Friday, October 31, 2014

La soupe d'alphabet

I...

...accepted a challenge from a friend to write a blog post a day for one full month. So far I've done well. This is day 23 and I'm still going strong :)

...will be in Birmingham today, playing chauffeur for my parents since my dad has doctors appointments there. By the way... I hate Birmingham traffic.

...think mint chocolate chip milkshakes from Jack's are amazing! It's just too bad that they're loaded with sugar and calories, making me not be able to have them very often.

...dove into the world of compound nouns with some of my students this week. They definitely had fun. Here's hoping they learned something too :)

...will be in Evergreen tomorrow, taking my last Berean class for this level of certification.

...has had Friday, by Rebecca Black stuck in my head since it came on the radio yesterday. It is catchy. I'll give it that...

...will get paid today!! Can I get an amen? :)

...ate at a "home cookin" style restaurant yesterday while in Montgomery. Y'all... Their food almost beat my Mama's :)

...started watching The Incredible Dr. Pol this week. My parents told me about this show, so I thought I'd give it a try. I must say. It is a pretty good show.

...love this Joy Dare Challenge that I'm doing with a few ladies. It's such a good reminder to focus on the positives in life - the things that bring us joy - especially when we're feeling down. 

...am planning to kick soft drinks to the curb next week. Wish me luck.

...learned so very much at my workshop yesterday. I'm so thankful for opportunities like this to learn and grow as a Special Education teacher.

...was in Montgomery, our state capitol, all day yesterday for a workshop. 

...will be buying my dad a Navy hat, which he requested, for when we go to the Navy game at the end of November. 

...feel like October just flew by. Where did the time go?

...am planning to go to Starbucks as soon as my dad gets called back for his appointment. Yay for one being in the hospital lobby :)

...asked a lot of questions on the way back yesterday since I was with the head Special Ed. lady for our school system. She was so sweet and patient, though, and answered every one, never making me feel like I was being annoying by asking so many.

...remember being a little girl and setting up a "school" in my bedroom and "teaching" my baby dolls and stuffed animals. I have always wanted to be a teacher.

...will be sitting and studying while in the waiting rooms for my dad's appointments today. Tomorrow is my last class and I want to be sure I'm well-prepared.

...am thrilled for my friend, her husband, and little boy who found out this week that she's pregnant with a girl! Yay for hair bows, baby dolls, and all things pink :)

...am totally unimpressed with how the majority of American media is handling the Ebola issue. 

...rode in a van with 2 other teachers, our system's Soecial Ed. Coordinator, and our system's Psychometrist yesterday to/from Montgomery yesterday. Yay for saving my car's gas! 

...sat in a workshop from 8:00 to 3:00 yesterday (minus a lunch break). It's a good thing I enjoy learning more about my job :)

...was eXcited to watch the 2-hour Duggar wedding special this past Tuesday. And yes, I did cry. I love that show!

...have noticed the term, YOLO, being used incorrectly by so many kids lately. Do they not realize what those letters stand for?

...wanted to make zucchini bread this weekend, but I haven't been able to find a good recipe. Anyone reading this have one I could use?

Thursday, October 30, 2014

Thursday's Thoughts


I'm thinking about a few things...

1. We will have the State Dept. at school all this week, as part of our re-accreditation process. Then we have Special Ed. state monitoring 2 weeks after that. I know that I'll be doing what I'm supposed to be doing, the thought of having so many people in my room doing observations, asking a zillion and one questions, checking every little bit of my lesson plans, IEPs, etc. But I must say... It still makes me nervous...

2. After my all-day workshop today, I went to work at my school. When I walked in, the after-school kids were walking towards my direction and I know I had at least a half dozen or more yelling out, "Hey Miss Nichols!" and running up to hug me. Talk about an ego boost! :)

3. I was talking with another teacher on the way to our workshop this morning and found out her grandfather is originally from Liberia. She and I talked about life in West Africa and about the Ebola outbreak, and the ridiculousness of some of the media coverage of it. 

4. I saw the prayer below one day last week, saved it to my phone, and have been thinking about it ever since. ...so true.

 




Dear Google Images, Thanks for the use of the pictures used in this blog post. I appreciate your generosity :)

Wednesday, October 29, 2014

It's the little things...


Sometimes it's the seemingly little things that make the biggest difference in my day. 

Today some of those "little" things were...

...seeing the excitement and pride a child felt after FINALLY mastering writing his name :)

...sitting with a 1st grade class at lunch and hearing their adorably cute conversations.

...getting a compliment on a day when I felt my worst.

