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...

6 Days - That's how long it is, from today, until I leave Senegal...

Ignore the fact this says 10 days. I posted it to Facebook at that point. 
The sentiment is still the same...

Empty - That's how my classroom feels. Oh my heart, did it hurt to pack everything away in bins/cabinets and shut that door yesterday. I'll still be in my classroom today, tomorrow, and a 1/2 day Wednesday, giving exams for all of my people and also being the room for seniors to pick up their caps & gowns tomorrow. But still... Packing it all away made it final. Last week, a friend said it's like the end of an era. And it kind of feels that way. It's definitely time to go. But I'd be lying if I said I didn't call my mom in pretty intense tears yesterday because of how much it hurt my heart to have it all packed up.

The cart is my teacher supply cart. I'll wrap it up for the next teacher.
The red bag is a surprise gift in the works.
The water is left out because it's Senegal and a bazillion degrees outside :)

Packing - I finally packed up my classroom this weekend and tonight, I will finish packing up at home (minus the clothes I'll be wearing this week). I'm pretty sure this is the earliest I have ever (will have ever?) been packed. But I know this week is going to be super busy full of exams for my students, all sorts of graduation/senior related events each day, all the normal end of a school year checklists, and last bits of time spent with friends. So I wanted to be able to be fully present and not stressed about packing. And while it is sad to see the empty walls, shelves, etc., I know I will be so glad it's done.

One Last Senegal AGWM Dinner - We had that the other day. It was nice to have the time to get together, eat good food, and reminisce about life and ministry in Senegal. 

Saying Goodbye to My Students - I did that with my middle schoolers this past Friday. Then, after exams this upcoming week with my 9th-11th graders... And then at graduation on Thursday with my seniors. Have I mentioned lately how much I hate goodbyes? Boo.

Senior Reception and Senior Worship Service - This was yesterday. I may have teared up at multiple points during each of these events. But it was definitely happy/proud tears. Y'all, this class has held a special place in my heart for so many years. And I will always be so grateful that I was able to stay and finish out my time at DA with this crew.

Embracing All the Emotions/Feelings - That's my current thing. I'm recognizing that it's okay to be both sad and also ready about leaving. And you know... It really is okay to be both nervous and excited about what's coming next. It's okay to feel happy and proud of the incredible students I've worked with - whether that's been just year or for many years. It's okay to be happy and sad and scared and excited all at the same time. Humans are not meant to be emotionless robots. Ok, off my soapbox now ;)

Looking Ahead - A week from today, I'll land in Mobile, AL where I'll spend a few days getting all the necessary background checks/screenings, etc. done, get paperwork signed, hopefully meeting with my principal and seeing my classroom too, and visiting with a few people too. Then, once all that's done, I'll drive up to be with my family, ready to spend the summer with them before heading back down to Mobile at the end of the summer, ready to start my new job. I can't lie. I'll probably still shed a few tears when the time comes to leave this place. But y'all, I'm ready. Let's do this!

What's on your mind today? 

What's Up November

    Happy Wednesday, Y'all

I missed last month's link-up. In fact, I haven't posted anything since the end of September. But have no fear... Here I am, back again, with all the random info you know you are just dying to hear :)

Today, I'm joining Shay and Sheaffer for their 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?

Last week, I did get to enjoy a plate full of deliciousness when our AG people all got together for Thanksgiving. We had a mixture of traditional and non-traditional Thanksgiving themed foods and it was all delicious! And thankfully, one sweet friend (and fellow southerner so you know she knows how to make it right) sent me home with some dressing/giblet gravy. So I had leftovers the next day. So so good!

I did make some fried shrimp the other night that turned out pretty tasty. It might not have been the most beautiful item I've ever cooked. But it sure did taste good.  I'm so not a fan of peeling/deveining shrimp. The grossness of those tasks is so intense to me that it makes me typically just not buy shrimp here. But thankfully, a couple weeks ago, I found some peeled/deveined shrimp in the freezer section at one of the grocery stores, so I bought a bag. I first coated it in yellow mustard and then battered it with a mixture of a bag of Louisiana Fish Fry mix combined with garlic powder and dill. And y'all... It was so so good.

What am I reminiscing about?

Memories made with the kiddos I've taught/worked with over the years. In a position like mine, you have most of the same students year after year. So naturally, you get end up getting closer to your students than most teachers do. And when you think of those students leaving, it can be hard. So yeah... Lately I've been reminiscing and feeling grateful for the time I've had (and still have) with the incredible kids God has allowed me to teach over the years. One of my students is preparing to leave soon and my teacher heart is absolutely breaking at the thought of saying goodbye next month... So yeah - Definitely reminiscing and thanking God for the time we've had to teach this student, to love this student, and to share the love and truth of Christ with this student. And now, I'm reminded... What a gift memories are!

