The Wind

How do you know when to hold on…or let go?
How do you know, when to hide or let these feelings show?
So many times, along a strong slow gentle wind…
So many times, I just don’t know.

Sometimes you have to put the brave face on,
But inside all your courage is completely gone,
Sometimes it feels as if it has stolen everything from you, this wind..
Sometimes it feels like you’ll never see the dawn.

How do you stand by the side, and see your friends in love and sappy?
If I gave you a box of crayons, would you, could you color me happy?
Sometimes it’s so cold, so harsh; this blowing wind…
Will love find me? Oh why can’t it be ..snappy..

Sometimes it feels like the cold, sharp knife,
While others, I swear, you Feel…you Hear…that happy tuned fife.
But it’s always there. This SteadySlowRoughFastCalm.....steady wind…
That breath, this wind… called life.

the newbie :)

Starting August 16^th, one of my new titles will be Miss Myers as I will be starting my undergrad student teaching at Trotwood-Madison HS. It seems crazy!! I am so very excited to be starting, but yet, I am absolutely scared out of my mind. Even thinking about it gives me butterflies in my tummy! The teacher I will be under is a very nice lady, just 29 herself, and has been teaching at TM for seven years. This year she will be having all freshmen (this will be fun…). Maybe my experience at Dayton View Academy last spring was just the prep to what I will be experiencing at TM.

Yesterday was a shopping day to get “teacher clothes”, and I came home with some good stuff, and from good deals! I spotted a $12 pair of gray pants that were regularly 60 bucks! Though I hate shopping, I do love finding good deals ;).

This morning I went out to TM to have my picture taken for my ID I must wear. Walking out the door, I asked my mama if I looked alright, and if I looked teacher-fied. (yes, that’s a word in AnnieVocab) I think she got a little choked up about her little girl growing up and so close to being a full-fledged teacher. I love my parents SO very much and words can’t explain how much they have helped me become the person that I am; and no matter how much I’ll deny it, I’ll always be their little girl!

I covet your prayers for a few things. One: my SANITY! (Haha) Two: that I will be able to influence and impact these young adults to become better than they are. And Three: that I will have the courage and patience to keep up with these kids, as well as do other class-work outside of being at TM.

Well, now I suppose its back to packing and prepping for my family vacation to GA! Now that is definitely something I am SOOO looking forward too! A week of relaxing and fishing and boating and reading and did I mention relaxing? ;)

back to the flow of things

back to Ohio. back to the world. back to the daily flow. This year's youth conference was amazing once again: preaching twice a day by a variety of preachers, and fun times packed in between. God really moved in the hearts of the 2,185 teens registered this year.
Before going down, I was not extremely excited for the trip. Yes, there was some excitement, but not as much as usual. I think one reason was the fact that i am 21 and attending a Youth oriented trip. But I was so wrong in thinking that I would not get much out of the preaching. God hammered and broke my heart. Our church took 7 teens, myself, my pastor and his wife, and I can hoenstly say I love each one of them. This year the conference had a Singles/College & Career track (which included over 100 ppl) alongside of the teens. We had an ice cream social one night, and went bowling until 1am another night (and just let me tell you, driving through mountains, 'S' curves, and straight down drops, is a bit frightening by yourself at 1am!) I had so much fun! While bowling, my team was talking about our teens. most of my team members were all complaining about their group; whiney 13 year olds, sleepless nights, long showers, and more and more. I didnt have a lot to say about my group, in a way i was missing being with them because I knew they were having fun, and even though they get on my nerves occasionally, they're just like my little brothers and sisters.
In our group devotion time on Thursday night, I could not hold back my tears. I was telling our teens about those college counselors complaining, and how God had been working on my heart about being a good example to both them, and other young people in my life. A few of the messages during the week had hit on that point of being an example and getting on the right track to Christ. Am I helping young people along the road? Am I helping them end up Still Standing when it matters? My heart was so burdened about trying to be a leader and a good example to those around me. Even thinking about it now, my eyes are misting, where I still have a heavy heart in this area.

I long to be an example to my young friends, to my young cousins, to those which I have NO CLUE who look up to me. We all have unseen eyes on us, constantly, and it is my fervent prayer that I be a good example to those around me; even when i stumble and fall. Young people really need good examples of people stumbling too, we are all human and make mistakes, we sin everyday. I am just so thankful that I have a heavenly Father who saved me by his Amazing Grace and allows his Son to be the perfect example.

long lost andrea has returned..

Wow...so it’s been quite a while since I’ve dropped by here. Let’s just say things have been chaotic!

I decided to embark on the suicidal mission called “Summer Classes”. Not sure how I made it through those 5 weeks! It was definitely rough, and I ended up pulling an all nighter on weds night to finish everything. Took me about 8 hours to complete one portfolio! Anyways...I am SO thankful those classes are OVER.

