White Christmas

Well, this was probably the most bizarre Christmas ever. At the beginning of the week, the weathermen had been forecasting a blizzard for our area. I had heard the weather reports, but who actually pays attention to these things when a "blizzard" in Oklahoma usually consists of a couple hours of "wintry mix" and people freaking out for no reason? So, Christmas Eve rolled around. Andrew was at work and was going to meet me at his parents' house in Yukon (30 miles away) that evening. Despite the 40 mph winds and heavy sleet/snow, I left our house in Norman around 12:30. Shortly thereafter, I realized that my rear defroster was no longer working, and my front windshield was leaving me with a very limited field of vision because the windshield wipers were freezing. I made it to Moore (about 5 miles away) and had to stop at the local McDonald's because the roads were so slick and I could not see. I called Andrew's parents, and Andrew's dad (Jim) left to come pick me up and take me to their house. It took him close to 2 hours to make it to McDonald's. We left to pick up Andrew's sister, Amy, from work at the mall. We got to the mall at 4:15. By this point, I was pretty much past the point of being mad and frustrated because it was taking so long to go so short a distance. Amy, Jim, and I passed the time by singing Christmas carols and telling stories. Meanwhile, we sat between the same mile marker for about 2 hours as we watched cars slide around and get stuck in ditches. We finally made it to Yukon at about 8:30- an adventure which had started 8 hours earlier that day for me. Looking back on the whole thing, it really was an out-of-this-world experience. At first, the weathermen were saying that this was the worst storm in Oklahoma City in 20 years. As the storm progressed, though, it became "the worst storm ever in Oklahoma City." All of the highways were closed, and there were about as many cars off the road as there were on. The grand total for snowfall in Oklahoma City on Christmas Eve was 14 inches. When we woke up on Christmas morning, it looked a lot more like we were in Colorado than Oklahoma.

Aside from throwing our Christmas off a bit, the weather has also messed with my marathon training. I may have to revise my goal of running a marathon in February, which is a really hard thing for me to think about doing. I was not feeling well for about a week and half and just started feeling better about the time the bad weather rolled in. Despite the awesome Yaktrax that I got for Christmas, the roads and sidewalks have been in no condition for running. It's killing me. I tend to beat myself up when I don't meet the sometimes ridiculous goals I set for myself, but this may be one of those things that has to wait because I don't know if I'll be able to catch up with my training before the February marathon.

Andrew has a rough week ahead. He has been forewarned that this is the busiest week of the year and that he should expect to stay at work until 9 or 10:00 every night. Currently, it's 7:56 on Monday evening, and that prediction is holding true so far.

In Christ alone,
Mary Rachel

Candy Canes and Sugar Cookies

As many of you may know, this year is my first "real" Christmas. My family did not celebrate Christmas growing up. Now that Andrew and I are married, we are trying to figure things out as "Team F" instead of "Mary Rachel Hicks" and "Andrew Fenrick", which is actually quite a lot to consider around the holidays. It has been a bit of a challenge to stick to simple gifts when America tends to be a little extravagant during this time of year. I actually love giving people gifts- I have a lot more fun shopping for other people than I do shopping for myself. Our goal is to always just keep Christmas simple, especially when we have kids, because I think that among all of the shopping, decorating, baking, and gift-giving, people forget that Christmas is really a reminder of the Savior that we have in Christ.

I graduated on Saturday. The whole ceremony only took about 45 minutes! My family came up for the weekend, and Andrew's family came down for the day. It was a great celebration of a lot of hard work. Afterward, we went out to dinner at Shogun Steakhouse (a Japanese steakhouse). I have not had any real responsibilities for the past few days because I have no classes, and the Norman schools are closed for Christmas break (so I can't substitute teach). This is VERY unusual for me, but I am enjoying it. Looking back on the past few years, even in high school, I probably should have let my grades go sometimes. A 4.0 is nice, but it was probably not worth some of the relationships on which I missed out and the frustrations that I incurred because of a stupid homework assignment or test. People told me this all along, but I never really saw their point until now, when it's all over.

My last week of subbing kindergarten was a nightmare. In fact, the week basically went downhill from Monday. The kindergarteners had their Christmas party on WEDNESDAY morning from 9-11 a.m.?! I'm sorry, but seriously, what were the people thinking when that was planned? Apparently, they weren't thinking at all because of course, the little ones were high on sugar for the rest of the day, and they shut down and did not want to do anything on Thursday or Friday (and I can't say that I blame them). Needless to say, I am glad it is over. I definitely earned every penny of my paycheck over the past two weeks. Some of the kids did bring me cookies and cards, which was nice. One thing that I found to be more than a little concerning over the past two weeks is the fact that I do not think the kindergarteners learned a single thing the entire time I was there. They did arts and crafts or played with blocks and legos the entire day. I remember reading in kindergarten, counting, and learning my colors. They did not do ANY of this. I thought that maybe this was because I was a sub, but in talking to some of the first grade teachers, the circumstances are the same in both of the kindergarten classes all the time. Only one of the girls can really read, and quite a few of the kids cannot count past 14-15. The sad thing is, I have a lot of respect for this particular school as a whole; I just think that maybe kindergarten is becoming a joke.

