Things I Miss About Choir 35

1) Small hands catching mine.

2) The children fighting to stand beside me in devotions

3) Soccer games where all I do is run around screaming

4) Relationships that are always there - no matter how hard they sometimes are

5) 23 hugs in the morning

6) Giggles at bedtime

7) Laughing with Amy over the craziest things

8) Playing jokes on Tony

9) Shopping trips with Alesha

10) Chats on the bus with Vic

11) Interactions with great host families

12) Teaching the kids life lessons no matter how small

13) Chelsea's hugs

14) Priscillah's little voice calling me on the bus

15) Hearing the children pray

16) Reagan

17) Grace dancing with a huge smile on her face

18) Ritah singing

19) Stella's imagination

20) The bus - amazing how that box on wheels felt like home

21)Time spent together at Mirembe House

22) Chats with Faith

23) Hearing Deborah laugh, joking with her, and seeing her eyes twinkle

24) Cleaning the bus with Alesha and the chats we had while doing it

25) Watching James blossom as a chef

26) Eskimo kisses with Peace

27) Butterfly kisses with Ruth

28) Alex's 20 questions about everything and anything

29) Snuggling with the kids on the bus

30) The family we'd become that seemed so natural even with all the ups and downs

This looks a lot like peace...

I got a job today.  It's wonderful...or it will be when I start this job I got today.  It's a part-time choral position at Riffel High School.  I've had a few other job offers and another job I could have interviewed for, but none of them fit quite right.  None of them gave me the passion for teaching that I have when I think about this job.

See, here's the thing - I absolutely LOVE teaching choir.  When I stand before the students in rehearsals or for a concert, I absolutely love what I do.  I feel passionate about seeing them succeed, learning to be better musicians, finding that little part of their heart that connects with a song, or bringing out new emotions through the music.  Sometimes rehearsals are hard...sometimes the students don't put in the effort...sometimes they simply sound awful...but I still love it.

I spent a lot of time talking with Jesus about jobs.  I've had a few jobs in my day - a few that I was passionate about but many that I simply did to have a pay cheque.  In my time with Jesus, I realized that I don't need to just have a job to have a job.  He's never let me go without before and I don't think he is going to start now.  God gives us talents for a reason and I need to use them.  When I worked the other jobs, I simply felt unfulfilled.  I wasn't exactly passionate about teaching students how to make puffed pastry...

This job won't seem ideal to everyone.  I'm only guaranteed 50%, but I'll be happy with that 50%, I'll be passionate in those classes.  When God gives me peace, I know the decision was right.  I know that even if it doesn't seem like the most popular choice, that God will bless me for being obedient, for allowing him to use my talents.

This looks a lot like peace.

A new room :)

Some pictures that bring me joy from my foray into decorating!  The new room...

New paint called Woodland Pearl.  Love it.

Pretty frames with pics of my kiddos, the pillows of inspiration and Beethoven

 

My flowers from Auntie Rachel...they're made of wood!  My birthday present from Mel is Reagan's hand print - the most perfect gift.

A lovely Kleenex box to match the decor

New lamps and my little moose from Ang :)

I get by with a little help...

I am not very good at motivating myself when it comes to my weight, eating and exercise.  It's something I have struggled with my entire life.  Just when I think I have a grasp on it, something changes in my daily life and it all goes out the window.  Before I went on tour, I had lost quite a few pounds and inches from working out with my friend, Monique.  We learned to run together and I found it quite enjoyable when I ran with her.  Somehow, I find it hard to run on my own.  I said I was going to keep it up when I left with the ACC, but that didn't happen - strange homes, strange neighbourhoods...you know, not really conducive to outdoor exercise.  That being said, it was also very hard to control what I ate on tour.  Now, I could control the quantity (which I wasn't always very good at), but I couldn't control the quality.  You pretty much eat whatever comes in your lunch bag.  I was just grateful to not have to make it myself.  I don't know if I've ever eaten so much bread.  The children burned it off with no problem, but me...it went right to my belly.  Awesome.

So, I have joined Weight Watchers.  At first, I was a little embarrassed by this tidbit of information - until I realized that it is okay to need a little help.  I've only been going for a couple of weeks, but I've lost 2.6 pounds and already, I'm finding that my thinking is changing.  They work on a point system, so everything you eat has a point value and your goal is to eat only your recommended number of points each day.  I find myself looking at a food and saying, "how many points is that?" and after I figure it out, I think, "is it worth it?".  For instance...I went to BP's with some friends.  We had supper, someone ordered that lovely Chocolate Explosion.  I looked at it, thought about it for a moment and passed, except for one tiny little bit.  Got home and figured out the points value - 40.  That's more than I eat in a whole day.  Instead, I had a square of chocolate from my little stash - 3 points.  Totally doable.  Fruits and vegetables are 0 points, so you can eat as many as you want.  Weight Watchers is a great program because it allows you to be realistic.  If I don't like fish, I don't eat fish.  If I don't like lettuce, I don't eat lettuce.  I'm not craving things like I did before.  I'm totally satisfied, not hungry in between meals, and am learning to be more aware of not only the serving size but what is in the serving.

Some days I do better than others, but it's a start.  I feel proud of myself for taking this step.  This week's goal is 10 minutes of exercise every day.  You can earn points that way.  It's like a little reward.  10 minutes.  I can do it.

I get by with a little help from my friends.

