8 Years

 On this day, 8 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.

8 years ago, my heart was broken worse than ever before. And you know... Some days, it feels just like yesterday while other days it feels like it's been an eternity. 

This year, it's been much harder. And I can't figure out why. I just find myself grieving stronger than in years past. And that's hard. So hard.

I wish, more than anything, that I could call my dad and ask him for advice about various situations, to ask for help with finding a Bible passage to help me with whatever issue I'm facing, or even more than that, that I could call and ask him to pray for me. Because I knew I could always count on him to do all of those things. He'd drop whatever he was doing to help me with that. And I miss that.

And while I had a few months shy of 30 years with my dad, I'm secretly (or not so secretly annoyed that that 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 - who's life goal was to be a grandparent ;)

And then, I think about what I did/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 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 got 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!Because you see... 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

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.

So let's get started...

What am I eating?

All the Mexican food I can get :)

What am I reminiscing about?

My niece wanted to look through some old photos yesterday. So we did. It’s hard to believe it’ll soon be 20 years that I’ve been out of high school…

 What am I loving?

Family time… It’s been so nice to “fill my cup” with all sorts of family time during my time in the States. 

What have I been up to?

Spending time with my people…

What am I dreading?

The dread of being confined to a plane seat for a zillion or so hours comes to mind…

What am I working on?

Resting and getting refreshed after a crazy 8ish months of school. I love that God has called me to do this incredible work. I truly do love what I do. But I must say….It really has been nice to get away and unplug a bit. 

 What am I excited about?

My mom’s water heater was messed up. The pilot light on it wouldn’t stay lit. So we were having to take cold showers, heat water on the stove to wash dishes, etc. My brother, thankfully, fixed it for her yesterday, though. I’ve never been so excited for a hot shower, after a few nights of ice cold ones!

What am I watching?

Very little… My nieces spent a couple nights with my mom and me so we watched all the cartoons. But that’s been about it :)

What am I reading?

What am I listening to?

I must say… The giggling I heard on this couch was pretty fun to listen to :)

What am I wearing?

Nothing exciting :)

 What am I doing this weekend?

I'll be spending time with my mom and I'll be visiting my home church on Sunday. Then, I'll likely make one last Walmart run before leaving for the airport on Monday morning.

What am I looking forward to next month?

Well, we'll still be on Spring Break for part of it. So that'll be nice… Then I have some fun lessons/projects planned for my students too. So that’ll be fun.

Favorite recent Amazon find?

I ordered a few things off Amazon to bring back to Dakar with me for my classroom. But my favorite purchase of the moment was this fun “Teacher Off Duty” shirt :)

 

What's new this month?

We had an early Easter egg hunt with my nieces yesterday. It was fun seeing their happy smiling faces. I miss out on so much, especially holidays. So it’s nice to get to experience a bit here and there :)

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

What about you?

What are YOU up to this month?

What's Up February

       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.

So let's get started...

What am I eating?

I had something else planned for my answer to this first question. But then, this deliciousness got dropped off this morning. Look what a friend brought me! Yay for homemade king cake!

What am I reminiscing about?

This picture popped up in my Facebook "memory feed" the other day. I so clearly remember this day. My dad was in a long-term medical rehabilitation facility after an injury that left him unable to walk. He was so weak and frail at that point. But he perked up so much when my brother and sister-in-law brought their girls up to visit him. And I caught this sweet moment when my oldest niece was chatting away with her Pawpaw, telling him about who knows what. 

 What am I loving?

I love working with older students. It's funny... When I first started teaching, I was teaching elementary schoolers. I would often say, I could never ever teach middle schoolers or high schoolers. Nope. Not me. Ha! Boy does God have a sense of humor! While I do sometimes miss working with the little guys, I must admit... I love working with the "big kids." I love their spunky personalities, their real deep/serious conversations, etc. They're awesome!

What have I been up to?

Working - This week has included all the usual busy-ness that is normal in my position plus lots of extra meetings too. It's nice not being bored. However, I must say... I'm really really looking forward to the weekend :)

What am I working on?

Getting my tooth fixed... I can't say this experience was the most enjoyable. My fear of dentists is real, y'all. But thankfully, the dentist here that I saw is good. And thanks to someone amazingly generous, it didn't break my wallet to have to pay the bill when he was done. I appreciated God's provision in this situation so very much. Such a blessing!

