Catching up!

So, I'm trying to catch up on blogging so that perhaps I can turn into a good blogger in the future. I'm not really holding my breath...and therefore, I hope you aren't either. However, i did think I would post about being back in Waco.

So, I accepted the job on a Monday and started work the next Monday. The first Monday was just an orientation meeting. It was really boring, and it is the only meeting I think I learned anything at! The next week started new teacher inservice. This was quite possibly the most boring week of my life! We spent a day learning about guided reading (hello!! I went to college!). We spent a day learning about parent involvement (hello!! I've been teaching for 8 years!). We spent 3 other days learning about something, but appearantly my brain slept through it! Anyway, the next week was inservice at the school. This meetings were about as useful, though slightly better as I could ask questions about specific things that might, or might not happen on campus. The most important question: Can we wear jeans on Friday. The answer: YES!

I spent a lot of time working in my classroom this week as well. On Wednesday I was MAJORLY stressed and a WONDERFUL person sent me flowers to 'make it better'! Check out my facebook to see pictures! They were beautiful!

The next week kids came! Here's where it gets good!

During the week before school started most of th eteachers in the building (if not ALL) stopped by my room to welcome me. They also all left with a, 'Good Luck!' Then we had Meet the Teacher and I met my 'problem child'. Now, let me interject that I have 6 kids....5 boys. Each boy has a different behavior issue, but A takes the cake by far. When I met him, I left MTT thinking GOOD LUCK to myself! By Sunday, I was a BASKET CASE! I finally, while driving down the road in tears, prayed and asked GOD to help me. I told Him that if He'd help me, I'd tell everyone HE was the One helping me. He has done exceedingly abundantly beyond what I'd dreamed!

Lots of people said I wouldn't be able to get anything 'academic' accomplished in the first semester. I'd be working on behaviors so much that academics would take a back seat. Well, I'm happy to report we completed our first academic activity on day 3. And by the end of the 6 weeks my kids had learned several things, including (but not limited to) their 5 senses! My 'behavior' child who throws fits has gone from throwing multiple fits a day to maybe 1 a week! Praise God - He is good! :)

Outside of teaching, it's been interesting being back in Waco. Things are the same, yet different. Some places are the same....others are soo different. The hardest part for me has been finding a church. I had fallen so in love with Living Water there at the end of my stay there that now I'm having a hard time. I've visited a couple of places, and while they aren't BAD, they don't seem to be what I'm looking for.

I have seen some 'old friends' as well. Marnie, Wendy, and Andrew have been great! It's also been nice to spend some time with Stuart and Amanda. All in all my experience here so far has been good....I have rediscovered that I am allergic to Waco, but we're working through that! :)

That's about all for now.....more later!