What's Up May

   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 tried out a new (to me) pizza place here in Dakar the other night with some friends. It was super tasty and authentic, too. So good!

What am I reminiscing about?

This school year... It's been a doozy. I was dealing with a nagging injury for a large portion of the year. We've been in person. We've been online. We've had a bit of both. I've planned a semester's worth of sub plans, which I thankfully didn't need. I've prepped assignments in person and I've planned lessons via Zoom while being a few thousand miles and an ocean away. We've dealt with civil unrest in our city. We've dealt with power cuts and ridiculously high heat/humidity. We've said goodbyes/see ya laters to some friends. And we've said hello to new friends. We've worked hard. We've played hard. We've learn and grown together. My students have gone above and beyond, proving over and over again, just how incredible they truly are.

 What am I loving?

The instant pot... Y'all my life has improved so much with the addition of this thing to my cooking world. Seriously, it's so nice!

What have I been up to?

I was recognized a couple weeks ago for having 10 years of service at my school. So that was pretty cool. It's hard to believe it's been that long...

What am I dreading? 

Goodbyes that are coming. One thing about this line of work is the frequent goodbyes/see ya laters. You'd think I'd be used to it. But alas, it's still hard when someone you've gotten close to leaves...

What am I working on?

Wrapping myself in bubble wrap... Or, at least, that's what some friends jokingly said I should do. Y'all, I am just not having great luck. And while a knuckle is a very small part of the body, it sure is dealing me some pain. Just saying.

 What am I excited about?

I get to see my Mama in just 2 1/2 weeks!!!

What am I watching?

One of my guys is almost finished with a novel study on Where the Red Fern Grows. So once he's done, I figure I'll let him watch the movie. I'm not sure that I'm ready for the emotions that come along with watching this movie though. Oh my... 

What am I reading?

I'm in the middle of a study on 1 Timothy with one of my classes. And this is one of my most favorite parts of working at a Christian school. I love being able to study the Bible with my students. And I especially love seeing their eyes light up and their minds going as they're digging deep into the Word of God, learning more and more. Seriously. I love it!

What am I listening to?

Nothing terribly exciting... Although, I am getting ready to make up my newest playlist to listen to while flying home to Alabama in just a few weeks. Anyone have any suggestions for me? I'm not terribly picky. I have quite the eclectic range of taste when it comes to music interests.

What am I wearing?

These shoes... My favorite pair of black shoes sadly "died" last month. But thankfully, some friends who were in the States kindly offered to bring back this pair with them for me. Yay!

 What am I doing this weekend?

I have a couple school events (a couple parties and a concert) to attend this weekend. Then, there's church on Sunday. And I'll need to print off all of the study guides for the exams I'll be giving. Next week is our last week of classes. Then we have a week of exams. And then we'll be done. Somehow, I blinked and the school year has just flown by...

What am I looking forward to next month?

What else is new?

I'm scheduling services for this summer. If anyone would like to hear more about my work here in Senegal - either in a church service, or over coffee/dinner - just let me know. I've got all sorts of fun stories to tell of how God is working in this journey He has called me on. I'd love to share with you just a bit of my heart/passion for the incredible work I get to do.

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

What about you?

What are YOU up to this month?

Showing Appreciation

Happy Friday, Y'all

Today is the last day of Teacher Appreciation Week in the US. They've even done a bit with it this week here at my school in West Africa.

I once read a quote that said...

Most teachers don't realize the impact they have on their students.

Growing up, I knew I wanted to become a teacher.

Some of my earliest memories involve me, standing in front of a row of stuffed animals and baby dolls, with a notepad and pencil in hand, teaching them some lesson or another or reading them some story I'd "written."

Eventually, I started Kindergarten and I met these amazing men and women, who were doing the job I knew I wanted to do. 

They were teachers. 

And they were amazing. 

Not because of any lessons they taught...

Although, I'm sure those were amazing too ;)

No. They were amazing because of the seemingly little things they did or said, that made such an amazing impact on the heart/mind of this future teacher. 

I remember my kindergarten teacher sitting beside me pointing to each word in the book I was reading. I remember her hugging me and cheering for me when I finished reading my very first book. She made me feel like I'd won a million books. And she made me want to keep reading more and more.

