say a prayer :-)

Life has been crazy, but I promise to update again... next week!

how's this for a little motivation to get me through finals: my advisor (who came to observe me in my last placement) responded to an email where I asked how things went with this statement, "you demonstrated ability beyond a lot of veterans.  That's not to say that you can't improve, as all teachers can improve. However, the lesson I saw during my last observation was about as close to perfect as I've seen." I think I've found my calling!

speaking of callings... a family in my church has felt a calling to adopt (actually a lot of families have) but this particular family of 7 (2 parents+5 children) have been called to adopt five more children!! A sibling group from Latvia... who may or may not speak English!  read more of their story on their blog!  The parents are in the midst of 19 days of travel to bring home the new additions... so please be in prayer!!! for the traveling parents, the returning children, and the children who are here (and all the people who have stepped up to help)... God is moving in Macon, Ga :-)

Time flies!!!

well hello there blog world,
it has been far too long since my last post... so I will try to recap and catch you up on important events :-)

so I went home for Labor day... (a last minute blessing) and celebrate 3 birthdays in 2.5 days!!  When I got back to Georgia, I went a few days without a vehicle.. praise God for friends with cars!  I was able to get my Royrie back, and she's been running like a champ... mostly.  I'm actually taking her back to Hamil's Automotive next week to get a new muffler/exhaust... her original one has rusted completely off :-(

I should have her back in time for my trip to NC for a belated celebration of my sister's birthday (and a Carrie Underwood concert!)

My roommate and I have successfully painted (most) of our apartment!!! All that's left is a small hallway, which will be done as soon as we get the paint... we have the best landlords for getting our supplies! In the process of painting, my roomie got ENGAGED!!! it was a super exciting day... we had wonderful friends over to help paint, since my boyfriend was studying, and her's was "out of town" but somehow in the midst of him being gone, flowers showed up on our door! He really wasn't out of town, and they spent the rest of the evening revisiting important places from their dating relationship, ending on the quad of our alma mater with him on one knee!!

Here's a picture of her right after she found her flowers... still in painty clothes:

For all you hunters out there... I've never really been a part of your world until I met this man:  "Catfish" is a person very dear to me, and he doesn't have a blog... so I'll extend his excitement to all my blog readers, lol.
He has hunted his whole life (that isn't an exaggeration by much) but not until he recently (past couple years) has he attempted to bow hunt... starting with turkeys.  For those who don't know anything about hunting... most animals have a "hunting season" - a time when they can be killed - for turkeys, that's in the spring. for deer, it's the fall through early January.  These seasons are different depending on what you use to kill them.  Bow hunting typically opens a couple weeks before rifle season and continues through rifle season... so this year, Catfish started hunting a little earlier than usual, because he's started bow hunting! and he is officially a bow hunter, because he killed his first:

I'm proud of him... but he's so excited!! (even still)  A good friend of ours put it well: you woulda thought he'd won the lottery, he was so far over cloud nine. Rifle season has now opened, but he still uses the bow to get a break from studying (he's a first year med school student)
I think it's awesome how much hunting brings people together.  It's a strange practice, where you isolate yourself with your natural surroundings, but at the same time you are part of a rather competitive, happy community.  I've gotta have intense motivation to get up early, so we'll see if I ever take up this hobby...

In school news, I finished up my placement in the middle school, and have now completed my first placement in the high school.  I will start my second high school placement next week!  The middle school was an interesting place to be. I'm far enough removed from middle school, that I barely remember anything educational in those years.  I know there was information that was foundational for continuing education through high school and college, but it is not a time that sticks out in my mind as particularly memorable (probably true for most folks).  I don't know how I feel about teaching middle school yet.  My three weeks there were fun and interesting, just not exactly what I've pictured myself doing... then again, how often do we end up where we picture ourselves?! I've decided I'm going to take as much as I can from these experiences and let God decide where I'll end up teaching!!
My middle school host teacher was very active and incorporated a lot of technology into her classroom, then I came to the high school placement and it was a complete 180.  The new host teacher has been teaching for quite some time, and sticks to the traditional lecture, test, repeat method.  While I do think lecture is important, I don't think it should be the extent of the classroom.  With the way students today are engulfed in the immediate results world we live in, lecture gets boring fast.  I hope that I can develop my personal teaching style to incorporate as much practical and current examples and methods as possible, as I'd love for my students to enjoy the subject as much as I do!
In my third placement, I'll get to teach a week long unit on gases.  I'm excited about getting to plan out and execute a unit with some of my ideas, rather than just repeating what I'm seeing done in one period for another class.  This next placement is in a school that has recently received grant money to try the "one laptop per child" approach, so I don't doubt I'll be able to use technology... I'll keep you updated (hopefully)!

for now, it's bedtime... but I hope to update you on more of my life in the near future, thanks for reading!!

