Well. I cannot believe this night has actually come. It seems like just yesterday that I landed in Brisbane not knowing what was in store for me; yet when I think of everything that has happened between now and then I cannot believe that it has only been 11 weeks. I have been through some big ups and downs through my time here, but God has taught me patience, trust, faith, and reliance. I am so blessed to have had this opportunity. I would like to thank everyone for their thoughts, prayers, and support while I have been away- you are all a blessing in my life. I would love to catch up with anyone who wants to when I get back in the states; I will land Wednesday evening if you would like to give me a ring in a couple of days I would love to chat.
Tonight was a great way to end the journey. The Podlichs have been so much fun to stay with (Chris Podlich is a friend from Concordia who is from Brisbane), I have loved getting to know his mom, and she was so happy to have a girl in the house for a change since it is usually just her, her husband, and the two boys. We went out for fish and chips this evening for dinner and then for gelato and coffee. When I type my last words I am headed to pack my bags (my huge stuffed bags) and then hit the sack so I can get a good nights sleep before a couple days of travelling. This family is yet another reason to come back and visit Australia.......one day I will be back. Until then. Hope all is well stateside and cheers from down under.
Pslam 73:28 "But as for me, it is good to be near God. I have made the sovereign Lord my refuge. I will tell of all your deeds."
Tuesday, May 29, 2012
Thursday, May 24, 2012
Leaving the way I came
So today is my last day with my kids. I am writing during our class writing time, and I cannot believe that I will leave Kingaroy in a few hours. Today was supposed to be Winter Carnival for the kids where they go to a different school and compete in various sports. I was scheduled to go with the soccer teams, but weather can always make you implement plan B. The forecast was for really heavy showers today so Winter Carnival was postponed until next Friday; sad because I was excited to watch the kids compete. Also a bit sad because yesterday was supposed to be the last day I had to plan something, haha. Well nevermind that, I got to plan for today as well! I mean don't get me wrong I am happy to have another day with my class, but it was like telling a little kid they were done for the summer, then making them go to school and do homework for another day.......just disappointing. :)
I will be heading out this evening at around 4:30 hopefully; Chris and his mom are going to come pick me up and we will drive all the way back to Brisbane tonight. I am excited for the next few days, it will be fun to see Chris again and have a few days to relax in Australia before I head back home. My journey away from Kingaroy will look just like my one in. Cloudy and rainy. I came in the rain, and I will drive away for the last time in the rain... couldn't be more appropriate.
I will keep you updated on my next few days. Cheers from Down Under, and hope all is well stateside; I will be joining the other side of the world again in 5 days.
I will be heading out this evening at around 4:30 hopefully; Chris and his mom are going to come pick me up and we will drive all the way back to Brisbane tonight. I am excited for the next few days, it will be fun to see Chris again and have a few days to relax in Australia before I head back home. My journey away from Kingaroy will look just like my one in. Cloudy and rainy. I came in the rain, and I will drive away for the last time in the rain... couldn't be more appropriate.
I will keep you updated on my next few days. Cheers from Down Under, and hope all is well stateside; I will be joining the other side of the world again in 5 days.
Monday, May 21, 2012
Smells like flowers, stings like a bee
I know that is not the real expression, but has described my week both literally and figuratively. I began this week feeling the sting- literally.
I came back on Saturday evening and was going to get my washing from the line outside. The light on the side of the house was on, but it was still dark outside. First shirt off the line, just fine, went to grab the second one, and OOOUUUUCCHHH!! My first reaction, was I got bit by something! So I ran inside and ran it under cold water. Sonya took the torch (flashlight) outside to check if she could see anything. We have killed a few redback spiders around the house lately so we just wanted to make sure it was nothing like that. She would not find anything out there, but my hand had not completely swelled up so we figured whatever it was, it was not too poisonous, ha. She took the rest of the laundry down and we were going through it piece by piece to make sure nothing was in the rest of the clothes. Well we picked up the shirt that I had grabbed, and it was still there.......a bee. Yes, I went to Australia, the home of the most poisonous snakes and spiders and got stung by a stinking bee. Not that I wanted to be in the hospital, but it is really just not a very cool story- it did hurt really badly though! Right on the pinky finger. So that was my literal sting for this week. The other sting has been starting to say goodbye to people. Greame left at the end of last week, and I have had to say goodbye to my principal and other staff members that I won't see again before I leave as well as the church family that I have grown to know since I have been here. It is a very bittersweet process. It is interesting the support systems that grow when you are away from everything that you know.
