You know it's almost time for break when...

This morning, I welled up with tears because someone stole 2 cans of pop from an unopened box in the stairwell.

I threw a mini tantrum when the copier was being stupid and threw the piece of paper on the ground in the hallway when Kristin said she wouldn't help me (only as a joke)

My head hurts so badly because of the weather change and the onset of a big snow storm. Which, of course, isn't coming on a school day, but the weekend.

There isn't a trashbag in my garbage can for the 2nd day in a row.

I just need to get home.

A Prayer for my Husband

Dear Lord,
I beg You, please protect my husband. I don't know who he is, but I know You do. I know that You have hand-picked him for me and are just waiting for the most amazing moment to let me in on the secret.
Protect him Lord-from all the things that would pull him away from You. Protect him from bad choices in simple things like music and movies and the use of his time, to BIG things, like girls that pass him by and the glances he wants to steal and dwell on, to thoughts, to running to someone else for love.

Keep him pure, Lord. Keep him pure. Keep his mind on things above and not on the things around him. Do not allow him to give into temptations. Keep them ONLY as temptations if he has to be attacked by them. Stay by his side when he is weak. Keep him standing strong when he wants to sit or lay. Bring people into his life that will be an accountability partner for him. Someone he can run to when things are so hard and when things don't make sense. Help him to be honest and humble when he messes up so that his relationship with You will be repaired and restored.

When we have fights or are just not communicating well, please help us talk through things, not bury them until we do stupid stuff. Stupid things to get back at each other for a small hurt.

Lord, help me to help him. Create in me now the ability to be a stronghold and a helpmate for him. Help me to put myself last. Help me to be aware of what's going on and be able to talk to him about everything.

All around us Lord, people are falling. Believers are being pulled away by sin. Pastors are falling, people who we would never suspect. We are not free. We are not safe. Please Lord, mold and guide us each individually in our lives now before you bring us together.

Please protect and hold my husband close.

~Amen.~

Addition

Another thing that makes me happy.....

Luke. The guy on Gilmore Girls? The man of my dreams? He makes me happy.

Things that make me happy

It's been a long time since I've sat down and recorded things that make me happy. Things that put a smile on my face. We have been reminded in Sunday school while studying James, happiness is different than joy. Happiness depends on our circumstances. External things that happen to us. Joy is internal. Joy is not dependent on our mood or circumstances. It is deep down. It is how we feel in the midst of trial. It's often not temperamental.

Right now I'm going to focus on the things that make me happy. External things. I'll touch on joy in a little bit (or in another post....) This needs to be done to bring perspective to life and to realize life isn't as hard or as horrible or as bad or as draining as it seems to be each day of the week. Saturdays are a good day to think about things that make you happy. What makes you happy? Take the time to write it down. I dare you.

1. Pictures of my nephew, either experiencing what a pumpkin is, crawling across the floor, or recovering from his black eye. Or almost eating a leaf. :-)
2. Hugs from children
3. Inside jokes with my volleyball girls. Middle schoolers NEVER let things go.
4. My mom writing on my wall on facebook
5. Scooby Doo macaroni and cheese
6. Internet at my actual HOUSE
7. Peppermint javachip frap lite with whip from Starbucks
8. A clean house
9. Food in my cupboard
10. The light from a candle
11. A male middleschool basketball player being amazed at my bball skills.
12. My students talking to me in Spanish
13. Singing at the top of my lungs to country music in harmony with Erin
14. Winning the championship volleyball game
15. iTunes and iPod touch
16. Sleeping in
17. Crayons
18. Inside jokes
19. Hulu.com
20. Pumpkin ice cream
21. The other day I said something about NOT being a history teacher. The teacher whose room I share and who sits in while I'm teaching says to me, No. You ARE a history teacher. You are.
22. When I say something funny in History class and the kids actually laugh instead of rolling their eyes.
23. When I get compliments from my 4th-8th grade students about my hair or my clothes.
24. Making kids feel special



There are so many more things that I could write, but I'm going to stop and let you think of things that make you happy. :-)

Blogspot, what??

Do I even HAVE a blog???

Do I even have any readers anymore???

I wouldn't be surprised if everyone left to go find other stuff to read....it's been THAT long.

The last time I blogged it was our first volleyball victory. As of last Thursday, our season is over. Can you see where my time has been spent?

All this to say, I'm still alive! Kristin thought SHE was behind. Hah! I got her beat! But, really, Em is the one that beats us all :-)

I better get.....I have detention...... :-(

VICTORY!

The first victory of the day was when it only took 7-10 mins to get the net up. Yep. That's it. And it was high enough and it was taut and perfect. Such a weight lifted off of my shoulders!!! I called out HALLELUJAH and Praise THE LORD! when it was right and Eric asked me if I was holding a church service in the gym. I was THAT excited. There is no way to describe the everlasting frustration we have had with this net. This was such a relief!

We won! We won!!! In our first game, the girls were doing well but flubbing up here and there. 2nd game we lost. They got points because we messed up, not because they were that good. The 3rd game was won by an amazing 6th grade server! We were down by 6 and she won the game for us! The girls were so pumped and very proud. We talked about mistakes and I hope/KNOW it'll be better next time. Game 2 on Thursday!

Please pray for me. Tonight I picked up my bible that I left downstairs from our bible study last night and Erin said,

"So, what are you learning/what is God teaching you this week?"
Me: "nothing."
Erin: "because you haven't been in the Word or you have been but you aren't learning anything?"
Me: "Nothing. I'm not in it. All I do is eat, work, volleyball and sleep. That's my life cycle right now."

AGH!!!!!!! I hate it. I hate the life cycle. I hate having to choose sleep or Jesus. I'm not strong enough or disciplined enough to pick Jesus all the time. I need desire and discipline. I need Jesus. Everyday. I know that. I can tell in my life that I need Him. I can also tell that I haven't been in the Word. Everything is easier to do or not do when the rules aren't read. It's easy to not play the game right and claim ignorance. So, if you think of it, pray for me.

I need it.

We've survived

Tomorrow is Friday!!! I should be in bed (well, I am IN bed, but not sleeping, hence the blog) but I'm not tired yet. I've had a full day, from waking up at 5:15 and getting home at 9:30 this evening, but I'm still not mentally ready for bed. So, here I am, catching up on life.

Last Monday was the start of a new school year. I'm FINALLY a 2nd year teacher!!!!!! This is my 4th year teaching and only my first time teaching something again! It's Elementary Spanish and Lower Elementary computer and 8th Grade History--a lot of hats but they are hats that I've worn before so I know their fit. Of course, they aren't molded to my head, but I don't feel like I'm seeing the hat for the first time in the store. I know I like it and it'll be okay.

The first week of school was SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO long. You know how it feels the week before Christmas vacation? Well, it was longer than that. I was emotionally and physically drained and just wanted to be back on summer break. I wished I could have gotten on a plane and headed back to California..... my class looks about the same (YAY!! I can actually REUSE bulletinboard sets!!!!!) and my ideas are about the same.

It feels like I can't really get going in my Spanish classes. It feels like we are in 1st gear without the foot on the gas. Next week I'm pushing it along and getting into the meat of stuff. And yes, that means worksheet, worksheet, worksheet! It's hard to assess and show parents what you're learning without them. The horrible cycle.

