Almost a Week

I have been back almost a week now. I was up for over 38 hours straight. The day that I left Majuro, everything was so busy, we were still cleaning the house right before we gave out keys away and hopped on the back of the truck. On the way there I saw two of my kids. One waved and said goodbye and continued on playing with her friends as we drove past. One stood at the side of the road... Waiting for the truck to pass by... waiting to scream... Miss Kaitlin... I LOVE YOU.

We got to the airport, and check in was a breeze... Only one of my kids came. I am half way happy about that. I didn't cry when I left, I didn't cry when I got on or off the plane at any point during the process. To be honest those 38 hours felt like a dream. It still does. I am going to wake up, in bed, hearing the ocean, and feeling the sun beating down on my head. Feeling the humid air and hearing familiar voices...

From Majuro to Hawaii, and from Hawaii to LAX I flew with a LOT of Marshalleses people. They were going to a convention in Pasadena for a Salvation Army convention. I am pretty sure that many of them hadn't ever left the island before. Many didn't know that there was assigned seating on the plane. In addition when we got off the plane in Hawaii, it was an experience watching them all try to get off an escalator :)

The flight from Hawaii to LAX seemed like it was going to lasting forever. Seeing the CA coast was an amazing sight, but everything is so brown and smog filled(beauty of home). I just wanted to get off the plane. When I did I made my way down to the baggage claim to meet my family and get my things. I was greeted with tears of joy and a big bouquet of roses. Hugs all around. I got into the excursion and the first thing that I had to eat was a chocolate covered strawberry... Followed quickly with a Jamba Juice ( Orange Dream Machine to be exact)

Then my Dad drove like crazy, he is a very safe driver, however it felt like he was going 120 mph going through traffic. I would like to inform all of you that the free way that we drove home on was wider that the island that I spent 10 months on.

Went to Chipotle for dinner, I had a burrito bowl. SO GOOD.

Then we drove home. I wasn't even out of the car and my Aunt was running to give me a hug and take me in my house. I hug my cousin and then my Aunt says we are all so happy you are home SURPRISE!!!!

I was crying a little bit and then I couldn't breath. All of my friends were there. I gave hugs to everyone, and then they just kinda stared at me. I didn't know what to say... there was so much to say but I had no idea where to start. Some stayed only a little while, some stayed a long time. It was nice to see everyone and a breath taking surprise.

I waited for my brother to get home and then finally got in bed... but it took a while to actually go to sleep.

Culture Shock. Yes and No. The things I thought would be easy aren't and the things that I thought would be hard are bearable.

I had a minor freak out at red pill, I got overwhelmed with things and had to step out.

On friday night at vespers, at Loma Linda ( I went for a friend's Graduation ceremony). I almost completely lost it. It was a beautiful service. And he had a wonderful special music... but that wasn't it. A girl was talking about her mission experience and started crying. When she told how she had left part of her heart... that all of her kids kept saying " Don't Forget me". I had to step outside. So many things everyday remind me of my kids. Wouldn't have been the appropriate place to break down crying.

I want to be invisible for a while longer, but who knows... I feel cold, I don't feel comfortable in my clothes, I miss the sound of the ocean, the simple life, I miss my Majuro family very much, but most of all I miss my kids.

When Sean was leaving the airport the kids sang " Deeply in love" by Hillsong. It was echoing though the airport. It was. Beautiful.


It feels like I am out of place. I am missing something... a part of my heart that I left in Majuro. It sounds so cliche... But there is no other way to say it. I went to teach, I went to love; And ended up being taught, and falling in love in more ways than one.

If home is where your heart is, I am very confused right now. I know why.

How was it?

It was the last 10 months of my life. I have stories 10 months long, but what I have been simply saying to that question... and the adjectives change, but in summary... I had an amazingly unforgettable experience and I would  do it again in a heartbeat.

Sitting on a Couch

It’s just a couch...

         Old. Maroon. Ripped. Corduroy. Dust filled. Lopsided Pillows- stuffing coming out. Smells- combination of familiar people, sweat, a musty seaside cushion. 

           It is used for many things: sitting (yea-no-duh). Grading. Lesson planning. Sleeping. Napping. Praying. Listening. Music playing. Collapsing on top of. Movie watching. Skyping. Laughing. Reminiscing and late night conversations.

 ... but just a couch, can become so much more.

