What’s Up June

  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?

Chick-fil-A, of course, since it’s my favorite anytime I’m back in the States ;) Although, let’s be honest. I’ve only been once.

Past that, I’ve been eating as many salads as possible. While I eat salad in Dakar, it’s not as frequent since it’s so much extra work with having to clean it so I don’t get sick and having no pre-chopped/pre-packaged options available…

What am I reminiscing about?

This past school year school year... It was exceptionally hard. Busy. Exhausting. But I sure did (do) love the kids God's allowed me to work with this school year. And our crew did make all sorts of happy memories this year - ones that made the hard/busy/exhausting times more worth it :)

 What am I loving?

All of the extra time spent with my Mama :) 

What have I been up to?

Spending as much time as possible with my  nieces…

What am I dreading? 

Going outside… We’re having record breaking temps here in Alabama. And ironically, it is both hotter and more humid than it is in Senegal. Therefore, I’m choosing to stay inside as much as possible :)

What am I working on?

Ordering all sorts of fun things for our junior class to sell in the cantina (school snack shop) throughout the year. Thankfully, our other class sponsor, and a few other parents too, are all brining stuff back too. It’s hard to believe these kiddos are starting their 11th grade year. Time flies, y’all!

 What am I excited about?

Being with my family :)

What am I watching?

Mostly just the Food Network… Y’all, good/clean options on TV are getting harder and harder to find. Just saying.

What am I reading?

I just started my 13th book of the year… Katie Couric’s autobiography. 

What am I listening to?

I watched Sing 2 with my nieces the other day and promptly bought the soundtrack on iTunes. I may or may not have had the songs on repeat ever since :)

What am I wearing?

I got my mom (and some others) DA t-shirts. And my mom and I randomly wore them on the same day the other day. So of course we commemorated the day with a picture :)

 What am I doing this weekend?

I’ll be speaking at the first church my dad ever pastored (and where he was pastoring when he and my mom got married) on Sunday. I love being able to share my heart about the work God’s called me to do and the incredible kids God’s allowed me to work with all these years. Not sure I’ll be doing anything special to celebrate the 4th…

What am I looking forward to next month?

I'll have most of the month with my family. I’ll have 4 more services to speak at/in. I'm also attending a week-long teachers conference mid-month, which I'm looking forward to. I’ve got some work stuff to keep working on, prepping for next year. I’ll need to do some shopping for things to take back to Senegal. I’ll be helping my mom in her recovery after surgery. And after that, I'll have just a bit more time with my family before it's time to head back to Senegal and continue doing the work God's called me to do.

Favorite Recent Amazon Find?

I’ve ordered a few things from Amazon to bring back with me to Senegal at the end of the summer. My favorite so far? This shirt/hat combo :)

What else is new?

Nothing really  

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 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. 

June's prompts are...

  * celebrating * giving * taking * trying * wearing *

I'm currently celebrating the end of another school year. Well, almost.We still have a few more lessons to teach this week for my younger kids and review days for my older kids, the rest of this week, and then my older ones have exams next week. But still... We had our end of year class party yesterday at lunchtime, celebrating with all of the students who visit our room during the day. It was a little loud, but it was so much fun. I love getting to work with these incredible kids (and the lady that helps us too). 

I'm currently giving (or rather, I gave) two of our students a group-work assignment to write a play. Being the obsessive Star Wars fans they are, they chose to write a Star Wars themed play. It has been so much fun listening to them working together the past week or so, coming up with ideas and characters, writing their script, making name tags for the characters, and making plans for their big presentation later this week. I love it!

I'm currently taking a few gifts back to the US - a few thank you gifts, a few birthday gifts, and a few gifts for my nieces since I can't not get them something. I also may or may not have bought myself an "I made it through this school year" gift, too. Ha! Anywho - My plan is to go ahead and pack this coming weekend. That way I can have some down time each evening after exams next week. We'll see.

I'm currently trying to sort through my stuff, in preparation for a yard sale our staff and graduating seniors put on at the end of each school year. How does one accumulate so much stuff?! And I'm only leaving for a few weeks over the summer. Some co-workers are leaving for good. So I can only imagine how much stuff they'll have to sell/give away.

