2 days.
That's it. That's all that is left of this first year of teaching for me. Wow. There were definitely times when I did not think this week would ever come.
When I try to think of words to describe this year, I simply cannot choose just one. Crazy. Hard. Funny. Joyful. Exhausting. Humbling. Stressful. Happy. Busy. Unpredictable. Worth it.
I have learned things this year that I could not have learned any other way. That said, I will absolutely do some things differently next year. At the beginning of the school year, our principal talked to us about making sure we had time to "fill up our cups," meaning that we should take time outside of work to do things we actually enjoy. When I heard her say that, I thought, "Well of course I will do that!" But I didn't. Not for most of the year anyway. So, I felt chronically tired, sick (literally- flu, kidney stone, passing out), and burned out.
I care about my students. A lot. I want them to do well and I want to "consume myself to light the way for others." All that said, family matters. Friends matter. Church matters. My health and well-being matter. Next year, I will make more time for those things earlier in the year.
Other than that, really no regrets. I have made a lot of mistakes (understatement of the year). But, sometimes those mistakes provide the best opportunities for learning and growth.
2 days. Then summer is here. What will I do with myself, you ask? I'll miss my students, sure. I'll probably even visit them at summer school. I have joked about "sitting on the couch and watching TV all summer," but that probably will not happen. Honestly, I'll probably find a way to make myself busy like I always do. But in the midst of the Peru trip, working at a camp, organizing my classroom for next year, teaching swim lessons, and going to teacher trainings, I think I will get a pedicure. I think I'll sit out by the pool, get a massage, work out, and finish reading all of the Harry Potter books that I once started. I never understood before why teachers get an entire summer off while the rest of the world continues working. And then I became a teacher. I get it.
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
Saturday, May 7, 2011
Tim
This is my brother, Tim.
He is hilarious, athletic, and probably hungry right now. He loves George Washington, almond butter, coaching football, cheese enchiladas, his black Honda Civic, and the West Wing.
More importantly, Tim is caring, studious, selfless, and thoughtful. He loves Christ, people, and flying airplanes. If you haven't met my brother, I am sad for you.
Tim and I hated each other's guts when we were growing up. As the older sister, I would get mad at Tim for being annoying and then sit or stand on top of him until he turned bright red. Tim, in return, would shoot cap guns in my eyes or push me into pieces of furniture and then laugh hysterically. Unfortunately for Tim, most of the friends and cousins we grew up with were girls, so we would purposefully leave him out of activities. He would get so mad and then go cry to my mom, who often made us include him.
Then we grew up. High school did amazing things for our relationship, and college was even better. Now, Tim is not just my brother but one of my best friends. Tim was skeptical of Andrew when we first started dating. Even though Tim is younger than me, he treated me like the protective older brother watching out for his sis. Eventually, Andrew proved that he was worth keeping around, and now the two of them are great friends, too.
There are many reasons why I admire my brother. He will probably never tell you this because he thinks it is nerdy, but Tim is a National Merit Scholar. That means he is really smart. Not too many people in the U.S. are National Merit Scholars, but Tim is, and he got a full ride to OU because of it. He managed to graduate a year early because of all of the credits he had from high school.
Also, Tim lived in the dorms during his entire three years in college. Most people are anxious to get out of the dorms after their first year, but Tim stayed with the purpose of reaching out to freshmen. This is just one of the many examples of Tim being willing to drop everything in order to be a good friend.
Tim cares about kids. He coaches middle school football basically for free every year, just because he loves it and wants to invest in the kids.
Finally, Tim's love for God is so obvious in everything he does. Tim loves the gospel, and it has changed the way he loves people and looks at the world. He rarely thinks about himself, which is humbling and convicting to me.
Tim graduates next week. He'll go on to be a commercial pilot and make the world a small and more connected place for many, many people. A lot of uncertainty lies in Tim's future as he does not know where he will be based (hopefully Houston!) after he completes his basic airline training in Memphis. But one thing is certain: Tim will continue to trust Christ with whatever lies ahead, and he will continue to love and care about those around him as he puts himself last.