The volleyball season is going great so far!! We started 2 weeks before school started and I feel so much more confident in the girls this year. We are so much further along in our practices and skills than last year. Again, I actually know what I'm doing this time! Our first game is on Tuesday and the next one is on Thursday-both home. It's great to start off the season at home. We have worked for WEEKS on trying to improve the net situation and have ordered two different nets and still have to use ratchet straps---it's such a mess! But, I think it's finally great. It's the right height and it's taut and ahhhh....wonderful! Right now I'm in the position of picking captains. I had my mind made up but because of recent attitudes, rudeness and selfish actions, I'm really rethinking my decision. It's really going to rock the world of the only 8th grader on the team if she's not chosen captain. We think it might be the best thing for her. It'll be painful and I'll have to deal with a very hurt and mopey 13yr old, but a life lesson isn't always easy. I need to put my emotions aside and just make the decision. The harder part is picking the other girl to replace her. I've been told it's only middle school. It's only middle school. When we look back on life, we think of high school. I lose that perspective because I get lost in the whole thing because I don't limit it. I don't think "well, it's only middle school so we can only hit it back and forth, never 3 hits or we can only reach this far or master these skills". It's VOLLEYBALL. A level isn't attached with it. Last year I didn't expect enough out of them. So I DO need to think through this decision and not take it lightly. Yeah, it's only middle school. BUT, to me-it's the world.

Alright, I'm finally sleepy and think I can get to sleep now. Doing morning extended care and needing to be at school at 6:40 each morning really takes a toll on ya. My body is still in summer mode.

P.S. I'm sleeping with my window open. LOVING IT. :-)

The Summer Adventure of a LIfetime

(Hi Uncle Tim!)

I don't even know where to start! I had to look at the last blog (July 4th...I know!!) and find out where I left off. It was right before my summer adventure began. I have to weed through everything to figure out what you'd actually care to read.

Missions Trip-We had a lot of fun learning and serving and being stretched. Check out our blog to find out more about it!

Trip to Michigan-road trip was a blast with Jessie, Erin and Eric in the car, playing "Brown Truck" and Fed Exing people. We jammed to some music (of course, not country because they wouldn't let me play that). Wendy and Kenton's wedding was amazing. During one of the special musics, Wendy looked around at everyone who was there and took in all the love we wanted her to feel. I'm really glad we went! She was beautiful and he was rockin' the tux. I also got to spend time with Cherise, a dear friend from college.

Indiana- Ohhhhh, Indiana. I went to hang out with Rach and her new little baby. In a matter of the 10 days I was there, she ended up having such bad back/leg pain that we got her a special ride in an ambulance to the ER, where she was then scheduled for back surgery that next day. It was the most trying time of my life so far. I don't think I've ever cried so much. Leona, the 1 month old, was the easy one to take care of. We had friends bringing meals, to watch Rachael and Leona for 2 hours so Ben and I could both take a nap, and Rach's mom came for more help. I was up with Leona for her feedings or I was helping Ben with Rachael, or whatever else needed done. I don't want to do it again but I don't regret being there. Rach was so apologetic about this not being what she had planned, and we were suppose to have fun, etc. I told her that if God hadn't of planned this, I would have gotten myself there anyhow. God really taught me a lot that week. The surgery helped so much (she had a herniated disk) that by the time I left, it was as if the week of Hell didn't even happen. It was like we woke of from a nightmare and things were fine. I WILL be back to Indiana to visit them again, this time, no surgeries!

Camping- I LOVE CAMPING!!!!! It was so fun to just enjoy family and friends and fires. We went tubing MANY times and biked and played frisbee. Ahhhhhh...mazing. I'm going again over Columbus Day weekend! Can't wait!

Moving- I moved! Now I'm 4 minutes from school instead of 20, and am living with Erin! The fam came down to help on a very hot day. It was a lot of work. SO was cleaning the WHOLE dumb townhouse. Ugh. It's so fun to be moved because now we can both be home but be hanging out together! Meal planning and grading are going to be so much more fun---I mean, bearable!

California- Wow. I did it all. As soon as Erin and her fam picked me up from the airport, off we went to In-N-Out burger which was so good! We drove from San Fran to Los Angeles and the stars on the sidewalk, Sunset Blvd, Hollywood Blvd, chasing the Hollywood sign up windey streets for a good picture, posing by Dear Abby's star, Kodak Theatre, Phillipe's French Dipped Sandwiches. Then to San Diego where we played in the Pacific Ocean, explored the San Diego Zoo and went to Seaport Village. We hung out with her grandparents and family a lot, which was really cool. Then the 8 hr drive back up to San Fran (which isn't very pretty. It's all dirt!) where I experienced the Winchester Mystery House, and then drove into the city to see trolley cars, walk on the Golden Gate Bridge and eat a Ghiradelli hot fudge sundae. We ALSO found the house from Full House!!! That was an extra bonus. :-) Erin's family was sooo amazing and giving and so fun!

Are you tired?? I am! It was such an amazing summer. I LOVE being a teacher for 3 reasons- June, July and August. For any teacher to WANT to go back to school, there NEEDS to be that break.

Volleyball has started and I'm so stoked about the season. I lost 9 of my 19 girls to graduation or moving, so it's a rebuilding year. The 5th graders......need work. But, that's why they are there! We've had 3 days of practice and last night we tried to play a game. Well....tried is about all that happened. Serving comes tonight!

Anyone still reading?? Erin and I have a lunch date with Wendy today when we REALLY get to find out about how life is and how the honeymoon was and just enjoy each other. We have to do it before school starts because once Monday comes, there is nothing else happening in our lives but school.

SO, what I'm saying is, it'll be a little bit before another blog comes out. Sorry! Pray for me as we start the school year. I GET TO TEACH SOMETHING THAT I TAUGHT BEFORE!!! This has NEVER HAPPENED in my 4 years of teaching! Elementary Spanish, Lower Elementary computer and 8th grade history.

WOooooooooo...............

Tomorrow...it starts!!!!

My whirlwind road trip starts tomorrow!!!!!!!!!!

Start at Portersville Bible Church at 9AM to load up and leave with PBC teens and adults to caravan down to Manassas, VA. 10 of us are going! We will be blogging about our trip and hope you check out our God moments, our blessings and our hardships. Our group will partner with local churches, service agencies, and homeowners. And over the four days, our help will bolster the efforts of the ongoing work in these communities. We’ll learn new skills, serve in important roles, and have loads of fun as we: help people with projects in their home...assist the elderly…tutor struggling kids…conduct a backyard Bible club…serve at a food bank…staff an activities camp for disabled children…spruce up the grounds of a financially strapped social service agency…engage children at a day camp…and improve the community in other important ways.

July 9th Then I leave the trip early with Heather O. from PBC, and Jessie and Eric (fellow teachers and friends!!!!) and head back to PA to make a pit stop at Grand Central Station (aka my parents' house) and switch bags and head to Ohio to pick up Erin and then up to Michigan we go for Kenwentondy's WEDDING!! It's going to be so great to see them all again and to see people I haven't seen for awhile. It'll be pretty cool to see who else Wendy and Kenton know that I know. AND, I get to see ALLLLL the Rileys. That's a bonus in and of itself! Cherise-I can't wait, girl!

After partying like it's 1999 and a good night's sleep, Cherise, Erin and I are heading over to Chicago to enjoy and explore the windy city! I CANNOT WAIT!!!!!!!!!! It's Erin's favorite city, so I'm expecting the time of my life!

July 12-23 Down to Indiana to visit Rach and her new little baby Leona!!! I have known about little Leona since Rach took the pregnancy test. It has been such a LONG pregnancy and I have been counting down the days (literally!) until I get to see her again. I hope to help her a ton.

July 23-25 Head back to PA to go camping with the fam and my adopted families :-) the last weekend of July. I heart camping and campfires and smores!!!

July 26-July 31-Then back to VA to pack up and move houses--I'm moving in with ERIN!!! I'm so excited to start this new part of my life, have a new place, live closer to school AND not have to travel home after hanging out with Erin. That's going to be the best part. A sleepover EVERY NIGHT! :-)

(I know, you're getting tired, but it's only up to August 1!)

Aug 1-3 Then to Wellsboro PA to hang out with my very bestest, Cori Ann Herrlin, who is back from China! I miss her SOOOO much and can't wait to just "be" with her. I know there are frosties in our future. She won't believe how much they changed!

