What's Up November

 Happy Wednesday, Y'all

Today, I'm joining Shay and Sheaffer for their What's Up Wednesday link-up. October somehow flew by and I didn't post. So it's been a while, but here we are :)

Every month we answer the same list of questions based on how things are currently going in our lives.

So let's get started...

What am I eating?

I’ve been on a soup kick lately. There’s something about Fall and the arrival of slightly cooler temps that makes me want all the soups :)

What am I reminiscing about?

I've been missing (parts of) life in Senegal so much lately... I miss the culture. I miss the bright colors. I miss the community I had there. I miss my students and I miss friends. I miss the food. I miss being out in the neighborhood. I even miss speaking French, even if I wasn't the greatest at it most days :) I miss church services full of a diverse congregation from many different countries, all worshiping together in one place. I miss the slower pace of life. I miss being just minutes from the ocean. I miss going into stores or restaurants in the neighborhood and having conversations with the workers about their lives and their families and then them talking with me about mine. I miss so much…

And before anyone asks... No, I'm not going back. And I still do 100% know that I was meant to leave when I did. But still… It was such a huge part of my life for such a long time

R. And it just feels strange for that part of my life to be over. It feels strange to rarely ever have someone to talk about it with. I’m happy to be here. But I still occasionally feel homesick for there...

 What am I loving?

A friend gave me this a few weeks ago. 

What have I been up to?

Teaching, and all that entails 

What am I dreading?

Nothing blog worthy :)

What am I working on?

Work pretty much consumes my life and my brain at the moment. But sometimes my work includes cute/educational crafts like this…

 

 

 What am I excited about?

Thanksgiving Break is this week. That is definitely exciting! I do so love my students. But y'all... My brain was so tired and ready for a break.

What am I watching?

Basically the same answer as last month... 

The US losing its mind... Sometimes I miss living in a foreign country and being kind of removed from seeing the craziness happening in my own country. Yes, I'd stay informed. But at the same time, I could sometimes live in blissful ignorance. And that, I miss.

What am I reading?

I've been hearing a lot about the book, The Let Them Theory, by Mel Robbins. And when I saw it was marked down at Target a few weeks ago, I snagged it. Then life got busy at work so I haven’t started it yet. But I will this weekend. 

What am I listening to?

Last month, my mom and I went to the Coldplay and Imagine Dragons Candlelight Concerts. It was such a fun thing to attend. I so enjoyed it! And I want to go back to the next one in December too. Well, actually the next two - One is Vivaldi on Strings and the other is Christmas Music on Strings. I would love it all!

What am I wearing?

I bought this cute shirt off Amazon a week or so ago and I wore it to school on the day of our class Thanksgiving meal. It might be my new favorite holiday themed teacher tee. :)

 What am I doing this weekend?

I'm driving home from my aunt's house on Friday. The con Saturday, I'm planning to come to my classroom and decorate it a bit for Christmas. I don't do everything. After all, part of the fun is having the kids make fun decor to hang on the wall too. But I do plan to at least get our tree and the classroom lights put up for sure. Then we’ll see what else I get done.

What am I looking forward to next month?

Christmas, and all that comes with it... Christmas fun in the classroom (educational stuff and fun stuff), Parties and special dinners/meals, Fun outings, Christmas markets and other fun Christmas shopping, Family get-togethers, and of course, Christmas Break too :)

And best of all... We get to celebrate the birth of our Savior. And that is always a good reason to celebrate :)

What's new this month?

Very little…

And that's what I'm up to this month.

What about you?

What are YOU up to this month?

What's Up September

Happy Thursday, Y'all

Today, I'm joining Shay and Sheaffer for their What's Up Wednesday link-up. ...except it's actually Thursday. Oh well. Let's just go with it.

Every month we answer the same list of questions based on how things are currently going in our lives.

So let's get started...

What am I eating?

My mom and I visited a local pizza place the other day - Semmes House of Pizza. The ingredients were fresh and it was so good! And the pizza was huge so we had leftovers to bring home, as well, which is always a nice thing :)

What am I reminiscing about?

This picture popped up in my Facebook memories the other day. It was Rainy Season in Dakar and as usual, parts of the campus would flood regularly. But that didn't stop our creative students who came up with this clever solution to traverse the ankle deep (or higher) water to buy treats/lunch from the Cantina (snack shop) during lunchtime.

