To Blog or Not To Blog...

I just spent a lot of time reading over my blogs from when I lived in the Philippines. It all started because I told someone that I had a bad day, but some days are like that...even in Australia. I remembered writing a blog post inspired by the book Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day. It was basically the same idea: I had a bad day, but those happen everywhere and to everyone. I can change every circumstance in my life, and I will still have some days that are just like that.

Remembering my time in the Philippines can be difficult sometimes. I read back over those posts, and it makes me want to go back. Maybe not to the Philippines, but somewhere.  But I'm not sure what the future holds right now. There is excitement and fear in that uncertainty.

I think I would like to pick back up with my blogging, but I am not sure about a specific topic that I would focus on. If anyone is reading this, I will accept suggestions! A few thoughts I had:

1. Teacher life
2. Trying to figure out dating in your 30s
3. Spiritual reflections
4. Book reviews/what I'm reading
5. Don't add another blog to the endless blogs that exist

Let me know what you think!

We did it!

I am very behind in updating everyone on how the half-marathon went. The day was such a blur and completely amazing. Amanda (my running partner) and I actually got things off to a rough start by being late into our wave. Stupid lines at the port-a-potties! But then we were rocking and rolling!

Most of you know that we were trying to run the race in under 2 hours. This is a goal I've had since I came *really* close a few years ago when I ran the National Half-Marathon in D.C. (my time then was 2:01:28). Since that day, I have run a marathon, moved to the Philippines and back, and made some pretty futile attempts to get back into running shape. All of that changed when I signed up for the Richmond Half-Marathon this fall.  I decided to run this race for a cause (a first for me), and it was perfect, because the race takes place in November, which is National Adoption Month. I had recently learned about an organization called Show Hope, which is run by Steven Curtis Chapman and Mary Beth Chapman (if you knew me as the dorky child I was, you know that I was jamming out to Steven Curtis Chapman's hit "Great Adventure" back in the 80's).

In case you are wondering--NO, I did not just watch that video and sing every line correctly, including the back-up harmonies. That's ridiculous...also, I should say that his music has definitely made some progress over the years. Back to the blog, though.

In my head, I thought....well, if I'm running for a cause maybe that will motivate me to focus on my training and really run this race well. Warning: I'm going to be sappy for a minute here. I owe a lot (a LOT LOT) of my success to my running partner, Amanda. She wrote a blog post that included some very nice things about me and how I pushed her to set a new PR, and I think that's what is so cool about running. Neither of us would've done as well without the other person. It's not that I'm a great runner or that she has broken any world records--but together, we were able to train and run harder and faster than we would've been able to do alone. Man, that's a whole other blog post by itself...

Anyway, after the race, I told Amanda that I knew at mile 3 that we were going to come in under 2 hours. I don't know how I knew that, but I was feeling incredible. She was nervous, because as the time-keeper, she knew I was going too fast. I couldn't help it! In the end, everything worked out okay, and I came in at 1:56:42--so, with time to spare! We also (amazingly) caught up with some friends after the race to celebrate our victories. I say amazingly because of the craziness of Brown's Island.

We are SO Richmond in this picture.

 I posted on Facebook the night before the race that we had raised over $1000 to help orphans get placed in their families, and I knew that the support of everyone was going to help me during the race. It did! I felt great most of the race, but anytime I started to feel tired, I remembered why I had even signed up to do this race in the first place. It was all about Show Hope. My personal goal just added a level of interest, and I knew I'd be much more excited to talk to people about it if I had met my time goal as well. So that pushed me to run harder, too.

We look good, ya know?

Thanks so much for the support on the course, but most importantly, thanks for the support for Show Hope and my heart for orphans. Even if you were not able to give financially, it's clear to me that my family and friends are with me in this cause, and that means so much to me. I cannot express my gratitude enough.

November 10, 2012 will always be a really special day for me. Thanks for being a part of it as we showed hope for orphans! Let's continue to think of ways to do that in the upcoming year! Maybe it's your turn to run a race for a cause...

Sick and Tired

The past few weeks have been difficult. I have been fighting a cold and felt extremely exhausted. Amanda (my running partner) and I have hit that part of training where we are running a LOT, and we still have a few weeks until race day. Every day, I feel sick or tired or both. Also, it's not as if I'm spending my days just leisurely resting up--I am trying to maintain order in a room with 24 six-year-olds. Many of them with coughs and sniffles of their own.

Saturday was a big run. Since we are overachievers, we decided to go above and beyond what our training plan had recommended. So, we set out to run 14 miles. During the day Friday, I felt pretty bad, but I woke up Saturday morning thinking, "I'm not going to let a cold stop me from running." So, I headed to meet Amanda for our run.