On the other hand, I am smelling the flowers; I will see home in one weeks time. I am very excited to see my family! and then friends when I head up to Nebraska. It will be a great time being at home once again, before real life really has to hit. I plan on sitting by the pool with my mom and my grandma, and helping out my dad most of the summer. Of course I am excited to go to weddings this summer as well. That is the sweet I have to look forward to, but the literal sweet smell I got this week was the most beautiful bouquet of Australian native flowers, and a huge box of snickerdoodle cookies:) I told you a while back that there was another American family here at the school from Missouri, well I have Abby in my history class, so she and another student, Lucy, baked me the cookies, and Abby's mom got me the flowers. The 7th grade class made me a card that a bunch of kids signed, it was so sweet. After chapel on Monday Helen (my principal) gave me a little farewell to the school. I just feel so blessed to be a part of this wonderful community for these 8 weeks. I will truly miss everyone.
I came back on Saturday evening and was going to get my washing from the line outside. The light on the side of the house was on, but it was still dark outside. First shirt off the line, just fine, went to grab the second one, and OOOUUUUCCHHH!! My first reaction, was I got bit by something! So I ran inside and ran it under cold water. Sonya took the torch (flashlight) outside to check if she could see anything. We have killed a few redback spiders around the house lately so we just wanted to make sure it was nothing like that. She would not find anything out there, but my hand had not completely swelled up so we figured whatever it was, it was not too poisonous, ha. She took the rest of the laundry down and we were going through it piece by piece to make sure nothing was in the rest of the clothes. Well we picked up the shirt that I had grabbed, and it was still there.......a bee. Yes, I went to Australia, the home of the most poisonous snakes and spiders and got stung by a stinking bee. Not that I wanted to be in the hospital, but it is really just not a very cool story- it did hurt really badly though! Right on the pinky finger. So that was my literal sting for this week. The other sting has been starting to say goodbye to people. Greame left at the end of last week, and I have had to say goodbye to my principal and other staff members that I won't see again before I leave as well as the church family that I have grown to know since I have been here. It is a very bittersweet process. It is interesting the support systems that grow when you are away from everything that you know.
On the other hand, I am smelling the flowers; I will see home in one weeks time. I am very excited to see my family! and then friends when I head up to Nebraska. It will be a great time being at home once again, before real life really has to hit. I plan on sitting by the pool with my mom and my grandma, and helping out my dad most of the summer. Of course I am excited to go to weddings this summer as well. That is the sweet I have to look forward to, but the literal sweet smell I got this week was the most beautiful bouquet of Australian native flowers, and a huge box of snickerdoodle cookies:) I told you a while back that there was another American family here at the school from Missouri, well I have Abby in my history class, so she and another student, Lucy, baked me the cookies, and Abby's mom got me the flowers. The 7th grade class made me a card that a bunch of kids signed, it was so sweet. After chapel on Monday Helen (my principal) gave me a little farewell to the school. I just feel so blessed to be a part of this wonderful community for these 8 weeks. I will truly miss everyone.
My lovely gift givers and my gifts:)
Beautiful flowers, a huge box of cookies (after I shared them with my whole class), my card, and the hat I got from my class.
Gorgeous!
Friday, May 18, 2012
Elephants and Akubras
Hello all!!! So, it is a lovely Saturday morning, and it actually feels like a Saturday for once. I got to sleep in and we are just relaxing, probably headed to Towoomba in a bit. Anyway, just a few minor updates for you. This week was a bit challenging, and not because my teaching was so difficult, but it feels like it is really coming to an end, and I realized that I am not sure if I am ready for that. This was my last week with my PE classes because next week both of my Co-ops are gone and my principal is gone so I am becoming the full time year 6 teacher with all of the classes- it should be interesting. I had to say goodbye to Greame yesterday and it was pretty sad, him and I got along so well and I gained so many ideas and knowledge from him. He is taking some of his long service leave starting next week so I will not see him again before I leave. Tanya will be back next Friday so I will have an opportunity to have one more day with her and then say my farewells. Honestly, since I have been here, beginning in second term I have felt more like one of the staff than a student teacher and have been treated as such. It was just such a great experience and really showed me what teaching is like- the best part is that I have found out just how much I love it. God certainly had a plan for sending me here.
Second thing is coolest.....gift.......ever. My class gave me a gift at the end of this week because both of my co-ops will be gone next week. They gave me an Akubra hat. So sweet. I am pretty sure my brother Ben will appreciate this more than most, but this hat is great, I feel like a true country Australian now, haha. Oh and they gave me a drink hugger that has Kingaroy on it. I love my class:) I am going to miss those kids.
I will leave you with just a little story from my prep class. We were playing a game called Abracadabra- best game ever if you want a good chuckle, but I digress. I am the magician and I get to change them into different animals or whatever I want. So at the current moment the kids were supposed to be elephants; I was setting up some hoops and beanbags for the next game when one of the little girls (I have written about this one before) came up and started chatting to me. I just smiled at her and told her elephants are not supposed to talk. She then preceded to raise her arm up to her head and swing it around, like you would do if you were pretending to have a trunk, and then continued talking. Hahaha. I guess elephants really can talk. You learn something new every day :)
Cheers from down under, I hope all is well stateside.
10 days left in Australia.
