Can you tell it's been a busy two weeks back at school?

 

I hate the beginning of school.  It takes forever for things to settle down.  So far the kids have been great this year.  The parents, well, they just want what's best for their children.  I had one parent stop me in the hall yesterday...not a problem, at least when I talked to the teachers they are willing to help fix the problem.  I also had another parent call me (Now, we've been to school for five days...) and tell me that her child receives services and he is already having problems and what can we do about it.  Should I mention the student is brand new and I don't have his paperwork yet.  Without his paperwork, I can't help him.  I know it is on it's way and I will have it by next week.  I have to remember to call about it today.

 

I'm sorry, do I sound like I am complaining...I don't mean to.  School is just so very busy.  I have over 40 children I am seeing and our schedule is crazy.  Unbelievably crazy.

 

The kids are great though.  I have a new kindergartner who is repeating kindergarten and seems very insecure.  He is adorable though.  On Monday, I got him for the first time and he started crying when I asked him to repeat after me the sound that L makes.   Yesterday morning, he did pretty well with me as we played with animals and took a walk around the school looking for "before", "after", and the letter "L".  However, yesterday afternoon, my assistant was supposed to work with him.  She went and got him and brought him back to the room.  When she came in and I said that he was going to work with her and I had to go get another student...he wrapped his arms around my waist, burried his head in my stomach, and started crying.  I melted...my assistant worked with my student and I worked with the kindergartener.  He really is just adorable.

 

On another note...I woke up with a headache this morning...pretty bad.  I was laying in bed trying to decide if I should get up or not, when I heard my next door neighbor's alarm going off.  Let me explain...the man leaves his window wide open all the time.  You can hear his TV going, and it is pretty loud....loud to the point that I suspect the guy is somewhat deaf.  I am not sure how long the alarm went off, because I finally got out of bed.  Now I hear it pretty often, but it doesn't usually bother me, partly because I am mostly asleep when it is going off, and mostly because I don't have a headache.  However, this morning, it was definately more annoying than usual.  I took something for the headache and decided to go lay down for 20 minutes, as I didn't need to be up that early and I was hoping the headache would go away.  I layed back down to the blessed dark and absolute silence, when not two minutes later the alarm started going off again.  I couldn't believe it.

It finally got quiet again and I layed in the dark while my headache slowly improved.  It is not completely gone, but I think I can handle it until I can take another pill.

 

Not that I mean to complain, but it was annoying and there is nothing I can do about it, save rearrange my entire house and move to the back bedroom...if you know me and have been to my house, then you probably know that is not an option for me.  My cat has the other bedroom and I keep him completely out my bedroom so if I were to switch the two it would take some major, major cleaning to make it possible.

Well, off to get ready for work.

Today was the first day back to school...officially.

 

I went in to school last week for three days, reorganized my filing cabinet and put my room in order.

 

Today, we decided to repaint the room because it looks horrible.   Therefore we moved everything in my room out or at least to the middle.  Tomorrow we will paint.  Wednesday and Thursday (or maybe Thursday and Friday) we will put everything back and hopefully by next week everything will be ready for the kids to return.

 

I made some phone calls that were required (to parents that are already concerned about the coming school year - note: school has not even started yet).  Already talked to people about problems concerning schedules and whose classrooms students are in.  We'll see how that one turns out.  I am waiting to get the rest of the class lists before I start moving all the other students....hopefully, it will work out and I won't need to move anyone else...but that never happens.  So, we shall see.

 

Otherwise...I think the day went really well.  I have a great team this year and while I haven't met many of the new people...I think that everything should work out fairly well.  I am looking forward to this year, even with all the problems I already anticipate....see if I anticipate them, then I don't get surprised.  Actually, I expect this year to work well, because I feel more prepared than ever and I have more help then I have ever had before...so hopefully, this will work well.  We shall see.

I can no longer be upset at road construction.

I can no longer be upset at traffic lights or driving delays.

I can no longer be upset about what I have to eat or what I have to wear.

 

I am thinking a lot more about how I spend my money.

I am thinking a lot more about my belongings.

I am thinking a lot more about what else I should be doing and where God is calling me.

 

These are just some of the results from my recent trip to Costa Rica.

 

Sorry it has been so very long since I have written, but while I am away it is very hard for me to write.  Mom's computer doesn't like the internet...so it takes to long to load the pages...so I don't write.

 

I had a great trip home, a wonderful visit with my Dad (shocked!!), a nice birthday tea with Mom, and a fabulous trip to Costa Rica.  I wish I could tell you all about the trip but less then a week since I've been back and I am still processing it all.  I know that I have been called to missions and am looking forward to where God is leading me with this.  I am praying about future trips and direction.

 

While in Costa Rica, I met some wonderful men and women of God who are doing amazing things for the people there.  I worked with a number of children and know that some part of me will always remain with those kids.  I poured out the love that God gave me upon those children and felt sorrow upon having to leave them.  I wish that I could have done more for them and pray that seeds have been planted and hearts opened.  I pray that the truth of God's word would be spoken to those children and that they would see and taste that the Lord is good.  I pray that the children I met in Costa Rica would come to know the love and provision of the Father.  I pray that lives would be touched and changed by the power of God's grace.  This is my prayer for the people of Costa Rica and also for those of us who went and returned to the luxury of the United States.