Up until now, my posts have generally been mostly pictures with a bit of commentary. Now that my sister has moved away from home with her husband and things are getting very busy here, I'm going to try updating on here with more than just pictures.

So we have finished our first week of school. Even though it wasn't even a full week, the three and one-half days were very challenging! High-energy children and hours of studying are sure to bring your mind back into focus. The "lazy days of summer" are over!

I don't think my patience has been tested this much in quite a while! Teaching 1st-3rd grades in the afternoons is not a light task. There are quite a few very funny moments, though. The 1st graders were learning, for the first time, how to fit all of their books and supplies in their desks neatly. That was interesting! After about ten minutes, Mrs. Mallinak said, "Oh, now I see the problem. If you have rocks, or sticks, or snakes, or spiders, don't keep them in your desk. They belong in your backpack!" (You might have guessed that we have a class with mostly boys. ;-)

Seriously, though, I don't think my patience has been challenged this much in a long time. I've taken to going on lo-o-ong walks in the evenings to clear my mind! And, while my patience is definitely put to the test, I have also been challenged in my love for the Lord and His ministry/people. The true blessing comes when you pray and pray for that troublesome child, and God gives you the strength (and long-suffering heart) to be an instrument of His blessing, not just a frustrated teacher!

On the other end of the spectrum, I've been teaching 7th grade English, Science, and Algebra in the mornings. Thankfully, there is an 11th grade class...Classical History...thrown in there, too. Who would have ever thought that I'd be teaching the definition of "Providential History" to students in my own history class? Thanks to Mr. Rinehart - the greatest history teacher on earth! (I know many of you agree, too. ;-) The real question is...do you remember the definition of "Providential History?"