Waiting

Do you ever get tired of waiting? Not in line, but just waiting? Waiting for your life to finally start. I'm tired of waiting. It seems that all I ever do is wait. I've been waiting almost 6 years to find a permanent position in a school district. I've been waiting almost 10 years for someone, besides family, to think I'm worth while enough to love. Thankfully that wait is over to some extent, but the waiting continues. I know that God has his own timing, but why can't his timing and mine be the same for once. Everyone else seems to get what they want when they want it. Of course my everyone I mean the world, those who aren't waiting for what God wants. I guess waiting is just part of growing, and learning to trust God. Will this life lesson ever be over? Maybe that is why it is a LIFE lesson.

Roots

My Sunday school class at church has been talking about different topics related to church growth or lack there of. Last week we discussed relationships in the church. This got me to pondering, remembering, and looking back over the last year of two. This time last year I had recently returned from my year in Macedonia working as a Missionary Associate. I had stretched my wings, flown for a time, and returned to Wisconsin. I had not real job and was searching for a way to meet the requirements to renew my teachers license. I had no relationships or roots to speak of. Nothing that would keep me in one place if opportunity knocked somewhere else. My friends from college are scattered all across the US. Most of my extended family lived 5 hours away and we are not that close. I had my family and one close friend but that was not enough to keep me here. I could easily keep in touch with family and one friend if I stretched my wings and flew away again. There was just not much to keep me here. Wanting to do God's will, I waited and called on Him to show me what to do. He didn't answer but slowly, almost unnoticed, God began the process of growth, roots began to form in my life for the first time in a long time. And as these roots began to dig in, God was also working on settling me socially (I'm not sure if that is the best way to say it, but I can't think of another way of putting it). I had been asking God for years for close friends (plural: more than one) who lived near by and God began to answer these prayers. I meet some wonderful friends in a near by church. I'm still looking for a teaching job, but now I'm not in such a hurry to fly away. The urge to fly is still there at times, but my roots hold me to a place and people that are important to me and I'm okay with that. I like it and find that I am content, despite the lack of progress being made in other areas of my life.

Revenge of the teachers

As I am walking down to the work room after school Mary Lynn, the teacher who might retire this year and I want her job, tells me to stand guard and keep "it" from running down the hall. She is armed with a broom. I'm not sure exactly what is going on until she moves a bin and a little mouse comes scurrying out from behind. I'm not exactly sure how I'm suppose to keep it from running down the hall, but luckily Mary Lynn takes that broom and beats the mouse about twenty times until it is left in a little heap twitching it's legs occasionally. By now there is a small crowd around the area and some are sad the mouse died while others, Mary Lynn, feel no sorrow for the little mouse. Having some pity for the little thing I ran into the workroom and use a sheet of paper to scoop up the mouse and deposit it in the garbage can outside. Mary Lynn wanted to just sweep the mouse out the door. So is the tragic end of the little mouse who ate the crackers in my desk. At least I hope it was that mouse, or there is more then one at school.

Kindergarten Fun

There are some fun things that happen to kindergarten teachers. Monday I wore a skirt with black nylons that had a small diamond pattern to them. All day the kids would comment on my nylons and touch my legs. Mental note, no more nylons. I also received an African Violet from one of my boys. A leaf fell off, and being my grandmother's child, I put the leaf in a glass of water so it would grow roots. I never thought I would do that! I've also received the random comments and questions like "You are pretty." "Are you married?" and "When are you going to get married?" At least they haven't asked if I'm pregnant.

First week of long-term subbing in Kindergarten

Well my first week as a long term sub for Kindergarten has gone pretty well over all. I did have a few things to work with and iron out. I have never felt more behind, unorganized, and unprepared than this week. While most teachers have a week to get their rooms in order, decorated, and prepared for the first day I got 1 1/2. Only 1 1/2 days to prepare for the first day of school. Talk about prioritizing and only doing the main things that had to be done. From the moment I stepped into the classroom, I worked non-stop getting things ready and trying to figure out what to do in kindergarten. I'm certified to teach 1st through 8th grade, so I feel a little out of my league in kindergarten. I want to make a good impression, especially since this is not in my certification. I want the school to think "If she is this good in an area she is not certified in, imagine how good she will be in a certified area." At least that is my hope.
The days went fast and I kept busy trying to keep ahead of the days and catching up on work that I needed to get done. I have 13 children in my class. They were very well behaved for the most part this whole week. I did have a child cry everyday, a different child, but still everyday someone cried. I'm looking forward to seeing what is ahead for the next 11 weeks that I am in this classroom.