 What am I loving?

I'm loving the cool breezes we've had lately. It's been nice to finally not pour sweat the instant you step outside. Let's be honest... I'm a big fan of Hot Season, and its ridiculously high temperatures and humidity finally leaving Dakar. 

What have I been up to?

Putting the finishing touches on my missions newsletter... I'm so far behind on it. But I promise. It is coming. If you'd like to be included on my mail out (either via email or good ol' "snail mail"), please let me know. I'll add you to my list.

What am I dreading? 

Honestly... I'm dreading not being able to spend Christmas with my family. Yes, this is a normal part of life in this line of work. Yes, some missionaries stay on the field far longer in between visits to family. Yes, I'm grateful that I get to follow the call God has placed on my life. But, yes, it's still hard to not be able to see my family at Christmas.

What am I working on?

 What am I excited about?

Christmas decor that will soon be set up in my classroom. I've been too busy the last few weekends to get it done, but it's coming. And y'all, I'm so ready! I know my students will love it and so will I! And when school gets out for Christmas Break, you can bet I will be taking the tree and lights home to my apartment so I can enjoy it there too :)

What am I watching?

Honestly, I just want silence when I get home from work most nights. So I opt for no TV. However, once we got out on Christmas Break, I'm planning to watch all the fun Christmas movies :)

What am I reading?

I've been reading through The Bronze Bow with one of my classes. I have loved how engaged this book has kept them. It was fun to find a book they were actually interested in reading! Yay for learning and fun joining together! :)

What am I listening to?

Christmas music, of course :)

What am I wearing?

Nothing terribly exciting or blog worthy...

 What am I doing this weekend?

There's an Elementary Christmas concert on Friday, our staff Christmas party on Saturday, and then, church and another staff dinner for our visiting accreditation team on Sunday. So I'll be at all of those. And at some point, I'll probably need to do a bit of prep / copies / etc. for the upcoming week...

What am I looking forward to next month?

1) Christmas events with my students - I love being a teacher at Christmas time. Sure, I have to give exams. Sure, I have to teach important content-rich lessons. But thankfully, I can also weave in some fun AND weave in lessons on the true meaning of Christmas. Not to mention, having a Christmas party with my people too. I love it all!

2) Christmas Break - Can I just say a big ol' amen for the fact that I'll get to have multiple days in a row when I do NOT have to set an alarm clock! Y'all have no idea just how excited I am about this fact!

3) Video Chats with my nieces at normal times of day and not super late at night like we normally have to do thanks to us all being in school AND being 6 hours apart thanks to the current time difference between us.

4) Oh, and also, the AGWM Africa Conference that's happening in South Africa after Christmas! Yay for travel (that's not an out of pocket expense)!

Favorite Recent Amazon Find?

I've been "window shopping" for gifts for my family. I'll be buying those next week and having them sent to them. I'm so thankful for Amazon's Black Friday/Cyber Monday sales and how they gave me the ability to still participate in family Christmas even if I'm not there in person :)

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

What about you?

What are YOU up to this month?

Currently

Happy Wednesday, Y'all

Today I'm joining Anne from In Residence for her monthly link-up, where we share what's currently going on in our lives. And each month, Anne gives us a list of prompts to use to guide our posts. 

August's prompts are...

  * choosing *  consuming * enjoying * ordering * remembering *

I'm currently choosing to work a little each day, slowly weaning my way back into a semi-routine. I'm definitely not doing a lot. But I figured if I do a little bit each day, it won't be too bad when the real "work days" start. And at the moment, I’m doing just computer work. Planning my SPED presentation for professional development days, starting IEP prep, figuring out scheduling (which tends to be an interesting "puzzle" every year), and more. Then I’m planning to start on classroom unpacking and rearranging next week.

I'm currently consuming far more water than I used to. I got in the habit of it at the beginning of the summer and I've actually noticed an improvement already. Here's hoping I can keep it up when school starts back and the cravings for more caffeine kick in... :)

I'm currently enjoying peaceful evenings, sitting outside on my balcony, every now and then.  And since the only time that it is actually semi-cool during this time of year is in the late evenings, that is when I typically choose to enjoy it. 

I'm currently ordering nothing else. Although, I did just order these masks to use while working with a few of my kiddos next year, who need to be able to read my lips while I speak. It was a last minute decision. But I'm glad I did. Here's hoping they arrive before students do :)

I'm currently remembering all sorts of fun things from the past decade or so. This past week, I celebrated the anniversary of my arrival in Senegal for the first time, 11 years ago. How is it possible that it's been that long? Some times it feels like it was just yesterday...

