Wordy Wednesday

I was looking at the wealth of images at Casa de Google and saw the one above and thought it was perfect for this post.

I've had Dakar on my mind a lot lately and as I looked through some pictures the other day, I couldn't help but smile as the memories came flooding back.

Memories like...

1. the GREEN party with my first group of 1st graders

Bless their hearts. My sweet babies that year were incredibly hyperactive. Sitting still, staying quiet, and focusing was EXTREMELY difficult for this crew. ...which meant the majority of them stayed on "red" in terms of behavior most of the time. 

Well, about 6 weeks into school starting they FINALLY had an all (well, almost all) "green" week, so I threw them a Green Party, complete with green food, green art activities, green face paint, and we wore green clothes too! 

It was a blast!

2. Flame trees

Dakar was typically very dry and dusty brown. So seeing these trees in bloom always brightened my day.

3. Friendship

This picture was taken at DA's Olympics one year. These two cuties were headed to their next event and were so happy to be on each other's team. 

4. Burger avec l'oeuf

I love a good hamburger. In fact, I'd say it ranks pretty high up on my list of favorite foods. However, I was a surprised upon biting into my first hamburger in Senegal. Two of the main ingredients are a fried egg and french fries (loaded right into the bun). It took a while to get used to, but it was still super tasty. ...and it always made me smile :)

5. Fishing boats

I loved riding by the coast and seeing the brightly colored fishing boats. This is one thing that I definitely ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS think of when I think of Senegal.

6. Baby Goat

I remember being in Saint Louis, Senegal, and snapping this picture. I remember smiling, thinking how this little guy had escaped a grim future since he was probably too small for the sacrifice that his other goat buddies had been forced to become.

7. A student's feet

I'll never forget the little guy who these feet belong to. He has already endured more than any child his age should have had to. He was out of his home culture, out of his element, and away from anything familiar. I didn't speak his language and he didn't speak mine. At first, he "fought" with me almost daily. He totally and completely broke my heart. 

And then one day when I realized... This little guy had stolen my heart. I can honestly say that I have loved every single student that's come through my classroom's doors. But this guy... He was something special. 

It took so much energy and effort (and prayers) to get through to him, that when I finally did, I realized what an incredibly special prize this guy was. When I finally broke through his tough shell to see his true, beautiful self, I realized what an awesome kid he was. 

We may not have understood each other at first. But by the end, he was my buddy, my "assistant" in class. And when he moved away the following year, I cried and cried. 

This child... God sent him as the biggest lesson of my teaching career thus far. And I can't help but smile to think of this sweet little guy!

Hello April

How in the world is it tomorrow April?! Wasn't it just January? When did I blink?

This month I'm saying hello to...

1. Making the most of my time at home

I'm planning to bring home as little work as possible each night. This way I can make the most of my time with my parents as possible. My dad's health isn't the greatest. So I want to cherish our time together.

2. So many celebrations

There is Easter, of course. But I also will be celebrating birthdays, anniversaries, a wedding, and so much more. 

3. Writing my first real IEP(s)

I've written fictitious ones in college. I've assisted others in writing them during my long-term sub position 6 years ago. But now... Now it's just me. And since all but maybe 3 of mine are this month, it looks like by the end, I'll be a pro :)

And last, but most certainly not least...

4. Easter

This is such an awesome reason to celebrate. Our Savior didn't stay dead. No. He rose from the dead on the 3rd day. And it's because of that, I can live with the hope of a future in Heaven with Him one day. What a blessing that God loved us so very much that He sent His one and only Son to die for us!

ABCs

I haven't done an ABC post in a while, so I figured today would be a good day to add a little randomness to the blog...

I...

...am amazed by the peace that comes from God. I just can't fathom how someone can live without it. 

...bought Subway for dinner last night for my mom and me. The smart thinking side of me thought ahead and bought a footlong sandwich so I'd have enough for supper last night and lunch today. Score 1 for me not having to wake up earlier today to pack a lunch :)

...call my mom so much! I'm so glad it's free for us to call each other because if it wasn't, I'd be broke for sure!

...am saddened by my dad's decline in health. It makes me sad to see him sick and hurting. Anyone reading this want to send an extra prayer up? Please feel free.

...enjoyed having a break from school. Even if it didn't go according to plan, it was still nice to not have to go into work each day :)

...am looking forward to this weekend. We have an Easter event at church on Saturday and my sister-in-law and nieces are going to come with me. Then Sunday is Easter, itself. I can't wait!

...am grateful that I had this past week off. 

...hate standardized tests. I personally believe that it is stupid to give these types of test when we spend the rest of the year individualizing our curriculum. It just doesn't make sense

...am intrigued by Autism. There's so much we don't even know about it. That's how huge this disability/disorder is. 

...juggle quite a bit. And while it's not always super easy, I do feel I've gotten a better grasp on it here lately.