August 4th-14 I FLY TO CALIFORNIA!!!!!!!!!! Erin and I are hanging out there with her parents and then driving down to San Diego to celebrate her grandparents 60th anniversary. Then back up to San Francisco, and whatever stops we can make on the way. Hollywood anyone??

August 17th is my first day of volleyball practice for my girls where I will scope out the good ones and find out how my team is going to be this year.


And that's all I'm going to write about. Who wants to talk about school starting???

Please pray for us on our trip!

The Nephew...

I'm sitting here at my brother's computer, listening to the tune about the "one little duck with the feather in his back, he led the others with a quack quack quack" about 30 times. My darling nephew, 5 months old today, is pulling the cord that makes the song go. He's loving life, bouncing in his chair, making the song play. I'm trying to leave him alone to see if any conversation or "babblefest" will start. He's blowing rasberries, cooing, and all other different noises. He's also creating ANOTHER dirty diaper, so I thought I'd let him finish that process. He's on outfit number 3. I hope I don't wait TOO long to catch this one before the yucky mess. Poor guy's been sick for the last couple of days.

I just can't believe how big he is. 5 months and one day ago, he wasn't in our lives. He wasn't part of our stories, our giggles, our days. He was part of our prayers and hopes and wishes and our love. I'm not just babysitting some kid and getting paid for it. I'm watching my nephew. I'm building into his life. I'm singing him songs about Zaccheus being a wee little man, and about animals on Old McDonald's farm. I'm reading him the bible verses that I'm memorizing. I'm making him giggle, and, oops, cry.

I get to watch him tomorrow and Friday, then 3 days next week. :-) I don't know about the rest of the summer. This might be the biggest chunk of time I get with him this summer.

I think that diaper is done being made. Better get back to my little man.

Welcome back Summer!

No more grading, no more books!
No more students' bored looks!!!!!!!!!!!!

Summer....it's been way too long.

I've missed you so much!

I hope we have a great time together, driving with the windows down, with our hands out the window in the wind.

The LAST...........

...day of classes.
...computer class.
...Spanish class.
...teacher meeting.
...packed lunch.
...putting of chairs down.
...answering RIDICULOUS questions about EVERYTHING under the sun.

It's the LAST.


WOOHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO.

Kings Dominion tomorrow. Then it's over.

Laughs at school

I'm teaching my 3rd graders about masculine and feminine words. Of course, they all think that there are now "girly" words and "boy" words. Only girls can use the girl words, and boys the boy words. It works well with people, all the -a ending words are for females. That makes sense. It gets a little confusing when we switch to objects, and they start to think that only boys can use soap (el jabon) and only girls can sit on a chair (la silla.)

After the lesson, Ben says to me... "I'm really glad that skirt is faldA and not faldO." (because if it was, boys would have to wear skirts.... ;-)


2nd Grade- when the kids are learning or relearning over 200 vocabulary words each year, they get them mixed up. So, I'm trying to give them little word clues to help them remember. I'm giving them little hooks to hang their memories on.

The word for farm is granja. I told them to think of what is grown on a farm (grain) and that would help them remember that farm is granja.

So on Wednesday, I asked 2nd grade, "what is farm in spanish?" and after pondering a bit, a boy replied..."wheatalones?"

Stay tuned for more laughs at school...

You're the God of this City...

GO and be ye DOERS of the word and NOT hearers only....

You're the God of this City...

2 hours
4 girls, 2 guys
11 peanut butter and jelly sandwiches
Pretzels
Bananas
Water
Cookies
God's Word

This is all it took for Wendy, Erin, Jessie, Kenton, Eric, and I to make a difference. We put feet to the Gospel. We put God's word into action. We showed love. We put our Bible study of the book of James into practice.

Tonight we traveled into DC to impact the homeless. It was Jessie's desire to see us do this. It was her listening to the prompting of the Holy Spirit to get us off our duffs and doing something. My love language is serving. I have been hungry for serving for a VERY LONG TIME. I was so excited for this. We didn't want to take over the city. We weren't going to feed the whole capital. We weren't trying to break a record. We were just FINALLY doing something for God. We were finally allowing us to be used by Him in ways that aren't comfortable or natural or effortless.

We were all scared. But we bathed the outing in prayer by holding hands and calling out to Him for strength, words and courage. We asked God to bring people out who needed food and who needed us. We asked Him to use us.

We found people right away in McPhearson Square, a safe park with a lot of benches. We turned a corner, looking for others. It's such a different thing--LOOKING for the homeless. So many times we find them on accident, creating panic and awkwardness, or they find us. I saw one across the way, and thought....well, we'll get him next time, we are already going this way, I won't say anything. God made me speak up and we turned around and stumbled upon at least 6 other people who needed food in that little triangle of benches. Eric and I approached a man who was sleeping. I told him---You give it to him. I'm scared. He looks at me and says, I'm scared. It was good to know he was scared too. Not scared for my life or worried, but just afraid of the unknown. As we were approaching him, this guy from across the way yelled to me, telling me that he'd take some food.

That is when we met Bob Hope and Rick James. They were pretty cool, chatting it up with us, playing along with their stories. Wendy claimed to be Brittany Spears and Kenton was thought to be named Ken, which then prompted the question..."Which one's Barbie?" Jessie waved her hand and then we laughed about Kenton and Wendy's wedding being off, etc. We talked to them for about 7 minutes. Amazing.

We walked past the sleeping guy Eric approached, and he was now up...eating the sack lunch. We actually got to see our food being a blessing to someone else. We planted a seed and it was growing. Immediately. Not the seed of salvation, but the seed of love.

Another guy asked Kenton to pray for him. That was so cool. Wendy was talking to a guy and asked him how she could pray for him. He said...pray for the weather.

The weather.

How many times do I worry about the weather because of what I'm going to WEAR or how my hair is going to react and how many times do I EVER worry about it affecting my way of life? Of it soaking all of my personal belongings? Or ruining the only picture I have of my loved one? Or causing it to be a night of no sleep?

I have a bed. I have clean sheets. I have the safety of 4 walls around me. I have the promise of a full meal tomorrow and a paycheck and love and friends and health.

This has changed our homegroup. We are going to do this every month. It costs very little. It is worth VERY much. We are going to develop relationships with Bob Hope and Rick James. We are going to shine a light. We are going to get off our duffs and DO something for Christ.

Yes. We are busy. We have so much to do. We minister to kids all day and on the weekends.

We need to do this.

YOU need to do this.

How do we teach ..............

a love and respect for God?

Today I almost cried. Right in front of all of the 8th graders, I almost lost it.

One of the boys in my class took God's name in vain so I said his name, then he corrected himself in a mockish voice--oh, sorry, goodness....goodness.... with a roll of the eyes and a shake of the head. I responded with an "ummmm...." He then said how he didn't think there was anything wrong with it and so he was going to continue to do it and he didn't care.

My blood boiled.

Out of anger I responded, Commandment number 3. You shall not take the name of the Lord GOD in vain.

This prompted a "yah, well, I don't care" and another shake of the head.

My heart broke.

I stood there, looking at my book, trying to think of what to do next. I couldn't decide if I was more angry or heartbrokened. Tears started to form in my eyes as I could just feel the hurt of his words to the ears of my Savior. Of my GOD.

How do I teach them to love? How do I teach them to fall in love? How do I teach them to care?

Back to the Blogging World....