 What am I loving?

I loved this picture of the sky yesterday morning. I don't love the idea of leaving for work before the sun is up each morning. But I do love the pretty views of the sky. I must say, that part is, indeed, a nice perk.

What have I been up to?

On Tuesday nights, I'm taking an ASL class. It's a lot of info for my tired brain to take in. But at the same time, I'm really enjoying it.

What am I dreading?

Nothing blog worthy :)

What am I working on?

Work pretty much consumes my life and my brain at the moment.

 What am I excited about?

Thanksgiving is in 2 months. Does that count?

What am I watching?

The US losing its mind... Sometimes I miss living in a foreign country and being kind of removed from seeing the craziness happening in my own country. Yes, I'd stay informed. But at the same time, I could sometimes live in blissful ignorance. And that, I miss.

What am I reading?

I've been reading through the book of Lamentations this week. 

What am I listening to?

I haven't been listening to much music lately. I am going to a concert next month. It's one of the Candlelight Concerts that are being advertised all over social media. I'm looking forward to it.

What am I wearing?

I got this bracelet as a gift a few weeks ago. Such a sweet surprise!

 What am I doing this weekend?

Same as every other weekend... On Saturday, I'll go in and work from 9ish-3. Then, I'll go home and pick up my mom and go grocery shopping for the week ahead. And on Sunday, I'll go to church and then come home and do meal/snack prep for the week ahead. And if I can squeeze in a nap or some "for fun" reading at some point over the weekend, I always do that too :)

What am I looking forward to next month?

Nothing exciting happening that I know of :)

Favorite recent Amazon find?

I've purposefully stayed off of Amazon lately, in an effort to curb my spending and save up for Christmas fun :)

What's new this month?

Nothing much is new. I did have to find a doctor. I needed to get established with a primary doctor here in Mobile. That, of course, took longer than I thought it would. Most doctors weren't accepting new patients for the next few months. But thankfully, I found one - a good one too. Anywho - I now have a primary doctor and I got some routine lab work and stuff done while there too. Being a grown up isn't always fun. Just saying ;)

And that's what I'm up to this month.

What about you?

What are YOU up to this month?

Hello Monday

      Happy Tuesday

Today I'm joining Holly and Sarah, and a few other bloggers, for today's Hello Monday link-up, where we say Hello to Monday with a look at what's going on in our lives at the moment. However, I'm a day late. No big surprise there :) 

Anywho - On with the post...

 So what's on my mind?

A lot. But 'tis the norm with me, I suppose.

Things like...

Senegal - There are so many parts I miss. Lately, I've been so homesick for Senegal. And let me clarify... I do still know, without a shadow of a doubt, that I'm where I'm meant to be. And I also know that even though I do definitely miss certain parts of Senegal, I also don't want to go back. ...which perhaps sounds harsher than I mean it. But I think that's part of God's confirmation that I am, as I said earlier, here which is where I'm meant to be. 

Lesson Planning/Prep - It's kicking my tail this year.  I knew it'd be hard. But I also didn't think I'd be doing as much as I am either, so there's that too... At any rate, it's hard y'all. It takes so very much time. I'm a Self-Contained Special Education Teacher. I teach 13 students and that means, I'm responsible for them but also for 11 more in another class. So I plan for all 24. These kids are in Kindergarten - 5th grade. Some are doing regular grades/classwork, some are receiving modified grades (so the same subject but working at a lower level), and some are working on Alabama's Alternate Standards.  I have a 40 minute planning period each day (if things go according to schedule which they rarely do). So I have no choice but to spend time planning/prepping either before/after school and on the weekends, as well. Anywho - It's a lot. And even though I love it and I love my students, it's still a lot.

Visual Schedules - Figuring out a system for my friends to have a Visual Schedule has been a bit tricky. Normally, you'd print it off and have it either stuck on their desk or in their binder/folder OR on the wall. However, I have a couple friends whose life mission is to peel any stickers or posted things off of desks/walls. So, since I'm going broke in paying for laminating film in my classroom and velcro dots and hot glue, I went for an electronic version. And y'all... I think I've finally found what will work. Yay!