I'm currently wearing nothing terribly exciting. Whatever is comfortable and is dressy enough to meet dress code at school... That's the name of the game around here :)

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

I'm currently enjoying leftovers for lunch this week. I made some orange chicken and rice, green beans, and egg rolls the other night. There was enough for a friend and I to have dinner that night and still give me leftovers for a few days. And that's always a good thing in my book!

I'm currently counting down the days 'til I see my family. I'm so ready. And in case you're wondering, there is only 11 more days from today :)

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

So what about you?

What are you currently up to?

What's Up April

 Happy Monday, Y'all

Today, I'm joining Shay and Sheaffer for their What's Up Wednesday link-up. Except, I'm finally posting on Monday. Such is life when you're busy... 

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 wanted fries the other night, but didn't have any frozen ones in the freezer. So I decided to make some homemade fries and then seasoned them with garlic salt. Seriously y'all... So quick/easy/delicious!

What am I reminiscing about?

Times with my dad... It's hard to believe that he passed away 7 years ago. At times, it really does seem like it happened just yesterday. I've been struggling a bit lately and I just keep thinking about how much I wish my dad were here, so I could talk with him about it... Not to mention, how I hate it for my mom, knowing that last week would've been their 38th anniversary. 

 What am I loving?

I've been loving the weather we've been having lately. It's cool at this time of year, but not freezing. And the sun's out, but it's not so hot, as to make us feel like we're going to have a heat stroke. So yeah... Definitely loving it right now :)

What have I been up to?

Helping all of my people plan their schedules for next year... There are so many different "puzzle pieces" to figure out. I love that part of it. But even so, there are so many other aspects of schedule creating for my people that is hard. So my brain is working in overdrive at the moment :)

What am I dreading? 

Nothing really...

What am I working on?

There's so much going on in my head at the moment. My job is not always the easiest. Teaching is hard. Teaching Special Education is really hard. Teaching Special Education overseas is super hard. So yeah... I'm working on weeding through the mental to do list I have at the moment...

 What am I excited about?

I got a new stove. The burners on mine were slowly going out, which made cooking a bit tricky. So, I'm a little excited about cooking again. So there's that :)

What am I watching?

I'm wrapping up a Creation/Evolution unit in one of the science classes I teach. So we've been watching all sorts of  little videos about those, all in hopes to make this mostly abstract topic more engaging for my people. 

What am I reading?

One of the joys of teaching at a Christian school is being able to teach and study the Bible with students. I love reading through various parts of Scripture with my people. I love seeing them enjoy their reading/studying. And I love how well they're learning what we're studying.

What am I listening to?

Is it sad to say that by the time Saturday comes along, I look forward to listening to silence? My days are full with teaching and meetings and such. And I love my students. I love doing what I'm doing. But it's exhausting. So while I love my people, I also love my quiet Saturdays too ;)

What am I wearing?

Nothing terribly exciting... I do need to pick up a few things when I'm in the States this summer. Line drying clothes in the almost constant harsh sun/sand takes its toll on clothes here. That's for sure. So, I figure I'll look for some deals when I'm back there this summer.

 What am I doing this weekend?

Well, considering the weekend's over... I'll, instead, answer what I did over the weekend. I did very little that was productive, to be honest. I stayed in my classroom late on Friday, finishing up lesson planning just so I could relax over the weekend. Then Saturday I rested/relaxed and did a little meal prep. And on Sunday, I was in bed with a massive headache most of the morning and when I could finally sit up and look at my computer screen long enough to do so, I did a little lesson planning last night. Sometimes, God knocks me flat of my back to get me to slow down. I can be a little stubborn, after all ;)

What am I looking forward to next month?

The arrival of May means we're one month closer to Summer Break. So there's that. I'll also be able to finally buy my plane tickets for the summer too, once I get paid in mid-May. So that's exciting too! Y'all... The price of plane tickets is no joke! And contrary to popular belief, it is not a mission expense. So I save up and pay for it out of pocket. But that's okay. It's 100% worth it. Anywho - Past all of that, I've got some fun stuff planned with my classes this month - experiments and projects and novels to read... :)

Favorite Recent Amazon Find?

My black sandals "died" and needed to be replaced. So a friend who made a recent trip to the States was kind enough to bring back this pair I ordered from Amazon. They're nothing fancy. But they're super comfy and they meet the shoe dress code requirements at work. So, I'm calling them a win.

