Happy Pig-Day!

I know it's usually Happy Turkey Day.... and we did have a turkey, but the main focus of our meal was a little something called kalua pig. If you have never tried it, is is amazing. What makes it so delicious is the fact that they cook it in a traditional imu- which is a an underground method of slow cooking the meat. It ends up with an amazing smoked tasted to it. Jeni knew some people who were cooking the pig in their imu for a fundraiser and we were thrilled.

So, for 12 people, we had kalua pig, a 20 pound turkey, five pies, and all the other usual suspects. Did we eat it all? Yup, most of it! Since Jeni and I have been looking forward to it for so long, we fixed it for leftovers for every meal. My dad finally put his foot down and said, "No more pig, girls." That's kind of embarassing, I know, but you all deserve to know the truth.

Sorry to those of you who are vegetarians. We had a vegetarian as a guest for Thanksgiving dinner and she actually leaned over to the bird and said, "Hey little turkey.... I wonder if you were a boy or a girl." I'm not joking at all.... that's a good way to not get yourself invited back next year.

Some pictures of a small imu and then the guys that cooked ours (not really):

Because Jeni and I usually write these posts when we're mentally going about 100 miles an hour, a lot of the posts have been about what we have been doing or just about little things in our life over here. But, what I haven't ever stopped to talk about is the awesome things God is doing over here!

For me, last year was pretty rough. I didn't have a consistent church I was going to and work was very stressful and time consuming. I just got into that rut of rushing through my days without taking time to make God a priority. I was just super spiritually dry.

Anyway, I think one amazing change is not having a TV. You never know how much garbage your mind is being filled with until you step away from it. Especially nowadays (yes, that's a word!) when there are less and less "clean" shows. We go to an awesome church. Jeni and I both are doing a mentoring program (Titus 2 type of thing) and we both were blessed with awesome mentors that fit our lives perfectly.

But here are some things God has been teaching me:

1. Be nice to other people! Sounds simple, but what a concept to have people leave a conversation with you feeling better than they came. Our world is so full of negative people that we really need to get our acts together and start encouraging each other- because the world really isn't doing it.

2. I've also been learning to protect my heart and mind and stay away from those brothers and sisters in Christ who are so negative and just mean. Psalm 101, 1 Cor 5, 2 Cor 15:33...... I don't think God always calls us away from those who are bringing us down, but I think it's definitely a prayer thing to find out if He'd have you in that situation. Sometimes, we feel like God is leading us to minister to them. But here's a good question.... are they becoming more like you or are you becoming more like them?

3. I've been learning more and more about an eternal perspective. 1 Timothy talks about the love of money.... look at verses 6-11.

If anyone teaches otherwise and does not consent to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which accords with godliness, he is proud, knowing nothing, but is obsessed with disputes and arguments over words, from which come envy, strife, reviling, evil suspicions, useless wranglings of men of corrupt minds and destitute of the truth, who suppose that godliness is a means of gain. From such withdraw yourself.

Now godliness with contentment is great gain.

For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content.

But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

But you, O man of God, flee these things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness. Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also called and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.

The verse that says "just having food and water, we shall be content....". What a huge concept! If we have food to eat, we are ok.

1 and 2 Timothy are excellent books to read to contrast living in the world versus living in the Spirit of God- there is a huge contrast of strife vesus peace.

Ok, that's it for now.... my class is about to start! Hope you all have a great day!!!
Jaime

You're So Haole, You Don't Even Know You're Haole

Haole: it's pronounced how-lee. And it is a sweet little, derogatory word locals use. It means "white girl" or "white boy". You'll usually hear it in a negative way, like I did yesterday. Speaking about another teacher, this girl said, "I can't stand her because she's a haole *****". Yeah, Jeni's kids can't control their bladder, my kids can't control their mouths. :)
But sometimes, it's just stated as a fact with no ill intention. For example, my response (after a quick scolding for the foul language) was, "I am as haole as they come... and you hang out in here all the time!" Or the other day when my kids were talking about some kind of bug repellent thing that I had never heard of. When I asked what it was (when you live in Hawaii, you always keep your ears open for a great bug repellent!), she was shocked... and said, "Oh Miss! (they just call teachers "Miss" or "Mister", I'm still getting used to it), you've never heard of that??? You're so haole!"
Since I am pretty much the whitest thing around, it doesn't offend me. But it's an interesting experience to go from California- which is just about the most diverse and culturally accepting state in this fine country of ours- to Hawaii, where racial slurs are a common occurrence.
Another term that is used quite frequently is FOB, which stands for Fresh Off the Boat. And kids will use it to describe people who just came here from other countries. And when they are using it, they're usually describing they way the kid dresses or speaks. But, before you get appalled and want the adults to do something about it... you should know they use it too. In fact, last year, at Jeni's school, one of their dress-up day themes was "FOB Day"! Crazy!