...not having to drive in fog this morning, especially since I'd had to the last 2 mornings.

...hearing an affirming "You're doing a good job, you know." from another teacher.

...getting a lot of paperwork done during my planning time, which meant I wouldn't have to stay quite as late as planned.


I think that far too often we focus so much on the "big picture," that we forget to stop and take notice of the little things.

God places these little treasures in our paths each day. We just need to take the time to notice them and thank Him for them.


So here's your challenge. 

Tomorrow - Go out. Live your day. Spend time noticing all the little things that make you smile throughout your day. Then see how better your day goes as a result.


And as always, thanks Google Images for the pictures/quotes :)

Tuesday, October 28, 2014

If I Made a Mixtape...

While looking for ideas for future blog posts, I came across this prompt, and thought it'd be a fun one to write about.

Who remembers making mixtapes? 


I totally remember sitting in front of my boom box (yes, boom box) with the radio on, a blank tape in the cassette holder, and my finger poised over the record button, ready to catch my favorite song as it came on. 


Along the way, tapes gave way to CDs and then eventually those CDs gave way to an iPod. 

And now instead of a mix tape, I have playlists on my iPhone.


I have quite the eclectic collection of music. There are many different genres. There are soft, mellow songs and then there are songs with more of a loud beat that doesn't allow you to simply sit still. There are songs that are happy, sad, and some that are even a little weird. There are songs in English, French, Wolof, and even one in Hungarian.

I love hooking my iPhone up to my car stereo and listening to music as I drive. Or if I'm not driving, I love putting on my headphones and just "escaping" from reality. 


And now to answer a few mix tape song questions...

1. What song makes you laugh?

I'll Make a Man Out of You from Mulan


2. What song makes you happy?

On Top of the World by Imagine Dragons


3. What song do you listen to every day?

What Makes You Beautiful by One Direction


4. What song brings you closer to God?

10,000 Reasons by Matt Redman


5. What song brings back an "inside" memory - one that is your very own secret?

Peaches by New Heights


6. What song reminds you of home?

I have 2...

Sweet Home Alabama by Lynyrd Skynyrd


and Africa by Toto


7. Put your iTunes on shuffle. What are the first two songs that come on?

The 12 Days of Christmas by Straight No Chaser


Marry Me by Train (I love love love this song!)




P.S. Thanks Google Images (and my iPhone screenshots) for the pictures :)

Monday, October 27, 2014

A Letter to My Parents

Dear Mom and Dad,


I like you a little bit :)


You are two of the most humble, generous, caring, loving people I know.


You have been amazing role models. You've offered countless pieces of advice, shared wisdom, and given guidance.


You've passed on an awesome heritage - one centered on God and His love and truth. 


You started our family and nurtured it with love and attention. You've showed us what family is all about.


You exhibit true joy over and love for you family. 



You pray. You teach. You preach. You lead by example. You work hard and never give up. 


You have faced insurmountable odds, and still have a long road ahead of you, but through it all... You've continued to put God first, followed directly after by your family.


You love being parents.


Although, I think you love being grandparents more :)


I can't thank you enough for all they've done for me (and my brother). We are truly blessed and couldn't have hand-picked two better parents. 


Love,
Your Daughter 


P.S. Most of these are pictures of pictures. Hence, the "fuzzy" quality... But, it's the thought that counts. Right? :)

Sunday, October 26, 2014

Repeat after me "I am a duck."



Repeat after me - "I am a duck."

What?! Did I just read that correctly? I looked at the page again, expecting to see something different.

Repeat after me - "I am a duck."

Nope. I was right the first time. I couldn't figure out why this would be the advice the woman was giving her friend. Needless to say, I was intrigued.

Repeat after me - "I am a duck."

I read on, ready to see her explanation. 

The two ladies had just sat down for breakfast. One lady was clearly having a hard day. Nothing was going right for her. She was stressed beyond belief. And it was at the very moment that yet another bad thing happened to her that her friend said...

Repeat after me - "I am a duck."

Apparently, when a drop of water hits a duck's feathers, it just rolls off. That duck doesn't care if a drop of a rain hits its back. It just lets the water roll right off and it continues on its merry way.

Repeat after me - "I am a duck."

We are not immune to difficulties in life. 

We get assigned a difficult project at work. We face obstacles in ministry. We watch a loved one suffer with a life threatening illness. Our car breaks down and has to be put in the shop. Unexpected bills come up. And the list goes on...

But we should do as the lady in the story said and say...

"I am a duck."

