tangerine...

...is a good book.

I observed 8th graders today. They were big and loud. I'm a little afraid.

Five of my boys wrote me a little note, telling me I had to bring tennis shoes on our next sunny day so that I could join them in a soccer game (they've been persistent for 5 weeks now, so I might give in).

A week from now, I will be traveling the Pacific Northwest with my sister and Ishta, and life will be relaxing.

Tonight I am reading Tangerine. It is riveting.

my soul finds remedy

At the waterfront

Alvin and I
A view from West Seattle

Alvin, Sherry, and I spent the day yesterday in Seattle. And since God is so cool, he allowed Seattle to hit a record high for the day--63 degrees. And sunny. Needless to say, I'm warmer here than all y'all back in the Midwest. I'm soaking it in now so I can share it when I come back in 2 weeks. Eep! I don't think I'm ready to leave...

One of my cooperating teachers invited me over for dinner and fellowship today. Her extended family was there as well, and we ate yummy dessert and played Wizard and joked around and ate leftover Valentine's Day chocolate.

What a super-de-duper weekend.

my cup runneth over

What's with this new blogger crap taking over the world?

So, I don't have a picture to post because teachers don't have time or energy to take pictures. I just completed a full week of teaching 6th graders and it was immensely exhausting and rewarding. I loved it and I feel like I could do just about anything.

Tonight, lots of sleep.
Tomorrow, Seattle!

one more step

A tribute to Lauralee--because I watched Walk the Line last night and couldn't get your dancing out of my head!

My entire college career has been leading up to this...my full-time week of student teaching. But in reality, it's just one more step in a long line of footprints. Thank goodness we aren't expected to leap across an entire ocean; we just have to take the next step in the right direction. So I am taking tomorrow one class at a time.
I have definitely experienced grace in the classroom. I'm amazed that planning can all fly out the window and God can use me anyway. It's very humbling.

just my cup o' tea

Sherry treated us to tea this afternoon at Lynden's Cup O' Tea, which is an atmospheric tea shoppe/store. Not only can you have tea in one of 10 or so semi-private alcoves, but you can also wish you had enough money and suitcase space to buy an elegant tea set.

For me, this afternoon tea was a lovely time to wind down after my supervisor visited my classroom today. The lesson I taught went very well, Dr. Vander Plaats had wonderful things to say, and I began to feel like a more competent teacher. Hooray! (Never mind that I completely blew the Bible lesson I taught at the end of the day....)

Huzzah for raspberry tea and scones with Devonshire cream. I even founde myself slipping into a Britishe accent...

monsieur, lay down your burden

Me on the bridge at Deception Pass (on Whidbey Island)
A view from the top of Mount Erie near Mount Vernon

On Saturday, I drove down to Mount Vernon to spend the day with Jeremy Westra's parents. Sharon drove me around and showed me all the most beautiful sights. We had to brave the Washington sleet, but it was worth it.

Today I procrastinated for half of the afternoon with one of Sharon's books, and tonight I'm scrambling to get my social studies lesson in order. All you elementary ed majors, you would freak out to see me. I've had one English methods class, and that's it. So I'm winging it. But I'm learning a lot about Columbus, Magellan, Juan Ponce de Leon, and Balboa. I'm going to be so smart at the end of this teaching session...

The rain has returned. But it's cozy. Give me three more weeks of it and I may scream, but today it was cozy.