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...

Korean Food - Y'all, I love Korean food. I may or may not be super sad that there are at least 3 good Korean restaurants in the city (possibly even more) where I'm currently living but there will be absolutely zero near me when I get back home to Alabama. Boo. 

Job Search - No news yet... I'm still applying for various teaching and non-teaching jobs. And I'm trying to think positively and be patient while I wait to hear back from someone :) 

Meal Prepping - I typically make one or two things on the weekend to eat off of throughout the week. That way I have lunches already ready for the work week and too... If I get home from work during the week and am too tired to cook, I won't have to. I'll just need to throw a bowl in the microwave. Easy peasy. Anywho - This week, my schedule will be a bit different, so I won't need to prep as many lunches. So instead, I dished out the last of some leftover pasta for one day and the last of some leftover tacos (minus the tortillas since I'm out) for the other day. And that's all I'll need prepped since I won't be at school the rest of the week. I also made a big batch of scrambled eggs, so I could have breakfast already made for a few days.

Days Off from School - Wednesday is a national holiday in Senegal, so we don't have school that day. Then I'm taking personal days on Thursday and Friday, to finally finish the big sort/purge/pack of my apartment. I hate to miss school for this, but y'all have no idea... This has taken me so much longer than I thought it would. And while occasionally I start to beat myself up for how much stuff I have, I realize... I first arrived in Senegal in 2009. So that means, it's taken me close to 15 years to accumulate all this stuff. It's not going to disappear overnight. So I need to give myself more grace. Anywho - I'm planning to have a garage sale of sorts at the end of the week, to invite fellow staff members/friends over to buy my stuff (or just to take a lot of it for free so I can get rid of it). Help me pray I get as much as possible gone. I really want to be done with this so I can focus my energy on the last few weeks of teaching and various events with my students and to saying good goodbyes to all my students and friends and places that have held my heart for so long.

Home

Doctorate - I'm still doing my research and chatting with the representatives from the doctoral programs I'm interested in at various universities. Most have a deadline coming up in the next couple weeks. So I know I need to make a decision soon. At this point, I'm praying God makes the needed decision abundantly clear.

Ice Cream - A friend and I went out for lunch after church yesterday and before we left, we each got a couple scoops of ice cream to go. Y'all, I'm in my "saying goodbye to people and places" time of life, as I'll be moving soon. So bear (bare?) with me. But going for ice cream brings back so many memories of times here. Trips with friends, trips with my fellow AGWM-ers, field trips with students, quick stops for ice cream after a stressful day of teaching, celebrations at the end of the school year with fellow teachers before we flew out for the summer, making milkshakes with friends, all the jokes that went along with finding obama ice cream for sale (it's a real flavor here and is so so good), long chats with friends while eating ice cream trying to beat the heat for a few minutes, and so many more memories...

My Parents - Had my dad lived, my parents would have celebrated their 40th anniversary yesterday. They were such a great example of a loving relationship and how to overcome difficulties and to rise above, all while serving the Lord and following the call to ministry for the entirety of their married life. I'm so grateful for the lessons I learned from them. If you're reading this, and think of it, say a little prayer for my mom. 

Lesson - This time of life is often overwhelming. Packing up your life after so long is difficult. Saying goodbyes is difficult. Etc. Etc. But this weekend, God and I had a heart to heart and it was like the light switch finally flipped on and I realized... When I'm feeling overwhelmed by the big to do list (and it sure is an ever growing list), I need to stop, take a breath, and focus on one thing at a time. I need to make it through one day at a time. Sometimes one hour or one minute at a time. 

And I guess that's about it for today.

What's on your mind today?

What's Up April

     Happy Wednesday, Y'all

Today, I'm joining Shay and Sheaffer for April's What's Up Wednesday link-up. 

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 made a big pot of pasta the other day and am eating that each day for lunch. I used bow tie noodles, some boursin garlic & herbs cheese, spinach, chicken, and some random spices/seasonings. It's super tasty and filling!

What am I reminiscing about?

The 9th anniversary of my dad's death was last week. So that's definitely been on my mind. I've been thinking a lot about him. He was always so incredibly supportive of me and my ministry here in Senegal. But he also made me feel like a million bucks when I'd come home for a visit. And I know if he were alive today, he would be so excited about me moving back to Alabama. Oh my, do I miss him!