I am a duck. I will let the difficulties, the stresses, the worries of life roll off my back just like water rolls off the back of a duck. 

So when times get tough, I just need to remember...

Repeat after me - "I am a duck."


FYI - The story I referred to was from Karen Linamen's story in the "Humor for a Friend's Heart Story Collection."

Saturday, October 25, 2014

The 122nd Dear _____ Post

Dear Daisy and Willow, You're coming over later today and spend some time with us while your parents move some stuff to your new house. Just so you know... You two make my life so much more awesome!

Dear 17, You're how many days in a row, counting today, that I've written on my blog. That's a record high for me and I am enjoying it. I love writing!

Dear Warmer Clothes, You're what I bought last night. For the past five years I've only experienced real cold weather for about a week and a half to two weeks each year. And since I was on vacation during that time I only needed jeans and sweatshirts. But now I'm working at a job, in this "winter weather," where I needed some nicer clothes. 

Dear Music, It's amazing how you can bring on a flood of memories. They are so many songs that I can hear and I am instantly transported back in time. 

Dear 3 Days, You're how many days I will be teaching next week. I have one full day of training on Thursday with a lot of my fellow Special Education teachers. And then I am taking a personal day on Friday so I can play chauffeur for my parents since my dad has doctor appointments all day that day.

Dear Ponytail, My hair is almost long enough for me to enjoy you. And I am so ready! 

Dear Friday by Rebecca Black, You've been stuck in my head ever since yesterday afternoon. 

Dear Relationships and Ethics in Ministey, You're the title of the last class I have before I am finished with all the requirements for my first level of credentials with the Assemblies of God.

Dear My Parents, I just wanted to publicly announce that you both are such an incredibly huge blessing in my life!

Dear Fortune Cookie, When I opened you at dinner the other night, I took an picture of the fortune you contained. Here's hoping you come true :)

 
Dear FYI to Anyone Who Thinks I Actually Believe in These Fortunes, Don't worry. I don't. I promise it's just for fun :)

Dear Major Awesomeness, You're how I'd describe it if that "fortune" really did come true though :)

Dear Nap, You're happening today. I promise.

Dear Church, You're tomorrow. I love that excited feeling I get on Saturdays, knowing that church is the next day :)

Friday, October 24, 2014

More Alphabet Soup

I...

...allowed one class to have 2 minutes of "free writing" time today and you would've thought I had given them a million bucks by how excited they got :)

...bought myself a bouquet of flowers yesterday. Why? My week has stunk, so I wanted to reward myself for "making it through." :)

...can't wait for Thanksgiving! It'll be my first one with my family since 2008!

...have developed a love for string cheese. It's cheap. It's healthy. And it's delicious :)

...enjoyed having watermelon in my lunch today. What a sweet, refreshing treat!

...freaked out when I was hand-delivered some paperwork this morning and told it was due to be completed on Monday. What the what?! Praise Jesus for my rescuer, aka the other Special Ed teacher who helps me a zillion or so times a day for calming me down and saying she'll help me do it on Monday.

...am going to the thrift store tonight to look for some warmer clothes. Alabama's weather changes so often that before too long I won't be wearing them anyway. So I figure there's no point in spending a lot of money on clothes I won't be wearing that much. 

...gladly handed off the students I was in charge of to their parents this afternoon. I may love them but boy am I glad it's the weekend!

...included the ABCs of Inclusion in my weekly newsletter I give to the teachers I work with.

...am getting better at juggling all of my responsibilities. My week might not have been the best, but at least I'm not feeling totally overwhelmed. Baby steps... :)

...killed a mosquito this morning, which I thought was odd since it's so cold. Shouldn't all the mosquitos be gone by now?!

...am looking forward to my nieces (and their parents too, of course) visiting tomorrow :)

...may or may not have bought an ice cream treat after I finished selling them to the kids at school this afternoon. Yum! 

...need to go ahead and reserve our hotel rooms for our trip to Mobile at the end of November. I'm so excited!

...am ordering a Navy hat and shirt for my dad and a shirt for me to wear at the Navy game we're going to at the end of November. 

...preparing myself (by studying) for my last Berean class for my first level of credentials with the Assemblies of God. It's such a good feeling to know that I'm almost finished!

...quench my thirst every morning with a tall glass of ice water. It does an even job than caffeine!

...repaired so many broken mechanical pencils this week for students. It's no wonder that most teachers ban students from using them.

...spent my whole day in Clanton this past Sunday, as I will be from now on. It's just too far to drive home and back in between services. So after lunch each week, I'll just hang around in town and study for my Berean class.

