6th Grade Girl Drama

Whenever people find out that I teach 6th grade I always get the same reaction...you know the one, the look that says "do you not remember 6th grade?"... and for the most part, I love teaching 6th grade. But days (ok weeks) like today remind me why people look at me the way they do...

Girls are CRAZY...Seriously!!! and 6th grade is when the crazy starts...seriously. I am jealous of my friends across the hall (who teach sweet, innocent 5th graders)... These girls are all hormones, too short shorts, padded bras, too much make-up (that they don't apply correctly), and DRAMA... and all kinds of drama...boy drama, friend drama... I think they make up drama just to be involved in it!!

I think I should apologize to every adult who dealt with me from 6th-10th grade...seriously!!!

Sunlight at the end of the 180 day tunnel...

I love my job...seriously I love everyday of teaching. Yes, there are hard days and days that I cry and want to quit, but I LOVE what I do. I love that "Ah Ha" moment kids have when they finally get something, I love how excited they get when they read a book they love and can't wait for the sequel... I love seeing a kid I have worried about all year (because she doesn't always try her best and is seriously unmotivated) ACE her OCCT and when you tell her you are proud of her she says "Well you told me I could do it!" I LOVE IT!! It is seriously the most rewarding job in the world and let's be real...we know it isn't financially rewarding...but there are some major perks and the biggest one is only 8 (school) days away...SUMMER BREAK!!! 

I can smell the sunscreen and chlorine already!! 11.5 glorious weeks off!!! Ok, well not really. Here is how my summer is shaping up:

• Vacation Bible School is May 20-24...yep the week after I get out of school...
• Summer semester starts June 3rd and ends July 30... I am taking 4 graduate classes this summer...YES 12 hours...I will be DONE in July!!!
• Summer EDIT workshops and 6 Traits of Writing June 17-20
• Pre-Ap training in Tulsa July 8,9,10, 11
• High School Week at Falls Creek July 15,16,17,18,19 (the highlight of my summer....seriously)
• July 20 - Principal Common Core certification test (prayers PLEASE!!!)
• July 31- August 5  Coaches' Clinic
• August 8 report back to school for 2013-2014 school year!!!

I do have a few days of actual vacation and of course numerous trips to the lake and pool planned. Oh and I plan on spending 4th of July cheering on my Rangers :) But I will be a busy little bee this summer :) And I honestly wouldn't have it any other way... 

~Charity

Oooooopps...

I forgot to post yesterday... I did not forget to pray...just post! You know that saying "When it is hardest to pray, pray hardest." That is where I am right now...

School Testing ...

There are 18 school days left!!! YAY!!! That means that we have been in school 155 days... instructional days that is, we have actually been here 157 days. We have spent the last 3 weeks testing our kiddos...yep 3 WEEKS...the state testing window opened on April 10th and it closes today... So we have tested every (school) day since then and it has been AWFUL!!! The kids have been under tremendous pressure and the teachers have been under tremendous pressure and the daily schedules and routines we have worked all year to cultivate have been thrown out the window.. I am so ready for tomorrow and the 17 days that follow that I want to the happy dance! 

It is written: “As surely as I live,’ says the Lord, ‘every knee will bow before me; every tongue will acknowledge God.” Romans 14:11

As I think about my prayer for Ryan today, I think that this verse is appropriate. Isn't this what missionaries do? They are out sharing the gospel, sharing and showing God's love so that every knee will bow and every tongue will know that Jesus Christ is Lord. They are taking the word of God to the many.  So today I will pray that they are able to reach many and that they many they reach have a heart that is ready to accept the message of God's love and salvation.

~Charity

Today ... SUCKS!!!

So I started my day off by locking my keys in my car...YEP at 7:15 am as I was on my way to school...who does that and how is that even possible??!! So my day has gone from bad (and I know it isn't bad in the grand scheme of life) to even worse... I was supposed to have a phone conference with my professor today at 4:00 pm (to discuss my final, which is due in one week) so now I have had to postpone that, luckily he has been very gracious...maybe it has to due with the fact that I have been a model (seriously) student in grad. school and he knows this is out of my character. Plus, I am supposed to tutor after school today...I can't because I have to meet AAA to unlock my car...oh and a bug squashed onto my white jeans earlier...SMH!!! 

As I continue on my rant, I am constantly reminded to "be still." So that is my prayer today, for myself and for Ryan "be still and know that I am God." Isn't that a wonderful promise. Be still, be still, be still. I know that I need to constantly be reminded of that. My mind works 1,235,789,654,321 miles per hour all the time...usually even when I sleep. I need to take the time to take pleasure in the small things and to stop worrying and stressing about everything and to just be...still. 

Psalm 46:10
He says, “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” 

~Charity  

A Thankful Heart

Mark 10:45
"For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."

"Father, today as I sit in church, in Oklahoma, freely worshipping you, I come to you with a thankful heart. I am thankful for your Son and for my salvation. I am thankful for my health and my job. I am thankful for my family and the many, many blessings you have bestowed upon us. And I am thankful for your servants. For those women and men who are serving you above all. Thank you father for Ryan and for all those with him, who are serving others and therefore, serving you."

~Charity

Esther 4:14

Today my prayer is that every situation he is in, every person he meets, every place he goes, he will know that he is not there by accident. He has been placed there to further the kingdom of Heaven.

~Charity