My new classroom

I'm sorry for the infrequent posts lately! With school starting back and my job title changing so last minute, I have had a lot to do. We have now made it to Friday and through the first week of school (well at 3:45 we will). I am teaching technology and I see 5 classes a day for 45 minutes grades 1-5. The 4th and 5th graders are so confused as to why I'm teaching computers because many of them had me when they were in 3rd grade. It's been a fun adjustment though, yet somewhat boring. I have said the same lesson 20 times already and will have to do it 10 more before I see the first round of kids again. I like the freedom though of not having to plan so much and not take work home. It's been great for me as I've been super tired. Getting back into the grove of things as been hard when you have been less mobile all summer.

For your viewing pleasure, I have included some pictures of my newly redecorated computer lab. This is where I spend my days now!

This is the sign that greets them at the door.

The view from the door. As you can see, I have two carpets on the floor where the kids sit when they first come to clas. My laptop and LCD projector are on the cart; I use these to guide the lessons.

My paper station. There is a mailbox for each teacher along with office supplies.

My desk beside the clock showing the school time.
Oh The Places We'll Go this year! You can't see it very well in this picture but the street signs have all the technology objectives and each class I see is driving a little car on the road. You may notice the colored cups on each computer. These cups tell me when the kids need help. They change them depending on what level of help they need.

Overall, the year is off to a great start. The teachers are excited about having me in this role and I'm excited for the change. I promise to start blogging more...there is lots to catch you up on from a baby shower in Boone last weekend to putting an offer on a house. We have a wedding in the Outer Banks this weekend so I'll try and update you on it all after the weekend. Have a great Labor Day!

A new position

This has been weeks in the making but it's not until today that it came to fruition.

A couple of weeks ago I went to school to get some information from my principal for the website and she asked me how Jeremy's job search was going. I told her at that time that Jeremy got a job in Rocky Mount, then she proceeded to ask me if I was resigning and moving. I told her no that I intended to work until the baby came but after that I didn't know what we were going to do. At that time, I saw that we had still had the technology teacher position open so I suggested to her that I could fill that position and she find someone else to teach 2nd grade. This way the kids would have less transitions. She thought it was a good idea but she wanted to think about it while she was on vacation.

Once she returned, she liked the idea and had figured out who could replace me. In the meantime, another 2nd grade teacher came in to resign and put a kink in the plan. She took my replacement and filled the other teacher's place. Now she had to put out a search and interview for my position. Last week we finally hired a great lady and everything looked set. That was until this week when two women by the same name tried to get a job in Wake County. Our recommendation got kicked to the curb because they thought the woman had already gotten a job at the high school. Finally everything got settled but our applicant was stuck in the hiring process. As of yesterday, we weren't sure whether or not she could get approved in time to start teaching on Monday. This would mean that I would have to teach 2nd grade. I was stressed to the max because all week long I have been preparing the computer lab and getting ready for technology classes. The 2nd grade classroom was not ready and I had already moved all of my stuff downstairs or back home. I hadn't thought about 2nd grade at all!

Today all was made better though as I walked through the front door and was greeted by my principal. My replacement was at school and in the classroom! HR had made an exception and had sped through the process and allowed her to come to school without going to orientation first. PRAISE THE LORD! He is so faithful and works out everything for the good of those who love Him. Many prayers have been answered in this situation.

I am really excited about my new position as a technology teacher! I love the content area and I love the fact that I won't have to leave a classroom of full of 2nd graders behind. Let's just hope we don't hit another snag before school starts on Monday. Ok lunch break is over and back to work on lesson plans for computer class!

1st Baby Shower

Today was our first baby shower. My good friends Monica and Heather hosted a very fun event with a lot of my Wake Forest friends (and Hannah). The food was yummy of course then we played baby pictionary. It's sad but the team full of moms lost! Owen received all kinds of cute stuff. Check out the slide show below. Again, thanks Monica and Heather and everyone who attended.

We're cool now..

because we have a webcam. You may be asking why does having a webcam make you cool? Because now we can talk to all of our friends who have moved overseas. We've been wanting to get one and today we found a great deal on one.

The webcam allows us to use a program called Skype to talk with our friends for free over the internet. To try it out, we skyped our friend L & K in Asia and talked to them for about 15 minutes. L & K, tt was so fun to be able to talk to you (and see you for that matter); sorry it took us so long! We miss u!

As our other friends Kev and Stef join them in a few months, it will be nice to know that we can continue to see and talk them and they will be able to see Owen.

