This whole week has been a blur. I've shut off my phone for most of the week and found out I should do that more often. It really gives you a chance to take everything in and breathe. I really cut out most communication to get a taste of what it will be like out on the Rez too.
Pretty much this whole semester I've been in denial that student teaching has to have an end. I truly soaked up as much as I could this week from my second graders, taking more time for one on one conversations. My cooperating teacher and I are getting along so well. She even called me her adopted daughter. :) On to a sadder note, one of my kids is going through a very rough part in her life right now. I can't give you guys all the details because of confidentiality, but her parents are divorced and the situation just got even worse. Please pray for my little one, Emma. She needs all the help she can get right now. My heart breaks for these eight year olds when they have to go through such tough life situations.
On to Delta related activities.....yesterday started Teeter-Totter a Thon for the Tri Deltas at my university. This is where we teeter totter for 48 hours straight to raise money for a local family. We take shifts and teeter whether its rain or shine. It's one of my favorite sorority philanthropy events and I missed it last year since I was abroad. Last night I got to teeter with my college best friend, April. It was seriously pouring down rain and about forty degrees but we got our umbrellas and belted out Justin Bieber lyrics anyway. That's what I love about my friends. We could be in the crappiest weather and we have so much fun that we don't even notice. On Saturday, the senior sisters will go through a ceremony and become alumni members. I can't believe these three years have passed so quickly in these crazy and dysfunctional family. I still remember Bid Day, getting my Big Sister, the first initiation, and everything in between. A lot of people are skeptical of Greek Life and everything that it stands for. Honestly though, I don't think I would have survived my four years at VU without my amazing and beautiful Delta sisters. Even though we may fight at times, it is not about that. It's about an undeniable bond that we will have forever.
Anyways, the tulips are coming up finally! It's my favorite part of the year and always makes me happy. May means my mom's 59th birthday, Mother's Day, graduating from college, getting my official "teacher" license, and saying goodbye to my best friends. It also means that I'm one step closer to starting the next chapter of my life. Let the countdown begin....
17 days until VU graduation
38 days until Camp Tecumseh
93 days until I move to South Dakota
Thursday, April 28, 2011
Monday, April 25, 2011
Uggggggggg
This is the LAST week of student teaching. Ever.
I seriously hate that it's the end.
I'm so sad to leave my 26 kids. While they drive me crazy at times, each of them has a very special place in my heart. What am I going to do when I don't have Caden to hug me at random moments during the day? What about Emily who asks me to french braid her hair almost every afternoon? Who am I going to discuss the latest soccer games with besides Sean? Who else can create such amazing artwork besides Grace? Where else can I get tackled by five children just to be given an "end of the day" hug? Ultimately, how in the world am I going to survive without those 26 beautiful faces every day that make every single part of my life worth it? I feel like a mother duck without a bunch of goslings to lead around.
They have taught me so much about life and what kind of teacher I plan to be next year. Even more so, these kids have given me a daily reminder that nothing will ever go as planned in the land of teaching. They have opened up my heart in ways I never thought possible and I'm so grateful for that. Now, if I can just get through Friday without crying.... gosh darn those kids :)
I seriously hate that it's the end.
I'm so sad to leave my 26 kids. While they drive me crazy at times, each of them has a very special place in my heart. What am I going to do when I don't have Caden to hug me at random moments during the day? What about Emily who asks me to french braid her hair almost every afternoon? Who am I going to discuss the latest soccer games with besides Sean? Who else can create such amazing artwork besides Grace? Where else can I get tackled by five children just to be given an "end of the day" hug? Ultimately, how in the world am I going to survive without those 26 beautiful faces every day that make every single part of my life worth it? I feel like a mother duck without a bunch of goslings to lead around.
They have taught me so much about life and what kind of teacher I plan to be next year. Even more so, these kids have given me a daily reminder that nothing will ever go as planned in the land of teaching. They have opened up my heart in ways I never thought possible and I'm so grateful for that. Now, if I can just get through Friday without crying.... gosh darn those kids :)
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
No more Peter Pan
AND..............
Apparently in the midst of Doing Nothing..............
God figures out your life plan!
I get to work at my favorite place in the world this summer!
I also was offered a kindergarten teaching position out on Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota starting next fall!
It's so hard to believe that everything worked out in my life. Last year about this week I was stuck in Spain because of a train strike in France and a stupid volcanoe over Iceland. Little did I know that I would be sitting here, a month before college graduation and have a summer job, let alone an actual teaching gig. My heart is filled to the brim with happiness :) I'm all grown up.
Apparently in the midst of Doing Nothing..............
God figures out your life plan!
I get to work at my favorite place in the world this summer!