 What am I loving?

I'm loving being back with my people after Spring Break ended a couple weeks ago. Whether that's teaching lessons, helping students in a Study Hall, watching their games, or attending events with them, I love it. I'm in my element when I'm with my people.

What have I been up to?

I've been applying to/interviewing for jobs for when I'm back in the US. I have a nice little set up at my dinning table that I use during the interviews and obviously, I only schedule interviews during the late afternoon/early evenings (my time), since I'm still teaching during the day. In that sense, the time difference works out well for me. Anywho - Since the beginning, my prayer has been that God would open the right doors and close the wrong ones and that if I received an offer of a job, He'd make it exceptionally clear what answer I should give. It's hard to turn down jobs, but I know what I'm looking for and I have to fully trust and believe that He knows what's best for me. Now, if the one that is best for me would finally just offer me a job :)

What am I dreading?

If I'm being honest, the goodbyes that are coming at the end of the school year are weighing on my mind. I always hate the normal end of year goodbyes when students leave or friends move away. But this year, I'm feeling the weight of this even more since I'm leaving. I'm leaving students. I'm leaving friends and co-workers. I'm leaving my school/ministry. I'm leaving this country that I love so much. Yes, I'm excited about what's next. But the goodbyes will still be hard. Boy, will they!

What am I working on?

I'm working on sorting and packing. There's just so much stuff. I guess that's normal when you've been in a place as long as I have. But seriously, I had no idea I had so much until the time came to pack to move back to the US in just a few suitcases... People have no idea.

 What am I excited about?

I'm excited about getting some fabric and having a couple things made before I leave. That is one thing on my "bucket list" and I'll soon be able to check it off. A couple friends and I are going to the fabric market this upcoming weekend. Then I'll visit the tailor at some point, maybe the week after that. Here's the style inspiration picks I've been looking at... I'm planning to get a dress, a skirt, and a jacket (not pictured) made. I'm not really sure what color, or even design, of fabric I want. So really, I'm just planning to look around until something catches my eye. So we'll see :)

What am I watching?

Nothing - I watched my way through Brooklyn 99 during Spring Break. But I'm back to ignoring TV shows/movies again. My brain enjoys the quiet in the evenings, more than the thought of watching a show.

What am I reading?

I was reading Romans 12 earlier, realizing I want this to continue to be my guide as I finish out my time here in Senegal. Then our school chaplain shared these verses with us in our staff devotions time this morning. So it was like a little further confirmation for me. Such a great group of verses!

What am I listening to?

Nothing new - Anyone have any suggestions? I'm not terribly picky :)

What am I wearing?

Nothing new or exciting - I've been slowly sorting through my clothes, as I get ready to head back to the US. My plan is to do one last sort next week, keeping out the ones I'll need for the rest of my time here in Senegal and go ahead and pack up any I'm taking to the US with me when I go. Then that'll be one more (well, more than one) thing I can get rid of...

 What am I doing this weekend?

I'm doing a CPR/First Aid training on Saturday morning. Then on Sunday, I will have church and afterwards will go to the fabric market with a couple friends. Then I'll need to do a bit of lesson planning and meal prep at some point too.

What am I looking forward to next month?

All the end of year fun with our seniors (especially the senior trip), along with other stuff happening at school. I'm also looking forward to finishing the big sort and packing for the US (minus the clothes I'll be wearing between now and then). I'll also need to sort through/pack up my classroom since I don't know what's happening in it. And since I purchased a lot of what's in there, I'm planning to sell a lot of that stuff as well. And yes, I'm also looking forward to the random Wednesday we'll have off from school in May, thanks to Senegal having Labor Day then. I'm also planning to take the two days after that off to do that last big sort/pack that I was talking about earlier. 

May is always a super busy month for us at school. But this year, it'll be even more so with all the graduation related events, since I'm one of the senior class sponsors. And while the thought of that causes a roller coaster of emotions in my gut and heart, I'm choosing to embrace it all, deal with/work through the hard times as they come and live in the moment, enjoying the time I have left with the people (and in the place) that I care about so much.  Here's to May!

