Okay I know it’s been awhile…Rather than bore you with words you are not going to read here has been my last few months in pictures.
Fall is my favorite time of year. Ideally, the air turns crisp and cool. The leaves on the trees present a kaleidoscope of rich vibrant colors and a special collection of seasonal food and beverage hits the stores. I really do like fall. However, I live in Southern California and it is a difficult season to decipher seeing as though the leaves do not change colors and the only crisp air that can be found is the tail end of Santa Anna winds. But, don’t worry, that does not destract me from the many things I love about this season.
Reasons I love Fall;
1. The changes and shifts in God’s creation
2. Great friends and conversations over Starbuck’s Pumpkin spice lattes and scones
3. COLLEGE FOOTBALL
4. NFL Football
5. Going back to school
6. Cool mornings with freshness in the air
7. The first rain that washes away the smog
8. Lazy Saturday mornings spent watching football
9. The anticipation of the coming of the magical Christmas season
10. Apple themed food – and places like Apple Hill and Oak Glenn
I must preface this blog by saying: I know I am a teacher and have approximately 2 1/2 months off of work in a year and before you launch into all the “I wish it were me,” or the “that’s not fair” arguments – let me tell you if you were a teacher you too would earn and deserve the 2 1/2 months off. But, alas, those glorious months are over and the students come to room 33 bright and early Monday morning. This summer has been so relaxing and restful – I am so thankful! There were several highlights of this past summer.
1. Celebrating my grandparent’s 50th Wedding Anniversary. What a special treat to celebrate with entire family
2. Spending 2 1/2 Weeks in Sacramento with my family. I have not spent that long at “home” since my first year of college. I was so blessed to be loved on by my amazing, great, fun family.
3. Participating and choreographing for my 6th KDA dance recital. I love the students and my co-workers in that environment.
4. Weddings (seem to be a theme of most of my summers). I love celebrating this God ordained time in the lives of my friends. I consider it a supreme privilege to see so many amazing couples come together.
5. Though for most of the summer we were in three separate locations, my roommates and I did have some great times together.
I consider this summer to have been a grand success! I am ready to go back to work and teach some first graders. Yeah for still having a job!
I never wanted to read Harry Potter. It was too trendy, too overdone, too……I can’t even remember my arguments now. It started like this – I finished the second book of the Twilight series and I simply could not read anymore of those books (more on that later) I was at a good friends house and he said – “You should read Harry Potter” Then he proceed to hand me the first book. Now about ten days later I have finished the series and I am quite in love with it. Seriously, I have a ton of respect for JK Rowlings who – and this is the teacher talking – helped get an entire generation of children off their Playstations and reading again. But beyond that the books are fabulous! I was just a retard for not reading them before – they are fun, witty, and adventurous all the things I wish my life was all the time. The books also revealed and convicted me of some profound spiritual truths. Such as the way I am not entering the fight for the truth and more often than not I simply take myself out of the fight against evil and live in my comfortable existence. I finished the last book yesterday while at the beach and as soon as I close the book and was forced to look up and once again enter the real world – I felt like I had just lost a good friend. Harry, Ron and Hermione are good, loyal friends and then their story was over and I could no longer believe in hippograffs and Hogwarts. So thus, I am on to different books but at the same time I slightly mourn the fact that Harry grew up and had a happy ending and I never get to read about his adventures against evil again. Thanks JK For writing and thanks Derek for suggesting that I read them.
Remember that time I said I was looking forward to summer. I love this time of year – I have had some great times and been very relaxed. The summer started with my studio’s dance recital – hard work but a great time. Then my lovely grandparents celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary. I feel very honored to observe and watch this couple who are still very in love. They serve each other and others, they compliment each other, they love each other – it was a great time meeting old friends and spending time with my family. Brooke and I have spent some time together which is always fabulous. We are in the process of celebrating the wedding of Melissa to Scott – the bachelorette party was very fun. I also celebrated with my co-workers at a very fun lua. Summer is but half way over and I greatly look forward to what is ahead. Yeah summer days and nights!
It is officially summer….and since I am a teacher and very seriously function in a calendar of a school year rather than a fiscal years or an actual year…summer is a time of renewal and refreshment for me. I don’t mind being honest and saying that I am really looking forward to this time to process and reflect on the things that have happened this past year. If you had told me months ago the things I would learn and be asked to think about – I would have laughed, saying I was prepared and/or ready to face them. What arrogance! This past year has been a lesson in faith, yet again, and a chance to practice humility and learn how I am created to best serve my God. Most of this learning happened at the hands of losing my job. I really love teaching. I also really love being financial secure. When faced with the very real possibility of losing both of those I had to spend a great deal of time rethinking where I really place my trust and what my priorities really are. I also learned about my identity as a teacher – I am a follower of Christ that can easily serve him through the gift he gave me of teaching. I honestly hope I never have to go through some of the things I did this last school year but I am so thankful for everything.
A few days ago I spent some time with my goodest friend, Brooke, and during that time I was reminded how blessed I am to have her in my life. She is currently work toward becoming and RN and let me tell you she is working very hard!!!! I admire her work ethic and her discipline. Anyway, as I opened my computer this evening I saw a picture of her and I on a recent adventure. This is one of the reason I think our friendship is so strong…we find our way into these really fun and memorable adventures. We have traveled to Turkey together, Rwanda, and New Orleans…among others, we never hesitate to take an opportunity and allow that opportunity to grow and help us become more like Christ. This most recent adventure found us surprising our good friend, Melissa. To do this we well in Mayflower, IL (a town very unlike our own, in which the color of our skin and our clothes were a dead give away we were out of towners) We were on this unmarked train platform waiting for a train, oh yes and it was raining and of course we were dressed for CA weather. Some people I know would have gotten annoyed or worried…we, just laughed. Thanks Brooke for being my adventuring partner (and Charlie for sharing her). I love you.
Okay I can safely say that the last few weeks/months have been unlike anything I have ever experienced. Weeks of hearsay and rumors on which my as I know it hinged on. It has been humbling, hurtful, and above all hard. Somewhere mixed into all that was the reality that faith is hard, really hard. Trusting in promises you know to be true and a God you know can handle all things has been the biggest learning/stretching experience and blessing throughout these last few months. I have grown, I have cried, I have really searched out and solidified areas of my relationship with Christ. I may never know why I needed to go through these last months, but I pray that others saw Christ in me just as I saw Christ in everything.
All that to say, today I was told I got my job back. There, again, are no words – I am beyond excited and thrilled at the opportunity to once again love children through my teaching and utilize the gifting that God has given me.
Here is something you may not know about me….I love surprises!! Even more than being surprised I love surprising my friends. This I got to do earlier this month when Brooke and I flew out Wheaton, IL and surprised my dear friend Melissa in honor of her graduate school graduation. Along with Kim and Evan, who were known guests, we had a great time.
I ordered a coffee during a breakfast jaunt (a big grown-up move for me considering I don’t really drink coffee). We spent some time in the city (I love Chicago). I got a delicious heart shaped chocolate chip cookie at a local farmers market. We celebrated all of Melissa’s hard work and loved her with our presence as she deserved every moment. I love these girls and am thankful for this time in my life when I can go and celebrate large achievements and sisters of Christ.
