Washing Their Feet

Yesterday, while browsing Facebook, I saw a friend had shared an article for teachers. It was entitled, Washing Students' Feet, and showed the picture below. I was intrigued and when I clicked it, I know it was something I wanted to share...

The premise of the article is that just as Jesus humbled Himself to serve others, so should we do the same for our students.

Even when they still don't get the chemistry lesson, even though you've taught it in so many different ways, you're out of new options...

Even when that same child yells out, without raising his hand, for the umpteenth time...

Even when you're called out of a meeting to deal with a child exhibiting poor behavior yet again...

Even when you're tired at the end of a long day, but you go watch the kids practicing ball because you know it brings a smile to their faces...

Even when they ask 4 zillion "Why" questions in an hour...

Even when you want nothing more than to go home, but a kid (in another class, no less) stops you on your way out to help with a homework assignment...

Even when you can list a million things to do on your Saturday off, but instead, you go to whatever event the kids are participating in to show your support...

Even when you get "volunteered" for an extra-curricular activity that you know nothing about... *Remind me to tell you the story of how my dad got volunteered to coach ladies' volleyball when he knew next to nothing about it. But how, in the end, he ended up loving it and some of those girls even wrote me after he died, telling me what an impact he'd made on their lives.

Even when you get paint on your brand new skirt, all because he, the one who usually does things all by himself, actually asked for your help...

Even when you're starving because you worked through your planning time and lunch break and you have to eat lunch at 5:00, on your drive home... *Praise the Lord, that hasn't happened here! :)

Even when you'd love nothing more than to eat your food while it's hot, but there are kids who need to be changed and fed and laid down for naps... 

Even when you've tried every single day to get that nonverbal child to just say "yes," but all you get is a smile...

Even when you feel like you can't take another step because you're hurting from walking so much on the field trip, but you stay upbeat and encourage the child on the walker to keep going...because after all, if she can do it, then who are you to complain?!

Even when you've finally got your rambunctious little angels finally settled down, but the fire drill alarm goes off and you know it's going to just hype them up again...

Even when you only have your kids for 30 minutes at a time and their teacher sends them late almost every day, and they're hyper and not focusing, and you just want to pull your hair out....

Even when the copier stops working and the printer's out of ink and the speakers stop working and anything else even remotely related to technology quits...

Even when the grading is piled up and you know you need to finish it, during your planning time, but one of your students comes in crying because someone said something mean to them on the playground...

Even when...

I could go on and on.

Teaching is hard work. There's a popular hashtag going around that says #teachingisnotforwimps and oh, how true that is.

But you know...

I can't think of a more rewarding job. I love what I do. I love falling into bed (sometimes literally), so incredibly exhausted, because of how much work I put into that day. I love being challenged to be the best teacher I possibly can be. I love planning lessons and activities to meet the individual needs of my students. I love exploring new ways to teach a boring old topic. I love seeing those "lightbulb" moments when a student finally gets what you've been working on for what seems like forever. I love advocating for my kids who need more help than they're receiving. I love collaborating with colleagues, working towards the same goal - meeting the needs of our kids. I love it all!

Teaching is my passion.

Teaching is my calling.

Teaching is a gift that I've been given. ...one where I can humble myself to serve those who've been placed in my care.

If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. (John 13:14)

What's Up February

It's time for this month's What's Up Wednesday post. Aren't you excited?! :)

*Linkup with Mel, Shay, Shay, and Sheaffer. 

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

What am I eating this week?
I made up a couple pounds of taco meat this weekend and put it in the freezer. So I'm thinking this week's meals will include tacos, taco salad, taco soup, and the like. I did try out a new (to me) restaurant in Dakar this past weekend called Southern Fried Chicken. I had the chicken BBQ and cheese sandwich and fries. Yum!

What am I reminiscing about? 

Oh my... I sure do miss my nieces. I've been having a lot of "niece withdrawals" type moments lately, so I've been going through the pictures on my phone,

What am I loving?

I am definitely loving these cooler temps we've been having lately. In fact, there was one night earlier this week when it was 4 degrees cooler here in Dakar than it was at home in Alabama. And I'm by no means complaining. I would much rather be cold than be hot and sweating! I so love cool season in Dakar!

What have I been up to?