I also was offered a kindergarten teaching position out on Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota starting next fall!
It's so hard to believe that everything worked out in my life. Last year about this week I was stuck in Spain because of a train strike in France and a stupid volcanoe over Iceland. Little did I know that I would be sitting here, a month before college graduation and have a summer job, let alone an actual teaching gig. My heart is filled to the brim with happiness :) I'm all grown up.
Sunday, April 17, 2011
i pledge to Do Nothing
“Don't underestimate the value of Doing Nothing, of just going along, listening to all the things you can't hear, and not bothering.” -Winnie the Pooh
Yesterday was ridiculous. I had soccer in the horrid rain all day. The rain turned all six soccer fields into a messy but quite entertaining debacle. Kids were slipping and sliding all over the place. Two bloody noses later, we had to call off the rest of the games for the day. One field was so bad that we couldn't even see any green splotches of grass by noon. The parents just wanted to get home, but the kids absolutely LOVED the muddy atmosphere. They didn't care that their shoes would get stuck in the mud or that their faces were completely covered with it. All they wanted to do was kick the ball around and get as dirty as humanly possible.
I feel the need to comment on one of the kids from the 11:30 game. It was halftime and he stood on the field waiting for his teammates. As my coworker was about the blow the whistle, this particular child let out a long stream of sound. Yes, sound. It wasn't words. It was seriously like Tarzan swinging through a rain forest. This "sound" seemed to be like a vocal exercise that a singer would use. A very inexperienced/horrible singer. It lasted for about 30 seconds while everyone, including his coach, stared at him. My coworker and I busted out laughing so hard that we can't breathe. Then, the little kid says with a sheepish smile, "What? I'm just really excited to play soccer!!" Afterwards I talked with his mom about it. She said that her son makes the most out of each minute no matter what he does, apparently Tarzan sounds included :)
Graduation looms like a black widow around the corner and it makes me think about the quote at the beginning of this entry. Time flew by so fast this semester that it left me little time to "Do Nothing" as Pooh puts it. I read Winne the Pooh for a class last semester and we talked a lot about what that really means in our world today. As Americans we don't take the time just to sit and enjoy life. We constantly worry about our future. We desperately need to take the time to Do Nothing, otherwise, we can't appreciate life to the fullest. Our souls hurt if we don't. Oddly enough, as kids you see this more and more. They are more in tune to the idea of "Doing Nothing" and embrace it. Kids see what grown ups don't with their pure innocence. Just like the Tarzan boy, I'm learning to be okay with the idea of pausing my life for a bit and taking a moment here or there to actually breathe.
Don't be afraid to soak up what life has to offer.
Yesterday was ridiculous. I had soccer in the horrid rain all day. The rain turned all six soccer fields into a messy but quite entertaining debacle. Kids were slipping and sliding all over the place. Two bloody noses later, we had to call off the rest of the games for the day. One field was so bad that we couldn't even see any green splotches of grass by noon. The parents just wanted to get home, but the kids absolutely LOVED the muddy atmosphere. They didn't care that their shoes would get stuck in the mud or that their faces were completely covered with it. All they wanted to do was kick the ball around and get as dirty as humanly possible.
I feel the need to comment on one of the kids from the 11:30 game. It was halftime and he stood on the field waiting for his teammates. As my coworker was about the blow the whistle, this particular child let out a long stream of sound. Yes, sound. It wasn't words. It was seriously like Tarzan swinging through a rain forest. This "sound" seemed to be like a vocal exercise that a singer would use. A very inexperienced/horrible singer. It lasted for about 30 seconds while everyone, including his coach, stared at him. My coworker and I busted out laughing so hard that we can't breathe. Then, the little kid says with a sheepish smile, "What? I'm just really excited to play soccer!!" Afterwards I talked with his mom about it. She said that her son makes the most out of each minute no matter what he does, apparently Tarzan sounds included :)
Graduation looms like a black widow around the corner and it makes me think about the quote at the beginning of this entry. Time flew by so fast this semester that it left me little time to "Do Nothing" as Pooh puts it. I read Winne the Pooh for a class last semester and we talked a lot about what that really means in our world today. As Americans we don't take the time just to sit and enjoy life. We constantly worry about our future. We desperately need to take the time to Do Nothing, otherwise, we can't appreciate life to the fullest. Our souls hurt if we don't. Oddly enough, as kids you see this more and more. They are more in tune to the idea of "Doing Nothing" and embrace it. Kids see what grown ups don't with their pure innocence. Just like the Tarzan boy, I'm learning to be okay with the idea of pausing my life for a bit and taking a moment here or there to actually breathe.
Don't be afraid to soak up what life has to offer.
