Ending one chapter.

Look guys you made it on my blog. We have read stories on here from my friend, remember the funny bathroom story?
My time to leave has arrived to say tootles. Our last week was full of surprises, coloring, gluing, eating, hugs, "please don't go's" and more surprises.
Here is a little photo montage of last week together:














Thanks Ms. Pratt for taking on the design and don't my guys look great in their uniforms!

Coloring in the design. It's way more fun inside. Hope Johnathan's head is not permanently squished, come on Chase scoot over.

After such a full week of parties and coloring a nap is in order on our new bean-bags! I don't know what's up with the thumb thing?














And after such a fun week this is what I'm left to do . . . Pack those lovely containers. Dude I don't think it's all going to fit!
I wonder what my guys are doing this week?

I love you third grade and am so very proud of you!
Always Your Ms. Laura

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Tomorrow is the big day. I tell my, now 9, I'm leaving them in 9 class days (yikes). I am not sure how they will take it, I'm not sure how I'll take it! Photos to come they are dear little buggers.

My 10

I am the teacher of the most amazing group of 3rd graders. Ms Laura's 10:Chase, Brooke, Johnathan, Macayla, Allie, Derek, Zac, Leah, Steven and Connor. They call me by my first name becasue that's all they've ever known me by and we're cool like that!

Ok, so today the funniest thing happend, during math of all times. Understand this is not the favorite part of the day for almost all of them. Its Dereks birthday today also, like 1/3 of the class has a birthday this month, it's funny, anyways.

I have directed them do work alone. There are a few coming up for help and some escalating chatter happening and I repremand them for the 50th time (today was a chatty day). All of the sudden and out of the blue, in a really seriously and surprised tone, Macayla says "look there's Dale Earnheart Jr." (we have windows in class). I can see that Derek spins around in his chair so fast to look (its his favorite person, but a sport I don't understand) and everybody just starts laughing, like real belly laughs. We laughed and laughed and I said "Macayla!" and she just sorta smerked and shruggled a cute mixture of "Oh, what the heck and What?". It lightened the serious and tired tone in the class and it was just hillarious! We all laughed because for a split second we all believed her. I have no idea what possessed her to say that, but it was a very special time to just laugh for real and have fun with them. That's my 10.

Oh, the beauty.

A kind, older man told me this with tears in his eyes. "You will loose your life in Africa. Not because of a bullet but because it will steel your heart forever. You will loose your life to Africa. You will fall in Love with her." He told me someone said it to him and he found it to be true, when he was there; hense the tears. Oh, the beauty of this man.

What a life altering thing it is to share a dream and passon with total stangers=itineration. To see the spark of excitment pass on to them and to hear their dreams, its a powerful exchange!

The delay makes more sense now, to teach my kids, for a few months. It will however make the little part of leaving all the harder. The gift of hinesight, from our father, is a dear one, I beleive. "All the better to see with." (guess who) . . . . . right! The Big Bad Wolf, is that right?
Those who teach must dare to learn. -Ms. Peggy
Oh, the beauty of children.

I was driving tonight with the top down enjoying the Virginia countryside, soaking it all in. The smells, the birds, the cool breeze, the shade spotting the road from the large trees. It was beautiful.

Whispering

I've been asking my father alot lately for courage and stength. He is continuing to wisper to me about the courage my redeemer possesed, aqainted with my struggle,one that is unique to humans alone. Animals sure don't struggle and fret about things we do, they either have or they don't. He wispers so I am careful to thoughtfully listen. Think about whispering: we always strain to listen careful to process what we have herd so we get the message correctly.

Waiting

As the days go by I am getting so anxious to get to Africa. I almost can’t stand the wait most days. A feeling of urgency is growing and intensifying as my departure goal approaches. I am hopeful that I will still be able to meet my goal of August. I am eager to walk in the land, meet the community where I will be living, to see life on the streets, to dive into learning Arabic, I day-dream about meeting the women I will be befriending and getting to know, I am eager to meet the children who will laugh at me as I muddle through communication. Dreaming, Imaging, but mostly just waiting! AND Waiting and waiting . . .

The "hood"

day 4 in Mo.
training: bonus/ Pt. 2

The Power of Unity,
I continue to be amazed by the brother and sister "hood" whenever people of like minds gather together, all through history this has been the case. The most amazing human and spiritual revivals have been ignited through the gather of people passionate about a similar goal or drive. Likewise there have been just as many negative effect these "hood" gathering have ignited within human history. There is innately a power that exists in these kinds of gatherings. Just some thoughts tonight.

Remember: Folks this is the time that we have to practice not using those key words that our off limits in all our online interactions :)

Thanks Mom, I guess . . .

So this is just a highlight of today!

Theme of today: Field Trip Day; always a blast!

Destination: Slinky's Action Zone in Altoona, Pa. Imagine a hamster maze (then elevate it and add more mesh, ropes and bridges, oh and a ball pool) and chucky cheese, then you about have the idea.

Setting: In the "lap of luxury" van with 12 kids and 2 teachers

So the kids are chatting and trying to get trucks to honk their horns. Kelly and I are in the front talking about something, trying to tune them out. One of the kids says something like "Stop your gonna break the window" then "Fine, but I ain't gonna be responsible!" TO which one of the teachers (mwah) says its " It is am not not ain't", to which the other teacher (Kelly) says "but it's ok to break the window, just say it correctly." To which we both just cracked up laughing crazily!

This habit of correcting speech is directly traced back to my mother, the speech teacher! I herd the other comment, sorta, but the ain't was a glaring problem and really needed correction (LOL)!

Number 1: a fine place to start

Here we go this is the first in this new form of communication! Its one more step into the delightful unknown. I am excited about all that will be discussed and contemplated and shared on this in the coming months . . . here's one more new beginning!