Currently

Happy Wednesday Y'all

Today I'm joining Anne and Sarah for their monthly Currently blog link-up, where we share what we're currently up to in life, based on certain prompts given...

I'm currently traveling nowhere. But on Friday evening, I'll be flying to the the U.S. for the summer. I'm so ready to get back, connect with missions supporters, share my heart for this incredible ministry I get to be a part of, see family and friends, and let's be honest... I'm also ready to have Chik-fil-a and a large fountain dr. pepper with lots of good/safe ice again too :)

I'm currently grilling nothing. But I'm hoping to enjoy some of my mom's delicious grilled hamburgers while I'm back in the States. Yum!

I'm currently exploring new ideas for my class for the upcoming school year. I'm going to have students in a wide range of grades. So I'm exploring different ideas of how to best serve the students I'll call "mine." As a teacher who loves a good challenge, I know I'm going to love this coming school year :)

I'm currently planting nothing. I definitely do not have a green thumb. I love flowers. LOVE them. But give me a potted plant or make me actually go outside and plant something, and I'll kill it. I'm just so not gifted in that area.

I'm currently playing a lot of music. Since this week is a full week of Teacher Work Days, I've been playing worship music non-stop while doing my computer work. It's so nice to be able to have my music blaring away while I'm working.

And since it's my blog, I'm adding in a few more Currently's...

I'm currently reminiscing about all the fun memories from this school year. What a fun year it was! P.S. If you missed my post on this the other day, you can click HERE to read it.

I'm currently reading nothing new. But I do have a few good books in my backpack which will be joining me on the plane, heading back to the U.S. Although, before I can read "for fun," I'll need to finish up this week's grad school assignments. I am planning to work ahead, as much as possible on my grad school work, though, because I would prefer to not have to spend my entire time on the plane this weekend working on grad school work. We'll see though :)

I'm currently planning to spend all day in my classroom today. I have already moved all of the furniture to the middle of the room, like is required. I've taken all the posters off the wall. I've gotten almost everything signed off. I've met with administration. I've met with parents of some of the new students I'll have this upcoming year. And the last two things I need to do (turn in my computer and pick up my paycheck) can't happen 'til Friday. So back to work I go.

I'm currently having a couple friends over for dinner. Or rather, I will be tonight... It's time to use up the last of the stuff in my fridge/freezer before I leave for the summer. So we're merging resources and making biscuits and homemade sausage gravy with scrambled eggs on the side. Yum!

I'm currently thinking I'll still blog over the summer. But y'all... I'm not going to guarantee how often it'll happen. Honestly, I am looking forward to having time to ignore technology (minus that grad school class I mentioned) and being able to just savor/enjoy the time I'll have in the US, doing all God has in store for me over the Summer.

So what are you currently up to?

Dear 2017-2018 School Year,

Isaiah 63:7 says,

"I will recount the Lord's faithful acts;
I will sing the Lord's praises,
because of all the Lord did for us..."

This past week, our school's Director shared this verse with our staff. I immediately wrote it down, as a reminder to use it to start this blog post. 

As this school year draws to a close, I can't help but think of how faithful and incredible my God has been throughout this year. He has blessed my class, my students, and myself, immeasurably more than I ever could have imagined.

Back in November 2016, I shared a dream God had laid on my heart. This was a dream of starting a class for a group of incredible students at my school... 



The picture above shows the "Before" shot of my room. My room had originally been a meeting room and by the point we took this picture, it had been completely emptied out, ready to be transformed into the room it is today. When I look at this picture, I get a little misty eyed, thinking of just how far we've come. 

We started with literally nothing. But thanks to the incredible generosity of amazing men and women and children from almost literally all around the world, I was able to purchase all sorts of books, supplies, technology, and so much more. 

And thanks to the support and encouragement of my administration, I've been able to watch my class grow from the 3 students we started with in August to the 9 (yes, nine!) that I will have this coming school year.

So, now let's go back to the present.

The 2017-2018 school year is almost finished.

My students finished this past Friday and I'm required to work all this week.

So, I thought I'd write a "letter" of sorts to the 2017-2018 school year, as a way to recap the good, the not so good, the fun, and the blessings that it contained. If for no other reason, but to jog my memory into remembering the goodness of God...

Dear 2017-2018 School Year,

What a year you've been!

I so enjoyed decorating my classroom for you.

Sadly, you started off with an injury on the very first day of classes, which left me working one handed (leaving me using my non-dominant hand, at that). To say it made things difficult would be a major understatement. And actually... Still to this day, I have very little strength in that wrist. I can't lift/hold anything heavy. And I still have periodic pain in that wrist, as well.



But thankfully I can write and type and teach. So all's good.

Back to the positives :)

My students and I have had such a great time with you this year. Every time I walked in that blue door, I smiled, knowing just what it took to get there.

We learned all sorts of things this year.

 

We played games.

 

We made new friends.

 

We had parties.

 

We were silly.

 

 

And we were serious, too.

We went on a field trip.

We cooked and made all sorts of fun treats.

We "adopted" the preK class and did all sorts of fun things with them.



We celebrated this country we all call "home."

We read.

 

We wrote and researched and created.

 

We worked on bulletin boards.

We watched movies.



We participated in Olympics.

 

 

We did projects and conducted experiments

 

We received awards.

We had so much fun this year.



And we did so much this year.

And as I sit here, with literal tears in my eyes, I want to say...

THANK YOU 2017-2018 School Year.

Thank you for providing me with such an incredible answer to prayer.

Thank you for helping me see a dream come true. 

Thank you for blessing me with the gift of being Teacher to these kids.

Thank you for reminding me of God's incredible grace and love.

Thank you 2017-2018 School Year.

Thanks for being such an incredibly blessed and wonderful year.

Sincerely,

Me