It seems that summer is going by so fast. I’ve only got about 5-6 more weeks until school starts back up again. This fall I will be a senior. Well, I’ve technically been a senior for two quarters now, but I will be in my 4^th and final year of my undergrad degree. Where has the time gone?! In June I will be graduating with a degree in Integrated Language Arts, then onto Grad school in July to receive my Masters degree and my teaching license. (It is completely ridiculous that I will not graduate with a license...but that’s another story!) Keep me in your prayers as I will be driving to Trotwood-Madison school three days a week to complete my undergrad student observations. I’m nervous about it, but this is where God wants me to be. I will under another heavy course load, 20 hours once again, so I’m sure there will be many sleepless nights once again!

On a better note, my church youth group will be leaving next Sunday for a Youth Conference in Gatlinburg, TN. We’ll be gone for a week to hear some great preaching and be down there with around 2000 other teenagers from across the country. I know that technically I am not a teen anymore, but since our church does not have a singles/college & career age group, I tag along with the teens. And this will be my last year of going, since next year will basically be the beginning of the rest of my life. :)

We’re having a rummage sale on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, to fund some more of our trip! So I’m quite excited about that! Keep our group in your prayers for traveling mercies, as well as prayers that God will move within our group, as well as in each heart of every teen that attends this year. I’ll definitely have to update after the week is over.

Reading Workshop Week 6: short & sweet (or..sour?)

well, another week, another blog. Things are still going relatively smooth...I reckon. ha. 8th graders are just loud. well, at least my class is. And there is nothing I can do about it. The teacher still has the 'trouble makers' grouped together! silly lady. This week we talked about plot, and the plot characteristics of a story. So for next week (our final week) the kids, split into 3 groups, will be dramatizing a fairy tale. (3 little pigs, Little Red Riding Hood, and Goldilocks). So for the record, every story is taking place 'in the hood' haha. ohhh this is going to be a hoot! Not much to report on this week, next week will be longer ;) I do have to say that I am having mixed feelings about next week being our final time there, its a little sad, but at the same time, I am doing a happy dance. Its been such a stressful quarter. These kids can be very trying at times, but really, underneath they are good kids just looking for attention. :]

Reading Workshop Week 5: setting and candy

okay, so week 5 went okay..for the most part :) things were loud, things were a littleeee chaotic, but we got things done! Yes, after we left I had to take some ibuprofen for a headache before it turned into a monster, but it went fairly good.

This week we learned about Setting and Mood. The who, what, when, where, How, and the infamous pych eval question, How does this make you feeeeeelll.. hehe. I took in 9 of my scenery photography and had the kids split up and take three pictures per group. They had to tell us what they thought the photo was representing, and all the setting details. I hafta admit, they did a great job. After they told their stories, I told the real ones, and also found out that one of a lighthouse up by Lake Erie (Marble Head, to be exact) is one that my partner, Ami, lives by! She's from Sandusky and goes to Wright State (duh..obviously..). I thought that was an interesting tidbit! And the kids seemed quite in awe of the library picture...haha..they told us that it was the "Dayton Library in the scary section.." In reality it was the WSU library in the reference section...at least they got the scary part right...haha ;)

splitting the kids up was pretty fun too. We had three types of candies (tootsie rolls, regular hershey kisses, and the kind of Kisses that have both milk and white chocolate), and each kid got one; whichever they received, that was their group for the day.

Our last activity involved music, relating to mood. I played about 5 different clips ranging from Cajun to Blues to the Pink Panther to Beethoven. It turned out fun!

I think the kids are finally done testing us so much. I feel bad for yelling so much, but sheesh, they just dont know how to shush! But, they are in the 8th grade..and the classroom culture is loud and talkative, but things are going smoothly! And to think, we only have two more weeks left with them!

Tune in next week for: Plot..perhaps a dramatic story? ;)

PS..as for the leftover tootsie rolls..well they got taken to my last class of the day and shared among my small group in there...HA..lets just say some people should not eat chocolate and drink Mountain Dew..haha..oh how much fun we have ;)

Reading Workshop Week Four: Character

well, I have a fabulous update...today went SO much better than last week! yay!! I was so incredibly happy walking out of the school today. Sure, we had a few minor bumps, but these are 8th graders, not adults.. :)

Today we focused on Character. We talked about protagonists, antagonists, and what makes a good character. All those things that go into a good book! So for the activity, Ami and I set up a mini crime scene with the items seen in the photo:
-cowboy boot
-bottle of perfume
-CD
-a dried rose
-crime scene tape
-a golden button
-Army hat (well, actually its the Marines..but anyway..lol)
-a mask
-skull
-a key (which i forgot to add to the photo..oops!)
-three scrabble pieces, the letters R, N, P

The kids were to make a story and develop the character in the crime scene using at least 8 of the 11 items; and had a contest as to which group told the best story. (there were so many good creative ones!!) They LOVED it. So now I owe the wining team a candy bar! But it is SO worth it!

Now I'm off to re-write our lesson plan for the day and write a reflection for the day, as well as start lesson plans for next week! I'm definitely excited for next weeks lesson: Setting! :)