May 2005
05.31.05, Tuesday:
[10:45pm] Yay! Grading is done. =) Today has been a day of many good things, and few unpleasant things. I suppose I can go with the bad news first, eh?
Unpleasant Things: I bit my lip twice today (and once yesterday), hard...which means...I just might have three new little friends ("bay-zee") growing on my lip soon! Arggg...nooo...! // And second, it was hard to get up this morning. =)
That's it!
As for the Good Things: I got my evaluation from my principal today, even if it wasn't my evaluation year. And my evaluation was surprisingly RAVING. Wow. =) (Now, if he will just finish my letter of rec...!) // Classes and students went REALLY well today, even though I was sore and tired, and the sub left fairly decent notes. ^_^ // One student that I've been praying for came to tell me that things are going way, WAY better all of a sudden...! I had wrote her a note in response to some things she told me about, and told her that I'd pray for her, if she didn't mind. Wow, and Yay! // The food at home is AWESOME. Camp was wonderful, sans the food...hee hee...it was just alright...I liked the old campsite's menu more, but that's completely outweighed by the bigger bathrooms, which is handy for the girls. But anyways, yes...fresh rice from the rice cooker...it's the way to go! ^_^
[06:30pm] Last day of May!
Reminder to self: Calvin's Senior Thesis Art Show at UCR this Friday night! Come for free food and drinks, muah ha ha...and to support our homeboy in Christ, the one and only...Chuuu Cheung!
05.30.05, Monday:
[10:35pm] Happy Birthday Nina! ^_^ Sixteen years old - feliz cumpleanos chiquitita! ^_^
Sorry to those on AIM...my AIM keeps d/c-ing, and I don't know when I'm actually on, or off...=(
Meanwhile...there's much too much to blog about this weekend's adventures at youth retreat, hee hee...I can give you a brief window of it with these pictures that are finally uploaded...^_^
It was AWESOME - as it always, always, always is - to see old friends, and though many of us were busy as counselors, still great to have a chance to chat, even if for a little, during the weekend. =) And RCAC...my goodness, props out to all of you! FIVE counselors this year! Karazy praise to the Lord indeed! ^_^
05.26.05, Thursday:
[07:55pm] I'm contemplating taking tomorrow off, to lesson plan and what-not, since my weekend will be gone away at camp, heh heh. Camp, camp, camp...woo hoo, by the way! =)
It's been an emotionally draining day...another reason to take tomorrow off.
Lately, with all the crazy things going on with my students, it's been making me a little sad and yet, quite angry. For example, this one kid who has had drug problems (he's claimed to have been clean this year, which is great if it's true!), has other problems too - he can't get away from bad friends, he acts up like karazy in all the classes, and practically turns in nothing in class, doesn't ever sit still...and yet, I looked through his cumulative files, and there were his pictures - from first grade through now, this cute, little, bright-eyed child where you can just see that he has a heart of gold (which he does!). And yet, here he is in the 8th grade, messing up at every turn, throwing disrespect everywhere (even to Mr. Smith, and NOBODY, and I mean not a single student in history that I know of, ever dares disrespect him on this campus), cussing and telling off anyone who does the slightest injury towards him (such as "Please sit outside"!)...and yet, he got there because some irresponsible bastard adult thought it'd be either okay or funny to give him drugs as a 6th grader. True, he had a choice, and still does, and he is old enough and should take responsibility for his actions. But that's how it all started - some bastard adult, whom kids are supposed to look up to, decided for the spurt of the moment that he'll go ahead and let the kid try some of this or that. Maybe it wasn't even an adult. Maybe it was another kid. But either way, 6th graders don't naturally get drugs out of nowhere. An adult is somehow - directly, or indirectly - involved.
Another student shared with me how she used to shoot up drugs back when she was in 6th grade also. Shooting drugs up your veins is also not something that 6th graders...little 11 year old girls...naturally do, dang it. Young kids, cutting themselves and scarring their bodies with a safety pin or needle...actually, a lot of that went on when I was in middle school, but still. And 13-year old kids are not supposed to be involved sexually with others, and to top it off - suddenly being afraid that they're feeling sick because maybe they got something, because one partner or the other had been involved with many others. 13, my goodness! Hearing stories about 13-year old lesbian couples at school is also a little disturbing, you know? And acting lewdly and "nasty" - even for a heterosexual couple - and telling about it or people seeing things happen...even if it wasn't true, what kind of attention is that?