Andrew has been working A LOT lately. This time of year is by far the busiest at work, so he has been working at least ten-hour days, if not more. (He even has to work Christmas Eve!) Most likely, this will continue through January. He has really been a trooper about it, but I can tell that it wears him out, especially with a 45-minute commute each way. Paycom is a great company and does some special things to make this time of year bearable. On Friday, the company (and their spouses) got to go to a Thunder basketball game for free and sit in the Terrace Seating, which has all kinds of free food and a great view. I know that the company has brought in free lunch a few times, too. At the beginning of February, we get to go to a year-end party at the Gaylord Texan in Grapevine. Apparently this is a pretty big deal. We get to stay the night there for free, and it sounds like the company really puts a lot of work into making the party enjoyable. So, at least he has some things to anticipate in the future.

That's about all from the Fenrick house. "Merry Christmas to all, and to all, a good night!"

In Christ alone,
Mary Rachel

Worth Reading

I did not title this entry the way I did because I think our blog is especially noteworthy; however, I have been reading some books lately that are worth reading. Some of you may pay attention to the "gadget" we have on the side, where I keep track of the books on our reading list. Here are two.

A Severe Mercy
I NEVER cry in books, but I have to admit that I did shed a tear or two reading this one. It highlights the problems with relationships that focus entirely upon the happiness of the other instead of on God.

A Child Called "It"
A quick read. I read this in approximately two hours sitting in the bookstore the other day. Prepare to have your heart wrenched, though, because it is the tragic story of a boy who faced some horrific forms of child abuse.

Now aside from reading... Andrew found out today that he can go to Peru with me over Spring Break. The way things worked out is really quite incredible and can only be attributed to God's having his mighty hand over every aspect of our lives. Because this is Andrew's first year at his job, he rarely gets time off. But, the other day, his boss randomly gave out three extra days of vacation to everyone. Andrew was still just a little bit short of having the full week of vacation that will be needed for the trip, but his team leader went ahead and approved it because he would have the vacation hours by the following pay period. We have many preparations to do before then, but I must say that I am even more excited about the trip now that Andrew is able to go.

Subbing kindergarten was crazy last week. I have a new admiration for kindergarten teachers, because it takes a kind of energy and patience that I am convinced I do not have. The kids really are very cute, but I definitely cannot see myself ever doing this for more than two weeks.

Last night, we got to rub elbows with the rich and famous, sort of. Our sweet friends, Derek and Erica, are related to the founder of Hobby Lobby, so they have all kinds of hookups we would never have on our own. We went with them to the Oklahoma City Thunder basketball game and sat in the suites. The Thunder just happened to be playing the Cavaliers, so we got to watch Shaquille O'Neal and Lebron James play. This really made for a great evening.

I am officially finished with school. I had my last final on Thursday of last week. I think all of them went fairly well, but I am mostly just glad to have them out of the way. It seemed strange to come home at 3:00 today and not have any other responsibilities to worry about (well, besides the fact that I haven't really done ANY Christmas shopping!). Graduation is on Saturday. It has really been a great three-and-a-half years. There have been times when I thought seriously about changing my major, and even switching schools, but looking back on it all, I am very grateful that God led me to stay here.

To end, I'll leave a hymn which I have been listening to a lot lately. By "a lot", I mean that it is my alarm every morning, and I have it on repeat often.

In Christ alone,
Mary Rachel

Rock of Ages by Sandra McCracken

Rock of Ages, when the day seems long
Through this labor and this heartache I have come
The skies will wear out, but You remain the same
Rock of Ages, I praise your name.

Rock of Ages, You have brought me near.
You have poured out your lifeblood, your love, and your tears
To make this stone heart come alive again
Rock of Ages, forgive my sin.

Rock of Ages, Rock of Ages
Bind your children till your kingdom comes
Rock of Ages, your will be done.

Rock of Ages, when in want or rest
My desperate need for such a Savior I confess
Pull these idols out from my hard embrace
Rock of Ages, I need your grace.

Rock of Ages, broken, scorned for me
Who am I that you would die to make me free?
To give me glory, You took the death and the pain
Rock of Ages, my offering.

Rock of Ages, "It is done," You cried
The curtain's torn and I see justice satisfied
Now write your mercy here on my heart and hands
Rock of Ages, in faith I stand.

