Citizens of Earth....

I propose a universal vote to extend the weekend!!! Too bad it's already Monday in China...

Tomorrow, I start student teaching in a new school. I have nerves like it's the first day all over again. In a way, I guess it is. I wonder if I'll feel the same way year after year, no matter how long I have been teaching?

Last Day at the Elementary School

Coming into my elementary placement, I was scared out of my mind. Who was afraid of the 1st grader? Obviously me. I felt unprepared and overwhelmed. I didn't admit to my teacher that I had never taught in elementary school until I had a successful lesson, two weeks into my experience. Oh my pride. I didn't add my elementary certification until junior year because I was certain that it was something that I did not want. God had other plans....His plans are always better than our own. I left this past Thursday with mixed feelings of sadness and joy. I cannot believe how much I loved my time there. I fell in love with my students. Children have a joy and innocence that is contagious. Many of them love freely and without question. If you believe in them, they blossom and accomplish much more than you could ever imagine.
I have been particularly burdened for one of my 6th grade students this school year. He has a very rough past, and you can see it simply though viewing the way he carries himself. The innocence of his youth has been ripped away from him by a cruel world. Just this week, I witnessed a miracle. He has been struggling with a project for countless days, and he just could not comprehend it. By the Grace of God, I was honored to see the light turn on in this boy's head. Whatever was blocking his comprehension was lifted! I cannot begin to tell you what joy it brought to my heart to see him succeed. In this same class, two of my other students who were struggling made the same break through. Words cannot express how proud I was. It brought tears to my eyes to see the accomplishment in their faces. My supervising teacher was gone the day that these boys accomplished so much. She came back and asked me how I accomplished a miracle. It was not me, but God....I did nothing out of the ordinary with them. God provided the exact direction I needed to help these students. It was so hard for me to leave them after seeing this progress. Yet, I know my teacher is wonderful and fully loves these children. However, I still want to be there for them. I want to see them succeed and witness their shoulders lift...their heads raise. Yet, I am thankful because as I reflect, I recognize that seeing these students succeed was His gift to me. Through this, God showed me that He is working through me. He was showing that my work made a difference and an impact.
So many more amazing things happened this week, and I am beyond blessed. My favorite class (I'll admit it...I am prejudiced) made me cards this week and brought them to me. This too almost made me cry. I'll have to post pictures of these cards; they are hilarious. I particularly love when children don't know how to spell, so they write one work when really they mean to write something that means the exact opposite. Just wait until I share....you'll love it.
I am blessed beyond measure for this I am grateful!

Cave Paintings

After school I help with bus duty. Some of the kindergartners line up next to the building to wait for their bus. I normally go and talk to them while they wait. Friday, one of the boys was simply being a five year old. He was practicing his balance by lifting one leg off of the ground and freezing....then he would put the leg down. Next he would lift the other leg and freeze. In combination with this, he would also contort his arms as well and freeze. I think you get the picture. Anyway, the following is his one sided conversation with me.

Student: "Miss Felix, you know what?"

Me: "What?"

Student: "If there was a tiger in front of me right now...he wouldn't be able to see me."

Me: "Yes?!?" (I was thinking his response would relate to his ability to "freeze")

Student: "Because I look just like a cave painting. The tiger would think my body was painted
on the wall"

Me: ".....(no response)"

I have no idea where a five year old would learn about cave paintings.....

My Beloved Apartment

I live in one of the oldest apartments on campus. I love it...and have stated that I like it because it is much more "real world". I was right.

The bathroom sink fell off the wall today.

Soon to come....

Hair Cutting, Cave Paintings, and children born in the form of a lion????

What do these have in common? Elementary school children....