They're still babies themselves, you know? And here are kids, growing up way too fast in a world that wants to move way too fast...and it's so sad...and it makes me angry and pissed off as well. Why? Because this is what their life, which is barely starting off, is going to start at. And all around are still these adults around that are teaching these kids that this is the world that they're supposed to live in.
And you know what? Despite the world being crazy and messed up, they don't HAVE to live it. I choose not to, and I can know the world, and yet still live in my own world that makes sense by surrounding myself with the right things. But maybe I'm just lucky. Maybe God has just thrown me in all the right circumstances for one reason or another. And in a way, it feels unfair, but at the same time, I should be grateful for the blessings that I do have all around me. I can choose it because as a child, I had things better that these kids, and had parents that wouldn't let me sleep over anywhere (and though I was angry and sullen then, now, I can appreciate and understand their choices in what I could and could not do!) or go to this or that event. I've had the right kind of adult figures surround me at church and with my relatives and family friends. I know how crazy it can get, and have seen this or that, know of this or that, but I choose to not be a part of that world. Because I had all these factors as a child, I can make these choices as an adult. But what about these kids? These kids, where there are certain ones that I pray for, every night?
In a way, it's cool that so many kids feel that they can share these things with me. But at the same time...as Uncle Ben told Peter Parker, "With great power comes great responsibility"...and if knowledge is power, then that responsibility of knowledge also burdens my heart.
Today, the boy with drug problems that I talked about earlier, I've been doing what I can to keep him in the classroom, and even talked to him this morning (again. I feel like I have to talk to him all the time...!) when he came in for hot cocoa (he's one of the best customers, by the way...he buys like 4 or 5 packets, and then shares them with friends. Heart of gold, everywhere, and yet...), and just had to tell him that I cared - that he's one of those kids that I want to see do well, that I do care and want him to have a good future. I could see that what I said mattered to him. And yet, how much do I actually impact on him? I've tried working with him for the entire year, and there are always ups and downs...and with only 15 or so days left of school, does any of this actually matter? He's the one kid that when I talk to, I feel tears welling up inside my eyes because I see such sadness in his eyes - that he thinks nobody cares, that things really don't matter, and since he doesn't get any attention, support, or care at home, what else is there left for him, since the people that are supposed to matter the most...don't care?
At the same time, many kids probably don't even know about these things that are going on. As a teacher, I suppose I get a different perspective of things. When I was in school, I'm sure these things happened here and there, but my parents kept me from it, and though I was at school and exposed to things, it wasn't a part of the world nor life I was living in. It's not part of the lives of many of the kids here either. But it still exists, and it's sad...I wish I could fix things. Make things right for some of these kids, and change their current situation, and place responsible, supportive adults in their lives. All I can do right now is to pray, be their teacher, and let them know I care. I don't know how far that will get, but hey, it doesn't hurt, right? *sigh*
Well, in other news:
05.20.05, Friday:
[10:53pm] Most Excellent Exotic World Tour 2005 - 06 is up. Woo hoo! Lots of fun for Heidi...traveling all over the world and such!
I love my students! After school yesterday, two of them invited me to their baseball game, where actually, a total of about 5 or 6 other students of mine would be playing. So I agreed, despite the unclear directions they gave me, and tried and tried to get there...driving here and there...and ended up in some cemetery. So, I definitely could not get to the game at all. But that's okay, because today, when I told them what happened, one brought up a game tomorrow (but I can't go - will be out of town!), and then offered to bring me a schedule, with directions on it so that I will no longer be lost. Woo hoo! So I will definitely have to make it out there one of these days!
When another student heard about it, he came up and wanted me to go to his wrestling competition next weekend (only I'll be at Youth Camp!), so he promised to make me a schedule so that I can go watch it. He and another student are wrestling at the high school competition already. Wrestling is almost my least favorite sport to watch (wait...maybe it IS the least favorite...!) but I'd go watch it at least once for my students, especially if they're asking me to go!
