Random Ramblings

I'm home sick from school today. I acquired a nasty cold courtesy of my students and have also been having weird stomach pains. After much persuasion on the part of my husband, I decided to stay home today to rest. I'm hoping that I feel a little bit better by tomorrow. As of right now I feel like a truck ran me over and then put itself into reverse and ran me over again.

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Student teaching is going well. Today actually marks the halfway point at my first placement. It's hard to believe that it's already halfway over. I've been enjoying it so much, and in a way I don't want to move on to a new placement. I'm definitely going to miss my students a lot, but I'm sure that God has great things in store for me next placement as well.

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Our kitten, Titan, is as feisty and active as ever. I don't think I actually mentioned him on my blog before. But over the summer we found a kitten along the road who was in horrible condition. His eyes were caked shut with dirt and manore and he was horribly malnourished. We took him in, cleaned him up, and fed him. By then we were attached to him and decided to keep him. His eyes were in terrible shape at first and looked badly infected. We knew he was going to be blind. We took him to a vet, who was very pessimistic and wanted to remove his eyes first thing. We didn't like that idea and thought that there was hope for Titan's eyes so we took him to another vet. The second vet was optimistic and wanted to give his eyes time to see what happened. Now, almost two months after that vet saw him, his eyes are almost all cleared up. He's still blind but his eyes look SO much better than before. Maybe sometime I'll post some before and after pictures of him. Anyways, by watching him you would never know that he was blind. He's as active and mischeivous as any other kitten. He gets around the house in a flash and climbs stairs well too. He's definitely adapted to being blind. We love the little guy to pieces!

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Last weekend was a great time (up until I got sick). On Saturday we went to Hershey Park with my sister, my niece, my nephew, a friend of my sister's, and her daughter. It was a whole lot of fun. It was so nice to see them after we hadn't seen them in over a month and a half! My nephew, who recently celebrated his first birthday, is getting so big! Kids grow up way too fast!

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I guess that's enough of my random ramblings for now. I guess much randomness comes when your home sick and bored. But, I'll write more later.

- Jenn

Full Swing

Well student teaching is officially in full swing (well I guess it's officially been in full swing for the past two weeks). I am loving my first placement so far! The students can, at times, be challenging but I still love them. I love the upper elementary grades and it's been so much fun teaching them. So far I've picked up teaching two subjects - 6th grade math and 5th grade science. Next week I'll be picking up 6th grade science as well. It's really been fun getting to know the students and to see how they learn best and how I can change my teaching to best fit their needs. Student teaching is definitely a very rewarding experience, despite the huge workload. It's hard to believe that I've already completed two weeks worth of it and I only have 5 1/2 weeks left in this placement. Please pray for me that I continue to do well and continue to effectively teach the students in my class. Also pray for my students, that God will continue working in each of their lives. Thanks!

Aside from student teaching, not a whole lot else is going on. That's pretty much taken up a good chunk of my time. It's been challenging trying to balance my time and to assure that my school work is done, but that I also get to spend quality time with Josh. Some nights I feel like I get back from school, sit for a few minutes, and then the rest of my night is spent preparing for the next school day. Nights like this have made me realize that I really need to get things done as early as possible so that I have time to spend with my husband. That's my biggest struggle right now, so if you think of it, can you pray for me in that area? Thanks!

I guess that's all for now. Sorry it's not a whole lot more exciting. I guess I should go now and try to get some lesson plans done. God bless you!

- Jenn

Time Flies!

Goodness, it's hard to believe how fast times goes by! It's been almost three weeks since I posted last and now summer has come to an end. I started student teaching orientation on Thursday and it concluded on Friday. On Monday, I'll be starting my first student teaching placement. I will be teaching fifth and sixth graders for the next seven weeks. I am really excited about it, but at the same time I'm also nervous. I'm sure I'll be fine once I get into the swing of things, but for now it's nerve wracking. I'd appreciate any prayers for me, my students, and all others involved as I begin this journey. I'll try to keep updates on here about how my student teaching experience is going as well.

It seems like just yesterday that I started college, but now it's coming to a close. I'm in my final semester and the end is near! I can hardly believe that in 3 1/2 months I'll be walking across stage to receive my diploma. It's one of the things that I've always dreamed of happening and I'm so close to achieving it. I've learned so much during my college career and grown a lot. I'm so thankful that I had the opportunity to attend a Bible college and to be trained among other believers.

