Life.

For those who are interested, here is an update on my life:

Home: On June 1st I moved into an amazing two-bedroom apartment with one of my previous rooomates, Krista, whom I had met through craigslist. She is amazing, to say the least! We are both definitely minimalists when it comes to decorating and we are both CLEAN, which is a huge blessing compared to our previous housing experience! Our apartment complex has two outdoor pools, which I have used to my advantage daily. I'm working on my tan while reading some fantastic books. The latest was A Thousand Splendid Suns. Amazing. My youngest brother Josh visits several times a week as does Jen. It's great catching up with them.

Family: It's so great living in the cities by my family. My dad is still trying to adjust to life after his heart attack. He was told a month ago that he may need a pace maker. Thankfully his job provides amazing health insurance, so I'm just praying he follows the doctor's advice. My mother is as crazy as ever. She still enjoys her job and spends hours on her new Wii. Jen has one semester left at St. Thomas and is moving into a new apartment with some girls I found for her on craigslist. Both of the boys are also working for Kidstop this summer, so we frequently share crazy-kid stories!

Work: I am working for Kidstop yet again...my 7th summer! We have 85 5th-7th graders in our group. And, they definitely keep us busy! I was given extra hours to work one-on-one with a 7th grade boy in the afternoons. This is a HUGE blessing. I am excited for the challenge this will present. But, I am definitely excited to return to the preschoolers in the fall. I love the little ones!

Faith: I am teaching sunday school in the preschool classroom at church, but it's hard to get my heart into it. I am feeling incredibly apathetic in my faith right now, and I am thinking of looking for a new church. We'll see.

Well, that's about it. I'm hoping to fix up one of my parent's bikes and start biking...save some gas money! My uncle told me about a website called carsarecoffins. Think I may check it out! I also recently found the farmer's market. What fun!! It may just be my new favorite place to go! But, life is good. God is good.

And, I CANNOT wait for our unofficial college roommate reunion at the end of August!!!! Yay!

Laugh.

I am convinced that God has an incredible sense of humor. Once again he has taught me to trust him. About two months ago, we were given our summer job assignments. Not only was I put at yet another new school for the summer, but my hours were cut drastically. And, of course, I worried. Worried. Worried. After a week and a half, my boss pulled me aside. He asked if I'd be willing to work an additional 16 hours a week, putting me at full-time. Yay! God is good.

Books.

I absolutely love reading children's books. Zen Shorts by Jon J Muth is my current favorite! Here is a short excerpt:

A Heavy Load

Two traveling monks reached a town where there was a young woman waiting to step out of her sedan chair. The rains had made deep puddles and she couldn't step across without soiling her silken robes. She stood there, looking very cross and impatient. She was scolding her attendants. They had nowhere to place the packages they held for her, so they couldn't help her across the puddle.

The younger monk noticed the woman, said nothing, and walked by. The older monk quickly picked her up and put her on his back, trasnported her across the water, and put her down on the other side. She didn't thank the older monk, she just shoved him out of the way and departed.

As they continued on their way, the young monk was brooding and preoccupied. After several hours, unable to hold his silence, he spoke out. "That woman back there was very selfish and rude, but you picked her up on your back and carried her! Then she didn't even thank you!"

"I set the woman down hours ago," the older monk replied. "Why are you still carrying her?"



Wow. That goes straight to the heart! ;)

Transition.

We finally move tomorrow!

No more cleaning the kitchen after my roommates.

No more nastiness.

Yay!

This will be my fifth home in the past year and a half.

I'm learning to love to move.

Change is good.

It keeps life interesting.

And, it helps me remain very simplistic in my belongings.

Now, only packing is left.

Ahh.... I cannot wait!!!

Gradumatation!

Ahh... The kids were so cute tonight!

It's crazy to think that the school year will be over in just one week. Where have the days gone? I remember those first few weeks, well months really, when I thought I was never going to make it. Now, I realize that, whoa, I did make it! And, I loved it!

These kids have made me laugh. A lot.

I will certainly miss them.

One Week!

In one week, Krista and I will move into our new apartment!

I cannot wait!

It will be clean. It will be cozy. It will be ours!!

Yay!

Goodbye.

Teaching is such an interesting profession. You pour out your heart on a class of students for nine months, loving them through thick and thin. Then, June arrives and you have to say goodbye. Some of the kids you'll never see again. And, you hope that their next teachers will love them as much or more than you did. That they will learn to see the true child inside each student. Oh, gosh, I think I'm becoming sentimental knowing that our graduation is but one week away. I'm going to cry the entire time. These kids have become my life this year. They are so precious!

Then next year we will start all over with a new group of kids.