Celebrating in ESL

 This semester I taught the Beginner 1 ESL class. I had no idea that I was going to teach this semester when I started last fall or that I even had the ability to teach. So when class was finished last week, it felt like a huge personal accomplishment.

Since that night was Bob's birthday, I decided to surprise him with an ice cream cake and use "birthday" words for the new vocabulary. It turned out to be really fun. Bob was surprised and the students enjoyed celebrating him. 

There were only 8 students there last week. I had as many as 17 students. I had the best teaching helpers this semester. 4 of them were teenagers, 2 of them were in their 20s and Bob is retired. It helped so much to be able to have the students work in small groups with an English speaker. 

One of our students got his drivers license this month. It was really inspiring to watch the students come to class every week and hear their English speaking improve. 

Will I teach again? I don't know. I enjoyed it more than I thought I would. I was also better at teaching than I expected. It just depends on what life looks like by September.

Recent Fun

 I went to a women's retreat in Annapolis with some women from church. It was a fast paced 24 hours of worship and speakers. I came home with a headache and pretty tired, but it was fun. I'm glad I went.

While Jeremy and I took the big kids to a concert, Isaiah stayed with Ezra for the afternoon and night. Isaiah has been counting down to this day...he could hardly wait! I was a little skeptical about whether he would actually spend the night, but he had no problems. He had THE BEST time. Gideon put Isaiah in a gilly suit for hide and seek.

Meanwhile, Jeremy and I were taking 6 teenagers to a Tauren Wells concert in Baltimore. There were 8 of us so we had to take two cars. I drove the smaller car with Anna and her friend. It was a perfect set up because the girls watched a DVD both ways and could be quiet when they were tired and done. Jeremy's car kept up the hype, music and conversation for the 2.5 hours both ways.

The concert was really fun. It was a good combination of pure entertainment and worship. It culminated with Tauren running through the audience and into the balcony (where we were). Josiah and Anna got high fives from him.

We got home at 1am and I was again thankful for the flexible homeschool schedule that allows us to make ridiculous concert trips on school nights.

 

Celebrating Aliza and Josiah

 The highlight of birthdays at our house is that the birthday person gets the day off of school. Josiah's day was filled with playing chess with whoever would play with him...

...and playing Super Smash Bros when everyone else was finished with school. I feel like Chess and Super Smash Bros on on the extreme spectrums of game types. The kids really did have fun playing together. 

Ramen for supper and chocolate covered strawberries was the request for supper.

Aliza's entire goal for her birthday was to stay in her pajamas and do nothing. From my perspective, it appeared to be a successful day for her. When Grandad invited her to get Island Creamery with him, she requested that he bring it to her. He did! And they sat at the table, the 2 of them, and had a lovely little time together.

I made steak, shrimp and chicken hibachi and Jeremy brought home sushi for Aliza's birthday supper. And then It was a brownie ice cream pie for dessert.

Grandma and Grandpa have kept up the tradition of coming for birthday weekend--17 years now! I really don't think they have every had to miss one. Grandma and Grandad and some of the aunts/uncles/cousins that were available came over Saturday afternoon for ice cream cake. It was a nice enough day for the kids to play outside.

 

After church we ate at Arby's and then it was back to normal life. Jeremy's parents headed home and Aliza headed to theater practice for the afternoon.

Joy Dare::February

9885. Reading with Isaiah
9886. An extra evening at home
9887. Watching the vacuum work
9888. Love for Daddy

9889. Holding a baby at ESL
9890. Anna really excited about her audio book
9891. Listening to the Gospels
9892. A change of plans worked out well
9893. Craft evening with a friend
9894. The guys had fun together

9895. The bread outlet
9896. Aliza making progress
9897. So compelled by The Chosen
9898. Ordering pictures
9899. A little morning decorating
9900. Talking to my mom
9901. Aliza came home happy from choir
9902. Cookie baking
9903. Hard math day but we made it
9904. Tea with Maria
9905. Aliza and Anna love talking at night
9906. Very easy trip
9907. All the baby snuggles
9908. Family slumber party
9909. Joel's car is running again
9910. A day to soak up newborn life
9911. Josiah's boys small group
9912. Podcasts to listen to on the drive home
9913. Winter break in the schedule
9914. Grocery shopping myself
9915. Talking to Christie
9916. Warmer weekend
9917. No one complains about going to church
9918. Cheese board
9919. An afternoon with Mom
9920. Super Bowl with my family
9921. An unexpected evening at home for Aliza
9922. Isaiah singing at the top of his lungs
9923. Daffodil blooms
9924. Writing Valentine notes
9925. Chocolate fondue and family evening
9926. Valentine lilies blooming
9927. Aliza's love for people
9928. Nighttime talks with Josiah
9929. Open windows
9930. Lydia with us for the day
9931. Teaching an abstract ESL lesson
9932. Aliza is so much happier today
9933. Sitting with Jeremy, holding hands
9934. Aliza running out to the next fun thing, cookies in hand
9935. Ugly Pie quiche for brunch
9936. Isaiah was really great while the adults talked
9937. John cut down branches for us
9938. Another social hurdle crossed for Isaiah
9939. Aliza and Josiah dressed up
9940. Staying up late to finish a book
9941. Yellow in the winter

9942. Chicken pot pie soup
9943. The evening with Janell
9944. Aliza smiling
9945. Walking around the yard to look at sprouting plants
9946. Riding bike with Isaiah
9947. Just enough energy for the day
9948. Watching the youth group antics
9949. Friends to play with this afternoon
9950. The most beautiful spring day in winter
9951. All of us outside this afternoon
9952. The way teenagers can laugh hysterically
9953. Finishing school on Friday
9954. Supper with just Isaiah and Sean
9955. The 3 big kids had such a fun evening
9956. Snow flurries were pretty
9957. Holding a baby for the evening
9958. A house full of teenagers playing games
9959. Ezra's baptism
9960. My family coming over for lunch
9961. Aliza got home earlier than scheduled
9962. The feeling of my smallness compared to God's bigness
9963. Celebrating Josiah
9964. Chess playing
9965. His siblings telling Josiah all the things they love about him
9966. A long evening home together

 

 

 Happy 17th Birthday Aliza!

You are smart, kind and beautiful inside and out! You light up every room you are in with your smile, energy and joy. I can't even begin to imagine the adventures you will have this year, but it's going to be FUN!