First Days of School!

I am such a slacker about keeping up with this blog! My apologies. Again, another month has passed, and I don't know where the time has gone!

Grad school update: In the past month, I have finished two more classes and started a Thursday night class. We all went through Capturing Kids' Hearts training for 3 days which changed my life - personally and in the classroom. For anyone who has the opportunity to go through the training, I would highly recommend it. I wish I would have gone through it much sooner.

School school: School officially started last Monday (9th). I planned on writing on here the night before school started (which didn't happen) and then the first day of school (which didn't happen), so here I am a week later. :) I am teaching 6th grade Social Studies at KIPP Diamond Academy which is a middle school of 5th through 8th grade. This is my first time encountering middle school, but I love the middle school environment! I am planning on taking the exam to get middle school certified. This is the first time though that I have had to work so hard at learning names. With 100ish students that I see for an hour and 10 minutes each day, it is very necessary for me to know names quick but also a little challenging. I do think I am so so close to knowing all of them!! Did I mention that I really like my students? Because I do! I think this is going to be such a great year with them. God has blown me away too with his answer of my prayers in regards to my mentor/co-teacher. She is amazing! We are pretty close in age which makes life fun, and she is just amazing to watch and learn from. There will be no learning "what not to do" from her. She does everything well and the kids love her! So the year has started off well (although I am more exhausted than I have ever felt before!), and I am looking forward to watching the rest of the year unfold. I'm praying that God's glory would be done in and through me.

Life in Memphis: I still continue to fall more in love with this city and feel more and more at home. I must admit that about 3 weeks ago, I hit a "I miss 'home' (Oklahoma)" spell for about a week. It feel at a time that I was able to drive to Oklahoma City for the weekend which was SO nice and just what I needed before I started this school year. I got to see amazing friends, little baby Birch and his parents (whom is getting so big!), and was able to go to my church (just felt good to feel at home and community with friends!). I came back to Memphis refreshed and ready for life here. Update: I know last time I wrote, I wrote about still needing/wanting to find a church community here in Memphis. God is faithful! There is a new church plant here in the area of town I live in called Christ City Church. I am anxious to get plugged in and get to know some other people here in Memphis that are passionate about being on mission and being a blessing to the neighborhoods and city of Memphis.

Alright. I think that sums things up for now! It is now nearing time to get ready for bed.... My new bedtime is 9:00! It has to be in order to get up at 5:00 am!! :)