rain, planes, and Handel's Messiah...

First of all let me just say; I'm LOVING the cold weather and rain! It's finally starting to feel like Christmas here in Southern California.
It has been a busy few couple of weeks. On top of Christmas shopping (which is finished), apartment and roommate seeking (which is still ongoing), and teaching, I have performed in 3 showings of a Christmas play/tea, assisted in 2 showings of our school's Christmas play, flew up to Northern California to hear Handel's Messiah at U.C. Davis, flew back down 2 days later, and managed finish one book and read half of another. All this is the last 15 days!
Needless to say, I am looking forward to spending the rest of my 2 weeks off relaxing and sleeping in. Not to mention having a wonderful Christmas with my sister and the rest of my family.
Merry Christmas everyone!!

Happy Birthday Andy

Happy 20th Birthday Bro! Can't believe how you've grown up!!

Things I love about my church...

Yes another sappy post about changes, but this is new and difficult and on my mind so I need a way to express it. And since I don't think many people read this blog, this seems to be the place to do just that. So if you are one of the few that do, my apologies; bear with me. 5 things I like about my church:

1) Bible-based
So many churches these days have watered down the Gospel in order to increase the size of their congregation. Northpoint has kept the Bible the foundation of everything they say and do, despite how full or empty the seats may be. That takes courage and faith.

2) mission minded
I love that they are committed to sending people out into not only the world but also where they live and work as stewards of the Gospel to bring others into a relationship with Christ. "Is Corona a better place because our church is here?"

3) Continued learning
This isn't just for students. As Christians we should never stop learning about our faith and our Lord. This is a focus and area where we continue to grow as a congregation and I am so thankful.
4) Christian living
Not only is the preaching Biblical, but the congregation is challenged to live what they say they believe on a weekly basis. It is impossible to claim Christ, but live like the world."The longer we live, the more we should be like where we are going."

5) Christian love
This goes beyond loving those that are loving toward you. That costs you nothing. Christians are to love everyone as Christ loves. This of course is not the same as loving or approving of sin, but someone once said that "People don't care how much you know until they know how much you care"

almost relieved....

Now that the news of my parents leaving our church has come out I feel like I can almost breath again. At least now it's not a secret that has to be kept: no more being careful about what I say and to whom it is said. But it's not over yet. Everything is happening so fast that I feel like my thoughts and emotions are still trying to catch up. Thanks to those who have been supportive and understanding in this period of transition.

more sadness...

When it rains, it pours. Not only has life in the Hegg household been a little stressful , but a few days ago I came home to find my 3 frogs- Ferdinand, Isabella, and the baby which I hadn't even named yet, belly up on the bottom of the tank. The two named frogs were only a few months old, and the unnamed was a few days... Cause of death is undetermined, but it is most likely the new one was sickly and shared what he had with the others.
The only bright side, Fuzzle, the betta, is still alive and seems to have fought off whatever it was that killed the other three. I think he misses having tank mates though.
The flushing took place shortly after finding them. They will be missed. I haven't decided yet if I am going to replace them and what I am going to tell my 1st graders who were fond of them.
Rest in peace little guys

A Watery Grave

Thankful...

I couldn't sleep so I thought I would get a jump start on thinking about what I am thankful for this year- I find it's helpful to write out the things I'm thankful for so that Thanksgiving doesn't just go by as another holiday to get lots of calories and enjoy time off of work. I want the day to actually be used the way it was meant to be used; spending time giving thanks. So in no particular order and without further ado:

Things to be thankful for:

• Family- always supportive and there when I need them

• Health- so many people in the world are sick and don't have the medicine they need. I feel I take my health and the ability to get medicine and/or see the doctor whenever I need to for granted

• Food- Unlike billions of people around the world, I have the luxury of opening up a full pantry and refrigerator and choosing something to eat.
• One out of every eight children under the age of twelve in the U.S. goes to bed hungry every night.

