Alice in Musicland

Alicia played "Alice" in the first performance of "Alice in Musicland" ALPHA's school musical

We are finally seeing the light at the end of the tunnel at ALPHA. Only a week of school left, but it is the busiest week of the whole year: school musical, enrollment, testing, report cards, staff Christmas party, goodbyes, etc.

Alicia turns 11 today. She played Alice in our school musical "Alice in Musicland". We had a double cast (that way anyone who didn't make it had someone else who could fill in without any problems). The first cast performed for the student body and the second one performed for the closing night of the pre-school program.

Our two music groups, the recorder ensemble and the band, provided live accompaniment for the songs that were sung by the pre-school department.

It's OFFICIAL

Atenildo

The man behind all the reams of paper work (and that is no exaggeration!!)

There was no sweeter news than to find out today that the Secretary of Education has granted the ALPHA Educational Center it's accredidation. And none too soon. After 8 years we are finally an official school that is recognized by the powers that be.

Our first 9th grade class will be "graduating" (in just 3 1/2 weeks!!!) and they will walk away from ALPHA with "the real thing". This is a HUGE step in the school's history for which we are extremely grateful (and relieved!).

Happy Blog Day!

One Year Old

In keeping with my bad sense of timing, I just realized that this blog was a year old last Sunday (November 7th). I am one of those who remembers when everyone's birthday is any other day of the year but on the actual day. How lame!


It usually goes something like this. The following day I wake up with this terrible sense of dread that something is wrong...like I left the oven on all night or I didn't do the laundry for a whole week so no one has any clean underware to go to school in. That's when it hits me like a dirty sock being slapped across my face...I forgot someone's birthday. How can I make ammends? Do I write? Do I call? Do I send a present? Do I plead insanity?


So here I am...one whole week late. But you'll forgive me won't you? Cause I will probably celebrate by making a bunch of cinnamon rolls and giving them all away. Don't you wish you lived closer?!?! :)

On the Road...Again

The Theatro Alberto Maranhão in Natal, Rio Grande do Norte was built in the late 1800's.

Just over a week after our accident Jessica and I were scheduled to travel with our string ensemble to play at a university graduation in Natal. A day or two before the trip I suddenly had a thought: what if I would have an anxiety attack when riding in the van to Natal? What if I just couldn't get in another vehicle like that? Gotta pray about that one...

I guess I was more worried about Jessica holding up the rest of the group (adolescent hair thing) than I was about my potential anxiety. We were about a mile away from home when I remembered. We made it there and back and I even slept 1/2 the way home.

Inside the theater two balconies surround the outer walls. The building was refurbished 3 times since it was built and finally named after a very popular governor (Alberto Maranhão).

Who was awake at 2am when we walked into the yard? Ken wasn't about to sleep with the two of us out on those roads with a strange driver...we weren't the only ones who were tired the next morning!

We didn't drive 4 hours just to play a few songs did we?!?! Supper at 10pm just before hitting the road.

We Made It!

Galinhos, Rio Grande do Norte
Sunset on the Peninsula
Google Earth Coordinates:
Latitude 5° 5'41.33"S
Longitude 36°16'32.31"W


We did actually make it to our destination after that nasty upset. Ended up staying an extra day since it was so hard to get there. I can honestly say we relaxed. It was great to get away. Here are just a few photos to offset the nasty ones in the previous post.

Yep, it is official...I have joined the "40 something" ranks.


The little horse cart (charrete) that took us around on the peninsula. Polkadot, the horse, made up his mind several times that we weren't worth the effort. I threatened to call him a donkey if he didn't get his act together.



Our driver, a funny guy who tried to make us feel better by telling us how he had flipped his little horse cart a few nights before.


A "modern" light house, equipped with solar panels and large batteries for storage. It is locked up good and tight to keep out vandals.

Eating breakfast before heading home. Yeah, I know...don't take a picture looking into the light. You're not really supposed to look at us, anyway, but the view behind us. Fabulous.

One last time...a gorgeous sunset on the Atlantic.

Bad Curves

The "curve". A local had yanked out a sign from another place and planted it in the ground to warn on coming motorists. Unfortunately, it wasn't quite enough.

About six months ago I started hyperventilating at the thought of turning 40. My first thought was to "get in shape". You, know, lose a little weight (the jeans that fit me last year are a little tighter now) and start walking every morning at 4:45 am. That lasted about three days. If you hold a gun to my head I am sure I could manage to get up and walk, but otherwise, forget it. Diet? Never have been able to do such a thing. God made food to eat, right?

So, this past week, the "day" finally arrived. I suppose I should be embarassed to admit it, but I could actually manage to forget my own birthday. Problem is, no one else will let me (especially three giddy, whispering girls).

After I called my "birthday twin" in South Dakota, Ken advised me that we would be leaving on an overnighter and to pack my bag. No arguing here! Off we went to unknown territory (to us at least!). Some friends had given us a great tip on a place on the coast, so we decided to check it out.

We were having a really good trip (which means that we hadn't seen one hole in the road the WHOLE way - nothing short of a miracle) when suddenly an unmarked curve in the road jumped out at us and bit our car. Ok, so not quite like that, but just about. A 90 degree turn in the road is quite a surprise on a dark stretch of road that you have never been on. No signs included. Here is the skinny....

We stopped to check out the "sight" on the way home. Mike Wilson, British missionary friend, who drove out to pick us up and take us back to Mossoró, is checking out some of the glass that we left behind.

The driver's side of the car...the part that ended up laying on the road...Ken looked out his window and saw the white line that marks the edge of the road. The rest of the car was hanging up in the air above the ditch. No actual flip, just tipped right over onto the side.

Even though we tipped over onto the driver's side, the top still ended up looking like this.

One more picture for emphasis...we discovered later that we are only one of many who haven't managed to navigate this one. FYI: We were driving along salt flats. The white stuff isn't snow...it is foam from the salt water. Once the water evaporates, the sea salt is harvested.

The BIG Day

Here is what Anabel has been working really hard on for the last two weeks. Brings back memories, huh! :)

I know the video is a little dark...the sun sets at 5:30 pm every day. She had been trying off and on all afternoon to make the "turn" and finally got it. You didn't think I was going to wait for "dawn's first daylight" to record this landmark moment, did you?!?!