Ketchup. I just taught homophones and homonyms so I thought this was appropriate. I'm completely and utterly embarrassed that my last post was from July 15th. To release myself from stress and being overwhelmed in needing to fill you in on the tiniest of details of my life, I'm going to use this post to catch everyone up to speed in short (please keep in mind that I'm naturally wordy...) blurbs. Also, notice the difference in blog. This was done by my lovely sister as I explained my embarrassment as my other design has magically disappeared and left my blog slighted.
Grad School:
I began grad school earlier this summer, if you can remember waaaaaaaay back to when you last read. I'm taking classes locally and have truly enjoyed every moment. Let me rephrase that. I have truly enjoyed learning, the knowledge gained, and the confidence inspired within me. However, there have definitely been moments that have left me pulling out my hair, drinking extra cups of coffee, begging for a sick day, and feeling as if I should begin diagnosing myself. Overall, I have felt so affirmed in my pursuit of this dream and my passion for this upcoming role in my life. I am so thankful to feel aligned with the Lord's desire I feel He has placed in my life long ago. With that said, it has been very evident to me that teaching English full time and going to grad school full time is not something I want to (or can) continue to balance. I don't feel as though I have been able to do either thing fully well. With this said, I am once again looking into graduate schools with a Biblical emphasis as well.
Teaching:
My classroom and students are much, much different this year. I don't have my first year students who were oh-so-studious, reflective, and could easily see beyond the plot of a story. I don't have my second year of students who were small in number, diverse in abilities, and had some issues behaviorally. This year, I have my third year students who are 97 in number, are more social little butterflies than in years past, and want deeply to have a personal and more in-depth relationship with me. They desire to know someone and to be known by someone. They are begging for someone to prod at their hearts. It has been an incredible year to do that in moments. To provide a space for them to reflect on questions they have in life, worries they have, moments where they feel joy, desires they have, etc. My classroom has become a space for their and their pens have become a source of communication. This year I realize that I am teaching them more how to process than how to diagram sentences. And I am more than okay with that.
Social:
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Miscellaneous:
This fall my life has seen some fairly drastic changes in various areas. A roommate moved out, a couple friends got married, some moved away, and I began grad school and teaching. With these changes, I have experienced some moments of great independence and some moments of great loneliness. Space and time that used to be occupied that in its place now there is an emptiness that leaves an incredible void. This has been difficult. The shift in priorities with going back to school near the top. Because of these things, I have found myself in moments of growth. Moments of stretching in its awkward uncomfortableness and being stretched into an even deeper understanding than where I began. I've needed to learn how to be in moments and be present. To come to terms with my feelings in those moments in order to let them go. Learn to work through them, instead of over them. So I'm learning. I'm sitting in each moment and embracing the stretching for one day to have a greater capacity for understanding.