          It is funny to stop and think about an inanimate object; who really cares about a couch?... Go with me for a few more moments...We all have a favorite shirt/shoes/clothing item... but that item isn't the reason why we love it. It’s the story that is connected to it. How you got it, what you have done in it, where you have been with it...When does that transition being?

When does a flannel shirt become more than a big, long sleeves, item of clothing; and become something that you would have sleepless nights without? When does that said thing become more? When does a group of SM’s become more than just coworkers? When does a friendship begin?  When does a group of children, thousands of miles away, become so a part of your life that you can’t imagine it without them?

The group of Twenty-Two kids, my 5^th Graders have forever impacted my life; they all have changed who I was into who I am.

The flannel shirt is for another time…

The AVRC – AV ROOM CREW-

Its hard to think back to a time in which I was not friends with this group of people: AVRC as we are fondly referred to as. It all started on a rainy night in September…  and now we are here… Weeks- Days - before leaving. Time passes at a different pace here on Majuro, there are days in which August 3 seems like yesterday, and Yesterday seems like YEARS ago. To try to describe this group of people, would/should be easy. But My Friends are so much more that the typical, service level answers of: What college do they attend? What is their major/What do they want to be when they grow up? ... We started our as strangers, and have become family. From Feasts on Sunday nights, couch pictures, radio chatting, curfew breaking, spending almost every waking moment with them, the list could go on for days. While being on Majuro I have seen such character, compassion, love, forgiveness, trust, courage, kindness, growth, and true friendship from this wonderful group of people. I have no doubt that God put us all together this year. I don’t know what I would have done without you all.

My Twenty-Two Kids and what they have taught me:

I would love to tell all of you about all of my kids when I get home, however I have run out of time here. I thought about writing a little paragraph for each student… after three, I changed my mind. That is a conversation that I want to have in person. However I have found quotes that fit each of my kids, weather they would say it or it embodies their personality :) I quite enjoyed doing it. I hope you learn a little bit through reading this blog… I have learned so much about life, how to love, and been given a taste of motherhood this year.

Ella: “Everytime you smile at someone, it is an action of love, a gift to that person, a beautiful thing.” ― Mother Teresa  

Rosario: “Life is uncertain.  Eat dessert first.” ~Ernestine Ulmer


Merry: “We're like the wicked witch. We promise gingerbread, then eat the little brats alive.”- Orson Scott Card 

Jae Marie: “If you can’t explain it to a six year old, you don’t understand it yourself.” –Albert Einstein

Nicholas: “You always feel better when you sing. Music touches people's hearts. You know, it doesn't go through your mental capacity, it just moves you and it will let you cry. It's worth it doing a show and when you touch a crowd and move yourself at the same”

Jane: “Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength; loving someone deeply gives you courage”

Herica: "O Sovereign LORD!.  You have made the heavens and earth by Your great power.  Nothing is too hard for You!" (Jeremiah 32:17)

Sammy: “I was trying to daydream, but my mind kept wandering.”

Jewel: "What the caterpillar calls the end of the world the master calls a butterfly." --Richard Bach

Victoria: “ The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only one page.” --Saint Augustine

Nerianne: “Have you ever heard the wonderful silence just before the dawn? Or the quiet and calm just as a storm ends? Or perhaps you know the silence when you haven't the answer to a question you've been asked, or the hush of a country road at night, or the expectant pause of a room full of people when someone is just about to speak, or, most beautiful of all, the moment after the door closes and you're alone in the whole house? Each one is different, you know, and all very beautiful if you listen carefully.” – Norton Juster

Vilimoni: “Anyone can be passionate, but it takes real lovers to be silly.” - Rose Franken 

Marcus: "Everyone is shy --- it is the inborn modesty that makes us able to live in harmony with other creatures and our fellows.  Achievement comes not by denying shyness but, occasionally, by setting it aside and letting pride and perspiration come first."

Aana: "If we weren't all crazy, we would go insane."
-Jimmy Buffett

Deborah: “I love giving gifts and I love receiving them. I really like giving little kids extravagant gifts. You see their little faces light up and they get excited. If it's a really good gift, I love receiving it, like jewels, small islands.”- Gina Gershon

Billy: “Superpowers, don't always make you a superhero. - Duck” -- Michael Grant, Hunger

Terry: “I love you. You... you complete me. And I just...

Shut up, just shut up. You had me at "hello".”