So Tim, here's to you- my brother and my friend. You did it, and I've never been more proud.
He is hilarious, athletic, and probably hungry right now. He loves George Washington, almond butter, coaching football, cheese enchiladas, his black Honda Civic, and the West Wing.
More importantly, Tim is caring, studious, selfless, and thoughtful. He loves Christ, people, and flying airplanes. If you haven't met my brother, I am sad for you.
Tim and I hated each other's guts when we were growing up. As the older sister, I would get mad at Tim for being annoying and then sit or stand on top of him until he turned bright red. Tim, in return, would shoot cap guns in my eyes or push me into pieces of furniture and then laugh hysterically. Unfortunately for Tim, most of the friends and cousins we grew up with were girls, so we would purposefully leave him out of activities. He would get so mad and then go cry to my mom, who often made us include him.
Then we grew up. High school did amazing things for our relationship, and college was even better. Now, Tim is not just my brother but one of my best friends. Tim was skeptical of Andrew when we first started dating. Even though Tim is younger than me, he treated me like the protective older brother watching out for his sis. Eventually, Andrew proved that he was worth keeping around, and now the two of them are great friends, too.
There are many reasons why I admire my brother. He will probably never tell you this because he thinks it is nerdy, but Tim is a National Merit Scholar. That means he is really smart. Not too many people in the U.S. are National Merit Scholars, but Tim is, and he got a full ride to OU because of it. He managed to graduate a year early because of all of the credits he had from high school.
Also, Tim lived in the dorms during his entire three years in college. Most people are anxious to get out of the dorms after their first year, but Tim stayed with the purpose of reaching out to freshmen. This is just one of the many examples of Tim being willing to drop everything in order to be a good friend.
Tim cares about kids. He coaches middle school football basically for free every year, just because he loves it and wants to invest in the kids.
Finally, Tim's love for God is so obvious in everything he does. Tim loves the gospel, and it has changed the way he loves people and looks at the world. He rarely thinks about himself, which is humbling and convicting to me.
Tim graduates next week. He'll go on to be a commercial pilot and make the world a small and more connected place for many, many people. A lot of uncertainty lies in Tim's future as he does not know where he will be based (hopefully Houston!) after he completes his basic airline training in Memphis. But one thing is certain: Tim will continue to trust Christ with whatever lies ahead, and he will continue to love and care about those around him as he puts himself last.
So Tim, here's to you- my brother and my friend. You did it, and I've never been more proud.
Friday, March 4, 2011
Patience is a Virtue
On days like today, I am ready to just throw in the towel with special ed. (*Please don't stop reading here.*) The two things I heard the most from people before entering this profession were, "What a rewarding career!" and "Oh, you must be a very patient person." I know the latter statement is not true, and days like today also make me think the former is not, either. Because when you spend a good chunk of your day just trying to keep kids from running out of your classroom and from shouting profanities down the hallway (those were coming from a six-year-old, mind you), you can't help but think that what you do isn't important, and that these are not the kind of rewards you anticipated when you signed your contract.
I do not think that this year of teaching autism has been a mistake. Oh, it's been hard. In fact, I've been downright miserable for much of it. But I don't think God makes mistakes when He brings you to certain places in life. If I have learned anything from this year, about teaching or life in general, it is this: None of it is about me.
Knowing that changes everything. Although I find myself often frustrated at work, I can remember that life is not supposed to be easy. God is always in the business of making us more like Himself, and His means of doing that is often through challenging times. I went into teaching with the thought that I could change children's lives and by so doing, I would feel happy and satisfied. I should have never tried to make this job about how I would feel. The point is that this is the work God has laid out for me for now, and it's all for Him.
