More Zambia Pictures

Sarah Scurry sharing the gospel with Audi via the EvangaCube.

Audi putting shoes on one of her boys.

My boys (Gift, Daniel, and Charles) playing a clapping game Audrey and I taught them.

Me with Idah.

Princess, Eneydia, Bridget, and Rachel

Beauty, Idah, Josephine, and Madalisto (I gave her that name -- it means blessing. Her original name was Misozi, which means tears.)

Gift, Thelma, Ruth, and Matongo

Me and Barbara with all the girls

This is Clara.

preparing to be disappointed?

Should I be, really?
Or is it best that I'm hopeful about how my class will listen to me and engage themselves in their own education?
I'm just simply scared. I don't know what I'm doing and I'm afraid that I won't be prepared.
Right now I'm trying to develop my class rules and policies and syllabi. That alone is making me sweat and making my stomach ache.
But I'm going to do it -- and I'm going to do it today, even if I must modify it continuously through the next three weeks before school begins.
How do you facilitate engaged learning? How does a teacher teach without teaching? (Meaning: how do I get the boogers to motivate themselves and thereby give them the single most important thing they'll need in life? Well, besides a Savior.)

Hey peeps, I'm back

Here are a few pics. I'll write TONS later.
This is Sheema. It's the staple meal for Zambians -- they eat it for lunch and dinner.

This is me eating Sheema. Got to love the hair. My partner, Daudi Lifa, who made the meal, is next to me.

This is Audrey with Chisomo. Remember his name, you'll hear more about him soon.

Here are the rest of her boys with her partner, Mutale Damon, and our helper Felix who is wearing the green cap. (My group pics will come later, they are being developed.) The boys are holding certificates we made for them. They say "I am an Ambassador of Truth" and they have our pictures with the kiddos on them. They are very proud of these -- most have never seen a picture of themselves and most do not own anything, even the shoes on their feet are borrowed. When I gave my first group (girls) their certificates they told me (well, so my translator said) that they could not look at them for fear that their tears would hurt the photo.

The following pictures are of our second week where my group of boys prayed for Audrey's group of girls (we were teaching them to care for their brothers and sisters). These two pics are the girls returning the kindness.

whew!

OK so my passport came yesterday morning and I'm leaving today. I'm sure it wouldn't have come if 1. loads of people hadn't prayed for me, 2. Andy's Papa hadn't remembered that he knew the Senator's secretary, and 3. if the Senator's assistant hadn't called and asked for them to overnight it to me. YAY!

Yes, I'm getting nervous. My stomach hurts when I get stressed out and I feel like I can't calm down. So I'm just going to try to focus on enjoying my day with Andy. And if you like, you should contact him and hang out with him while I'm gone. I bet he'll be pretty lonely.

We're driving to Dallas tonight (hopefully we'll see fireworks) and I have to be at the airport in the morning at 8am. Then it is off to Miami and then off to London where I'll spend a whole day hanging out with my sister and her British fiancee. I'll visit one or two places and eat fish 'n chips! Then off to Zambia where we will settle in and be trained to work at the camp!

Keep praying for us! Thank you!

sorry no blogging

I'm sorry I haven't blogged and will not blog for awhile. I'm trying to get everything prepared for my trip to Zambia (my passport STILL isn't here!) and writing thank-you notes and freaking out about the upcoming school year and reading a very VERY long fantasy novel... um... and trying to prepare meals for Andy (for the time I'm gone) and clean the house -- I just don't have brain power to think of things to say.

I hopefully will post updates while on my trip.

;)

mad cows attack again

poor Andy

my classroom

I'm going to try to go look at my classroom tomorrow and so I've been thinking of how to decorate it.
I googled the idea and came back with a lot of really saccharine sweet ideas.
I DO NOT want my classroom to look like a typical Junior High English classroom. It will not be cutesy. I think those teachers are thinking of what old ladies would like, not young teenagers.
But I can't come up with too many ideas!
I've searched for reading posters and the only one I've found that wasn't cutesy is Xmen, and not everyone likes comics.
I was thinking I could scan covers of young adult novels that I have (I have a lot) and make a border around the room with them. Or if that's too expensive I could recreate the cover art as posters.
I also thought if there has to be a bulletin board that I would take funny posed pics of my students the first day of class and we would post them, b/c I'm sure all self focused preteens love pictures of themselves. And they could write a short bio on a note card that would be placed under the photo.
Maybe a grammar poster of some sort, but I don't know how to make that interesting and I'm not sure that I want the rules posted all over the place b/c then I would have trouble covering them up during quizzes.
You have any ideas?
What did you most like about your middle or secondary English classes and teachers?
My favorite thing was my 8th grade teacher Mr. Maher coming to class in a robe and beard screaming, "I AM ZEUS!" He is awesome.