...know that this month is going to be exceptionally busy with IEP prepping, writing, meeting, etc. But it's so worth it. Since this month is so jam-packed, my May won't be so bad. So it's worth it :)

...love working with the kids I have. It's such a rewarding job!

...wrote a blog post on memories I have of time spent with my dad. What a sweet time of reflection :)

...needed to read the verse below. I love how God directs my reading so that I see exactly what I need at the time I need it!

...offered to run an errand for my mom after work today. I'm so nice :)

...completely redid my Pinterest account yesterday. And in the process, I was reminded just how much of a time-sucker Pinterest is :)

...quickly finished the last of my paperwork before school started this morning. Just in thine for a new big batch to start tomorrow. Ah, such is my life...

...had a very realistic dream about a certain topic two nights this past week. Not that I'm reading too much into it. But wow...

...have spent more time with my parents this week than I have in a while. And it has been so very worth it!

...totally sing the Alphabet song to myself when I'm looking for a letter. Yes, I can tell you where a letter is without it, but my brain totally wants to still sing the song :)

...will start tUtoring some kids after school next week to help them get ready for standardized tests. 

...think venison is delicious!

...watch very little t.v. these days. There's just so little on these days that's good/clean. It's sad...

...an eXcited that there's only 8 more weeks (and 2 days) 'til I leave for my 2 week trip to Senegal :)

...took the cutest picture of my youngest niece the other day. Isn't she precious? :)

...fixed the zipper on a student's jacket today, but not without quite a bit of work. Man, it was stuck!

The Value of a Moment

*Source*

Dr. Seuss was a wise man. I saw the quote above a while back and it made me think of all the moments/memories I've had/made with my sweet Daddy.

I remember...

...playing dress up. He was always such a good sport and would humor this (then) little girl as she put all sorts of girly hair clips in his hair and play make up on his face as part of playing "beauty shop."

...riding in the u-haul to whereever we were moving to next. My brother and I would take turns riding with my mom in the car and my dad in the u-haul. It was soooo cool to ride in the "big huge" u-haul truck with my dad.

...fixing up our playhouse in the back yard. We thought we had the coolest playhouse/treehouse in the world. We loved it!

...playing in his office at church. He'd be working (or at least trying to) and we'd get to hang out with him and play.

...all those trips to camp. My dad LOVED taking kids to camp. He'd work his butt off all day, but would still have the time to play pranks on people and make everybody laugh!

...him praying with me. He knew just what to say and he'd always follow it up with a prayer. I learned about the power of prayer from my dad. It wasn't something that had to be taught through words/lessons. It was taught through his actions.

...riding the bus to football games. I was in the Colorguard my last 3 years of high school and my dad drove the band bus.

...him in the stands at every single game. Even when he had a major dental procedure done and was in extreme pain, he still came to the game. It always meant the world that he'd show up each time.

...meeting for supper while at Montevallo. There were quite a few times that we'd have classes on the same night, so it was a treat to meet for dinner and have that time together.

...all of the airport drop-offs and pick-ups. While in Senegal, I got all too familiar with the teary goodbyes and joyful hellos that occurred at so many airports.

...those "I'm proud of you"s. As sad as it was to say goodbye, my dad never forgot to say I'm proud of you for following the call of God.

...when he found out he was going to be a Pawpaw. Anyone that knows my dad knows he was made to be a grandfather. I remember as clear as a day the night we went to my brother and sister-in-law's house to meet up for dinner and them sharing the exciting news. I've never seen my dad so over the top excited in his life!

...the trip to Joe's Crab Shack. My dad loves seafood and has always wanted to visit this restaurant. So last September, we finally made it there. Even though his appetite had started dwindling at that point, I'll never forget the pure joy on his face while sitting there.

...him preaching while sick. My dad is a preacher. He is passionate about sharing the Word of God with anyone who'll listen. There were times when he'd preach from his hospital room or even the hospital bed in his home. I even remember one time when he was at church preaching and got extremely light headed. He'd preach for a few minutes, almost pass out, compose himself, and preach some more. It was an inspiration to see for sure!

...playing Family Feud in the hospital room. My dad loves him some Steve Harvey on Family Feud. He will laugh and laugh while it's on. Well, one night when he's half out of it, he asks me to find some Family Feud questions online so we can play. So he, my mom, and I "played" for close to an hour. He was so weak at the time but he laughed and laughed. It was so fun to see him perk up for that time.

There are a million or more memories I could share, but these are the ones that jumped out at me right away.

My dad's health is like a roller coaster. One day he's at the top, doing great. And the next day, he's at the bottom and we're worried that it's the end. Today's somewhere in the "low-middle" range. But you know...

I'm hoping I have many many more moments with my dad that develop into cherished memories. 

Lessons

Spring Break passes by so much more quickly than the time it took to arrive in the first place.

As a Special Education teacher, paperwork is a constant.