Canva - I've used Canva a bit in the past, but just for invitations or flyers or something. Nothing big... But now - I use it a LOT! It's such a helpful tool in education. I'm able to easily make slideshows, interactive activities for my students, visual schedules (like I mentioned above), handouts/flyers, worksheets, and more. Seriously, I love it!

ASL - I signed up to take an 8-week ASL (American Sign Language) course. Tonight will be our 4th class. I knew a little before starting. And thankfully, more and more is coming back and I'm learning lots of new signs/phrases too. I'm enjoying myself and I'm grateful for the opportunity to learn more about this beautiful language and about Deaf Culture, as well.

Lemon/Ginseng Tea - I used to drink this tea in Dakar and I loved it. So when I saw it the other day at Aldi, I grabbed a box. Call it nostalgia - I don't know. I just know it made me smile. And I've definitely been enjoying having a cup here or there in the evenings (or in a travel mug to take to work every now and then.

 

Working by the Water - I miss it. When I was in Dakar, I'd periodically go to a restaurant overlooking the water on Saturdays and do lesson planning/prep. It was like a 15ish min drive and it was so nice. There's just something so peaceful/relaxing about looking out at the water, hearing waves crash, etc. Anywho - I haven't been able to find somewhere close enough to do that here. And I miss it. Anyone local know of somewhere? If so, please let me know :)

Happy Tuesday - If you're reading this post and made it this far, thanks for reading and Happy Tuesday!

And that’s about it for my scattered brain today. 

What about you?

 What’s on your mind today?  

What’s Up August

        Happy Thursday, Y'all

Today, I'm joining Shay and Sheaffer for their What's Up Wednesday link-up. However, per my usual, I'm not posting this until Thursday. 

Anywho - On with the post... 

Every month we answer the same list of questions based on how things are currently going in our lives.

So let's get started...

What am I eating?

I picked up this frozen beef bulgogi pizza at Aldi last weekend since it was cheap. And I cooked it last night. Y'all... It may not look like your traditional type of pizza toppings. But oh my word, was it good. So so good!

What am I reminiscing about?

My niece's 13th birthday party was a couple weeks ago and thankfully the timing worked out for Mom and I to go up for it. Watching her happily playing and laughing and talking with her middle school friends made me start reminiscing and thinking of that sweet little one over the years. I may not live right down the road, but I am so very grateful to be living close enough that I can drive up for family events like this. It's such a blessing! One I most definitely do not take for granted after living without that for so many years!

 What am I loving?

I'm taking an 8-week ASL class. We had our 2nd class this week and I really enjoyed it. I've always loved ASL and have dabbled here or there, trying to learn a bit on my own or by friends who were kind enough to help me some. But when I saw this class would be offered at a time of the week when I could actually do it, I jumped at the chance. Am I a pro? Not even remotely... But I'm loving learning and practicing a bit and even using a little with some of my nonspeaking students too. My goal is to be able to effectively communicate with those whose primary language is ASL so whether that's at the end of this class or if I need to continue on and take more classes, so be it. 

What have I been up to?

Teaching and all the work that goes into it...

What am I dreading?

Going outside… It’s still so hot/humid. But Fall is almost here. Y’all, it’s rough!

What am I working on?

Staying focused on the job at hand and remembering why I chose this profession in the first place. Yes, my job is hard and yes, I feel more stressed and exhausted than ever before. But, I love my students. And while I don’t agree or love all parts of education, I love the actual act of teaching. And I love getting to work with the sweet and hyperactive friends God’s placed in my room this year. 

 What am I excited about?

While I do love my students, I must admit that I’m excited for an extra day off. Labor Day is Monday and this tired teacher is most definitely ready :)

What am I watching?

I haven't watched anything lately... 

What am I reading?

Does reading IEPs and meeting minutes and diagnosis results/reports count? I haven't read anything "for fun" lately. But I've been up to my eyeballs in student reports/files, as I lesson prep for kids in all the grades - some regular grades, some modified to lower grades, some AAS (alternate standards). It's quite the puzzle getting everyone what they need when they need it. But we're doing it. So yeah... Maybe this weekend I'll read something "for fun" since it's a longer weekend.

What am I listening to?

Y'all... My day might be exhausting and occasionally stressful. But one of my most favorite parts of my job is listening to those sweet little voices and their sweet little laughter. I love it!

What am I wearing?

Anything comfy :)

 What am I doing this weekend?

