Currently

  Happy Thursday, Y'all

I'm joining Jennifer from Overflowing with Thankfulness, along with a few other bloggers, and sharing a look at what's currently going on in my life. However, I'm ignoring the prompts for this month and instead just writing about some of the random "currentlys" floating around in my head.

So what's currently on my mind?

I'm currently thinking about Christmas. I found the cutest shirts on Amazon for my nieces. Each one has something on it that I know they'll love. I wasn't even looking for them. I was looking for a dress for myself and for some reason, Amazon showed me these shirts. And the best part was that they were on sale because of an extended Cyber Monday deal. So that helped! And on the off chance, they're reading this over someone's shoulder, which could indeed happen knowing them, I don't want to post the pictures of them just yet ;)

I'm currently smiling over (about?) the sweetness of my students. One of my girls mentioned wanting to mail a birthday card to a friend in the States. So I quickly found a card design on Etsy, printed it out, and asked a fellow teacher if this student's classmates could sign it during his class the next day, and then a person visiting took it later that night to mail once he got back to the States. Then there was another student who helped me plan a snack theme for our Christmas party that all students could enjoy, including the one friend that has fairly significant food allergies. There was another student who asked to borrow my colored pens to write a birthday note to her mom, asking me how to spell certain words as she wrote. And yet another who excitedly told me all about his plans for an upcoming project he’ll be doing with his parents and the mission work they’re doing, because "I just love getting to help other people, especially when they don't know that I'm helping. It's all about them and nothing about me!" :)

I'm currently shifting into study mode with most of my people, as we prepare for their midterms next week. I told someone the other day that it's somewhat surreal... For so many years, as an elementary teacher, at this point in the school year, I would have been planning all sorts of Christmas crafts and coloring sheets and all of that. But for the last few years, I've been creating, helping kids study for, and administering exams. And while I do miss the fun Christmasy activities, I do so love what I'm doing now too :)

I'm currently enjoying this casserole I made the other day, with shredded pre-cooked rotisserie chicken, rotel, cream of chicken, a bit of chicken broth, cilantro, some random seasonings, and topped with grated cheddar cheese. And it lasted a while too! Y'all... It was so good!

I'm currently feeling happy that at the end of next week, I'll be able to see my family again, for the start of my Christmas Break vacation :)

I'm currently looking forward to Friday's lunchtime party with my students. We're having ice cream (or sorbet) and juice. Then they can either eat lunch and hang out in my room or take it with them when they come pick up their Christmas gifts. I enjoy this day each year. We get to "party" before the craziness of the last week gets here - when my younger students get out early since they don't take exams and my older ones will be busy studying for their exams.

And lastly, I'm currently planning to pick up this journal that I ordered for myself a few weeks ago when I arrive in the States next week. I like that there are 366 pages in it, so my plan is to take a page a day in my efforts to journal all year and also, to intentionally notice/show gratitude for all the ways God is working in my life in 2024. P.S. How is it almost 2024 already?! Is that crazy to anyone else besides me?! :)

And that’s about it for me.

What  about you?

What are you currently up to? 

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?

What's Up January

 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?

I had big plans to cook this past weekend. But due to various reasons (some within my control and some out), I ended up not cooking. Plus this week and next week, I'm working through lunch each day. And I may or may not be eating a big breakfast and then just skipping lunch OR eating a late lunch. ...or taking a bag of goldfish like the image below, and calling it a day. Ha! :)

What am I reminiscing about?

Christmas Break with my family - It was such a nice trip. I enjoyed spending time with them, taking it easy, and having some down time, too. One of the hardest parts of my job is being away from family so much. So when my ministry work is "on pause," so to speak (i.e. school breaks), and I can afford to (since it's 100% a personal expense and I never use ministry funds for it), I definitely choose to spend time with my family. It's such a blessing.

 What am I loving?

I love that I can follow the call God placed on my life - to teach some of the most incredible kids I have ever met. I love that!

What have I been up to?

We started back to school a couple weeks ago, so I’ve been busy with that. I plan for 16 lessons, fit into 8 class periods (some happening simultaneously). Granted, two of those aren't daily classes. But still... It obviously takes a lot of time to plan for all of that. So, it seems to take up a lot of my time. I actually do like lesson planning, for the most part, though. So it's not all bad :)

What am I dreading? 

I've been dealing with a fairly persistent headache. It's not a migraine, thankfully. It's more like a tension headache. And while it's not going on all the time, it is happening at some point almost every single day. Obviously, it's getting old and my brain, both literally and figuratively, is tired of dealing with it. 

What am I working on?

I’m one of the class sponsors for our 10th grade class. And we're in the middle of our big fundraiser of the year. It makes for a super busy month or so for them/me. But I’ve enjoyed it. These kids are awesome!

 What am I excited about?

My students, typically, are unable to complete assignments in the traditional way. So I'm excited when I find resources and ideas that work for my students. Whether it's a new way of practicing our Spelling Words using the computer or an interactive slideshow on the various organ systems or creating a Boys vs Girls game with a Q&A video series on all things genetics or breaking out the multi-colored markers to help us as we analyze a passage from the Bible. 