That, and another student exploited the first-person-that-asks-me-gets-it-fundraiser-deal. So, $12 bucks, down the drain, for some candle. Woo. I don't use them much. But this one IS green apple...and if it's anything like how I'm imagining that green apple should smell, it should be tart enough to make me salivate when I light it. Mmm mmm goodness. =) And hey, at least it's not cookie dough - I've had enough of that in the past few months to last a lifetime! Hee hee...^_^
Well, as Ralm always says, "Live vicariously!". Candle. Woot! ^_^
My Financial Analyst dude is like, the BEST. If any of you need someone to handle ANY money matters - from investments, to saving for the future (retirement, saving for a home, family, college-fund for kids) or anything, contact him at [email protected], and tell him that I sent you (don't say Gummy though...he doesn't know who Gummy is.). I hope he doesn't mind that I'm advertising for him here, hee hee...but yeah, he's quite good at what he does, and doesn't pressure me to buy this or that fund or insurance or whatever. He just sees what it is that I want to do, offers suggestions that I can choose from if I want to go for it, and sets things up for me. There are those that keep pushing you to do this or that and what-not, but he ain't like that. And it doesn't matter how much you earn right now - even if it's hardly anything. There's never too little to save some for whatever your goal is! =)
05.18.05, Wednesday:
[09:07pm] Ooo, what fun! Today, we took a walking field trip to Ramona to watch the musical, The Boy Friend. I'm so impressed by these high schoolers - they did an AWESOME job with the instruments, singing, dancing, and acting. Wow. =) The kids behaved well too! Two years ago, when we went to watch the Charlie Brown musical, their behavior had to be reprimanded. These kids Bravo'd ad Brava'd and clapped and though they did whoop and whistle, it was at all the right times. They're a great group of kids. =) The walk over was fun too - getting to chat with students, relax, and simply enjoy the walk over there made for a nice relaxing day. Plus, by the time we got back, we only had 6th period, and my 6th period students were all tired out from the walking to cause any kind of behavior management problem, hee hee. =)
Ah, on the subject of a boyfriend, a certain Gilbert asked me to advertise for him on my website. Hee hee. So if anyone out there is looking for a Gilbert, he's available. =) Hmm, if I remember correctly, he is seeking a single Hot Asian Girl (or White Caucasian, heh heh...what about the Black Sista's and Hispanic Honeys, eh???); Christian; approximately 18 -22; and though he wants someone younger, he doesn't mind that they're an inch taller, hee hee...anywhere between 5' to 5'8". Gilbert, by the way, is 24 now, around 5'7", Christian and single. Oh yeah, and he's an Asian Nascar-loving,Boba-fueled homeboy out in the IE. Interested? Drop me a line or email, and I'll hook ya up. *wink*
There you go Gilbert! ^_^
05.17.05, Tuesday:
[07:13pm] Mmm. Saturday was absolutely delicious! I went to eat lunch with Shelton, Derrick, Kevin K., and Victor at Ajisen Ramen. It wasn't really the ramen that I'm used to ("gong zae mein" in Cantonese) but still good noodles in general. I ordered the very Spicy Pork Chop Ramen...so spicy...and so good!!! I think the fact that it was spicy made it better than what it was - without the spiciness, it would have been just good, and not so good. It was also a day full of Wendy's Free Frosty. =) CCF at Derrick's started late, but we all still learned a thing or two for Fellowship, and ate oh-so-very-tasty Choy food (uh...you'll get the pun if you speak Canto...) including that giant bowl of that special fruit salad and barbeque goods (like that grilled salmon. Mmm!). It was fun to chill afterwards too - making shadow puppets, chatting, playing Big 2, and eating Kevin's super-mangofied-mango-birthday-cake. Happy Birthday Kevin! ^_^
And Happy Birthday Vanessa!!! Her birthday was also yesterday. I can't believe I used to be her Sunday School teacher when she was like...4! So yeah, we go waaaay back. ^_^
On Sunday, I subbed for Mello, who was bridging over the Golden Gate Bridge with Megan's Girl Scouts. How awesome is that??? To form a bridge all across that bridge with a bunch of Girl Scouts??? Fun fun! ^_^ My Junior High class only had one student that day - Anthony!!! So we played with Shaving Cream (it represented the Holy Spirit) and had fun with it in our little lesson, heh heh. =) The GB meeting was way long (which reminds me - I have to type up those minutes!), but I did get to wear my Bulls jersey (aw, I know...not the Kings...nor even the Nuggets, which has a shorter dude that I'd root for...but I'm sure Shelton was more than happy, ha ha!) that someone donated to a bunch of us at church. I guess that means more basketballin' for the Gumsta', eh? =)
Of course, I couldn't help but entice Shelton with more Wonderfalls - now he's hooked like a fat boy loves cake! =)
Ahhhh!!! I'm going to see the Wicked musical in July, at the Pantages, and I'm taking Anna and Vanessa with me. Woo hoo! ^_^ For all your stalkers out there, it's on July 6th (Wednesday) at 8:00pm (but us girls will probably be all dressed up and head out early to avoid traffic and eat dinner - might as well live up the whole evening, right?), and our seats are in the Orchestra, House Right, row QQ. Hee hee. =) No more Mezzanine this time - it was all sold out, bleah. But yeah, should be fun!