Joy: “I have been impressed with the urgency of doing. Knowing is not enough; we must apply. Being willing is not enough; we must do.”-- Leonardo Da Vinci 

Harrington: “Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once he grows up.” - Pablo Picasso

Christina: “Being a Princess is a full-time job, but someone has to do it.”

Onesmos: “A winner is someone who recognizes his God- given talents, works his tail off to develop them into skills, and uses these skills to accomplish his goals.”
Larry Bird

Kiyoko: “A book is the only place in which you can examine a fragile thought without breaking it, or explore an explosive idea without fear it will go off in your face.  It is one of the few havens remaining where a man's mind can get both provocation and privacy.”  ~Edward P. Morgan

Over Christmas break while in Hawaii, I was downloading song onto my computer. (My computer crashed and so I had nothing left.) So while I had AMAZING INTERNET… I downloaded a few things. One of the songs that I downloaded was from the movie Anastasia. I always liked the movie as a child, even though the bad guy still gives me nightmares. My brother and I would spend hours after the movie talking like the bat :) hahahaha …. Anyway I am not sure what made me think of it, but as I was listening to the song I couldn’t help think of my Family back on Majuro.

We were strangers

Starting out on a journey

Never dreaming

What we'd have to go through

Now here we are

And I'm suddenly standing

At the beginning with you

No one told me

I was going to find you

Unexpected

What you did to my heart

When I lost hope

You were there to remind me

This is the start

And...

Life is a road

And I want to keep going

Love is a river

I wanna keep flowing

Life is a road

Now and forever

Wonderful journey

I'll be there

When the world stops turning

I'll be there

When the storm is through

In the end I wanna be standing

At the beginning with you

We were strangers

On a crazy adventure

Never dreaming

How our dreams would come true

Now here we stand

Unafraid of the future

At the beginning with you

It’s just a couch... and this is just an island… and they are just twenty-two kids… But they all have become so much more to me.

Waiting for the Opportune Moment

The count down… it started the day that I left for my Dad… But lately more and more people are reminding me of my soon departure from an island that I have fallen so deeply in love with. I have less than 40 days left; I have tried not to count. First of all it makes time pass so much slower when you are counting, and I have mixed feelings (at least for now) about leaving. I am truly happy here. I Love my children, even though they drive me crazy (Most days), I have a great group of friends, and God has blessed me with so many wonderful things these past few months. But I miss home, my bed that isn’t full of bed bugs, and the freedom to wear pants amongst other things.

My classroom is full of 21 children. All different. All special. All talented. All my responsibility. I have a classroom of children that I will never forget. In every classroom there is usually one child that takes more effort than the others… wither it be needs more discipline, more love, more attention, extra work at the end of the day, ect…I am not sure why I have been given such an opportunity that I have 21 of them, but I do. I am unsure of how they learn anything at all when it seems like everything is against them. There are many days in which I feel like I am being more of a mother, than a teacher. It is very disheartening when the parents don’t see how much their actions are affecting their kids.

I was talking with Molly quite a while ago, and we were talking about what our mission work is here. We don’t build houses, we aren’t taking care of kids 24/7, and we are not providing medical care for the community. We are teachers; we are supposed to educate the children (the future generation). In many ways it feels like a Job. Except here, more than back home (I hope), we are called to act more like Parents to all of our kids. We are called to discipline the undisciplined. There are many points during my day in which my voice gets louder and louder, or my tone is rather abrupt, I can become very scary… I am sure some of you are smiling at that, but I can be VERY SCARY MUAHAHAHA… I promise I am not like that all the time : ) But when you have a classroom full of 5^th graders that act like you stuck all of the animals at a zoo in one hot, humid, classroom then someone screamed FIRE!!!!!!

Am I exaggerating? No … This is my life, and I love all of my little monkeys, lions, and songbirds.

 While discussing discipline, we also talked about how a U.S. classroom, the way that it is set up, is not how these kids learn. First off we don’t have all of the amenities of a U.S. Classroom, plus it is like trying to have a first world curriculum and focus being given to third world children. Ideally it should work, but it doesn’t.  Teachers have to make so many decisions a day its kinda scary, I looked up one quote and it said Teachers on average make 1,500 decisions per day. I believe it, and I understand it more than ever now.

Molly and I talked about a lot if things that night, we talked about our kids futures. My estimation for my kids, I would say that 50% of my kids will never leave this island and won’t go to college, 5 % won’t graduate High school (not unless something changes at home), 25% will go to College, 15% will graduate from College, and 5% will truly do something with their lives to help better the world. It was very sad to think that the majority of my kids already have a set fate because of the lack of opportunities for them, many of them are stuck… not even having enough money to get a plane ticket away, let alone the money to start a new life somewhere else.

