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missionyeargirl
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Name: Ms. Amazing
Gender: Female
Interests: avoiding homework at all costs, babies, missions, minnesota, chicago, music, the city, salsa dancing, playing instruments (albeit poorly), bluegrass, social justice, chocolate, running, teaching, laughing, talking, baking, bright colors...
Expertise: teaching a class full of seventh graders, making myself look awkward for the good of humanity, taking 2 minute showers, making other people laugh by doing completely undignified dances, wearing spandex, procrastinating, people pleasing in an annoying way, collecting clutter, making CD mixes, prioritizing homework last in my life...and, of course, back up singing...
Message: message me
Website: visit my website
AIM:  wheatonraye
Member Since:
2/11/2004
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| my father tells me it has been quite some time since last i have graced xanga with an entry. true, true.
i have been so happy. seriously, so happy. life is amazing, despite record levels of cold, the corruption of ceos, the downturn of the economy, and all the other reasons why it shouldn't be. i love my students, my school, the constant learning and laughing. i went to goodwill today and bought thirty picture book classics for my third graders. they reminded me of when i sat next to my mom and she would read them to me. i am excited to share with them the stories of francis the bear, or dr. desoto, or koko and his kitten. to everyone who was read to as a child, thank your parents!
so... christmas. its weird that this christmas i am missing someone. i forgot how to miss people when i was in mission year so it always surprises me when i feel that slight pull at my mind or heart and wonder how someone managed to sneak their way far enough in that i would notice their absense when i am away.
this will be a slightly different christmas. i asked my parents to donate to a school charity in my name instead of buying me presents. i kept trying to think of things i wanted for christmas, and eventually instead of all the work of contriving ideas, i simply decided that i don't need anything. books for my kiddos or an electric blanket for my dog. other than that, i just want world peace, water for everyone, equality in the school systems... the basics. and more and more i feel that the work i do is sufficient. i get excited each time i hear about people helping others and i have been encouraged that people are forced to think beyond green this christmas and focus on what really matters, like family and love, friendship, laughter, kindness, gratitude... i have so much stuff!
we went to our annual music christmas party and i got to soak in those things that really matter. singing, music, laughter, friendship...merry christmas to me!
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| xanga, what's that?i had to write a life rule for my bible study. thought i would share it.
My Life Rule
Because I believe
that all life is sacred, and because I believe that I am here to glorify God
with my life, and to draw other people to know Him through what I do, I set
forth this as my life rule.
v I
honor God with my time
o There
is a time for all things under heaven. I strive to use my time in ways that
build up my body, my mind, my soul, so that I can use my time in ways that
serve and love other people.
v I
honor God with my thoughts
o I
set before God those thoughts which are pure, uplifting, and holy. I strive to
hold to thoughts that are true, and discard thoughts that are lies.
v I
honor God with my tongue
o I
say things which will edify those around me. I strive to speak kindly toward
and about those around me. I will speak truth, but I will always have the goal
of unity and love in mind.
v I
honor God with my presence
o I
strive to be fully aware of each moment as a gift from God. I will strive to
live in the present moment, letting go of what has gone before, and not
worrying about what is yet to come.
v I
honor God with my work
o I
meditate in the truth of knowing that my work is not the shaping characteristic
of my identity. My value lies in being a child of God, an unearned gift of
grace.
v I
honor the full person of God
o I
know that I am not God; neither is my culture nor gender a superior
representation of the person of God. In our fallen world, I recognize that
there are inequalities that grieve the heart of God. As all people are made in
the image of God, I strive to love and serve those around me, remembering that
all I have is gift, and that I have much to learn from those who are different
from me.
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| I'm nearing the end of this school year, a fact that will become far more exciting after June 10th when my final masters paper will be complete. I finished the portfolio, so there is a light at the end of the tunnel.
As a present to myself (I'm pretty good at getting those) I bought a Nintendo Wii. It is SO entertaining. It has been a welcome and fantastic distraction. Meanwhile, I am finally starting to focus my attention toward going to Africa, getting immunizations and thinking about packing. I am super excited to see Melissa because dang are there things to catch up about!!
My trip to Madison was a total success. The campus is beautiful. I made a mental note that when I am thinking about graduate school, I should apply there. Then again, I love Chicago. I can't imagine leaving here any time soon.
Only 12 more days of school left in my second year! Next year I will no longer feel like a new teacher. YES!
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| its late. seriously late. i need to be in bed three hours ago. i am stressed out. but i am pretty happy.
i am moving forward.
there is an end to the tunnel of this school year, my masters degree, etc.
i am going to miss my students. again. which isn't to say that i am leaving my school most definitely. but i don't want to stay. sigh.
we started guided reading yesterday and i love it. my students love it, too. even though my students are so stinkin chatty.
tomorrow i get to wear jeans to work. i love dress down days.
i thought about getting a pet dog, but decided not to. i thought about getting a pet cat, but decided not to. i thought about buying a house, but decided that if i can't commit to a dog or a cat, i shouldn't commit to a house.
i think there is enough time in the day to get everything done, but i'm not sure.
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| new experience #24509786203
i went grocery shopping with my sister here in ecuador. there were so many fruits i didn't even recognize. i decided that any fruit i had never tried before was going to be purchased and savored. i haven't tried all of them yet, but so far, so good. have you ever heard of a pepino dulce? or a tomate ducle? or seen fruits that are yellow and spiky, but taste like a kiwi-grape combo on the inside? or eaten mora berries? or uvilla? or a custard apple. (like, grows on the tree, but tastes like custard apple) or seen the inside of a grandajilla, which looks like something out of a sci-fi movie?
there's so much about ecuador that feels like the united states, but then i will hear the rapid cadence of another language, or see the weathered face of the women selling a roses, a dollar per dozen, on the corner of the street. or the political conversations have less to do with iraq and more to do with colombia. or look outside my window and see the power of a mighty mountain. or sit back and relax, because in spite of it being a city, quito still operates at a slower pace than the u.s.
i stood at the center of the world, one foot in the northern hemisphere and one foot in the southern hemisphere. i have ridden in several taxis, all of which make me feel like i am only breaths away from meeting my creator. i have visited the malls, so similar to the united states, and yet somehow more trendy, laughing at the fact that you no longer have to purchase toilet paper in the public bathrooms, though you still are not allowed to flush it down. i have gone to the park and walked in a forest full of eucalyptus trees and breathed deeply from the thin, elevated air. i visited the crater of an inactive volcano. i've attended two different bible studies, striking in their contrast, yet amazing at how similar people are in their desires and wishes for themselves, others, justice, faith, and truth.
tomorrow i will visit the top of the mountain, by way of suspended cable cars. afterward we will go to the cathedrals and participate in the colorful, sacred services of latin americans during holy week. so much left to do.
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