It’s a 3 day weekend! Yay! I’ll be running some errands, doing a bit of prep work for the week ahead, catching up on sleep, church, etc.

What am I looking forward to next month?

There’s nothing big or exciting that I know of…

Favorite recent Amazon find?

I haven't bought anything off Amazon lately, in an effort to cut back on my spending a bit. But I did add a few things in my Amazon cart this morning, planning to buy them this weekend (after my pay hits the bank). At this point, I have a new fun teacher shirt for me and some noise cancelling headphones for some of my crew who really need that and a big ol' box of goldfish to use as an edible incentive/positive reinforcement tool :)

What's new this month?

School started back a few weeks ago. I have 13 students (but I'm responsible for the planning/grading/etc. for them and 11 more). My class is busy and exciting and fun and all the things. I might go home and be almost ready for bed at 7pm. But I still love my students and the privilege/gift it is to teach them :)

And that's what I'm up to this month.

What about you?

What are YOU up to this month?

Hello Monday

      Happy Monday, Y’all

Today I'm joining Holly and Sarah, and a few other bloggers, for today's Hello Monday link-up, where we say Hello to Monday with a look at what's going on in our lives at the moment.

 So what's on my mind?

A lot. But 'tis the norm with me, I suppose.

Things like…

one

Somehow we're saying Hello to the 3rd week of school with students. On one hand, it feels like time has flown by and on the other, it feels like it's dragging... My position is always a bit of a challenging one. And this year I have a few more responsibilities than I typically would have, so I've been navigating that and trying to stay on top of things as best as I can. Wish me luck :)

two

I said Hello to starting an ASL class last week. It's a once weekly class so doable with my schedule. And more than that, it's helping me learn a language I've always been interested in, it's helping me with one of my nonspeaking students now, and also, I'm looking forward to being able to better communicate with friends and others God placed in my path as time goes on. I know it won't always be easy. But I'm grateful for the opportunity to take this class.

three

Since school started back, I’ve been, once again, saying Hello to my daily morning pictures. I started taking these my last year in Dakar, in the midst of feeling lots of big emotions as I prepared to leave the place I’d called home for the majority of my adult life. It all started with a message the pastor at church had given, using Lamentations 3:22-23 as his primary verses.

four

So I guess my next Hello is to Lamentations 3. I say verses 22-23 to myself every morning, in an effort to remind myself that no matter how hard or stressful the day before might’ve been, today’s a new day. But just now, when I went to screenshot those verses, I read the ones before/after and I was reminded yet again of what a blessing it is to have a Savior who loves me, who is good to me, and in whom I can place my hope. I love how I can reread a passage I’ve read a zillion times before and God will allow me to see it with fresh eyes again, knowing I needed to see/read it at this very moment in my life. So yes, I’m saying Hello to this passage and the hope that God knows I needed in my heart this morning.

five

I said Hello to 40 a few weeks ago. I’ve never been one to really care about getting older. It is what it is. It’s a part of life. And my mindset has always been that Getting older beats the alternative. So there’s no sense in complaining. Right? Then 2025 arrived, and with it came the realization that I would be turning 40 in August. And here we are.

I think part of why this birthday is so hard is because my life hasn’t fully turned out the way I thought (hoped? dreamed?) it would. I always thought that at this point in my life, I would have a family of my own - a husband and children. And at times, the knowledge that that has never happened (and the knowledge that it may never happen) is a bit of a sucker punch to the gut.

I love what I do now. I love the work I did overseas. In both of these, I have worked with children. I have celebrated, and obviously still celebrate, friends who have started their own families. But it’s still hard. It feels like you’re always standing outside a window looking in at what your life could have looked like, but God had other plans.

So yeah… Turning 40 was a little hard.

six

I will be saying Hello to an all-day meeting/training today. Today is our quarterly AAS (Alabama Alternate Standards) Teachers meeting. I can’t say I love being in meetings/PD sessions all day, I do love getting to collaborate with teachers who understand the “controlled chaos” that is being a Special Ed Teacher. And getting a guaranteed lunch break/being able to go to the restroom anytime I want is another perk too. Ha! 

seven

I haven’t been saying Hello to writing on the blog as much as I used to. I have lots of post ideas and even a few drafts typed up. I suppose I need to get around to finishing them and hitting that publish button. Here’s hoping that’ll happen soon…

And that’s about it for my scattered brain today. 