...think America should have a law, requiring a daily nap time. Yep, let's make it happen folks :)

...use Facebook Messenger, Voxer, and email to stay in touch with friends around the world. I'm so grateful for technology!

...verify the trustworthiness of an article before believing it to be true and sharing it on various forms of social media.

...wonder if it'll snow in Alabama this year. Don't get me wrong. I'd be freezing and probably complaining a little if it did, but I'd still love to see it :)

...Xerox so much in a week since I have to keep a copy of every single document I send to Central Office or send home with a student. Seriously... I owe the trees an apology...

...was yawning by the end of the day today. This week has about done me in.

...need to zip by the gas station before heading home since my tank is on empty. Oops!

Thursday, October 23, 2014

It's more than just music...


It's more than just music...


It's what the songs evoke. It's the emotions and the feelings. It's the memories. 


It's memories like the songs below...

This Vitamin C song was big in 2003, the year I graduated high school. I remember hearing it, and thinking how weird it was that I was about to graduate high school and how my world was about to change.


Or this song...

For whatever reason, Kelly Clarkson's Breakaway, makes me think of college. It was a fairly popular song my freshman year and came on the radio quite often. And now... Now this song brings back all sorts of memories of classes and friends and events on Montevallo's campus.


But that's not all...
Or what about this one...

Viva la Vida by Coldplay takes me back to July 29, 2009. I'd just said goodbye to my parents and brother and was walking toward security at the airport in Atlanta. I turned my iPod on shuffle, put my headphones in, and this song came on. 


And it was when I heard, "...like missionaries in a foreign field" that I felt it. I felt the immensity of what was happening. I was a missionary. I was leaving my family, my home country, my comfort zone, and was going to this foreign field that I knew basically nothing about. Why? ...because God called me there. 

And now... Every single time I hear that song I'm transported back to that airport, walking away from my family, with tears in my eyes, feeling such a wide range of emotions - sadness over leaving my loved ones and excitement over fulfilling the calling God had placed on my life.


And last, but definitely not least, there's this song...

This song makes me homesick for Africa. It's makes me think of Senegal, of my Senegalese neighbors, the guy I bought my fruit from each week, the lady who worked for me helping out at my house, the guards at DA who would tease me about my Wolof or offer me cups of attaya...

It makes me think of the friendships I made during my time in Dakar. I think of the meals shared, conversations held, game nights, movie nights, ball games, fun times...

It makes me think of the ever constant dull ache in my heart. ...an ache for the place that stole my heart 5 years ago. ...the place that became my second "home" on July 30, 2009 - the day I stepped off the plane there for the very first time. 

It makes me think of Dakar, Senegal, West Africa, a place that will always be a huge part of my life.



Wednesday, October 22, 2014

Just like a violin...


God knows what's best for us. He does.

And while I often question why He feels the need to make me endure certain things, all along I know He has a reason.

Every day this week I've spent my entire drive home, crying out to God. I know He called me back home. I know He called me to stay and help care for my parents. I know He gave me this job.

So why is it so difficult?

My heart aches. For what? 

...for the children I teach whose family lives are "less than desirable."

...for the brokenness I see in the families attending my school.

But that's not all. My heart is breaking for more than that. It's breaking for... 

...for Senegal - the country that stole my heart 5 years ago.

...for West Africa dealing with yet another thing further weakening its already weak state.

...for the sickness and suffering my I'm watching my dad deal with.

...for other family members and also friends who are battling life-threatening illnesses.

...for my home country and its decline in morals and goodness.

...for lost family members, friends, and just all the lost, in general.

...for those who pick and choose what they want to believe from the Bible and think that it's ok to do certain things even though the Bible is very clear on the fact that it is not.

And last, but certainly not least...

My heart is breaking because I feel so totally overwhelmed by every one of these reasons listed, and more that I can't even list due to confidentiality requirements. My heart is breaking because I want to fix them all. I want to make things better. I want to make things right. 

I want...

I guess it's like the quote above said. I guess God is stretching my soul, my heart so He can make beautiful "music" come of all this brokenness. 

So I'll wait. And I'll continue to cry out to God and I will give control to Him, the Master Violinist :)

A Teacher's Prayer

Anyone that knows me (or has read my blog for a while) knows I'm basically an open book. I consider myself to truly be an external processor. I tell it like it is. You know how I'm feeling approx. 95% of the time. 

Now that I'm back in America and working at a public school here, I know I have to not be as open about certain details of my life - my students, my scho, my work, etc. But I can say this...

