My Student's Art

I thought I should take a moment to show you some of the amazing work my students have been producing throughout the year. I am so proud of them!

We started the first semester drawing in black and white (I didn't start taking pictures of display until 2nd term), then moved on to drawing in color. Second semester we started painting and will move on to 3D art and mixed media in April. 

Enjoy!

Year 1 Fish Scales

Year 2 Hands 

Year 1 Sea Horses

Year 2 Line and Shape

Year 5 City Perspective

Year 3 Farm Perspective

Year 1 Fall Leaves

Year 1 Pumpkins

Year 7 Descriptive Words

Year 8 Religion in Color

Year 1 Snow Storm

Year 8 Parts of Animals

Year 7 Animals

Year 8 Parts of Aminals

Year 9 Animals Up Close

Year 8 Parts of Animals

Year 8 Parts of Animals

Year 4 Complete the Landscape

From top Year 9, Year 7, Year 8 Still Life

Petition Approved!

Alpha and I received news at the beginning on the month that his visa petition has been approved! This is the first step in the visa process and now we can apply for the actual visa. We are waiting on some paper work and there is a lot of paperwork in our future, but we are so excited that step one is complete!

We are hoping to move back to the States mid July to early August 2016. We will be traveling to see family for most of August and would like to start work in September. (We will also have a reception, hopefully in Chicago so you all can meet Alpha. More details to come.) We have no idea what we will be doing yet. Your prayers are greatly appreciated as we have already started the job search and are open to any possibility.

Alpha has his Bachelors in Business Marketing and Human Resource Management. His passion in playing, writing and composing worship music. He also loves engineering and is looking to get his Masters in Engineering.

I have 2.5 years teaching experience from early childhood to middle school. Specifically teaching Art and Drama. I have also written and developed the curriculum for grades K to 8. I have loved teaching and would like to continue in the States, though I do not have a US teacher qualification (I will be working towards my degree when we return.) Administration, event planning and service dog training are a few of my other talents and passions.

If you are reading this and know of a position you think we should apply for please email me. We are completely open to God's plan and leading. We have no idea what is ahead, but know and trust that God has a perfect plan and it is beyond anything that we could ever imagine!

Prayer requests:

Jobs for both Alpha and Emily

Housing 

A Car

Familiar support base, this could be friends or family

A good Church. 

We are so thankful for all of your love, support and prayers. We look forward to seeing some of you on the other side of the ocean!

First Term... Its over already?!

The school year has taken off and we are almost finished with our first term! So much has happened in the last two months and life has been crazy busy.

In early August we hosted an Autumn party as I was really missing the Fall colors, activities and weather! We made S'mores and had homemade apple cider. No hay rides or sweaters though... its still in the 90 degrees here.

Alpha and I were able to celebrate our birthdays together for the first time ever! It was so nice to create a new memory and enjoy being with each other. Alpha surprised me with a cake, candles and flowers and a week later we celebrated Alpha's birthday with his dad and uncle's family. I made his cake and learned that in Bangladesh the birthday person cuts the cake, not someone else. (Guess what I did on his birthday.... oops!)

Alpha has joined the Worship team at our church DIA (Dhaka International Assembly). He has so enjoyed being a part of a church again and plays every Friday (We have church on Fridays, not Sundays). He also had a chance to play at a youth outreach.

I have been teaching a sword fighting unit at the Secondary School and the students are having a blast! I am so proud to watch them exercise self control and work extra hard to learn the techniques. 

Our school had a teachers training and retreat at the beautiful BRAC center north of Dhaka. We had helpful meetings and workshops as well as a time to relax, play some volleyball and worship the Lord. Alpha played with the worship band. It was a blessing to have him come on the retreat with me. 

At church we met the most amazing couple. Grace and D have become what I believe will be life long friends and we are so blessed to have them in our lives. Alpha and D have become good friends, causing mischief and smiles wherever the go! They met on the worship team and had many same interests. Grace and I are so happy to send out the hubbies so we can enjoy some cooking, fellowship and quite reading. :)

Dhaka had a security incident which you may have seen on the news. We are all safe here and used our day of lock down to fellowship with the other teachers and get some crafts painted for Lauren and Hannah's dining room. I feel so blessed to be living in the teacher's building where I can travel up a flight of stairs to see good friends on a day that was otherwise tragic. Please pray for the country of Bangladesh.

Now you are up to date, blessings!

Summer Wanderings

As the school year finished, Alpha and I had a decision to make about what to do with our summer. Oringinally we had decided to spend the summer in Germany with my family, but the visa process ended up taking about 10 weeks! And yes, we did get to Germany, but only for this last week before we go back to work. But I am getting ahead of myself.

Enjoying the great !

Alpha and I applied for his German visa back in May and when we realized it was going to take a lot longer then the 2 weeks originally quoted to us, we decided to go see his family in Khulna for a week of relaxation and just to get out of Dhaka. It was a wonderful time just being able to sit back and enjoy the beauty of Bangladesh.

And then on the 22 of July we got the call. Alpha's visa came through!And our flight leaves in 6 hours! That was quite the day. The night before we had to pack our whole apartment to move, then Alpha had a job interview in the morning and then we went to pick up his visa, booked our tickets and headed to the airport!
For Alpha's first time out of the country, pictures are worth a thousand words, here is our trip in pictures:

At the Airport!!

Waiting in lines... so many lines....

Alpha's first time on a moving walk way, of course we had to do it twice.

So tired and in desperate need of caffeine

We spent a day at a castle!

Castle Bread, yummy!

Yummy treats, Alpha really enjoyed the German food

Going inside to castle... I wonder how Jared feels about this...

Dad and Alpha Hiking 

Jared and Alpha after a long day of wandering 

Always ready for a photo oppertunity

Mom and Alpha enjoying the village

Just because...

Waling into the Castle for the first time!

Having fun

The Boys

Getting our Couple shot

Getting their Couple Shot

Mom found her bike!

Now that is a Rickshaw!

Well...

Okay... Really Guys....

There we go (At the Brandenburg Gate)

But this is better

Alpha REALLY liked all the fancy cars

At the Dubai Airport on our way home