Rock of Ages, my Great Hope secure
Your promise holds just like an anchor to my soul
Bind your children with cords of love and grace
Rock of Ages, we give You praise.

Rock of Ages, Rock of Ages
Bind your children till your kingdom comes
Rock of Ages, your will be done.

This and That

It's been a good week. Honestly, I don't have a ton to report, but there are a few things worth noting.

There is a chance that Andrew might be able to go to Peru with me over Spring Break. Randomly at work last week, Andrew's boss handed out three extra days of vacation, which means that he would have just enough days to take a week off by the time Spring Break arrives. Working out the logistics is really the only issue- Andrew needs to talk to his team leader to make sure he can leave during that time, and he'll need to find a different plane ticket because he'd have to leave a day later than the rest of us. We're praying for God's will, but we would both be so thankful if this works out.

I'll be subbing kindergarten this week and next week. Prayers are appreciated.

This is my last week of college. I really haven't had time to process this. It's going to be a busy week with finals, and it's so strange to think that at the end of all of it, I'll be completely finished with school for awhile. I'm thankful for the time I've had here- for the education I've gotten and for the friends I've made. I'm also thankful for RUF and UFC. God has been so good.

This weekend, we did several fun things. On Friday, we went to the annual RUF Barn Dance. I don't think Andrew is particularly crazy about square dancing, but we both enjoyed ourselves and ate some delicious chili. Later that evening, my old roommates spent the night, while Andrew stayed with Tim. I love living with Andrew, but I was really blessed to have some amazing roommates for the last two years. It was just like old times. On Saturday, UFC had a Christmas Dinner at church. The fellowship and food were both great. Afterward, we took a trip out to Chickasha with several other couples to look at the lights there. The lights were pretty impressive. We were all saying how we wished that Christmas lights could be put up other times of year, though, because it was chilly! Today, we just had church. I also ran 12 miles. Training for my marathon is already starting to get boring, but physically, I'm feeling ok. Andrew is such a sweetheart and usually meets me about halfway through with water, Gatorade, and much-needed encouragement.

I guess that's about it for now.

In Christ alone,
Mary Rachel

Holiday Season

It's different doing holidays as a married couple- a good kind of different. However, this also means that there are now TWO sides of the family to accommodate, which is a blessing and an obstacle at the same time. This year, we celebrated Thanksgiving with my dad's family in Houston. We are celebrating Christmas with Andrew's family. I'm not sure what the holidays will look like in future years, as there is a very good chance we could be living in Louisville in the fall and it is at least a 12 hour drive from anything. It's hard when you want to spend time with both families but simply can't be everywhere at once! Thanksgiving this year was quite enjoyable. We got to spend some time with my cousin and her husband, who live in Utah. Our whole family does not get together very often, so this was probably the biggest family gathering we have had in awhile. I again avoided the opportunity to learn to play 42, the family game. Instead, it was nice to just catch up with cousins, aunts, uncles, grandparents, and parents. And, as is the case with all Hicks family gatherings, there was no shortage of food. We all stuffed our faces sufficiently.

When Andrew and I came home, we decorated the house with winter things. I have tried to do this in past years, but decorating a dorm room or an apartment is certainly not the same as decorating a home! This was a fun first experience to share together.

Last week, I decided that I am going to Peru on Spring Break for a mission trip with RUF. I went in 2008 and absolutely fell in love with Peru. I had to make the decision to go fairly quickly, so I prayed about it over a few days and wrote my support letter! I wish Andrew could go, but work will not permit him to take a week of vacation. Hopefully one day, we will get to experience Peru together. Trujillo, Peru (where we are going) is a broken and poor city, but there is beauty in the faces and in the way that people care for each other. It is my favorite place in the world (Camp Summit is a close second).

A great opportunity presented itself recently, and I hope it comes to pass. I will be graduating with a minor in Spanish, and a man from our church approached me on Sunday about this. He had received my support letter and saw that I will have a Spanish minor. Apparently, he has been looking for a Spanish tutor for his 6-year-old son, but was afraid to hire anyone who he did not know or trust. When the letter came, he thought I would be perfect for the job and asked me if I would be interested. Would I?! I have been looking for a job for next semester because I will not be able to substitute teach anymore (due to student teaching), but I did not want to overcommit myself to anything. I also want to keep up my Spanish after graduation and do not have many opportunities to do that. I really think this would be the perfect job for me. Mr. Acton is going to ask some other families from his son's school if they would also like to be tutored, so I would probably end up having several kids in my group. Wonderful.