What am I watching?

Nothing new - Honestly, by the end of the day, I have zero desire to watch a screen. Plus, I'm a big fan of quiet once I get home in the evenings. So if I'm being honest, watching TV/movies holds little to no appeal for me at the moment. 

What am I reading?

The other day, I started reading my 3rd book of 2022 - The Little Antique

Also - I'm reading The Incredible Journey with a couple of my students. It's been fun re-reading this story, whose movie version was one of my absolute favorites as a child. My guys are loving it. So I am too :)

What am I listening to?

I may have said this earlier... But honestly, by the time I get home each evening, my brain just wants some quiet time. So I'm not playing a lot of music these days. I do typically put on worship music while lesson planning/prepping in the afternoons or on the weekends, though. So I suppose I am listening to some music every now and then :)

What am I wearing?

Nothing terribly exciting :)

 What am I doing this weekend?

Lesson Planning

Church

Shopping for the 10th Grade Class

Paperwork for the AG

And hopefully resting at some point too

What am I looking forward to next month?

Lots of things happening at school... The culmination of our big fundraiser for the 10th graders happens on Valentines Day. Then there are a couple other events or projects happening next month that I'm looking forward to.

What else is new?

Nothing that I can think of :)

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

Can you believe it's already the first Wednesday of December?!

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. 

December's prompts are...

  * decorating * feeling * sending * smelling * wrapping *

I'm currently decorating (or rather making plans to decorate) my classroom door. Well, mostly my students will be decorating it. I'm just going to provide the supplies for it. We spent some time during one of my groups' study halls the other day, looking for ideas. And the plan is to start today, decorating it during "free time" during study halls and a bit after school. I can't wait to see their finished product. The picture below is the idea we got from a quick google search. But we've got a few other ideas on how to make it more "ours." :)

I'm currently feeling excited as I countdown the days 'til I can see my family again. And in case anyone is wondering... There are only 17 more days from today :)

I'm currently sending Christmas gifts to my brother's house via Amazon. I ordered a few things online since I found good deals. That way, once I'm there in a few weeks, I won't have to spend as much time in a store. Win, win! :)

I'm currently smelling nothing terribly exciting. Well, that's not true. I had this deliciously smelling goodness for a highly non-nutritious breakfast this morning. 

I'm currently wrapping up my very last grad school class. I'll finish in about a week and a half (or earlier if I can get more done this weekend). Y'all... I will be finished at the end of next week. I am so so very excited! Y'all have no idea! :)

And since it's my blog and I can, here are a few more...

I'm currently making plans for a writing project I started a while back and had to pause... I'm planning to start it back up in January (or maybe even over Christmas Break), since I won't have grad school work to do by that point. I'll still have to work late every day, due to the nature of my teaching position. But at least I'll have my nights free again :)

I'm currently looking forward to time with my family. I love my job. I love that I can follow the call God has placed on my life. But y'all... I miss my family. So whenever I'm gifted with the opportunity to see them I 100% take the chance 

I'm currently thinking about my dad. It's been 6 1/2 years since he passed away. And I miss him so much. ...especially at the holidays. He loved Christmas so much. It was always fun to watch his joy over the holiday and for preaching about the birth of our Savior. 

I'm currently starting to read through the book of Luke. My plan is to read one chapter a night through Christmas Eve. Then I have a Bible Study plan that will go along with it, to help as I read/study each chapter. 

And that's about it for me at the moment.

So what about you?

What are you currently up to?

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. 

November's prompts are...

  * appreciating * getting * making * sharing * wearing *

I'm currently appreciating the ways God speaks to me through my students. My job is difficult (and at times, overwhelming, to be honest). And it's more so this year than it has been in the past, due to various factors. But at the same time, I still love that God has called me to do this work. And I love that I can be assured that He will continue to equip me with exactly what I need to do this work well.

I'm currently getting excited about seeing my family in December. I consider myself blessed to be able to afford this trip. What a gift it will be to see my people! Only 45 more days :)

I'm currently making nothing terribly exciting. One of my students made this fun poster as a creative take on explaining the stages of the water cycle. Instead of simply drawing a diagram of it, he drew a group of scientists (in lab coats, no less), discussing each step, in their speech/thought bubbles. I'm a big fan of allowing students to use express their learning in hands-on projects. And I love when they take the guidelines I give them and then go further than that and show their unique/creative sides during their working. So fun

I'm currently sharing randomness I'm thankful for via social media. Each November, I do a "month of thanks" where I try to think outside the box and express gratitude for the things I sometimes take for granted. Things that may seem small in the scheme of things, but really aren't...