Sunday, April 10, 2011
Taking in the small things
Reasons why this weekend has been the best ever:
1. Yesterday I got to ref soccer for the 7U division at the parks department for eight straight hours.
2. This lead to a beautiful sunburn on my face and even lovelier sunburn on my neck from my whistle/stopwatch.
3. Even though I hadn't been a referee there for a year, I ran into some of the most amazing coaches from years past that still remembered me and were happy to have me back :)
4. I ran into one of my most memorable campers, Maddie, at the fields who ran to hug me in the middle of my game. That's exactly why I love her! I had her my first year at Camp T. Her dad, George, was a coach for the parks department that used to give me a hard time and make fun of me while being a referee. But, he always got us Subway for lunch on Saturdays. This makes them the best family ever.
5. After I came home from soccer, I took a nap, had dinner, read, then fell asleep for twelve hours.
6. This was the first time, in my six years at this job that I didn't have a migraine or get sick after working eight hours. :)
7. I get to go to church today with my best friend and see my church family for the first time since February.
8. Tonight I get to see all of my wonderful Delta sisters.
This whole weekend has helped me realize just how wonderful life can be. Yesterday was the happiest day I've had in a long time too. The parks department lets me have fun with the 1st graders and remember why I keep coming back year after year. Its a place where all the parents, coaches, and kids are there to have fun. It's not about who has the higher score. The kids love getting a chance to run around and I'll bet the parents love having a chance just to sit down for once. I feel like I'm getting back to the old Abby I used to be before last year. It's a slow process, but I'm starting to understand that I'm okay on my own. Finally :)
1. Yesterday I got to ref soccer for the 7U division at the parks department for eight straight hours.
2. This lead to a beautiful sunburn on my face and even lovelier sunburn on my neck from my whistle/stopwatch.
3. Even though I hadn't been a referee there for a year, I ran into some of the most amazing coaches from years past that still remembered me and were happy to have me back :)
4. I ran into one of my most memorable campers, Maddie, at the fields who ran to hug me in the middle of my game. That's exactly why I love her! I had her my first year at Camp T. Her dad, George, was a coach for the parks department that used to give me a hard time and make fun of me while being a referee. But, he always got us Subway for lunch on Saturdays. This makes them the best family ever.
5. After I came home from soccer, I took a nap, had dinner, read, then fell asleep for twelve hours.
6. This was the first time, in my six years at this job that I didn't have a migraine or get sick after working eight hours. :)
7. I get to go to church today with my best friend and see my church family for the first time since February.
8. Tonight I get to see all of my wonderful Delta sisters.
This whole weekend has helped me realize just how wonderful life can be. Yesterday was the happiest day I've had in a long time too. The parks department lets me have fun with the 1st graders and remember why I keep coming back year after year. Its a place where all the parents, coaches, and kids are there to have fun. It's not about who has the higher score. The kids love getting a chance to run around and I'll bet the parents love having a chance just to sit down for once. I feel like I'm getting back to the old Abby I used to be before last year. It's a slow process, but I'm starting to understand that I'm okay on my own. Finally :)
Friday, April 8, 2011
And then my life exploded......
Its been a long time so here are some quick and important updates:
1. Wednesday I had an interview with the recruiter out at the Red Cloud Indian School in Pine Ridge, South Dakota. It went amazingly well and took over an hour. That's a great sign :) We talked about living on the rez, why I chose the school, the culture shock, salary/stipend/Americorp program, living with seven other housemates and lots of other fun random info.
2. During the interview I found out that I am going against two other people for the kindergarten position at the school. If I don't get an offer for that job they are willing to offer me a job coteaching second grade and being the second in command for the Afterschool care program for grades K-8. The beauty about the kindergarten position is that I could also coach the soccer team there. But, I would love to get my feet wet for a year coteaching and use my other talents with the Afterschool care program. Since this is a volunteer program, the stipend is the same for both positions. Lucky me :) Also, my interviewer Luke, is actually in training to become a Jesuit priest (pretty cool, right?) and went to college at St. Joe in southern Indiana. His freshman year roommate was from Crown Point, just down the road from here. It's really weird how God puts people in our life and it all connects.
3. According to Luke I am accepted into the Red Cloud volunteer program pending that my interview with the principal next week goes well.
4. Last week, I talked to my boss at the Parks Department and lined up a couple jobs for the summer like T-ball umpiring and possibly working the front desk at one of the golf courses in Valpo.
5. And this is where my life exploded even more.....I received an email from Camp Tecumseh offering me a position again this summer. My mind was blown. Last I knew, I wasn't going back because of certain things that happened last year and my boss said that they didn't have any positions available. Now, they want me to come back.
