Happy Birthday, Elder!

   Somehow I missed publishing the post about Earl and his birthday!  We were wondering what we should do to celebrate and decided to go to a nearby restaurant that we like.  A friend asked what our weekend plans were (The birthday was on Saturday, the day before the US Mothers' Day.)  We mentioned the restaurant and invited the couple to go with us.  Then we invited one more couple.  Soon we ended up with 10-12 people with some of them inviting others!  It was a fun evening.  Finished the dinner with homemade gelato that the restaurant features.  Earl had a good time and there was no stress!
\  The next day we were in Quisqueya.  Sister Miller, Primary President, had invited us to have dinner with them.  She didn't know about the birthday.  I had told her I would bring some dessert.  Just bought a small cake and some candles.  After a delicious dinner--sort of a pot roast with vegetables, we celebrated with the little cake.  I had brought Nutella (Dominican version) to spread on for frosting.  They REALLY liked that!  Here are a few shots of the event!

Brother Miller was not feeling well that day, so he was in the other room.  Left to right we have Yeime, the Millers' daughter, Sebastian, a nephew, Sister Nereyda Miller, Ashley, a niece and in front, the birthday guy.

Smiling Earl as taken by Ashley.

Gate Guard

  As we drive into our office parking area almost every day, we are greeted by this guard.  Sometimes he even salutes us and that is fun!  We don't know his name, but I did get him to let me take his picture one day.  Notice the necessary accessory in his right hand.  You look more authoritative with one of those.  Sometimes he refuses entrance to cars, but he has always let us in and even sometimes moved barricades so we could park when they were full.

Flamboyant!

  In the late spring--and still going--we see these flamboyant trees--that is really what they are called!  In Egypt we saw some hot pink ones, but the ones here are this orange-red.  They add even more color to this colorful country!  This particular one is just outside the park across from the temple.  We get to drive by it almost every day.

           

El dia de las madres!

   Here in the DR Mothers' Day is celebrated the last Sunday of the month.  This plan may be to give them plenty of time to advertise gifts for moms.  One lady in our branch got 2 mother's days because she got to talk to her missionary daughter (serving in Mexico) on May 11th and then to celebrate on the DR day.  I didn't really expect there would be much that day at church.  Earl had been asked to speak and I suggested mothers would be a good subject.  He gave a great talk (what I could understand of the Spanish), with stories of his mother and scripture stories.  Then we went to Relief Society and it was a whole new game!  Presents for everyone!  Of course, we have a small group, but the YW came in too  and they drew for their mothers who weren't there or for other sisters who are usually there, but not this time.  I took a picture of one and then they all wanted pictures!  So here are a few of them.  We drew numbers to pick a gift out of the right pile.  They  were small gifts, but wrapped well and all fun!

 

 

There were some artificial flowers there too, so we had to have a picture!  The lady with more flowers is Hilda, the Relief Society president.