Sick Days...

This past week has unfortunately been full of sick days for me! All kinds of stuff has been going around school and I have caught it. Last Monday-Wednesday my throat was really swollen only to be told by the doctor I didn't have strep or tonsilitis and all she could tell me to do was over the counter drugs and it worked! I was better by Wednesday morning. I kept on teaching that whole week while sick and not sick as it was my first full week of teaching myself and I didn't want to miss a single moment of it! I loved it :) It was full of excitement as I saw the lightbulb turn on in many students heads! That is one of the most rewarding parts of teaching! Well yesterday I got to school sore throat and fever in tow but thinking I'd make it, however by 10:25 I was on my home for some rest, relaxation and recouperation. The main thing that is getting me this time is the FEVER! Hopefully I will be good as new tomorrow and on my way back to Kindergarten. My sweet teacher that I work with just called and checked on me, she is one of the nicest ladies and I am truly blessed to know and work with her. I am going to want to stay in touch with her for years to come! She also said we have 5 out today sick! See I told you I am all around germs!

I have enjoyed my day at home today though and have started reading "The Shack" by Wm. Paul Young. I definitly recommend it and I'm only in the fourth chapter. I don't want to put it down but have had to. I am taking the Praxis II in two weeks so I have disciplined myself today that I have to take some time while I can to study for it, so far this morning I have studied Language Arts and hope to get Math in today as well. Then complete one or two job applications. Who ever thought that Senior Year, student teaching, finding a job, and living my life would be so busy? There are many things to do! I think all the tests that are required for me to recieve my teaching license might break the bank, haha. Do they understand that Student Teaching is a NON-paid position? As soon as I get all the tests done that will be it. Well besides of course waiting on a job. No leads on a job yet but I have finally heard that a few counties such as Montgomery and Rockingham in NC, are hiring! So that is a plus :) Just got to keep trusting that God will provide and place me where I need to be. Please pray for me as I take the tests and that I will pass them as well as continued prayers for the job search!

Even though I have been feeling under the weather I have been able to have some fun times as well! I have started a new Bible Study on Monday nights, I have enjoyed getting to know everyone in the group and grow closer to God as well. Right now we are studying what it takes to be a Godly spouse as well as boyfriend/girlfriend, either preparing for it in the time of being single or growing in it as you are married! It is a group of young adults some single, some married with kids. They are a great group and have really made me feel welcome.

This past weekend was full of birthday celebrations! We went to NC to visit with family and friends for mom's birthday, it was full of much laughter, fun, food, and fellowship. Even some excitement as three cop cars barracaded my grandparents street at midnight on Friday to arrest a drunk moped driver. Glad they got him before he or anyone else got hurt but being outside listening to what they were saying was rather humorous! Our family friends daughter turned one and we celebrated her birthday Saturday night. Her mom sure knows how to throw and amazing and beautiful birthday party, I think she could even go into business doing it! It was a Chinese themed party because they would like to eventually adopt from China and in leiu of gifts you could make donations to Shaohannahshope. Which is the adoption organization that Steven Curtis Chapman set up to help people who want to adopt be able to financially afford it. For more details check out www.shaohannahshope.org Laeklyn is a cute little girl and it was great to finally meet her in person! Their family means so much to mine and we have so many good memories with them, it was nice to visit with each other again. I sure do love my time with friends and family!

Well I'm sneezing off to study some more...

Pictures from the Superbowl!

Didn't take many pictures :( But enjoy the two I did take!

Update and Superbowl Fun!

Haven't been on here in a while, student teaching sure is keeping me busy as well as of course doing things with friends and family! It's been fun being back home and catching up with old friends! Student teaching has been quite the adventure, the class is pretty wild but they are the cutest kids and I love being in there with them. There are challenges that come with the wildness though. Last Thursday was a day where a lot of them had to get playtime taken away from them and was just a rough day in general. Thank goodness there have not been many like that! :) I have now taken over everything but Language Arts and I believe that will be coming next week! Math has been a lot of fun to teach, right now we are learning about Time and Money, today I was teaching about sequencing using the words first, second, third, last, next, before, and after. Lots of words for Kindergartners to remember but they continue to amaze me with the information they know! The principal came in during my lesson, my first thought was like uh oh, i sure hope the kids continue to behave, I hope she likes my lesson, etc. After talking through the lesson and giving examples the students got into pairs and had sequence cards that they had to put in order and then have me come over to hear them use the vocab. words as they told me about them, then as a reward because they did a fantastic job we played a game of Simon Says because it is kind of a sequencing games. After playing for five minutes I still had five students standing, sure can't trick them! Then it was time to do their worksheet. She was VERY pleased and commented on it several times as well as to my cooperating teacher!!! She said I was a natural born teacher and what she looks for!! :) SO HAPPY to hear that, now just hope there is a job opening there next year! With budget cuts it looks like job openings are going to be sparse this coming year but I know that God will provide!

Which leads me to mention to please pray for me as I go through this job search and that I will listen to where God wants me to teach. Also I have several friends and family members that are having harder times with jobs right now so please continue to lift up everyone as the economy is at this point.

Yesterday I had my first parent teacher conference day and overall it was a complete success and it was great to see how to conduct a conference. Those are things that preparing to be a teacher you def. should see one in action. It made for a long day though not getting done til 7 and then 12 1/2 hours later back to school for today!

Over the weekend I worked on job applications, watched ACC Basketball...GO UNC!! :) Sunday for the Superbowl Emily and S came into town. It was a lot of fun to spend time with them as it was the first time I've gotten to see them for longer than 15 mins. since Christmas! We all went to lunch and then came back to watch the Duke game and hang out at the house. Later we went to the Bolinsky's to watch the first half, eat pizza and wings and just enjoy each others company. We headed to New Century (our friend Jared is the youth minister there and God is truly doing a great job and blessing him there) for halftime to hear Kenny Lewis (VT running back) to give his testimony. When we got there Kenny Lewis started talking to me, sadly I had to ask who he was :( kinda embarrasing but when they all have their helmets on during the games you don't see their faces! He laughed and was a neat guy to talk with. He then introduced me to the rest of the players, a Hokie fans dream! His testimony was great and how he has stayed strong through the years and keeping God first in His life doing things for His glory. His verse he left everyone with was Psalm 37:4 "Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart."

Hope you all are having great weeks and I am going to try to get better at "blogging"!