I also have to remind myself that although I am not always teaching concepts as I had hoped and am instead doing a lot of "zookeeping" (because my classroom often feels this wild), my work is important. Some kids never receive "tough love" at home and really do need someone to teach them that there are consequences for yelling profanities down the hallway. They need someone to teach them that they cannot always get what they want. They need someone to love them like Jesus loves me- He disciplines because He cares and has my best interest in mind. I rarely do a good job of reflecting this love, but it is nonetheless the huge task that God has set before me daily, and for that reason alone, teaching special ed this year has not been a waste.
I often think that I have learned patience well enough. I find myself in situations in which I am forced to wait on something, I wait (not very patiently), and by the end of that situation, I am convinced that I am a more patient person and no longer in need of lessons on patience. Ha. Boy, do I have so much more to learn!
My patience ran out today. I hate those days. I hate to end the school day just crying at my desk because I feel like I cannot do it anymore. The good thing about days like today, though, is that they bring me to the end of myself and I once again realize that none of this is about me. Thankfully, God says, "I am not finished with you yet."
I do not think that this year of teaching autism has been a mistake. Oh, it's been hard. In fact, I've been downright miserable for much of it. But I don't think God makes mistakes when He brings you to certain places in life. If I have learned anything from this year, about teaching or life in general, it is this: None of it is about me.
Knowing that changes everything. Although I find myself often frustrated at work, I can remember that life is not supposed to be easy. God is always in the business of making us more like Himself, and His means of doing that is often through challenging times. I went into teaching with the thought that I could change children's lives and by so doing, I would feel happy and satisfied. I should have never tried to make this job about how I would feel. The point is that this is the work God has laid out for me for now, and it's all for Him.
I also have to remind myself that although I am not always teaching concepts as I had hoped and am instead doing a lot of "zookeeping" (because my classroom often feels this wild), my work is important. Some kids never receive "tough love" at home and really do need someone to teach them that there are consequences for yelling profanities down the hallway. They need someone to teach them that they cannot always get what they want. They need someone to love them like Jesus loves me- He disciplines because He cares and has my best interest in mind. I rarely do a good job of reflecting this love, but it is nonetheless the huge task that God has set before me daily, and for that reason alone, teaching special ed this year has not been a waste.
I often think that I have learned patience well enough. I find myself in situations in which I am forced to wait on something, I wait (not very patiently), and by the end of that situation, I am convinced that I am a more patient person and no longer in need of lessons on patience. Ha. Boy, do I have so much more to learn!
My patience ran out today. I hate those days. I hate to end the school day just crying at my desk because I feel like I cannot do it anymore. The good thing about days like today, though, is that they bring me to the end of myself and I once again realize that none of this is about me. Thankfully, God says, "I am not finished with you yet."
Saturday, January 1, 2011
New Year
New Year's is one of my favorite holidays. Unlike birthdays, during which everyone jokingly asks you if you feel any different or older and you never do, New Year's legitimately does feel different (at least to me). The start of a new year promises new hope and new beginnings- a chance to leave behind the bad habits and misfortunes of the previous year and to start over. The tunnel that you were in on December 31st somehow seems a little less dark on January 1. Perhaps we are all a little blissfully ignorant when beginning a new year, but I prefer that manner of living. In the words of a Puritan prayer, "I bless thee that Thou hast veiled my eyes to the waters ahead " ("Year's End", Valley of Vision).
A few Fenrick big events from 2010 (in no particular order):
-Bought our first house in Norman, OK (June)
-Celebrated our first year of marriage (July 11)
-Ran my first- and possibly only!- full marathon (February)
-Andrew started seminary classes at Southwestern Baptist (August)
-I started my first "real" job as an autism teacher (August)
-Andrew started a new job at Quibids (September)
-Dear friends got engaged, married, and had babies
-Andrew had a major seizure and trip to the hospital (April)
-Went together on a mission trip to Trujillo, Peru (March)
Andrew made one ambitious New Year's resolution this year: Run a full marathon. Since he is the one who originally inspired my love for running and hung with me through all the brutal training of the first half marathon that we ran together, I'd say he is perfectly capable.