SB Day 7

Okay I was bad Saturday. I went to OKC to meet Bri and her husband for dinner (and to pick up Tran from Amy's) and I ate a salad (we were at a nice Italian place, so it was hard ordering that) and I finished and then Bri said, "hey to do want to split a tiramisu?" and I paused and said, "Sure!"
I didn't eat much of it, really I didn't, and I wanted a whole lot more. So I wasn't too bad, but the effects were bad b/c now all (unlike the other days of diet time) I want is sugar! (proof that what I eat creates cravings for the same thing) I'm dying for some fruit and cold cereal and Blue Bell cookies 'n cream!
But then I weighed myself and I've lost 5.5 pounds. So I'll stick with it a little longer. ;) If I can make it to Zambia still on this stage of the diet than I think I'll have achieved a great deal. Then I can come back home and enjoy a little fruit here and a little Cherrios there. And, perhaps, Andy will take me out for ice cream.

Today, #7, is okay. I've been very good so far, but I have to exercise more. I'm not doing much of that yet.

msn messenger "Dreams"

emily says:
dreams:
emily says:
1. Andy as husband
emily says:
check!
emily says:
2. two doggies
emily says:
check!
emily says:
3. cute home
emily says:
check!
emily says:
4. own cute home
emily says:
5. teaching position!
emily says:
CHECK!
emily says:
6. Nissan Versa
emily says:
.....
emily says:
.....
emily says:
:(
emily says:
7. babies
emily says:
not yet
emily says:
8. couch covers
emily says:
9. various kitchen tools
emily says:
and lastly
emily says:
10. tiny diamond band
emily says:
or two
emily says:
that's all
emily says:
okay?
Andy says:
dang
Andy says:
what a list
Andy says:
what are you supposed to to when you get everything checked off
emily says:
live happily ever after
emily says:
add things for kids
Andy says:
i see
Andy says:
hmmm

SB Diet Day 3

I'm going to quit listing what I ate. I did well today, no cheating! But no exercise so far either b/c...
I had an interview at noon and I got the job! So Andy and I are going out to celebrate (but I will stick to my diet, I'll probably eat seafood and some veggies)! The principle had seven applicants before me but she called me with an offer 16 minutes after I left the building! So that must have been an answer. I feel bad about pouting about my current situation... but now all I can do is thank God and call everyone I know to shout in their ear that "I HAVE A TEACHING JOB! WOOHOO!"

SB Diet Day 2

I really wanted a bagel yesterday.
Today I really wanted a bowl of Cheerios. :(
Breakfast: Egg substitute and 2 pieces of turkey bacon, a cup of milk and a cup of coffee with just a little cream (I know that is cheating...)
Snack:cheese stick and almonds
Lunch:last night's leftovers
Snack:chesse stick and almonds again
Dinner:taco salad! and a jello
Exercise: walk for 30 minutes and 20 minutes of at home exercises.

SB Diet Day 1

Okay so eating to fullness is a fantastic idea. But that alone hasn't helped me loose weight.
So I'm trying the South Beach diet. I choose this one b/c I don't like counting things and b/c my blood chemistry (ratio between LDL and HDL and high triglycerides) is one main part of my health (along with weight, energy level, flexibility) that I want to improve.
The shocker for me, and something I still struggle with, is that I'm seriously overweight. I don't think I look it and I don't feel it, but when my picture is taken I notice it. For most of my life I've had an attractive body and so it is strange to me to not have one now. And I really haven't been thin for the past two and a half years. So something has to change. I want to be proud of how I look in the pictures taken at my sister's wedding. That's 19 weeks. So my goal is to loose 25lbs. by then and 40lbs total. To do that I thought I would confess my progress in my blog as I go. Besides, not many people read it anyway and hopefully I can encourage those who do if they also want to be healthier.
For 4 weeks I can not eat fruit or grains or table sugar. The point is to stay away from carbs that burn too quickly. After 4 weeks I introduce them gradually. I'll probably add the fruit back instead of the bread because I adore fruit and I'm very sorry to see it go, especially in a summer month!
DAY 1
Breakfast: 3 eggs for breakfast and one slice of thinly shaved deli ham.
Coffee without cream or sugar (this is the hardest thing!)
Snack: 15 almonds, yeah I counted them out b/c normally I eat about 40
Lunch: 2 turkey roll-ups (1 slice turkey with red bell pepper strips rolled in a lettuce leaf) ricotta cheese with a little almond extract and stevia and sliced almonds on top. A few broccoli florets dipped in makeshift ranch dip (a little mayo, a little sour cream, dill, garlic salt, pepper).
Snack: celery stick with low fat cheese
Dinner: 1 chicken breast cut up and mixed with cumin, chili powder, garlic, black beans, red bell pepper, chives, avocado, and spinach. Lightly sprinkled with reduced fat colby jack cheese. (I didn't realize until I was eating it that I'm not supposed to have avocado b/c it's a fruit!)
Dessert: sugar free jello (not so bad)