I think I made a very bad decision today. The principal at Lincoln Elementary (where I have had my practicum and still sub often) approached me about taking a 2-week sub job for a kindergarten teacher who will be gone next week and the following one. I had been planning on subbing those two weeks anyway, so I said yes. I have no idea why. Kindergarten is my least favorite grade, and they are going to be especially terrible for a substitute. I do not know what I have gotten myself into. I really should learn that saying no to people is okay sometimes.

In Christ alone,
Mary Rachel

Kentucky

Moving can be a scary thought, especially when the move is approximately 12 hours away. With that being said, we had a great time in Louisville this weekend. Southern Seminary is, without a doubt, one of the most beautiful campuses I have ever seen. Kentucky as a whole is lovely, too. Andrew and I went for a run through the streets of Louisville on Friday, and it was so refreshing. Unlike Oklahoma, Kentucky has rolling hills, a true fall season, and... (my favorite thing) NO WIND! Southern is in probably the nicest part of Louisville, called Crescent Hill. The houses are older, but very well-maintained and HUGE. Lots of people own large dogs and walk them in the afternoons. My dream is to one day own a golden retriever and name it a people name, such as Jonathan, Christopher, or Norman. Many people do not approve of people names for animals, but Andrew and I think it is funny. But I digress...

The seminary was kind enough to provide us with a hotel room on campus for two days, free of charge. Most of our meals were provided, as well. While we were there, we had the opportunity to eat lunch with one of the admissions counselors, who was extremely helpful in answering many questions we had about the seminary. We also took a tour of the campus and were able to ask even more questions then. One thing I was especially excited to discover is that Southern has a program called the Seminary Wives Institute. (I looked into it, and Southwestern also has something very similar.) Through this program, I would get to take many of the same classes Andrew does, but for MUCH cheaper rates and in a less rigorous format. This would give me the opportunity to meet and build relationships with other seminary wives, as well as learn about the Bible for almost no cost. Also, Andrew would receive half off his tuition because we are currently members of a Southern Baptist church. I have much respect for the current president, Albert Mohler. When he came to Southern 17 years ago, the seminary had become very liberal and strayed away from its founding principles. Mr. Mohler pulled out the founding principles and asked all professors to sign them, stating that they agreed and would abide by these principles. Long story short, 2 professors were fired, and about 100 more just left. Mohler hired almost an entirely new staff to help make Southern what it is today.

So where does this leave us? Honestly, I don't think either of us really knows the answer to that question just yet. Southern seems like a great school, and we have no doubt that Andrew would get a good education there. Although getting a teaching job in the public school system is somewhat limited to people who have been educated in Kentucky, I feel pretty sure that I could find a job in a private school, as the private school sector is quite large in Louisville. However, this is a huge decision, and it is a long drive to Louisville. There were many things we liked about Southwestern, particularly the fact that we would be closer to our families. And the church we visited there was phenomenal. Andrew does not need to make a final decision about where he will attend until about a month and a half from now. Until then, we will keep praying and trying to determine where the Lord is leading us. I'm thankful that this is all in His hands.

In Christ alone,
Mary Rachel

Letter to a Fourth Grade Teacher

Dear mrs. wilshusen,
I rilly did not want to do this asinmint but mrs flaherty made me so I start. i do not wont a free homwork pass and I do not want to rite this letr so the end.
sinserly yours
Trey

9/11 and Lincoln Elementary

It's funny the things you remember. Eight years ago today started off to be a very insignificant day. Until I walked in late to Mr. Simpson's eighth grade science class, sat down next to Sean Hill, and tried to put the pieces together of what I was seeing on TV. The halls were eerily quiet that day. Some of my teachers cried. Some kids were making phone calls from the office to check on their family members on the east coast. Minus the fact that I live in the United States, I was completely unaffected. This has basically been the story of my life. In the middle of other people's suffering and loss, I have had my own small trials. But all in all, God has been very gracious to me, though I am the least deserving. My heart aches for the people who lost loved ones on that day, especially for those who do not have the joy that comes from knowing a beautiful Savior who will one days make all things right. I long for the day when there will be no more tears and "everything bad will become untrue".

In the middle of sadness and loneliness, it is refreshing to hear the laughter of precious children. Nothing is really "normal" in a special ed classroom, which is why I think laughter is even more therapeutic. Kids have bad days, teachers have bad days, aides have bad days... but always at some point during the day, a student laughs, and I think that only a very bitter person can resist laughing along with them. Lately I have had some trouble not laughing "at" kids. I don't mean to, but sometimes the mistakes they make are just so cute. My laughing at them is not an "oh, you're so dumb" kind of laugh, but more of a "you are just the cutest kid" one. I have never been a huge fan of boogers, bathroom issues, and 20-second attention spans (or, elementary schools in general!), but the kids really ARE worth it. I'm thankful that God put kids on this earth to remind us of the simple joys in life, and the importance of laughter.