New Day

Hello! :) I have been meaning to post... just haven't gotten around to it. I've been:
*taking the girls school shopping
*grocery shopping
*using said groceries to make 7 chicken dishes to freeze for later in the schoolyear
*getting more groceries
*using said groceries to make 7 loaves of quick breads to freeze (like zucchini bread)
*seeing my oldest off to cross country running camp-she comes home tomorrow. She hasn't had cell coverage so we are very anxious to see/talk to her!
*enjoying time with our younger daughter, like taking her out for Mexican food, since our oldest doesn't enjoy it all that much and our youngest LOVES it.
*filling out school paperwork. We find out the schedule for our newly-minted-middle=schooler today and the schedule for our oldest after she returns home tomorrow.
*putting school dates on the calendar, like days off, early release, vacations, etc.
*planning all I can for my NEW JOB! :) Yep, I finally got a job. It's not a classroom teacher, but it's teaching kids and I'm very excited! I have to tell you my story: when I interviewed for a specific position (regular readers recall my interviewing and hoping?) the principal told me of another position that would be available. It felt like a "consolation prize" so to speak. I set it aside not to think about for a while. Then I called him in August. He told me about it and I was pretty excited... but unsure. I called my husband to talk over my thoughts. He had heard me talk of this when I was interviewing. Earlier in the day I called him, he had been talking with a coworker about his teacher wife and how she'd needed to something different than subbing before she got her job. This made my husband think, hm, if I heard about this job again, I should take it. So, he got back from lunch, talked to me and said he thought it was a sign-that I should apply for this. I put my name in, was interviewed and now have a job as an "alternative instructor". I will be blessed with the opportunity to work with kids who need intervention in areas they struggle with. Small groups and one-on-one, whatever the teacher would like. At this point, no specific age group, just K-5 and I'm really excited! :)) I meet with the principal and other alternative instructors on Friday and I'm looking forward to jumping in!

I'm still training for the half marathon-finished an eight miler on Saturday. Felt good, was in the time range I'd hoped. Nine miles on the schedule for this week!

I've been listening to some podcasts on digital scrapping and I'm pretty excited about doing that more, as well.

Hope your week is going smoothly! Halfway through! :)

Fun

Happy Monday! :) Hope this email finds you well.

Some fun things we've done over the last week:
*went to the zoo with family today
*my youngest built a fort out of our large stack of firewood, some tarps, she even sewed some flags and curtains for it, and it's the perfect reading spot. :)
*had some of my husband's family over for smoked pork and zucchini bake with zucchini from our garden!
*dreamt of renovations we'd like to have done to our home (wow, the list can get pretty long! ;))
*learned/played a new card game
*learned to digitally scrapbook (I've done a layout and have thought/planned several more!)
*I finished my Run Like a Mother book and it was great! (answers to previous questions about running posts: I think about different things... depends on the day. Often, I pray and think of all the things I'd like God to help me with and all the things I'm thankful for. I listen to music and when I'm tired I try to match my footsteps with the rhythm of the music. I look at the nature around me-I run on a path sometimes that is full of bunnies, birds chirping, elderly couples, and more! :) I also think about my plans for the half marathon, how I'm going to make it there, and how much I can eat that day due to burnt calories! :))
*Lately I've been reading posts about digital scrapbooking which has been a fun learning experience!
*We got to keep my niece for half a day last week and it was FUN! She's four and is such a cutie! :) Took her brothers to the zoo with us today and they were just as fun! :)
*Had two fires in our fire pit-one night I sat and enjoyed a chat with one of our dear neighbors beside a fire, which made a delightful evening.

I looked at the calendar this weekend and couldn't believe it's already August! I wondered where is our summer going! (I'm wondering, too, Thimbleanna!! :)) My girls start school three weeks and two days. I look ahead at our busy schedules and I wonder how I will finish my "summer to do list"!

I have often wondered, lately, where my path is leading, as you probably read in recent posts. Today I ran into a student I had last winter/spring. She wasn't happy to have me for a substitute, as, understandably, she had loved her teacher. She gave me stubbornness and obvious dislike at the beginning of my stay. She was sad to say goodbye to me at the end of the year. I really saw a change in her. Today, when I ran into her, she shouted my name, and ran up and hugged me, smiling to see me! It was then I remembered why I work so hard at teaching, even if it's subbing or long-term subbing. :) My heart smiled again. :) If God's plan is for me to be a substitute, then that's what I will be. :) I will touch lives... if only temporarily. :) I've said it before and I will say it again, I do not know where God's road map has me going-although I'd love to glance at it sometimes!-and I don't know where I'm headed, but I know He has a plan and He has me in His hands. :))

I hope you have a wonderful week and are smiling in your heart!! :))