I love my Schick Quattro! Get one for free! ^_^
We had our postponed Cinco de Mayo Carnival today after school. Lots of fun, as always, and I got to see a few more former students, including Felipe M., Delia M., Heather B., Geovanni C., and a few others. Tomorrow's also pretty much instruction-free. The 8th graders have a spontaneous walking trip to Ramona High School to watch a play there. We did this a few years ago - the walking field trips are fun. =) Oh! Yeah, I guess ranking high schools based on simply how many students took the AP tests isn't a valid way to measure who's the BEST. I guess they should have rethought out their title of exactly what they were measuring better. Sigh. That's okay. Ramona's still a dang good school. =)
05.14.05, Saturday:
[09:20am] I found out yesterday that today is National Stamp Out Hunger Day! So I grabbed some non-perishables and left them next to the mailbox. I wonder if other people know...??? So right now, it's just my little bag there. Maybe more will join it today. =)
After school yesterday, I got several weird phone calls. One was some random "Wassup!" type of call, and when I was like, hello??? The person kept talking in indecipherable words, and then hung up. Hmm, a prank call. And then later, the same phone call came, and it was the same kid (sounded like he was 5 or something), and he started with "Your mom is a coach!" (what does THAT mean???), and more indecipherable, 5-year-old language. So I switched on my calm but mean teacher voice: "What? Do you know who you're talking to? Who you just called? You're just some kid prank calling an adult that doesn't appreciate it nor want to be called by you." (Meanwhile, the kid is still yelling things that I can't understand) Then I just switched to a scarier tone: "You're lucky, because I work with the Police, and I can and WILL trace your number and find out who you are (the indecipherable babble has stopped now, ha ha!). Call me again, and I'll trace you and find out who you are. Have a good day!" I hang up on the kid, and start wondering, Hmm...how in the world can a Restricted number be traced??? Hee hee, so I start dialing 611 to ask. Before I get to the operator, I get the phone call from the same Restricted number again, so I decide to answer it to keep the game going, hee hee. This time though, it was his older brother (he sounded younger than the kids I teach), who called to ask if someone had called me, and that it was his little brother pushing buttons and...before he even got to anything else, I made it clear that I was in the process of tracing the number just when he had called, and that if it does happen again, the parents would probably have to face a heavy fine for such prank calls. Hee hee. I should have told the older boy thank you, but realized I didn't afterwards. =P He said it won't happen again, slightly apologized, sounded pretty dang scared, and...that was it.
I wondered just how good could I really make on my bluff? Because honestly, I don't know if the number can actually be traced. I'm sure there had to be a way, right? So I called 611 again, explained what happened to the operator (who had a really good time laughing about what happened, hee hee), and she told me that well, there really was no way for me to get the number. Hee hee...at least the bluff worked enough and did what it had to do...Muah ha ha...Teaching for a few years certainly has benefits that can extend to any realm of your life, eh? =)
I went to study/grade papers with Giang, and met up with her friends Candi and Josie, at a coffeehouse to do a few hours of work. After, we hung out at her place, eating gnocchi and marinara for dinner, with a southwestern salad, edamame, and some Belgian butter waffle cookies, hee hee...all courtesy of Trader Joe's, of course. =) And all while watching In Good Company. I thought the two main characters did a decent job, but Scarlet Johansson...I don't like her acting...it's so blah...I like her name though...but yeah, she was the same girl in Lost in Translation, so maybe I was biased...because I certainly didn't like Lost in Translation, heh heh...^_^
Today is the start of Space Week on Discovery Channel! Every night through next Saturday, at 8pm, is a Space Week program, heh heh...it starts with Alien Planet tonight, and even has stuff like The Science of Star Wars next week. I've offered extra credit to my students already. =)
05.12.05, Thursday:
[07:37pm] Newsflash! My principal won't be here next year...! He will be at another middle school in the district as Principal there, and we'll be getting LM, Ramona High School's current Assistant Principal, as Principal. So far, I've heard good things from him, including from Ralm...so my feelings aren't AS mixed as it was when I first heard that our Principal was leaving. I do have to admit, for the most part, that he has been better this year. But the two years prior to that was...REALLY horrible...enough to make me want to leave last year anyways. Also, just today, I found out that Monique won't be here as Assistant Principal next year - she's heading out to Rialto on a a Principalship. Congrats to her! Supposedly (this is what Ralm told me anyways) our next AP will be Hispanic (Monique is African-American), though I don't know her name.
