right now.

my students are creating TAKS-tone-word flashcards.

see? love these.

dictionary practice is good!

also, my desk is messy...

...i'm loving my new name badge because it means i don't have to embroider every shirt i want to wear to work...

...i'm stressing about yearbook...

...sixth grade teachers are enjoying the weather with wide open classroom doors...

...my students are catching on that i'm taking photos.

hope your tuesday is lovely!

my classroom, which is about to change.

these are pictures i took at the beginning of the year, and never got around to posting. there are a few minor differences in my room right now from these shots. mostly, the desks are in a different arrangement, and there's a lot more STUFF everywhere.

but, as we speak, there are workers putting the finishing touches on BRAND-NEW-REALLY-BIG portables outside. the 6th grade should be moving there in the next few days. woohoo!! i am beyond excited because my kids are packed in our current rooms like sardines. three of the four sixth grade rooms (mine included) used to be the nursery. and my journalism room used to be the nursing mother's room. nice.

thoughts on my very first classroom?

Welcome!

My English Classroom

My Yearbook Classroom

confirmed.

sixth graders with strands of wet hair plastered to their preteen foreheads, run, yelping, for hugs along the sidelines of the rained out football game. violent vacillations between frustration and anger and hopelessness and despair dissipate as my heart melts.

and "for such a time as this" is confirmed.

for such a time as this.

in a little more than 12 hours, i will start my first day of school. i will officially be a teacher. i have been needing to write about this for weeks, but the words haven't come. until now.

the last couple of weeks of inservice have been exciting, stressful, chaotic, scary, joyful, anticipatory and dozens of other adjectives. i am indescribably anxious for what tomorrow and the days that follow will hold.

several times in the past few days i've had a catch in my spirit as i've looked at ellie or grayson. the stirring has brought to mind that God has a plan. on one hand, the plan is to impact the community by educating and mentoring students -- to be a part of something that may historically mark san angelo for years to come. (oh, i'm so excited to get my figurative hands on those sweetie pie 6th graders! i am down right in love with the few i've already met.) on another hand, the plan is for me to develop into a effective, empathetic teacher, a calling i believe has been on my life since i was a little girl. and on an intimate hand, one deep inside my soul, God's plan is to show me His faithfulness, how He never stops working on my behalf.

i began thinking last night as i was lying in bed that this is something i've been praying for more than a year. it's the "for such a time as this" that i so desperately longed for during my study of esther -- the thing that would change my course.

i posted this on march 17, shortly after i finished studying esther. in the post i say:

"God has been showing off fancy in countless realms of my life in the past
several months, but there is one -- a very troubling, frustrating and scary one
-- that remains unsolved so far. up to this point, i have not heard from Him
regarding it."

the next day, the principal from ballinger -- the one who already knew he'd be moving to tlca -- called to offer me the long-term substitute position. logistically, the offer felt ridiculous, impossible. but the peace in my heart for it was overwhelming. if i has only known everything that would be set into motion to bring me to where i sit right now.

people, i am smack dab -- with all the chaotic, unknown insanity swirling on all sides of me -- in the middle of a miraculous answer to prayer.

how long has He had this plan in mind? since the beginning of time, that's how long. the day the the earth was set into motion, the King of the universe knew His perfect plan for my life. pulling myself out of the immediate and seeing the perfectly timed hand of my Father is going to be key this year. because all the glass cleaner in the world couldn't wash the fingerprints of God off of this chapter in my life.

it isn't going to be easy. i've already encountered several situations that i believe are the enemy's best attempts at scaring me away from "standing out for God in the classroom," as lennon said this morning at the end of worship. anger, fear and insecurity have welled up within me. i refuse to give in.

i am here for such a time as this.

what an honor. i am truly blessed.

praises to my ever-faithful, ever-wise, ever-perfect Father.

happy school year.

pretty eaglet.

ellie lounging at our "meet the eagles: pigskin preview" last week.

showers: 2 down, 1 to go. (etc. etc.)

phew! last night, i returned home from nine days in the dallas area for various activities. i'm hoping to get more photos, but i don't know for sure. my camera has officially died so i've only got my cell phone and other people's willingness to share at this point.

laura's bridal shower at the art centre of plano was last saturday (the 6th), and i think it turned out great. kelly (scott's wife), becky (scott's mil) and i put it together. kelly and i fleshed out our email- and gmail chat-born vision quite well!

this past saturday (the 13th) was laura's lingerie shower and bachelorette party. the photo above is from that glorious shindig. kelly planned it all on her own, and we had a blast at the iron cactus in downtown dallas. we had dinner first and then moved upstairs to hangout on the rooftop patio until the wee hours of the morning. as you can see from our shiny, happy faces, it was quite warm. we were happy to endure it, however. (oh! and i totally saw my old friend curtis from the people newspaper days. cra-zy!)

