Big THANK YOU to the folks-Vacations are a bit like subbing-

Here is a big yell out to my parents for watching the kiddos while we were gone for 10 days - this house is a bit crazy and they handled it even with all the issues during the week

Thanks Mom and Dad for the help we couldn't have done it without you!!!!!

Waiting to load the ship

Well 1st we needed to leave the schedule for the kiddos-(sub notes) mine are pretty easy- but before we get on the ship in Miami on Sunday we call and Cenneidigh is melting down about something and everything at the same time, well I try to talk her down but Cenneidigh is a teenage girl so that is a tough one.  Then without email or phone service for a week we came home to Amanda breaking her arm - JT going through a teenage drama (teachers and principle calling worried about him)-  a blizzard - bitter cold temps - and more homework than I wish to see in a month-  WOW I felt like I had been hit by a bomb Tuesday - I think I understand why everyone else in our group had no kids at home.

We had a fantastic time and will need to save more money and just take the kids with us next time - they will love it - all you can eat all the time and warmth - beautiful islands and beaches - whats not to love.

More to come as I catch up on life here in reality-

Happy 23rd Anniversary!!!

23 years together-

Those who read together stay together!!!!!!

Maybe????

Happy reading to you all!!

Tender mercies amongst the whine

Well this semester has been a struggle - too many classes with too many assignments and too many trips to Rochester - I worked my butt off and felt overwhelmed by the amount of work, papers, lesson plans, and reading to be done.  I also discovered that one class I need is only offered in Minneapolis this summer on a Thursday night 6-10PM May-June...yuck...but no class no student teaching in the fall so ...  I even started to question why I was doing this and did I really like teaching in the first place, was this a huge waste of time and money and maybe? .... I have not subbed in my favorite spots as much as I would have liked this semester and I have subbed too many gen ed classes this semester also.  Thursday was my last final and I worked in a middle school class for students needing more structure then is found in a normal school day.  I loved it!!!  I have worked there in the past and Thursday I remembered why I want to teach and why I am working so hard at school.  Hoorah!!!

Here is the point where I really knew the Lord is aware of my struggles-even with all the pleading prayers I was struggling with everything - everything - So Friday morning and I am called to be in the same classroom as Thursday and I love it again - but the tender mercy offered to me that day was multiplied when the director of the program asked me into his office to complement me.  He told me he had been observing me the last two days and was extremely impressed with my performance - he said that he had heard I was excellent in every job I had had, but he hadn't really bought into the praise until he observed my skills himself.  He told me he would love to have me working there when I was finished with school- so please apply when the time comes.  I thanked him and then I thanked the Lord for his words - I needed that so much-I needed to know-again- I wasn't in the wrong place but I was where I needed to be, doing what I needed to be doing - my whole outlook changed and I floated home that afternoon.  Even without the classes I need falling into the time and place I would prefer I know everything is going to work out for the best, I just need to remember these experiences to keep going when the going gets tough.

Almost done with this semester!!!!

Yeah!!!!!!!

School, Life, Family and Guilt- why I haven't posted in awhile-

Well to start I will tell you about my public achievement class.  My group, 4 of us, go to the Rochester ALC and work with 18 students every Wednesday on PA.  At first I was concerned they wouldn't talk to us, but they love to talk about themselves and about their lives....now on to finding what they are passionate about and their true self-interests so we can decide on a topic and a project to start changing their lives for the better.  Power is the medium of exchange in PA so we need to see what they want to do and then discover who has the power to make that happen.  One girl has a 7 month old named Kennedy so I said I have a daughter who had the same name (did not get into the spelling.)  One boy asked how old my daughter was and when I said 13 he said I must have been 13 when I had her.....oh....he is now my favorite student in the group.  Of course we all know I am old enough to be all of their mothers.  Oh well....that is what I do every Wednesday at 4:30 now.  - Not to mention Mondays for literacy, Thursdays for assessments and etiology.  My car just naturally goes to Rochester when I drive now.  I also get to go on a few Tuesdays when we have speakers come for PA, coach training.  I am a PA coach by the way.

Next semester I am taking 6 classes again and it is going to be rough and I get to drive in the wonderful Minnesota winter weather - last night was slick with freezing rain.  My teacher let us out at 9 PM but I drive with a friend and her teacher didn't let them out until 9:45 - so I walked around the place and put more steps on my Fitbit.  Augsburg College in Rochester is at Bethel Lutheran Church and it is an enormous building with stairs rooms galore--you could get lost with how large that place is - I also had to walk off dinner  Augsburg serves dinner to its students and last night it was baked chicken---my favorite...yummy..I am a hobbit at school and have 1st dinner when I get there and 2nd dinner during our first class break...yummy!!!  We all pay a 35 dollar student activity fee to cover food, printing, and tutoring for the semester.

Life is busy with school, work, kids, and the rest.  I have really cut down on the days I work- the only good thing about aesop is that you can control your schedule better.  I work about twice a week and study the other three days.  Good news is that I am caught up and almost finished with everything I need to do this semester and I have 4 weeks left- all my research papers are done and all of my lessons are written.  I do need to teach a lesson in 2nd grade that my teacher will come down to view and grade...no problem I have done this a thousand times.  I am doing my hours in Mrs Watkins 2nd grade....I love that class.  Qatar and Zeke are in Bye Bye Birdie this weekend - Zeke is Hugo and Qatar is Mr. McAfee.  I am going tonight since I had class last night and Riley is getting baptized Saturday night- single guy with a career- one of Billy Andersons friends from HS- great guy he has been investigating for at least 6 months at this point.

Family - We are going to Brainard for the week of Thanksgiving to reconnect with each other and have a bit of fun and family time.  I need time away from distractions so I can concentrate on the kids and David.  We are taking the kids out of school for two days because they messed with our Thanksgiving holiday by having school Monday and Tuesday instead of the whole week off like we have always had in the past.  I look forward to sleeping in, eating junk, swimming, playing games, knitting and other crafts we are bring to do and watching TV and movies.  I am truly thankful for this time away to regroup.  No homework since I am caught up and ahead of the game-but I have wondered if I could get started with next semesters work?  HUMMMMMM.....maybe after Thanksgiving I will email my upcoming teachers and see if there is anything I can work ahead on.

Guilt - there is no shortage of that around here.  I am missing or have missed several concerts, games, events, etc. since I started back to school and this semester is bad.  JT told me I couldn't miss his first band  concert or I didn't love him...oh well I have a final that day in Rochester-I still love you JT.  I did make it to the last half of his parkour class at the Y on Wednesday night after the ALC.  More guilt comes in on the phone when friends and family call and they are shocked when I answer thinking I must be dead they haven't heard from me in so long.  We had scheduled dinner out last weekend a few weeks ago and so at 7 AM Friday the phone rang- my friend reminding me of dinner since she knew otherwise I would be a no show from forgetting.  Oh what a wonderful life if someone cares enough to do that to be sure we get to spend time together-makes me feel guilty I didn't think to remind her.  :)

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School is tough and I am old.

I am feeling old since one of my instructor said he was born in 72...what?  Why the heck and I doing this?  I have asked myself that question a few too many times this semester.  I am not in love with my classes and I am subbing in different building and that makes having a routine hard.  I like having a routine.  

But it is too late I have student loans and if I quit I have no way to pay them back without a better paying job and I love teaching especially sped so I guess I will keep going...anyway what would I do with all this extra time I have discovered?