Royrie

22+ years ago my granddaddy purchased a Ford pickup... he used it regularly for a while, then bought a bigger truck to pull he and his wife's RV, so the original sat around.  One day his fabulous granddaughter was 16 and a beginning driver... in all of his wonderfulness, he offered her the truck as long as she was willing to learn to drive it (it's a manual).  She took the offer!
Thus began my journey with this important piece of my life.  Daddy took me up the road to what is now the target/lowe's parking lot, and we learned to drive...

the parking lot that summer... it's grown a little now...

Over time an trips, the truck and I began bonding... we went to school, work, church, and anywhere else together! As I tried to develop her name (I've always known she was a girl, no matter how manly you may think she looks) I had many people suggest "Old Yeller" but that was long, and not very lady like. So an acronym was suggested, is there any name you can make with OY in it?! I came up with ROY... which is also not lady like, but it stands for Rusty Old Yeller (rusty and old are very affectionate terms ;-) ) A good friend of mine suggested I just call her Rorie... the female version of Roy, which made a lot of sense... except for the spelling! Thus you'll find in the title of this blog her name is Royrie :-) [if there's one thing I've learned in my 2 weeks so far in middle school, it's that you can spell a name however you want to spell it!]

So what does all of this have to do with now... well, I told you, I've always known she was a girl, and just like most girls... she is moody.  Sometimes things work out perfect, and sometimes she just doesn't do what I want her to.  For example, this summer I replaced her alternator for the second time in the six years I've had her... and the windshield wipers, well they are the most temperamental! (I might have driven once or twice with my head out the window in the rain because I could see better that way than through the windshield where the wipers wouldn't wipe)
For a while now, her clutch fluid has been leaking, and if you get in too much of a hurry she'll grind going into third gear... things you just get used to and try to avoid!
well week before last she was having a little trouble moving, but her problems progressed rapidly, and she really did not want to roll.  I called Dr. Martin (my Daddy), who has been her primary care physician for most of her life, and he diagnosed her with a dying clutch.  Seems simple... runs a little more than the price of an alternator, I can handle a clutch on a tight budget, but (sometimes you just hate those buts) to get to the clutch you must first remove the transmission!!!!!!!! (even if you don't know much about cars, know this: messing with a transmission gets pricey :-( )
So Friday, August 27th, I drove her back to my apartment from school, and struggled to get her up the driveway... not knowing what to do, I floored it and she climbed slowly... after parking her I realized she was now smoking :-( Thus commenced breakdown number 1... I cried on the phone with Daddy because I thought she was gone for good.  I left her parked for a few days, she cooled down, and I occupied myself with helping some friends yard sale [check out more on the yard sale at their blog by clicking here... and buy a shirt to support their adoption]

her resting place... 

The following Monday (a week ago today) I decided I was going to try to drive again... I needed to be at the Sylvan Learning Center to take a math test [the test went well and I have an interview Wednesday to become a tutor, so say a prayer!]  She cranked beautifully... so I put her in gear... and began to let off the clutch... the clutch is all the way out, the truck has not stalled, and we are not moving :-(  (to all the non mechanics: the clutch was so far gone it did not even allow the motor to recognize there were gears to engage)  I quickly made some phone calls, and got a ride to the test... and a different ride home (which turned into a wonderful catching up lunch)...

I began talking to people at the yardsale about what to do.  A wonderful family from my church let me borrow their extra truck for the weekend, but they needed it Monday to get the AC fixed... so they began conversations with the mechanic... he eventually quoted me a reasonable price, and will begin work on Tuesday!!
Meanwhile:  I was sitting in class on Tuesday, and missed a call from a good friend of mine... I began to chat with her on gmail to make sure everything was ok (I hope my professor doesn't read this ;-) ) and she informed me she finally got a job!!! The transition from her summer job to her 'adult job' allowed her to travel out of town for a week and a half or so.  She was leaving that evening in her boyfriend's car... so she left me hers!!!!!!! I am so blessed to have such wonderful friends and support!!

My truck and her car in my driveway!