Apparently, I'm not updating enough....So, here's a hello to Candy and here's your update :-)

Where to begin.....so much has happened. I know what you're saying in your head (well, Abby, if you would blog more often you would know where to start. It wouldn't be so hard to catch up if you weren't so far behind.) True. True. I have school work to do but if I don't write now, I'll be too tired later. (Don't tell my boss. :~)

Home Life-Isabel moved in over the weekend! YAY!! She's definitely a God-send and super sweet. I can't wait to get to know her better. Erin and I started to think and have found a sticky situation for me coming up in the end of summer. I have to move out before July 31 but I can't fully move in to my "new place" until Jessica gets married and moves out- which is August 22. It's going to be hectic trying to figure out where to put my stuff in that house until it can really be set up. I'm going to vent here, so just bare with me and don't judge. It's frustrating too because I feel like that I should get to set up my stuff because I'm the one going to be staying for a year and she's moving out. I don't want to be inconvienced. I don't want to live out of boxes. I want to set everything up when my parents are here and have their help to get settled. I don't want to have to be really moving in the same week of inservice. I don't think she is going to make it very easy either. I think it's going to be a miserable month. I just need to be flexible (which someone says I always am ;-) and unselfish, BUT I JUST WANT TO BE NORMAL!

School Life- The 4th quarter has begun! Only 9 more weeks of school! Only 6 more weeks for the 8th graders! Standardized tests are the last week of April, so that will be an AMAZING planning and organizing time for me, seeing that I don't teach anything. :-) I have a whole work WEEK. It's the best blessing of being a "specials" teacher. I love Spanish. I'm teaching them about clothing soon! I brought my doll clothes from home so I could have examples. Clothing, verb conjugation, plurals, adjectives, food, vehicles, etc.

As of right now, I'm scheduled to teach Spanish and computers again. The 3rd subject is yet to be determined. That's always dangerous. That contract that states: Abby Peffer is hereby going to be a Teacher at CRCS next year. How binding is that? So indefinite. I'm afraid that I'll be teaching a new class which is dumb because if I'm going to have to learn and prepare something new, then just let me teach History again. I don't love it, but I want to do something two years in a row. I have YET been able to do that and I'll be going on my 4th year of teaching!

Spring Break- YAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Well, really Boooooo because it's over but YAY!!!!!!!!! because it was so amazing. Vickie and Michael came up from FL and had a job interview in MD. Pray that Mike gets this job so they will be so much closer to me! I miss them a ton and would love from them to be 45 mins away (instead of 15 hours!) I saw them in VA before I left for break. I enjoyed Camelot at Slippery Rock. Amy and Andrea were AMAZING. I loved it. I also enjoyed Seussical! presented by Westminster College. It was soo good! I went with Ty, Kari, and Mom. It was the story of Horton hears a Who with songs and dance and an elephant sitting on an egg that a floosy bird didn't want to take care of. She wanted to be free to flirt and dance and party---not take care of her egg. Hmmmm. Interesting, Dr. Seuss.

On Monday I had a date with my mommy and spent a TON of money at the Outlets and ate yummy chinese food (it's a tradition!). I don't think I've ever spent that much money at one time on CLOTHES in my life! But, I saved over half of my total spending, so that's always great to find out, totalling up the receipts and seeing what I saved. Who would ever buy things at full price??!?!?! I'm always in style....just a couple seasons behind :-) And I haven't bought clothes for over a year, so it was time. Tuesday I went and hung out with my nephew. Ahhhh. He just warms my heart. I could just stare at him for hours. Abby (my sis-in-law) was laughing at me jumping up to get him from his nap at his first whimper. He slept more than 45mins past his time to get up. Of COURSE I was anxious to get him! I can't wait to watch him this summer! I wish it was all summer-and it probably could be-but I'm doing other travels. That's another day and another blog entry.

It was just so great to be home. Home is where you can beat up your brothers and finally NOT get in trouble for it but all the while screaming for your mom to help, tease your dad about getting gray and approve his wardrobe choices, and laugh at past goofs with your mom, eat Chinese and create Easter dinner together. Home is where you can pet and sleep with your kitties. Home is where your shower schedule depends on EVERYONE else in the house-and there's a meeting about it (that vicious cycle!) Home is where you can go into your old camper and just listen. the doors. the cabinets. the cubby hole. the drawers. the lightbuld switch. Who ever knew there were so many memories in sounds. Home is where you look around your church family and name every person, and fill in the reasons why they are important in your life. Home is where I get my fill of much needed hugs. Home is where I get to love on the two greatest kids, who ask great questions, who squeal with delight when I chase them around or throw them on sack chair, and say my name in the sweetest way. (well, ONE says my name....we are still workin' on the other one!) and gives me a card with their picture in it.

I love home.


(Blog about Easter at a later date.)

Love Life- BAH! ................. tbdbG. (to be determined by God.)

Social Life- See 'school life'.



SEE!!! This blog is FOREVER LONG! I talk too much and use too much time!! I need to get to sleep. Or do schoolwork.


Ummmmmm......yep. You're right. I choose sleep. ;-)

A series of strange events...

Today was the most bizarre day, and it all happened in the last hour of the day.

At our school we have extended care. Normal, all day teachers don't work this. Who can tolerate the kids at the end of the day for ANOTHER 3 hours after teaching them all day? These kids want to be home. They know they should be home and they go crazy.

For the last 3 days I have worked with 2nd and 3rd graders in extended care because Danielle has been on Spring Break. It has been interesting and stretching. Definitely not making a career change, but it's been okay.

We were all outside today and in the matter of 5 minutes, 3 children got hurt. One girl ran STRAIGHT into a tree, and in the matter of her coming to us, she had a goose egg the entire width of her forehead and blood coming from her mouth. I ran in to get ice while another teacher ran to get her grandma who works at the church. 1 minute later, a girl is SCREAMING on the foursquare court. We run over and find out a kid "threw a rock in the air and it hit her" right below the eye, and she had a black eye by the time we got there. A teacher ran her into the school and got ice. 2 mins later, I hear kids yelling for a teacher and find a kindergartner down for the count after running into a metal pole when chasing someone. He was fine, but we still had to write an accident report for him. About 5 mins later, another kid gets hit in the face with a foursquare ball that has been kicked. He cries and then gets back into the game. Another kid falls flat on his back from the top of a monkey bar thing. His mom was there, and he jumped back up after laying there for a minute, so we didn't have to really deal with that one.

We all felt like it was a horrible dream. Every time we turned around, someone else was hurt. After the 3rd one, I just couldn't handle it. It was such an out of body experience. They were dropping like flies---literally. I thought it a joke after awhile. I thought they were teasing us.

So, moral of the story-don't let kids play on playgrounds. Make them just sit and they'll be fine.

:-)

Volleyball Party!

It's so late, and seeing that I'm not feeling well AT ALL, I should be sleeping.

But tonight was so much fun that I just have to write about it.

Just kidding....I'll write tomorrow.....

Maybe they don't love me...

I don't even understand. I feel like I'm bending over backwards for them. I feel like I'm helping them by discussing things instead of instantly throwing punishment at them. I feel they don't even care.

I feel like giving up.

In the middle school, demerits are thrown around like candy. They are given at every sound, at every talking, at everything that an authority figure thinks is a problem. Therefore, they are useless. The kids who need them have gotten so many they are ineffective. The situations aren't listened to, the kids feel like they aren't heard and are being blamed for the wrong things. Yes, yes. they probably deserved a demerit for something else, yet weren't caught, so this one is legitimate. True, but no excuse to not listen. So, I don't give many demerits. I feel like there has to be something else I can do to them/give them to do, as impact. Or I'm a big idiot, care too much and am too soft, causing the constant commotion in my classroom because of it. I don't know. Who knows. The balance in middle school is SOO hard. They are so annoying yet are growing up. They are so immature but have so many great thoughts. They are hilarious but extremely disrespectful. They love life yet are so self-centered.

They don't care.

I'm trying something new-if the 8th graders do well throughout the week then I'll provide and allow them to chew gum on Friday. Small incentive to get them to at least try or pretend to care. Today was their first time to have it and it didn't go too badly until they started popping bubbles while they were taking tests. I know that I HATED it when people would make noise during a test. It messed my thinking up SO much, so I try to make it silent.

