Back to School

Wow... it is that time already! This year back to school means something entirely new. For the first time I will be repeating curriculum!!! (for those who don't know what that means, I'll be teaching stuff I've already taught, so I have materials etc.) Also, I'm heading back to school myself. As always, God is beyond amazing in how things in my life work. As I am taking on new responsibilities at school that I am so excited about, like Student Council and mentoring an awesome senior, I was a little concerned about keeping up with my teaching and other things. Then I threw grad school on top of all of that. God has certainly provided for me, giving me a smaller class, and a good start to my grad class. There have been a lot of things in my life lately that have just shown me that I am where God wants me.
Heading back to school may be stressful and all-consuming for a few weeks, but it also reminds me how much I love my job. I look at this year's senior class and the relationships that I have built with them and I am so excited for them. I think about how much I miss KtB now that she is off at GCC and it reminds me how much God has blessed me in placing me at RTCS. I'm excited for what will happen, and how God will use me this year!!!
I'm probably rambling but I'm pretty tired and amped for the first day of school and exhausted from the soccer game.

Family is Love

Some of you may know that I traditionally spend a week or so up in Webster, NY every summer. This summer, however, I did not go to New York. Instead I met my New York family in the Outer Banks!!! This trip has been in the planning stages for over a year, my cousin Allie and I have been talking about this for a while. It has been 4 years since I went to the beach, and that time I was babysitting. This summer has been hectic. There is a lot of change going on, a lot of craziness and I really needed a week away. I truly was "away" too, no internet! It was pure bliss.
Now, I love my friends (of all ages) and spending time with them is very special to me, but there is just something about being with family that is unbeatable. It isn't perfect (especially when there are 15 of you) but it can be less stressful. We didn't care how we looked, who were we trying to impress. We weren't overly worried about pleasing other people because they are family. We love each other and forgive each other our faults, and then get over it. I spent a week waking up, lounging, going to the beach, lounging, getting cleaned up and eating dinner whenever we managed to get around to it. "Going out" meant we walked to the beach at night. Our big adventures were to the dunes and to get ice cream. We laughed so hard, so often it was hard to stop. My family has a very special place in my heart, and that place got pretty full to bursting this past week.
Sometimes people say they need to "recharge their batteries" but I just got back from "recharging" my heart. It was the perfect end to an amazing summer!! Now I am getting ready to tackle the new school year.
My favorite part is that I have so many pictures that I can look at whenever I need to top off during the draining times of the year. Thank you to everyone who was a part of one of the best summers of my life.