What about you?

 What’s on your mind today?  

What’s Up July

        Happy Thursday, Y'all

Today, I'm joining Shay and Sheaffer for their What's Up Wednesday link-up. …except I’m posting this on Thursday because I was out all day yesterday and didn’t get around to posting this then :)

Every month we answer the same list of questions based on how things are currently going in our lives.

So let's get started...

What am I eating?

I had the most delicious fish and chips at Pebbles while in Plymouth yesterday. Seriously y’all… I’m from the south. Gulf seafood is typically the best there is. However, this fish & chips is, hands down, the best I’ve ever had. 

I also had bibimbap one day. It’s probably my most favorite Korean dish and I haven’t been able to have it in over a year (since I left Dakar). So when I realized there were as lot of Korean restaurants near my hotel, I jumped at the chance to have some delivered one night. And y’all, it did not disappoint. It was absolutely perfect!

Oh, and one more food worth mentioning… A couple different people recommended visiting Mike’s Pastries for their cannolis. When I looked online to find one near me, I realized there was one in the food court literally right next door to my hotel. So one night, I walked over and got a chocolate chip cannoli as part of my dinner. And y’all… It was so delicious!

What am I reminiscing about?

Yesterday was the 16th anniversary of the day I landed in Senegal for the first time. …which, now, seems like a lifetime ago.

 What am I loving?

I loved this view from the window in my hotel room. I so loved my time in Boston, doing all sorts of touristy stuff, enjoying the rich history, and exploring the city. This trip was such a blessing!

What have I been up to?

I treated myself to an early birthday trip to Boston. And I’m heading back to my brother’s house today to get my mom and also to spend one more day/night with his family. It’s been such an incredible trip!

What am I dreading?

If I’m being honest, turning 40 isn’t the most thrilling thought. I love celebrating my birthday. And I know I’ll love that part even more this year because, unlike last year, I won’t be alone. But yeah… There’s something about turning 40. Honestly, the hardest part for me is I’m not married and I don’t have children - both of which I always hoped/thought would have happened by this point in my life. And that’s hard. So I think that’s what’s made the thought of turning 40 a bit hard. But, at the end of the day, a birthday is a time to celebrate. And while I might be working (hello all day PD), I’m still planning to find a way to celebrate somehow :)

What am I working on?

Prepping for the upcoming school year, like I was when I snapped this pic at my hotel one day this week. There’s still a few unknowns with the number of students I’ll have. But I’m pushing ahead and starting the computer prep I can do ahead of time. And I’ll finish arranging furniture and decorating soon. And that’s always fun!

 What am I excited about?

I’m always excited when I get to spend time with family. And July was full of lots of family time! I loved it all!

What am I watching?

I still don’t have TV service set up at my house. And I’ve honestly been good without it. I did watch a bit of TV each night in my hotel, though. Maybe I should finally set up TV service… I don’t know.

What am I reading?

I’m reading 2 books at the moment…

What am I listening to?

I paid $14 for these Vivitar brand noise cancelling Bluetooth headphones and y’all, they work so well!

What am I wearing?

Ignore the weird face I’m making in this photo… But I’m packing for this trip, I confirmed what I already knew. I wear a lot of black. Like I seriously could have taken a different outfit for every single day of the trip plus extras and still wouldn’t have run out of black outfits…

 What am I doing this weekend?

I fly back tomorrow. My mom’s at my brother’s so I’ll stay the night there and then we’ll head home Friday. This weekend will be spent doing last minute relaxing and a little bit of work prep in my classroom, as well, since school resumes for teachers on Monday.

What am I looking forward to next month?

Celebrating my birthday on the 6th (not sure what I’m doing, but I’ll think of something).

School starting back… I love summer break and sleeping in and all that. But I miss my students. I also kind of miss the routine and structure that comes with school time.

Favorite recent Amazon find?

The only stuff I’ve ordered off Amazon this month are a few things for my classroom. Nothing blog photo worthy… A desk calendar, some childproof locks for our supply cabinets, those plastic electrical outlet covers, a few random school supplies I wanted and couldn’t find online…  

What's new this month?

I can scratch a trip to Boston off my bucket list now. That’s new :)

And that's what I'm up to this month.

What about you?

What are YOU up to this month?