Happy Mother's Day!

I know what you are thinking! Behind again! Mother's Day was a month ago.  But here in the Dominican Republic we celebrate Mother's Day on the last Sunday in May, so it was just last week.  And here it is a BIG deal! For some mothers, Mother's Day is a bigger deal than Christmas.  The stores are filled with special offers on everything from ovens to jewelery.  And the gift is a big part of how Dominicans celebrate Mother's Day.  A friend of mine received a new flatscreen television and numerous new cooking crocs for the kitchen.  I was given three beautiful house plants.

Micah's class presenting the solar system

Micah's school has a special Mother's Day program on the Friday before the holiday.  Songs about how mothers are pretty and loved made each mother beam.  Cake and snacks of empanadas, pimento cheese sandwiches and fried yucca were service after the show and each mother received a card made by their child.  

Me and Micah with my Mother's Day Card

Each of the churches that are a part of Eastern Dominican Christian Mission celebrated with the women of the churches as well.  In La Romana invited the church of Pica Piedras/Villa Hermosa to join together for the morning service.  Gifts were made by the children during Sunday school and additional gifts of baskets of sweets were given out to all mothers during the church service.  In Punta Cana, they celebrated the Saturday before with a special program.  In addition all mothers were photographed with their children and they will receive the pictures this Sunday at the church service.  In Higuey the children made a gift for their mothers and they has a special lunch for the mothers after the morning service.  

Special poem for mothers

Feliz dia de la madre!

Special music by RL and Marlene (see the gifts)

(And just so you know, we celebrate Father's Day the last Sunday in July.  So you won't be reading about Father's Day for a little while.  And sorry dads, it just isn't a very big deal here.  ;) )