I should've known we were in for trouble when about 2 miles in, I realized that I had led us off-route in a major way. But we adapted our route and made it work, so crisis averted. We got to mile 5 where we intended to pick up speed, refueled, and increased our pace. I felt GREAT during that mile. We kept going at a good pace, but at about mile 7, we stopped for a minute, and I admitted to Amanda that I didn't think I was going to be able to run at the pace we had set out to maintain. Please keep in mind that this was at mile 7. So, we were halfway there, and far enough away from our starting point that going straight back wouldn't really help. I was going to have to finish the run. And we did it. Together. And slowly. I was so relieved when my watch beeped that 14th mile.

Part of this race is personal. Amanda and I want to break 2:00, and that is important to me (she has done it before, but it'll be a first for me). But a bigger part of this race is about Show Hope, and that is the thought that kept going through my mind while trying to run those last 7 miles. This race is bigger than any goal I set. It's about giving hope to orphans--and by first realizing that I was orphaned, but grafted into God's family. It's about bringing that awareness to others around me and joining together to do something about the 147 million orphans around the world.

That's why adoption is so powerful to me. Because it is a clear picture of the Gospel. God has adopted US into His family, and we will share His blessings, because we are accepted as His very own children.

"But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons."

Galatians 4:4-6

Please consider joining with me by donating just a few dollars.  

A lot of small donations add up very quickly!!

Run for Hope

You know how a girl often gets a haircut after a break-up? Well, if I'm being honest, running was my haircut (I probably got a haircut, too, but I don't remember). I had never really shown much interest in running before, but I felt like I needed something new in my life, so I signed up for the Monument Avenue 10K and started running with some friends. And that's all I thought it would amount to. I would prove to everyone how strong I was. I could not have imagined the impact that one decision would make in my life.  Let's look back over it...

 Here is my first race. See how happy I am? That's because I had just heard some boy comment on how nice my legs looked. Just keeping the blog real, guys. But I knew very early on that running was changing me. There was going to be a new priority in my life. I remember after my first 4-mile run, thinking, "There is NO WAY I can run 6 miles!!" That makes me laugh now. This is a fun first race for anyone interested in running. Sign up here! If you tell me you are interested in running, though, be prepared to talk for a while....  


People always asked if I'd ever run a marathon, and I laughed at them and said (emphatically) NO WAY. But then I started feeling like I needed a new challenge, so I decided that I wanted to complete a marathon before I turned 30. Check. My brother agreed to run it with me, which was awesome. I don't know what I would've done without him. It was special, too, because a few months after we ran this race, I moved to the Philippines for a year. It was a cool brother/sister moment. I know, precious.      

Insert my year in the Philippines. For those of you who don't know, it is HOT in the Philippines. And I hate running in the heat. But, with the support of my running partner Leo, I managed somehow to get out there in the smog and make it happen. In this picture with me and Micah, you would think I had just run a really intense and lengthy race. No. It was a 5K.  Running was really hard in the Philippines, but once you are hooked, it's hard to stop you from running. Below is the picture of the one 10K I did while living in the Philippines. I look happy, right? That's because I was really close to being finished, and I had just taken a walk break. Who takes a walk break during a 10K? Well, most of the runners in this race. They don't call it "hot season" for nothing, people.

 Now I've been back from the Philippines for over a year, and I've been working hard to get myself back into good running shape. My training is going really well, and I'm feeling really good these days. I credit this to a few reasons, but a major factor is definitely my running partner, Amanda Krieger. (gotta reciprocate the blog shout-out she gave me last week--if you want to read her blog, click here. If you want to read her blog post that's all about me, click here. Okay, not really ALL about me.) Anyway, here we are a few years ago on what we called our "Rave Run." Runners' World readers know what we're talking about. Anyway, training is going well, but this year, I am running for a cause for the first time ever. I know, WHAT TOOK ME SO LONG?? I am so excited to be running for an organization called "Show Hope" which helps families who are adopting connect with their children and bring them home. Obviously this is an issue close to my heart because my brother and sister-in-law have adopted two sweet children from China. But honestly, I first felt this pull for orphans when I was in Brazil in 2001. The experience of my brother and sister-in-law has definitely opened my eyes even more, and I want to do something about it. I think you should, too. I write a lot about this, but that's because we need to do something about it. I can't. My brother and sister-in-law can't. But together, you, me, your friend, my friend, their friends....WE can do something about this. There are 147 million orphans in the world. Stop and process that. 147 MILLION.  I won't get all preachy here (at least not today), but I will ask that you please join me as I run this race for hope.