 What am I excited about?

One of my science classes is starting a fun project today, as a way to wrap up our unit on the human body. They'll get to combine all they've learned in this unit with a bit of art too. So they're excited. And if they're excited about showcasing what they've learned, then I am too :)

What am I watching?

I'm taking a bit of a break from TV at the moment.

What am I reading?

I'm reading through The Call of the Wild with one of my classes. And when all 3 of my (typically very squirrelly) boys sit perfectly still listening to the reading of each chapter, I know we picked a good novel. I loved it!

What am I listening to?

Nothing new - Anyone have a suggestion of something new for me? I have a pretty eclectic taste in music. As long as the person singing isn't screaming at me or saying bad stuff I don't want to hear, I'm good :)

What am I wearing?

I've been wearing a sweater or jacket almost every single day. It's quite chilly here in Dakar. Honestly, this is my favorite time of year living here. It's like the perfect temps. Not too hot, not too cold... It's perfect! 

 What am I doing this weekend?

I rarely have a free weekend. So I'm definitely looking forward to this weekend. At this point, I am planning to do a bit of shopping for the class I sponsor, a bit of reading, a bit of resting, and as usual church and lesson planning. Yay for a mostly free weekend! :)

What am I looking forward to next month?

Spring Break and all the rest (and fun) that will come with it.

Favorite recent Amazon find?

I snagged my favorite black sweater on something a while back and while I can still wear it, I clearly needed to replace it. I tried while in South Africa for our AG conference, but had no luck. But I finally found one on Amazon the other day. And a friend currently in the States has graciously offered to bring it back for me.

What's new this month?

I visited a dentist in Senegal for the first time since arriving here in 2009. I've always just used my dentist in the US while back for visits in the summers. But alas, having a very obvious (and painful) issue that was right in the front of my mouth left me no choice. And it was a reminder that while I may be a few thousand miles and an ocean away from home, thankfully, we do have access to good dental care. That's such a gift and it is one that I definitely do not take for granted.

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 Jennifer from Overflowing with Thankfulness, along with a few other bloggers, and sharing a look at what's currently going on in my life. The prompts for this month's post are:

* loving * feeling * posting * receiving * seeing *

So what am I currently up to?

I'm currently loving the song, In Jesus Name (as sang by Katy Nichole in the video below). I said it in last week's What's Up January post, too. But it really has been such a great song for me, lately. I love the uplifting/inspiring words and the truth of Jesus that it contains.

I'm currently feeling tired. Anyone else with me? :)

I'm currently posting little. I did “post” the following on my whiteboard yesterday, though. Teaching isn’t always just sunshine and rainbows, y’all. Kids have bad days (teachers too). But there’s always a new day…

I'm currently receiving nothing new. But my mom's Christmas card did arrive a week or so ago. That's one of the perks of mail sometimes taking a while to get here. I can celebrate Christmas for a long time after it's actually over. And let's face it... Whether it's on time or late, it's always nice to receive mail ;)

I'm currently seeing a dentist. Or, at least, I will be soon. A co-worker is going to help me call at lunch today, since my French is not at the level it needs to be to even ask the questions I need to ask the receptionist at the dentist's office. Boo to tooth pain/problems. Boo to a big bill I wasn't planning on having (especially one before the next payday). Boo to a lack of dental insurance. Boo to the possibility of having to request Novocaine to be used for things that typically never need that request in the US. And boo to potentially having to take time off work (which is complicated enough, in itself, because as we all know, writing sub plans is a pain in itself). But hey... At least I have access to decent dental care here in Dakar. I do realize this could be worse :)

And since it's my blog, so I can...

Here are a few more Currently's for this month's post :)

I'm currently eating some delicious homemade potato soup (or I will be after making it tonight for dinner). And since I found bacon at the store (not always available here) and can combine it with the white cheddar cheese (never available here) which I brought back from South Africa, I know this soup is going to be good!

I'm currently thinking and praying through a lot. Feel free to say a prayer for me, too, if you're reading this post. 

I'm currently trying to do better about using my Bible app each morning before doing anything else - even before getting out of bed or turning on my light. I still spend more time reading/studying The Word later in the day, of course. But I really do appreciate the few minutes of peace that accompany this reading time as a nice way to start my day each day

 So what about you?

