On my way...

Well today was my first field experience. I taught fourth grade math for an hour. The lesson was problem solving by drawing a picture. It's hard to remember when these thoughts didn't come naturally and when you were actually taught that you could solve a problem by drawing a picture! It went well and it made me all the more grateful to all the great teachers I had through the years! Although I would prefer to teach younger kids the experience was enlightening and really made it clear that I am on my way to being a teacher! Ready or not world! :)

PHINALLY!

PHILLIES WIN THE WORLD SERIES!!!

I wish I was home, in the better half of the state, to celebrate properly with everyone! Out here, it's like nothing even happened!!! I'm carrying all the celebrating on my own shoulders! But it doesn't matter - I am happy to do it! This is absolutely amazing!

Back to Reality

So I am back at school..blech! I had such a great time at home seeing everybody, sitting in the passenger seat as Joanna took the driver's seat in Gus for the first time...terrifying experience even though she did pretty well. But the next couple of weeks are going to have me pulling my hair out so I am especially going to be missing home! As my wise roomie would say, "Such is life."

There's no place like home!!!

Yes, I know it's cliche, but it's soooo true! You don't realize how much you miss home until you're away from it and come back! Then you don't want to leave! (especially because I'll need to be in the car for another six hours!) But for now I will cherish the few days that I am here and get to see my dearest friends and family. I will get to watch Ryan Jay walk since he started doing that while I was away. And I'll get to hear Sammy talk since he also decided to grow up without me at home! How blessed I am!

Who said that you can't learn anything cool in a speculative mind class? Here's a great quote from one of our books called The Reason for God by Timothy Keller.

"Jesus Christ turns the values of the world upside down. On the cross He shows that He wins through losing, triumphs through defeat, achieves power through weakness and service, and comes to wealth by giving all away."

God is so amazing!

How does He do it? How does He so intertwine our lives with those that He uses us to help. How does He lead us to people who need our stories of pain and heartbreak? How sovereign is the God that we serve?!? I am so humbled.

Saturday night!

so we had a rollicking good time on Saturday night. we had some cake for carrie's birthday...after hiding in Michaela's bed to surprise her! then we partied it up at the corn maze and hay ride...that included frollicking in the hay bales!

Happy Birthday Carrie! We love you!

The girls. :) My Kimmie and I!

Amazing Song

So I love music, listening to it, singing it, and I have recently been introduced to a song by Sara Groves called "When the Saints." It is such a powerful song that I highly suggest you listen to! Here are the lyrics.

Lord I have a heavy burden of all I've seen and know
It's more than I can handle
But your word is burning like a fire shut up in my bonesand I can't let it go
And when I'm weary and overwroughtwith so many battles left unfought

I think of Paul and Silas in the prison yard
I hear their song of freedom rising to the stars
And when the Saints go marching in
I want to be one of them

Lord it's all that I can't carry and cannot leave behind
it all can overwhelm mebut I think of all who've gone before them and lived the faithful life
their courage compels me
And when I'm weary and overwroughtwith so many battles left unfought

I think of Paul and Silas in the prison yard
I hear their song of freedom rising to the stars

I see the shepherd Moses in the Pharaohs court
I hear his call for freedom for the people of the Lord
And when the Saints go marching in I want to be one of them
And when the Saints go marching inI want to be one of them

I see the long quiet walk along the Underground Railroad
I see the slave awakening to the value of her soul
I see the young missionary at the angry spear
I see his family returning with no trace of fear
I see the long hard shadows of Calcutta nights
I see the sisters standing by the dying mans side
I see the young girl huddled on the brothel floor
I see the man with a passion come and kicking down that door

I see the man of sorrow and his long troubled road
I see the world on his shoulders and my easy load
And when the Saints go marching inI want to be one of them.

What a Week!

Well this week has been pretty crazy! I thought that once last week with its barrage of tests and projects was over I would have a little time to breathe before the next ambush...however I forgot that I go to Grove City College and such a rest would totally go against all goals to present "rigorous acadamics!" But there is some good news...after two mediocre test grades i physics and social problems I got my Speculative Mind test back and I got a 97% on it! I guess 14 consecutive hours of studying pays off! But at least it's Friday and I have the next two days to play catch up...and go to a couple of get-togethers..in fact a frat party tonight! GASP! (or "gaps" as my brother Aaron would say) bonfire, gornball and FREE FOOD! Those Betas know my weakness!

New to this

so i thought that it looked like fun to have a blog. still trying to figure out how everything works...wish i had techie Joanna here with me! best lil sis i have! :)