• The World Health Organization estimates that one-third of the world is well-fed, one-third is under-fed one-third is starving- Since you've started reading this blog, at least 200 people have died of starvation. Over 4 million will die this year.

• In the Asian, African and Latin American countries, well over 500 million people are living in what the World Bank has called "absolute poverty" (http://library.thinkquest.org/C002291/high/present/stats.ht

• 
  

• Clothes- I may not have the latest fashions and trends, but I have clean clothes to wear every day and for that I am thankful!

• True friends- Not the ones that are just around when it's convenient, but ones that help you through the bad times and love you in spite of your faults.

• Shelter- I have a warm bed to sleep in and a roof over my head.
  

• A Job- Although it's tough at times, and people can be exhausting, it's a job. It may not be perfect, but God provided exactly what I needed at exactly the right time.

• Christ- Without Him, I am nothing. His saving grace has made me who I am and I am so thankful that He chose me before the foundations of the Earth.

• Freedom- America is a land of freedoms. I can go to church and worship without fear, go to work without being oppressed or punished. I have freedom of speech, freedom to write my thoughts and feelings...

• Heroes- Men and women who think enough of our freedoms and country to risk their lives so that we can continue to live this way.
  

I'm sure there is so much more, but as it is already after 2 a.m. my mind is a little blurry. Don't forget to think of all the things you have to be thankful for this Thanksgiving. Even if it hasn't been the best year, there is always something. And don't forget to tell the people in your life you are thankful for them. Not in a hokey or forced way, but a sincere thanks.


"We give thanks to God always for all of you, making mention of you in our prayers"
~1st Thessalonians 1:2~

"We ought always to give thanks to God for you, brethren, as is only fitting, because your faith is greatly enlarged, and the love of each one of you toward one another grows ever greater"
~2nd Thessalonians 1:3~

I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has strengthened me, because He considered me faithful, putting me into service." ~1st Timothy 1:12~

New Abode

I find myself looking for a new place to live yet again. While the prospect of moving out is exciting, it poses a few problems. These problems are:

1) I need a room mate but don't know where to find a good one (I've had my trouble with roomies in the past so finding one that will work well isn't an easy task)

2) apartments are expensive! I'm not making much at where I work now so finding an apartment at an affordable price is difficult. It seems everything is either too expensive, or in a shady part of town. I'd like to be able to sleep at night without worrying about being shot. (which leads me back up to # 1)

sigh, I know God will take care of me, I'd just rather it NOT be under the bridge on Main street!

Terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day

Okay so the title is of course borrowed from the book "Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day". But sometimes I like to change it from Alexander to my own name. Today was one such day.
After rushing to an appointment that I was late too, I discovered that I had in fact made the appointment for a different location. To top it off, the lady next to me in the parking lot hit my car with her door and was a total jerk about it! She had a Christian fish on her car, which made me want to yell "You claim to be a Christian and yet you are acting like a JERK!" (or substitute another appropriate word) but I didn't because yelling wasn't Christian-like either.
She was very sarcastic and chalked it up to "well you're in a public parking lot, it happens." then continued to justify it by saying "you have a lot of marks on your car already." So you think I want more??? Does the fact that my car already has mark make it ok in your mind? In the end all I could do was walk away and hope she didn't continue to proclaim a Christ-centered life while acting like a complete moron.
Moral of the story: people are ignoramuses, even ones that claim to be saved- unfortunately. If you claim to be "not of this world", don't act like you are!

Racially charged...

Anyone who knows anything about me knows that I love people for who they are not what they look like or what they can give me. So today when I was charged with being racist because I did not get in the middle of the campaign fight IN MY OWN CLASSROOM and questioned as to whether I was simply passing a student through without care because they are black, I was fed up.

Why is it that when a white person doesn't support a candidate who happens to be black they MUST be racist? Why can't I be opposed to them simply because of what they stand for? (or don't) It seems like our post-modern society is so focused on NOT being racist against certain ethnicities that there is a backlash that does just that. Concern for making sure that black people are not discriminated against often turns into discrimination against anyone that might just have that capability.

