Vienna, Austria

Ben and I just received an e-mail that confirmed our lay over for Ukraine will be in Vienna, Austria. We are now looking into options for visiting that part of Europe for at least a week, and we're even looking into going to Rome! I'm so excited, but I'm trying not to get too excited just in case things don't pan out.

On a side note, Ben has a "My Space" now...go figure. I don't know how everyone does it. I do well to keep up with blogs! There is a picture of the two of us with our nephew Alexander who will be a year old in February. Here's the link: http://www.myspace.com/crazypipedream

A Teacher's Prayer

"Enable me to teach with wisdom, for I help to shape the mind.
Equip me to teach with truth, for I help to shape the conscience.
Encourage me to teach with vision, for I help to shape the future.
Empower me to teach with love, for I help to shape the world."

I had a hard day at work today. I wouldn't even know where to begin if I were to go into detail. I was having such a great week, and then today with all of its turmoil came and tried to rob my joy. As Anne of Green Gables would say, "I'm having a Jonah day." No, I'm not running from God, but it sure feels like I was swallowed by a whale. Good thing it's Friday.

Better Late Than Never...

Okay, so I've finally sat down to blog...where to begin? First of all, I must tell you that Ben and I are FINALLY going to have internet at home again (high speed at that - glory hallelulah!), so that will make it much easier for me to blog. I can blog at school, but typically at school at the end of the day there's chatting, preparation, meetings, chatting... yeah you get the idea.

Life in the classroom is wonderful. I LOVE my kids - that's right - MY kids. I may not have any waiting for me at home at the end of the day (apart from my husband - ha.ha...), but I have 23 that I look after, counsel, teach, and encourage on a daily basis. I'm getting my prayer life back in order and I'm feeling it now...yup, the enemy sure knows how to try and put the pressure on, but I'm up for the challenge.

Ben and I are doing great! We went to UMPI last Friday night to climb the rock wall. I almost made it to the top of one - I takled that puppy three times and I couldn't quite make it - but I will conquer the wall! Ben, of course, being the monkey that he is made it to the top, but later struggled with a more difficult part of the wall - I was proud. I only try that stuff because I know he loves it so much. He sent me flowers to school this week - my favorite - gerber daisies! The best part was that he sent them just to say, "I love you." 3.5 years of marriage and we're still going strong. Of course we get the "When are you having children?" question a lot which is a question I've learned not to ask people. It's in the Lord's hands, and right now it's evident that the Lord wants me with these fifth graders. I'll leave it at that. We're going to the Ukraine on a missions trip in August. We're hoping that we can go a week earlier than the team leaves and do some sight seeing of the place where our lay-over is - Austria (perhaps we could see some surrounding areas). We thought it was going to be London at first. We're just looking into things right now, but we're hopeful! Ben's loan is also paid off (Praise the Lord!) and mine will be (providing we stick to the budget) by the end of May. The car will be paid off in June...God has really blessed us.

We went to the conference in Florida and we had such a blast. It was so much fun to see BBC people that we haven't seen in a long time (and their children - wowzers!). I got food poisoning twice (which I can laugh about now...especially after hearing that Kirk Perry had an awful case like me on the same day...we had eaten together with Ben and Tim the night before). I didn't get to go to Disney as a result, but since I'm better now I'm just thankful to be home and okay (it was that bad...I almost went to the hospital.) Ben, Tim, Kirk, and I also had a case of something from eating together somewhere else, and it hit us all at the same time (we nearly died laughing when we discovered what happened). Perhaps the four of us shouldn't eat together. LOL. Oh the stories I could tell - you should see the photo booth pictures...

Well, Ben has arrived to take me home...I have some Math tests and Problem of the Week assignments that are in need of being marked. I don't know though, with what I had to deal with at school today, and with an unexpected parent showing up (she just needed a listening ear it seemed and some encouragement), I'm wiped!

Looking forward to catching up - Ben's informed me Internet is ready to go at home!!

Sarah :)