Ten Favorites from Vacation

In July Michael and I went on vacation with my family to North Carolina.  Here are ten of my favorites from that time together:

1. Visiting the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
--This wasn't something I was overly excited about before we went there, but Dad, Jos, and Michael were looking forward to it.  It ended up being interesting and quite fun.  My favorite part was getting to go out on the field.  Michael and Jos threw the football around (Charley and I did some).

2. Visiting Washington DC
--We took a segway tour of the city.  This was fabulous for several reasons: segways are fun, we were able to see tons of the city, and our guide shared many interesting facts with us.  We also visited the Captiol and met Senator Grassley.  We ended our day by walking around Arlington Cemetary and seeing the monuments near there.  Loved the time we got to spend in this historic place and hope to go back someday.

3. Mount Vernon
--We spent a few hours here before heading to North Carolina.  It was interesting to walk the grounds and visit the museum.

4. Shelby and other family joining us!
--Shelb wasn't able to be with us for the first part of vacation because she needed to work.  We missed her, but were so happy when we got her from the airport and got to spend the rest of our time with her.  We also got to spend our time at the beach house with my Uncles Kent and Brett, Aunt Meg, and cousins Noah, Natalie, and Nolan (we missed you Nathan!).  I don't get to spend time with them very often so it delightful to have this time together.

5. Beach time
--We loved spending time at the beach whether that was wading, walking, collecting seashells, seeing critters, boogie boarding, skim boarding (I do not have the skills for that), etc.  We hit the beach every day and somehow with all of that I managed not to get sunburned--major win!

6. Playing Games
--We had fun playing games when we weren't outside.  I love games and it was fun to share in that with my family.

7. Marvel Movies
--We watched through the first six Marvel movies while we were there.  It was great at the end of the day to cozy up and enjoy them together.

8. Yummy Food
--So much delicious food.  We split up suppers each night so that a different group of us were in charge of cooking and cleaning up.  This was such a fun way to do meals.

9. Car Time
--So.Much.Car.Time.  Oof!  There were definitely times where it was overwhelming and not so good, but there were also times where it was fun and silly.  Lots of singing, laughing, and talking.  A few movies watched, some naps, games played, and snacks eaten.

10. Memories Made
--So many memories.  Memories are always a highlight of time spent with people we love.  I could list so many other things that happened while we were on vacation like how Jason and Claire were able to join us one day as they were vacationing nearby, conversation on the porch, lots of ice cream snacks, etc.  So many delightful memories.

     

Teaching Year One Reflections

This last year was my first year teaching my own classroom.  I was pretty apprehensive upon taking the job as I had never really wanted to teach kindergarten before.  I took the job for a few reasons: 1) a job is a job, 2) I liked the location of the school, 3) I had worked with the principal before, and 4) I knew God could use me and teach me through this different experience.

In the winter it occurred to me that I would more than likely be pink slipped at the end of the year.  Kindergarten was changing throughout the district and my school was going from 5 classes of kindergartners down to 3.  This of course saddened me for a number of reasons (I loved the school I was at, really enjoyed the people I got to work with each day, I wouldn't get to see my kiddos again probably, and of course I would be on the job hunt for a third summer which can be pretty discouraging when I see many teachers my age getting to keep their jobs).  After a few months I got my pink slip and began looking for a new jobs.  As of this point I have nothing lined up for the fall.  I am hoping that more jobs will be posted this month and into August, but have no way of knowing whether I will have my own classroom again.

Coming to the end of an experience always causes me to reflect.  I have spent a lot of time thinking since April and wanted to record some of my reflections here.

• I should never assume that a class cannot be more challenging than one I have already worked with.  I thought the class I worked with during a long term subbing position  was about as difficult as it could be.  They were challenging for sure, but my kindergartners this year were most certainly a handful I wasn't expecting.    
• It is awesome to work with a good staff.  As a first year teacher with a challenging class it was such a sweet blessing to have not only a grade level team who was supportive, but many other staff members as well.  The staff I worked with was welcoming, kind, and helpful throughout the year.  
• Kindergartners are  so sincere in there feelings and emotions.  They aren't as good at masking their feelings and so most of the time you know how they are feeling.  When they were happy they were really happy and when they were upset they were really upset!  There is something so encouraging about seeing genuine emotions--even if it is coming out through a meltdown :)  They are also very open with telling you that they love you.  
• Supportive parents and grandparents are an incredible blessing to teachers and students.  Enough said.  
• Music is an awesome tool.  I am a fine singer, but I don't love singing by myself in front of others.  It makes me quite nervous.  This year, however, I decided to use it often in my classroom specifically in the form of sight word songs.  Every week we would learn a few new sight words that they would need to be able to read and write at certain times throughout the year.  Each week I would take tunes of songs that I already knew and put sight word lyrics to them.  My class loved these songs and we sang them throughout the day as we transitioned between activities.  This was easily one of the things I am most proud of from this year.  The last week of school I recorded us singing through all the songs and I am so happy to have those for future use.  
• Relationships of trust are so important in teaching.  Learning requires that risks be taken and it is a lot easier to take risks when you trust your teacher.  
• Routine is important and helpful.  Flexibility is necessary, but returning to the normal order of things is beneficial for the classroom environment.  

I learned a great many other things through my teaching, but will only share those seven for now.  Teaching is challenging, but it is rewarding as well.  I find it truly incredible and humbling when I consider all that my kindergartners were able to learn in the last year.  So very thankful to have had the experience of teaching kindergarten with its many blessings and challenges.  

Two years of marriage!