Don't get me wrong, I think that our history's past of racial discrimination is shameful and terrible. However, in order to make our world better than pre-civil rights times, we must stop focusing on the color of people's skin (whether it be black, white, olive, or otherwise) and look at everyone the way Christ did; either souls in need of a Savior or God's redeemed made in His image.

changes...

Too many changes at once has me feeling lost. Most of them are changes that can't even be expressed. Who would understand? Where are those people that promised to always be there when I needed them most? I feel like I am being deserted again and again. It's all the small things that amount to big things, combined with the stresses of life.
Someone once said that "change is a good thing" but I think that's just what people say to make themselves feel better without having to deal with the change that is happening. Oh well- here goes another post into oblivion. Hello oblivion.

Near-death experience...

Today was a stressful day in the middle of a stressful week. So a natural way to wind down at the end of the day is to watch fish. (It's been proven to lower blood pressure) The tank was in DESPERATE need of cleaning, so I took it upon myself to do this before going home. That's when the near-death experience occurred...

for my African Dwarf frog Ferdinand.He decided to jump out the net (in transit to his now clean tank) and onto the floor. It took me at least a good 1-1 1/2 minutes to get him back in the tank.
I was sure he was going die from this experience, but thankfully he seems to be okay. I guess he wasn't ready to go into the light just yet. THAT would make my class even more stressful!

In a mood...

Nothing Gold Can Stay- by Robert Frost

Nature's first green is gold,
Her hardest hue to hold.
Her early leafs a flower;
But only so an hour.
Then leaf subsides to leaf.
So Eden sank to grief,
So dawn goes down to day.
Nothing gold can stay.

A Crazed Girl by William Butler Yeats

That crazed girl improvising her music.
Her poetry, dancing upon the shore,
Her soul in division from itself
Climbing, falling She knew not where,
Hiding amid the cargo of a steamship,
Her knee-cap broken, that girl I declare
A beautiful lofty thing, or a thing
Heroically lost, heroically found.

No matter what disaster occurred
She stood in desperate music wound,
Wound, wound, and she made in her triumph
Where the bales and the baskets lay
No common intelligible sound
But sang, 'O sea-starved, hungry sea.'

Yes on Prop 8

Proposition 8 is an important measure coming up on this November ballot. It will defend the traditional definition of marriage as being between one man and one woman. It is more than just a religious movement. The implications that this proposition would have on our society if it fails would be numerous. Churches and pastors could lose their tax exemption if they refuse to marry same-sex couples, children would be taught about gay and lesbian relationships in school without their parent's having the ability or right to protest, and society would be one step away from legalizing a person's right to marry their dog or cat! It is a downward spiral that would ultimately lead to the demise of our civilization. Please take time to think about this proposition, then take the opportunity to vote yes on prop 8 when November comes around.

For more information on this important proposition, go to: http://www.protectmarriage.com/

To donate to this cause so that others can be made aware, please click the link below:
https://www.causes.com/fb/donations/new?cause_id=108612&fundraiser_id=951878&m=ccb734d7

Jesus, I My Cross Have Taken

1. Jesus, I my cross have taken,
All to leave and follow Thee.
Destitute, despised, forsaken,
Thou from hence my all shall be.
Perish every fond ambition,
All I’ve sought or hoped or known.
Yet how rich is my condition!
God and heaven are still my own.

2. Let the world despise and leave me,
They have left my Savior, too.
Human hearts and looks deceive me;
Thou art not, like them, untrue.
O while Thou dost smile upon me,
God of wisdom, love, and might,
Foes may hate and friends disown me,
Show Thy face and all is bright.

3. Man may trouble and distress me,
’Twill but drive me to Thy breast.
Life with trials hard may press me;
Heaven will bring me sweeter rest.
Oh, ’tis not in grief to harm me
While Thy love is left to me;
Oh, ’twere not in joy to charm me,
Were that joy unmixed with Thee.