I remember my second grade teacher, on the last day before my family was moving away, walking down the hallway, holding my hand, telling me how smart I was and how she knew that one day I would do big big things in this world. She made me believe in myself and my ability to achieve great things.

I remember my third grade teacher, holding me, as I cried, worried about my mom who was recovering from a major surgery. I remember her praying with me and telling me that no matter what, Jesus loves me and would always take care of me. I remember her not leaving my side until I had calmed down. She made me feel loved and cared for and reminded me that even in a public school where you often don't hear His name, Jesus is right there with us.

I remember my 6th grade teacher, helping us stay calm and distracted during a schoolwide lockdown that lasted hours and hours. I remember her telling us stories and letting us play games and I remember her calmness, reassuring us that everything was okay. She taught me that sometimes teachers get put in hard positions. But no matter what, we keep our cool and take care of the babies in our care.

I remember my 8th grade science teacher, who upon realizing I was having a hard day, let me eat lunch with her in her classroom, where we talked about the difficulties of life as a middle schooler, as we prepped for that afternoon's experiment. She made me feel heard. She taught me that sometimes all a person needs is a listening ear.

I remember my home ec teacher in high school, who patiently worked with me to master sewing. And boy was she patient because I was so not good at it. But she didn't give up and she encouraged me every step of the way. She taught me that a little encouragement can go a long way. 

She also came and saw me in Senegal. So there's that too :)

I remember my high school math teacher, who did her best to make math fun for kids like me who absolutely hated the subject. She helped me see how I would use that math in life outside of those school walls one day. She taught me that learning could be both educational and fun at the same time.

I remember my 12th grade English teacher, meeting with me to go over my first ever research paper. I remember her helping me sort through the information I'd gathered, and showing me tips on piecing it all together. She helped me fall in love with both research and writing, something I still love today.

I remember my college French teacher, sitting beside me on the flight to Paris, asking me about my dreams for the future and how I saw me using the French skills I'd been learning. Ironically, neither of us knew at that point that I'd one day be living in a French-speaking country, using those skills she taught me.

I remember my first education professor, chatting with me for a couple hours in her office, after I received the news that my dad had cancer. She taught me that teachers need to get to know their students and see beyond what's simply written on their papers. We need to know them as people. We need to take the time to listen to them when they're hurting.

I remember my Russian History professor (long story as to why I took that class) taking a group of us to McDonalds after class one day to chat about some random topic we'd learned in class that day. I don't even remember what we were talking about. But I remember him and his wife, who'd joined us, encouraging us as young college students. It wasn't even the meal that meant the most, even though that was nice to receive as a poor college student. It was the time they spent talking with us, laughing with us, and taking an interest in our lives. That's what meant the most.

I remember my Teaching Special Ed professor, inviting me to speak to one of her classes, and share about my work in Senegal. I remember her introducing me and making me feel like a million bucks. She taught me that even after our students have left our classrooms, they're still "ours" for years to come.

I remember so much.

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My family moved a lot. 

I went to 10 different schools before graduating high school.

I went to a community college for one semester.

I got my Bachelor's degree.

I got my Master's degree.

And I'm less than a year away from getting my second Master's degree.

So I've had my fair share of teachers.

I could've told far more stories than the ones I shared above. 

But I'll leave it with this.

There are a few things that almost all of my teachers had in common.

They showed me they cared. 

They showed me I could be somebody. 

They showed me I was heard and valued. 

And most of all...

They showed me how to be a good teacher.

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At the end of this school year, I will have been a teacher for 12 1/2 years. I will have taught in 3 schools in two different countries. I will have taught General Ed. Elementary, ELL, and Special Education. And I will have taught well over 100 students, spanning grades Kindergarten through 12. 

I am a teacher.

And while the first reason for that is a calling God placed on my life... The second reason for this career path of mine is the incredible teachers (role models) I have had over the years. 

So yes, I definitely appreciate all of my own teachers.

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  Today, I'm joining Erika and Andrea, for their weekly Friday Favorites linkup and sharing about some of my favorite memories and life lessons from some of my favorite teachers.