What else is new?

Nothing much :)

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

What about you?

What are YOU up to this month?

7 years

On this day, 7 years ago, my dad passed away.

7 years ago, my heart was hurting so very badly.

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

And it was only 9 days before my parents' 31st anniversary.

Some days it still feels just like yesterday. And other days it feels like it's been an eternity. I suppose that is just how grief is...

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. 

But some days... Some days I still wish I could  call or send him an email when I have a question about the Bible. Or when I want fatherly advice on a situation I'm in the middle of. Or when I want him to join in celebrating some accomplishment or another. Or when I want to ask him to pray for me, knowing he would do so immediately before even getting off the phone with me…

Some days I struggle more than others. Lately, it's been a lot. And while I had 29.5 years with my dad, I'm annoyed/sad that's all I got. Lately, I 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 have such few memories of my dad - a man who absolutely, positively loved being a Pawpaw to those girls.

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 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!

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

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

Currently

   Happy Monday, 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...

  * getting * going * planning * posting * thinking *

I'm currently getting back to school, after two weeks off for Spring Break. I can't say my break was entirely work-free. But still... I did get to sleep later than 5:30 each day, so that part was nice :)

I'm currently going, or should I say, I went, no where for Spring Break. I was supposed to go to Prague for a conference, which would have been quite awesome. But, between COVID and the stuff happening in the Ukraine, the conference got cancelled. I was definitely bummed about this cancellation at first. But I must admit... It was nice being home, having some quiet time, and resting, all of which will be especially nice, since April is going to be busier than normal for me. 

I'm currently planning lessons on the truth of Easter this week. Have I mentioned lately how much I love working at a Christian school? :)

I'm currently posting nothing terribly exciting... I did post the meme below on Facebook yesterday, as I was in the middle of pricing tickets for my flight to the US this summer. My oh my is flying expensive...

I'm currently thinking about two families who are hurting and mourning the loss of their loved ones. A pastor from a church in Alabama passed away. And then, a fellow AG missionary recently passed away, as well. I love the thought of both of these men hanging out with Jesus, swapping stories, and being welcomed by the people they helped lead to salvation. But even with that... My heart still breaks for two families mourning the loss of such great men, who so obviously loved their families and the people they ministered to. Will you help me pray for both of their families?

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

So what about you?

What are you currently up to?

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. 

The questions are...

 

What am I eating?

We're out on Spring Break. So I'm actually cooking more than I usually do, when school is in session. Hello exhausted nights! Anywho - The other day I made some stir fry noodles, using up some random veggies I had in the fridge. And it was delicious.

I also made this lemon and blueberry pound cake with lemon glaze on top this past weekend. So good!

What am I reminiscing about?

Times with family… 

 What am I loving?

Sleeping late has been nice :)

What have I been up to?

See the answer above :)

What am I dreading? 

The anniversary of my dad's death is next month. And when that day comes, it will somehow have been 7 years since he passed away. I've been missing him something fierce here lately. I suppose that's normal, given the anniversary is coming up. But still... 

What am I working on?

I'm going to lunch with a friend today. But past that, I'm planning to work in my classroom for a chunk of the day, doing lesson planning/prep, and also, finally getting all of my paperwork sent in to my tax preparer too. Yes, it's still Spring Break. But I don't have the luxury of going completely work-free during my Break. So here I am :)

But hey… At least I can sleep a little later than normal before going in to work. So it's not too, too bad :)

 What am I excited about?

My phone sadly started dying not long ago... As a result, I was unable to access cell service/data and the battery was draining super fast, too, meaning I could basically only use my phone when it was plugged into the wall and it was connected to wifi. But thanks to the incredible generosity of some amazing people, I was able to purchase a new phone and a pastor that came with a team from the US was able to bring it here for me. So I've been enjoying playing with it and getting to know my new phone.

What am I watching?

I recently started watching S.W.A.T. I've started from the beginning. And since the storylines are often a bit intense, I'm taking it a bit slowly. But I'm enjoying it.

What am I reading?

A friend wrote about this book on Facebook the other day. So I thought I'd check it out... 

What am I listening to?

Mostly the quiet… :)

What am I wearing?

All the comfy clothes, thanks to it still being Spring Break.

 What am I doing this weekend?