4. Go, then, earthly fame and treasure,
Come disaster, scorn and pain
In Thy service, pain is pleasure,
With Thy favor, loss is gain
I have called Thee Abba Father,
I have stayed my heart on Thee
Storms may howl, and clouds may gather;
All must work for good to me.

5. Soul, then know thy full salvation
Rise o’er sin and fear and care
Joy to find in every station,
Something still to do or bear.
Think what Spirit dwells within thee,
Think what Father’s smiles are thine,
Think that Jesus died to win thee,
Child of heaven, canst thou repine.

6. Haste thee on from grace to glory,
Armed by faith, and winged by prayer.
Heaven’s eternal days before thee,
God’s own hand shall guide us there.
Soon shall close thy earthly mission,
Soon shall pass thy pilgrim days,
Hope shall change to glad fruition,
Faith to sight, and prayer to praise.

Special new students...

A few weeks into the school year I decided that something was missing. Almost all the other teachers had something that I didn't. Now call me crazy, but I guess having 9 boys and 2 girls wasn't enough. I added three more members to our 1st grade class: a red Beta which the students named Fuzzle Christian (don't ask me why) and two African dwarf frogs named Ferdinand and Isabella. (Obviously I named them not the students)
They are getting along fairly well in their new habitat and have even survived a few weekends and Awana nights. Not only do the kids enjoy watching them swim around, but it's a stress reliever for me after a long day.
I'm proud to say these are my first real pets, so hopefully they will be around for a long time!

God answers prayers!

After more than a year of prayerfully asking God for a teaching job, He has finally given me my request. Last week I received an unexpected call from a school that I had applied to a few months ago. At that time they had been offering a teaching job in lower elementary that I thought would be a great opportunity. Unfortunately, the job was ultimately filled by someone else. I was not expecting to hear from them again, especially so soon. But God knows best!
The call I got last week was to again offer me a job. And unlike last time, this call meant it wasn't between me and someone else... it was mine! I will be a 1st grade teacher at Calvary Chapel Elementary which is located 5 minutes or less (depending on traffic lights) from where I am living. Can I just say that even though we sometimes think God isn't listening to our prayers, He still does. It's not that He isn't listening or doesn't want what is best for us when He doesn't give us what we ask for, but that His plan is so much better than we could ever imagine!

Tribute to a hero on his birthday

Today is the birthday of a very important person in my life... my dad. He has been there for me for the last 24 years. Although I will not be able to celebrate with him on this day, I want to send out a tribute to him. Thanks Dad, for everything you've done for me and continue to do. :)

Makes great crepes
Yearns to make Corona a better place because he's there


Sneaks cheetos when mom's not looking (not knowing she does it too)
Uber excited to be one of 150 invited to the war college!
Preaches the Gospel to himself and others daily through his life
Everyone knows I'm his favorite
Rides an awesome scooter


Dedicated to his family
Always there to offer help when I need him
Daily starbucks addict

These are the days...

The last two weeks have been an interesting time in my life. Several things have happened, some good and some not so great, that have caused me to reflect on who I am.

MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND 0208: Some girl-friends and I took a (very long) road trip to Arizona to spend the week at a friend's parents' house. We mostly just hung out by the pool and got tan (or burnt rather) and took it easy. There were outings to Elephant Bar and to try and find a Blockbuster, a dance party, and skinny dipping. The difference from last time? We didn't try to feed the dog beer (we knew from experience it wouldn't work so why waste good beer?)





THE LAST DAYS: Last week also marked my last day of work. It was a time of mixed feelings. I will miss my kids (some more than others) and will miss the regular income I have finally become accustomed to. However, not having to drive into Riverside and sometimes Banning four times a week will NOT be missed! To commemorate the last day in both the elementary school and middle school where I tutored, we had a party, played games, and pigged out on pizza and nachos. The little kids were especially fun because they were affectionate and wanted one last day to play freeze tag and duck duck goose with the tutors. Who knows if I will see any of those kids again, or if I even made enough impact for them to remember me five years from now. One can only hope...