I decided to make only 3 resolutions for this year as opposed to my usual lengthy list:
1. Drink more water. As one who is prone to kidney stones, I think this is necessary. I do not enjoy feeling sick to my stomach and having constant back pain simply because I do not make more of an effort to slow down and take a drink.
2. Eat real food away from my desk every day at lunch. Oh, and school cafeteria food is not real food. (As a side note, some of the "healthy choices" we serve to our children at lunch in the public schools are more than mildly concerning.) I plan to pack my own sack lunch every day with delicious, healthy food and then leave my classroom to take a walk or to eat in a quiet, refreshing place. I also am not going to feel guilty for taking 30 minute lunches- at least I hope not.
3. Work to live, don't live to work. I want to do my job well. I want to be a great teacher and make a real difference in my students' lives. However, my health, relationships, and sanity ultimately need to have a higher priority. I lost myself in work this past semester, and I think that God had to teach me the hard way through health issues and hurt relationships that He does not intend for my life to work that way. I will continue to work diligently and to have my students' best interest in mind, but not to the detriment of my personal life. Work is ultimately a means to an end, not an end itself.
As I was throwing away my 2010 calendar just before the Christmas holidays and replacing it with 2011's calendar, I realized that, for the first time in my life, I was not in the least bit sad. Normally, the start of a new year leaves me at least slightly wistful in remembering the joys of the previous one. This year, I was not melancholy at all. That is not to say that God hasn't been immensely gracious to us in the past year, because He has. I should also clarify that we have been the recipients of so many undeserved blessings and joys this past year. I guess the best way to describe my thoughts this time around is that there is real hurt and sorrow in this broken world of ours; we experience much more of that during some years than during others and yet we are never left completely hopeless. This year was hard. And yet, God is still good.
A few Fenrick big events from 2010 (in no particular order):
-Bought our first house in Norman, OK (June)
-Celebrated our first year of marriage (July 11)
-Ran my first- and possibly only!- full marathon (February)
-Andrew started seminary classes at Southwestern Baptist (August)
-I started my first "real" job as an autism teacher (August)
-Andrew started a new job at Quibids (September)
-Dear friends got engaged, married, and had babies
-Andrew had a major seizure and trip to the hospital (April)
-Went together on a mission trip to Trujillo, Peru (March)
Andrew made one ambitious New Year's resolution this year: Run a full marathon. Since he is the one who originally inspired my love for running and hung with me through all the brutal training of the first half marathon that we ran together, I'd say he is perfectly capable.
I decided to make only 3 resolutions for this year as opposed to my usual lengthy list:
1. Drink more water. As one who is prone to kidney stones, I think this is necessary. I do not enjoy feeling sick to my stomach and having constant back pain simply because I do not make more of an effort to slow down and take a drink.
2. Eat real food away from my desk every day at lunch. Oh, and school cafeteria food is not real food. (As a side note, some of the "healthy choices" we serve to our children at lunch in the public schools are more than mildly concerning.) I plan to pack my own sack lunch every day with delicious, healthy food and then leave my classroom to take a walk or to eat in a quiet, refreshing place. I also am not going to feel guilty for taking 30 minute lunches- at least I hope not.
3. Work to live, don't live to work. I want to do my job well. I want to be a great teacher and make a real difference in my students' lives. However, my health, relationships, and sanity ultimately need to have a higher priority. I lost myself in work this past semester, and I think that God had to teach me the hard way through health issues and hurt relationships that He does not intend for my life to work that way. I will continue to work diligently and to have my students' best interest in mind, but not to the detriment of my personal life. Work is ultimately a means to an end, not an end itself.