They don't care.

They are all about themselves and no one else. They want EVERYTHING and will work for nothing. They make me SOOOOOOOOOOO MAD! I work so hard at trying to help them. I bring them gum and mints and let them have it during tests and don't give many demerits. AND THEY DON'T CARE. They are still rude, still disrespectful, laugh at EVERYTHING, still sneaky, still SOOO IRRITATING.

AGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH x 100.

Good thing I have a class coming or tears might start. I can't cry and then teach 1st grade. Too many questions and too many soft hearts that are worried about what's wrong with me.

Praise the Lord it's the weekend.

Kids say....

3rd Grade:
Me: Don't be so dramatic, it'll be okay.
Girl: Yah, don't be a drag queen.
Me (a very quick correction) Drama. Drama queen.
Girl: Or a king, a drama king.
Me: Right, drama king. (phew!)

Kindergartner: You look neat! (what K kid says neat??)

Me to Kindergartner: I like your Pumas. They are really cool. Can I wear them?
Kindergartner: No, they are too small. They are only in kid shoes. But, I think they sell human sizes at the store too.

I look at a 1st grader while I'm teaching, and he's looking at me cross eyed. I stop, look at him, and wait for him to focus. He snaps out of it when he sees I'm looking at him, as if he's not weird for doing it.

Kindergartner: Ms. Senorita Peffer, are we having our siesta today? I'm soo excited for our siesta!! (um...no, it's a fiesta. But, I'd rather have them all come take a nap. That'd be fine too.)

And her name is.....Isabel!

So many times we think that God doesn't hear. Or that God doesn't know what He's doing. OR, that He really doesn't know what we are going through. But....He does.

It's been a battle with searching for another roommate. Who in the WORLD needs a place from April until July in Lorton? NO ONE. I posted it on a church site and then, when no one was answering, I put it on Craig's List. (Not my brother....the website.... :) I got some pretty interesting responses. Most people kept saying they wanted to know if they could "send me money in excess" and have me "send the extra on to Mr. Blah blah." Dad, dear ol' dad saved me from scam after scam. What they are doing is sending you a junk cashier's check, waiting for you to send the extra to someone else, and then the cashier's check is no good-you're out of money AND don't have a new roommate.

I had given up, only finding people looking for roommates, not people looking for places to stay and decided that I'm going to have to just endure this trial of paying 230 extra each month.

AND THEN....Isabel emailed.

I thought it was going to be someone else from Craig's List and was disappointed and skpetical from the start. THEN I saw that she got my info from McLean Bible website...and I got a little excited. We emailed back and forth, Wendy and I trying to see if she was a real person.

She's real. We met her tonight. She's probably going to be our new roommate.

WOOHOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!! She's super cute, solid, has a hold on life (unlike some others...) has friends, has a full time job and loves her family. She loved how big the space is and is so grateful that there's a dresser for her to use. It's the same distance for her from work and the traffic wasn't bad. AND.....AND....she has a pretty nice sized TV. YESSSsssssssssss! We're sold. :-)

I'm going to email her tomorrow and tell her that Wendy and I are 100% go for her to come in April and get a read on how she feels about it. I'll let you know if we need help moving her in! AND if she doesn't like it, we even have another person who is looking for our exact situation and needs to leave in July.

Our neighbor was talking to us, telling us about how many times we think God's timing should be NOW and that it's going to be totally wrong if it isn't--and then bam! He shows us again and again and again that He has it under control. It wasn't past His limit. It wasn't outside of His reach or His will.

Prayer requests-I haven't done this before, I don't think, but here it goes.
Wendy's fiance really needs a job and wisdom on future decisions.
I need to find a place to live in the fall, or 2 more roommates to come live here. There are so many things that are up in the air.

And yet...we need to remember that even though it feels past our limits, God knows. He has other limits.

He knows.

A Night at the Movies

I don't know if anyone will appreciate this, but I need to write it down for me. Feel free to read over my shoulder.

Tonight was such a fun and funny night. I laughed so much tonight.

Tonight was a girls night out with Erin and Wendy. (Remember, Wendy is my roommate and a 1st grade teacher at school, Erin is my best friend here and a 3rd grade teacher at school) and we decided that we'd go see Pink Panther tonight. Erin made a crack about seeing Mike (our Sunday school teacher/associate pastor) and Cathy, seeing that the last 3 times we've gone to the movies, they are coming in right after us, usually to see the same movie. We are a group of 20somethings and they are 55+. Hilarious.

As we are walking, I saw one of my 8th graders and his sister, which was my 8th grader last year. Then, in the automated ticket line, I see an 8th grader, a 7th grader, three 5th graders and a 2nd grader and a mom. The 2nd and 5th graders are soo pumped to see me. We talk for a little bit and laugh, then they head off to buy snacks.

Dialogue as follows:
8th Grade boy: Ms. Peffer, what are you seeing?
Me: Pink Panther.
8th: Noo!! Really?
8th Grader's mom: Oh yah? So you'll keep an eye on them? ;-)
Me: Nooo! It's after hours. I'm not responsible for any of them.

(I purchase ticket)

Same 8th Grader returns to me: Ms. Peffer, were you serious about seeing Pink Panther?
Me: Yes, see? (show ticket stub)
8th: Man! I gotta tell 7th grade boy! Hey! She is! She's wasn't kidding!

Then I see 6th grader and her dad walk in, laugh and buy tickets, then go back out. Erin goes and gets seats before we are stuck near the kids. I see my favorite 8th grade girl and yell down to her. HEY!!!! She waves with embarrassment. :-) Mission accomplished.

We sit and then 5th graders and 2nd grader come and sit right behind us. I loved it. Their comments and laughs were priceless. They made the movie 3x as funny with their crazy comments.

A guy is lying on the floor and 5th grader asks: what? they aren't even going to help him up?
Me,turning around: S, he's dead!
S: Ohhhhh.......I thought he was asleep!
D: Look at that horrible dress!
J: (missed a line about foreplay, everyone is laughing) What did he say?
I love it when they don't get jokes. It's great.

We are leaving the theater and I see my newest 8th grader and he doesn't look at me, yet he's saw me.
Me: Hey A!
A: DON'T say anything!!!! (he said this in such a way that he was embarrassed but liked it enough to make a joke out of it.)
Me: oh um....so sorry.... and put my hand at the side of my face so he can't see me.

We walk outside and there's a posse of 7th and 8th graders. There's at least 13 of them. They all look and act so funny, giving little weird waves and small comments. We laughed and laughed and walked over to get icecream. About 5 mins later, as our backs are turned to the door, Erin sees the posse coming to the shop. They see us, double over in laughter/agony, point and then refuse to come in because we are in there. Again, we errupt with laughter.


There were so many great things that I gathered from this experience.

1. I am everyone of those kids' teacher. I knew them all. Wendy and Erin don't know them, but I have some sort of connection with each one of them.
2. I LOVED seeing how awkward and embarrassed they were as middle schoolers seeing their teacher in public.
3. I think it's sooo funny that they acted as if we were old and decrepit and it would be weird to see their teachers at a movie theater.
4. It was a bunch of kids, hanging out together, from the same Christian school. Sometimes kids just endure their Christian school friends until they can hang out with their other friends. This was a good group of kids seeing a decent movie.
5. They wouldn't DARE eat ice cream at the same place as us, even AFTER we saw them come and then walk away.
6. I truly do love them. I loved seeing them tonight.
7. They are going to talk about this for a week. And....some might not ever forget it. :-)
   

As I replayed all of these events in my head on the way home, I just kept smiling.

I love being a teacher.

The bee is dead.

They have killed the bee!!!