 I am running it for little girls and boys all over the world who don't have parents. Who don't have someone to defend them and speak up for them. These children are most susceptible to abuse, kidnapping, and trafficking. They need a voice. They need people to look up and think--147 million, how can that be? What can we do? Let's do something about it. Together. Join me. Let's help families bring orphans home so they are orphans no longer.

Money is tight. Believe me, I know. I am challenging every person I know to consider giving $2. Just $2. If everyone is willing to give that, change can happen. I am hoping to raise $500 for this organization, and I'd love it if I could exceed that.

Most of you know my niece, Rylie, who was adopted from China in 2010. I can't imagine my life without her. But it took people who were willing to stand up and be willing to make a change. They are not special people (well, they are to me!); they are ordinary people who responded to a call from God, and I cannot even remember what life was like before Rylie (and my nephew, Judah) came into my life. And when you see them, it's hard to not think of how great it would be if every orphan could be placed in such a loving home with a mom, a dad, brothers and sisters, and an opportunity to know Jesus. She has all of that, but her life could've been so different if not for my brother and sister-in-law. And when I think of what her life COULD be like right now, it breaks my heart. Because there are so many other little girls and boys out there who have not been adopted yet.

Just $2. Please consider being a part of the story of another little girl or boy just like Rylie or Judah. Join me. Let's change that statistic. $2 at a time.

Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves

I received an email with this video, and I wanted to share it with you all.  This is an issue that is so close to my heart, and has been since my first trip to Brazil in 2002 when I was able to work in an orphanage in Sao Paulo (WEAG youth is heading there today! Praying that God would touch their hearts the way he did mine so many years ago!).  It has only grown closer to my heart as I've witnessed my brother and sister-in-law adopt two beautiful children from China.  

Show Hope video

Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means caring for orphans and widows in their distress and refusing to let the world corrupt you.

James 1:27

As Christians, we are ALL called to help the orphan. Whether you feel called to adopt or not, there is always something that you can do. Missions trips, volunteering, or donating in some way. I highly recommend checking out this organization, Show Hope, founded by Steven and Mary Beth Chapman. I recently became a sponsor, and it is so humbling to hear stories like this and know that my small part is making a HUGE difference in the lives of families and orphans around the world. 

Learn to do good. Seek justice. Help the oppressed. Defend the cause of orphans. Fight for the rights of widows.

Isaiah 1:17

Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves; ensure justice for those being crushed. Yes, speak up for the poor and helpless, and see that they get justice.

Proverbs 31:8-9

Consider it! The story of this little girl was so encouraging, but also heart-breaking to think about the millions of children like her that may not be so blessed. Stop and pray about what YOU can do for those who cannot speak up for themselves. 

Citizens are encouraged to stay indoors and remain calm, cool, and loosey-goosey.

That title is probably throwing some of you off, but I promise it will tie in.  Keep reading...

I posted a blog a while back that had some of my reflections 6 months after my return from the Phils, but I figured it was time for me to post again now that it has been a year since I came back to the States.

First, I have to start by saying that I cannot believe I have been home for over a year now; the memories I have from the Philippines are so fresh and vivid that it hardly seems possible that I have been home longer than I was there. Just reading the 6 month post was difficult for me, because I miss it so much. The top ten list I made turned out to be pretty accurate.

I have never doubted that God wanted me to come home when I did--if I didn't,  I wouldn't have had the amazing class I did this year.  I wouldn't have gotten to know Rylie girl and be home when Judah officially became a Middleton. Those are moments I have cherished.  But I also think there is a really good chance I will end up overseas again in the future.  Just a heads up.  Like I mentioned in my 6 month post, I am split in half.  And that is not going to change.

Most of you know that I spend a big portion of my free time hanging out with high school students. You may find it odd, but I just love those kids. They have so much energy and passion. Here's a throwback to some cool kids I got to hang out with in the Phils.

The servants of Annie!

Which brings me to the inspiration of this blog.  I just returned from WEAG's annual Youth Choir Tour, which got me thinking a lot about what God has done in my life over the past year and what that year in the Philippines meant to me. I have been a youth leader for about 7 years, but I have been slowly nudging myself back in since my return to the States.  Choir tour helped make things feel normal for me again, which is huge for me to say. I loved getting to know a lot of the students better and forming relationships with kids I hadn't really known before tour. When you spend 30+ hours on a bus with 34 kids (right, Nikki?), you get to know them.  Really know them.  And when you spend the night in a church gym with about 50 girls, you build some tight relationships (good morning...ba ba ba....).  The whole experience was awesome, and I feel so blessed to know some of the best teenagers on the planet. I am not bloviating here. That is not even an exaggeration or a proud leader comment (though I am SO proud of them). It is just the truth.  Or, an anti-taradiddle.