On top of her generosity, she was willing to let me drive to North Carolina in her car :-)  This was a trip I'd planned on making before the truck began getting sick!
I desperately needed to get school work done, and the busyness of the week did not allow me to make any progress with the truck.  I wasn't even sure if I should go home (save money on gas, work on school work, spend time with people in Macon).  Friday morning I called Mom, and made a last minute decision to make the trip home! The only thing stopping me was the truck... I needed to get her to the mechanic so he could begin working as soon as possible... a few phone calls later, everything was good to go and the tow truck was on the way.

loading Royrie on the flatbed :-(

Just as I was thinking it would all be ok, the wrecker showed up... and that was one of the hardest things I've ever had to witness... I felt like he was hauling off a part of me!  After he made it out of the driveway... I called Mom and had another meltdown, crying on the phone!
I successfully made the short trip home, and I'm back in Macon preparing for the week ahead.  This will be my last week in the middle school! Its a bittersweet feeling, I don't think I want to work in middle school, but I feel like I've connected with some of the students, so it will be interesting leaving them so soon.
I should get word on the truck tomorrow, and I'm trusting the Lord will provide just as he has so far!!

if he can drive that wrecker up the driveway, anyone should be able to make it up!!
get well soon, Royrie!

I hope you're having a wonderful Labor Day, and I look forward to updating you on how well the truck is doing in the near future :-)

Survival.

I feel like I'm already in survival mode... and it's just the beginning!!

We'll start with a graduate school update... I have almost completed my first full week (I have a 2 hour meeting in the morning) and it has been crazy... we were thrown some assignments at the last minute, and there is still not a lot of detail for other things.  In short, things are not organized well enough for how fast time is moving! I'm trying to be like a duck: calm and collected on the outside, and paddling like crazy under the water! A few of my feathers are becoming ruffled, but hopefully the weekend will give me enough time to breath and get them back in place :-)

I have started my placement for the "observation" course.  I am one week in to 3 weeks at a local middle school where I spend two full days a week in the classroom. (did you catch all that?)  I have already learned a ton!! The initial revelations were that I do not yet have my "teacher legs", and making it through undergrad without liking coffee was nothing... I might have to develop a taste for it if I'm going to be up at 545 every morning!
I walked in the first day and the teacher introduced herself and informed me the only reason I would have her as a host teacher was to see what not to do! At first this had me nervous, but I quickly realized she said that because she's not the most orthodox teacher, and she thinks she doesn't do what all the grad school books tell you to do.  I have actually seen a lot of the methods I've learned in school being implemented and her ways of implementation seem to be working.  A lot of what she would consider "wrong" about what she does involves her interaction with her authority.  She is the one who will speak up in the faculty meetings and such, but that's not what I'm there to observe.  My favorite part of her classroom is the respect.  She is loved by all her students, but can be stern and has complete control of the classroom.  That is something I want in my classroom, and it's a very good thing for me to see how she handles the affection and interests of her students balanced with her functional use of discipline.
I did become nervous before starting that I would end up wanting to teach middle school, but, for now, I'm maintaining that's a beast I don't want to fight.  We'll see once I'm in the high school!

Some of my good friends from MC (small group) at church are in the process of adopting (you should check out their blog) and they are having a yard sale to raise money this weekend! If you're in the Macon Area you should come by Normandy Road on Saturday morning and see what wonders you can find!
I've been doing (very little compared to everyone else) what I can to help them get ready, and I'm hoping and praying for good weather on Saturday!

I'm also working on creating some income so I can pay rent! I have to take a math test at Sylvan Learning Center next week to see if I can start tutoring for them... and I'm looking into any flexible (typically nanny or tutoring) job that comes along... say a prayer if you will that God will continue to provide!! I know He has guided my steps thus far, but it is easy to try to follow my own path rather than His :-/  We were talking in MC this week about Proverbs 16:9 (NIV)
In his heart a man plans his course,
 but the Lord determines his steps.  
I'm convinced the Lord has the steps of my life thus far laid out, and He's not going to stop now!! I do however have to remind myself as things get stressful that He is determining my steps, not paving a smooth road...

Title Explanation.

I feel like I should explain my current title choice: Sing. Love. Dance.
If my life could have a moto, this would probably be it... it's based on this song I picked up last summer when I started working for Camp Hawkins! (hopefully you can click here , scroll down and select the blue "click here to download" and listen to the song)