I'm currently wearing fun stuff for school spirit week most of this week. Yesterday was Character Day so I was the black crayon from The Day the Crayons Quit. Today was Pajama Day, but I skipped it. Tomorrow is Throwback Thursday. I'm still trying to decide on that one... The question is, do I go lazy and wear something easy to put together or do I actually want to get creative? Decisions, decisions ;)

And since it's my blog and I can, here are a few more...

I'm currently working through the highlights of the book of Numbers with one of the Bible classes I teach. Have I mentioned lately how much I love teaching at a Christian school? I love being able to teach my students about God and His Word!

I'm currently celebrating the birthday of one of my students. Or, at least, we did earlier today. What a fun time to sing, eat yummy treats, and to enjoy celebrating one our own. 

I'm currently looking forward to opening this box full of goodness my mom sent me. Some of it will be things I, myself, ordered online. But she said she also threw in some surprise items for me too. Yay for fun mail!

I'm currently considering buying a nice journaling Bible as a Christmas and grad school graduation gift to myself. I found this one, pictured below, on Amazon and fell in love with it. It's a bit pricey, but it has all the features I'd like. 

And that's about it for me at the moment.

So what about you?

What are you currently up to?

What's Up August

  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?

In an effort to have a healthy breakfast AND to not have to actually turn on my stove (because it turns my already warm apartment into a sauna), I've decided to have a smoothie... Usually, I can drink it at home while getting ready. But sometimes, I take it with me to drink on my way to work... 

What am I reminiscing about?

Time with family. I love being able to do what God's called me to do. But I do still miss my family and wish there weren't so many miles (or an ocean) between us...

 What am I loving?

I'm loving being back in school with my students. I love the hectic routine of my job. I love working out all of their schedules, making all the little "pieces of the puzzle" fall into place. I love sitting with them and talking with them and teaching them all that's required in our classes. I love reading with them and watching their knowledge base grow and grow. I love seeing those "lightbulb" moments, when they finally get some topic they've been struggling with. I love learning about their lives. I love discovering how they best learn and being able to meet their needs. My job is challenging and at certain times of the year (like now), it's even a bit overwhelming. But I truly do love it.

What have I been up to?

Lesson planning. So much lesson planning... 

What am I dreading? 

The rain

 You know, I love that the rain cools things down a bit around here. And granted, it's only around for a few months. But the rain is not my friend anymore. My ankles are so not happy when it's raining. Pain, swelling... It's just so not enjoyable. The arthritis in both ankles makes me feel like a little old lady when rain comes...

What am I working on?

Helping my people master opening a combination lock... And I may or may not be having flashbacks to my 9th grade year when I was stuck with an awful locker that was on the very far end of the hall and had a lock that would stick and refuse to open more times than not, making me late to my next class. I hated it! But hey, it's allowing me to have sympathy for my people. So I suppose it wasn't all bad. Was it? :)

 What am I excited about?

Nothing terribly exciting is happening in my life at the moment... It's not that things are bad. They're just not over the top exciting ;)

What am I watching?

I've just started working my way through The Office. I've seen clips here or there online and watched an episode or two on TV over the years. But I decided to finally start at the beginning and slowly work my way through. I wasn't sure at first... But it's grown on me :)

What am I reading?

I'm currently reading my 30th book of the year, The Night Circus, by Erin Morgenstern. It's not really the type of book I would typically choose to read. But a friend recommended it and I'm actually enjoying it. 

What am I listening to?

Last night, I heard the Kristene DiMarco's song Fear Not for the first time. 

I love the lyrics of this song. My favorite part is at the beginning, when she says,

When life piles up and you're feeling overcome

Stand still and believe, I won't let you drown

When a cry's in your throat, watching all the waves below

Lift your eyes to the sky and trust that I won't pass you by

God definitely knew I needed to hear this song (and those specific lyrics) when I did. I'm so thankful for this reminder. ...that even when I feel the stress and feeling of being almost overwhelmed, with that cry "in my throat," I know He'll hold my head above the water. He won't just pass me by. What a great reminder!

 What am I doing this weekend?

There's a dodgeball tournament at school this weekend. So at this point, I'm planning to go watch some of my students and co-workers play in that. Then I'll be doing my usual weekend routine... Lesson planning, grad school work, church, spending some time with friends, and resting/relaxing as I prep for the week ahead.

What am I looking forward to next month?

Nothing out of the norm...

Although, I am hoping to have my new A/C installed by then. But we'll see... I'm still waiting to hear back on a final price before I completely agree to it. So I suppose I am looking forward to that hopefully happening next month :)

What else is new?

Grad school... I finished one class yesterday and a new one starts this weekend. This one is on Educational Psychology, from a Christian perspective. And I'm  looking forward to it. And let's be honest... I'm also looking forward to this being my next to last class. If all goes well with this class and the next one that starts in October, I'll finish by December. I love taking classes. I love learning new things. But doing so at the same time I'm teaching has been difficult. So very difficult. And considering this will be my second Master's degree, completed online, while teaching (teaching overseas, at that), I think I'm done with being a student after I get this degree. My brain is tired. :)

 

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

What about you?

What are YOU up to this month?