Week two is now behind us! For all of you that are on weeks four, five or greater...we don’t want to hear it! (Just kidding- we are happy for you!) We are happy to have completed two weeks of school! I’m happy to write that this week seemed to go much smoother than last week. We made it to the end of the week before feeling really tired, and it was a full week! Gym, art, and music classes all started this week, and that always makes the days a little bit more fun (probably for both the teacher and the students!).
The preschoolers are adjusting to school which is making things both easier and more interesting! It’s great that all the students are starting to remember each other’s names and understand how the schedule works. As each school day passes, they each become a bit more comfortable at school
revealing their personalities! We have been teaching them Genesis 1:1 as well as a few songs to go with the days of Creation. God blessed our school with a wonderful preschool teacher, and I’m happy to have the opportunity to work alongside of her. It takes a special gift to work with preschoolers, and God gave her that gift. We seem to work really well together, and I’m excited to “live and learn” with her. As we work through the school year, we are keeping files on what we do with the preschoolers as it will make consecutive years a bit easier for whomever teaches. We are also learning what doesn’t work well or what not to try again!
Another great change in the preschool program is the joining together of preschool and elementary staff prayer meetings. This week I suggested that perhaps we could meet together at least one morning a week to all pray together. The elementary staff does their devotions and prayer time together every day, but the preschool staff has not joined in the past, due in part to just preparing for a different schedule on the preschool side. However, this year we are excited to have staff devotions together to pray. Oh, how we all need it! I’m looking forward to praying alongside these wonderful, dear teachers at our school.
My phone has been broken since last Saturday, so I’ve been without a phone all week. It’s been weird as I don’t consider myself especially attached to my phone, but not having one has been a weird experience. I do wonder how many messages Ive missed in the last week, but I figure if it was a real emergency, someone would have called Roger! Lord willing, we will be able to get a replacement phone soon. My phone slid off the counter, and the screen is not turning on. I remember all during my growing up years only having a land line phone, but in the culture we live in, it’s a totally unusual thing to not have a cell phone. To be honest, it’s been kinda nice...except for all the meetings and important things I’ve probably forgotten!
We did have a busy week, with school, a meeting for an upcoming fundraising dinner, making a meal for a friend, and prepping for music classes. Our school is working on a fundraising dinner to try to help raise money for our school. Our school offers amazing discounts for families with multiple children (1st one is full price, 2nd one is 25% off, And any additional children are free!) However, we did not get the 90 students that we prayed for this year...instead we have about 60. It’s 60 kids that God wants us to minster to, but it also means that we need to make some money to meet budget goals. The purpose of the fundraising dinner is to help the school meet its budget! We are preparing and planning for a banquet dinner with a guest speaker, picture slide show, and then a pledge offering (It’s where you fill out a card and either give a one time donation or you pledge to give a certain amount each month for a year). I have a very specific amount I am praying for, but I know that God has to do a mighty work. Would you pray for this banquet with us? In two short weeks, this banquet will take place. We need your prayers. (And if you want to make a donation, just let me know and I’ll be happy to get you our school address!)
I made a meal for a friend on Thursday. She and her husband just recently welcomed their first little baby. Since I was already making a meal for a family, I went ahead and made a meal for my family, and three of our teachers at school. If I’m making a mess, I might as well try to be a blessing in the process! I made stuffed taco shells, which is a super easy meal to make, and one of my kids favorites! Emma was thrilled that she would get to come along with me to drop off the meal. She prayed all summer for this baby, and she was delighted to get to see the baby! Thursday is Emma’s short day as she is done with school at 11:30am. We left school and took a meal over to them, and we were able to have a wonderful visit together. I’m thankful for these opportunities to love on new mammas and their families.
Friday marked the first day of music classes. I didn’t feel as prepared as I have in years past, but maybe that has something to do with how little time I’ve had to get everything done. Because I am teaching in the afternoon, the music classes are a little shorter than when I was able to teach in the morning. Half an hour flies by! We have much to do to get ready for a Christmas program in 12 weeks, and I’m thankful that we serve a big, big God who can help me organize, prepare, plan and teach these students. I was given some small melody harps that I am going to try to teach the oldest class to use for a Christmas song. Today was pretty rough, but I’m sure they will get better!
The boys have adjusted quite easily to this week of school. Travis told me that even enjoyed some of school this week! We’ve been back to studying our Bible verses, spelling lists, etc. Chandler and I have been working on how to discern types of sentences! I’m so proud of how the children have been getting up early, getting ready for school, and we’ve been even earlier than we need to be to school this week. I’ve been getting up with Roger at 4:40 am. We enjoy a cup of coffee, a bit of quiet time and prayer, and then he goes to work. Then I have my Bible time, and usually the boys are up by 5:30am. (That’s why they are usually in bed by 7:30 pm.) I’ve been able to squeeze in a short run every morning this week -it’s not far- only two miles, but it helps me get my exercise in before school starts. We leave for school around 7:10am. The boys have been great about helping Emma get her breakfast, and then doing their chores before leaving for school. I’m certainly praying that these habits will continue throughout the school year! We are an early rising family, but that also means that we are an early-to-bed family!
Today (Sunday) we had the opportunity to worship with other believers at our church, and then we had a baptismal service out at the pond. Roger was working today, and he was disappointed to miss it. This baptismal service was especially special as the man getting baptized is the dad of one of the boys that was baptized earlier this summer. How wonderful to see this father take this step in his walk
with the Lord !
This week I was also able to find some great bargains for Christmas presents, gifts for school and back to school supplies for 90% off at Rite Aid! I enjoy giving gifts to others (that’s my love language) and I also enjoy staying on budget! It’s always so wonderful to see how God can put me in the right place at the right time, and I do enjoy finding bargains!
Roger and I were able to get a replacement phone for me yesterday. It’s a used phone, but it should last me a few years, and it’s paid for completely. I’m thankful that I was able to find a protective case for .96 at Staples! (One of the benefits of not having the newest phone is that then I was able to find a clearance phone case!) As much as we travel for school and other events, it’s nice to have a phone again.
We are so very thankful for how God has blessed us this week. It has certainly had it’s challenges and trials, but God has been so very, very faithful!
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