In getting to know some of these students, I got to talk a lot about my experiences from high school and give wisdom based on the mistakes I have made in the past. I also got to talk a lot (too much?) about my time in the Philippines and overseas, which I really hope inspires them to spend some time doing something overseas to get a glimpse of the way most of the world lives.  I would not trade my travels around the world for anything, because they truly have made me the person I am today, and I hope that God continues to use me in ways to bring him glory--whether that's teaching overseas, working in an orphanage, or spending 8 days on a bus with teenagers. I guess it's really all about being available. One of my favorite Jim Elliot (missionary to Ecuador) quotes is "Wherever you are, be all there."

One of the fun things we did with our many hours on the bus was Mad Libs.  Here are some funny lines I'd like to share....

"I was echoing so hard that I had freckles running down my bus captain." (this was hilarious, because I was their bus captain)

"This morning I brought a pair of squirrels to class."

"Citizens are encouraged to stay indoors and remain calm, cool, and loosey-goosey."

"He was everything I wanted: tall, dark, and creepy."

"I feel I'm not losing a ketchup, but gaining a soy sauce."

There are too many to list, but it was a very fun activity to fill the time.

In summary: I miss the Phils, I love those WEAG kids, and I am excited to be used by God wherever He may lead me in the future.

Hunger to Hope

  http://sevenly.org/

Please click on the link above and watch that video.  It's amazing what that organization is doing.  When we consider the fact that there is enough food being produced in the world to feed everyone, people going hungry seems ridiculous.  That makes me MAD, and I personally believe it should make each and every one of us mad.  We all have a variety of options for what we could eat for dinner tonight.  The people in the Philippines (and many places around the world) are starving.


For less than $30, you can do something about it!  And get a really cool looking shirt.  Not just any shirt, but a shirt that makes a statement.  A shirt that will remind you each and every time you wear it that you ARE blessed.  Times are tough, yes...but worrying about whether or not we are going to eat is not something that most of us are concerned with each day. 

Obviously, this is extremely important to me, because this week the organization is helping the Philippines.  It's not just a country I love, it's a people group I love and so many of them need something to eat.  Please consider this!! 

Only 3 days left!

 Think about it!

Reflections: 6 months later

I have been thinking a lot lately about how I should update my blog and let everyone know what I've been thinking about since my return to the US.  I must be completely honest, it has NOT been all sunshine and daisies.  For the first few weeks after my return, I was asked incessantly, "Are you glad to be back?"  This was a really tricky question for me, and I trained myself to just respond with, "Yes."  Sometimes, it felt true, and a lot of times, the only thing I wanted was to get back on a plane to Manila that moment. 

It wasn't a lie that I was glad to be back.  I was glad to be back, because I knew with confidence that I was following the Lord's leading in my life.  But following the Lord's leading is usually not EASY, just as it was not easy to leave my comfort zone a year and a half ago and head out to the other side of the world on my own.  I just mean that I didn't come home giddy and excited, with a smile on my face at all times.  I was mourning for the Philippines.  I was mourning for the friendships that I left behind.  And I still am, even today, at this very moment.  Mourning for that time of my life where God stretched me beyond what I expected and changed me to the very core.

I think about the Philippines every day.  That is the understatement of the year.  Every comment, song, store, book, etc...everything reminds me of some memory from the Philippines.  It is constantly on my mind.  I have had to train myself to not begin every comment with, "When I was in the Philippines...."--some of you out there may think that I am not trying hard enough, but I promise that I am holding back most of it!

As Christmas approaches, I find it very interesting how I am homesick for the Philippines the way I was homesick for Virginia last Christmas.  I skyped with my "Philifam" over the weekend when they were celebrating Christmas together, and it broke my heart that I couldn't be in the room with them, exchanging gifts and giving them each a hug.  Last Christmas, I felt the same way about my family.  My heart is in two places now and forever will be.  I feel split in half.

Emmanuel.  God with us.  This was the theme of our elementary Christmas party last year at Faith Academy, and it encourages me today as much as it did then, when I missed my family and felt alone.  I know God is with me wherever I am.  He is not split in half like me.  He doesn't have to choose where He'll be or who He'll be with.  I know He is with me and He is with my wonderful friends in the Philippines, and I know that Christmas is entirely about God making a way for us to be with Him through His son, Jesus.