RETURN TO NARNIA: Luke and I made a trip to Narnia via El Capitan Theater last weekend. We bought the VIP tickets... definitely worth the cash!! For $10 more than the general admission you get to pick your seats (instead of first-come-first-serve) you don't have to stand in the crazy long line that winds around the side of the theater, and you get complimentary popcorn and soda! We were in the 5th row from the front in the middle of the orchestra section. It was, in a word, AMAZING! The movie was great, there is a lot of symbolism to look for, especially when one knows that C.S. Lewis was a Christian and his books were meant to be Christian allegory. After the movie you can visit the downstairs gallery which displays set props and costumes used in the making of the film. It was very fun. I would highly recommend seeing this movie, even if you can't afford to get VIP tickets to El Capitan. It's more than worth $9 at a regular theater.

News Flash

I have finally discovered the true identity of Superman. He was last seen running into a telephone booth in Downtown Disney to make one of his notorious quick changes. Then it was off to save humanity.
Thanks Superman! You're secret is safe with me!

HELP ME SUPERMAN!!!!!

It's a bird...

It's a plane...

It's....

Superman to the rescue!

My hero :)

Proud to be a Hegg

I am still working on getting the few pictures I took with my camera and phone on my birthday weekend onto the computer. However, in the meantime I just wanted to take a moment or five to brag about my dad.
He recently was interviewed by the Press Enterprise for an article which was printed in today's newspaper about his upcoming trip to the U.S. Army War College in Pennsylvania. He will be one of only 150 selected to attend the week-long seminars at the War College. He will be among professors, corporate officers, publishers and police officials who will weigh in on issues such as the war in Iraq, terrorism, faith, and morality with prominent military leaders.
I couldn't be prouder of my dad. I know that he will be a voice of reason and truth, while still speaking winsomely. He is grateful for the opportunity and I am sure the Lord will use him and this experience to bring a voice of morality to such important issues.
To check out the article printed in the newspaper, go to: http://www.pe.com/localnews/corona/stories/PE_News_Local_C_chegg06.434b42e.html

Way to go dad!

24 wonderful years....

Hurray for wonderful birthdays!! I have to admit that I was not looking forward to turning another year older. There's really nothing special about turning 24. Nothing changes, you don't get any new priveledges like you do at 18 or 21 or even 25 when you can rent a car. (something to look forward to next year I suppose)
However, I ended up having a fabulous time! On Friday (my birthday) Luke got the day off and surprised me by taking me to Catalina Island! We went kayaking in the ocean for about an hour where we saw a jelly fish, a few seals, and a TON of jumping fish! We were soaked and pretty tired out after that, but it was great fun. With the rest of the time we got some food at a local joint and walked around Avalon for a few hours before heading home. And thankfully, neither of us got sea-sick. :) As memrobilia of our wonderful day, Luke bought me a shell necklace with a white cross which I wear often. :)
That one day alone would have been enough to keep me perfectly content, but Luke had more up his sleeves. He picked me up the next morning and gave me another birthday card. When I opened it, there were two tickets to see Wicked!!!!!!! We were in really good seats. The show was AMAZING, I would definately see it again. After the show was over, we walked to one of the many merchandise stands so I could look at shirts to commemorate the occasion. I was completely prepared to buy the shirt myself, but was once again surprised (and spoiled). On the way home we stopped at a little Italian place called Isabella's, which my parents recommended. It's sort of a small hole-in-the-wall type of place but had really good food.
I don't think I could have asked for a better birthday weekend.

