Settling in.

So it has officially been over a week since my father and I skillfully packed up a mini van and my lovely tracer to move down to Kansas City.  It feels like a lot has happened since then, yet at the same time I am only on the tip of the iceberg when it comes to my actual job and settling in.  All week I have had chances to get into my classroom and start setting things up little by little.  I love to get a little creative, so my classroom theme this year is "Wild about Learning."  I have a lot of fun jungle things that tie into this.  I have this huge square post in the side of my room that I turned into a tree that will be our "Chicka Chicka Boom Boom" tree that our letters and sounds will move up.  I even have a song and dance to go with it after we have mastered the different blends... gotta keep things light and interesting :)  

Tomorrow, bright and early, I start new teacher orientation at Derrick Thomas Academy (DTA).  I am excited to meet everyone and learn more about my school.  I feel like a lot of questions will be answered and my worries will be pushed aside once I have a better feel for the expectations and curriculum at the school.  There is just far too much to take in right now, so I will stick with taking one day at a time.

In 5 days I will be driving back up to Iowa to be in one of my best friend Mandy's wedding.  I am so excited to share this day with her and Chad and see all of my friends again. Sadly, it will be a VERY short trip, because school starts Monday, August 15th and we have a parent open house on Sunday, August 14th.  It will be a full and crazy week, but I will live by the motto that God never gives me more than I can handle! 

A lot of things are a blur to me right now, but there are a couple things I know for sure...

God brought me here to KC to work with 1st graders for a reason.

There is no way I will be able to do this on my own. 

I am about to start one of the biggest adventures of my life and I am filled with terror, excitement, joy, worry, and hope all at the same time.  

God has a plan, and I am doing my very best to humbly follow it.  

My God is a pretty awesome God.  

And on that note, I will leave you...