New Looks, New Books

Yay! I got a new position this year! We are now departmentalized and I get to teach JUST Reading/Writing! PRAISE THE LORD!!!!

So, with that great change I knew my classroom needed a great change as well. I pretty much live in my classroom so I wanted it to feel a little bit like "home". 

I moved things around, got a reading nook (duh, I'm a Reading teacher, we need somewhere comfy to sit), and changed some of my organization to accommodate 5 classes. 

Old...

 

New...

 

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New...

(Not much difference.)

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Reading Nook

Old "Welcome" Bulletin Board...

New "Welcome" Bulletin Board...

I must wonder aloud, "How in the heck did teachers make it before Pinterest???". Seriously. It is where I find many ideas for decorating, organizing, and lesson planning. This is one of my favorite ideas that I found this summer via Pinterest. 

Inspiration: Left......Real Deal: Right

This is a board that helps me keep track of where my students are located. I know that sounds crazy, but let me tell you, when a million people (okay, so twenty, but it feels like a million) ask you to go "here" and "there" while you answer a parent email, look at the lesson plans, think through what child is leaving early and what work they'll need, tell another child not to lean back in his chair, and stand on your head (okay, maybe not the last one) it can be difficult to remember who went to the Library ten minutes ago. Haha! This board is the solution to my problem and I love it!!! The kids love using the magnets and I "remember" everything I said "yes" to. ;)

Praying for a great year in a new position! 

 

Kenya: Round 2

Today is the day!!!! I get to return for TWO full weeks to the place that captivated my heart last summer! God is SO good to let me go back to Africa only five weeks after returning. He knows how my heart has been yearning to return from the moment I drove away from Naomi's Village. I love how intimately God knows us and cares about the little things that matter to His children! What an amazing God we serve!!!! 

Please pray for me as I'm there that the Spirit will speak to me and I will be obedient to His call! 

Much love,

The Wanna be Kenyan ;)

Quincy Cuteness

Need a smile today? Well have I got the sweetest video for you! 

One of my fellow Kenya trippers caught Quincy practicing "Happy Birthday" for that afternoon's "Bathday" festivities. He is seriously one of the cutest kids EVER and then to hear him sing this.......oh my gosh, melt your heart!!! 

I wasn't lying, was I? ADORABLE. You're welcome. 

I watch this almost every day because it just makes me that happy. Love.

Probably the Craziest Thing I Have EVER Done!

It's pretty obvious that I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE Africa. And I LOVED my trip to Kenya last month. I miss the sweet people of Naomi's Village every day. So, when an opportunity came up for me to go back to NV in Kenya, I of course jumped right on it. 

I am going back at the end of July for 2 weeks!!!!!!!!!

Can you tell I'm only slightly excited?!?! ;) Please pray that the Lord will graciously provide the money as He has done in the past. If the Lord lays it on your heart to give you can contact me here or through facebook.

I am waaaaaay into planning so this going-last-minute-thing is totally against my personality but I know I'm supposed to go, so I'm going! I know that He is going to do big things through this trip as he did a few weeks ago when I was there.

I am most looking forward to seeing the precious children and hugging them because I feel like I could never get enough time with them. Wouldn't you want to jump on a plane to see these beautiful faces?

Keeping It Kenyan: 1

My friends and I are all about traditions. So, naturally, I wanted them to eat with me and take me to the airport again this year. We decided on Chick-fil-a because I had to be at the airport at 9:30 in the morning. I got up at an un-godly hour (which I hadn't seen since school let out), finished packing, and was off on my Kenyan adventure. 

Me, Daniella, Kristy, and Deanna enjoying a Chick-fil-a breakfast! Yum! It was the perfect last American meal. :)

Then we swung by my parent's house and picked up my momma so that she could see me off also. 

We were each allowed two 50 lb. bags - one contained our stuff and one was STUFFED with supplies for Naomi's Village. With all of those bags plus carry-on bags, our group had about SIXTY bags!!!! And amazingly enough they ALL arrived in Kenya with us! Thank you Jesus! 

Side note: When packing I highly, highly recommend using eBags! I used them this year and last and seriously will never take a trip without them. While everyone else's stuff was everywhere, mine was neatly rolled in these handy bags. It made repacking when we left a breeze! Click HERE for a link to their website.

P.S. I am not a salesperson for this company, but I think I totally could be! ;)

My sweet friends (and mom) stayed with me as I checked my bags, got my tickets, and waited. It is SOOOO nice to have people "sending you off"!!!!! 

And then I was off to what turned out to be one of the best adventures of my life! Stay tuned for details of my time loving on the Kenyan people (and a few transplants too)! 

"Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to observe all that I have commanded of you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age."   

~Matthew 28:19-20 (ESV) 

Bittersweet

Well, I'm back in the States. While I am SUPER happy to be back in my comfy bed (especially because I am sick - and who wants to be sick in a third-world country), I am sad because I left the place that I love. My heart truly longs to be back in Kenya. 

God is good and He has a perfect plan for my life, so I know that He will sustain me here. I am excited to share the wonderful and unbelievable things that the Father accomplished during my trip. Like last year, I will post separate entries for each day once my body heals and the Lord helps me process all that I experienced. 

Thank you for your constant prayers and please continue to pray that the Lord speaks to me as I ponder all that HE has done. I'll leave you with this sweet saying that the orphans in Sudan and Kenya say: "God is good, all the time.......All the time, God is good." Yes and Amen!

Check It Out

Tomorrow is THE DAY!!! 

Visit our team blog while we are gone to check-up on us and how the Lord is working in Kenya. Thanks again for being prayer warriors for us! :)

ClickHERE for the link to the Kenya I Team blog.