Wordless Wednesday - Road trip to Ouaga... & a few photos from the softball tourney back in February

 

The last batch of pictures I haven't posted yet from the NUTS Tournament back in October...

8th grade (Nadia's class) and 2nd grade (Jonathan's class) were paired up  and then given a few minutes to come up with a "softball skit." They ACTUALLY threw the 2nd graders through the air to be "batted" in a game of softball. And no children were injured in the process... well, at least not seriously. Jonathan said his tailbone was a little sore after the fact.

Face... and hand... and arm... painting. I think she's cuter than adorable!

  

11th and 12th grade guys traditionally perform their own version of "the Haka (see note below)..." and every year is unique. 
Do you see Brendan in there? 
It amazed me that he's actually agreed and participated last year and this year. 
Go guys!!

Beauty queen, beannie baby care-taker and monkey all wrapped up in one.

Even though she's not officially a student, she paraded around with all of the rest of the kids for the school spirit parade. She's waving to her "fans" in this photo.

Nadia and her buddy. Nadia won "best costume" for the secondary in the  spirit parade.

Nadia with her female classmates AND the second grade girls piggy-backed.

12th grade (Brendan's class) and and 1st grade (Elsie Mae's class) were paired  for the skit section of the assembly. They big kids used the little kids as softballs as well... but they didn't actually throw them. The first graders really weren't quite sure what to make of the whole thing, but there were lots of silly giggles erupting!

Tori looking out for M&M.

Brendan's team: they played in the social division.

Bren played first base. Everyone was excited to play on the Sahel field as the waters had receded. It wasn't as green as it once was and we still had no access to the buildings, but it was a fun weekend to be able to use the campus again. I think they hope to have it ready for Brendan's class to celebrate graduation @ Sahel.

One of my absolute favorite pictures from the weekend.


What's the Haka?
According to Wikipedia: 

"War haka (peruperu) were originally performed by warriors before a battle, proclaiming their strength and prowess in order to intimidate the opposition. Today, haka constitute an integral part of formal or official welcome ceremonies for distinguished visitors or foreign dignitaries, serving to impart a sense of the importance of the occasion.

Various actions are employed in the course of a performance, including facial contortions such as showing the whites of the eyes and the poking out of the tongue, and a wide variety of vigorous body actions such as slapping the hands against the body and stamping of the feet. As well as chantedwords, a variety of cries and grunts are used. Haka may be understood as a kind of symphony in which the different parts of the body represent many instruments. The hands, arms, legs, feet, voice, eyes, tongue and the body as a whole combine to express courage, annoyance, joy or other feelings relevant to the purpose of the occasion."

(Thanks to Shannon Maxwell and Jessica Neff for sharing their photos. I was working in the Senior Snack Shack all weekend and didn't have a whole lot of time to be thinking photography!)

Wordless Wednesday ~ A NUTTY Weekend, a Tournament Won

A big thanks to Nancy DeValve, for sharing these photos with me!

A 31 Day Grand Prix {day 14} ~ pictures of gentleness ~

 "Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair and the wearing of gold jewelry and fine clothes. Instead, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight. For this is the way the holy women of the past who put their hope in God used to make themselves beautiful. They were submissive to their own husbands, like Sarah, who obeyed Abraham and called him her master. You are her daughters if you do what is right and do not give way to fear." I Peter 3.3-6

Thanks, Hope, for sharing these photos from the NUTS tournament. 

How can it be that it has already been a week?

Entering a 31 Day Grand Prix {day 1}

A 31 Day Grand Prix {day 2} - the wordless book, a flute and a song

A 31 Day Grand Prix {day 3} - "Aw Dad! Stop ruining my life!"

A 31 Day Grand Prix {day 4} - gentleness on deck

A 31 Day Grand Prix {day 5} - Five Minute Friday ~ Welcome
A 31 Day Grand Prix {day 6} - Is there time to {gently} home school and be a missionary, too? Pt 1

A 31 Day Grand Prix {day 7} - Is there time to {gently} home school and be a missionary, too? Pt 2

A 31 Day Grand Prix {day 8} - A photo titled Afua's Hands

A 31 Day Grand Prix {day 9} - Go-getters can be gentle, too!
A 31 Day Grand Prix {day 10} - Gentle Joy
A 31 Day Grand Prix {day 11} - such a genteel gal... from way down South

A 31 Day Grand Prix {day 12} - Five Minute Friday ~ Race

A 31 Day Grand Prix {day 13} ~ On a Mission

Wordless Wednesday ~ Weekend Warrior & Armchair Assistants

THIRD Place!!

Tim's and Brendan's team lost their next game...

but they lost to the team that ended up winning the social division.

I think that fact and that they were undefeated otherwise means they ended up in third place for the tournament. It was a scorchingly hot, but wonderful weekend!

Great job, RAGING SUNS... 

and just look at how they rage! 

Update on the Softball Tourney

My guys...

with their team...

were UNDEFEATED today.

Tim played third base; Brendan was on first.

They both made some awesome plays!

It was a warm day, as far as Niamey goes... 110ish... maybe a little warmer...

but

!!! EXCITING GAMES !!!

were most definitely worth it!

2 more wins tomorrow

&

the Raging Suns could win the Social Division

of the

NUTS Tournament.

And just in case you were wondering,

Tim did make this catch for the last out of the game!