Favorite recent Amazon find?

I ordered this "belt bag" off Amazon for someone to bring out to me. Yes, I'm about to leave but the smaller purse I use all the time is slowly unraveling. Clearly, I use it every single day. Anywho - I needed something new. And this one met all the criteria: small, nothing fancy, cheap good/safe for travel, and black so it'd go with everything. So yeah... When I realized someone was coming this way, I asked if he'd be willing to bring it out for me.

What's new this month?

My decision to take a picture each morning on my walk to my classroom isn't necessarily new. But the picture below was new, as I took it yesterday. My goal a couple months back was to take a picture each morning on my walk to school. It forced me to stop for a second, take a breath, and look at the sky, marveling at God's handiwork. I'm currently in a busy, stressful, emotional roller coaster time of life, as I finish up another school year and prepare to wrap up my life in Senegal, a place where I've lived and worked for the majority of my adult life. And even though I know that I am 100% lead by God to make this change, it's still hard y'all. So hard. And I don't want to get so caught up in the busy-ness and stress that I forget to notice the seemingly little things that God is doing in my life and the lives of the incredible people He's placed in my path. I want to stop and smell the roses, so to speak. Or in this case... I want to stop and marvel at the beauty of the clouds or the sunrise.

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...

JSB - Our Junior Senior Banquet (similar to a prom in the US) was this past weekend and as one of the sponsors for the senior class, I got to attend. It's so fun to see the kids excitedly milling about, all dressed up in their fanciest clothes, having the times of their lives. It was a great night!

Job Search - People keep asking me if I've found a job for when I get back to the US. So far, my answer is still no. I'm applying and interviewing and waiting... I'm still holding out hope for a couple that I haven't heard back from. That, and still applying when good ones come open. Ah, waiting and unknowns... You're such a not so fun part of life. Just saying.

9 - That's how many years it's been (today, actually) since my dad's funeral. I wrote some reflections on the anniversary of his death the other day, which you could read HERE. Thankfully, it was a school day and clearly I was busy with teaching incredible humans all day so I was busy. But after school, when I was left alone with my thoughts... That's when the sadness hit. I wonder if it'll ever not hit me so hard on the day.

Dress Ideas - I want to have a couple things made before I leave Senegal. I'm planning to go fabric shopping next weekend. The pictures below are what I've gotten my inspiration ideas down to. I'm not saying I necessarily like the same colors/fabric designs. But I do like certain elements of each one. And once I find the fabric I like, I'll settle on which dress I want made...

What I'm Reading - I wanted to read a fun "fluff" book, as I call it. Nothing heavy or super thought provoking... So when I saw this one on the shelf in the library at the school, I grabbed it.  I haven't finished it yet. But so far, so good.

And I guess that's about it for today.

What's on your mind today?

9 Years

  On this day, 9 years ago, my dad passed away.

It was the day before my dad’s 56th birthday and only 9 days before my parents' 31st anniversary. My heart was feeling the intense weight of such a painful loss. And as time has passed, I can't help but wonder what if... What if he hadn't died so young? What if he'd been around for all that's happened in the past 9 years? 

As I prepare to move back to the US, I'm realizing one thing I'm missing in this process is my dad. I'm missing his advice and his prayers. I'm missing his support and encouragement of my ministry here and I'm missing his excitement over me coming back home too. There have been so many times in this process that I have wished I could talk with him about what I've been thinking or feeling and to get just a small bit of his wisdom, and to hear him pray for me again. I always knew I could count on him to do all those things.

By the end, my dad was so sick, though. So even though, I do so desperately miss him, I wouldn't dare call him back. Heaven is such an incredible place, a place where he's no longer sick, no longer hurting. He's whole again. And Heaven is for sure better than the mess of a world we're all living in now :)

 

While I had a few months shy of 30 years with my dad, I'm secretly (or maybe not so secretly) annoyed that that 29.5ish years was all I got. 

And sometimes, I truly wonder why... 

