I am going to make an effort to blog a little bit more, and I figured that taking a quick break in the middle of writing my second paper of the weekend is as good a time as any. This weekend has been my "Final Paper Writing Weekend." I began Friday night, doing some research and pre-writing. Saturday I worked on it all day, taking a break to get my hair cut and see our New Song Kid's Christmas Production. (Which was wonderful!) Finished Paper #1 last night. It was another paper on "A Good Man is Hard to Find;" A precis to be exact. I chose to make my topic the correlation of the Misfit to the Apostle Paul. I personally think it's a really good idea; we'll see what my professor thinks!

Today we had church, and then went to a friend's house to watch the Colts beat up on the poor Titans for the second time this season. Yes, my dear Titans' fans and friends, you knew, deep down that it was coming, despite your best wishes and hopes that it wouldn't be this way: it was! I figured I wouldn't get any work done with the game on anyway, so why not watch it fully. (Hey, at least I clipped coupons and made my grocery list while watching)

After the game, I came home, put some potatoes on the stove for potato soup (have to have dinner tonight!) and got to work. This second paper is on John Keats' poem, "The Eve of St Agnes." It's an interesting poem, and I am certainly not thrilled about writing on it, but out of the options I had, it really was the best choice. Right now I am researching Medievalism and getting ready to say a bunch of things about how Keats handles issues of human motive, why colors are important, and explore the sensory imagery. Blah! I love literature, and I love grammar and I love writing, really I do. But I don't love writing papers on things that I think are without purpose and frankly, a bit silly.

So there you have it: my view on this paper I am writing. :-) Okay, enough rant for now, must get back to that sensory imagery!!! Yay...........

Oh my gosh- I love teaching!!! I love it! These students already have such a special place in my heart, and I have such a burden for them...to see them learn, to see them connected- I spent my whole planning and focus (study hall) blocks today having "mini conferences" with kids who are behind...going over things with them, helping them, catching them up, etc, and I am really looking forward to the improvement I know I am going to see in them by the end of December. I can't believe it's already been 2 weeks and I only have 5 and 1/2 left! Seems so short. Time flies during the day. I was there for over 10 hours today and it felt like 2! Unreal how quickly it goes by. But, there comes a point where you have to realize, "I will not get it finished today" and be able to move on....

.....on to William Blake, Samuel Taylor Coleridge and Jonathan Swift that is. I am currently taking a "brain break" from studying for my British Lit midterm tomorrow. I am SO excited to get past tomorrow in the world of MY studies. Recently, I've had 3 midterms, not counting the one tomorrow, a paper on Flannery O'Connor's "A Good Man is Hard to Find" (which is kick butt awesome, by the way! The story, not the paper) a paper on the political & social satire contained in Swift's "Gulliver's Travels" and still to be turned in, a paper on American dialects, particularly Creole and Cajun, which I chose to do. And all within 2 weeks. It has been CRAZY lately, and I have been forced to do things last minute that I NEVER do. I am totally one of those work- ahead, prepare for the future type students. I do NOT procrastinate, but lately, especially adding the teaching, I have found that there simply IS NOT TIME. And I don't mean that I am putting it off....I mean- IT'S NOT THERE!!!! So, I have to pray, ask the Holy Spirit to guide me, and prioritize according to how He's leading me. We shall see how it turns out for grades, but I certainly feel like I'm learning things: abundantly!

So, there's your update. Okay, back to Wordsworth and his ever changing self. (He went through four major stages in his life and writings, if you didn't know....)

Geez Louise, what a week it's been...here's the quick rundown:

-School: going great, but CRAZY right now. This week I had three midterm tests and a big paper due. Then for the next couple of weeks, I have two more papers and two projects/presentations...so it's been full. But it's amazing how much I am learning. Going back to school has been an incredible experience. I am soaking it in, it's just SO applicable and I know the information is much needed for my abilities as a teacher.

-Job: this has been amazing! I had been subbing at various schools since August. Well, as of Monday, I am teaching 7th grade Language Arts three days a week. They asked me to do all 5 days, but agreed to work with me since I am in school. The situation was one in which their permanent teacher has been out this entire semester, and the interim wasn't going to be able to stay. It's been amazing to see God place me right smack dab in the middle of the situation. It's a lot of weight and responsibility, but my organizational radars are going off like crazy as I get that classroom back in order: both the room itself and the students, plan with the other teachers and LEARN A TON!!!! God's grace is all over it, the students have been incredibly receptive to me and it's just awesome!

-In Vitro: As everyone knows, we have had a slight delay, because I had surgery about three weeks ago (it seems like much longer than that) to take care of some polyps. That kind of delayed things...in order for my body to heal. We are still set to go, and anxiously awaiting, but at this point, it's basically up to when my body gets ready! (I'm sparing you the major details!) The downside is that we could run into the issue of the office being closed for Christmas. The whole thing is very exact and very timed, so there is a chance I am going to have to wait until January now. The circumstances are completely out of our control, but I know entirely under God's, so I am fully at peace with this and awaiting whatever He reveals as the perfect timing.

-Church/Friends: Jordan and I are just LOVING living in Spring Hill. I mean, we've been here almost three full years now, and working in the city even longer than that. There are connections and relationships popping up ALL OVER THE PLACE! We are having a chili cook off on Sunday evening for the neighborhood, and we've had a great response so far. It is just so on our hearts to connect people, not just with us, but with each other, and watch God work as people learn to live in community.

Okay, I'm signing off...need to study for my advanced grammar midterm before I head off to class this morning. Blessings!