Well, now I've gone and done it.....

I am going back to school......

I am in the process of meeting with my advisor so I can start with a summer class or two.

And God is so obvious in all of this it is amazing.

Before Christmas, knowing that due to the economy my hours at my office job would decrease, I decided to go through "Substitute Survival Training" and begin subbing at the local schools. After Christmas break, I visited some of the schools and told them to call me if they needed a sub. I got a few calls to sub some of the younger grades (K, 1st, 4th). These are great kids but, I discovered quickly that one day a week with them was probably enough. That is just not where my calling has been or is today. But, each day with them is a wonderful adventure because the are so genuine in their feelings.

Then, I got a call from the high school. Okay, so I am a youth director and I have a freshman. Let's just say I know a few of the kids. My first day to sub there I was walking down the hall and got 3-4 hugs from my youth. Wow! That is the way to start your day! Teenagers actually Happy to see you! I was hooked. Everyday I would come home from subbing talking about this and that and how great it was. My boss at the office is wonderful. He is very supportive of me doing this as he knows we have five kids still at home.

Each day I subbed I tossed around the idea of going back to school in order to teach. I knew it would take a lot and just wasn't sure it was what I should do. I knew I "wanted" to but was it really the "right" thing. I finally did that thing that I should always do first but seem to forget and do it last......I prayed. I asked God to show me what He wanted for me. Should I just keep subbing or should I go back to school?

So, one night, my husband (who never comments on stuff unless I ask) looks at me and asks "You really enjoy subbing don't you?" I grinned ear to ear and said "YES!" He looked at me and asked "Why don't you go back to school so you can teach?" I told him I would really like to and he said to go for it. ***Wow! Thank you God for that Sign! ***

But, am I ever really convinced with one sign? Okay, so there is a first time for everything. I started making some calls. I talked with the secretary at the high school. I talked with the local university. I made an appointment with the History Department Chair. (I really like history, government, social studies) He was very helpful. Pulled my really old transcripts (I had gone the this University before). Looked at all my classes to see what he could give me credit for taking. He told me that the way to go if I wanted to teach history, would be to get my Bachelor's in History with a Minor in Social Studies and Secondary Education. (57 hours!Yikes!) This would put me in the position to teach History, Social Studies, Economics, Government. The minor making me more "marketable". Okay.....

So I talked to my friend at the high school again. History is mostly taught by coaches but not completely. The English department has 14 teachers so there is a large turnover. Science is another possibility.

Back to the University to talk to the science department. Knew immediately that was the wrong path. Does the word "calculus" have that effect on anyone else?

That leaves English. I meet with the English department chair who happens to be the one who has approved my History degree plan. He was very helpful as well. He had already seen my transcripts as he had to look at them for my History degree plan and the only thing that I had not been told before was, either way I went, I would need to take a Fine Arts class which could be drama, art history, music appreciation, etc. *Side note: Here is God again: We have started a drama group at the church and I know nothing about drama and here is an opportunity to learn* He showed me basically what I would need to get my English degree and said he would put a degree plan in the mail as soon as it was approved. And, then I could decide my major.

At this point, I could go either way. My brain is saying English but my heart is saying history. So, still looking for some guidance (notice I am doing this a lot earlier in the game than last time) I prayed. The next day, I got my appoved History degree plan in the mail. I decided I would wait and get my English degree plan and compare the two. And then I decided, the smartest thing to do would be to pursue English. More jobs available in that field. And then.....

I was called to sub a World Geography class for two days. Oh, and the way I got called.....yep....that's another God thing. I was subbing for two periods that day, one in the morning and one in the afternoon. Rather than just rest on my laurels (always wanted to say that), I went by the school office to see if there was anything I could do. There was, the secretary needed signatures from several teachers so off I went. One of the classes was the WG class. I walked in and a lot of the kids knew me and told the instructor he needed to call me to sub for him. He asked my name and how I knew the kids. I told him I was their youth director and they were my son's friends. He said he would keep me in mind. That night, he called me to sub the next day as his regular sub was not available.

We talked about what he wanted the kids to do. He was very specific about how they needed to complete the assignments. He emailed me the lesson plan and the next morning, I was there. He called me in the middle of the day asking if I could sub the next day as he was still sick. I said sure and he gave me the information for the next day. He started explaining why he has them do the assignments the way he does and how it is to help them retain the information. The next day the kids had a test over labelling a map. It was of the middle east. After everyone in this one class was finished, one student said she had not realized that the land Palestine and Israel were fighting over was right between them. Well, that spurred a wonderful conversation. I was hooked. I spoke to the teacher the next day and told him was I was trying to decide between. He looked at me and told me I had the right background to teach a class like his. The fact that I was firmly planted in my beliefs and already had a heart for teenagers was something to consider in my decision. He said I could effect how they looked at the world. Whether it was from a distance with no perspective, or from an educated perspective understanding why things happen the way they do.

Then, that night, I had dinner with my future daughter-in-law. She said she could see me teaching social studies or government better than she could see me teaching English....

I looked on-line this weekend and discovered there are two classes I can take this summer to get started on my schooling in History but nothing in English......

So, this morning, I emailed my advisor. Who, by the way, lived a few houses down from my in-laws for a very long time. Oh look.....another God thing!

To God be the Glory!

Please pray for me!

Exercise

I used to walk miles everyday but, after breaking my leg at the knee a year and three months ago, it just hurt. It would send sharp pain through my knee everytime I tried. I thought I had it licked when before Christmas I actually made it to the end of my street but then it kicked in again. How frustrating because I cannot stick to an indoor exercise routine. I have joined gyms and for the first 2 weeks I am religious about going but then ...... let's just say the kids keep me hopping. Well a week ago yesterday I decided to try again. My poor dog has gotten fat and I am out of shape so.....
I did it! I actually walked without pain for two miles....TWO MILES! I have walked almost everyday since. AND my dog did not pass out either! But I am not sure she is enjoying it as much as I am....she keeps giving me that "don't you want to go back?" look. But I just keep on walking.

Chapter 1: Catchup begins

The trees changed colors. And fall was upon us. The youngest boys played 5-pitch on the same team and we had fun! The last few games were a bit chilly. And then came Thanksgiving and the Indians were everywhere!

We caught this one running through the house!














With the cooler weather came hunting season. No cans were safe from the beebees!





More later......

I'm still here!

After my computer crashing....completely! And losing all of my links to anything....I am back!

Kids are still driving me crazy!

Will add more later