 And since it's my blog and I can, I thought I'd share a couple more :)

I'm currently planning to go out with a few friends for my birthday tomorrow. Good people, good food, good times... All good in my book ;)

I'm currently looking forward to getting back into a routine. I love Summer Break. I may still wake up ridiculously early. But I 100% love not having to hear an alarm go off every single morning. Plus, I love that I still have all this free time and time to work at my own pace/schedule. But y'all... I'm really looking forward to seeing my students again. I really am looking forward to school getting back in session (with COVID related precautions in place, of course). 

I'm currently listening to this song by Cory Asbury ("Sparrows"). A friend shared it with us at our AG get-together the other day and I loved the lyrics. It's such a good song. Well, really, the entire album is good. I love it!

I’m currently trusting in God, thankful that He is the Master Author of my life. I’m thankful for the hope I can (and do) have in Him. 

  So what about you?

What are your currently up to?

What's Up March

Happy Wednesday Y'all!

Today, I'm joining Shay, and Sheaffer for their 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. 

The questions are...

 

What am I eating?
 
Nothing terribly exciting - But it has been nice being off for Spring Break and having lots of time to cook, which I love to do. I just don't do it a lot during the school year because I'm usually exhausted by the time I get home each evening. So yay for having time to actually enjoy cooking for a change! :)


What am I reminiscing about?

The image below showed up on my Facebook memory feed last week. 11 years ago, this month, I accepted a position to teach at Dakar Academy. I was teaching Special Education in Montevallo, Alabama and was loving it. My school was great. My kids were awesome. And my co-workers were great, too. But, I knew God was calling me to leave all of that, my family, and life in my sweet home Alabama behind. Why? To teach at Dakar Academy... 

Sometimes it's hard to believe that it's been that long. So much has changed in that time. And I know I have grown in my role as a Missionary Teacher, and a teacher in general. It hasn't been a bed of roses every single day/year. There have been plenty of hard times along the way. But I can honestly say that, at this point, there is no where else I'd rather be. I'm so grateful for the 100+ kids who have walked through the doors of my classrooms here at DA. And I'm grateful for all of the memories I have of all of these years of teaching here.

 What am I loving?

I’ve been loving how teachers from all over the world are sharing resources on social media. I participated in a Zoom chat with a few different teachers, from 3 different countries, all in the same boat... We're all SPED Teachers who teach multiple grades at the same time, trying to figure out how to make that work if we end up having to teach online. We shared ideas and resources, websites, etc. And we also took the time to pray together and offer encouragement to one another. It was such an incredibly huge blessing and just what my teacher heart needed at that time!

What have I been up to? 

Prepping for the potential of having to do online schooling... I teach 8 out of 8 periods a day. I have 7 students in 4 different grades. I also supervise/monitor others in other grades, due to their IEP requirements. So yeah... That's a lot of online schooling prep. Our goal is that we won't need it. Our goal is that when April 6 comes and Spring Break is over, we will be able to return to normal schooling. However, our Administration reminded us (and I 100% agreed) that it's better to have it and not need it than the other way around...

And I must say... I'm feeling a bit emotional. I miss my kids. I know it's still Spring Break. But the thought of us potentially going to online schooling, and all that entails, just breaks my heart. Forget the extra work that will be for me (and yes, it will for sure be a LOT of extra difficulty for me)... Forget all of that. I just miss my kids.

This is all of the books/supplies I would need to use if we did online schooling for 2 weeks.

What am I dreading?

Next month will be 5 years since my dad passed away. I'm kind of dreading the pain that goes along with that day. And yes, I do know that he's no longer sick and in pain. I know he's in a far better place. But it's still hard. Bittersweet memories still bring a tear to my eye...

What am I working on?

I'm still working on summer plans and finalizing my speaking schedule. Send me an email today at enichols85@gmail.com and we'll set something up. As of now, my plans are to still come back to the U.S., like I always do each summer, to connect with supporters and raise missions support. However, we need COVID-19 to get its act together and leave Senegal and the USA first...

What am I excited about?

It's officially Spring Break for teachers at my school. Last week our students were out on an extended break, as the Senegalese government shut down all schools. However, we teachers still came to work. It was nice being able to get so much planning done, though. So I'm not complaining at all. But still.. It's nice to be on Spring Break now, to be able to sleep late without hearing alarm clocks every day, and to not have to go into my classroom to work unless I just absolutely want to do so. I am still an early riser and I'll still work a bit. But it's nice to be a bit more lax with my schedule. So yes, I'm excited that Spring Break is finally here.

What am I watching?

I watched The Hiding Place last month with one of my classes, as a wrap up to the book. They were able to compare the two and to explore a bit of the history surrounding that time period, in that part of Europe. Y'all... I guess I forgot about this part. But at the beginning of the movie, Corrie is walking with a group of students, who very obviously have disabilities. After the police stop her to ask questions, she tells the children she won't be able to see them for a while. And I knew... I knew why. These kids were considered to be "inferior," so obviously they'd have to be sent away. And my heart broke. It broke for the reality of people who dealt with that all those years ago. It broke for my own students, who thankfully did not fully understand the implications of that scene. And I totally teared up every time I thought about it. Oh my heart... It was hard.