As I was throwing away my 2010 calendar just before the Christmas holidays and replacing it with 2011's calendar, I realized that, for the first time in my life, I was not in the least bit sad. Normally, the start of a new year leaves me at least slightly wistful in remembering the joys of the previous one. This year, I was not melancholy at all. That is not to say that God hasn't been immensely gracious to us in the past year, because He has. I should also clarify that we have been the recipients of so many undeserved blessings and joys this past year. I guess the best way to describe my thoughts this time around is that there is real hurt and sorrow in this broken world of ours; we experience much more of that during some years than during others and yet we are never left completely hopeless. This year was hard. And yet, God is still good.
Monday, December 27, 2010
Giving
I was the recipient of a random act of kindness at school just before the break. When I went to check my mailbox in the teacher's workroom, I found a single white envelope with my name on it. I opened it to find the following note:
"Dear Mary Rachel,
I think you are a great teacher. I am able to share this year and I want you to have this. I hope you will use it to buy something just for you."
Inside were two $50 giftcards to JC Penny. The note was typed and not signed, so I had no way of tracing the giver.
I think most of us (including me) miss the reason for the holidays. Giving and receiving is wonderful, but we often forget why we do it. Oh, we weave our way amongst the holiday crowds at the mall in search of the perfect gift for that "special someone," but isn't this often out of obligation? Don't we sometimes give gifts at Christmas just because that's what we're supposed to do? Not only was I humbled last week by this anonymous person's generous gift, but I was reminded of why we should give. It's not because of any good in the person on the receiving end. (I didn't deserve that gift any more than any other teacher at school). It shouldn't be because giving makes us feel better about ourselves upon seeing the other person open our wonderfully creative and expensive gift. (The person who blessed me with such kindness intentionally gave anonymously.) It is not because we expect anything in return. (I cannot reciprocate the random act of kindness because I cannot trace the giver.) Giving should simply be done because we recognize a need and joyfully desire to meet it... just because we can. Giving is about caring and sacrificing for another person, whether they deserve it or not. Giving is about love.
Isn't that the example Christ set?
"Dear Mary Rachel,
I think you are a great teacher. I am able to share this year and I want you to have this. I hope you will use it to buy something just for you."
Inside were two $50 giftcards to JC Penny. The note was typed and not signed, so I had no way of tracing the giver.
I think most of us (including me) miss the reason for the holidays. Giving and receiving is wonderful, but we often forget why we do it. Oh, we weave our way amongst the holiday crowds at the mall in search of the perfect gift for that "special someone," but isn't this often out of obligation? Don't we sometimes give gifts at Christmas just because that's what we're supposed to do? Not only was I humbled last week by this anonymous person's generous gift, but I was reminded of why we should give. It's not because of any good in the person on the receiving end. (I didn't deserve that gift any more than any other teacher at school). It shouldn't be because giving makes us feel better about ourselves upon seeing the other person open our wonderfully creative and expensive gift. (The person who blessed me with such kindness intentionally gave anonymously.) It is not because we expect anything in return. (I cannot reciprocate the random act of kindness because I cannot trace the giver.) Giving should simply be done because we recognize a need and joyfully desire to meet it... just because we can. Giving is about caring and sacrificing for another person, whether they deserve it or not. Giving is about love.
Isn't that the example Christ set?
"Now the whole world will not be the same
Because Love has come down, and Grace has a name..."
Saturday, September 25, 2010
The Professional Life
Last night, we had some friends over who are in a very similar situation as us. They are newly married, he is in school, she is working full-time and feeling overwhelmed, many of their friends have moved away... all factors which prompted a conversation about how different our lives are now than they were a year ago.
In school, most of my decisions affected only me. Will I sleep a little later and study less for that test? Will I go to this meeting tonight or should I go to the gym instead? One of the most important things about school- my grades- didn't matter to anyone but myself. Now it seems that almost everything I do affects someone else, and often my decisions affect multiple people. If I forget to tell my kids about a fire drill, someone throws a fit when the alarm sounds. If I don't send a note home that gymnastics is tomorrow, someone wears a dress and off I go to round up some sort of alternative attire. More importantly, if I run out of time to cover a subject, it's the kids who suffer. Suddenly, every decision I make seems significant. And now, not being perfect bothers me more than ever.