Molly and I decided to have a social studies unit about College. We wanted to change the percentages a little bit. The past few weeks we have been talking about careers, college, scholarships, ect. It has been really good for the 5^th and 6^th graders; it has made them think. For a very long time before my kids would exit my classroom I would ask them, “ What do you want to be when you grow up?” … “ How are you going to get there?”  We decided that it was important to tell our children about the opportunities that they have, that they can go and do anything that they want. If they graduate high school with a 3.5 they can get a free ride to almost any college or university in the States… That is CRAZY. We are still working on a field trip to the College here on the island.

The other day at lunch Molly asked me, “Why do you think that all of the kids here are so interested in the Bible? Why are they always so absorbed in Bible class? They could care less about science, grammar, or writing. But when we get to Bible class the whole classroom atmosphere changes.” (Or something like that) I sat and said that was a really good question. I had noticed it before but not really put much thought into it. The reasoning that I came up with was… The Jesus that is talked about in the Bible is a savior. Our kids need a savior. To save them from everything: from abusive families, no breakfast lunch or dinner, from lack of opportunities to change. Kids at home won’t understand. I will never truly understand.

If you grew up with a roof over your head, a place to lay your head at night where you felt safe, AC/heating, a shower… running water, a parent that made you eat healthy foods, if you had fresh fruit and veggies on a regular basis. If you had a parent that made sure that you ate food at least 3 times a day. If you went to a school growing up that had toilet paper and soap in the bathrooms, a classroom with AC/Heating, Textbooks and workbooks for all of the students, a classroom where you can’t hear the kids in the other classrooms yelling. If you had parents who reminded and made you sit down to do your homework because a good education is valued. If you grew up in a place with a TV, videos, and all of the extras on top of that… We will never truly know. We will never understand the need of a savior because we have all of the simple and extravagant things in life. When you have everything that you could ever NEED, then why do you need a savior?

We all need Jesus, but we will never have the same perspective or experience as someone else. I believe that the Jesus that we all know and have a relationship with, good or otherwise, will be everything that we could ever need and more.

Two happenings in class that I couldn’t resist putting on Facebook.

Today in Math Class: MISS KAITLIN, Yes Aana... Do I have to write my name in the MLA format? Yes, Aana we have been write it that way all year long... MISS KAITLIN! Yes, Aana... Do We have to write the question down? Not today, I have told everyone now 8 TIMES that you just need to copy down the table... MISS KAITLIN! YES AANA! (my patience is almost gone) Do I have to write the answer?!?! ... I wanted to slam my head into the desk... but calmly replied, well if you would like any credit for the assignment, Yes you need to write down the answers

Today in Social Studies Class: I am presented with a drawing of Batman. On it is written ---> Miss Kaitlin Boyfriend :) ... I smile and say thank you. One of my boys then ask, "Is he really your boyfriend?"(Completely serious)... I said "No, I don't think that it would work between us"... he then quickly responds, " Yea cuz Batman would be like Zap, ZOOM, Kapow, and BOOM to kill the BAD guys"... (Punching motions are being done for every sound effect)



Yes that is definitely why Batman is not my boyfriend.

There are many points during my day in which I wonder if what my kids are asking or telling me is real life. Hahahah J they make me laugh everyday single day though.

Verbs

Who needs them? For example in my classroom I will hear. Can I off it? Can I Broom it? Can we stair it? Are we supposed to line it right now? At the beginning I would wonder what in the world is going on. Then I started to correct them. May I turn off the light? Can I sweep the floor? Or are we supposed to get into two single file lines right now? … But now I am just starting to sound like my kids. “Will you just off it already!”

Nothing ever goes according to my plan; God always has a different plan ( a perfect plan). To have the ability to have perfect timing, patience and the understanding to know when, is something that I wish so desperately I could posses. Wither you think so or not, Timing is everything.

                                                                  

                                                                   ...Sunset with friends...

I will only be here for only a few more moments…Time is not measured by years, months, day, hours or minuets; but by the moments in which you wish time would stop so to live in the happiness with the ones you love for a little longer.

I don’t want my last moments to be wasted thinking about what could be or being caught up in myself to miss any opportunities.