...getting settled here in Dakar. A really good friend blessed me with the gift of shopping for decor (and just stuff, in general) for my new apartment. So I've been slowly collecting a few odds and ends here and there and am almost finished setting up my apartment. I'll have a picture "open house" soon... Be on the look out :) But for now, here's a "sneak peek..."

What am I dreading?

Honestly... I'm dreading April 19th. It'll be the 1 year anniversary of my dad's death. Every time I look at an April calendar... Every time I think of that date... Every time I see his picture while scrolling through my phone... I get this ginormous knot in the pit of my stomach and the tears start. That's what I'm most dreading. And to be honest, I'm thinking of just taking a personal day that day...

What am I working on? 

I'm currently working on thank you cards for all the amazing churches and individuals who have partnered with me by financially supporting my ministry here in Senegal. I can't wait 'til they're finished and I can show them off. Give me just a couple more days...

What am I excited about?

...all sorts of exciting plans for my class! I love planning and dreaming and thinking up all sorts of coolness to share with my kids. I am so extremely blessed to have a class full of kids that truly do want to learn and explore. So it's super exciting planning new and more challenging things for them. I love it!

What am I watching?

I downloaded Woodlawn based off the recommendation of a friend and I think I'm going to watch it this weekend. Any one local want to join? Movie watching party!! :) And if I ever finish reading The Martian, then I'll watch that too. But I don't see me finishing the book any time soon... :)

What am I reading?

...all about a Speech program, called the LiPS Program. I'm loving it too! Learning all about how the brain and the mouth and a whole lot of other body parts all work together to help us produce speech. I love this stuff!

What am I listening to?

My current playlist is so random. ...like almost every genre of music. I laugh sometimes at how I can have the old time-y southern gospel version of Lily of the Valley be playing right before Uptown Funk and everything in between. But do you want to know what song is currently stuck in my head? It's one I played for my kids in class yesterday... It's The Plant Song, sang to the tune of the Cups song. They loved it :)

What am I wearing?

I'm wearing long sleeves, socks, scarves, and all sorts of things normally reserved for cooler temps. And I absolutely LOVE it!

What am I doing this weekend?

My school's Senior Cafe is this weekend. It's like a talent show and a lot of the students, staff, and parents compete. Even a few of my 4th graders are joining in the fun. It's always good for a night of laughter. Past that, I'm not sure... Anyone got something exciting planned I could join in on? :)

What am I looking forward to next month?

Spring Break! Let's face it. I love my kids. I do. But 2 whole weeks off from work?! Yes, please :)

What else is new?

I've lost some weight. I haven't been trying terribly hard, but that's about to change. At any rate, a few pounds lost is better than no pounds lost. Right?! :)

And then every month we have a "special" extra question to answer. This month's question is... 

What's your favorite Easter memory? 

Honestly, it'd have to be last year... A few weekends before Easter, my sister-in-law took my nieces to an Easter Egg Hunt put on by my church and had the sweetest time. I still have the pictures from that day etched into my memory. And then I got to hang out with my parents at their church on the actual day of Easter. Who would've thought that just a few short weeks after that, we would've lost my dad? It makes me so incredibly glad that I chose to spend Easter Sunday with them, especially now, knowing that was the last Easter I'd have with my dad..

Wednesday's Letters

Dear Olympics, You're happening at DA this week. My 4th graders are so excited! They've been "training" during recess and lunch, trying to run as fast as they can and beat their previous times. It's so cute to hear them talking about it!

Dear Mr. DeMaio, You have quite possibly the coolest educational musical videos ever! My 4th graders love you! You're making reviewing our Multiplication Facts so much more fun!

Dear Reading, I'm so incredibly thankful that my entire class loves you. ...like, seriously loves you! They beg for reading time. I even had one kid ask for an extended reading time as a reward. What kid dos that?! I love it!

Dear Little House on the Prairie, You're what I'm using for our class read aloud. They think life "in the old days" must have been so awesome. And it's hilarious to hear them say they wish they could have lived then. Oh if they only knew... :)

And speaking of Little House on the Prairie...

Dear LOL'd, You're what a literally did when a child was shocked to find out I was 30 and then proceeded to tell me that not only was I old, I was old like Little House on the Prairie, old. Haha!

Dear 1 Corinthians 13 for Teachers, I found you online the other day and you tied in perfectly to my topic for staff devotions the other day. Thanks for being available, for making me smile, and for being a great reminder for me.