The most important lesson I learned in the Philippines is that God is taking care of me--always.  When I left, I was scared out of my mind that I wouldn't have any friends.  In hindsight, that was such a silly thing to worry about, because God blessed me with amazing friends.  Thank you Wendy, Meg, Leo, Kelli, Ted, Katy, Karen, and Ruth for the blessing you were and are in my life.  Coming home hasn't been easy.  Friends have moved on to other places, gotten married, had babies...and it's easy for me to worry about my friendships.  But I know that the Lord has always taken care of me in the past.  He did incredible things in my life last year, and I trust that He will continue to take care of me each day.

Just to take it from a kind of somber/serious note to a more exciting note, here are a few things that have been spectacular since my return to the US:

I went to Disneyland for the first time with my niece....

 

My friends Kelli and Leo got to hang with my parents...

 

I spent Thanksgiving with my family eating my mom's delicious turkey and the best sweet potato casserole known to man (my sister-in-law is very talented)!

 

I witnessed the Cavaliers get crushed by the Hokies.  Amazing.

And best of all, I have gotten to know this sweet girl! 

 

So I am hopeful about the future and the many exciting things ahead.  There will always be a piece of me that longs for the Philippines...hopefully, I'll be able to manage a visit back sometime soon!

Top 10 List!

Recently, I have been asked, "What are you going to miss about the Philippines?"  I wanted to share those things with everyone in the Phils, along with all of my friends and family back home who might like a glimpse into life over here.  So, I have created a list of...

The Top 10 Things I'll Miss About the Phils:

10.  My pale skin is attractive here.  That's right.  Filipinos are working hard to make their skin lighter, while back at home, my pasty white skin is a bit of a sore spot for me.  I like the fact that in stores almost all of the lotions and things have an added whitening effect.  It makes me feel pretty.

9.  When I enter a store, someone says, "Hello, ma'amsir."  What more can I say?  It's hilarious and really makes me feel like an individual (sarcasm).

8.  C2.  I don't know who created this drink, but I am thankful they did.  It's a sweetened, flavorful green tea.  My favorite flavors are apple and strawberry, and I'm pretty sure you can't get it anywhere in the States.  But I will begin my search on June 12.

7.  The uniqueness of the third world.  The other day on the way to church, we got stuck behind a truck that said, "Hog Dealer," which had 5 pigs shoved into the back of it (I took a picture--no worries).  I'll mostly miss cows and goats roaming the streets of the valley, but definitely topping this list is the chicken that crosses the road.  It makes me laugh every time.

6.  Living near the water.  I don't necessarily live in the city, but we're about 10 miles out, so it's not far to get to the bay.  Whenever we travel, we always end up taking a boat, and it's just so spectacular.  I'll miss the beauty of it.  Virginia Beach just can't compare to the beaches I've seen here.  With that said, I am very much looking forward to doing some hiking when I get home!

5.  Being in ASIA!  I love Asia--who knew?  I have had the awesome opportunity to travel to Korea, Thailand, and Hong Kong while living in the Philippines, and I have adored each of these places so much.  I love that in every restaurant--even McDonald's--I can order rice!  Mostly, I will miss Koreans and that culture.  I have loved being around them and eating their food. 

4.  Leaving my trash everywhere.  I love the fact that when I leave Starbucks, I don't have to worry about doing something with my trash.  I just leave it there, and someone comes after me to pick it up.  This is a great service.  So, if we are at Starbucks in America, and I leave my trash behind, please don't judge me.  I've just embraced the Asian culture.  I think we should bring it to the States.

3.  Cheap movies and dining out.  I think coming home will be hard, especially when I go out to eat for the first time.  Not only can I get an entire meal at a nice restaurant for about $4-$5, but tipping is already included, so that's optional.  Movies here only cost about $3-$4, and you can bring a full dinner into the theater (and you don't have to hide it!).  In fact, at one theater here, you pay about $8,  you sit in a recliner, and they bring you unlimited popcorn and drinks.  It really doesn't get much better than that.

2.  Someone always pumps my gas.  I LOVE this service of the Philippines.  I really hate pumping my own gas, so when I moved here, I was so excited to learn that all you have to do is pull up to the pump, tell them how much to put in, and sit back and relax.  They'll also wash your windows, check your oil, and fill your tires with air (this must be done quite regularly in the Phils).  This is another one of those services I think we should bring to the States...

and...the NUMBER ONE thing I'll miss about the Philippines.....

