So I'm really behind on blogging! Many apologies! Here's the news, in long-winded bullet form:
- School is going well, for the most part. God gives patience for each day, and I'm starting to get more comfortable with teaching/leading the class. Even my teacher commented on it! I'm also starting to know the students well enough to plan lessons that they will be able to succeed with and enjoy. That part takes a lot of practice. I was very exhilarated on Thursday when ALL of the kids enjoyed my lesson on the comparison of big and little objects. I think they even understood the concept I was trying to get across! For the next two weeks I'm in charge of the classroom. I'm very excited. I've been planning my unit around the theme of autumn leaves, so we are doing fun stuff like reading about fall, learning about apple trees, making applesauce, going outside to gather leaves and then make leaf rubbings, doing color matching and patterning with leaves... AND -- I made a bulletin board! Just in case you wanted to see it, here it is:


- Church is going well. I'm slowly meeting more people and getting a bit more involved. Last week the band played along with some songs, so I went up after church and practically begged to be allowed to at least sit in on rehearsals because I miss playing with people so much! Turns out, the next time the band plays in church is October 15, my last Sunday there. So I can fully participate! I was looking forward to Thursday night because that was the first rehearsal, but then I found that I had forgotten we had parents' open house at school that night. Oh well. I'll start this week. AND my church just began an English as a Second Language class as an outreach, and I get to help out with that a little on Thursday night. Tuesday night Bible study is an encouraging time for me, too.

- Yesterday Sarah W. (now she has a new last name, but I'm not used to it yet -- she's an old friend from college) and her husband Jerry drove over from Michigan and we rode the train into Chicago. It was exciting. The train was double decker, with orange seats and windows that make things look greenish when you take photographs through them. I know because I took a photo of the Sears tower through the upstairs window. When we arrived in Chicago it was raining cats and dogs, so Jerry piloted us to the free trolley which we took up to Navy Pier. As soon as we got there, the rain stopped and the clouds rolled away, and the rest of the day was beautiful! We walked around, saw the sights, took a few photos, and then headed back because Sarah and Jerry didn't want to get back to Michigan too late. And I had Chicago pizza, which I hear is a delicacy. It was quite good.

- Bike riding remains my favorite form of exercise. Last week another college friend, Brian Mathews, biked the 9-mile loop in the forest preserve with me. This week I did it by myself again. It's fun because every time I go, a few more trees have changed color so the landscape is never quite the same. And today it was so beautiful outside that I could pretend it was summer and bask in the sunshine. I also had time to finish my book today. That's pretty much the sum total of my recreational life lately. Oh -- I watched a couple recorded episodes of Northern Exposure on Friday evening. I wish they'd show more mountain views. Otherwise, why is it worth watching? ;-)

- I get to go back to Dordt in three weeks! I'm excited to see friends again. And go to my church again. And live with the Warners again. And go to Praise and Worship and class and chapel again. And get fingerprinted and background checked. And then -- on to New Mexico!
(I was going to post more pictures but they wouldn't upload. I'll try with a new post; otherwise I apologize but you'll just have to use your imagination)