What happens when you feel a void in your life? What happens when you see your faults for what they are and you pray to the Lord to help you overcome those faults? Does he simply take them away?
Right now, I am reminded that the answer to those questions is anything but simple. I have been praying for the past few weeks for several things that I feel are lacking in my life. God has answered my prayers by giving me opportunities to become patient, strong and wise. Now, this is not necessarily what I want and it is certainly not easy. I wish I could say that I am doing well, but instead, I am struggling quite a bit. God is forcing me to pray more and turn to him more to resolve the problems I'm facing.
I am reminded that I must turn to Him for help and trust that He will not let me fail.
Jeremiah 29:11
-Tracey
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Sunday, March 21, 2010
"Thy drugs are quick"...and I'm a bit out of it
Well, after having my tonsils removed, I now know three things about myself:
1) I have no tolerance for anestthesia
2) I know Romeo and Juliet well
3) I teach high school English
Ok, so I really knew these things before the surgery, but they were validated on the operating table. Why, you ask. It's simple.
I was wheeled into the operating room and placed on the operating table, still completely alert and awake. The nurses began plugging me into a series of machines while telling me what was about to happen. They were trying to nonchalantly chat with me (I suppose to take my mind off the fact that I was about to be a dissection project). Anyway, the anesthesist comes in and begins putting the "good drugs" in my IV. At the same time, the nurse puts a mask on me that is pumping "happy gas" (apparently tonsilectomies are not meant for people over the age of five). As all of these drugs are entering my body, the nurse and doctor continue chatting with me. Finally, the anesthesist asks me how I am feeling. Without skipping a beat, I reply "thy drugs are quick," and the next thing I know I'm begin awakened in the recovery room.
I have no idea what the medical professionals in the operating room said to that but I would imagine it was something like my family's reaction when I told them what had happened: laughter, mockery and a story that will never be forgotten.
-Tracey
1) I have no tolerance for anestthesia
2) I know Romeo and Juliet well
3) I teach high school English
Ok, so I really knew these things before the surgery, but they were validated on the operating table. Why, you ask. It's simple.
I was wheeled into the operating room and placed on the operating table, still completely alert and awake. The nurses began plugging me into a series of machines while telling me what was about to happen. They were trying to nonchalantly chat with me (I suppose to take my mind off the fact that I was about to be a dissection project). Anyway, the anesthesist comes in and begins putting the "good drugs" in my IV. At the same time, the nurse puts a mask on me that is pumping "happy gas" (apparently tonsilectomies are not meant for people over the age of five). As all of these drugs are entering my body, the nurse and doctor continue chatting with me. Finally, the anesthesist asks me how I am feeling. Without skipping a beat, I reply "thy drugs are quick," and the next thing I know I'm begin awakened in the recovery room.
I have no idea what the medical professionals in the operating room said to that but I would imagine it was something like my family's reaction when I told them what had happened: laughter, mockery and a story that will never be forgotten.
-Tracey
Friday, March 19, 2010
April Showers bring May flowers (metaphorically, of course)
Meaning, I am about to experience many changes in my life that will bring many blessings in my future. I'm excited, just a tiny bit anxious, and did I mention excited about these changes! So what are these wonderful changes and blessings?
Well, in two weeks, I will officially be a new homeowner! On April 1st (April Fool's Day, which better not be a bad omen), I close on the house that will make me a permanent resident of College Station. I'm very excited about this next step in life and am really excited about having a place of my VERY own for the first time in my life. I will also take on the responsibilitiies of a landlord, which will be a new and fun adventure for me and my tennants. As soon as the closing is complete, I plan to get right into the house for painting. I'm so excited to decorate the walls with my own colors and style. I will post pictures as soon as the house is somewhat orgranized to my liking.
Secondly, in about three weeks, I will complete my student teaching experience. The only thing past that is to land an actual job, which I'm hoping will happen fairly quickly. This experience has been wonderful and I'm sad for it to end, but I know it has to. I've learned more than I ever could have learned in a classroom and have made connections with some amazing people that I hope will become long-term mentors and friends. These people have influenced, motivated and inspired me beyond belief and I am truly blessed to have been given the opportunity to learn from them.