What are you currently up to?

What's Up January

      Happy Thursday, Y'all

Today, I'm joining Shay and Sheaffer for their What's Up Wednesday link-up. And yes, I do realize I'm a day late posting. But alas, yesterday was busy. At any rate... Can you believe that the first month of 2023 is already almost over?!

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 could show you the delicious meal I had while at a Brazilian restaurant with friends on Sunday. Or I could show you the amazing chicken tenders and salad I had from a local "just down the road from me" delivery on Monday. But I don't have pictures of those. I was happy to see that our biggest American Food Store has had Peanut Butter M&Ms (which are my absolute favorite!) lately. They're so so good. And since I actually had a picture of them, they're the ones that make the cut for the blog this week. Ha! :)

What am I reminiscing about?

My time in South Africa for our AGWM Conference. Y'all... It was such a good time, with God speaking to my heart in such a sweet, personal, needed way. We had incredible services with great times of worship, inspirational and challenging sermons, and sweet times of prayer. I had time to soak up the beautiful scenery/nature around me (hello pretty flowers and lots of green grass) and more than that, to spend lots of time in the Word. We got to go on a safari drive and marvel at more of God's incredible creation. We had amazing food the entire time. I got to spend time chatting with friends - both old and new. It really was such a truly great time!

 What am I loving?

I'm loving all the fresh veggies we can get, for fairly inexpensive prices, here in Dakar. We may not have the big selection we can get in the US. But I'm happy with hauls like this. Cherry tomatoes, bell peppers, green onions, cilantro, zucchini, and corn on the cob, all for about $7.50.

What have I been up to?

I spent far more time in my classroom than I do at home. So what have I been up to? I've been teaching and working with these incredible people God has placed in my care. That entails far more than can fit in a simple "box" on a blog post. But suffice it to say... I've been busy :)

 

What am I dreading? 

Nothing at the moment :)

What am I working on?

I had to renew my passport yesterday. Oh the stories this passport, and the one before it, could tell. Tales of mission trips as a college student, when God first called me into missions. Tales of vacations in other countries since flights from this part of the world are just a tiny fraction of the cost as they are when flying from the US. Tales of mission conferences in other countries. Tales of itineration/fundraising trips back to the US, connecting with missions supporters and sharing my heart for the incredible people God has called me to work with. Tales of traveling back and forth between the US and Senegal, my two "homes" for all these years. And so many more...

 What am I excited about?

Nothing big or shareable at the moment :)

What am I watching?

I've been watching my way through Seinfeld lately. It's such a dumb show. But it does, definitely, make me laugh. And I'm a big fan of giving my brain a break some in the evenings. So it does the trick :)

What am I reading?

I started reading "Flipping ADHD on its Head" by Dr. Jim Poole, a few weeks ago. It's a good read, but because it's so informative and I want to truly focus on the material, it's taking me a bit longer than usual to read it. I hope to finish it this upcoming weekend, though.

What am I listening to?

A friend shared this song on Facebook a while back and I quickly went and downloaded it from iTunes. It's been my go-to worship song, on repeat, ever since... I love the part that says, 

"I pray for your healing. 

That circumstances would change. 

I pray that the fear inside would flee in Jesus' name. 

I pray that a breakthrough would happen today. 

I pray miracles over your life in Jesus' name..."

What am I wearing?

Nothing exciting :)

 What am I doing this weekend?

The usual... 

Lesson Planning

Church

Grocery Shopping

Sleep. Eat. Repeat.

What am I looking forward to next month?

I have some fun stuff planned in my various classes. I also need to start finalizing my summer plans. ** Shameless plug time - Want to hear about the work happening in Senegal and beyond? Contact me to set up a service today. I'd love to come share my heart with your church, small group/class, etc. Or even to set up a time to meet for coffee or dinner...

Favorite recent Amazon find?

Nothing new for me... I did find a fun surprise gift for my sister-in-law. However, I can't share it here since the gift hasn't arrived to her house, yet. But can I just say how awesome online shopping is? I love that I can still easily buy gifts and things for people and have it shipped directly to them, even if I'm living a few thousand miles and an ocean away.

What's new this month?

Nothing much...

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

What about you?

What are YOU up to this month?

