I thought it would be nice to add real candies and perhaps icing on top, but then I came to my senses.  In the tropics those candies and icing would be breakfast, lunch and dinner for a whole stream of various ants. Foamy is good.

At Friday Girl's Night we decided to just pray for our church and some of the members who have prayer needs.   Then we made these angels from wire ribbon. They are fun and easy to make...a good craft for a group with an hour or less time.

This is Alma and Martha.  Martha is very crafty and picked this up quickly.

Yelitza and her daughter Kristen.

Alva

Sulmi, Kristel, Angelica and Yaniry with her new baby.

Angelica ran around the table so she could be in all of the pictures.  She has a good spirit right now and encouraged us all with her prayers for the people in the church.

National Spelling Bee for the Deaf

 The annual Spelling Bee for the Deaf is a BIG event in Belize.  Many of the children practice the over 300 words for 2 months. Many of the parents get involved and help their child practice. Last Wednesday Deaf students from schools in Cayo, Toldeo, Belize, Orange Walk, and Corozal Districts came to Belize to see who would be the top Deaf speller.  Many others made the trek including hearing classmates, Deaf classmates, former winners, fans, and parents.  It was enough to fill a gymnasium.

 These are some of the "junior" spellers.  They are ages 7 to 9.

 Omica Chun from Toledo won the senior division (ages 10 -14).  It brought tears to my eyes because her father was so proud of her.  His joy and pride were spilling over.  Omica is 14.  She goes to a regular ed. program since there are no classes for older deaf kids in Toledo.  She studied the words all on her own (without teacher help). Her parents speak Mopan Maya and know some English but they speak Maya at home.  So this amazing girl jumped all those barriers to learn to spell 345 multi-syllable words and to be the first Fingerspelling Bee winner from Toledo. Awesome!

 Brittany interpreted what the hearing people said; the prayers, instructions, how many points each person has, if they spelled it right, etc.   I was a "judge".  I watched the spellers and said if they spelled the word correctly.

Once you have won the selling bee you cannot compete in the same division again.  Sulmi won last year so she was just a fan this year.  The kids had a lively hour and a half ride to and from Belize. It's a fun (exhausting) day that we look forward to every year.

Puttin' Up the Tree

 On Tuesday, Kristel and Brittany put the tree together while Sulmi and I did homework. Brittany was really careful about getting the branches spread out evenly.  It made the tree look nicely shaped.

On Wednesday we decorated it. The nice nativity wall hanging on the door to the left of the tree was given to me by Viorica and Veturia ...way back when Deb came to visit me just before my first Christmas in Belize.  It's still lookin' good and is a nice memory of First Deaf Mennonite Church's faithfulness in this ministry.

Lots of the ornaments were made in our Deaf class at St. Peter's, so they too bring back memories.

Ta Da!   The tree trimmers and their beautiful workmanship!

Joshue is 1 year old! (already)

 

 A few weeks ago Alva told me that she wanted to have a ONE year birthday party for her son Joshue.  She said she had been saving money and was starting to make plans. I knew her house was too small so I said, "Great! Where are you going to have the party?"   She laughed and replied, "At your house!".... hmmm.

We decided to have the party as part of Girl's Night Bible Study and let the moms bring all of their kids.  It was fun to watch Alva organize it and take responsibility.  I really (REALLY) wanted to make some changes, particularly with the food, but it was her party so I sat on my hands and encouraged her to go ahead with her plans.   I'm so glad I didn't say anything.  Her plan worked out perfectly.  It was a good lesson for me in letting go of control.

 Some of the women are eating chips and dip...a typical Belize party food.

Joshue was a little tired and probably had no clue what the big deal was all about. I thank God for this precious gift that he has blessed us with and I look forward with anticipation what God's plans are for him.