in between there was a great district council during which landon, the kids and i mangaged to sleep pretty darn well in one hotel room. i think it's because i prayed. that situation could have been miserable, but it really was not. the key: run the kids to exhaustion before trying to make them sleep in pack-n-plays in the same room. works like a charm. God REALLY showed up on tuesday night for an awesome, awesome service. there were wonderful pieces of inspiration and information strewn throughout the entire week, and i'm feeling motivated to truly allow God to grow the dreams He has placed in my heart.

grayson also turned 10 months while we were gone so i have that post to catch up with. it'll include the news that i believe is pretty miraculous regarding the delicate situation i posted about before we left town. we'll be getting confirmation that all is well at an appointment with his pediatritian early tomorrow morning. keep praying!

this week, i'm working with rhonda to finish my bridesmaid dress for laura's wedding. really, rhonda is skillfully creating a custom dress while i attempt to sew darts, rip them out 'cause they're terrible and just resign myself to visiting with her while she makes it right. i told her i'd fold her laundry or something. she wouldn't let me.

also this week, we are finishing up all we need to have kylah's baby shower on saturday! woohoo! it's going to be a bit different from other baby showers we've thrown, and i'm very excited. being in dallas with my newphew on my mind proved very good for his closet and very bad for my purse. let's just say i am staying true to henry-kotze-piland aunt status with the rather tall stack of tiny-baby-clothes goodness folded lovingly in my closet. yay!!

finally, a post is coming in which i put words to my mounting excitement and anxiety over the fact that I WILL BE TEACHING IN THE FALL. i've recently been made aware that i get to pick my ela AND journalism textbooks as well as all the novels we'll be reading in my 6th grade classes. that combined with the fact that i have several workshops to attend and a classroom (or 2?) to outfit on like, half a shoestring budget, and i'm a tad overwhelmed at the moment. i'll enumerate on all that in the next couple days. i'll be looking for some tips from all you creative peeps out there. now, is NOT the time to hold out on me. i'll need everything you've got.

who said teachers don't work in the summer?!!?

how i became an eagle on the road to ballinger.

this week marks the last week of my first teaching gig.

the combination of the crazy consuming business of being a mommy, being a (sort of) teacher and trying to figure out my plans for next year has had me pretty tied up physically, mentally and emotionally.

the fact that i must work has already been determined. it's where that has been the subject of many prayer requests lately.

on friday, may 15, a decision was officially made.

next year, i will teach 6th-grade english and high school journalism at texas leadership charter academy!

i am relieved to have made the decision, and i am so totally excited to have my own classroom. best of all, i believe i am exactly where God wants me.

the connections, open doors and peace in my heart solidifies that for my family and me.

if you're interested, here's the whole story.

during spring break, i got a call from the principal at ballinger high school. he needed a long-term substitute for a vacated spanish position starting the next monday.

it was random (i'd never applied in ballinger isd), inconvenient (80 miles a day) and scary (leave my kids? um...teach spanish??).

but it seemed like a golden opportunity to gain some valuable experience to add to my hopeful-teacher resume.

so i did it.

shortly after i started, i discovered the principal at bhs was leaving to become the assistant superintendent and CFO at tlca. a little while after that, i learned the counselor at bhs was leaving to become the principal at the private-school-turned-charter-school.

they encouraged me to apply.

then i learned that tlca was collaborating with a successful group of charter schools in red oak called life schools, schools that were established by dr. tom wilson. tom wilson is bracy wilson's father. bracy wilson, the pastor at stonebridge church, where one of the life schools is located, is landon's mentor.

even with all those connections and the leaders' invitation to apply, i balked.

there was another "possibility" i was considering despite a feeling deep inside that tlca was the place for me.

i went back and forth and back and forth and back and forth. one sunday, i wrote the names of both options on tiny pieces of paper and laid them on the altar.

i avoided being quiet with God on the subject for the next few weeks. i'm pretty sure it was because of that feeling deep inside. i just didn't want to listen. i wanted to wait. i wanted to see. i wanted the chance to choose. i wanted it to be my decision.

then, a couple fridays ago, i was asked to decide. clarifications were made, conversations were had and suddenly, it was obvious. other doors were closed while the one leading to tlca stood wide open.

"walk through, My child. just walk through."

and i did. the peace is unspeakable. i'll be working in an exciting school with exciting people, teaching children about my deepest loves.

what could be better?!

go eagles!

funny how i could have had this peace weeks ago, if i'd just listened to God. i look forward to the day when i don't plug my ears and hum, pretending not to hear, when God is leading me.

someday.

God has used this time in ballinger to do more than give me a job or two. i've learned a lot and been encouraged and uplifted by some great people.

and He's spoken. a lot. He has revealed simple truths as i've spent many miles on the road to ballinger. through rain, sun, clouds and trees, the Lord has used His creation to speak to my heart.

and as i make the journey every day, there always seems to be something beautiful in the distance.

beyond bhs, beyond tlca, that's what He wants me to get.

He has something beautiful just up the road.

"'for I know the plans I have for you,' says the Lord. 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.'"