For the past year and 1/2, there has been a "bee" buzzing in my light in the Spanish classroom. There have been multiple requests to get it fixed and nothing has been done about it. Until today.

This is the routine thing that happens with this light. You turn the light on, it buzzes for about 15 minutes. Then, the light dims a bit, and in 5 mins, because I haven't moved around in the classroom, the light turns off. As soon as I stand up, the light turns on, and the buzzing begins again.

OR, I finally get the buzzing to stop and I have to turn the lights off so my students can see the projector and the powerpoint. Then, I turn the lights back on and BBBBBBZZzzzzzzzzzzzzz.... how in the world can students think with that?? They couldn't. I couldn't. I would have this sense of HUGE relief when the buzzing would stop.

Today was the day of the killing.

He came in and change the little box in it that was suuuuupppper hot (the balast). There was melted plastic and other stuff that showed him that this should have been changed long ago. It could have been a fire hazard.

So, no more buzzing, no more bee and no more irritation!!!!!!! YEAH!!!!

Baby, it's cold INside...

Tuesday morning, our maintenance man pops his head into prayer meeting and asks us to pray for the boiler.

The BOILER???

At 7 am, the boiler went kablooey. We had school Tuesday and then we were told to dress warm for Wednesday and he would see how it was Wed. morning and then make the call about what to do next. There is a boiler in the area that we can get, but it takes 3 days to get it and then 5 days to install.

So, Wed. came and went, a little chillier, but not too bad. Then, last night the low was about 15 degrees, leaving the building without heat in cold weather for over 36 hours. This morning it was 56 degrees in our classrooms. And STILL...we had school. There was ice on the INSIDE of my classroom window today. There are space heaters in each room, which constantly trips the breaker. I borrowed Erin's for a little bit and I'm still saving the heat in my room by keeping the door closed. The kids think it's great that they get to wear their coats in the classroom, or wrap up in blankets while learning about David and Goliath. Harold brought around hot chocolate to all of the classes today for an extra special treat.

It's all cute and fun.....but it's cold. And it's going to keep getting colder. And it won't be cute and fun anymore after today. Today's not even very fun. Tomorrow we are having our Black History Celebration with a program and a lunch served to the kids-fried chicken, collard greens, maccaroni and cheese, etc. It's going to be very cold tomorrow. And we will still have school. It won't be cancelled because of the program.

I always wanted to be one of those kids whose school name was on the ticker at the bottom of the news station and beside it said: no heat.

Well. Calvary Road Christian School: No heat. Yes school.

LET'S GO STEELERS!!!!!!

HERE WE GO STEELERS, HERE WE GO!!!

On Friday, we had a Sports Team day as our last day of Spirit Week. I wanted to call all of the Steelers fans to the office so I could get a picture, but it didn't happen. Here are the few that I got!

1st grader Tracey and me.

All of these kids were in ONE kindergarten class!

Maysa, Adam, Julianna and her teddybear, Stephanie and Grant.

Yesterday I got the coolest thing in the mail, too. My mom called me and told me to check the mail. I went out and found a package and then told mom, I KNOW WHAT IT IS!!! It's a Steelers' Tshirt! She told me no, and I was bummed. Then I ripped it open and...YESSS!!! I was right! An AFC Championship Tshirt with Palamalu and Ben. It's beautiful!

But, what's more beautiful is the fact that my parents sent it to me. It made me so happy. I asked mom, as I was opening it if there was a note inside. She said, nope, Dad sent it. You get what you ordered, nothing else. No love. :-) But, it was full of love. Thanks Mom and Dad!

So, I'm all geared up, along with my Steelers football balloon I bought for myself at the grocery store, and I'm off to Taby and Greelpy's to hang out with the homegroup.

GO STEELERS!!!!!!

Snow Day #2

I didn't think it could even happen. BUT, again, my favorite person called me this morning. (I have now entered her in my phone book as **SNOW DAY!!!*** ) She called earlier this time-5:26. I was still in bed and not the shower. Double bonus. :-) Went over and woke up Wendy again. Again, with the "ARE YOU SERIOUS!??!", a hug, a phone call to the next chain member, and back to bed.

Well...I tried to go back to sleep. My mind was all over, thinking about the joy of another snow day and what we would do. I also got an email from someone and was thinking about how I was going to respond. I woke up around 9 and then made pancake for roommate and I. No, I didn't forget the s. I only had enough to make a pancake for each of us, but when doctoring it up with chocolate chips, we were in heaven.

Left over chinese for lunch, another movie and then project: organization. We moved things around and set up a shelf in the closet and did our best to get things done.

All in all, it was another great day. :-) We iceskated to the mailbox and chipped the ice off of our cars. I'm glad I took the snow off the day before or it would NOT have been a fun task.

**SNOW DAY** didn't wake me up this morning, so we are all back at school, bright and early. It's just today (a LONG day, working extended care for someone until 6 and then dinner and orchestra) and tomorrow and then a weekend.

I could get use to this!

Snow Day!!!

I got a call at 6:02 from my favorite person. The person right above me in the phone chain that tells us if we have a snow day or not.

SNOW DAY!!!

I am supposed to call my roommate (yep, there are 2 diff. phone numbers, so we are two diff. people on the chain) so I walked over to her room and woke her up. She groaned as I said, guess what....(thinking she had overslept and was waaaay late) and then I said, we have snow day! She JUMPED out of bed SO fast and we did a huge dance and squealed and hugged, etc, etc. It's the Snow Day dance. One of our fellow teachers actually HURT herself doing the Snow Day dance. Sheesh! It was Wendy's first snow day as a teacher so it was so cute seeing her reaction. I don't think I'll ever get use to this. It's always so fun.

I just got out of the shower when she called so I dried my hair and jumped back in bed and slept until 10. Then I watched Annapolis which is a great movie, ate Mommy's homemade vegetable soup and then popped in good ole Titanic. I also reorganized my files in my really cool filing cabinet I got from Candy. Wendy and I also ordered Chinese because...that's what you do on a snow day. You order Chinese.

I also had the joy of cleaning off our cars. If you know me, you know I like doing things myself. I didn't like it tonight. I needed a guy to clean off my car. He needed to shovel and spread salt and do the manly work around the house. Not me. :-( I would have done a great job at making hot chocolate for him.

I should have taken pictures first. It's no "PA snow" but it's good enough for us! It's icy and supposed to be icy rain all night. YEAH!!!!! Let's hope for another one tomorrow!

I didn't do any school work or anything today. I've sat here with my laptop and wrote emails and caught up on things online. AND I don't regret a single CENT I spent on this laptop. It's amazing. I love that I am watching TV in my living room and emailing my friends. Priceless.

Pray for more snow! I'm going to wear my pjs inside out, sleep with spoons under my pillow and flush icecubes down the toilet...I hear that gets us a snow day....?

PS-You'll never guess what my fortune cookie said. "The days you work are the best days". Bahhh! Today I did no work and it was a "best day". :-)

Car ride Intercession

I've been told by my Sunday School teacher/ associate pastor that it's okay to take a drive and have it out with God as if He's in the passenger seat. He tells us that he looks over and yells and throws up his arms and really gets in God's face. Then, God talks back.

I had it out with God tonight. Yep.

I yelled at Him, yelled to Him, let Him know my thoughts and my wants dealing with this matter of my roommate leaving in the middle of the lease. I told Him my list of things that weren't fair. I told Him all of the things I want to happen. I told Him how I wanted it to go. I told Him when I want the new roommate to move in. I told Him all the things I'm going to say to her about this whole thing. I told Him that I was glad this was happening so she would get out of my life and I wouldn't have to deal with her anymore. I told Him that I didn't care if she was sick and that she lives in a different world and that she think illogically. Stinks to be her. But that shouldn't affect her getting a job and paying us for rent. Tears were rolling, heart was aching. It's hard to merge on the highway when tears are blurring your vision.