1.  The Faith Academy community.   Of course.  I have made so many great friendships here, and I am so sad to leave.  This is an amazing and unique place to be, and I am so thankful that God called me to be a part of this school for the year.  I WISH I felt led to stay, but I don't, and it is with a very heavy heart that I say farewell to the people I've come to know over this past year.  Faith Academy is a great school, and it has been a blessing to be a part of so many ministries in the Philippines.  I will definitely miss the Faith Academy staff, my fellow co-workers, and the students I have come to know and love this year.  I definitely recommend it as a great place to do ministry!

Annie and Other Fun High School Adventures!

The servants at Warbucks' house

Well, the production of Annie has come and gone.  The photo above shows the students playing the role of the servants.  My fellow choreographer (Holly, far left of photo) and I spent most of our time with them, as they had the biggest dance number in the show.  We had a blast teaching them, watching them perform, and developing relationships with them.  I was so proud at each of the three performances--they all worked so hard, and they took each performance seriously, but had a lot of fun in the process.  When I asked one of the girls what she was feeling as Annie was coming to a close, she responded with, "sadness and relief"--my response:  "I share those sentiments."  Being a part of Annie was such an awesome experience.  When I was in Virginia, I was really involved in the youth group at my church, and I loved being a part of the lives of high school students.  For a while I had been trying to develop those relationships at Faith, and I was a bit frustrated that it wasn't happening.  Annie changed all of that, and while I did feel relief that Annie was finished, I was also sad that I wouldn't be spending time with these kids I had come to love.  Luckily, since I have been a part of Annie, I have been asked to do other things like chaperone the all-night Junior lock-in (another great time!).  Annie ended on a perfect note.   At the end of the cast party...I was about to leave (it was 11:45, come on!) and two of the guys said I couldn't leave until I impressed them with a dance move.  While I was thinking of something, a new song began to play--the Hoedown Throwdown.  If you know me well, then you know that this was the best choice of song, as I quickly threw my stuff on the floor and led the group in the dance steps to this popular Hannah Montana song.  We had a blast!

This has been one of the best experiences of my year, and I am so glad I said yes to helping out with this, even though I felt inadequate to teach anyone how to dance!  It's amazing to me how God will use me as long as I'm willing to give a little time.  Of course, now I am more sad to leave than I was before!

And speaking of the Junior lock-in...here are a few pictures to show the excitement of the night!

Typical high school boys

 

What's Up in First Grade?

 I figured that many of you may wonder what we do in first grade.  We have been doing all kinds of cool things this year, so I'd like to show you what we've been working on for the past few weeks.

In Math, we have been studying measurement.  This week, we started by focusing on measuring the length of objects using non-standard units (unifix cubes).  The students first made predictions about how long they thought objects would be; then, they had to test their predictions and record the actual length.

 

 

 

 

A student uses unifix cubes to measure the length of an eraser.

 Later, we moved on to measuring with inches and centimeters.  I traced each of the students, and then they got to work measuring themselves and collecting data.  Once they had their data, they transferred the information to their full-sized self.  They had such a blast decorating their posters, measuring themselves, and recording their measurements!

The students used string to find the length, and then used it to measure with a ruler.

Students had a great time coloring themselves in!

A finished product

This cracked me up!  I had pushed all of the desks to the center of the room to make space for our tracing and coloring.  This student had already finished, and he was just determined to continue working on the story he was writing, so he crawled under and got to work.

 In Science, we just finished our unit on plants.  One of the coolest things we did involved testing the stems of plants.  We talked about how some plant parts get eaten; for instance, we eat carrots, which are roots, and we eat celery, which is a stem.  In order to test what the stem does, I placed celery stalks into cups of colored (blue and red) water.  We made predictions about what would happen, and we waited a couple of days.  The result was fascinating to them.  They realized that a stem is kind of like a straw, sucking up water and nutrients and delivering them to the leaves of the plant.

Our celery stalk in blue water.

It's very frustrating that everything I try to grow here in the Phils only grows mold.  Seriously, some of the students recorded on their, "This is what I learned about plants..." sheet--"I learned that some plants don't grow in the Philippines."  So true!

 In Language Arts, we are working on writing poetry.  The curriculum I'm using starts off by encouraging students to think about normal everyday objects in new and fresh ways.  One of the ways that I've encouraged that is by placing rocks, shells, seeds, etc. out for students to observe.  Then, they can write poems inspired by these simple objects. 

 

As they became more comfortable, I encouraged them to write poems about other objects in our classroom.  Here are a few samples:

Wind Chimes

by: John

Clink, ding, dong

Ding Dong goes

The wind chimes.

Like bees when 

Their wings go high

Pitch

Clocks

by: Natalie

Tick tock

Tick tock

Clocks, clocks

Clocks, clocks

I have no clocks

I only have

A digital watch

Hey, that's pretty good stuff for kids in first grade!  Espcially after only a week of studying poetry.  I am so impressed with their writing abilities!  

