Fail

I get an "F" in blogging.





I guess the mess that some would call my first year of teaching has been a bit overwhelming...a lot bit, actually (not that a lot bit is a phrase). It bas definitely been an experience so far. I have 21 kids in my class. I teach every subject. I am learning tons about discipline and classroom management. A whirlwind...that's what it has been. A whirlwind that leaves me gasping for breath every weekend! But, here the weekend is...and I am now sitting on the couch trying to stop my head from spinning.





My most exciting news to share with the blogging world is about our new addition!!


You guessed it! We have a baby! A baby puppy :) Her name is Molly and she is wonderful. She is a spaz, but I guess fits the life of Tim and myself. She is half Shar-Pei and half Rat Terrier...how that happened, your guess is as good as mine. BUT, I love her and enjoy our walks together after hard days!

Tonight marks the beginning of hockey season and the first Friday night to relax in a while! And, how 'bout them Rangers?? What an exciting time!!

Small Blessings!

My main purpose for this post is to share about two blessings that I recieve five times a week! As many of you know, I am not a morning person. God knows this...He MADE me! So, because He is good and knows me so perfectly, He has used two of my favorite things to bless each morning:people and animals!

As I drive into Kilgore, I take a loop that sends me close to my school. Off of the loop lives a sweet old man. This man looks around his late 60s-70s and is tan. Why does it matter that he is tan, you may be asking? Well, this sweet old man drives his motorized wheelchair to the edge of his driveway and waves at all of the people in the cars passing by in the morning. Ever y morning I have gone to work this week, I have a recieved a wave and a nod! I am sure the intention of this funny man is to make people's days...and he sure does make mine! If he only knew how much of an encouragement he is to me in the mornings, I think he'd quit from being overly appreciated! I'm really contemplating stopping to thank him one of these days; maybe I should bring him coffee when it gets colder! What a sweet blessing! I hope I use anything I can still do when I am old for others!

My second blessing every morning comes in the form of two dogs. If you know me, you know that I am helplessly in love with canines! If I had a lot of money, I'd give it to save dogs like the lady on Last Chance Highway (she is my hero!) Anyways, as I turn onto the street my school is on, there is a house with a chain link fence. Inside this fence there are two dogs: a golden retriever and a small white and red dog. Every morning I have gone to work, these dogs are playing together. They chase each other, roll around...I even saw the little one running underneath the golden retriever! They are best friends! Even when I leave and they are sleeping, they lay together. How does this touch my life? For one, I just think it's uber cute! But also, it reminds me of the value of friends...it makes me appreciate those in my life who have been by my side! I especially am reminded recently of my two friends who are teaching at this school with me! They have been life savers! I love them! I feel like such a nerd (because I am) because I literally laugh out loud when I pass these furry little friends! Just like the old man, if they only knew how much they made my morning! I just want to hug them! (My principal may not like the dog hair on my clothes and I bet the pet owners wouldn't appreciate the weirdo who stops by their fence)!

Thank you, God for these sweet things!

In other news, I have been super busy with school preparation! School starts in T minus 2 days! WOW. My mom is coming out to spend the day with me tomorrow and help me get a few last minute things in order! I am a bit nervous...but not too bad right now. I have been pushing it to the back of my mind and acting like it's not actually happening! HA! That'll be a rude awakening Monday morning!

I met 18/20 of my kids last night! I am really excited about building relationships with these lovelies! Pray for me and my kids this year!

I will post pictures of my classroom soon! I have only had it organized for about 20 minutes, then the kids came in for meet the teacher and it got torn apart! BUT, I will post pictures soon! I also plan on taking pictures of our new place, but we are going to paint in the next few months, SO I will wait!

Different Things

First of all, I would like to ask my readers for prayers tomorrow as 1. we move, and 2. Tim has his interview for ETBU admissions! We have a full day of travel, interview times, and unpacking! The stress has been running high, so prayers would be GREATLY appreciated!





About our new home- We have found a towne home that is perfect for us! It is about 1150 sq. ft. and has a dishwasher AND washer/dryer connections. We are very excited! I will be posting more pictures as we get moved in; this is our living room!

In other news, I found a blog that makes me giddy to read. Call me a huge nerd ( I don't care! ), but it's a blog about grammar and editing! Insert angels singing here! For my teacher friends out there, I found this hilarious way to explain how to use semicolons from a link from this new blog! You can find the semicolon explanation here. The blog is bluepencilediting.blogspot.com! I love it!

Tomorrow is move in day, Wednesday is PDAS traning, new teacher orientation Thursday and Friday, and then more trainings and meet the teacher next week! Again, I ask for your prayers for my sanity. I feel like everything is happening all at once and it has been incredibly overwhelming! BUT, thank God for my new job! He provides...yes He does!

EMPLOYED

Finally I can say that I am employed! I will be working for Kilgore ISD at Chandler Elementary as a third grade teacher. While I am thrilled to finally have a job, there has been SO much going on trying to get things sorted out this last minute that I have been stressed out like mad. We have to find a place to live and the means to come by it in the next week. We are also waiting for Tim to get a job. He applied for the ETBU admissions job and we are keeping our fingers crossed for it! He would do such a great job. If that doesn't work out, we will be living in Longview (sadly not as close to Jeff, Sarah, Colin, and Carley as we'd like) so he will have options.

Obviously, God has a sense of humor. If you have talked to me the past year, you will know that I said I would work anywhere BUT drumroll please...East Texas. God thought it'd be HILARIOUS to open a door ONLY there. So, I'm confident that God isn't through with us out East and I am having to eat my words as we will again move back and continue life on our odd journey.