6. I'm at such a crossroads in my life right now. The South Dakota position starts July 31 and Camp goes from the first week of June until the second week of August. Even if I worked at Camp, during the interview process in December I had no idea the SD stuff would work out. Now here come the questions: do I work it out so I can be at camp again for another summer or do I stay here and work for the Parks Department? Do I apply for public school teaching gigs and go through the interviews while at camp over the summer?
7. If my life works out the way I want it to it would go like this:
May-substitute teach every weekday
June-camp
July-camp
August 2011 to June 2013- Teach out on the Rez in South Dakota
*This "plan" means I have to be at camp on a Saturday and then fly to SD the next day and start my training for the teacher position. I'm not sure about that whole transition from living at home with parents, to living at camp, and then moving to a whole different state all within such a short amount of time. I did this kind of thing last summer when I came home from England and then moved to camp not too soon after. It was wonderful and rough at the same time.
My parent's edition goes like this though:
May-substitute
June through August-work for the Parks Department
August and for the next ten years-teach in a public school somewhere in either Indiana or Illinois
Last week I had no idea what the heck I was going to do with my life besides graduating and hopefully teach somewhere. Now, everything is all over the place! The timing doesn't match up and that's what freaks me out the most. I've never had to think about a summer job and a real, legit, grown up, paying my bills kind of job come fall. Throw in money for plane tickets, car payments, and loans then you have my life. It is scary. I've never had all of these opportunities thrown at me at the same time.
It's like God got me through all of those rough times last semester and said "Hey, look what you can do!" His plans for me will always be greater than my own and this just goes to show what giving it over to God really means.
1. Wednesday I had an interview with the recruiter out at the Red Cloud Indian School in Pine Ridge, South Dakota. It went amazingly well and took over an hour. That's a great sign :) We talked about living on the rez, why I chose the school, the culture shock, salary/stipend/Americorp program, living with seven other housemates and lots of other fun random info.
2. During the interview I found out that I am going against two other people for the kindergarten position at the school. If I don't get an offer for that job they are willing to offer me a job coteaching second grade and being the second in command for the Afterschool care program for grades K-8. The beauty about the kindergarten position is that I could also coach the soccer team there. But, I would love to get my feet wet for a year coteaching and use my other talents with the Afterschool care program. Since this is a volunteer program, the stipend is the same for both positions. Lucky me :) Also, my interviewer Luke, is actually in training to become a Jesuit priest (pretty cool, right?) and went to college at St. Joe in southern Indiana. His freshman year roommate was from Crown Point, just down the road from here. It's really weird how God puts people in our life and it all connects.
3. According to Luke I am accepted into the Red Cloud volunteer program pending that my interview with the principal next week goes well.
4. Last week, I talked to my boss at the Parks Department and lined up a couple jobs for the summer like T-ball umpiring and possibly working the front desk at one of the golf courses in Valpo.
5. And this is where my life exploded even more.....I received an email from Camp Tecumseh offering me a position again this summer. My mind was blown. Last I knew, I wasn't going back because of certain things that happened last year and my boss said that they didn't have any positions available. Now, they want me to come back.
6. I'm at such a crossroads in my life right now. The South Dakota position starts July 31 and Camp goes from the first week of June until the second week of August. Even if I worked at Camp, during the interview process in December I had no idea the SD stuff would work out. Now here come the questions: do I work it out so I can be at camp again for another summer or do I stay here and work for the Parks Department? Do I apply for public school teaching gigs and go through the interviews while at camp over the summer?
7. If my life works out the way I want it to it would go like this:
May-substitute teach every weekday
June-camp
July-camp
August 2011 to June 2013- Teach out on the Rez in South Dakota
*This "plan" means I have to be at camp on a Saturday and then fly to SD the next day and start my training for the teacher position. I'm not sure about that whole transition from living at home with parents, to living at camp, and then moving to a whole different state all within such a short amount of time. I did this kind of thing last summer when I came home from England and then moved to camp not too soon after. It was wonderful and rough at the same time.
My parent's edition goes like this though:
May-substitute
June through August-work for the Parks Department
August and for the next ten years-teach in a public school somewhere in either Indiana or Illinois
Last week I had no idea what the heck I was going to do with my life besides graduating and hopefully teach somewhere. Now, everything is all over the place! The timing doesn't match up and that's what freaks me out the most. I've never had to think about a summer job and a real, legit, grown up, paying my bills kind of job come fall. Throw in money for plane tickets, car payments, and loans then you have my life. It is scary. I've never had all of these opportunities thrown at me at the same time.
It's like God got me through all of those rough times last semester and said "Hey, look what you can do!" His plans for me will always be greater than my own and this just goes to show what giving it over to God really means.
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