I know God led me to my school. I prayed before my very first interview that God would only open one door - the door to the job He wanted me to have. And He did that :)

The hardest part of my job has definitely been not being able to openly share my faith. Since this is a public school in the States I, as a teacher, cannot initiate a prayer in class, lead a discussion on God, or share the Word with my students. Coming from teaching for 5 years in a Christian school, this has been hard. I follow the rules, but man is it hard...

But a friend said it best when she reminded me yesterday that my school is my mission field. I may can't publicly proclaim my faith, but I can live it out. 

I can let my students see something in me. I can let them see the way I handle unnerving, worrisome situations. I can let them see the way I act when someone misbehaves. I can let them see, some of them for possibly the first time, what it's like to have an adult show them positive attention/love/genuine care. I can be a positive role model. I can be there - to listen, to empathize and sympathize, to encourage, to love and care, to be a shoulder to cry on, to just be there.

I can show them the love of Jesus through my actions and my speech. I can lead by example. I can pour into them encouragement, knowledge, positivity, and love. And I can do all of that workout breaking any rules :)

Tuesday, October 21, 2014

It's the 21st of October!

It's the 21st, so in honor of today, Here are 21 facts about me.

I could live my life without chocolate... with the exception of the occasional Reese's in the U.S. or scoop of obama ice cream in Senegal :)

I've never donated blood. The times I've tried, I got so nervous at the thought of the needles and blood that my heart rate shot up way too high for them to allow me to give it. And it's funny because...

I can see surgeries on tv or in movies or in pictures and I'm fine. But let me see my own blood? That's when I freak out.

I refuse to pay a lot of money for sunglasses. There's a 99.9% guarantee that I'll end up losing or breaking them anyway, so why spend a lot of money on them? In fact, I bought two pair the other day at The Dollar Tree for $1 each. 

I'm realizing that winter is going to be expensive for me. I need closed toe shoes, pants, long sleeve shirts, and a winter coat. Anyone want to support the "Elisabeth has been in Africa for 5 years and hasn't needed these things which means she's going to be out a whole lot of money soon" fund? :)

I'm not a fan of Halloween. And I've been really glad to have missed out on all the scariness of it the past five years. If Halloween could really just be cute little kids in fun costumes getting candy, it would be different. But somewhere along the way, Halloween became this business of scaring people and now has so much demonic things attached to it. I just don't understand it.

I love to write. I need to find a place that would pay me to do so. That way, I could keep teaching, but still make a little extra money.

I have an odd memory. I can remember birthdates and phone numbers like it's nobody's business. But ask me to remember a Bible verse or an important fact for a test and I can't. That's why I've always crammed for tests. Isn't that weird?

I still wish on shooting stars or when I see the first star at night or even before I blow out the candles on my birthday cake. It's crazy, I know. But hey, what could it hurt, you know? :)

I sometimes think missed out by not living on campus during college. But then I remind myself of how much money I saved by living at home and I quickly get over it.

Getting mail makes me so happy! ...not junk mail or bills, but cards or letters that people actually put time and effort into writing. It totally brightens my day. I love it!

I sometimes hate living so far from work (45 mins) and church (1hr15min) and even town (15-20min). But I do love being in the "country" and not having to hear the noise of the city, or deal with crazy traffic or anything like that.

The thought of turning 30 next year doesn't really bother me like I thought it would. Although it does feel weird to know that I'm about to put another decade of life behind me...

I find that even at 29, I still put a bit of a wall up when meeting new people. It's almost as if, at a sub-conscious level, I'm afraid to get too close because eventually I'll leave/move again and I don't want to get hurt. 

I've been back in the States since the 7th of June and I've yet to go to a movie theater or to Target. Shocking, I know :)

I have to sometimes catch myself from saying oui or non or bonjour or merci when greeting someone here...

Teaching Special Education is my favorite out of the 3 areas I'm trained in. It's a lot of work, and I spend a LOT of time on paperwork. But I love it! The positives definitely outweigh the negatives (even all of that annoying, but necessary paperwork).

I love wearing scarves. It's just too bad that it's almost always hot in the two places I call "home." So that is when I turn a scarf into basically a headband. And then voila! I can still wear it when it's hot out, and not look crazy :)

It's sometimes surprising to me just how many people really have such a poor understanding of world geography. I really think more schools need to include world geography in their curriculum and more adults need to take the time to refresh themselves on the subject.

I listen to Christmas music year round. Don't judge me :)

Thinking of 21 things was way more difficult than I thought it'd be. Don't believe me? Try it.