Then...God talked back.

He started bringing to mind ALL of the things I needed to praise Him for.

I have a job-Praise You
I have a place to live-Praise YOU
I have parents who could help me out if I needed it-Praise YOU
I have friends-Praise YOU
I have friends ALL OVER THE WORLD--Praise YOU
I have people who care about me-Praise YOU
I have money-Praise YOU
I have a grasp on reality and live in this world-Praise YOU
I'm not sick-Praise YOU
No one in my family is sick-Praise YOU
I HAVE A NEPHEW-Praise YOU
I have a car-Praise YOU
I have gas in my car-Praise YOU

The tears stopped. Peace fell on my heart.

Yeah, this thing really stinks. But, God knows. He knew this before time. He knew that she'd get sick. He knew that I'd get mad at her. Really mad. He knows who the next roommate will be. He knows how much stress this roommate has brought and how this is a way to end this chapter in my life. He knows that I might think that it's a pain if she leaves her bedroom furniture because there is no place to store it, but now I can advertise a fully furnished basement.

This isn't fair. True statement.

God isn't fair. True statement.

If He was fair, I'd be going to Hell.

God, thank You for not being fair and thank You for all of the understanding You have and are giving me through this.

Please pray.

I was reading a friend's blog today and thought this was great.

What a statement this would have been.

SO STinkin' CUTE!

Check out the new look of my blog. I have been jealous of other's blogs and wondering HOW in the world theirs could be so amazing and all I can use are the dumb boring ones offered by blogger.

AND THEN...I found out.

It all started out as a spiritual endeavor. I was reading someone's blog and clicked to follow the link to find out more of what this person had to say. And her blog was beautiful. The words I was reading and the LOOK of her blog. So, I snooped around her blog and found the link to www.thecutestblogontheblock.com.

The possibilities are endless! I had to just choose one without looking at all of them or I wouldn't have been able to choose!

Let me tell you, I can't wait until I get to change this one! (Too bad you don't get to see the prettiness when you are blogging yourself. It's this ugly box that you have to write in. Maybe Blogger can do something about that...)

Check it out! There is also a link up in the top left hand corner of my blog!

How do I do this?

Non-history teachers should NOT be teaching history.

1. History teachers LOVE history. Non-history teacher don't. IF they did, they would be history teachers.
2. History teachers KNOW history. Non-history teachers don't. IF they did, they would be history teachers.
3. History teachers can help their students LOVE history. Non-history teachers can't. IF they could, they would be history teachers.
4. History teachers CARE about history. Non-history teachers don't. IF they did, they would be history teachers.
5. History teachers WANT to teach history. Non-history teachers don't. IF they did, they would be history teachers.



I AM NOT A HISTORY TEACHER!!!!!!!!!

The Perfect Weekend. And I'm not exaggerating.

The perfect weekend. I haven't had a weekend like this EVER. Everything was just perfect. Let me just tell you how perfect.

My nephew was born this weekend. That alone makes it perfect, but he had the greatest timing ever. He wasn't due until Jan 26.

I had a 4 day weekend this weekend. Craig had a 3 day weekend. Aunt Zoe, Uncle Don and Josiah are leaving for Brasil on Thursday and will be gone for 1 1/2 years. The Steelers were playing for the Super Bowl and I wanted to be in the 'burgh where people cared about the Steelers. I was soooooo jealous of all of the snow in PA and the NON-snow in VA.

I was able to drive to PA from VA on Saturday, play in the snow (over a foot!) with Craig, watch the Steelers eat little birdies for dinner and I got to see my aunt and uncle for the last time for a long time. AND I GOT TO HOLD MY NEPHEW.

Samuel Everett Peffer came into the world at 10:18pm on January 17th. Abby's labor was only 40 mins long and Sam is perfect. 21.5 inches, 8lbs 12 oz. I'll write more later about the experience, but I want you to enjoy the pictures. They say so much.

Waiting, waiting, waiting. . .

All week I have been wishing for my sister-in-law to go into labor this weekend. It would have been a perfect weekend for it to happen. I have a four day weekend-MLK Day AND Inauguration Day off. It's also the AFC Championship for the Steelers and I wanted to be with Steeler fans when watching. I kept telling the girls at work that it was going to happen. The barometric pressure was dropping, a full moon, Aunt Zoe and I praying for it to happen so she could see the baby before they leave for Brasil (the 22nd), all those reasons why it would be wonderful.

Today I was shopping with Erin and Mom called. She asks, "Are your bags packed?" I wasn't sure what she's talking about.

Then....it hit me.


THE BABY IS COMING!!!! Abby's water broke 10 mins after I talked to Jay this morning on the phone and they induced her at 2pm.

SO...I packed my bags and jumped in my car and just finished the 5.5 hour drive to PA. I am soooo excited to see the snow. I just wish it would only fall on the yard and not on the road. If we had this much snow in VA, we wouldn't have school for a week!!!

So...we are just waiting. I hope to have pictures tomorrow!!!

Perspective

It's 12:07 and I should be in bed. After the way I felt today after getting 9 hours of sleep, I should be aiming for that again.

But I can't.

I'm talking to someone online.

And this isn't just any someone. This is a someone who's been through a WHOLE HECK of a lot. Adam Long. I went to high school with him. He was like a little brother, always teasing and trying to prove to me that he was a good kid. He knew where I stood with God and things and it was just really cool. This kid, age 21 was diagnosed with cancer and was so close to death that I was just waiting for the call from my mom to tell me he was gone. I prayed for him so much. While he was going through chemo and the fight for his life, his dad was diagnosed with cancer.

Adam's dad passed away Wednesday morning.

He sent me a message first. I was sooo surprised. Really? Adam is talking to me? A day after his dad died? It's so awkward. Death is always awkward and hard and strange and hurtful, and sad, and bllllahhhhhhhh. What do you say? How do you make him feel better through words on a screen? How long do you talk about his dad's death? How do you write things without making them sound all cheesy and bible answery? After you've talked to him about everything about his dad and about how AMAZING God is that he's still alive to comfort his mom while his dad has passed away...then what? What do I say that he hasn't heard a million times from everyone else?

He tells me that his dad asked God to take his life instead of Adam's. Now he is going to live life to the fullest for him and his dad. He says he had accepted it a couple months ago so he's doing okay right now. His mom isn't so good, but he says he has 2 good shoulders for her to cry on. He's there to help. That's the amazing part. He's here. He didn't die when everyone thought he was going to. He's here. Praise God. I think he's now officially in remission and making plans to attend nursing school to become a chemo nurse. He wants to help people who are going through what he went through. He also figures that he'll get a one-up on his resume--- been there, done that, and have the bald head to prove it.

And the greatest, most amazing thing about this is.....Adam's dad became a believer just days before he died.


Yesterday, I complained about stepping in a puddle and not having my chapel skit work right. And now I'm talking to a guy who's life was saved and whose dad just died.

Puts things into perspective. God is good. All the time.

It's 12:46, and I'm going to keep talkin' away until he says good night. I can't be there to give him a hug, but I can talk to him online.

Who needs sleep anyhow.....?

A funk

I've been posting for the past hour about the past three weeks of my life. The reason why I got on Blogspot was to write about my day TODAY. Not all the past stuff. So now, I don't even feel like writing about why I wanted to write in the first place!

I'm just in a funk. I think it's because I was thrown back into life here in VA so suddenly. I didn't get a chance to recoup or prepare myself for reentry into adulthood. I'm going through culture shock and I don't like it. I went from being at the Castle and getting very little sleep with very great amount of activity to my teaching life. It's not fun. At all.