And I don’t want it to go something like this…

“If you were waiting for the opportune moment, that was it.”

Majuro, and everything that it embraces, I should have told you every day from the moment I met you. I love you.

First Birthday Video

My Children Greeting me on my Birthday

to answer your question.... That is Vilimoni :D

Gonna See if this works

Billy

A Few More... For Now

This is the gas station on the other side of the bridge

The closest one I have ever seen to the ocean

Our principal had to stop for donuts

Best on the island apparently 

We were on the way to dig dirt for the garden

SDA school in Laura

... Literally a truck load of dirt... 

for the Garden

 Brandon Heath " Love Never Fails"

Best Valentines Ever!

"I will FIGHT FOR MY MUSTACHE!"

My classroom floor 

She crashed. 

Like predicted by Ricky and Austin

All of my kids placed their feet right in my flip flop footprints

I sang for church when the NAD was here :) 

so I got a pretty flower crown

Yes I wore it all day long

it smelled really good!

Anita and Phil played for a benefit concert

At Dinner with the Presidents of the NAD

Owl City "The Saltwater Room"  

I make Lists

The amount of stories and experiences that I have had since my last blog would fill up a good size book, however I have many excuses for why I have not written in months.

1.   My computer crashed and I had to send it home to get it fixed

2.   I don’t enjoy writing

3.   Grading and lesson planning consume my life

4.   The days seem to just mesh together

5.   So much has happened that it is so overwhelming and I am not sure where to start.

But I only have one reason for not writing - I didn’t feel like it.

I have debated on starting in October and writing in chronological order, however that would make entirely too much since… and because nothing makes since here I am not going to do that.

If I were to write to you to explain how my experience has been so far, I am not sure what I would say. There are so many things that I want to say, need to say, I just don’t have the words. Usually when I don’t have the words I just won’t say anything, I will wait until I can fully support thoughts and rationalizations. Now is not the time for that. Now is the time to speak.

Pull up a chair, load a youtube video, grab some popcorn or a Jamba Juice… Our story begins tonight as I am writing this to you, it is Friday February 3, 2012. Today was not incredibly special in anyway from any other Friday. It was just another ordinary day on the island of Majuro.

I woke up at 7:16 still completely exhausted from the day before. I rolled out of bed and managed to get ready for the day. I put on my moo moo and proceeded out the door. I made it to staff worship on time, however was unable to focus because of the joyful sounds of an almost 1 year old baby expressing her great enthusiasm for being up in the morning. Staff worships have become an interesting and enlightening experience every morning (please realize that if I were reading this you would be able to hear the sarcasm, and so 7:30 am worship is everything but) we sing, someone speaks about something, we pray, and then we have announcements. I usually pull out my notebook to write all of the announcements down because of quality announcements that we have, none should be forgotten. (Once again… anything but, however the majority of the time they are highly entertaining so I write them down so that I do not forget)

When worship is over we all have a few moments of time to wake up before school starts at 8:00 am.

That was written quite a while ago, and I am not sure where I was going with it. However I did write down all of the things that I wanted to tell you all about. I am not going to tell you the whole story (that way I will still have something to share when I get back home). I have made a list of all of the stories or experiences over the past few months… If you would like to hear a specific story before I get back email or Facebook me :)

- it is in no particular order like I said above-

1. My Door was broken- My classroom door was broken. I couldn’t open it. So I had the guys come and help me… While we were still trying to fix it Darren slammed the door, I was still in side. I was locked in my classroom and the door was broken.

2.Christmas Musical- All school Christmas program… Huge fire hazard and headache.

3.Piggy back rides in the AV room- Molly and Austin had to take a few more warm up laps

4.Hawaii- I spent Christmas vacation with my Mom, Daddy, Brother and Mor Mor in Hawaii and Kauai :)

5.Color groups- I split my class into groups and it made my life so much easier… which means I taught the lesson 4 times ( defiantly better than 28 times)

6.Sailing day- Pictures are on Facebook… We all went sailing to one of the outer islands.

7.Carnival- Second carnival of the year. 1 we had no power, 2 my class had an arm wrestling booth and tug of war, both making more that my face painting booth of the first carnival… $36.10 YEEEAAAA!!!!!! -_-

8.Skit- I will try to upload the video, but Sean convinced all of us to be in a skit for sundown worship on Saturday night. I was married to Calin… we go into a fight… it should be entertaining to say the least

9.Feasts- Almost every Sunday night My Friends and I have a big dinner together… Which is where the couch pictures come from… more are on the way.