Furthermore, the community of friends which fell into my lap in college has proved to be much more difficult to acquire in a professional setting. I have wonderful aides, and there are some wonderful people who work at my school, but despite the fact that I spend 8+ hours of my day with these people, I still feel as if I hardly know most of them. There simply isn't time to have the kinds of life conversations that just happened during a study session or a late game night. At work, there is only time to talk about the here and now- "Where does Seth need to be right now" or "Did Jason's homework folder make it back to school today?"
Finally, I always thought I was so busy in college and now I am realizing that I had no idea what busy was. Usually the longest I sit down during the day is for about 15 minutes at lunch. I have about seventeen things racing through my mind at any given time and also have a to-do list which literally never ends. When I wake up, I think about school. When I come home, I work on school. And then what I used to consider my life (seeing friends, going to bible study, running, etc.) takes up the last and tiniest piece of the pie. I'm hoping that will change to some degree as the year goes by and I feel a little less like I'm drowning.
I love to walk around the campus of OU still. There is something so stimulating about being at an institution of higher learning and thinking, "Great minds are being enriched here. People go out from here to do things that change lives." But there are also many things about my job which suit me. Sometimes I complain about being busy, but honestly, I like being busy. I love the challenge that my job brings because there is hope for overcoming obstacles, and it prevents boredom and monotony. This may be one of the hardest and best things I've done.
In school, most of my decisions affected only me. Will I sleep a little later and study less for that test? Will I go to this meeting tonight or should I go to the gym instead? One of the most important things about school- my grades- didn't matter to anyone but myself. Now it seems that almost everything I do affects someone else, and often my decisions affect multiple people. If I forget to tell my kids about a fire drill, someone throws a fit when the alarm sounds. If I don't send a note home that gymnastics is tomorrow, someone wears a dress and off I go to round up some sort of alternative attire. More importantly, if I run out of time to cover a subject, it's the kids who suffer. Suddenly, every decision I make seems significant. And now, not being perfect bothers me more than ever.
Furthermore, the community of friends which fell into my lap in college has proved to be much more difficult to acquire in a professional setting. I have wonderful aides, and there are some wonderful people who work at my school, but despite the fact that I spend 8+ hours of my day with these people, I still feel as if I hardly know most of them. There simply isn't time to have the kinds of life conversations that just happened during a study session or a late game night. At work, there is only time to talk about the here and now- "Where does Seth need to be right now" or "Did Jason's homework folder make it back to school today?"
Finally, I always thought I was so busy in college and now I am realizing that I had no idea what busy was. Usually the longest I sit down during the day is for about 15 minutes at lunch. I have about seventeen things racing through my mind at any given time and also have a to-do list which literally never ends. When I wake up, I think about school. When I come home, I work on school. And then what I used to consider my life (seeing friends, going to bible study, running, etc.) takes up the last and tiniest piece of the pie. I'm hoping that will change to some degree as the year goes by and I feel a little less like I'm drowning.
I love to walk around the campus of OU still. There is something so stimulating about being at an institution of higher learning and thinking, "Great minds are being enriched here. People go out from here to do things that change lives." But there are also many things about my job which suit me. Sometimes I complain about being busy, but honestly, I like being busy. I love the challenge that my job brings because there is hope for overcoming obstacles, and it prevents boredom and monotony. This may be one of the hardest and best things I've done.
Saturday, September 18, 2010
Thought on School [4]
So, I'm not sure if all of this entry could really be considered "thoughts on school," but here goes my random collection of the thoughts that seem to run through my mind and get all smashed together these days...
It's been another crazy week at Roosevelt Elementary. I am trying to think of a time in my life when I have ever been more tired, and I can't think of one. This morning, I woke up at 9:30, and it was absolutely glorious. I have been trying to go to bed early during the week, but my mind never stops thinking about school, so I often lay in bed wide awake despite the fact that my body is exhausted. The weather is still too hot to go for a run right after school, so if I want to get my workout in for the day, I wake up at 5:00. Usually by the time I am leaving school (a couple of hours after the kids have gone home), I am out of energy and patience. Poor Andrew.