As you can see, we are having a wonderful time learning new and exciting things in Grade 1, and I am really looking forward to our next quarter!  I can't believe there are only 9 more weeks of school!  This year has gone by so fast, and I am so blessed to have such a wonderful and inquisitive class!  Thanks for reading! 

Intramuros: Historic Manila

This past weekend, I had the chance to go down to the city of Manila to check out some of the history here. It was incredible! The name of the area is "Intramuros" which literally means "within the walls". The area is just that. Along the outside is a wall that used to serve the purpose of protecting the city, like a fortress. It's the oldest district of the city of Manila, and it was built by the Spaniards in the 16th century.

That's all for the history lesson! But it was really cool. Of course, the coolest thing about this place is the tunnel-like Starbucks. I am pretty sure this is my favorite Starbucks in the world. And I must say, I've been to quite a few of them across the globe.

It's funny, because Metro Manila is not geographically that far from where I live. Maybe between 5 to 10 miles. It took us about 2 hours to get there! Traffic in Manila is unlike anything I have ever seen. Hence, the first stop was Starbucks! After that, we headed over to Fort Santiago, where we learned about a famous Filipino, Jose Rizal, who is considered a national hero of the Philippines. He fought for Philippine freedom, and was executed in 1896. Here is a picture of a replica of his holding cell.

This is the entrance to the dungeons where many Filipino and American soldiers were held captive and eventually drowned. They were chained to the walls, and when the tide from the Pasig River came up, over 600 soldiers were killed.

Classic Manila. They all really wanted us to take a ride.


The Manila Cathedral

It was great to see some of the amazing history of this place and to realize how hard the people of the Philippines had to fight to become an independent nation. It was an awesome day; however, there are 23 points of interest, and we only made it to 2 of them! I may need to make another trip back there!

And, just for fun....

International Week

February has literally flown right by me.  It seems like just yesterday, I was putting up little hearts around the room in preparation for Valentine's Day, and here we are at March.  We are just about to finish up our third quarter at Faith Academy, and I can hardly believe how quickly the year is going by.  It's been awesome, though.

Recently, we had International Week in the Elementary.  This was such a great time for us; each grade level studies a different continent of the world; I had the privilege of teaching my kids all about North America, which means I had plenty of time to brag about my home :)  We started the week with a parade around the Elementary playground, and students came dressed in a patriotic outfit or costume from their home country (or the country they identify with the most).  It was a really cool experience and quite uniting.  Each country's flag was held by a student from that country and as they marched around the court, we played their national anthem.  At the end of our parade, we all gathered together in the middle of the court and say a song called, "Heart to Change the World."  It was so neat to see kids from all over the world coming together at the end of the parade and singing together about making an impact on this world. 

My class in their costumes.  We really love the silly pictures.

Traditional Korean outfits.

On the last day, we created a "museum" in our library.  This is our display.

Remember that time I kept up with my blog?? Good times.

Wow.  I know it's been *forever* since I've updated my blog.  I told my friends here that I think the reason is that my life is beginning to feel normal here, and so it seems less exciting to blog.  But exciting and frustrating and awesome things happen every day, so I'll try to be better. 

Christmas was hard, but it was nice at the same time.  Obviously things were very different, but the Lord has surrounded me with some great friends who are kind of like my family here.  We had a wonderful Christmas together.  Our New Year was equally awesome, with the longest, brightest fireworks show I've ever seen.  The fireworks started going off around 6pm and kept going off until about 2 or 3am (I was trying to sleep by that point...)

Meg, Karen, and Leo on New Years' Eve

During our Christmas break, my friends and I got to go to the Manila Aquarium, where we saw an awesome sea lion show!

Here's a fun story.  This past Saturday, I was up at school doing some work and some choreography for the high school play, Annie.  I got a text from my friend Leo, who lives below me that said, "I think there's a leak in your apartment.  They're going to turn your water off to fix it."  He knew because he was experiencing some of the water leaking into his apartment.  So, the maintenance guys went into my apartment, and at that point, I got another text from Leo that said, "Water is everywhere.  I think you should come home."  Yeah, so I did, and boy was he right.  It covered my kitchen, living room, and bedroom (my place is just like a dorm room, but bigger).  Not only was water ALL over my apartment, but also bits of Korean food. 

What happened is that there was a clog in the pipe near my sink. Since I am on the basement level, I have 6 other apartments above me, and all of that water comes past my place.  When the water approached the clog, it came up out of my sink. 

