Monday, August 25, 2008

7 minutes

7 minutes.

I just heard Erin say "7 minutes until our first special".

It's showtime! Bring on the Kindergarten!!!

Saturday, August 23, 2008

The compliment of my life

I might have forgotten to tell some of you this. I am also coaching 5-8th grade Volleyball. I am SOOO excited about this, yet I don't really know what I'm doing. Aunt Diane has been great at sending me things and telling me what books I need to read to get ready for this adventure. I've had all of the girls in PE or in class, so it'll be nice to go into a group of girls I'm familiar with. I can't wait to get to know them better and to have fun with them and to coach them. I'm sure I'll be on the phone a lot with her, running things past her to see if I'm doing it right. The season is REALLY short-Sept and October- so it'll be here and over before I know it. (At least that's what I'm told...I'll tell you later if it was true!)

We just had a week of inservice which included early mornings, sessions and LONG nights of preparing the classroom. On Thursday my friends and I were there from 8:30am to 11:45pm. Yep. This is why teachers get all summer off. Last night was Back to School Night, which is where all the kids and parents come and meet their teachers. They don't really care to meet the Elementary Spanish teacher, so I was in the middle school orientation for 8th grade history. After it was over, the elementary coordinator tells me that the principal was looking for me. She tells me, "Mr. Jones said that the Spanish room has never looked better than it does now with the and 3 or 4 spanish teachers we've had and the 20+ years that he's been at the school." This is coming from a man who notices NOTHING and if he does notice something, he doesn't really tell you. He is a man of VERY FEW compliments. Maybe one every five years. My jaw would have hit the FLOOR if it was possible. I got the compliment of my life. I was so elated I didn't know what to say back.









Today Erin and I decided we needed on last "Hoorah for Summer" so we went to the pool and read a "fun book". We needed one last relaxing day before our year begins. School starts on Monday. I have no clue what I'm going to say or what I'm going to teach, or what I'm going to wear (ALWAYS important :-). I'm heading in to school now to write lesson plans for the week of History and probably the next month of computer and Spanish.

Prayer requests
Flexibility for teaching the lower grades
Ability to teach 7 different grades
Excitement for American History class
Volleyball
Desiring and keeping a constant walk with Christ

Thursday, August 14, 2008

Hyperventilating.....

It hit me.

Today, it hit me hard.

School is starting soon and I'm doing 4 BRAND new things...it's my 3rd first year....there is this sudden urge to go hide under a rock and breathe really really fast.

I feel a panic attack coming on....literally....

Today was full of whirlwind things. I had to move things to my other classroom, where I realized (and was told) that I need to figure out what I'm going to do with all of my "normal" classroom things so I will make room for the Spanish stuff. I have no clue what I'm going to be using during the school year. I might need my left over lion's mane and my Hawaiian hat. At the same time. Who knows! Then I asked when Volleyball started and she told me. The second day of school. I got this panicky look on my face and then was told, don't worry, the season will be over so fast that you won't have time to realize you're overwhelmed.

What a comfort.

It's too late! I'm overwhelmed already. 10 classes of Spanish (2 times a week), 6 classes of computer, and 8th grade History. Where do I even begin??

Tomorrow Erin and I have decided to put the idea of school off ANOTHER day and go for our last fling at the pool. Then a trip to IKEA with the new roommate Wendy and her parents, for some needed furniture and some therapy for Erin and I.

It's so easy to say, Oh yah, I trust that God will give me the strength to do this, sure! It's NOT so easy to actually TRUST and remember that you have chosen to TRUST.

Please Lord. Calm my anxious heart. Help me to breathe.

Saturday, August 2, 2008