Dear Trail Mix, We made you in 4th Grade the other day and since we had such a huge batch, I decided to leave it in the classroom for my friends to enjoy each day. They've now decided that I should ALWAYS have snacks for them in class. Funny kids :)

Dear I love you Zizzie, You're what I got to hear my oldest niece say when I called the other day. Hearing her sweet little voice was the perfect way to end my evening. Oh do I miss that one and her baby sister :)

Dear The Seemingly Little Things, Sometimes you mean the most in life. ...like a homecooked meal from a friend, a sweet email from a student's parent, a hug from a student, and so much more.

Dear Speech Pathology, You're what I wish I had training in. You'd so come in handy right now...

Dear Getting Cooler, I hope I'm not jinxing myself by saying this, but you're what seems to finally be happening in Dakar. Low 70s?! What?! :)

Dear Dust, You are EVERYWHERE. Do you hear me? EVERYWHERE. Can you please chill out a bit? I'd really appreciate it :)

Dear Homemade Salsa and Homemade Peanut Butter, You're what I bought a couple weekends ago. Just so you know... You're delicious! Yum!

Dear Dream Big, You're what I tend to do. ...especially when it comes to helping the kids in my care. I want to do whatever it takes to get the help they need/deserve. And it frustrates me big time when there's something I can't do.

Dear I'm a Teacher, I love that I can say you. I love that you help define me. You make me so incredibly happy. You may be the reason why I'm often exhausted at the end of the day. But overall, you really do make me happy. Thank you!

Happy Birthday to this guy...

On this day 29 years ago, I lost my title as Only Child and was promoted to Big Sister. 

At the young age of 18 months, you obviously can't fully grasp the serious awesomeness that title bestows upon you :)

It gives you a playmate. It gives you a partner in the "our mom made us wear this ridiculousness" game called life. It gives you a friend for life...

It gives you someone to help out and maybe even someone to look up to...

Over the years things changed. He was no longer the annoying little boy that got me in trouble all the time. He was the elementary school kid, ready to beat the mess out of some middle schooler who wanted to mess with me on the bus. He was my confidant, who I could tell all my secrets to and he'd never tell. He was the one who calmed my nerves on the way to school that morning, when that girl ran a stop sign and hit our car, spinning it out of control, leaving me thinking we were going to die. He was the one I missed when I went to college and I didn't have anyone to talk to anymore on my drives to school. 

He was the one who made me beam with pride, through my happy tears, the day he helped me get the title of Sister-in-Law. 

And then a few years later, he was the man who helped to give me the greatest title yet, Aunt Zizzie. 

He is my airport dropper offer and picker upper and always gives me a hug, even when it might "hurt his image." :)

He makes me laugh and always can lift my spirits.

We're both grown-ups now. But he'll always be my little Bubba :)

And do you want to know something?

I am so immensely proud of the man he's become. If I find a man even half as great as he is one day, I'll be happy :)

I love you Dude.

I hope today is your best birthday yet! You deserve it!

Life Lately

Life lately has included...

...a really long day of flying, which included two layovers and a whole row of seats to myself on the last flight (hello sleeping on the plane).

...more walking and more sand.

...meeting the 10 main reasons I came back to Senegal early.

...and getting used to a new classroom.

Life lately has involved finding ways to stay cool, like having a ton of ice and buying little bags of ice cold filtered water on the street.

It's also included buying fruit from a vendor, set up outside in the heat and sand and so on...

...and drinking from my absolute most favorite mug :)

...and celebrating Valentine's Day with my class, complete with a mail box that "magically" produced fun prizes, cute little Valentines cards, and homemade pita pizza and trail mix.

 

...watching softball games with a great view and enjoying my feet touching cool grass again.

...eating yummy food, like tasty salads, Brazilian awesomeness, N'ice Cream (hello obama - the ice cream), frozen yogurt, a friend's homemade lasagna, and homemade donuts given to the staff one morning.

...dusty days with high temps and water cuts.

...random sights from trips down the highway, like goats for sale, horse carts included in a traffic jam, brightly colored buses (car rapides), and Nescafe carts selling coffee and phone cards.

And last, but certainly not least, life lately has included all sorts of little "God things" that have made me smile, like getting one corner of my apartment set up with some of my favorite treasures, a beautiful bouquet that included some of my most favorite flowers, and a beautiful sunset.