A Mix of Emotions

The last three days have brought such a mix of emotions. I have loved being the music teacher - even though I'm teaching band! I had so much fun being able to use my passion for music and for teaching. But with those emotions has come so much longing for my ACC family and my children. It is hard to be settling in at home and feeling comfortable but then missing the time on the road so much it makes my heart hurt. The last 5 and 1/2 days in the classroom have reminded me why I love teaching. I've found that I'm a stronger teacher now than I was before because I feel much more confident with people I don't know, I feel much more adept with handling the students after being with my children for the last 16 months.

The really hard part that I'm finding about substitute teaching is that you don't really develop relationships. I miss the other chaperones so much. I miss the ability to discuss the day with people who understand how the day went, I miss the jokes, I miss the familiarity. I miss the relationships that I had with my kids. I think of my former students, how much I miss interacting with them which makes me miss my choir kiddos.

I learned so much being tour leader and it really is amazing how it has impacted being a teacher. I'm so grateful for the ACC experience and even though I'm missing it, I am glad to be doing the other thing that I love.

A day of amusement

The other day I was finally motivated enough to get all my errands done even though it was still bitterly cold out. My first funny moment was my conversation with the lady who took my donations at Value Village. As I brought her my boxes, we chatted about the weather and how it didn't seem quite so cold outside. Yes, we both agreed that it was significantly warmer out than the day before. After about 4 minutes of weather chit chat, I got back in my car and started driving to the mall. The weather came on the radio - would you know that it was -31 with the wind chill? I started laughing - weather is so relative. -31 seemed so much warmer than -39. Practically t-shirt weather.

When I got to the mall, I went first to the recycling blue bin to put in all my boxes. Out in the open parking lot, -31 didn't seem all that warm. I almost decapitated myself when the box caught on the bin as I was trying to shove them in and proceeded to drop all the boxes on the snowy ground. BLAST!!

Having finally accomplished my recycling goal, I went into the mall to accomplish my buying jeans goal. I had held out buying jeans so I could go to Bluenotes. I used to love their jeans. I go in and stand before the wall of jeans. I read the labels from left to right. First column - jean leggings. Hmmm...no. Second column - extreme skinny jeans. Hmmmmm...no. Third column - skinny jeans. Hmmmmmmmmm....no. Fourth column - skinny flare. Hmmmmmmmm....no. Fifth column - low rise bootcut. Ah, finally, a pair that doesn't make me say no. I pull them off the shelf and to my dismay my only thought was....hmmmmm...NO! They were ripped all up and down the leg. Really?? Bluenotes?? Not one pair of jeans that I could possibly even try on? What happened to my wonderful jeans that I always wore? I ask the sales lady. She tells me they were discontinued like 2 years ago. I tell her I bought them in April, so that was obviously not quite the timeline. At any rate, no jeans for me. Shear disappointment. I go from store to store realizing that suddenly my options went from either skinny or skinny to waist-to-my-armpits. This was a serious crisis. Finally went to Ricki's. Found a perfect pair of jeans. Phew!

When I finished at the mall, I drove to see Lynette. Driving passed the animal clinic, I see a big sign that tells me animal chiropractic is now available. How on earth would you even know if your dog or cat or little hamster would even need to go to the chiropractor? Are they cracking their neck? Maybe they crack their paws? Wow. Animal chiropractors. I wonder how much that costs.

The last funny thing was the announcement of the possibility of a new astrology sign. Apparently the ones that people have been using for the last 3000 years are outdated...ahahhaha! I went from being a Scorpio to a Libra. A stinging beast to a lady of justice. Wow. Good thing I don't put any stock in that. What if I had been basing my whole life on being a Scorpio and really I wasn't one at all? Let me tell you...Jesus has been around longer than the signs and he is unchanging. From the time of prophecy to his coming to the years that have followed since he died and rose again. Jesus - the same yesterday, today and forever. Phew. I'm glad I put my hope in the one who is unchanging.

I am glad for days that make me smile. This day even made me laugh...outloud...to myself!

From Auntie to Miss

I became Miss Allan again today - and you know what....? It was great. I had my first day back in the classroom subbing at Thom and teaching French. This morning, I had a case of the nerves, but once I got settled in my classroom for the day, it felt just right.

It was really special that my first day back was at Thom. I had lunch with Shaune, got to catch up with some of my other colleagues and had lots of hugs from my former students. I really had a wonderful day and I'm glad to be back in the classroom.

I'm still missing being Auntie Stacy, but being Miss Allan sure helped to fill that hole, at least for a little bit.

Home

I'm home. Literally. I'm in my own house, sitting in my own chair. Last night I slept in my own bed. I ate breakfast at 12:37 out of my own bowls with cereal that I bought when I went grocery shopping for one instead of for 30.

I'm so glad to be here. The time at my parents was great and much needed. It was good to be with my family, but I was ready to come home. Yesterday, my dad and I moved my stuff back and after a disaster with the UHaul (story to follow in another blog), we got everything moved into the house. Even with the delay, I got my kitchen unpacked, bedroom unpacked, clothes put away, bed set up and made and was ready for bed by 12:15.

Today, I have set up my livingroom, installed my internet (whoo hoo...thank you Sasktel), unpacked a few more boxes and taken some time just to sit! I find myself struggling between joy and sorrow. I'm so happy to be home, but I'm still really missing my kids and the other chaps. I chatted with Amy last night while I unpacked and it was so nice to have her "around" while I did it.

I can't wait to be settled again. Today, I'm going to pick clothes from my closet! WOW! Little joys....