I wonder why he had to pass away so young. I wonder why our family had to deal with this huge loss. I wonder why, if I ever get married or have children, he'll never get to meet them. I wonder why my mom has to be a widow. I wonder why my nieces will only have just a few memories of my dad - a man who absolutely, positively loved being a Pawpaw to those girls. In fact, I've known few other men who were made to be a grandparent like my dad was :)

But even in the sadness, I'm still thankful for all the time and memories I did have/do have. I'm thankful for a Christian heritage he continued with our family. 

I'm thankful for the love of learning he passed down. 

I'm thankful for the memories of his laugh and his joy for life.

I'm thankful for 29.5 years worth of happy memories.

I'm thankful, that even though, I'll never get to experience having him at my own possible wedding or births of possible future children, I was able to see the immense joy/pride/love he showed on the day of my brother and sister-in-law's wedding and of all the time he joyfully spent with my beautiful nieces.

I'm thankful for so much.

And yes, I do still miss him terribly. 

But, I can smile, thinking of him hanging out with Jesus and talking to all the people from the Bible whom he loved to read/study/preach about for all those years. What a fun time that must be! 

My dad loved the Lord with all his heart. And he loved sharing about the Lord with anyone who would listen. In fact, my dad preached his last sermon from his hospital bed exactly one week before he passed away. Using Romans 8:18 as his primary verse, he reminded us that, though we may experience suffering and pain here on earth, we can trust in the hope of our Savior. We can trust in the knowledge that if we are saved, we will experience that glory that is beyond compare.  And now, today, I am so incredibly thankful that his words are permanently etched into my memory. 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

I've written memories-filled posts every year on the anniversary of his death, which can be found below. While still sad, it's nice for me to be able to look back and remember how God's been with me through the past years' anniversaries...

1 year

2 years

3 years

4 years

5 years

6 years

7 years

8 years

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Today, I'm linking up with  Erika and Andrea for their weekly Friday Favorites link-up. Because, while thinking about my dad's death isn't necessarily a favorite, thinking about him is. After all, my dad was one of my favorite people.

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...

People - Spring Break was so quiet. I love having a couple days of down time, but I can't seem to enjoy going too long without seeing people. I guess that comes with being surrounded by people/noise all the time. You get used to it... Not to mention the fact that with me leaving, I'm feeling the desire even more to spend time with friends. I didn't get to do so as much over Spring Break as I would've liked. But I definitely enjoyed the couple of times I did.

My Mom - She's been my "secretary" the past few weeks, as places have called wanting to set up an interview with me. She takes their name and number and then I call them back. 'tis the best solution for me since I'm overseas, in a different time zone, and don't have a US number. Anywho - I told her I should be paying her for working so hard. 

My Dad - This Friday will make 9 years since my dad passed away. It's hard to believe that it's been that long. Boy, do I miss him!

My Apartment - It looks like a tornado hit. I've got piles everywhere, as I've started sorting through every drawer, cabinet, shelf, etc. There is a method to the madness. But I will be so very glad when this part of the big move is done. That is for sure!

Job Search - It's still going on. I've applied at a lot of places, interviewed at many of those, and even had to unfortunately turn down a couple jobs that just weren't the right fit for me at this point in life. I'm still praying that the right one will come along. And while I'd like to say I'm being patient in that waiting, I must admit, I'm not feeling as patient as I probably should. Ah, the unknowns in life...

Peanut Butter Cookies - I found THIS recipe for peanut butter cookies online the other day and I think I'm going to try it tonight. The best part of it is that it only uses 3 ingredients: peanut butter, sugar, and eggs. I'm a little skeptical, if I'm being honest. But we'll see.

Brooklyn 99 - I watched a lot of this show over Spring Break, in between sorting and packing. And sometimes, I just had it playing in the background to make a little noise. It's such a funny one. I'm not sure why I didn't get into it when it first came out.

My Students - School starts back today. And we only have 7 1/2 weeks left before this school year is done. I've always said that time seems to fly by after Spring Break. And I imagine it will even more so this year. This time is so bittersweet. I'm, by no means, ready to say goodbye to these kids who have stolen my heart (whether I teach them or are their class sponsor). But I'm so excited to see what God has in store for all of these kids - whether they're graduating this year or not. I've been so blessed to have had the opportunity to teach and/or work with such incredible kids. I really have been!

And I guess that's about it for today.

What's on your mind today?