Subbing & Road Trippin'

I love substitute teaching!

The first three weeks of this year I didn't have any jobs and now I'm having an average of 3 jobs a week. Praise the Lord!

I have been in classrooms from Kindergarten through 5th grade and then Middle School Language Arts and, MY FAVORITE,  a Middle School Band Director! I have a music concentration so I took basic conducting in college and there's just something special about directing a real ensemble (of 6th and 7th graders) and making music together.  Beautiful.

I'm excited for my own classroom in Colombia, don't get me wrong, but it's so great being able to show up at school, impromptu teach for the day, and then leave with NO lesson planning to do.  The downside is that it doesn't really encourage relationships with the sutdents unless I'm in that classroom more than once.  I've been super blessed by only having maybe one classroom that wasn't been too cooperative but other than that it's been great! (Hopefully I'm not speaking too soon...)

The great thing about substitute teaching is that you can plan your own schedule.  Life is up in the air for sure but I'm all about flying by the seat of my pants. There are days where I don't know if I have a job until 30 minutes before school starts BUT I'm also able to turn down jobs if I have something going on such as a TWO WEEK ROAD TRIP hittin' up friends out West and seeing dearly loved ones before heading down South to Colombia for the couple years.

I love road trips!

This past year I've realized that one of my love languages is "Quality Time" and I absolutely love hanging out with friends and catching up on life and encouraging one another in our faith in Christ.  My love tank was filled to the brim by the end of it!

Trail I ran on in Denver

I started the trek first to Denver, Colorado and stayed with some sweet gals that I went to school with @ Concordia, Ellie & Andrea, and stayed at their place.  They had to work the next day so I was able to have breakfast with a friend from high school, Alli Christie, who lives out there and was able to catch up.  She told me about a running trail near the school she goes to so I decided to check it out and went on an hour and 1/2 long run/hike. It was absolutely BEAUTIFUL and the mountains in the background just added to the beauty.

Steeze

Next stop was Winter Park, Colorado.  Friends from high school, Tim & Bmarr, are working at the ski resort for the winter and we were able to hang out and ski.  Their roommate Max tried to teach me how to ski on moguls. I'm not a fan and just steered clear of them the rest of the day. :) Bmarr is getting legit at snowboarding so he was showin' his skillz in da park.

Downey & I

After some wonderful conversations and laughter I kept heading out West toward Pocatello, Idaho where I was able to meet up with my good pal and fellow day camp coordinator from Camp Perkins, Downey Day...Miss Jennifer Webster.  We went out to dinner with the Van Dyke Duo, Rachel and Jordan.  The next day she took me into the mountains but unfortunately it was rainy and we weren't able to hike outside.  But we were able to grab lunch and dinner and go over to Knuck's house because he had JUST got back from his long excursion in which he stopped in Nebraska for a few days.  It was great seeing him again because I didn't think I'd see him again before heading to Bogotá. But I did! Woo!

Snowshoeing at Camp Perkins

Rachel and I during our run!

I eventually made it up to camp just in time for the Men's Retreat! My favorite. HA. Yeah...that wasn't planned. But I was able to see Tracy Mueller and Rachel Schumacher! We played some fun card games that first night.  Then the men all left and it was just Rachel and I hanging out. We went snowshoeing and made a four headed snow creature.  Hung out in the Quinzhee AND of course went for a run.  The weather was beautiful for the two days I was up there.  It was so great to be in the midst of God's power manifested through the mighty mountains.

After Camp I went Northeast to Bozeman, Montana to meet up with my dear friend & fruitcake Julie Keeley! It was so great seeing her and the place she's been at since August.  We went down to Yellowstone to the Mammoth Hot Springs and took a dip in the hot springs too which was a wonderful natural hot tub. Then I got to see the church she works at and meet some of her youth.  I also met her friend Emily who's super sweet, as we share some of the same interests in books and mannerisms. :)

Julie and I at Yellowstone National Park

Then I finally made it to Laramie, Wyoming to be welcomed by Tommy "Tomasitooo" Sullivan and his wonderful mother, Sue. I met Tommy through my mission trip to Nicaragua.  He's part of my "Nica Fam" as we like to call it.   It was so great to catch up with him and everything God's doing in His life.  His mother made us dinner and couldn't have been more hospitable.  It's always great meeting the families of my "Nica Fam" 

All in all it was a very refreshing trip and I am so encouraged and in awe of the hospitality that was displayed and the genuine hearts of Service and Love that were revleaed and put into action.  I love each one of these people very much and couldn't feel more blessed by the Good Lord to know them!

On behalf of a Bogotá, Colombia update: I purchased my plane ticket and will be leaving the States on Sunday,  July 22, 2012 and couldn't be more excited!! The plane ticket definitely brings a reality to it, not that it wasn't real before.... :)

These next few months will be filled with more substitute teaching mixed in with some travel to Mississippi and California to see more dearly loved ones in my life.

I've been reading through Galatians and this verse at the end really stuck out to me so I shall end this post with the words of the Apostle Paul,

"From now on, let no one cause me trouble, for I bear on my body the marks of Jesus.  The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, brothers and sisters. Amen."  (Galatians 6:17-18)