10.Walky-talkies- What is your 10-20? C1. What is your 10-20? C3. Roger that… I brought back walky-takies for Christmas. Over. Over and Out.

11.Games of things- I bought the game Loaded Questions in Hawaii. Its new name is The game of things… Just as in appropriate as Loaded questions, but maybe its just my friends :)

12.New Years Eve- Honestly didn’t feel like New Years. We counted down and Martinelli’s curtsy of Darren… Some of the SM’s went out to the big block party. I stayed to watch a TV show with a friend till they came back 2 min.s before 12.

13.Flag Raising- Every Monday morning we all stand out in front of the school office in a half circle and raise the flag… pretty straight forward. As the flag is being raised, every one is supposed to sing the National Anthem. I will upload a video of the too.

Chapel, showed a movie… SO Quiet

14.Proverbs 3- I spoke for Church… Here you go…

New Year’s Resolutions

In my opinion

All New Year’s Resolutions basically fall into 3 categories. They deal with:

1. Things to make us look better and live longer.

2. Things to make us have more.

3. Things that will help us to get along with everyone.

- Longevity, Prosperity and Peace-

I decided a few years ago that I wouldn’t make any more New Years resolutions. If I had something that I wanted to change I was either going to do it on that day or I wasn’t. Jan 1 never seemed to hold any magical resolution powers for me…

 Resolution by definition is 1. The state or quality of being resolute; having firm determination.

2. Resolving to do something.

3. A course of action determined or decided on.

To resolve, decree, promise or to find a solution

 Resolutions… 10 New Year’s Resolutions From The Wisest Man That Ever Lived.

I was reading Proverbs chapter 3 the other day and then received an email from My Grandma a few days later that was about Proverbs chapter 3… So I decided that perhaps I was supposed to speak about it tonight.

I am going to read Proverbs Chapter 3, because I feel that he says it better that I ever could, then I will list out the 10 Resolutions that I found.

You may follow along with me if you would like, or you may just sit and listen…

1. LET LOVE AND FAITHFULNESS NEVER LEAVE YOU

2. TRUST IN THE LORD WITH ALL OF YOUR HEART, . . IN ALL YOUR WAYS ACKNOWLEDGE HIM.

3. DO NOT BE WISE IN YOUR OWN EYES

4. HONOR THE LORD WITH YOUR WEALTH

5. DO NOT DESPISE THE LORD’S DISCIPLINE

6. SEARCH DILIGENTLY FOR WISDOM AND FIND IT

7. HAVE NO FEAR

8. DO NOT WITHHOLD GOOD FROM THOSE WHO DESERVE IT

9. DO NOT PLOT HARM AGAINST YOUR NEIGHBOR

10. DO NOT ENVY A VIOLENT MAN OR CHOOSE ANY OF HIS WAYS

Tonight I ask of you to slow down and reevaluate your new years resolutions, if you have them already, and place God at the center of your plans. If we give God complete control, If we let him be at the center of our plans for this coming year, there is no way we can fail.

Proverbs 16:3 “ Commit to the Lord whatever you do and your plans will succeed”

15.The day the three pencil sharpeners broke- Worship: January 4, 2012

The day that all of the pencil sharpeners broke

I am sure that many of you have experienced the earth shattering, gut wrenching, irritating beyond all reason sound of the pencil sharpener. My kids, I suppose for no reason at all, other than to walk across the classroom go to sharpen their pencils. Or purposefully write as if they don’t press the pencil down on to the paper as hard as possible they will implode so then they break their pencil again… so they get to go and sharpen it again.

I find it to be one of the many daily battles that is relentless on it plot to drive me absolutely crazy.

One afternoon, last quarter, I had fully planned on teaching science. However after giving plenty of time to sharpen their pencils, a good 98 % were still struggling with the lack of lead. So I walked over determined to win the battle and said please give me your pencil, it takes 10 seconds not 2 min.s to sharpen it. I had of course timed it to make sure they were not making the annoying noise for an unnecessary amount of time.

I proceeded to sharpen 3 pencils- then it died- 3 pencils out of a class of 23

I thought to myself, do I really need pencils to make this lesson work, how is it that no one has more than 1 pencil, and when in the world is mechanical pencils going to catch on over here..

I took a deep breath and said if you have a small hand sharpener please try to use that and I took 5 pencils into the AV room to hopefully speed up the process.

