Giving Thanks

Last Thanksgiving I sat in 95 degree heat with tears streaming down my cheeks as my nieces sang a song for me over Skype.  I was glad to be in Bolivia, but spending the holidays away from my family was harder than I had ever imagined.  I made it through Christmas with not-as-many tears, but this year I have had extra reason to give thanks as I get to spend both holidays in the US with most of my family (minus Heather.  I will miss having her around for the holidays.).

Toasting the day with sparkling grape juice

Our Thanksgiving was nothing too special—we went to my brother and sister-in-law’s house and had turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, cranberry, and pumpkin pie.  The basics. 

Highlights of the day were:
- Waking up and using my parents’ new juicer.  Our juice consisted of celery, carrot, orange, apple, lime, cranberry, broccoli, cumcumber, ginger, and more I think.  Deeeelicious!
- Getting to see my grandpa.  He just moved into retirement housing, and this was his first holiday without my beautiful Grandma Kay.  We all missed her. 
- Todd and Nicole had prepared a beautiful antipasto which is a  tradition in our family (because of our Italian relatives) that I had completely forgotten about.  It was beautiful, and we all got to finish putting it together.  Eat with delicious French bread that my mom brought made for a perfect appetizer.
- After we prayed, we all went around and said what we were thankful for.  I, of course, was thankful to be in the States.  My brother made a nice speech about being thankful for family that almost made me cry.
- Watching the Packer game!!!  My first full game since before I left for Bolivia (although I am required to keep up on the stats if I want to have significant conversations around here).
- Going home and unpacking Christmas decorations with my mom and dad. 

What a wonderful day!

Thankful for- Random Hours of Service

When I started typing this post, I realized that it truly has taken an army (or at least that number of people) to get me through this year.  Here are some of the people who have spent time in my classroom or outside of it helping with teaching things.

- Heather has come in once a week to do devotion and spent many hours correcting.  She gets her own post later.

- Adreana (my roommate) came in for two days last semester to help control my kids and subbed for me this semester while I was at camp.  She taught me how to be firm but fun!

- Amy came and taught my class a writing lesson, and taught me how to be a better teacher.

- Danielle and her mom Lisa came and offered their services in October.

- Emily has been faithfully correcting my Spelling workbooks each week.

- Hannah corrected some papers and gave me good teaching advice.

- Beth covered my class the week I was in the United States doing visa stuff.

- Sarah and Naomi came in just this week to take some of my kids out for special testing.

- Samantha comes in sometimes to do whatever I ask her to- correcting, hanging posters, organizing).

I’m sure that I’ve forgotten some of the wonderful people who kept me from total burnout this year, so if you didn’t make the list and you helped- THANK YOU! 

Love one another with brotherly affection… Contribute to the needs of the saints.

-Romans 12:10,13

Thankful for- TA’s

Welcome to what I plan to make a seven part series of blog posts about those people have made this year possible.  Some African proverb says something like “It takes a village to teach a child,” and I say, “It takes an army to keep a fifth grade teacher alive.”

 

Last semester I was up to my elbows in grading every weekend.  There was a never-ending pile of papers by my computers, and I was S-T-R-E-S-S-E-D.  My sister volunteered hours of grading every week to help me stay sane, but I was still felt like my work load was growing weekly.  I could not get ahead.  So I asked my principal for help.

 

And man! did she provide.  I now have two TA’s.  Two wonderful junior students who give a few hours of each week to be bossed around by me.  Between their help and my finally becoming wise to the fact that my students can correct their own math papers and help with other correcting I left a reasonably small pile of papers next to the computer when I left school tonight.  Thanks to them, life is livable.

They make my room look wonderful.

They have done devotions with my students.

 

They are gracious to me when I am stressed or unprepared for them.

 

And most of all, they heard of my need and were willing to help.

 

Thanks, Rachel and Nick.  God shows his faithfulness through you.

Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.

-Gal 6:2

Thanksgiving in Bolivia!

Today was not my first Thanksgiving in Bolivia.  I was here just two years ago for two months and spent both Thanksgiving and Christmas with my sister.  Today we celebrated in much the same way that we did then.  Called the family in the morning (I got to see my nieces sing a song to us on Skype!), then went to a missionary family's house in the afternoon to celebrate with about 50 other expats.  

Although I had tears rolling down my cheeks when my nieces sang to me, realizing that I wouldn't see them for 9 more months, I really have enjoyed today more than I thought I would.  If we didn't celebrate today, or if I had to be teaching at school, I think today would have been much harder.  As it was, I really enjoyed getting to spend time with people I am getting to know and love, and to see our mix of cultures all come together for a common purpose-- giving praise to God for His many blessings.

Things I am thankful for:

- A family that loves me in Wisconsin

- Wonderful friends all around the world, especially in WI and MN

- Salvation, grace for even a sinner like me (1 Timothy 1:15-16)

- God's Word

- The different passions that God has given me, and the fact that I get to use almost all of them here in Bolivia

- Knowledge of Spanish

- People who support me both in prayer and financially in the US

- God's mysterious provision

- My heritage, both that from my family and that from my country

- Books!  I love reading

- My students.  They may struggle, I may struggle, but I really love them.

- People in the US who care enough to be intentional with me even though I am down here

- So many things that I can't list them all.

Now I'm going to the orphanage next door to watch a movie with my friend who lives and works there.  God is good to me.  And to you.  Romans 8:28