Another Tasty Names Family Update

There's been lots and lots going on, as usual!

First, let me just tell you about my subbing experiences. For the most part, they've been fun. In our town, we have two high schools. There is the one where Buffalo Wings teaches, and then there's . . . the other one. The other one is scary. I love kids. I love working with the kids. But when I start to fear the kids, that's when I call it quits. And having a police officer summoned to a class in which I am subbing (more than once, by the way), helps me make that decision to call it quits. So I don't go to the other one anymore. I stick to BW's school. And I like it. I could discuss with you the many reasons for the differences at each school, but I'll save that for another post.

My favorite sub position so far has been for the tennis coach. She teaches computers and coaches tennis. Enough said.

I've also enjoyed my days at elementary school. It's kind of like a break for me. The kids are so cute and sweet in second grade! But as much as I like those days, I never regret my decision to become certified in 8-12 English, and not in elementary education. I just feel that I am really called to work with teenagers. I love those guys!

Speaking of my certification, it's all going well. So far, the work is not too difficult. I spoke to a friend of mine about it, about how I was a little scared that I wasn't finding the work to be as difficult as I thought it should be. My friend is an administrator at a school, and taught English for several years before that. She said, "I think that people who just naturally have the gift to educate will find the work to be easier." That was encouragement to me, because I have been apprehensive throughout the entire process. (Am I making the right decision? Will I make a good teacher? Etc.)

Having BW to help me is great, too, and does make the work less challenging. Since he is a teacher and has gone through all the education classes before, it's all familiar to him and he is of great help whenever I need to ask questions. I like that, because the class is all online. I need some kind of interaction. BW is the best!

The pregnancy is going . . . well . . . um, it's going. First trimester blues have set it. By that I mean, I wish I could eat. Just eat. Just say, hey, I'm hungry! We have peanut butter and bread! I'll have a peanut butter sandwich! But, no. Things don't work that way with me in the first trimester. I have to walk on egg shells around my food. I don't want to make it mad, or it will show itself again. So I'm picking and choosing the food wisely and taking my Zofran around the clock and so far, I've only thrown up a few times. Poor BW is picking up the slack and really pulling double duty on my hardest days. He's so great. I'm so glad I found him out there in Iowa!

The kids are doing great and are very excited about Christmas! My parents, brother, brother's girlfriend, and my nephew will all be coming down here from Arkansas. Noodle has been singing this song, something she wrote all by herself:
"Oh, please, Santa, come to our house! Oh, please, Christmas, come to our town!"
Yes, it's cute. For about the first forty times. But she gets louder and louder and louder, because, she says, she wants to make sure Santa can hear her.

Banana is really into football these days. He loves to throw his Nerf football all around, spike it, say "touchdown!" and run his football all over the house and then fall down on the floor with it. It is really cute.

Chicken Nugget is still doing great in school. She had benchmarks last week, as they get ready for the big standardized test coming up soon. She blew the top off all her tests! This week is full of Christmas activities at school. Today, they brought in a snow machine and all the kids had a "snow day" during PE. It is crazy! To live in a place where, if the kids want to see snow, it has to be fake and brought in by a machine! But they love it, you know.

I'm still teaching first and second grade Sunday School at church and am still in the choir. I've been able to participate a lot more since I quit my retail job (YAY! NO MORE RETAIL FOR ME!). We also got a new pastor at church, which we are all very excited about. I'm looking forward to all that this year will hold for our church. We've faced many challenges, but God is so good and faithful and He is still working in our community, state, country, and world. I'm constantly amazed by His grace and goodness.

That's about it for now. Wishing you all a Very Merry Christmas! And sending much love from the Tasty Names family to yours -
God's richest blessings on you all!