FROM OUR FAMILY TO YOU AND YOURS...MERRY CHRISTMAS!
It's been QUITE the year in the Hernandez household. We have been living here in the DR for a little over a year and have made some great memories this past year. 
We started out the year with Little E's big first day of pre-school. He did so well adjusting to an all Spanish pre-school program and has grown so much in his bi-lingual language skills over the past year. He can say all of his colors, numbers, some of the letters, his name, how old he is, and the words to boss us around in BOTH English and Spanish.
February 27th is Independence Day here and the colegio had a celebration. All of the kids dressed up in typical "campesino" attire, which is the costume of the country people of the past.
Eric was so excited to share a childhood memory of his by taking Little E on his first horseback ride by the river in Jarabacoa.
Eric's easter basket contained his very first Thomas the Tank Engine train...and, it has been a Hernandez obsession since. We actually love that his imagination grows as he replays scenes from the videos on his own track. This one train became a fleet.
The view from our apartment. Santo Domingo has become home. We are taking the "bloom where you are planted" attitude.
Along with teaching classes Eric initiated an institute for structural engineering research at the University where he teaches. They have already purchased a "shake table" for earthquake as well as hurricane and wind damage experiments, and have offered engineering courses to local professional engineers. Eric loves working at INTEC and plans to continue helping them grow their master's program in engineering.
Little Eric celebrated his 2nd birthday with Elmo in June.
Eric's dad and family came for a visit in June. Here is Little E with Abuelo.
I've made some fantastic friends, most are missionaries involved with an all English Bible study I attend. Here I am with April enjoying coffee at our favorite spot La Cuchara de Madera.
We celebrated the 4th of July at the U.S. Embassy's annual party. It was a Hawaiian theme to commemorate Hawaii's 50th anniversary as a state. Here we are standing under the fireworks (which you can't see) with our friends Fernandito and Rhina.
My friends from our Bible study. Most are missionaries doing various work all over the country or work in the Embassy. This group of women were lifesavers to me in the early months as I was transitioning.
Already taking after his father playing chess. He can actually identify all of the chess pieces, in Spanish, of course.
Helping Abuela pick mangoes in Jarabacoa during mango season. Gotta love living under a mango tree, as Eric's grandparents do. Can you imagine just plucking them from your yard. Too bad mango season is a short two months!
Eric playing with his friend, Edwin. They were good buddies until Edwin moved with his family to the states. We miss him a lot.
In August we went with Eric's extended family to Samana, my favorite beach area. The long stretches of beach are lined with coconut trees with not one hotel in sight as they are banned from building right on the beach. The header to my blog is a picture from one of our trips.
We started out the year with Little E's big first day of pre-school. He did so well adjusting to an all Spanish pre-school program and has grown so much in his bi-lingual language skills over the past year. He can say all of his colors, numbers, some of the letters, his name, how old he is, and the words to boss us around in BOTH English and Spanish.
February 27th is Independence Day here and the colegio had a celebration. All of the kids dressed up in typical "campesino" attire, which is the costume of the country people of the past.
Eric was so excited to share a childhood memory of his by taking Little E on his first horseback ride by the river in Jarabacoa.
Eric's easter basket contained his very first Thomas the Tank Engine train...and, it has been a Hernandez obsession since. We actually love that his imagination grows as he replays scenes from the videos on his own track. This one train became a fleet.
The view from our apartment. Santo Domingo has become home. We are taking the "bloom where you are planted" attitude.
Along with teaching classes Eric initiated an institute for structural engineering research at the University where he teaches. They have already purchased a "shake table" for earthquake as well as hurricane and wind damage experiments, and have offered engineering courses to local professional engineers. Eric loves working at INTEC and plans to continue helping them grow their master's program in engineering.
Little Eric celebrated his 2nd birthday with Elmo in June.
Eric's dad and family came for a visit in June. Here is Little E with Abuelo.
I've made some fantastic friends, most are missionaries involved with an all English Bible study I attend. Here I am with April enjoying coffee at our favorite spot La Cuchara de Madera.
We celebrated the 4th of July at the U.S. Embassy's annual party. It was a Hawaiian theme to commemorate Hawaii's 50th anniversary as a state. Here we are standing under the fireworks (which you can't see) with our friends Fernandito and Rhina.
My friends from our Bible study. Most are missionaries doing various work all over the country or work in the Embassy. This group of women were lifesavers to me in the early months as I was transitioning.
Already taking after his father playing chess. He can actually identify all of the chess pieces, in Spanish, of course.
Helping Abuela pick mangoes in Jarabacoa during mango season. Gotta love living under a mango tree, as Eric's grandparents do. Can you imagine just plucking them from your yard. Too bad mango season is a short two months!
Eric playing with his friend, Edwin. They were good buddies until Edwin moved with his family to the states. We miss him a lot.
In August we went with Eric's extended family to Samana, my favorite beach area. The long stretches of beach are lined with coconut trees with not one hotel in sight as they are banned from building right on the beach. The header to my blog is a picture from one of our trips.
Zoila and Paula Marie with me and Eric in Samana.
In September Eric started back to pre-school and is in the "big kid" class. He is the youngest in his class and is keeping up. His little friend Esther, who is the oldest in the class, has kind of taken him under her wing and tries to explain things in English if she thinks he doesn't understand. So cute.
In October we got a visit from good friends, Kelly, Steve and Maddie Josti. We, of course, took the opportunity to go to the beach for a few days. Here we are toasting our friends Anne and Eric in the states who had gotten married that day.
The friends are reunited...Eric and Maddie.
One of my very favorite things I do each week is go out to Cercadillo where I work alongside very good friends Ina, Kirsten, Mercy and some local students and missionaries to teach women how to sew and make handcrafts to sell. Here are some of the dear, dear women sewing.
We wish you all the best as you enjoy the Holidays. Join us in remembering that this is the time of year to celebrate the birth of the baby Jesus...Emmanuel, God is with us.
In September Eric started back to pre-school and is in the "big kid" class. He is the youngest in his class and is keeping up. His little friend Esther, who is the oldest in the class, has kind of taken him under her wing and tries to explain things in English if she thinks he doesn't understand. So cute.
In October we got a visit from good friends, Kelly, Steve and Maddie Josti. We, of course, took the opportunity to go to the beach for a few days. Here we are toasting our friends Anne and Eric in the states who had gotten married that day.
The friends are reunited...Eric and Maddie.
One of my very favorite things I do each week is go out to Cercadillo where I work alongside very good friends Ina, Kirsten, Mercy and some local students and missionaries to teach women how to sew and make handcrafts to sell. Here are some of the dear, dear women sewing.
We wish you all the best as you enjoy the Holidays. Join us in remembering that this is the time of year to celebrate the birth of the baby Jesus...Emmanuel, God is with us.
