Smile, your puppy loves you!

I'd forgotten how busy the beginning of a semester can be. All the students are trying to get into the right classes and showing up to the wrong ones, systems aren't working properly, and being a new hire doesn't help the situation. So forgive me if I don't blog too often in the next week or so. I've got too many students to email and call.... too many papers to grade.... and fancy copy machines to figure out. Yesterday I spent 1.5 hours trying to figure out which printer the computer in my office printed to. I think I ran up and down the stairs between the 2nd and 3rd floors about 10 times! Who hooks a computer up to a printer that isn't on the same floor!?! These are the things I deal with! (but the students are totally worth it!) (oh, I'm pretty happy with life again!)

Life is Frustrating at the moment

I'm kinda angry with life today. I have a lot of things to get done, a lot of people to help, and many worries. But the more I try to organize things and plan my time, the less people are willing to work with me. I just want straight answers. Just let me know what you want and I'll figure out a way to work it all out. But instead I'm stuck here in limbo.

Summer's Over

Tomorrow officially starts fall. Well, at least for me. The fall semester begins for me tomorrow, but at least I get to start of easy with only teaching one class. It really kicks in on Monday when I'll teach 3 classes. I think by Monday I'll be pretty prepared.

Last weekend Joel and I went up to Mackinaw City and Mackinac Island. We had a great time despite the rain and 20 mph winds which kept us from parasailing. We played some miniature golf, ate fudge, took a carriage(wagon) tour of the Island, ate fudge, tasted some local wine, ate rock candy (my favorite) and enjoyed the whirlpool.

Stokley had a little vacation too. He stayed with some friends that have two black labs and they played all weekend long. He even got to go to a pool party and play with more dogs. Isn't he spoiled? But I'm glad he has so many puppy pals --- plus they tire him out a lot!

My brother and his wife found out they are moving to Houston, Texas next month. My brother is an electrical engineer, so his job moves him every 2-3 years. They're excited about the move even though its short notice. Tony starts on October 3! Woa! Only one month to pack and sell their condo and find a new home in Houston. We might be enjoying a warm, sunny Christmas this year.

I think that's about all the excitement that has been going on in my life lately. We're still waiting for Molly to have her baby. It could be anytime now.

I'm gonna miss him

I'm going to miss this little guy while we're on our short vacation to Mackinac Island. Isn't he soo cute!

A Godsend day!

Well, I am now the proud ocuppier (is that a word?) of an office on Michigan State Campus! I got the job teaching Trig! I'm super excited about the whole deal. But wow -- do I have a lot to do before the 29th when the class begins!

Thanks for all of those who prayed that I'd get this job. With this class and the other two LCC classes that I'm teaching on Michigan State Campus, I'll have the opportunity to meet about 200 MSU students! Pretty cool!

The opportunity is getting closer!

I have a job interview tomorrow at MSU for the Trig class. I'm so excited about it! If I get it, I'll have 135 students in my class --- thats more than my other three classes combined (84)! But thankfully I'd have graders to help me.

It's a small world after all, it's a small world after all...

After church last night I was talking to a friend about watching Stokley when I felt a tap on my shoulder. I turned around and there was a girl from college, Michelle, who was on my hall my sophomore year and was in my growth group! Come to find out, she's at med school at MSU! It was really cool to get to connect with her for a little bit. I'm excited to be able to hang out with her and catch up with what's happened in her life over that last two years.

The opportunity I've been hoping for..

Today I was awoken from a nap (which I've been taking a lot of lately) by a phone call from a colleague from LCC. He has some connections to MSU and found that they are still in need of someone to teach a Trig class. The times fit perfectly into my schedule, so I send off my resume to MSU and hope to hear something soon!
It would be awesome to teach there this semester and hopefully teach 1 or 2 classes there besides my LCC classes. I hope this will be the opportunity I've been hoping for!

Searching For God Knows What

I just finished reading "Searching for God Knows What" by Donald Miller, the "Blue like Jazz" guy. Wow! What a great book. I know some people couldn't get into this book, but I think anyone who struggles with their self-esteem or with God's love for them should read it. Miller takes a look at relationship aspect of Adam and Eve and the Fall. He talks about how before the Fall, Adam and Eve found their identity and worth in God. But now, after the fall we look for it in other places. Then at the end of the book, he takes a look at the story of Romeo and Juliet and the similarities between this story and Jesus' love story. It's a fairly fast read and definately worth you time! I'd be happy to lend out my copy if anyone wants to borrow it.

It's been too long

Wow, I've been a slacker and haven't posted in a really long time, well not as long as JR or anything! This past week I was busy getting ready for Joel's birthday poker party on Friday night which was so much fun! Plenty of guys and their wives showed up and I had my first ever margarita. But I'm not sure I'm a big fan of them... alcohol is just not my thing. Nonetheless, I had a great time and I think everyone else did too.

I love having people over. Growing up I can't remember very many night when it was just our family eating. My dad or my brother or I always had friends over. My dad had a single friend who ate dinner with us about 4 times a week. I miss that. I miss having people drop over randomly but I want my house to be welcoming like that for my friends and for Joel's friends and eventually for our children's friends. So feel free to stop over --- I'm not working nights this semester, so I'll actually be home!

Vanilla

Life's been pretty calm lately. I've finished up the summer semmester and now am enjoying some free time. I haven't blogged much lately because I haven't had much to talk about. Life is kind of vanilla. But hey, vanilla is good!