wonderful weekend; monday-like monday

Andy is gone again and I really didn't want him to leave. It seems like I need a day to feel close to him after a long absence and then one more day to be close. Then he leaves. But he can't help it, this month is the most important birding month for his position and if he doesn't get enough data he might have to work an extra field season. Which wouldn't be ideal, but just okay.
Audrey came to visit and it was a lot of fun. Big fun as my friend Jenny says.
I listened to "The Time Traveler's Wife" by Audrey Niffenegger on CD while cleaning the house and enjoyed it. Although it didn't make it into my top ten it's one of the few books I've read that I wish I had written; I can see myself writing a story like this. Fervent, a little sad, and beautiful.
It's hard to recommend books. I know that when I do I'll be judged a little. Even by Andy. But I know that people who aren't dedicated readers or English majors or professors just aren't going to get why I love some stories. And why sometimes my favorite stories have sinful things in them. Well, sin permeates the world, doesn't it? But I know that isn't what people mean. They mean why do I love books where the sin isn't portrayed as sin. All I can say is sometimes I don't recognize my sin unless God (or a friend) points it out to me. And most exceptional novels are not written by christians. I haven't encountered a new Flannery O'Connor or C. S. Lewis. I'm rambling. But I'm bored at work and tired b/c it is hard to sleep when he is gone.
Oh yeah... I forgot to mention that when I mailed about 30 applications to surrounding schools (after a long time spent revising cover letters and resumes) the post office calculated the postage wrong and so I'm getting them returned to me asking for more postage or rejected by principles who aren't willing (why should they be?) to pay 23 cents to get my package. So wasted time. Wasted money. I was mad, of course, but it is okay now. My friend Doug shared with me a verse about God walking on the sea but His footsteps are invisible, meaning, Doug thinks, that we can't see His ways but He is moving. Moving, I hope, to find me a teaching position where I will bloom into the inspiring and engaging teacher I want to be.
I'm hoping. Anxiously even though I shouldn't. Waiting to see what He will do. Also hoping that I won't be bitter if it doesn't happen.

The Hazards of Birding OR Andy's strange day

While Andy was birding he happened upon a field of invasive (foreign plant that spreads) marijuana.
But that's not all.
He was trying to check into a motel (they were full and he stays in a motel b/c he is birding several hours away from home) when a lady begged him for a ride.
He was worried she might steal his work supplies because she looked like she used Meth but that discomfort was soon overshadowed by the discomfort of realizing that he had picked up a prostitute. YES. A Prostitute. I was bothered by this but now I'm just sad for her. I'm hoping that propositioning a complete stranger isn't a normal for her and so Andy, a man who is repulsed instead of attracted to the idea, picking her up would be a good thing. Thankfully he didn't have to take her far and dropped her off at a local grocery store.

mad cows and applications and money matters

I'm enjoying but not enjoying Andy being gone (for those of you who don't know he is doing his field research right now). On one hand, he's not at home and I miss having him around to hug and kiss on and I miss his help around the house. Taking care of both dogs all the time by yourself is annoying. On the other hand, I eat the foods I like, I can go to bed as early as I want with no complaint, and he calls me all the time. I probably talk to him more when he is gone than I do when he is home and I love it.

Today he called me at work around 10 to tell me that he was being attacked by a mad herd of cows. He said that he thought a bull may be charging him but then he saw the utters and he wondered if maybe it was just really really hungry. I had to keep from laughing too loudly (I work in a cubicle) as he told me how he was sampling the birds when all of the sudden a herd of cows began mooing very loudly and almost galloping to get near him. He began to move quickly away when he realized that they were cornering him against an electric fence. So being the brilliant man he is he went to the creek and for some reason the cows didn't want to cross and stood there mooing at him from the other side. I get a little nervous around a herd of cattle (b/c they look so dumb, I'm afraid they'll stupidly trample me) so picturing Andy running from a crazed herd is hilarious to me.

I've sent out over 20 cover letters and resumes to the schools within a thirty mile radius of my home. I'm still praying that God will bless me with a position where I'm not bored and where I feel useful/fulfilled/needed. Now I'm trying to guess at the appropriate time when I should call these principles and introduce myself and remind them of my resume. I wish I could go do this in person, but I have to take care of the dogs on my lunch break and I'm not allowed vacation time (since I'm using more than I'm supposed to for Zambia). I am so sick of sitting in front of a computer all day. I want to talk to people -- I especially want to talk to people about their lives and about stories and novels. I just don't understand why there are so many apathetic teachers out there and here I am, desperately wanting a teaching job -- a chance to see if I am who I think I am. Or to become who I want to be. I donno. I feel like screaming at the heavens like an annoying and impatient child, so I have to make myself calm down and wait. ugh!