There's not a whole lot more to say at the moment. We're currently enjoying our last weekend of freedom before student teaching begins. It's nice to be able to relax a little bit! But, I guess that's it for now. I'll post more later - perhaps some summer pictures.

- Jenn

Hard to Believe

It's hard to believe that this past Sunday (8/9/09) marked our one year anniversary! The year has truly flown by, but it sure has been a wonderful blessing. Both of us have learned a lot throughout this year and have grown closer to each other and our love for each other has grown.

It seems like just yesterday though, that we just met...

... but at the same time, it seems like we've known each other and been together forever.

It also seems like just yesterday that I was going to my first Marine Corps Ball...

... and was surprised as Josh "popped the big question". But then again, it seems like forever ago at times as well.

Then, it also seems like just yesterday that we said our "I do's" and became Mr. and Mrs....

... but, yet, that was over a year ago now.

The saying goes "time flies when you're having fun" and boy is it right. This past year of married life sure has flown by, but it's been a lot of fun. I can honestly say that being married to my best friend was always something that I dreamed of, and it has gone way past my hopes and dreams and been better than I could have ever imagined.

All that I can say now is I look forward to many more years of happiness together (Lord willing) and many more anniversaries celebrated with Josh!

- Jenn

Happy Birthday Mr. President

Glenn Beck says it all perfectly...



... I love that man (Glenn Beck that is).

- Jenn

Wake Up!

A friend of mine posted this on facebook and I thought I would share. It's so true...

"The American Spectator
July 24, 2009
By Ben Stein

We've Figured Him Out

Why is President Barack Obama in such a hurry to get his socialized medicine bill passed?
Because he and his cunning circle realize some basic truths:
The American people in their unimaginable kindness and trust voted for a pig in a poke in 2008. They wanted so much to believe Barack Obama was somehow better and different from other ultra-leftists that they simply took him on faith.

They ignored his anti-white writings in his books. They ignored his quiet acceptance of hysterical anti-American diatribes by his minister, Jeremiah Wright.
They ignored his refusal to explain years at a time of his life as a student. They ignored his ultra-left record as a "community organizer," Illinois state legislator, and Senator.

The American people ignored his total zero of an academic record as a student and teacher, his complete lack of scholarship when he was being touted as a scholar.
Now, the American people are starting to wake up to the truth. Barack Obama is a super likeable super leftist, not a fan of this country, way, way too cozy with the terrorist leaders in the Middle East, way beyond naïveté, all the way into active destruction of our interests and our allies and our future.

The American people have already awakened to the truth that the stimulus bill -- a great idea in theory -- was really an immense bribe to Democrat interest groups, and in no way an effort to help all Americans.

Now, Americans are waking up to the truth that ObamaCare basically means that every time you are sick or injured, you will have a clerk from the Department of Motor Vehicles telling your doctor what he can and cannot do.

The American people already know that Mr. Obama's plan to lower health costs while expanding coverage and bureaucracy is a myth, a promise of something that never was and never will be -- a bureaucracy lowering costs in a free society. Either the costs go up or the free society goes away.

These are perilous times. Mrs. Hillary Clinton, our Secretary of State, has given Iran the go-ahead to have nuclear weapons, an unqualified betrayal of the nation. Now, we face a devastating loss of freedom at home in health care. It will be joined by controls on our lives to "protect us" from global warming, itself largely a fraud if believed to be caused by man.

Mr. Obama knows Americans are getting wise and will stop him if he delays at all in taking away our freedoms.

There is his urgency and our opportunity. Once freedom is lost, America is lost. Wake up, beloved America."

Thinks about it... It's time to wake up!

- Jenn

Prayers Needed

You may remember baby Stellan, who I have posted about before. He needs your prayers today, more than ever. His heart is not doing well at all and he has been in SVT for about three days now. He is being life flighted from Minnesota to Boston today, so that he can be under the care of his doctor who performed his surgery a few months back. Please pray for him and for his family. Pray for healing for his little heart and body and pray for the family, as both parents will be flying to Boston and their other three children will be remaining at home. For updates on him and his condition, you can go to his mom's blog. Thanks for the prayers!

- Jenn