It was quite the adventurous day, and my place smelled like fish for the whole day.  It was gross, and in my moment of frustration and tears, I said, "I wanna go home!"  Then, I remembered things like this (or something like it...) happen everywhere.  And by the middle of the day, the problem was completely solved by the amazing Filipino maintenance team at my condominiums. 

So, there you go.  Hope that was entertaining.  I can laugh about it now....

Prayer Request

I know most of you have been overwhelmed by the news of what's happening between North and South Korea (even more than Korea, I believe).  In class, I try to do prayer partners a couple of times a week.  Basically, the students pair up and have their partner pray for something they are thinking about.  Usually, it's something sweet and innocent like, "I have a cold" or "My grandma is coming to visit", but this morning, I teared up a little bit when Seul Gi, one of my Korean students, asked her prayer partner to pray that "North and South Korea could be one family again." 

It's obviously something that is on the hearts and minds of Koreans here. So, I just wanted to ask everyone to pray for Seul Gi's request--and also pray for those who are concerned about loved ones back home.  The students in my class are so little, and yet they are also really worried, and it just breaks my heart to see them like that.  I think that is perhaps one of the reasons they were so relieved when I returned!

A Really Long Korean Post

Well, I just returned from my trip to Korea, and I have *almost* recovered as far as sleep goes (we arrived at 2am on Tuesday and then I had to be at work at 6:30, so...it was a bit of a  struggle!).

The conference was great, and they had some great speakers, including the president of Compassion International, who is (obviously) a huge advocate for children.  While there were educational sessions pertaining to teaching and learning, I found the sessions geared towards the Korean culture to be most helpful.  As you know, about half of my class is Korean.  While we are educated at Faith to help us understand this culture, it was an awesome privilege to hear from Koreans and interact with them in a "normal" way--and on their own turf.  One morning, I was blessed to be able to pray with a Korean.  I loved it, because it just reminded me of how big God is--I couldn't understand what she was saying, but it didn't matter, because we serve a God who is bigger than language barriers.  

Timmy, me, Danny, and Katie

 

 

What a blessing!  Some friends I made at my training in New York this summer were also attending the conference.  They are all RAs at a school in Korea.  They were a wealth of knowledge as they helped me navigate the Seoul subway system!

I got to celebrate a birthday Mexican style! 

Manila is not exactly known for its quality of Mexican food, so when my friends suggested we go to "On the Border" for dinner, I was ALL in.  While spending the day with them, it was so funny to compare Korea and the Phils.  Funny, because it is so hard for me to describe Manila to outsiders.  I eventually gave up and told them they would have to see it to understand.  It's truly a unique place, and I do love it--most of the time!

I can't pronounce the name of this, but it's a very old palace in Seoul.  And very cool!  I loved the mountains behind it.

Kristy and me at Seoul tower.  We hiked a LONG way (it felt that way)!

 Micah and Kristy also have some friends living in Seoul, teaching at an international school there.  They live really close to Seoul Tower, which is a "must-see" for first time visitors.  It was quite a hike through the woods, but definitely rewarding.  Along the walls are padlocks of those who have made a commitment to love someone forever.  They were everywhere! 

(Their friend also loaned me an appropriate winter coat, which was very much appreciated!)

The Korean War Museum was closed, but we got to look around at the memorial and aircraft.

Yeah, that's right--it snowed!!!

 You have already gathered from the pictures that it was COLD in Korea. Maybe you didn't think about it, because it's cold where you are, but this was different for me, coming from the Phils.  People living in Korea would say things like, "Oh, it must be so nice and warm in the Philippines!"  No, I would respond.  Don't say that.  It's pretty much hot and humid, not what I would call "nice" or "warm."  Anyway, it's odd for a person like me to be living in the Phils, because I hate hot weather and love fall and winter.  And check out what the Lord sent me--snow!

Now, I know it's not a LOT of snow, but I can't even express how excited I was to see those first few white flakes falling from the sky!  I basically took the blame for the snow in Virginia last year, because I prayed so hard for one really good snowstorm before I moved. We got about three, which was fine with me, since I absolutely love snow.

A local market in Seoul.  I took this photo because it reminded me of Manila. 

It was a great time, and I just loved Korea.  I'm hoping to visit again in the future--and maybe pick up a few more Korean words.  I impressed (I think) my students when I came back with a few words!  I could tell that they missed me, but I could also tell that it meant something to my Korean students that I had seen their home.  I can understand that, because I would love for so many of you to be able to see my life here in the Phils.  Thanks for all of the prayers and support to get me to Korea--it was truly amazing!