Some of you will be able to attest to the fact that I proceeded to sharpen only 2 pencils and then I broke the one in here… I wanted so badly to rip it right off the wall… and once again I thought to myself- Maybe I am not supposed to teach this lesson today, Maybe God is trying to teach me a little patience… So I took another deep breath and went over to get my big manual sharpener that my grandma had sent me.

I walked into my classroom ready to sharpen 20 some pencils in the least amount of time as possible. I finally found a flat service to adhere it to and began. 30 seconds in one of my students and I had broken off the part of the sharpener that holds all of the pencil shavings. At that point I didn’t really care. I told them, lets keep going and we can clean up later.

With about 3 pencils left I took a break, and one of my students told me that they would finish sharpening them. I rested my hands on my lap and looked across the classroom full of children. I hoped that none of their pencils had broken when I told them to read a book quietly while I attempted to fix the pencil sharpener.

I only looked for a moment when I felt a small had grab mine. I was covered in pencil shavings and my hands were colored with lead. Completely covered.

So with out a word, he turns his still broken pencil around and starts to erase my hand. He looks up at me with such concern. Miss Kaitlin you are a mess. He kept erasing my hand. I was dumbfounded. I just stood and he kept erasing. After his loving attempt to erase my left hand I told him thank you and said lets learn something this afternoon.

So after 35 mins of sharpening we finally got to the science lesson.

I was reminded that afternoon that you can say I love you in more than one way

There are many days were I know my kids are teaching me more that I have taught them. I am a messed up sinful human that only has a few more years of experience than my kids and the opportunity of a good education that has giving me any ability to be able to teach them anything at all.

For as much as I try to do my absolute best to teach my kids everything I know, there will always be days were three pencil sharpeners break of or you just lose whatever battles you are fighting in your classroom.

We are all called to love like Jesus and saying I love you can be said in more than one way.

16. First service handshake- if you don’t know it I will teach it to you when I get back, But at the end you say “ I love you”

My kids faces the first time they heard me say I love you was priceless, but heart breaking. They had the look like they are never told I Love you.

17.What do you want to be when you grow up? How are you going to get there?

I ask my kids these two questions everyday.

18.Thanksgiving decorations- Molly and I were originally put in charge of decorations. Phil helped us out too. There are pictures on another blog.

19.Picnic- 3^rd, 4^th, and 5^th grade went to MIR. The swimming pool was under construction so they swam in the lagoon.

19.When the power goes out- There is no running water (which means so shower, sink water, toliet ect.) no electricity ( which means no microwave, no refrigerator, no stove… NO FOOD), No Internet, having no power SUCKS! But it is twice as bad when it happened on picnic days, or carnival. And yes those both happened.

20.Tide Table- grilled cheese and a mango drink

Going out to eat is a rare thing over here.

21.When it rains it pours- we have a scale of rain, however whenever it does start to rain all of the roommates look at each other with the same panic in their eye, “ did you shut the window? Or Are our beds completely soaked?” – Spitting, sprinkling, raining, Pouring, diagonal, COMPLETELY SIDEWAYS!

22.There is a mouse in the AV room

23. Sharks and post-it notes

24.Church with the two girls from the community- There are two girl from the community that come around the school often, barley speaking English, the will ask to be lifted up or swung around. They come to church every Sabbath and get all “ dressed up”. I got to play Mom for a Sabbath at church with both of them on my lap and trying to do everything imaginable to be entertained during church.

25.Massage chain

26.Zania’s birthday-really good food

27.Movie nights- in the gym, Fundraisers for 12^th and 8^th grade

28.A girl named Greatal

29.Pen Pals

30.Pandanas

31.Sabbath School room- we cleaned up one of the rooms in the church on a Sunday and there are pictures of it on the other blog. It is very nice not to have to use my classroom.

32.PTC and PTA -____-

33.Veggie tales on Sabbath afternoon

34. Skyping with Mor Mor

35.Ants crawling in the keyboard

36.Speakers stolen and returned

37.Writing on the floor- I had some divine inspiration one night at prayer meeting. The pictures will be uploaded.

38.Watching Alcatraz

39.No internet… broken router

40.Shakers sounding like hail… hahhahaha J

41.NAD best sermon ever by Pastor Alex

42.Out to dinner at tide table Sat night and Sunday

-Sunday was under the tent right next to the ocean. Molly and I got all dressed up.

43. Confession time on the radio