Weight Watchers -
After maintaining the weight loss of around 20lbs all summer and working out at Curves 3 times EVERY week except one and walking many other nights, (this was good for me since before WW I probably would have gained about 5-10 lbs back and probably would not have made a specific effort to exercise regularly!), I am finally on the right track again! I lost 1.4 lbs this week, and am up to a new total of 23.4 lbs!! Hooray! I think it has been good for me to maintain for awhile so my body can get used to the weight loss, and I can see it as more of a lifestyle than a "diet." And now I can focus on continuing in a healthy, doable pace.
School -
School has started. Each day is getting a little better, and I've made it through two weeks and two days now!
I love my kids, and God has given me a new enthusiasm for teaching music. I just know I'm supposed to be there...and I actually feel like I'm ok at what I'm doing. I think part of it is the fact that I'm in my third year now. And part of it is the fact that I'm realizing I'm not perfect, and no one expects me to be. Also, the fact that God truly worked this position out for me...and I know He has a purpose for me being there. It is so good to be confident in that.
My kindergarteners cracked me up today...I was out all day yesterday at a PBS meeting and when I got back today, and they came to music, they said, "Miss Whitaker! Where were you yesterday? We missed you?" As I started to say, "I was at a meeting, and I missed you too..." one cut me off and said, "That sub CREEPED us out!" And it wasn't just one...a couple others chimed in and said, "Yeah! He was CREEPY!" lol When I asked them why he creeped them out, they just said something about him making crazy faces with his eyes rolling back in his head. Oh my. You just never know what goes on in your classroom when you're gone sometimes...my favorite last year was the sub who played Michael Jackson all day and gave the kids Smarties. (I did not leave Michael Jackson OR Smarties with my sub plans, but oh well...ha)
The kids are loving our new drums! I even worked them into first grade a little bit last week when we were practicing steady beat. I incorporated literature by reading a Dr. Seuss book and having the children take turns keeping a steady beat on the drum while I read. This is really exciting, because maintaining steady beat at the same time as reading can really help to develop fluency!
I'm trying hard to think of funny things each day my kids say or do and be better at writing them down...but there is already so much going on and soooo many kids with lots of things to think about!
Our schedule is a little crazy...ok a lot crazy - teaching 22 classes, 8 each day (one day with 6), no breaks in between from 8:30-11:50, quick lunch, 12:15-2:45, and a little down/plan time before afternoon bus duty. Needless to say, I'm up on my feet, constantly going, going! I'm building some endurance as the days go on...
Commuting -
The drive is long, but not too bad. Only 45 minutes...and all interstate. Lots of praying time! Not looking forward to Winter, but we'll see how it goes. The hardest are Wednesdays and Thursdays when I stay to help with the kids' program at church and have praise team practice, and don't get home until after 9...then get up in the morning and drive back again. I usually get up around 4:45 and try to leave by 6:15 so I can get through traffic onto post and have a little peaceful time in my classroom before the day gets going.
Church -
Still attending Westside and really loving it. I chose to keep going there after moving, because I just feel like I fit in there more now than I do at my home church I grew up in. It's good to have friends and a family of support in the community where I teach. I've been singing on the praise team since April, and that is a blessing to me. I am about to start working with Team Kid on Wednesday nights and teaching missions lessons with 3-4 graders, so I am SUPER excited about that! We are even going to try to plan some hands-on activities so that they can experience missions where they are at too!
Journeyman -
I finished the entire application process at the end of July with the Lord's help! Now I wait...good thing God has been teaching me a lot about waiting lately! I probably won't hear from them until late fall, and won't receive my invitation to the job interview conference, if I am invited, until December or January.
Budget -
Man, that's a tough one. I finally made one. With my mom's help. Yes, I'm 25, and that is hard for me, and I needed my mom's help. I moved home this year to save money, and am thankful for my parents allowing me to do that, and for the opportunity to do it while I live so close. I always paid the bills I knew I had every month and tried not to spend more than I had...but I was never sure how to/very good at dividing up the rest. So...better late than never, and I'm going to do my best to stick with it. I need to/have to, and to me it feels kind of like a challenge...which motivates me even more. Kind of like - I want to see how much money I can have left over at the end of the month because I spent less than the amount of each area...or something. We'll see.
I'm Famous! -
Ok, so maybe not too famous. But the mother of one of my childhood friends who writes freelance for one of the local newspapers interviewed me this week and wanted to share my story about all that I have done, and where God has led/is leading me with the community. So...look for me in the St. James Press next week...it was such a surprise when she asked if she could write about me! I'll give you my autograph if you want! ;) haha
That's all folks...
Thanks for sticking with me. I'm working on thinking about more interesting things to write about soon. I've just had writer's block lately, I guess...
Happy Weekend!
ooohh, I want an autograph! I can't wait to read the story!
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