What's Up December

     Happy Tuesday, Y'all

Today, I'm joining Shay and Sheaffer for their What's Up Wednesday link-up. Except, I'm posting on Tuesday, since I'll be traveling most of tomorrow...

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've been cooking/baking quite a bit since being out on Christmas Break. It's been nice to have the time to do it AND to actually not be exhausted while doing so. However, I really really just wanted a simple, "finger foods" type meal. So I made that happen... All sorts of fresh veggies, homemade sausage balls and some homemade chocolate chip/reeses pieces cookies (which didn't get pictured). So so good!

What am I reminiscing about?

Christmas with my students... The last couple weeks of school put me through the emotional ringer. But we took some time in between studying for exams and doing required classwork and the kids decorated the tree. Then we had the sweetest little Christmas party with the kids we see in our room each day. And then there were lots of times with various kids wanting to sit near the lit up Christmas tree and read or study or do their work. I love Christmas time as a teacher!

 What am I loving?

I must admit. I've been loving not having to set an alarm clock lately. I may still wake up super early each day. Not sure that'll ever change... But at least I don't have to hear an alarm clock blaring. Yay for breaks from school!

What have I been up to?

I finally started driving in Dakar. And while I found the picture below on Google images, I think I still could've taken one almost identical to it while out and about, driving, this past week. Y'all, traffic and driving in Dakar is no joke! But yay for independence!

What am I dreading? 

One of my students left. And if I'm being honest, I'm dreading the return in January with our classroom make-up being so different as a result of that departure. Boo to sad goodbyes :(

What am I working on?

I've been working on not working ;) Y'all... One of my main goals for the first week of Christmas Break was to rest/relax/take some time for me and just get refreshed. This past semester has been a doozy. And now I'm leaving today for a week and a half of meetings (with some fun times thrown in too, of course). So I knew I wanted to take some time at home, doing absolutely nothing. And it was glorious! :)

 What am I excited about?

I'm traveling. I'm leaving later today for a conference in South Africa. I'm looking forward to having time to fellowship with friends and colleagues, to worship together and hear about what God's doing all across Africa and let's be honest... I'm also looking forward to being able to visit a mall and maybe even McDonalds or Krispy Kreme, as well. :)

What am I watching?

I've always been a bit intrigued by the royal family. So even though I already have some pretty strong feelings about Harry & Meghan, I wanted to watch their Netflix series. So I downloaded all the episodes to watch while flying. I rarely can sleep on a plane anyway. So it'll give me something to do.

What am I reading?

It's Christmas Break so you'd think I would have had a lot of time to read. But I haven't read anything. I do have a few books downloaded (which have been downloaded for a while, actually, on my iPad to read while traveling tonight/tomorrow. So hopefully, that'll happen...

What am I listening to?

Nothing new or exciting... I will say, though, I think I've hit my limit of Christmas music. Which is odd because I am someone who can usually listen to some of it year around... Ah, how we change :)

What am I wearing?

As I was packing for my trip, I realized that I wear a lot of black. I mean, I already knew that. But wow, did I see just how much this is, indeed, true. Ha!

 What am I doing this weekend?

I'll be in South Africa for our AGWM West Africa and All Africa Conferences. So I'll be in meetings and such for that. It'll be nice seeing friends and co-workers I haven't seen in a while, hearing about what God's doing across this continent, worshipping and fellowshipping together, and staying in hotels/eating nice food/shopping a bit, etc. :)

What am I looking forward to next month?

Well, January starts off still in South Africa for a conference with all of my fellow AGWM co-workers serving in Africa. So that part will be nice. School will start back the second week of January. I can't say I'm thrilled about having to go back to school, but I will be happy to see my students again.

Favorite recent Amazon find?

A friend generously offered to bring me something back from the States, so I ordered some fun things to help me in my New Year's goal of Bible Journaling more. So I'm looking forward to putting those to use when she gets back and passed them on to me :)

What's new this month?

Normally, on Christmas Day, I go with my mom to my cousin's house. It's a fun day celebrating with my mom, her sister, and all of my cousins on that side of the family. I love that we all get together like this each year. Well, since I couldn't make it this year, my cousin set out one of my missions prayer cards so it was like I saw still there with them. It may seem like such a small thing, but to me, it meant so incredibly much. It definitely brought a smile to my face as I faced a "new" way of celebrating Christmas this year. 

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

What about you?

What are YOU up to this month?