Thirdly, my graduate classes are coming to their end with the completion of multiple major grades. In one of my classes, I have a major presentation (requiring extensive research) and a term paper (requiring extensive research) due within one week of each other in the middle of April. These two assignments will keep me exceptionally busy for the next month and will consume a great deal of my time. They are both over interesting topics that have caught my interest though, so they should be entertaining to some degree. In addition to these two assignments, I have a major project due in my other graduate class. This project is the culmination of everything we have learned over the semester and will take up another bit of my time to complete. I also have a few more exams to complete, and then I will officially be finished with my first semester as a graduate student. :)
The rest of March and April will be filled with other tasks. I will be beginning my running training schedule (again, it got put on hold due to the surgery), completing district applciations for teacher positions and taking care of my puppy Jack. He has been quite an adventure and is keeping me on my toes. I'm very excited for us to move into our new house and begin all of life's new adventures. :)
Keep posted for all of the excitement.
-Tracey
Well, in two weeks, I will officially be a new homeowner! On April 1st (April Fool's Day, which better not be a bad omen), I close on the house that will make me a permanent resident of College Station. I'm very excited about this next step in life and am really excited about having a place of my VERY own for the first time in my life. I will also take on the responsibilitiies of a landlord, which will be a new and fun adventure for me and my tennants. As soon as the closing is complete, I plan to get right into the house for painting. I'm so excited to decorate the walls with my own colors and style. I will post pictures as soon as the house is somewhat orgranized to my liking.
Secondly, in about three weeks, I will complete my student teaching experience. The only thing past that is to land an actual job, which I'm hoping will happen fairly quickly. This experience has been wonderful and I'm sad for it to end, but I know it has to. I've learned more than I ever could have learned in a classroom and have made connections with some amazing people that I hope will become long-term mentors and friends. These people have influenced, motivated and inspired me beyond belief and I am truly blessed to have been given the opportunity to learn from them.
Thirdly, my graduate classes are coming to their end with the completion of multiple major grades. In one of my classes, I have a major presentation (requiring extensive research) and a term paper (requiring extensive research) due within one week of each other in the middle of April. These two assignments will keep me exceptionally busy for the next month and will consume a great deal of my time. They are both over interesting topics that have caught my interest though, so they should be entertaining to some degree. In addition to these two assignments, I have a major project due in my other graduate class. This project is the culmination of everything we have learned over the semester and will take up another bit of my time to complete. I also have a few more exams to complete, and then I will officially be finished with my first semester as a graduate student. :)
The rest of March and April will be filled with other tasks. I will be beginning my running training schedule (again, it got put on hold due to the surgery), completing district applciations for teacher positions and taking care of my puppy Jack. He has been quite an adventure and is keeping me on my toes. I'm very excited for us to move into our new house and begin all of life's new adventures. :)
-Tracey
Monday, March 15, 2010
Books, Books, Books...
So, I finally had my tonsils removed this morning. Since I am in pain and am tired from the surgery, I'm updating my blog rather than enjoying Spring Break on a beach or mountain somewhere.
One of my New Year's Resolutions was to read more books for fun, rather than just for school. I have succeeded in this endeavor so far. The following is a list of books I have read since Christmas (in no particular order because I can't remember exactly).
The Lost Symbol (amazing!)
Pirate Lattitudes (disappointing for Crichton)
Love Story (sad but brilliant)
Olive Kitteredge (under-developed and confusing characters)
Shutter Island (a great mystery, but it still has be trying to figure out the ending)
The Time Traveler's Wife (ok, but I wasn't a fan)
Dear John (typical Nicholas Sparks...so, not my type)
Life of Pi (philosophical and enjoyable)
I try to read a wide range of books from different authors and perspectives. I also read multiple books at a time. Currently I am in the middle of, The Glass Castle, The Princess Bride and The New Jim Crow. Some books are nonfiction, some fiction, some love stories and some mysteries. My interests are varied so my reading choices should be as well. I will share my thoughts on any of the above readings any time, but have decided not to detail them here...at least not right now.
