Ready or Not, Here it Comes!

I'm back in Brazil. School starts on Monday. We have a ton of students signed up right now. There's alot to do. The school is looking awesome. We have a new library, a new entrance for the cafeteria, and improved classrooms. Desks are coming soon...we hope. My room got a new white board and is becoming alphabetized. Lindsay has a classroom just for the little ones' English. Now the goal is to lesson plan out the wazoo...I sincerley dislike the time it takes to lesson plan. But, Monday will roll around soon enough and I'll have a new class. The thought of it scares me right now. But soon enough they'll be my class. I'll be laughing with them and training them in English, math, science, and living a Christ-centered life. While right now I wish Monday weren't so close, I also know soon I'll be doing one of the things I enjoy most, teaching.

This Month

I took a picture of my mom kissing a dead fish that Sarah & Jonathan tied to a rope.

I comforted my brother.

I saw Laura pregnant.

I had a lot of coffee.

I went to Luke & Limey's wedding and had fun watching them be a married couple.

I heard Joshua yelling EM-AH-LY I LOVE YOU!

I felt James knock me over with a hug and then give me a gentle little peck on the cheek.

I saw the look of joy on Nathan's face as he hit me over the head with a sword and heard me laugh.

I talked to my mom in a way that Skype does not allow.

I was driving down New Rd., with my sister jabbering in the passenger seat, when she says "Wow. My mouth is really tired."

I took James to kindergarten.

I froze in the backseat of a convertible in Florida.

I was proud of Mark.

I sat back and listened to the twenty people crammed in one room celebrating the chaos and joy that is Christmas at the Taylor house.

I heard Jana's delightful African accent.

I ate frosties in a fort with James and Josh.

I saw my mom & dad flirt.

I met my cousin, Alexys.

I was a dinner guest at Luke & Limey's first apartment.

I was thankful for the loads of people who had dinner/coffee with me for the purpose of getting information on how I am doing and praying for me.

I relaxed with my family.

I drove.

I got wet socks from the snow spilling over my shoes.

I had a slumber party with my cousin.

I spent time with my family and friends and enjoyed myself completely.

Here's a long-ish but very fun video of the Taylor Christmas event.
http://chastay.phanfare.com/4500130#imageID=89443908

Leaving

She looked at me with eyes that told me she was content, as she put her arm around me. "Why do you have to leave?" she asked sadly. After sitting in silence for a few minutes, she said "But I want you to go. I just don't like it." "I know", I replied quietly.

Leaving is hard. Always. No matter how many times I do it, it never changes. The problem is love...but the joy is also love. How blessed am I, that I have so many people on different continents whom I love?

Passing of the Past Year

A purple polka-dotted panda brought a plain pre-released year to the picnic table where I paused. The panda said "Please, ma'am, pick up the past year and put it in my paw. I present you with a replacement for the one pending an ending". I pouted for a moment, perusing the past pleasantries of the year passed. I pleaded with the panda not to place the past year in the posthumous log of people and pandas. But as I pouted, the panda pocketed my year and propelled himself past me. In spite of my pleadings, he pitched the plain year on the picnic table and proceeded. And now I ponder what I perceived. The purple polka-dotted panda presents new years and packs the past no matter how pertinacious I may be.