I wonder if the secretary will travel with her Principal, eh? Hee hee...shhh...^_^
Oh! Also important: Free Frosty at Wendy's, starting tomorrow through Sunday! =) Hmm. Just HOW much milk can my body take? Hee hee hee...=)
And if you like Target...and you're a Southern California Edison customer...
Did you hear about Newsweek's 100 Best High Schools in America rating? The Inland Empire didn't have a school on the Top 100...though our first school to get in came in at #694, which was Ramona HS. Ramona beat out Poly and North - WOW...!!! And not just that, but Sierra Middle School is the main feeder school for Ramona, hee hee. =) So though the IE is way down on the list, noone can tell us that we ain't doing a decent enough job for where we are. =)
05.10.05, Tuesday:
[10:20pm] Updates:
05.02.05, Monday:
[07:00pm] An AWESOME weekend! ^_^
Friday - After work, I went with Junko down to Victoria Gardens! Even though they have a new Cheesecake Factory there, I really wanted Yardhouse appetizers, hee hee...so we went, and during the hour wait (long wait...they had us in RIGHT after Happy Hour ended...no half-off appetizers...I think it was a planned conspiracy...!), meandered all over the place. I even got a $20 pair of shoes! ^_^
Saturday - Woke up early to go to school and pick uup permission slip forms for the field trip...and got home right in time to meet up with Shelton, to head over to Malibu for Connie's graduation from Pepperdine! Wow! Talk about a school with a lovely view of the ocean! Heh heh...it was sunny though, so I got a nice...sunburn...on my face...=P...After the celebration, we had to go down to Hollywood to Jenn's wedding. Wow! Again! Heh heh...the wedding was lovely - and we got there JUST as Jenn was starting to walk down the aisle. =) After the wedding, we headed to the 99 in San Gabriel to buy 180 squids (I needed to pick them up for the 7th grade science dissections) and check out the Ajisen Ramen shop...mmm...(mmm, not for the stinky raw squids, but for the ramen! ^_^). The wedding reception was interesting - fun, yes, and I got to see so many great friends and people - but it took FOREVER for us to eat our dinner. In fact, when we left at 10:30pm, they were only at #8 of the 10 course meal! Oy! They would serve one plate, and then do something (video, bouquet/garner toss [which had $50 in it - good idea!], dance, etc...) between every plate. I did like how the Hilton set up the presentation of food though - when we walked in, there was a whole line of waiters bidding us welcome, and when the first plate was coming up, they played the Mission Impossible song, and a whole string of them stepped out from the kitchen and spread out towards different tables to feed us. Very neat. =)
Sunday - Also up early...because of Six Flags! Yes, it was a lot of planning and organizing. Yes, I'm still poor because the school hasn't paid me back yet. Yes, the secretary is still stupid because I put in a request for an extra bus and I had talked to Transportation about it specifically, and the secretary said she took care of it - but she didn't at all. So on Sunday, only four buses showed up - great! So after some reorganization, we finally left half an hour later, and arrived at Six Flags half an hour later than scheduled. I was with these two students, Christina and Daniel (Bubba), two awesome students of mine - but they were completely scared of roller coaster rides, and didn't like them...and here I was, wanting to play on the rides, but couldn't, because they didn't want to...arg...nooooo! So we meandered a bit as we headed on our way to the first competitions. What was cool was that, on the way there, we ran into Humberto, Cesar and Roger - they wanted to go to the paper airplane distance toss, and with five minutes to spare (we were going to the paper airplane accuracy competition), we sent them off running to the competition. What was quite cool was that, had Roger not made it, he wouldn't have gotten FIRST PLACE! Awesome! ^_^
When I met up with the other teachers, they all wanted to ride, ride, ride...but I couldn't really...but we finally did get Bubba to try Batman, which he LOVED! Yeah! He exclaimed that he was ready to take on ANYTHING after that! ^_^ After Batman, we also rode Colossus, which Christina took with no problem - another Yeah! ^_^ The rest of us rode Scream while Bubba and Christina watched our bags (it was like WE were the kids and they were the parents!), and then I took Bubba and Christina to the competitions. The rest of the teachers ditched us - they wanted to play, eat, and it was a little upsetting to me that the other Science Teachers didn't bother to stay and check out any of the competitions...it was like...hey...you SHOULD be here...but they weren't. I can't do anything about that though, and why should I let something like that bother my day at Six Flags?
