I haven’t been as stressed teaching Kindergarten as I was with 3rd grade, so I actually have the time and energy to do small groups again, but I’d only be able to do it for a few more weeks before I move home for the summer, so I don’t want to do that to the girls. I miss them like crazy, and it was nice to see them at ATF and on Sunday mornings, but it’s not the same. I so wanted to stay this last Wednesday after going up to finish my conversation with Lexi we were having online, but knew that I shouldn’t.

When I came home I got “Lunch Money” a chapter book I’m reading for fun and got comfortable on the hammock to read. Then God started nudging my heart to go get my Bible and spend this time with Him. So I grabbed my Bible, journal and devotional and spent some time with God. He has laid a lot of stuff on my heart since ATF, and this was a nice start. I’ve decided to start memorizing scripture since I’ve never really done it before. The skits at ATF really spoke to me on memorizing scripture. It’s good to have scripture close to your heart for when you don’t have the Bible physically with you. So that’s what I’m starting on now. Slowly but surely.

It was nice to set a side a long period of time with God, so I think Wednesday nights will be my extra special time with God for now on. I also started a Battle Plan at battlecry.com. One of the plans I chose was to memorize scripture on the power of prayer, so I figured that would be a good place for me to start my scripture memorization since I really didn’t have an idea of where to start. I pray that this will help to keep me accountable in my walk with Christ also.

We had another student teacher meeting today. It was pointless as usual, but it’s nice to have a day to leave student teaching early and go up to the University to let us get things done for graduation and what not. I went to that ESL study session a couple weeks ago, and brought the papers they gave us to make copies for Melanie and Beth and also a couple professors…I figured they’d be in high demand since this test has been almost impossible for most of us to pass. While waiting for all the copies to be made one of the ESL teachers asked if we wanted her to do a study session with us before we take the test again in 2 weeks. So we are going to meet next Thursday at 3 to study for this test some more. I need to read over this packet before then and look at the competencies I did well and not well in.

Tim and I went to work out tonight…he had me do free weights and my arms are already super weak. I can barely even lift up my cup long enough to take a drink. I’m pretty sure tomorrow morning will be a struggle after not using my arms all night long.

After working out I cooked us some healthy sloppy joes. I don’t recommend them at all. It was nice that they weren’t all fattening and giving the unhealthy feeling after eating it…especially after working out. But it just wasn’t the same to eat the regular sloppy joes I grew up on. I used ground turkey and we ate them on wheat buns. It was a good thought, and Tim was nice enough to eat it without complaining…I don’t think I’ll be making them again.

I have decided to take a kindergartner under my wing and give him extra attention. He isn’t even in my class, but God has really laid him on my heart. So far what I have found out is that he has a rough home life, and he just needs love.

Yesterday as I was walking with the entire kindergarten class to recess I gave this boy a compliment and he was so completely excited. I found out later that this is because he rarely gets praised for good behavior. Mainly I think because there aren’t many chances to find him doing good behavior. After recess he came up to me and asked if I would tell his teacher how good he was doing in the hall…so I decided I could do that. He was standing near by and just loved that I bragged on him to his teacher. He then asked if he could get a sticker for good behavior, so I responded with, “If you have good behavior for the rest of the week I will think about it.” Today he wouldn’t let me forget. At lunch I went over and asked him if he was being good for his teacher…and for once he actually was. I complimented him on his good behavior and he reminded me about his sticker, and I reminded him about making good choices for the rest of the week.

I continued talking to him for a little bit, and he showed me his lunch, and said he was sick and tired of the same sandwich over and over, and opened it up to show me his meat…which actually looks like the lunchmeat I buy for my sandwiches, so I told him about that and he took a great big bite of his sandwich and told me how tastey it was. That was too cute and just brightened my day.

I have a big heart for kids that do not have the greatest home life. I think my main reason for wanting to be a teacher is so I can be a stable good example for my students. I want to be someone they know they can depend on, and give them the knowledge and ability to succeed in their life.

I have already tried to rack my brain for different things I can do with this student on top of student teaching in my classroom. Next week I start taking over the entire day, so this will cut down on my time with him, but I have gotten permission from his teacher for him to come visit me when I want to work with him. I need to pray about it and figure out what would be best for him.

I feel like there’s not enough time in the day for me to do everything I want and get everything done that I need. I know I’m not the first one to feel this way, but this is one of the first times that I have felt this way.

After school I got everything together that I need for tomorrow and helped out another teacher with tools for her lesson tomorrow. Then I came home and worked on my application process for about 2 hours, at dinner, had a couple minutes to hang out and talk to Tim about what we want to do for my birthday, go grocery shopping and now home to go to sleep.

Once again I am going to sleep after 10 which means I will be dead tired again tomorrow. I wasn’t even able to fit in working out today. I don’t think things will slow down either with next week I will be taking over the entire day and my application process picking up.

Good news though, my observation went well today. My professor had all good comments, and I was excited how quickly the students picked up which animals are oviparous and which ones are not.

I am trying to get my skin to clear up before next Sunday when I take my senior pictures hopefully to mail out as my graduation announcements. With doing this I have decided not to wear makeup this week, which made today the first day of my student teaching that I haven’t worn make up to school…maybe second, but I’m not sure. So today while walking around observing my students at work one of the girls says, “Ms., you have a mole right above your eye brow. Moles are a mark of beauty, and you are beautiful.” She obviously does not know the difference between a mole and a pimple… I really didn’t think that this blemish is all that obvious, and still didn’t after checking it out in the mirror, just shows you how observant kids are. Her remark makes me smile though ’cause she practically said my pimple is a sign of beauty. So, good news to all who struggle with acne. It’s beautiful!

Hope this adds a little humor to your day. It did for me after I got over the initial embarassment I got from this 6 year old.

God has laid a lot on my heart for me to think about. I’m excited to see what’s in store.

Acquire the Fire was awesome. I am so blessed to be able to go. It got me really thinking. The main thing on my mind is the video clip they showed of last week’s Battle Cry. You can see it on Tim’s site at www.timschmoyer.com. Pretty crazy and eye opening. Something needs to change, and it is. Now I need to figure out how God can use me to make a difference.

I’ll have more to write on Acquire the Fire and what God is doing later.

I filled out my first teacher application. Now I need to fill out the teachinsight thingy. I was thinking about doing it tonight, but I think it takes about 45 minutes to do, so I’ll just wait until tomorrow. I am so excited I got my first application finished and sent. It wasn’t as bad as I was expecting.