"..In as much as you have done to the least of these, you have done to Me"

On Sunday night I attended a missions service at my church to talk about the various missions trips people from our church have been a part of. I was asked to speak about my trip to India, and also got to hear about trips to Caranza Mexico, Africa, Alaska, and Ukraine. It was very encouraging to hear stories of how people have gone and stewarded the story of the Gospel in different states and countries all around the world.

We were then blessed to hear the "Children of the World Choir" perform. They represent children from Africa, India, the Islands, and the Philippines. They are sponsored by World Help, which also allows people to sponsor children in need so that orphans in other countries can receive food, clothes, education, medicine, and a chance to hear the Gospel message. I have heard this choir a few times in my college, but am always so moved when hearing them. Just to hear young children who have gone through so much hardship praising their Savior is such a blessing!

Many of the children that are sponsored through World Help have lost their parents due to the AIDS pandemic, mostly in Sub-Saharan Africa. It's amazing to see how many have been affected by this disease. After the service was over, World Help handed out a free book called "Children of Hope" which talks about the devastation of HIV/AIDS in Africa. Every 14 seconds a child in Africa is orphaned from AIDS. So in the time it's taken you to read this post, at least 13 children have become orphans. To date, 15 million children have been orphaned by AIDS, that number is expected to increase to 40 million by 2010. It all seems so hopeless... What could I do?? Well, there is something I can do and it's not that hard... I learned that if just 80 people in each church that World Help visited sponsored a child for just $30 a month, millions of kids could be saved from living a life of poverty and despair. Part of their education would be dedication to AIDS prevention through teaching abstinence. How can Christians sit back in apathy? If I were in their place, and it's only by the grace of God that I'm not, I would hope and pray that someone would come to my aid.... I have been incredibly moved and I hope anyone reading this is too.

If you want more information about World Help and sponsoring a child, go to: www.worldhelp.net

modified from last post....

ok so taking a look back at the last blog posted ("me in a nutshell") I realized that I was forgetting something VERY important to me.... Without this I would be a sad, sad little toy (sorry had to throw a movie reference in somewhere!!)

My life would not be complete without the love of my life! (enter sappy music)

No I don't mean this guy:

I mean someone that I have gotten to know for the past year and who treats me like a princess. He is my one and only and I don't care who knows it :)

Me in a nutshell....

This is me in a nutshell...

                         ok it's a figure of speech but here are some pictures to describe who I am:           

First and foremost, I am a Christian. I believe Christ is the only way to be 

right before God. We are seen as righteous not because of anything we have done, but only through the grace and mercy of Christ who died for our sins. (see John 14:6)    

I am so thankful for my wonderful family who are always there for me when I need them :)

This picture represents my wonderful friends that make me laugh and are there when I cry. They are crazy and cooky but I gotta love em. This also represents my not so secret addiction to the show :)

 My list wouldn't be complete without my addiction to Starbucks coffee. I have come to love upside down carmel macchiatos or vanilla soy lattes for cold weather, and shaken black tea lemonade or blended strawberry lemonade when it's hot. 

Of course, you can never have too many books! I love reading. Favorite authors are Mary Higgins Clark, John Grisham, C.S. Lewis, CJ Mahaney, to name a few. There are many more but to name them all would be pointless since I doubt anyone would want to read a blog that is 20 pages long. 

I am of course so blessed to live in a country where I am free to worship as I choose and live as I choose. I have the freedom to go out on the town by myself or with a group of girls. I can go to church and worship God without wondering if at any moment someone might burst through the doors with a gun. It is the land of opportunity, of making a better life for yourself and your family. 

Music is also a huge part of my life. I love singing to it, listening to it, maybe every once in a while even trying to dance to it :) music makes life interesting. Just think how boring movies would be without the suspenseful music. Or

 how often you would fall asleep while studying if it weren't for that music in your ears. 

I am sure I could go on and on, but I did say a nutshell right? so there you go. And THAT

  is "it" in a nutshell :)

A long over-due ode to a tasmanian devil

In loving memory of Taz--

You had a good two years of life with attentive and caring owners. You fought to the end, even though you were tired and lived in a some-what cloudy environment. Here's to you Taz...