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. 

May's prompts are...

  * consuming *  exploring * getting * hoping * seeing *

I'm currently consuming nothing exciting. Today's lunch is leftovers from yesterday's lunch. However, tonight, I am planning to have some people over for dinner. And since it's Cinco de Mayo and I love any excuse to have tacos, that's what we're having. And yes, the statement below is 100% true. After all, every day is a good day for tacos :)

I'm currently exploring the make-up of plant and animal cells with one of my guys. I love seeing my students' creativity shine. ...especially when they are learning something at the same time :)

I'm currently getting new shoes to replace my favorite ones who finally "died." Or, at least, I will be once I can get back to the States this summer and go shoe shopping. And thanks to some friends in the States, I actually have a new pair of shoes coming out in the next few weeks. So yay for that too! :)

I'm currently hoping to be able to see as many family members, friends, and missions supporters as possible this summer. Anyone want to hear about some of the cool things God is doing in Senegal? I still have a few open dates. I could share with your church, class, small group, or even over coffee or a meal. Send me an email today and we'll set something up.

I'm currently seeing the light at the end of the grad school tunnel. My latest class finished last night. And then I will finish either in December or in May. It all depends on how many classes I want to take in the Fall. At any rate, I currently have 8 weeks of "freedom" before my next class begins. I include the quotes in there because I'm obviously still working/living life. So not totally free... ;)

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

I'm currently studying the book of Daniel with one of my classes. And as we work through the book, we're writing our own book, recapping some of the highlights. I'm consistently impressed by the level of understanding of my people. And let's be honest... Anytime we can study more from God's Word, it's even better :)

I'm currently missing my mom and wishing she weren't so far away. I'm so happy I'll get to see her in just 39 days... I don't take the blessing of this trip lightly. That's for sure.

And that's about it for me.

So what about you?

What are you currently up to?

What’s Up April

   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... I did have some nems the other night, though. They're Vietnamese egg rolls. They're basically spring rolls filled with all sorts of yummy goodness and then deep fried. They are so good!

What am I reminiscing about?

My dad... It's hard to believe that he's been gone for 6 years. Also, today would have been my parents 37th anniversary. So that's on my mind too. At any rate, I'm just so grateful for all of the memories I made with him.

 What am I loving?

I love seeing kids who once hated to read, fall in love with reading. Because the majority of my students struggle with reading, it's not even remotely close to being their favorite subject. As a result, I rarely hear positive comments about reading. But this year... This year I've been able to see such a fun shift in some of my crew. I'm so grateful for finding lessons/activities that make reading fun for them AND I'm thankful for a library full of all sorts of books (and an amazing librarian too) who make my kids want to read.

What have I been up to?

Teaching/prepping all the things... I'm a big fan of interactive notebooks, especially with my younger students. They're such a good way for students to get all of the content knowledge they need in a more fun manner than via lecturing and traditional pen/paper assignments.

What am I dreading?

I've been dreading the arrival of the bill for the doctor visits and the physical therapy sessions that I had done in January. Well the first bill came in and then, when I checked my insurance site, I saw the rest of it would be arriving shortly. I'm thankful for the generosity of people who have offered to help me with this unexpected expense. Because oh my word, y'all... It's ironic. In the 10+ years that I've had this insurance, I've barely touched it. But man, I do know how to go big when I do need to use it. And a super high deductible doesn't (didn't) really help matters...

What am I working on?

Grad school. So very much grad school... This class has been enjoyable for me. I've learned so much. But oh my word, y'all... It's required a lot of work! So knowing that once I turn in my last assignment next week, I'll get 8 weeks off before my next class start is a good feeling! So yay for that!

 What am I excited about?

I'm excited to see my family in just 6 1/2 weeks. 

What am I watching?

I rarely watch movies anymore. But I have been watching old episodes of  Guy's Grocery Games from The Food Network. That's been my new way of "unwinding" at the end of the day. I watch an episode or two each night, just as a way to relax a bit and not have to use my brain to think ;)

What am I reading?