Aside from being constantly tired and having about 6,000 things to do, I suppose one could say that things are going fairly well at school. Having my own classroom has made a HUGE difference, and sometimes the kids are hilarious. I find myself trying to stifle laughter sometimes when I should be telling the children "that's not how we act at school."
Andrew is loving his new job. I got to go see his office last night, and it is beautiful. It seems like a much more relaxed environment than PayCom was, and I think he will be happy here. He is also loving seminary. Hearing him come home and talk about everything he is learning makes me wish that I was able to take seminary classes. Andrew is very busy, too. Sometimes I feel like we hardly see each other or know what is going on in each others' lives despite the fact that we live in the same house.
Our friends, Adam and Erica, stayed with us last weekend because they are now living in Fort Worth. It was fun to have them here. This weekend, we are doing nothing! Saturdays of waking up whenever we want, making pancakes, and watching college football are rare around here, and we are more thankful for them now than we ever have been. Have I ever mentioned how much I LOVE gamedays here in Norman? The whole town just comes alive. That will be one of the things I miss most when we move someday down the road.
Last Sunday, Tim (my brother) got in a terrible car accident in which he hydroplaned off the road, flipped his car, and broke out both windshields. He walked away with a cut on his toe. I was reminded of 1. how wonderful God is to take care of his people and 2. how thankful I am for my brother.
We have a mole living in our front yard. It is funny but actually quite annoying because we keep finding random piles of dirt everywhere. I also made these things to go in our "Sooner" guest room. Neither of those things are very interesting notes to end on, but I think I am finished blogging for today.
In Christ alone,
Mary Rachel
It's been another crazy week at Roosevelt Elementary. I am trying to think of a time in my life when I have ever been more tired, and I can't think of one. This morning, I woke up at 9:30, and it was absolutely glorious. I have been trying to go to bed early during the week, but my mind never stops thinking about school, so I often lay in bed wide awake despite the fact that my body is exhausted. The weather is still too hot to go for a run right after school, so if I want to get my workout in for the day, I wake up at 5:00. Usually by the time I am leaving school (a couple of hours after the kids have gone home), I am out of energy and patience. Poor Andrew.
Aside from being constantly tired and having about 6,000 things to do, I suppose one could say that things are going fairly well at school. Having my own classroom has made a HUGE difference, and sometimes the kids are hilarious. I find myself trying to stifle laughter sometimes when I should be telling the children "that's not how we act at school."
Andrew is loving his new job. I got to go see his office last night, and it is beautiful. It seems like a much more relaxed environment than PayCom was, and I think he will be happy here. He is also loving seminary. Hearing him come home and talk about everything he is learning makes me wish that I was able to take seminary classes. Andrew is very busy, too. Sometimes I feel like we hardly see each other or know what is going on in each others' lives despite the fact that we live in the same house.
Our friends, Adam and Erica, stayed with us last weekend because they are now living in Fort Worth. It was fun to have them here. This weekend, we are doing nothing! Saturdays of waking up whenever we want, making pancakes, and watching college football are rare around here, and we are more thankful for them now than we ever have been. Have I ever mentioned how much I LOVE gamedays here in Norman? The whole town just comes alive. That will be one of the things I miss most when we move someday down the road.
Last Sunday, Tim (my brother) got in a terrible car accident in which he hydroplaned off the road, flipped his car, and broke out both windshields. He walked away with a cut on his toe. I was reminded of 1. how wonderful God is to take care of his people and 2. how thankful I am for my brother.
We have a mole living in our front yard. It is funny but actually quite annoying because we keep finding random piles of dirt everywhere. I also made these things to go in our "Sooner" guest room. Neither of those things are very interesting notes to end on, but I think I am finished blogging for today.
Mary Rachel
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