I have also read numerous short stories and Romeo and Juliet for my students, plus several books for my graduate classes and finally, a few random books about education and puppy raising. :)
Any book recommendations are always welcomed and appreciated.
-Tracey
One of my New Year's Resolutions was to read more books for fun, rather than just for school. I have succeeded in this endeavor so far. The following is a list of books I have read since Christmas (in no particular order because I can't remember exactly).
The Lost Symbol (amazing!)
Pirate Lattitudes (disappointing for Crichton)
Love Story (sad but brilliant)
Olive Kitteredge (under-developed and confusing characters)
Shutter Island (a great mystery, but it still has be trying to figure out the ending)
The Time Traveler's Wife (ok, but I wasn't a fan)
Dear John (typical Nicholas Sparks...so, not my type)
Life of Pi (philosophical and enjoyable)
I try to read a wide range of books from different authors and perspectives. I also read multiple books at a time. Currently I am in the middle of, The Glass Castle, The Princess Bride and The New Jim Crow. Some books are nonfiction, some fiction, some love stories and some mysteries. My interests are varied so my reading choices should be as well. I will share my thoughts on any of the above readings any time, but have decided not to detail them here...at least not right now.
I have also read numerous short stories and Romeo and Juliet for my students, plus several books for my graduate classes and finally, a few random books about education and puppy raising. :)
Any book recommendations are always welcomed and appreciated.
-Tracey
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
One of those moments...
Today, we began teaching the freshmen Romeo and Juliet. I was really excited before today because I love Shakespeare. The reason I decided to be a teacher was to have the opportunity to teach wonderful pieces of literature like Romeo and Juliet and to be able to share the complexities of human nature with them. In my opinion, that's why we still teach Shakespearean plays in high school and college. Shakespeare was able to capture human emotion, experience and nature in a way that (in my opinion) few authors have been able to do since.
I was thrilled for today. Geared with some helpful resources and my copy of No Fear Shakespeare (which is awesome for high school kids to use because it has the play on one side and a "modern day" translation on the other), I headed to the classroom to tackle the first Act of the play. It was an incredible feeling to hear the students read the lines of Shakespeare and even better for them to enjoy it. I genuinely believe they had fun while learning about Shakespeare (which is good because it is NOT easy).
This is also the reason I chose to teach high school. These students are old enough for me to joke around with and I'm able to talk about most everything in the play with them, including the crude but funny parts. They get it. In 400 years, the minds of teenagers haven't changed a bit. It's fun for the students to see that and for us to joke around about what is going on.
Needless to say, I'm excited to continue the play and share the complexities of Shakespeare with my students. Once again, today, I am reminded of why I love teaching. :)
-Tracey
I was thrilled for today. Geared with some helpful resources and my copy of No Fear Shakespeare (which is awesome for high school kids to use because it has the play on one side and a "modern day" translation on the other), I headed to the classroom to tackle the first Act of the play. It was an incredible feeling to hear the students read the lines of Shakespeare and even better for them to enjoy it. I genuinely believe they had fun while learning about Shakespeare (which is good because it is NOT easy).
This is also the reason I chose to teach high school. These students are old enough for me to joke around with and I'm able to talk about most everything in the play with them, including the crude but funny parts. They get it. In 400 years, the minds of teenagers haven't changed a bit. It's fun for the students to see that and for us to joke around about what is going on.
Needless to say, I'm excited to continue the play and share the complexities of Shakespeare with my students. Once again, today, I am reminded of why I love teaching. :)
-Tracey
Monday, March 8, 2010
New addition to the family...
He is a 6 week old toy poodle named Jack Bear (Jack for short). Unfortunately, the house I am living in until April 1st, will not allow me to keep him, so he is staying with my parents (and being spoiled worse than a grandchild) until I move. It makes me so much more excited about my new house to bring a sweet little baby to it.
-Tracey
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