I’m going to dinner and the movies on Saturday. Yep, that’s right… a movie theater in Senegal! I'm a bit behind the times. It's been open for a few (more than a few) years. But I just haven't gone yet... :)

What am I looking forward to next month?

It'll still be Spring Break for the first week of the month. So that ranks pretty high on my list of things I'm looking forward to. Past that... We have a visitor from the States coming to help us with some Special Ed. Testing. That's pretty exciting, since it's a definite need and this lady is sacrificing her time (and finances) to come and do this at no cost to our families, which is such a big blessing! So I'm definitely looking forward to that happening.

Also, there's Easter. I love being able to teach my students about this holiday, sharing the truth of what we, as Christians, believe. I'll also attend a sunrise service being held here at the school on Easter, which I always enjoy.

What else is new?

I was supposed to be going to a conference in a Prague next week. But, due to COVID and the Russia/Ukraine fighting, they cancelled the conference. And while I admit that I was, indeed, bummed at first, my new plans have worked out pretty nicely. I’m enjoying the slower pace of life that accompanies the arrival of Spring Break. I’m forcing myself to just enjoy having little on my schedule, and not over-committing myself to too much.

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. 

The questions are...

 

What am I eating?

We now have a taco truck that comes to our school once a week. It's quite pricey, so it's definitely a splurge, and not one I feel I should get that often. But the food is delicious. So I treated myself to some tacos and homemade guacamole the other day. So yummy!

What am I reminiscing about?

These sweet memories of my nieces with my Mom and Dad. My dad was in a rehab facility at the time, recovering from major fall and was super weak and sick. And my brother and sister-in-law brought the girls to his room to see him. My oldest niece was super happy to stand or sit by her Pawpaw and chatted away with him for the longest time. My dad loved it! It was super sweet and definitely a memory I'll always cherish. 

 What am I loving?

I am definitely loving the cooler temps we've been having this week. It's been so nice to wear long pants and long sleeves and not feel like I'm going to have a heatstroke for a change.

What have I been up to?

As one of the Co-Sponsors for our 10th Grade Class, I spent a lot of time working (with the kids) prepping for the delivery of various valentines fun. It made for a crazy month or so of work. But it was fun. And I loved (love) working with this class. So I enjoyed it :)

What am I dreading? 

We had a tiny, little 4-legged visitor in our classroom yesterday. Such is life when your doors open up to the outdoors. At any rate - Thankfully, one of my co-workers helped us set a couple traps and even more than that... Hopefully, the mouse was scared off by the adults screaming and laughing and the two little boys in our room chasing after the mouse. A friend joked that it's never a dull moment in our classroom. That's for sure :)

What am I working on?

I'm planning to make a big pot of gumbo this weekend. I've been working on finding all the ingredients for it. 'tis quite complicated when you don't live in the US and near grocery stores stocked with all the necessary ingredients. So I might need to get a little creative. But that's okay. It's going to be good no matter what. Or at least, that's what I keep telling myself anyways :)

 What am I excited about?

I'm excited about this weekend coming up. I'll have to work on lesson planning. But there's nothing else on the calendar but that and church. So yay for being able to take it a little easier than usual...

What am I watching?

I've been watching the latest season of Guy's Grocery Games. 

What am I reading?

I've been reading The Medallion by Cathy Gohlke. I saw it in our school library and picked it up. I've gotten a slow start to it, but that's only because my brain has been fried by the time I've gotten home from work each day since then. But my goal is to finish it up either tonight or tomorrow night. It's a good read. I'm enjoying it. 

What am I listening to?

Nothing new or exciting :)

What am I wearing?

I wore this fun piece of headgear on Valentine's Day. It was a last minute find at Dollar Tree while back in the US at Christmas time. I thought it was fun. What do you think? Does it suit me? Ha! :)

 What am I doing this weekend?

Lesson planning, lots of lesson planning...

What am I looking forward to next month?

Spring Break!

But before that, I have all sorts of fun projects and experiments and lessons and activities to do with my students. I may be working all the time (or so it seems) to do the planning and prep work for all of my people and be tired pretty much all the time. But it's worth it. They are getting a pretty awesome education and I'm loving every chance I get to pour into their lives, to teach them new content and skills, and to simply work with their incredible selves :)

What else is new?

Nothing :)

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

What about you?

What are YOU up to this month?