Pick up a roadmap, you’re going to need it…

God is so much bigger than we let Him be.

- my roommate, Margaret

There’s a praying mantis on the Aussie bottle.

- my roommate, Leah

School’s start is fast approaching. In less than 48 hours our school will be over ran by a couple hundred young faces (closer to four hundred probably). From pre-K 3 to eighth grade, all three floors will be filled with book bags, uniforms, laughter, and the nervous start-of-school jitters. (Maybe that last one is mostly for us teachers.) I’m frantically trying to get ready for the new school year - falling short sometimes and standing tall at others. I fixed my first potential disaster today - a broken printer connection. A new printer, some new drivers, and a good dose of Advil later - all is well. The meet the teachers night will go on WITH class lists printed out.

I feel the pressure for this school year. I want to do well but I am afraid that I will fail. I am daily learning to give the  Lord all my worries. I’m blessed to be working with such an amazing group of men and women. We all get a few laughs out of my “stupid questions” about Catholicism. This year is going to be a learning year for me. My schedule appears easy on paper, but the reality is much different because I teach about half time and then build/maintain the web page for the school and trouble shoot all things computers/network in the school the rest of the time - so it is really going to be a hard schedule despite the appearance of long periods of time that I don’t have to teach.

I’m a very blessed girl and I don’t thank God enough for all the blessings in my life.

I met Margaret tonight! She’s pretty cool - and a teacher too! This is going to be a good year. Don’t know exactly when she is moving in, but it will be soon.

Things are definitely looking up!

I’m even meeting random people in the coffee shop that I am enjoying talking to tonight.

Well, I better run to Walmart and the head home to sleep - 5:30 is going to come way too early in the morning.

I’ve been in and out of my new workplace for the last week. My contract officially begins tomorrow and I’m so excited. This is a new opportunity and I’ve already learned so many skills. I’ve learned framing and lincing routines and how to rmote access a computer and how to audit computer systems. It’s been a blur. New email addresses, new passwords, new people, new adventures all coming my way. I’ve pretty much been out of work for almost a month and I’m ready to get on a schedule.  The next few days are full - Holy Day mass and in-services, a retreat in Leavenworth (sp?),  hard manual labor in the classroom getting things ready, student/teacher/parent meet and greet, etc.

Along with the challenges of work there are the challenges of learning to live with new people.  Chelsea and I get along great and Leah moves in on Saturday. This is going to be a house full of very different people, but I’m trusting the Lord that this is a good placement for me for the next 9 months of my life. Already conversations with Chelsea have stretched me and taught me how precious openness is between people. It’s a sweet and painful thing. She is challenging me by her example to be more faithful in the Prayer Room.

I am writing from Higher Grounds - at this point in time I have to go somewhere other than home to get on the Internet, so I’m not on as often as I like. Because I have nothing coherent to say, I think I will just list a few things from this week. (Have I really been here over a week already?)

• I love my roommate, Chelsea. She’s young and fun to talk to, and - most importantly - she is passionate in her pursuit of the Lord. I can’t wait to meet my other two roommates. (8 days and counting till Leah moves in.)
• I am finding myself fighting the urge to compare myself to others - I can’t do that and be happy in who I am created to be.
• I have already found the Guitar Center in Overland Park - and in the process of replacing my broke strings realized that it was my fault my tuner didn’t work right.
• I miss home and my family so much, but I don’t want to go back because I am so much happier here.
• I make great Alfredo sauce - yum…
• Kansas City and my allergies do not play together very well.
• Johan is still my moving hero.
• I need some volunteers to help me get classroom together next week - any takers?
• My principal is amazing - and she is even more so because she realizes I may not be ready to teach the first week considering my classroom is still under construction.
• 7 hours of training after not working for 2 weeks makes the brain go bonkers.
• I have tons of paper work to do this week.
• I’m so happy Hope is having a girl.
• God is amazingly faithful - no matter what I do, He is faithful.

I forget how long it takes to feel settled into a place when you move all your stuff. It took 2 nights to move everything I own into the house. I didn’t get my bed moved in the first night so I slept at Will and Etta’s again. I think I’m going to like living there - the house is great and the rent is fair and I’ve had the best time emailing back and forth with my soon to be roommates.

Johan is my moving hero. He single-handedly moved my mattress and bed spring into the house (and my book case box and my dresser box…) He also helped me put together my dresser last night. And we both taught Trisha how to use a screw driver. (Next weeks lesson: How to Check the Oil in Your Car.) 

I’m feeling my first bits of home sickness. My mom emailed me the other night and we talked last night after church. She sounded releaved to know that I like my house, am living less than three blocks from several of my closest friends here, and that I will have health, dental, vision and life insurrance at the begining of next month. I woke up this morning to my principal calling me and when I got off the phone with her, I started crying. I miss the little things of home. I miss having all the spices where they have always been, and Mom yelling at me to get my clothes out of the washer, and the low hum of guitar music coming from Bud’s room, and a million other little things. I opened up the notebook Erin got friends to write me notes in and smiles through my tears.

Last night I saw Adam at FCF. We went to go get dinner with some of the Onething Interns and one of his house mates. 54th Street was a nice change from bagels and cream cheese that I have been eatting a ton of since being here. (There is still no fridge in my house, but it should be here today.) It is nice to have someone from home up here with me. I know I probably won’t see much of him, but it feels good none the less.

I need to get going - much to do today and little time to do things in. It is the Global Bridegroom Fast this week and I plan on making a couple intercession sets and spending some time in the Word before all insianity of the school year ensues.

I’m in Missouri, in Carthage to be precise. Traveling with a U-haul trailer on a front wheel drive vehicle is slow going work.  I’ve got about 120 miles between me and my final destination for the night (a friend’s couch). Just e-mailed my boss and now it’s time to head north again on HWY 71.

Thank God for wonderful music to listen to on the road - it is the only thing that has kept me awake today…