Here are some pictures of my school. They aren't too thrilling, but my classroom is up on the third floor, the classroom to the right of the middle column, post thing that goes through the middle of the building. If you look real close, you can see the words, "GO HOME HAOLE" spray painted on the door. :)

Shee-Shee Down the Leg

Ok, I got the hint... shee-shee isn't a good thing to write about on your blog. I'm not sure what clued me in, the fact that only ONE person responded to my OR the fact that the response was "shh-shee".

I can't help but to tell one more shee-shee story. And that will be it, I promise (somewhat promise).

And please don't that peeing in the class freaks me out. I have someone pee at least once a week. I'm used to it. It's just extraordinary shee-sheeing that makes me laugh or makes me want to cry. Today was the kind that made me want to laugh.

One of my boys came into my class after school. He didn't say anything, just looked around my classroom. The front of his shorts were SOAKED. But he looked so relaxed that I thought, "Nooo, he couldn't have peed his pants." But I decided to ask, "Did you pee your pants?" And he looked at me like, 'Lady, I have no idea what your talking about.' So I decided to aproach it with a different angle, "Did you make shee-shee in your pants?" And he said, "Oh yeah, I didn't make it to the bathroom in time," He said it so nonchalantly, it cracked me up. Did I mention that he had pee running down his leg onto my carpet? Yeah... the joys of teaching kindergarten.

Jaime's going to wish she didn't make me promise to write 2 times a week.

those kids...

Kids in general say the cutest things. But there is something about the kids here in hawaii, they crack me up. I've kept a journal of funny things that they say and I wanted to share some.
These are Kindergarteners but I think Jaime would agree that her kids use the same terms.

"I like color."
translation: I want to color. People use "like" in place of "want to." Example: "You like race?"= "You want to race?"

"I needed to make a lot of shee-shee because I drank a lot of chocolate milk at lunch."
translation: I went to the bathroom because I drank a lot of chololate milk at lunch. shee-shee=pee

"They make trouble for nothing."
translation: They're mean to me for no reason at all.

Puddles of shee-shee

Shee-shee. The local term for pee. And yes, everyone uses it- kids and adults alike. I don't mind the term as much as I mind the actual form of it. Especially when it is in puddles on the floor of my classroom. Especially, especially when my other students walk through it, therefore transfering to my ENTIRE classroom.

There are many things about teaching that Universities don't tell you about when you are getting your the degree in Education. Puddles of shee-shee are one of these things. Why? Why don't they explain that if you teach Kindergarten, at least one kid a week will "make shee-shee" in his pants? Why didn't they explain that once in a great while, you might have a child who will make PUDDLES of shee-shee in your class? WHy didn't they tell you that janitors will hide so they don't have to clean it up? That they won't come out of hiding no matter how many kids you send to find them or no matter how many notes you send to the office? Why didn't they tell you that there's a slight possiblity that you might be stuck in a classroom of shee-shee with little ventilation for over 45 minutes? WHY?

And folks, that's just on shee-shee. We won't get into the poop stories. I'll save those for another day.

I'm Listening to Nothing and It's Great!

Ooooohhhh..... the sweet sound of silence! Sometimes the last few minutes of school are just as exciting for a teacher as for students. I did an activity with my students today that required them to be a little loud and it is so draining! I am really going to enjoy my nap this afternoon! :)

I took this picture yesterday on the way home from school. These are Hawaii's versions of California's taco trucks. It might seem like you wouldn't want to buy food from this happy little truck.... but you do. It's a little pricey, but they sell the best shrimp ever! All along the road there are about 7 or 8 of them.... we have never actually eaten at Fumi's, but I like the pinwheel, so that's why it made it into this edition of my "Hawaii, Jaime's Way" travel log.

Keeping up with the Jones's.... or the Wingos

I have a friend named Ashley who has the cutest baby ever. And I love Ashley to death, but she updates her blog so much..... and we don't.... and I am really starting to feel the pressure. (you can find it at http://www.thejwingos.blogspot.com ). What they are especially good at is taking pictures. Jeni and I always find ourselves in either strange places or around strange people (you might think it's us... but no, we're not strange :> ) without our camera and you'd think we'd learn our lesson by now. But over the weekend, the whole pressure thing hit me and I said, "Jeni! We HAVE to write more on our blog.... how many can you commit to a week????" I guess I made her nervous because she said two. Personally, I think that's a bit of an overkill (I said one), but hey, she's always been the overachiever! :) So here is mine for the week.... Jeni's two should be coming out soon! In the meantime, here's a picture of the beach and some hot surfer chick waxing up her board.