The Summer Ends with Student Teaching

Well, it looks like employment for Fall 2009 is a no-go. I will be student teaching at Highland Park Elementary here in Nederland. This is the elementary I attended as a child and will be under the instruction of my former second grade teacher, who is now the resource teacher there. God works in mysterious ways, doesn't he? I was inspired to teaching for the first time in Mrs. Fleming's class when she allowed me to teach a reading lesson. When I graduated high school, she placed a writing assignment in with my diploma that I'd entitled "Why I Want to be a Teacher." Guess she knew what it took me a while to figure out :) Anyway, despite the absence of a paycheck and insurance, this is sure to be an exciting fall. And once I'm done student teaching, I will be done with the ACE program completely and officially certified. At least I will be looking for a teaching job with a certification in my portfolio instead of just a letter of approval for certification. Hopefully that will help in the search for employment! If not, I can get a job doing something else without the worry of finishing my certification sitting heavily on my shoulder.

I'll start my student teaching on September 8, the Tuesday after Labor Day and after I return from Baltimore. Looks like the trip to Baltimore was perfectly timed :) God is so good to me! Even when I don't understand what He's putting me through!

Issues?

So in spite of the stress added to my life as I desperately try to get my foot in the door to begin my teaching career, I have enjoyed going through my mom's box of videos and discovering what a little brat I was. Or, I should say - having my bratty-ness confirmed.

Some of you have already seen this from my post on Facebook, but for those who haven't - here's my second birthday :) I've saved you the 20 minute agony my family and friends went through trying to get me to open my presents - I would have much rather watched everyone open them for me so I could decide what I wanted to play with. Besides, the fun comes when it's time for cake :)

Enjoy!

Ah...Memories

I can't help but get teary-eyed looking through some of these old videos. At least at my first few birthdays, grandparents and great-grandparents were all present - and though very much spoiled - judging by my very limited attention span, I couldn't have cared less how many presents were there as long as I had every one's attention while I was "entertaining" them by being my adorable, albeit bratty self.

One video brings to mind recent conversations my mom and I have had about my present and future. Though many conversations remain private (though some of you who are close to me have had the same conversations with me and will probably know which ones I'm referring to), I look back and realize without a doubt God does have a plan for me. And I thank my mother for hauling me to church and instilling His values in me at a very young age.

Somewhere between 12-18 months, I sing "Jesus Loves Me" and confirm "That's right!!!" on cue whenever asked. At one point, I say "I know Jesus Loves Me!!!" Mom's repeatedly told me she's known things about God's plan for me long before I did and has watched them confirmed. And many haven't happened yet, but she knows they will simply by trusting Him and having watched parts of His plan already laid out. It's just humbling and amazing to see pieces put together like this while I'm completely clueless and oblivious at times! Probably most of the time!

The Blessings

I love God-breathed deja-vu moments. This weekend He reminded me of the many blessings I have in my friends and prayer warriors. I love events, like Becky & Josh's and Laurie & Justin's weddings from the past few weekends, which bring together so many of the faces of comfort and familiarity that I see in my 'family' in San Antonio. With so little time spent focusing on those relationships like I want now that I'm away, those events which put everyone together give me so much joy that I can hardly stand it. Being able to talk with so many of the people I love in just a few days was such a blessing from Him.

I also see relationships I have growing. It's strange that I just now feel that I'm moving into adulthood with truly emotionally intimate relationships growing exponentially with those special friends God has blessed me with. What a refreshing feeling it is to know trust - not only to be able to trust those around me with my intimate thoughts and prayers, but to have them trust me in many aspects of their lives as well. So much of this year has been self-discovery in a more intimate relationship with God than I could ever imagine, and one of the realizations I had was a fear of trusting most of the people I love. He's show me how and released me of that fear...and what a release it is! And to be trusted is one of my heart's desires, given to me by Him - what an honor it to have been explicitly and verbally told MULTIPLE times this weekend by my girlfriends how much they trust me and my heart.

I continue to pray for patience during the job search and anxiously await this next step in my freedom. Thanks to all of you praying for me!