 I'm also going to finally watch The Sound of Music for the first time EVER, much to the joy of my friend/neighbor, who couldn't fathom how I've never watched it.



What am I reading?

I'm reading a lot, thanks to having lots of time due to Spring Break and self-quarantining-ish. But the highlight of my reading times was last night when I got to chat with my nieces and hear each of them read me a book, followed by me reading them a book. Seriously... It was so special! 

 

What am I listening to?

I've been listening to Micah Tyler's song, Even Then, a lot lately. In fact, I wrote about it on here yesterday. You can read it HERE if you missed it.

What am I wearing?

Let's be honest... I'm wearing PJ's as much as possible. After all, it's still Spring Break, y'all! :)

 What am I doing this weekend?

We're only on Week One of our two week Spring Break, so I'm planning to be sleeping late, reading (for fun), and working on grad school assignments. I'll probably record a couple videos to have on hand to use if we end up having to do online school lessons after Spring Break.

What am I looking forward to next month?

Elementary Camp is at the end of next month. I've led it the past few years and have absolutely loved it. It's a lot of work, sure. But it's worth it, for sure. I can't wait! Past that, I'm just looking forward to life getting back to normal :)

What else is new?

People all over the world are streaming their church services, watching online in various formats. I love that even though this way of attending church is new to most, it's still happening. Pray for your churches/congregations, your pastors, and your missionaries y'all. They need the support now more than ever!

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

What about you?

What are YOU up to this month?

Giving Tuesday

Did you know that today is Giving Tuesday? 

One of the main reasons that I am able to continue doing what I am doing is through the incredible generosity of men, women, and children, from around the world, who sacrificially give to support my ministry. 

What is my ministry, exactly? 

Well, I get to hang out with this super fun bunch all week long :)

I am a Missionary Teacher, serving with the Assemblies of God, at Dakar Academy, an international K-12 school, which teaches, using an American and Biblical-based curriculum. I am a Special Education Teacher. And I also head up a couple clubs/programs for students after school. 

Would you prayerfully consider giving to support my ministry in Senegal?

If you feel led to give, there are a few different options for doing so...

* Click HERE to give online.

*Send me an email at enichols85@gmail.com to find out how to give via check.

* If you would like to send a care package with supplies or a gift card to buy supplies for my students send me an email for a Wish List and address in the States for where to send the package that I can pick up while visiting later this month. 

* And if you would like to join my prayer team and to receive updates about my ministry, send me an email and I'll add you to my mailing list.

A Decade Ago

Today is a big day. It's my Senegal-iversary.

I stepped foot on Senegalese soil for the very first time on this day, exactly 10 years ago. Y'all... That's a decade! How is that even possible?!

Life has changed so much in that amount of time. I've gotten older. And I'd like to think I've gotten wiser, as well. I know I've become more confident in my abilities as a missionary and a teacher. 

10 years ago, my dad and I loaded my suitcases in the car and headed to the airport in Atlanta, where I said a tearful goodbye to my family. Why'd I do it?

I was going for one reason...

I was going to fulfill the call God had placed on my life.

God had called me to be a Missionary Teacher.

He had graciously allowed me to help further His Kingdom through education. 



I was so young that first year. Honestly, I worried about that first class. I worried that I wouldn't be the teacher they needed. I worried that I would fail them. I worried so much... But you know, it really wasn't that bad. And I am so, over the moon, proud of those students (and yes, proud of me too). I loved watching them grow as the years went by. I loved seeing them shine in sports and musicals, in Drama and academics, in ministry and in life. I loved it!

And not just them.

I've taught 100+ students over the years. The majority of those students being at Dakar Academy, that school I crossed the Atlantic for a decade ago...

And y'all...

I am so, incredibly blessed to call each and every one of them "mine." I'm thankful that God led me to leave the comforts of "home" behind, sacrificing time with family and friends, leaving so much behind, all so I could love on those 100+ kids. 

I'm thankful for each classroom.

I'm thankful for each child.

I'm thankful for each opportunity I've had to learn and grow, to nurture and encourage, to teach and to love. I'm thankful for each opportunity I've had to share the love of our Heavenly Father and the Truth of His Word. 

I'm thankful for the past 10 years.

And I look forward to however many more God has for me.

I love being a part of the Assemblies of God World Missions Department.

I love being a part of Dakar Academy. 

I love being Ms. Nichols, a Missionary Teacher, just following her Savior around the world to her "home away from home," and doing what God has called me to do.

Thanks for the past 10 years Senegal.

It's been awesome!