I taught chapel today. I was so excited about what I was going to do and then everything about my plan when wrong. I forgot the DVD in PA. Then, I find out that I can't get it in an email, it has to be on YouTube. YouTube is blocked at school, so I have to work with that. Then, on Tuesday, I find out that we can't have chapel in the sanctuary because they are putting down new carpet. So, now i have to find a place that i can get internet, can have a projector and computer for powerpoint and that can fit 48 middle schoolers. It was such a headache.

I thought I had it all worked out. Then, in the middle of my lesson, the wireless internet lost its connection and we only saw 3 mins of the 9 min video. SO I have to remember what it was talking about and tell them all how the rest of the dialogue goes so I can use it for my lesson. I felt like it was all out of control but I hope the kids were blessed. I hope it really worked on their hearts. It was another reminder from God that it's not about me. It's about Him and His word.

I only ate a bowl of cereal, some goldfish crackers and an icecream sandwich all day. So, I was starving, cranky and not feeling so well. I went to Baja Fresh (so much for getting skinny) and parked in a puddle. I didn't find that out until I stepped in it. It was been raining torrents of rain all day. If this was all snow, we wouldn't have school for a week. It's been that much. Oh to live in VA.

And all I want to do now is talk to a boy on the phone. That's my desire right now. It seems like that would be the best solution for my funk. I'm so discontent. It may look like I'm totally fine, but I'm not. Not right now.

But...there's no boy to talk to on the phone........it's 9pm and I'm going to bed. Maybe I'll sleep the funk away.

A little delayed, but still a ton of fun!

Here are pictures from my trip to the National Tree! We went with our home group and it was so fun. It was 60 degrees on Dec. 20 when we went! It wasn't right!

Eric, Wendy, Jessica, Erin, Me, Jessie, Laura and Nate

The Tree in front of the Capitol

The White House Tree!

Friends through thick and thin! We were the only ones in the group who had gone before!

The Pennsylvania Tree

Roommates

Eric-the coolest guy around (at least that's what he thinks! :-)

The Castle-13 years running!

The Castle.

Say that to any random person on the street and they'll look at you funny. Say that to someone from the ages of 13-35 who attends or is friends with someone who attends Portersville Bible Church, you'll get a smile and you will release a flood gate of memories. Goofy times, hard times, fun times, and spiritually changing times.

It's an actual castle in Franklin, PA where we take a youth retreat for 7h each year during Christmas break. This year, if I've calculated right, was my 13th year in a row. 6 of them as a student, 7 of them as a counselor/helper/do whatever you need me to do. It's such an amazing time. I've been there with a myriad of youth leaders and helpers. We've done EVERYTHING under the sun to reach kids. Each year the Castle is the same....yet completely different. The food is the same, in the same order, Mary is the same, the building is the same, the trip is the same, the gym in the same, the rules are the same, the awkward PDA convo in the same (still awkward). . The kids are the same---the faithful, and different---the friends of the faithful. The kids are the same---their names, and different---matured and changed through Christ, or changed through other things-good or bad, over the years.

This year was so amazing for me. Tyler, my youngest brother, is a senior. I started helping at the Castle when the seniors were in 7th grade. I have watched them for six years. As I stood there and watched them worship, God brought me to tears. My precious 7th graders are now worshipping God and having great communion with Him. They are standing there, eyes closed, praising our Father. Amy is in deep prayer, asking God for direction in her life. Praising Him for who He is. I have been through so much with her. She is sooooo precious to me. I cannot wait to see how God is going to use her. Tyler is going forward to commit to serve. My little brother, in love with God, not caring to be the center of attention at school or wanting to do wrong things. The picture of my cousin Lee with his arms out and in all-out worship is burned into my memory. He used to be so little. Now he's so grown. He's going to change the world.

I cried a lot this year. I know....I'm a leader. I'm not the one who is supposed to be affected. Yet...I was.

I was put to the challenge to create a Prayer Room-Sanctuary- for the kids to get away and get quiet before God. Kristin gave me great ideas which I put into action. This was only completed with amazing help. I just pray that someone was blessed by this. It was totally God.

Come...all who are weary...and I will give you rest.

Know God.



Forgive and wash away the hurt and pain caused by people.



Look back at the commitments you've made in the past. Have you kept them? What's keeping you from them? Renew them today.


Look in the mirror. What do you see? What does God see? What do others see?

Look around you. Where can you serve? What can you do? You're not too poor, too young, too alone, too little to do something for Him.

I was the Senior High Girls counselor. They are amazing. I love working with that age group.

Trip to Ohio!

I'm so glad that Rachael's family lives in Ohio. It's SOO much closer to PA than Indiana. It has been at least 4 years in a row that I've spent part of Christmas break with the Stricklands. It was only about 12 hours this year, but they were precious hours.

Rachael is my kindred spirit. It was so amazing to see her. I wish we would have had time to have deep conversation, but anytime with her is good. Next time I see her, she might be HUGE or I might get to be holding the little one! I'm also this baby's aunt. Biologicially-No. Hand Chosen-Yes. :-)

Ben, Rachael, Baby Strickland and me!

Mommy and Baby Strickland!

I didn't get to see Joyce on this trip to Ohio. I miss her a ton too. Hopefully soon.

I'll be Home with Bells on...!

Christmas Break.

Almost the most precious words to a teacher.

The most precious words-Snow Day. I've yet to hear those most precious words, but there's always hoping. :-) Winter is far from over. I don't have as much of a chance as a did in Cleveland, but people down here---they freak out in bad weather. I can't even imagine what it would be like if I was REALLY in the south.

Christmas Break was amazing. I worked until 8:30 on Friday, getting things ready in my classroom so I didn't have to come back early. Then I packed and waited anxiously for my roommate and her NEW FIANCE to come back from the airport. It was such a sweet return. I'm soo happy for her!! And here I go again, searching for roommates once summer comes. I told them they could live upstairs and I would live in the basement, but Wendy didn't seem too anxious to sign the lease on that idea. I still have 6 months to convince her!

It was so nice to spend time with my family. I love going home. I love being able to slip back into the routine of being a kid, spoiled by mom's hugs and home cooking, and dad's beating me with a newspaper because I shocked his ears (...repeatedly....while he was trying to start the fire... :-) and his "complaining" to make me feel bad, but I know he really loves it when I bring car problems home and when I bug him to help me figure out how to buy my laptop. He loves to feel needed. I love to need him. I had two brothers to beat up-an outlet I've been needing. There's nothing like throwing your brother on the couch after a battle in the living room. My kitty got to snuggle with me and I got to be lazy. I got to see my sister-in-law, 8 months pregnant and so beautiful (though she says she looks like a house!). I can't wait to meet my nephew. 19 days and counting!!! My brother is SOOO pumped to be a daddy. I didn't really get to talk to him but I can tell. Can you tell?


Baby Everett. :-)


The Christmas Eve service was a step back into time. We do almost the same thing every year, seeing that you can't change history :-), but the characters just change. It's always interesting to see who are the chosen Mary and Joseph. Amy and Tyler were the chosen betrothed. Donkey ride and all. The candlelight service is my favorite. The glow of all of the candles and the sweet accapella version of Silent Night.

Christmas morning was so fun. Us big kids keeping traditions alive. Of course, we do it all for Tyler, the baby of the family. :-) Yeah...right. We they went to Gramma and Papa's for Christmas dinner. After dinner, and the MASSIVE amounts of silverware that had to be washed, games abounded all around the house. Gramma and Papa opened their gifts and then I asked Papa and Gramma about their Christmas memories. This is something that we rarely do. We don't really TALK. We play games and goof around....but I don't know how much relationship building we do when we get together. It's usually the kids and adults playing games, and Gramma watching or trying to talk to us while we are playing ;-) and Papa in the living room with his brother, watching TV. It kinda makes me sad. Times have completely changed since they were children. It was really good to listen. I loved it.



Tyler, Jay, Abby, Craig and Me. On the stairs for a Christmas picture. Another tradition. :-)