Here are a few of my positive thoughts:
- Although we will be East we will live in a CITY! Longview has much more to offer than Marshall.
- I went on a small shopping spree for my classroom with the giftcard I had recieved from my lovelies at Spring Hill and I got some super cute stuff!
- I found all the wonderful things people gave me at SH to add to my shopping spree stuff.
- I will finally have benefits!
- I have the keys to my very own classroom!

Here are my concerns:
- Jeff and Sarah will be more than 5 minutes away.
- The guy that had the room before me left a lot of stuff...I have so much cleaning and organizing to do!
- I do not feel I have enough time for training, putting my room together, finding a place to live ,and moving.
- Needing money for all the fees and a truck for moving.

Here is what I am confident in:
- God's plan is the ultimate plan...beautiful and strategic in every way.

Though I am very sad to depart the metroplex once again, I know God is going to use us as He always does.

Worry

I've never had to be this patient and faithful. I have points in my mind where I just feel like breaking down and crying because I feel as if I've done everything in my power to find a teaching job...well...I guess that's the problem...I've done everything in MY power. I have been tested greatly these past two months about waiting for HIS timing. I've never had to wait for anything big, really. Now, Tim and I are both looking towards the end of Camp Thurman and attempting to remain confident of God's provision. Funny how God likes to strengthen us. I fight anxiety everyday by reminding myself that God is faithful and His timing is perfect. Although I fight doubt, God continues to provide...why wouldn't He now? His Word truly has been a lamp unto my feet and light unto my path...His words have reminded me of His faithfulness to His people. So, we wait...and ask for prayers!

26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27 Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?

Matthew 6:26-27

And the beat goes on

Life is still moving despite my absence from blogging. Life is busy, but not too eventful...if that makes any sense. Tim and I are working at Camp Thurman and we work Mon-Fri 7:30-4:30. It's been so fun and I definitely love my job. I had forgotten how much of a joy it is to work at CT...so many relationships, laughs, blessings, and fun! There really is no better job...I wish I could do it year round.

Speaking of jobs, I still do not have one. I have put out numerous applications and have only had one interview. God has not opened any doors and He closed the one...so here I wait (un)patiently trying to continue to be confident in His plan and His timing. Tim also does not have a job yet...we have had one lead there and we are just waiting...so pray for our career situation.

Tim and I will be married for two years on Monday! WOW....time has really passed quickly. What a wonderful, Godly man. He loves me almost perfectly (everyone has flaws) and I still feel like the luckiest girl alive for being married to a man like Tim. What a hunk! Life has been so wonderful with him in it!

My last bit of news is that my niece, Carley Erin Stapleton was born June 30, 2010! I got to hold her and see her and she is perfect!! So exciting!!

The End

There are so many "the ends" going on right now and I'm beginning to have trouble processing it. First and foremost, as many of you know, I am graduating Saturday along with my brother! I do enjoy being able to say that I am graduating the same as my 4 years older brother...but that's besides the point :0). It is actually really special to me that we get to share this day together! We'll get to that later. Firstly, Saturday marks the end of my college career as an undergraduate. I haven't decided yet if I want to get my masters, but if I do it will not be right away ( I know many are saying, "don't do it! start right away!" but, I've made up my mind about that part. I have worked very hard in my studies and I would like to get a few years of teaching under my belt. I achieved my goal I set for myself four years ago by graduating with a 4.0 Summa Cum Laude! Exciting! I feel very accomplished and thankful that God gave me the patience and endurance to reach that goal. God gave me a brain and helped me use it!

Back to my brother. This marks the end of living in the same city as Jeff, Sarah, Coling, and soon to be here Carley. I am so sad about this! I have only spend one year away from them and that was when I went to Texas Tech my freshman year and Jeff and I unknowingly decided to transfer to ETBU the same semester. It has been so much fun and such a blessing to have friends (family as well) like them here with us every step of the way! I am going to miss them so much! No longer will I just walk in their house like it's my own...we'll have to drive 2.5 hours then walk in. Hopefully, they will realize that God really ACTUALLY wants them to go back to the Metroplex :0)!

This also marks the end of our service with the youth group at Crossroads. We have been a part of the student ministry for so long now and we have seen our students grow in maturity, spiritual maturity, and had so much fun along the way with them. This Sunday will be our last Sunday at Crossroads. I will not longer play bass for the church or teach small groups in the youth group. This makes me so sad. I love those kids so much! I love Crossroads so much and I pray that God leads us to a church as thriving and encouraging as this one. Our official last day with the youth is two weeks from yesterday and I can't say I 'm looking forward to it. Too many goodbyes and sadness.

Another end is the end of our first apartment together. Tim and I will be parting with married housing 707 E on May 15. It has been a great little apartment for us as our first place and our neighbors have been wonderful! It will be sad to leave behind our first apartment...but it will also be exciting to move on...even though I get in moods that I feel like I'm not ready to move on. Let's just say I'm a sappy wreck lately going from extreme excitement to extreme sadness, good grief!

Tim and I are still on the job hunt. We will both be working at Camp Thurman as counselors for June and July and will be praying for doors to open up for us for our actual careers. I am praying that God will open doors before June and July so I don't have to worry about work and interviews clashing...so pray for us please! AND, if you have any tips for teaching jobs in the metroplex let me know!

Onward Ho to real life!