Camp has truly changed my life... as a counselor we are paired one to one with a camper for a week at a time.  Last summer I was able to spend 4 weeks at camp, and a weekend at Matthews Time (more severe campers) This summer, because of my master's classes, I was only able to be at camp for the last week and a week of Matthews Time.  I came into the experience last year with the excitement of a rookie... this summer, I knew a little more of what to expect.  I had to struggle through the beginning of the summer where I would see pictures of camp on facebook and realize I was missing something truly special.  God makes a way to reveal Himself through camp... and most of the time he's so much more obvious than in the "real world".  This summer my camper, we'll call him C, was so much fun to be around and managed to run with the high energy that is "all boys week" of camp (if you've ever been there, you know)! Every week of camp we have a talent show, where the camper can show off some skill from setting the table to taking down the criminals, from preaching to basketball, we have it all!! C was not entirely able to decide what he wanted to do for his talent, and as his counselor, I was responsible for picking up context clues to prepare the Admin for his segment of the show. Early in the week, we were in our daily routine of "music" where we sang and danced to all sorts of songs, and this song, Sing, Love, Dance, was played.  I passionately began the hand motions hoping C would pick them up, but he promptly turned around, danced like a penguin, and said "I like to move it, move it".  I was initially disappointed, but couldn't help but enjoy the moment! Throughout the week, I could say, "move it, move it" and he would know I was talking about Madagascar, but he did not do the dance or sing the song again.  We had no idea what was going to happen for the talent show, but God kept that moment with Sing, Love, Dance in music in my heart and I told the Admin we would dance to "move it" from Madagascar.  The whole afternoon was a prayer without ceasing that C would dance without my assistance in front of everyone at the talent show. As his time came, I looked at him and told him it would be his turn and the song began.  Faster than I could truly realize, C pushed past me and danced the ENTIRE song... almost exactly to what the animals do in the movie (the penguin still being my favorite).  Was God at camp? Absolutely.

C dancing at the talent show!

I'll avoid boring you with any more stories about my personal experience, but rather stick to the bigger picture.  There were a few conversations with close camp friends while I was there about being the "hands and feet" Jesus as opposed to the "bible study" Jesus.  At camp we very much have to be "hands and feet" we continuously wash the feet (and everything else) of the "least of these" as we put every bit of ourselves aside to serve this one person for an entire week.  To think of how exhausted I am after serving ONE person for a week, I sit back and realize how amazing my God is that he will do that for EVERYONE, forever and ever amen.  Then I start to feel a little guilt mixed with a lot of lazy... I think I'm someone special for being Jesus to one person for one week out of the year... or five weeks on a good year... who am I kidding?! I should be Jesus everyday to everyone I meet... but that shouldn't be the "bible study" Jesus talking, that needs to be the "hands and feet" Jesus. in the real world. everyday.

History.

So there has already been plenty of history on the road to becoming a teacher... I'll give the reader's digest version :-)

well, I suppose we'll start with fall of junior year of college... my world fell apart. I realized about the time the love of my life broke up with me, that I was entirely to stressed with 17 hours of upper level science classes, and I was not going to make it to optometry school (my dream since 6th grade).  So I went home for Christmas and broke the news to my parents... Mom was not too excited, but Dad took it well (and I think Elizabeth excused herself from the dinner table to find a happier place).  At this point the news was that I would not be applying to optometry school, I had no clue what I was going to do with my life, but I would still graduate on time with my degree in Chemistry.  That January, I went on my first (of 3) mission trip to the Bahamas with Wesley Foundation and God showed me I was not a failure, and gave me a renewed hope for my future!! 

~~ Let's rewind a few years... I graduated high school saying I wanted to be an optometrist, but I would graduate with a science degree and do anything but teach... ha! ~~

so that January after the trip, I began to look into the teaching possibilities as I was feeling a tug towards the profession I resisted so much.  At Mercer (where I was completing my undergraduate degree) I would need 4 semesters of practicum to graduate with a science education degree and certification... I only had 2.5 semesters left.  I continued that semester and started looking into the requirements of teaching.  The fall of my senior year, I started shadowing a science teacher at a local private school, and confirmed this was the profession for me! In the spring I began to buckle down with plans.  I applied to Georgia College and State University's (GCSU) Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) program which was scheduled to start over the summer.  I was lead to the master's program because the certification process in Georgia would require some classes, these same classes plus a few more would land me with a master's.  The choice seemed simple.  

The MAT program is offered in one year as a full time student or in two years as a part time student with a full time job.  I began the application process last spring under the impression that the school systems were desperate for science teachers.  Apparently it's not in the budget to hire new teachers, but I am now in the one year program and planning on starting my teaching career next fall.

I was accepted into GCSU and started the MAT classes this summer with "Learning and the Learner" and "Curriculum and Methods".  I finished up the summer with a few weeks at camp (I'll detail later) and a trip home before moving back to Macon to continue classes for the fall!

I think this brings you up to date for the most part, and we'll continue this journey together :-)