T- tough enough to withstand the dirty water, traveling, and being left behind while your owner was on a trip over-seas

A- Adventurous

Z- Zipped around his bowl


T- Tragic loss

H- Happy companion

E- Energetic


S- Strong

P- Peppy but met the Porcelain god

A- Absent owner at times, but held on through it all

Z- Zany

You'll be missed

Patience grasshoppa'

I guess it ought to be no surprise that patience is a difficult concept in today's world. If you are hungry, you can get food in three minutes or less by driving down a mini-driveway where your food is served through tiny windows. Or if there's no time for that, you can zap your food with radioactive waves for 30-40 seconds. Who needs good old home cooking anyway? Want something to watch on t.v without sitting through commercials? why not just record everything so you can fast forward through the "wait time". Or how about getting that perfect car without having to pay... Our world is constantly filled with the "get it now" mentality. Even if we don't realize that we are being constantly assaulted with the idea that we should get everything we want right away, it's everywhere.
So it's no wonder that a Christian girl such as I am struggles with patience. We get into the mentality that we deserve instant gratification because we are American, or good people, or worth it, or.... fill in the blank. We get so caught up in what the world is selling that we forget what the Lord has already given us.
Sure, the cliche answer is "All in God's timing". It's easy to say but not easy to do. So often I find myself thinking if I only had this I'd be content. If this only happened THEN I'd finally be ok with where I am in life. Sure life will be good once I get a job... I'll be happy once I find that "Someone special".... Everything will be perfect once I am married.... Life will be great once I have kids.
But this thinking is dangerous. What it is really saying is "God doesn't know what is best for me and until I get __________ I won't be happy with where He has put me in life". That, my friend, is not trusting the Lord. It's not an easy thing, but it's an essential thing. It takes constant work to refocus and realize that God really does know best. His plan for us is better than we could even imagine. And yes it is difficult to wait. But as they say "Have patience, grasshoppa'"

Graduation

I have successfully graduated from first grade. I can't believe that the month has gone by so quickly. What started out as nothing less than terrifying turned into a somewhat pleasurable experience. I was able to get to know the kids in my class and could even tell the identical twins apart. The last week was nothing short of stressful. Not only did I have to finish giving and grading the district assessments, I have to complete grades and pack up the entire class into three seperate rooms. I spent WAY too many hours in that room but thankfully not as many as I would have if not for my good friend and a couple of very helpful room moms. Before I knew it, it was the last day. I only had the kids for half a day whihc was good but I must say I will miss them. Even the one that gave me the most difficulty (for there is always at least one...) will be missed. I learned that there was a reason he acted the way he did. On the surface I thought he was just a bratty kid that wanted attention whether good or bad. However, every kid has a story. He too will be missed. Saying goodbye is always hard. I have learned a lot from being in first grade and although I have moved on, I will never forget the 1st grade class of Benjamin Franklin Elementary School room 12.

Surviving kids...

I have successfully survived my first week teaching. Who knew being in charge could be so tiring?!?! I am in a first grade class of 20. Going back to first grade can be difficult after having been through college and credentialing. First graders are almost completely dependent on you. I often find myself trying to do more things at once than my feet can keep up with!
This is not to say, however, that I am not enjoying it. The kids are good and eager to learn. I do not miss the lack of attitude (usually) and the almost curse-word free zone. (I have only had to discipline a kid once for saying the "d" word. Usually the worst thing they say is "stupid")
I am gearing up for District assessments the next two weeks, which scares the crap out of me. So much rides on these assessments and I have to be so sure I don't give too much help or time or not clear directions. If these kids do poorly, the whole school looks bad! (no pressure right? WRONG!) IF I survive the next three weeks unscathed (and that's a BIG "if") I will have had a first-hand experience in touching lives. I just hope it's a positive outcome.