Hey, but you know, you don't have to be in another country for us to talk to you. I would love for our other SEBTS friends who have moved away to get on it to so we can talk. Hint, hint! Even if you can't get on skype, you can use the whole fashion method..the real phone. :)

Yeah, Yay, Ya....

My friend Jaime posted this and because I know so many people who mess this up I thought I would repost it here. (I am relieved to know that I was using the words correctly!)

Yeah - pronounced ye-uh as in yes"Hey Jen, are you going to with us to the mall."- girl a; "Yeah, I’ll go"- girl b

Yay - rhymes with and is a synomym of hooray. It’s used in cases of excitement. "Did I tell you I won an ipod?" - girl a; "No! Oh that is exciting. Yay!" - girl b

Yah - is also an expersion of agreement but there is no excitement."Hey are you ready to go" - girl a; "yah" - girl b

Ya - means you"How are ya?"

Yea - is a very old-fashioned formal way of saying “yes,” used mainly in voting. It’s the opposite of—and rhymes with—“nay.”"All in favor say yea, all opposed nay."

From http://www.genpink.com/yeah-yay-yah-ya/

House hunting

Jeremy started his new job at Nash CC this week and has made it through a whole week. He seems to really like it, yet it is very different from his old job. For one, he has his OWN office... it's about the size of a closet but hey it's an office. SEBTS crew, you'll be glad to know that they are older and not as much fun as you. They are sweet people though.

Since Jeremy is working in RM now, my parents asked us to watch the dog while they were in Hawaii (rough life I know). So we're hanging out for about 5 days in the "City on the Rise" and trying to get a taste of what it would feel like to live here. As posted earlier, we are still trying to make a decision on whether or not we should move here or continue to commute from Wake Forest. Part of the decision making process has been to see what kind of housing is available here. Yesterday I met with a realtor and she took me out for about 5 hours while Jeremy was working. We saw about 8 houses and narrowed them down so when Jeremy got off work we could take him to look at the best ones. He liked all 3 we showed, which makes the process even harder. We're going to see some more on Monday, when our realtor gets back in town.

I have to admit that this makes me more excited to live in the area. The houses were in a quaint but growing little town right outside of Rocky Mount called Nashville. By looking in Nashville, I don't feel like I'm living where I grew up, which makes moving to the area a little easier. Monday we're looking in an another area called Red Oak, which is really close to Jeremy's job. Please continue to pray for us as we pray through where we should be. I don't want the excitement of getting a house to interfere with the Lord's will for us. If we are supposed to be here, please pray that the Lord would reveal the right house and that the whole process would go smoothly.

Book Recommendation

One thing I love about summer is that I have time to actually read fiction. Early in the summer I was busy reading baby books, but that got old real fast. I finally moved over to fiction a week or two ago and I've been on a roll. My friend Monica recommended the Redemption series by Karen Kingsbury and Gary Smalley.

Because Monica already owned them, I took her up on it and I have to say that I'm hooked. I've read the first two in a week's time. The series is based around the Baxter family and the struggles of life that each of its members goes through. There are love stories, heartaches, and suspense...all which make for a great story line. I don't want to give any of it away but I highly recommend them if you are looking for an easy read. Sadly Monica is out of town and I need book #3. I'm hoping that I can finish them before Owen comes because I doubt I will really have time to read at that point. Come home Monica! :)

Goodbye Southeastern

Friday was Jeremy's last day as a staff member at Southeastern. They celebrated him on Thursday with a lunch out and Friday they played one last round of speed PIG (don't ask..it's a random game they made up) even though it's now against school rules. When asked if he was sad, he said he wasn't. I think he is just excited to start the next phase of his life. We are very thankful for his job at Southeastern while he was a student; it helped paid his tuition, insurance, and the bills, for which we are forever grateful.

Next step, Nash Community College. Jeremy starts bright and early Monday morning. They are repainting his office that day so he's not really sure where or what he'll be doing that first day.

Many of you have asked what is the latest on our living plans. This weekend we were in RM for yet another wedding, so we took the time to ride around and scope out areas. We will be house/dog sitting for the rents starting on Thursday while they are in Hawaii (I think I got the raw end of the deal). We have contacted a realtor and hopefully while we are there for few days she is going to take us around. We feel like we will have a better idea of what is available after going out with her and will also give us a better picture of where we need to live. Again, we wouldn't make any kind of move until Owen is born.

Please continue to pray for us as we seek the Lord's direction.