I watch 19 Kids and Counting and while I can't say I'd want to have 19 kids, I have nothing against the Duggars for doing so. Honestly, their show is one of the few clean ones on these days. I truly believe their happiness is genuine and I think the media just has a hard time accepting that.

Realizing I'm only 4 1/2 months away from being 30 isn't as hard to accept as I once thought it'd be. It definitely beats the alternative.

"Your darkest hour only has 60 seconds." - Morris Mandel

Having regrets is pointless.

Using the "R-word" (retarded) to describe someone or something makes a person look totally and
completely ignorant.

Sometimes a person's will to fight is stronger than their physical ability to do so. It's that will that keeps them going.

It takes great skill to trip going up the stairs. ...just like it takes great skill to be nowhere near a table when you start, but somehow ending up stubbing your toe on the table's leg. Just call me skilled.

What I wish I could say...

I've gotten better about speaking my mind in my old age. There are times when I'd really love to speak my mind, but as I've matured, I've realized it's not the best idea. 

But if God would have allowed me at certain times in my life, I would have definitely spoken my mind to certain people. 

People like...

...the lady who felt the need to say, "You know, you're not getting any younger. Don't you even want to get married?"

...the Red Cross nurse who said, "Ma'am, you clearly don't know much about geography because Ebola only happens in Africa. It'd be impossible for Ebola to happen in the U.S."

...the nurses at the long term rehab facility who told my mom, "Your husband's vitals are all normal. There's nothing wrong with him" a few hours before the ER doctor told her he had a highly contagious and serious infection and was incredibly sick and wouldn't have made it much longer if she'd waited to bring him in.

...the person who upon hearing I was going to Africa asked my dad, "Why doesn't she stay here? There are enough black people here in Alabama."

...the individual who after hearing me express how tired I was on a Friday afternoon who said, "I don't see why teachers complain. Y'all have it easy. You only work 7:30 to 3:30 and have all kinds of holidays off."

...the Post Office employee who said, "You can't mail jelly beans to Senegal. Customs has rules about that sort of thing. But if you want to risk it, then fine. We'll mail it."

...the people who say, "Teachers at Dakar Academy, and schools like it (who serve families of missionaries, embassy officials, and other businessmen/women) aren't REAL missionaries."

...the people who ask, "Do you speak African?" ...unless they're children and truly don't know any better. In that case, I'm fine with it :)

...the Africans who feel they're  complimenting me by saying, "Oh you're so big and healthy." And yes, this is a cultural thing and I totally learned to accept it. But it still stung a little. 

...the people who find out my younger brother is married and has two kids, and ask me, "What are you waiting for? You better hurry up."

...the customs agent who took my hand sanitizer, even though it was within the designated guidelines of size requirements and said, "Madam, this has alcohol in it. Alcohol is forbidden on flights."

...the orthopedic surgeon, who on my 18th birthday said, "You have wide hips. That's good if you plan to have children. Delivery should be no trouble for you." 

...the lady who exclaimed to my cousin, upon hearing I was a missionary in Africa, "Wait. There are white people living in Africa???"

...the telemarketer that called our house at 9 p.m. one night and couldn't understand why we'd be upset about the timing of her call.

...the people who write those emails saying, "You've won $1,000,000. Just give me your bank account number and social security number and I'll wire the money to you ASAP."

'Sup Wednesday

Today, I'm linking up with Mel from The Larson Lingo and her series What's Up Wednesday (...well, a shortened version) :)

Happy Hump Day to you! 

WHAT are you wearing today?

I love wearing skirts. ...especially cute colors like the one I'm wearing today. I snagged it at the thrift store last week for $5 and the best part... It still had the original store's tags on it :)

Anywho... I paired it with a black t-shirt, denim jacket, and black flats.

WHAT are you eating?

Today was exceptionally busy and exhausting, so I was thankful for McDonalds making my supper for me tonight :)

WHAT are you reading?

Right now all I have time to read is the mounds of paperwork and test results on my desk at work. But this is the first book on my Spring Break reading list :)

WHAT are you reminiscing about?

Dakar Academy, the school I taught at while in Senegal, is looking for teachers. So I shared this on Facebook this morning to try and get the word out to more people.

And it made me reminisce about my time at DA, and in Senegal. I love being in Alabama. I love my job. But boy do I miss Dakar...

WHAT are you looking forward to?

Spring Break! We only have 2 more school days and then FREEDOM!! :)

WHAT are you loving?

As much as I love Senegal and miss it, I so love being so close to my family again. ...especially my nieces. I so love those girls :)

WHAT have you been up to?

Work is going well. But oh my word am I busy right now. And I must admit... The past two days this meme has held true for me :)

WHAT are you excited about?

I leave for Senegal exactly 11 weeks from today! I'll be spending right at 2 weeks there and I can't wait!

WHAT are you annoyed by?

I don't understand how my dad can still be in so much pain and still be feeling the way he is and be told he'll probably be heading home soon. What?!

WHAT else is new?

Not a lot :)

So, what's up with you?