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.

back in the green country

This is a bridesmaid dress that Laura's mom wore for Rod & Vonnie Van Dyken's wedding....tee hee.
Me, Laura, Heather, & Hannah....Dordtites reunite!
Leaving Lynden....
Somewhere near Snoqualmie Pass on I-90

Well, Sunnyside was a little different than I expected. I had a lot of fun with Laura and Heather and Nate and Hannah, and I saw the school and saw my possible classroom and met the superintendent, but I don't really like the climate/scenery. I kinda missed Lynden the whole weekend. I missed the green grass and the snow-capped mountains.

I love driving. I drove across Washington and back by myself this weekend, and this is what I saw:

Whoops, that posted above. Oh, Blogger...I will never figure you out.

Love to all!

on my way to the sunny-side

I get to see Laura and Heather this weekend. That's right, I'm driving to Sunnyside. Yippee! And you can all be jealous now.

*Edit: I took a long walk in Lynden this afternoon and I got to see the sun setting in the snow-covered mountains. And again, you can all be jealous now.

rainy days and mondays usually get me down...

...but today I'm feeling happy in spite of the weather. I'm experiencing vast relief after a month of intense worrying. My host family is wonderful (I finally have a little brother!) and my two cooperating teachers are sweet and kind and generous and friendly and God-loving people. And my students are squirrely (sorry, Heather, there's no better way to describe them!) But it will be a great experience, I can tell. Yay for God's blessings!

I have pictures, but my laptop/internet connection is being stupid. So eventually (maybe when I get back home?) I will post pictures. Hopefully earlier.

Ok...peace, love, and joy from wet Washington!

back home....for a little while

Oops...forgot to rotate. Sarah & I--tour buddies!
Joelle & I at a pretty MN rest area--old tour buddies!
Final lectio--Sam, Andrea, Becca, Rachel, & BHaak
Emo, Ontario--me & Molly, the family dog
Sioux Falls concert--Andrea & Bus Fun!




Choir tour is over, and we all survived. It went by very quickly and was just the right amount of time. I didn't expect Canada to be so cold (yes, that's dumb). -30 C is a little cold. And it just sounds worse than __ F!

Um....so I didn't take a lot of pictures, of which I am ashamed. But I got a few, especially at our final concert in Sioux Falls....see above.

I leave Saturday morning for Lynden. Word on the street is that my host family is very excited for me to come. And my principal sent me a personal letter and a package of info about the school. I'm feeling better about going. And I think it will be good. In fact, I'm pretty sure it will be. I will get to see Heather and Laura and the Westras and Margaret and maybe the Goheens and Al and perhaps even Lauralee! Plus all the great people I'll meet in Lynden....

Hope you all are doing well and enjoying the powdery white stuff (snow, that is).

today's the day...

...to update. I've been having ups and downs, and mostly I just want to get out to Lynden so I can stop thinking about what it will be like and actually experience it.

Tomorrow (today??) we leave for the frozen tundra choir tour. I'm leaving the country again. Looking forward to time with friends and also to singing, because I love it and I missed it. Dreading saying goodbye. But until then, adieu!

sunny days

I feel good. I can do this. And I can enjoy it, too.

there's a rock...

...in my stomach. I'm feeling lonely, bored, and depressed, and the fact that I'm leaving for 6 1/2 weeks is not helping. I'm scared. Anybody want to come to Lynden with me to keep me company?

Christmas come and gone

Our family Christmas celebration was a good time, but the past two days have been incredibly long. I've spent excessive amounts of time freaking out about Lynden. I think I'm going back to my medication.

On a happier note, Merry Christmas! I got to spend all day on the 24th with my whole family, plus my Bepa and my sister' friend. If you've never spent Christmas with young children, you should. It makes everything more fun. Dillan and Landon both got new pajamas, and they were running around in them. I love those kids.

I had more presents than anyone else. I felt guilty, especially since......one of my presents was a LAPTOP!!!! Oh, parents. I love you. I find it funny that our house now contains five computers (and only three residents). I also got some books, a hilarious feminist magnet, a huge wall fan from Thailand, and Little Miss Sunshine from my sister (Amy--I didn't even ask for it!) My grandparents got me cookware. Does this mean I have to grow up?

Merry Christmas, all. The day is over, but Jesus is here.

one more

Well, I'm 23. Weird. Weird, weird, weird.

Thanks to Heather who coordinated a little singing at the Bean at midnight. And to Matt who gave me a vegan brownie on the house. And to Morgan, who fed it to me (pictures to come). And to everyone who wrote on my Facebook wall or said something or thought of me. I love you all!

And I'm done with exams. I just have to student teach now! Um, just. Yes.

da haircut

Before.....
After!!!! (No, I did not get a complimentary girl with my haircut....sheesh.)

I love love love it. Not much to headbang with, though.

i'm stuck in a tie

We tied our final game of HPER floor hockey yesterday. Tied. TIED! My team was completely dominating (an event which could have gone down in history, since any team I've ever been on has never dominated anything...coincidence?) and then we let it go. So after all the sweating, grunting, hitting, high-sticking, rolling, and getting body-checked by 230 lb. guys, we TIED. Sigh.

I got my hair cut...and I don't have a picture to download yet. But it's sexy. Look out. Thanks to SarahJo for letting me copy her hair, thanks to Justine for 'holding my hand' as I got it cut, and thanks to everyone who specifically told me I do not look like a boy. Because I have distinguishing female features! Hooray!

Good news--I just finished my last paper. Well, my last normal paper. I have a take home and a lit project to do yet, but those are considered exams. So now I can really say I only have exams left! Not sure how I feel about that yet.

Heather Link, you are awesome.

can't fight the tears that you've cried

It's over.

Outside the snow is falling

and friends are calling "yoo-hoo!"

Horses, horses, horses....

Ding-a-ling-a-ling!

Sleepless in Seattle, anyone? Oh, Meg Ryan, I like you. I realize I may lose friendships by saying that, but I don't care. Cheesy holiday movies work for me.

It's snowing. And I'm choosing to bask in it by thinking about snow while writing a paper. Two weeks 'til my birthday! Get me something good.

family pictures

Joelle (Meg), Andrea (Marmee), Emily (Amy), Sarah (SM)
Jeremiah (Laurence), Garry (March), Jacob (Brooke)
Beth (Jo) and Becky (Prudence) help Joelle with her hair
Jo & Marmee: We're the same person!
Andrea & Sarah
Joelle & Andrea: awkwardness at Perkins
Paul (Dashwood) and Kenny (Meeks)
Justine (HM) and Paul. Ahem.