I'm currently reading my 21st book of the year, Anonymous by Alicia Britt Chole. I've had this one on my "to read" list for a while, but just haven't started reading it 'til last week. I'm slowly working my way through it, as I want to fully soak up all God has for me to learn as I read. I'm only a few chapters in at this point, but I really am enjoying it.

What am I listening to?

I thought of the hymn, Be Still My Soul, a few days ago. And then I found Kari Jobe's singing of it and loved it. The lyrics to this song are just so good.

What am I wearing?

My newest Teacher t-shirt... I got it at Christmas time, but somehow didn't pack it in my suitcases. So my mom threw it in a package she mailed me a couple months ago.

 What am I doing this weekend?

There's an intramural hockey tournament at school this weekend. So I'm considering going out and watching a few of those games. Then, past that, this will be my last weekend of the grad school class I'm taking. So I'll be working on that. Then, I'll be going to church and resting up since the next few weekends after that will be full of all sorts of fun (but time consuming) activities. So, sort of busy, sort of not... 

What am I looking forward to next month?

I'll be on a break from grad school. 

We have a day off next month. 

The freshmen class, which I co-sponsor, has another fundraiser and a class party as well. So that'll all be fun.

The school musical is next month.

I have a few fun projects/lessons planned for my classes.

And there are a few other fun school-related things going on.

What else is new?

I've been working on building my schedule for next year. It's looking like I'll be teaching a couple new (to me) courses to my high schoolers (along with a whole bunch of classes for my middle schoolers and elementary schoolers too). So that'll be interesting. As a result, I'm thinking I'll be visiting Amazon and/or a Teacher Supply Store this summer to prep for that. 

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

What about you?

What are YOU up to this month?

6 Years

 6 years

6 years ago, my heart was hurting worse than ever before.

My dad had just passed away.

It was the day before my dad's 56th birthday.

It was only 9 days before my parents' 31 anniversary.

And it was hard...

So very hard.

Some days it still feels just like yesterday. 

And other days it feels like it's been an eternity.

My dad loved preaching.

In fact, he 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. 

 I am so incredibly thankful that his words are now etched into my memory. 

And not just that... 

I'm thankful for the love of the Bible he shared with me. 

I'm thankful for the model of Christian ministry he shared with me.

I'm thankful for the Christian heritage he passed on to me.

I'm thankful for the 29.5 years worth of memories.

 

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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 5 years...

1 year

2 years

3 years

4 years

5 years

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Today, I'm joining Ashley and Erika for their monthly Tuesday Talk link-up, where bloggers come together and talk about whatever is on our mind at the moment. And today, for me, that was a reminder of what happened 6 years ago.

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. 

April's prompts are...

  * arranging *  craving * discussing * enjoying * preparing *

I'm currently arranging plans for this summer. And part of that includes arranging to take the 3 Praxis exams I need to retake to renew my AL Teaching certificate. 4, if you count the one I need for my current program... Fun times y'all ;)

I'm currently craving Chick-fil-A, which is kind of sad since I’m obviously nowhere near one... But I found a copycat recipe that is supposedly pretty awesome. So I’m going to try it out later this week. If it turns out to be good, I’ll share it on here.

I'm currently discussing this book with anyone who will listen... While the author was “transplanted” into the bush of Alaska, the lessons she learned can easily be applied anywhere...

I'm currently enjoying still being on Spring Break. Ah, alarm clock, I do not miss you :)

I'm currently preparing my lessons for the next few weeks of school. I decided to spend one day of my Spring Break working in my classroom. That way I could get things done, but still be able to enjoy my time off from work. And today is that day... 

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

I'm currently planning to publish a blog post on this topic soon. I’ve been slowly adding to it and I think it’s almost ready...

I'm currently researching a fun topic for grad school. I printed off a huge stack of journal articles to pour through. And since I would prefer to highlight, notate, etc., directly on paper (versus reading them online), I’m willing to spend the money it takes to print all these journal articles. Sorry about that trees... At any rate, the teacher/learner nerd in me is loving this ;)

I'm currently thinking back to this time 6 years ago and missing this guy... 

I’m currently telling myself I should listen to this fridge magnet a bit more...

 

And that's about it for me.

So what about you?

What are you currently up to?