So I continued to chill with Bubba and Christina, and we went to ride the Scrambler, hee hee, which was a whole lot of fun. We ran into Jennifer H., Allison, Penny and Taylor and a bunch of other girls, who wanted to go with us to Roaring Rapids. Jennifer and Allie had to go to the Egg Drop competition, and the rest came with us, only they kept stopping here and there...and in the ended, it was just our original three heading up there. Lucky for us, we ran into Serena, Laura, and James! Poor James had been shopping with the girls, and looked completely tired - he had been ditched (lost) by two different groups, and now, our group of three expanded to six. =) Roaring Rapids was horribly fun...these kids got to see their Science Teacher get drenched the most - I warned them that whoever sat next to mme would get drenched (it always happens), and Christina and James were the lucky winners, muah ha...=)
The group of Period 5 Boys and then some (= Joey, Chris H and G, Dylan, etc...) came by, picked up Laura to make her ride again, so we thought we lost her...only soon enough, she came running back. =) Yay, it was nice to have our 6-1+1=6 again. =)
Panda Express...pretty much near $10 for a rice bowl...dang...but we all ate our lunches and rested for a bit before going off anywhere else. On the way to X, I gave my lemonade to an ice cream vendor, who later offered me free ice cream for the exchange! Yum...! Only...I didn't want any (full from lunch still), and neither did anyone else. Drats. Opportunity missed...! >_< Since only Serena and I were going to ride X, we decided to try Viper instead. Especially since James said he'd only ride it if Bubba would, thinking he wouldn't...but seeing that it was only a lap belt level ride (it actually wasn't, but I didn't realize this till we were actually ON the ride!), he agreed quickly and with enthusiasm that YES, he'd love to ride it! Ha ha! In front of Viper, we were joined by Arri and Beth, so while chatting and resting before the storm, James is standing there with his eyes glued to Viper, looking scared as heck - my goodness, I was so worried for him! I told him that he didn't HAVE to ride it, but he said that no, he'll do it...with his eyes still glued onto the ride...heh heh...When we went to ride, only Serena and I went up in line, and before we knew it, Laura, Bubba, and yes, James (though he was slowly stumbling upstairs...!) came to ride too! James ended up sitting next to me, and during the ride, his eyes were mostly shut, and he was gripping onto the head support thing...but soon enough, he had his eyes open, and during the corkscrew, admitted that it was kinda fun...and held on to that, even after he got off and was a little dizzy. =) Daniel, in the back, was like WOW! This is FUN! So, two that have never been on roller coasters enjoyed their first trip to Six Flags! Awesome! =)
Checking out wasn't so bad. It took a while to get it all there, but we didn't lose anyone. Whew.
I enjoy these trips, because you get to hang out and interact with the kids in a more casual way then you would in the classroom. They get to know you better, and at the same time, you get to know them better as well! Plus, they really haven't gone on a single field trip this entire year - it's high time they get to do something. =)
The ride back home was fun as well - I got to chat with Stephanie and Daniel about all kinds of things - from Christianity and religion, to simple life things - how to live, why people do certain things, and stuff like that. I got to share how wonderful Chrysanthemum Tea is with Blaine, by giving him a box to try - and he was WOWED by it! I got to chat to parents and understand the situations that some of them have to deal with at home, and what the kids have to deal with at home, and be amazed at how wonderful it is that some of these kids are as great as they are, and choose to handle difficult situations in better ways. I was able to see God work in a thousand million ways - and He showed me that though I was busy,, he gave me these things to do to simply let me enjoy them and not stress out over them. I was reminded to NOT put all things on me, because hey, God is there too, and I have to remember that He can handle these things better than I. =) After all, didn't He provide me with many chaperones to help me check off things between the 200 some students that were there, and Yolanda to open up the school in the morning and evening? Didn't He provide for not a single child being lost and unaccounted for? Didn't He provide for me to still enjoy my trip and relax, though I was worried at the beginning that I wouldn't because I had to take around two students that didn't want to ride anything (at first)? He did! ^_^
And now, He's providing me with dinner. =) My mom is a FANTASTIC cook...! ^_^