Two years ago I married my best friend. The past few years have been filled with many happy memories and some sad one too. Our marriage is far from perfect, but I am so thankful to get to do life with this man. I am so thankful for his patience, sense of humor, thoughtfulness, wisdom, love for Jesus and so much more. I have been more aware of God's grace and faithfulness through our marriage than before. I love remembering back with him, I love living now with him, and I love dreaming of the future with him.

Wedding Day

Year one in Italy!

Year two at a friend's wedding

I have been doing a lot of reflecting today about how I can better love and serve Michael as his wife in the years to come and to do this I revisited the vows I made to Michael on our wedding day.  Marriage is a relationship filled with sanctification as we seek to be more like Christ within our relationship.  Praise God for grace through Jesus.  Without it I don't know where our marriage would be today.

Because it's festive and fitting, here are the vows I committed to two years ago.

Michael, in taking you as my husband today I promise to put God first in my life, seeking after him daily so that through his grace and love I may love you better each day. 

I promise to be a strong support for you.  I will communicate with you honestly and affirm you in the leadership role God has given you.  

I promise to be on your team and stand alongside you in times of rejoicing, times of sorrow, and everything in between as we seek to glorify God with our lives.  

I  promise to love you specifically, to bring you good (not harm) all the days of my life.  I will practice humility both in asking for and giving forgiveness when on of us has hurt the other.  

Through God's grace, I promise that you may have full confidence in me.  I will never leave or abandon you.  I will be your loving and faithful wife until death parts us.  

A Day of Remembering

It seems unreal to me that it has been one year since my dear Grandma Diane passed away. This has been a week full of thinking back for me and remembering those last precious days I was able to spend with her. How kind of God to allow me that time free of subbing positions to be able to be home.

I miss my Grandma an incredible amount. I think of her almost every day whether it's cuddling under my blanket from her, wearing something that was hers, working on my crocheting project, making one of her recipes, waking from a dream with her in it, or the countless memories which fill my mind. How grateful I am to have had a wonderful woman like herself invested in my life.

How thankful I am for the truth of Easter. Death stings always. I know it is where we are all headed, but I don't think you ever get used to missing someone you love. Sometimes the pain seems to be dull, but at other times I find it to be shockingly sharp. I am so thankful Christ conquered death on the cross and it is not death that has the final victory but him!

I have found myself thinking over the lyrics of "Because He Lives" today. Life seems impossible to live without Jesus...I cannot imagine dealing with death apart from the hope I have in him. Because He lives I can have a thankful and joy-filled heart alongside my sadness.

So today I remember with thanksgiving a life well lived by a woman who loved and served beautifully.

James and "O Church, Arise"

I have been working on finishing a Beth Moore Bible study on James for quite some time now and am in my last week of it.  Today was focused on how James could have died through looking at the history and tradition related to it.  I love the confidence we can have in Christ and I think it is a great blessing to think of and study those who have followed Christ before us and successfully made it to the end.  I think the lyrics for the following song encompass that and I wanted to share them with you.  

O church, arise and put your armor on;
Hear the call of Christ our captain;
For now the weak can say that they are strong
In the strength that God has given.
With shield of faith and belt of truth
We'll stand against the devil's lies;
An army bold whose battle cry is "Love!"
Reaching out to those in darkness.

Our call to war, to love the captive soul,
But to rage against the captor;
And with the sword that makes the wounded whole
We will fight with faith and valor.
When faced with trials on ev'ry side,
We know the outcome is secure,
And Christ will have the prize for which He died—
An inheritance of nations.

Come, see the cross where love and mercy meet,
As the Son of God is stricken;
Then see His foes lie crushed beneath His feet,
For the Conqueror has risen!
And as the stone is rolled away,
And Christ emerges from the grave,
This vict'ry march continues till the day
Ev'ry eye and heart shall see Him. 

So Spirit, come, put strength in ev'ry stride,
Give grace for ev'ry hurdle,
That we may run with faith to win the prize
Of a servant good and faithful.
As saints of old still line the way,
Retelling triumphs of His grace,
We hear their calls and hunger for the day
When, with Christ, we stand in glory.

2014 Begins

With each new year that starts I find myself reflecting on the year that ended and making goals for the coming year.  I want to be the best version of myself and to grow as an individual and it seems goal setting is a good way to work on this.  I prefer to set goals in categories and I think it helps to be specific.  Here are my goals for the coming year:

Spiritual: The last two years I have read through the Bible in a year.  This year I hope to listen to the Bible in a year while doing some other more focused studies.  I have a few Beth Moore devotional books I am excited about and some others as well.  Michael and I are also going to memorize our church's fighter verses each week. 

Physical: I have a weight goal just like most people...I am hoping to be there within 3 months.  More importantly than weight (because weight can be fickle), I want to consistently exercise and eat well.  I am starting the year with a workout routine of 4 of Jillian Michaels' videos.  I am shooting to exercise M-F and also Saturdays whenever possible.  I also am hoping to run a big race before the year is up--thinking a half marathon. 

Other (because I don't know what to label the categories for these):
-Finish a crocheting project.  I have a blanket I started last year, but I would actually like to complete it this year. 
-Improve my baking skills in the areas of pies and Norwegian food.  I got a lefse griddle for Christmas and a krumkakke  baker.  I would also like to try making kumla and practice kringla again. 
-Try not to waste food by forgetting about it in the fridge. 
-Be intentional in my relationships--including Michael.  In our marriage counseling we were challenged to see how many of the five love languages we can use with each other in a day/week (I don't remember which) so I am hoping to put that more into practice this year.

I am really excited about this new year.  I know it will have joys and pains, but I am thankful for the blessings God has given me and I know he will remain faithful through it all.

Happy New Year from us!