Tidbits Tuesday

That's right, friends, I'm bringing it back! It's time for a Tuesday of tidbits. To be honest, I feel so swamped that it took a lot of prodding to make myself write a blog post instead of get some work done. I'm afraid that has been the battle for the last few months, hence the lack of blogging.

But...I remind myself that I do indeed enjoy writing. Even though getting work done is quite satisfying, nothing brings joy quite like a few moments of reflection and sharing.

So enough of the backstory! On to what's new!

• First of all, Rob is tons better. Thank God! He's back to most of his usual duties, cutting out a few things that are just a little too labor-intensive. (Our lawn looks like a meadow!) I'm glad to have things nearly back to normal.
• A few weeks ago, Rob and I took a group to the college retreat at Hume Lake. The last time we were at this retreat was ten years ago when he and I were in college and had barely started dating! The weather was beautiful and the speaker was fantastic. And the main highlight was getting to see Shane Bernard and Shane Everett sing! We have loved them since we first heard them perform at Biola, so it was a real treat. Overall, Hume was a nice getaway and a retreat I hope we do again.

• We are in our sixth week of school, and I finally feel like I'm getting the hang of things. Last year, I taught English in small-group settings, anywhere from three to ten students. I met with each grade-level once a week, and our time felt like a typical class-time setting. This year, I work with students in Independent Study and meet with them one-on-one. I assign their week's work for their classes, go over their assignments, make sure they're taking assessments, and overall serve as their supervising teacher. There is a lot more paperwork and data-keeping this year, as we must report all kinds of information, and I keep up on all of their grades and progress. In addition to being a supervising teacher, I also run a few writing labs and am still putting together all the English curriculum. It's a lot, but I seriously love it. (Not just saying that because anyone can read this!)
• Piano teaching continues. I have about ten students right now, all crammed back-to-back on Mondays. It's a long day! I'm amazed with how far they've come, though, especially those few who began with me three years ago. It's pretty awesome to know I'm part of what they are now :)
• All of our ministries have started up again at church with the new season. I'm helping Rob now in youth group, hopping on-board as his junior high leader Wednesday nights. It's been fun!
• We've had hot weather here, but I think we're all feeling the hints of fall on its way. I made some caramel and bought apples, so I may just take another break from work tonight and whip up a tasty treat.
• And last but not least, very soon Rob and I will be headed off for a Feely family trip to DC! We're super excited and are looking forward to time with Jeff, Deb, and Nathan.

Hope you've had a terrific Tuesday!