I emailed this link to most of you, but check it out if you haven't: www.strawmanjesus.com

And on the website of the church who created Strawman Jesus, I found this quote (which I thought was good and it is what I've been thinking about lately -- money matters and how I want to handle my money in reflection of what God has done for me and of the poor billions of neighbors who need me to not be selfish):
"There is no better marker of the condition of our heart than the condition of our checkbook. Here's basically where we land on the whole money thing. God has redeemed you, sent is Son to a brutal atoning death by which you are forgiven of every single one of your sins, blessed you with every heavenly blessing, given you eternal life, adopted you into His family as a joint-heir with Jesus, brought your from darkness to light... and you're going to throw $10 in the offering? Do you realize that God uses our giving to continue His redeeming work among us through the existence of a local church that preaches the Gospel and loves the culture? When these truths hit home, you find yourself joyfully giving to the work of God."

overwhelmed

I am overwhelmed by the response I've had concerning my mission trip to Zambia.
Mercifully, I've had only one hateful remark -- the gospel is offensive and I'm sure I'll continue to offend. I offend with or without the gospel, don't I? I'm not sure that is a good thing... Anyway, back on topic.
The love I have been shown by my old church families and my biological family is astounding. My father supported me financially, even though he didn't want me to go. My Aunt Debbie set the record of sending Audi and me $1,000 each. Wow! My grandparents supported a friend of ours who didn't have enough fund money to go and my mom has provided things to sell in the garage sale she's planning and the revenue is going to purchase items for the Zambian children. My Mema and my aunt Susie provided us with names and addresses of extended family and friends, who in response sent us fund money. Because of these people Audi and I raised our total $8000 goal in a very short time period.
Fellowship Church of Russellville sent a large donation and some members did also. FCR also sent out postcards encouraging parents to raise "mission-minded children" by providing items to send with me to give the Zambian children. A few members of Trinity Bible Church in Richardson have supported me financially and are praying for me. Grace Stillwater Church is collecting items from me and today I had emails saying that they have 20 Bibles and a load of toothbrushes and toothpaste already! That's only one day after the request! I praise God for showing me His love and support and I am so thankful for these people who have actively shown me love. Thank you! (and FCR I miss you so so much)

one other thing

I forgot to mention that I passed my certification tests and am now applying for teaching positions. If you think of it, please pray for me. I would really like to get an offer from a school in the next five weeks (before I leave for Africa) because then I wouldn't have to return to my current position and could use that last two weeks of summer to prepare myself to face a group of teenagers. Whew! I'm nervous already!

just thinking

I was in the bathroom (all great thoughts occur in the bathroom, right?) and I was thinking about how much I love my younger sister. I am so thankful for her. She's funny, nice, a godly and genuine woman. But more than that, I have a longer history with her than I do anyone else. I can still remember a few things from when we were younger and I remember that I always knew (even when we didn't get along and when she moved away to A&M and when we didn't like who the other was becoming) that she would always be my favorite. I knew we would grow close again. It really wasn't an option not to. So I thank God for her.

Combine that gift with my most favorite person, Andy, and I have no reason to complain about anything. Who cares that I don't like my job or that my car bumper is falling off? Why should I care when God has given me two wonderful people who I know will always be there to participate in life with me as long as we are alive.

And yes, my sentimentality is mostly because I'm sleepy. I'm a much sweeter person when I'm this tired. But if I'm tired and stressed, well, just stay away, b/c probably only Andy and Audrey can handle me in that case.

ants in my pants

I just drank an energy drink and then used my entire lunch break to get groceries (why?) so I didn't get to eat (again, why?). I'm antsy and anxious.
Whew!
My grandparents (mema and pop) are coming over tonight b/c they are passing through OK. I'm very excited. I miss them a lot. During my growing pain years I would drive over to their house at least every other day even if they weren't home. I feel comfortable around them even when we don't talk. They fed me, listened to me, put up with me without comment - they truly loved me. I cannot wait to be a grannie. I want to be called Graham. I have to have the kids first, I guess, before I can have the grand kids.

rust never sleeps

Andy and I are finding that if you don't use it, you loose it.
I'm forgetting English grammar terms and historical facts.
Andy is a little rusty on bird calls and plants.
I feel dumber now that I'm not in school, but that isn't true. I'm just learning new things, I hope...
I hope I'm spending more time (than I was) focusing on myself. Meaning: my spiritual life, my maturity, and my personality. I want to change and I didn't feel as if I had time or energy to even think about that during graduate school.
Now I'm trying to morph my habits into healthier ones.
So I can finally figure it all out, right? Right?
Nope. But I have more time to think about it. ;)
And, hopefully, hear and obey God. I want those two things more than anything.