A bit o' this and a bit o' that...

I'm taking advantage of the long weekend (and the fact that I'm home, sick) to catch up on a number of things... including BLOGGING!

I've now been back in the States for over 2 months - and am continuing to go through a period of adjustment. In trying to figure out how to put it all on paper, I thought I'd try this....:

Things I'm enjoying about being in Indiana:
*crisp, cool (Fall-like) mornings and evenings
*driving
*running, outside, with a friend or on my own
*a new church
*a new job, full of both challenging and exciting aspects
*Wal-Mart

Things I'm missing in Honduras:
*good friends that know me well
*always having someone around to hang out with
*hiking the mountain
*my 7th, 8th, and 9th graders
*speaking Spanish
*feeling like I know what I'm doing in terms of my profession

Recent faith builders (times where I know, without a shadow of a doubt, that the Lord is in control!)
*several timely phone calls with friends!
*running into or seeing former students (that are now sophomores!)
*beginning to jog again!
*having a professor (for one of my grad. school courses) that also just moved back to the States
*receiving encouraging updates from friends still in Honduras
*receiving emails from former students in Honduras!
*sat down beside someone that I didn't know, at church, only to find out that she had just been to Honduras, on a missions trip... and that she knew the area in which I lived!!

Areas where I'm struggling:
*setting aside time to spend with the Lord, on a daily basis
*wading through the tough and lonely times
*thinking about what the Lord has in store for my future - be it next year or several years from now
*to be content in the here and now

School has started. We have finished our 2nd week - which is hard to believe! I'm really enjoying the kids (which is why I teach!) and know that the "newness" will eventually pass. I will get used to things. Meanwhile, I'm trying to rest in the fact that God is in control. He's got all of the things about which I worry under control. He knows what next year looks like - and in this I can find comfort!

(I need to do a better job of taking pictures. I'll try to post some soon!)

Ready or not...

Documenting summer! :-) The top pic is in New York City, on top of the Empire State building, part of a FUN trip with two of my close friends from Honduras (Elizabeth and Hayley). The second pic is in Michigan, with several teachers from my school in Honduras, and a group of amazing high school girls that were at Spring Hill camp! Then a pic of my good friend, Sarah, who was home for a visit! (She came to visit me in Honduras, TWICE!) The last pic shows my newly painted bedroom wall - with some fun art from Honduras!

Schools a'coming! It's hard to believe that it's August already. It's also hard to believe that it's been so long since my last update. I guess it must be time for school to start -we need some routine, again!

The school at which I'll be teaching this year starts school on Friday! I've been in my classroom this past week - cleaning out, organizing, setting up, and trying to decide where to put my own "stuff" - let alone all that was left behind. In between working at school... I've been working on my grad. school courses, attending new teacher orientation meetings, jogging, reading, sorting through 1000 pictures from Honduras, and spending some time with friends. Oh, and taking cake decorating classes with my mom - yup, you read that correctly. Guess who hasn't practiced yet?!

I've been very purposeful about trying not to jump into too many long-term commitments as I know that simply balancing the demands of a new job while still working on grad school will be quite a lot. My natural tendency is to want to fill my time so that I'm not missing Honduras - but I know that this is the better way to handle things.

I've been reading a book lately, by Beth Moore, entitled "Believing God" - and it's about believing God's Word to be true - and showing that in the way we live. It's powerful stuff. I hope to share some quotes from it, as well as some "deeper thoughts" about what I'm learning right now the next time that I write. I wanted to post a simple update, though, for those of you that are checking out my blog which takes the place of my Honduras updates.