Isaiah 55:8-9 "For my thoughts are not your thought, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts"
Second thing is coolest.....gift.......ever. My class gave me a gift at the end of this week because both of my co-ops will be gone next week. They gave me an Akubra hat. So sweet. I am pretty sure my brother Ben will appreciate this more than most, but this hat is great, I feel like a true country Australian now, haha. Oh and they gave me a drink hugger that has Kingaroy on it. I love my class:) I am going to miss those kids.
I will leave you with just a little story from my prep class. We were playing a game called Abracadabra- best game ever if you want a good chuckle, but I digress. I am the magician and I get to change them into different animals or whatever I want. So at the current moment the kids were supposed to be elephants; I was setting up some hoops and beanbags for the next game when one of the little girls (I have written about this one before) came up and started chatting to me. I just smiled at her and told her elephants are not supposed to talk. She then preceded to raise her arm up to her head and swing it around, like you would do if you were pretending to have a trunk, and then continued talking. Hahaha. I guess elephants really can talk. You learn something new every day :)
Cheers from down under, I hope all is well stateside.
10 days left in Australia.
Isaiah 55:8-9 "For my thoughts are not your thought, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts"
Tuesday, May 15, 2012
Pictures to go with....
My new Missouri friend, Kayla!
Happy Graduation
Sooooo cute!
Woohooo! Celebrating at the sand hills.
Inspiration
Some of the wonderful St. Johns staff that came for the BBQ.
Whip cracking.....I was a quick learner.
Practicing my new skill on the beach the next day.
Gorgeous drive along Rainbow Beach and down the coast.
Look out! I am hitting the road.
Bethany and I on the beach
John and I at Mt. Coolum
Surfing day 2!
John, Naomi, and I in front of the Glasshouse Mountains.
Me giving the chapel message on Monday.
Monday, May 14, 2012
A toast, a drive, and a message
Things are wrapping up, and very quickly. I cannot believe that I only have one weekend left in Kingaroy! So much has happened in the last couple of weeks and I am sorry that I am just now updating you. I have separated my experiences into three categories for this post.
1. A toast.
Two weekends ago now, the weekend of May 5 and 6th I was able to go to Moreton Island. It was a great distraction for me because that was graduation for everyone back at CUNE. It was a very bitter sweet weekend. All of my friends were on my mind, but I knew I would not trade this experience. The weekend on Moreton turned out to be amazing, and definitely an unforgettable one. The weather had been rainy all week, but Saturday and Sunday were warm, sunny, and glorious. I was able to go snorkeling, hiking, and sandboarding. The weekend also included probably one of the coolest things I have ever seen! Our group got to see baby sea turtle hatchlings make it from their nest to the ocean. It was amazing! They were the cutest things in the world, smaller than my palm and definitely on a mission. If you want inspiration, just watch those little guys. I had brought along a graduation hat that belonged to Ashley (one of the teachers at my school that went on the trip as well). I figured that I still had to celebrate my graduation somehow, so what better way than taking my graduation pictures on the beach? So when we were finished snorkeling I took out the hat to snap a few pictures. Our guide for the weekend thought it was great, he was just loving the fact that I was there instead of at grad, and had me climb up on the four wheeler and just thought it was the coolest thing ever. Everyone else was congratulating me on my graduation now too. The group of people that ended up being on this trip was great as well, and a big part of what made the weekend special. That evening, sitting around a campfire, the Irishman gave me a glass of wine and we toasted to my graduation; the Spaniard, the Irishman, 2 Germans, 3 Aussies, and 3 Americans. Wow. After the fire we all went out to the coast and sat along the beach to watch the full moon- amazing night. I was missing home a bit that weekend, and God really has funny ways of providing because there were two other Americans on the trip, one studying over here, and the other had been living over here for two years...she was from Missouri. We could not believe it. Of all trips and for how small the group was the odds of that were close to 0. She had also been missing home a bit, so the two of us were able to chat about things back home. It was a nice refreshing weekend, and new friends were definitely made.
That Sunday evening we stayed at Ashley's folks' house in Brisbane and they popped a bottle of champagne for my graduation as well. It was nice to have a little celebration over the weekend- I cannot believe I made it through four years of college.
2. A drive
This past weekend.......even harder to describe. Great friends, great company, and great experiences. I was supposed to head out with the Kotzur family for the weekend, both John and Naomi teach at the school and their daughter Bethany is in high school. I was going to stay the night at their house on Friday so we could leave bright and early for the coast in the morning. Well Sonya and I pull up to their house for what I just though was tea (dinner) with the Kotzurs but there was a whole group of the faculty sitting around the BBQ and bonfire waiting for me. I cannot remember a time when I have been that surprised, I had zero inkling that they had planned this. I just could not stop smiling. It is just simply amazing the love that these people have. They wanted to celebrate my graduation and new job, so we had a sausage sizzle and roasted marshmallows, and went four wheel driving, and learned how to crack a whip, and what a perfect evening. I cannot tell you how great the staff is here at St. John Kingaroy, they just blow me away. That was just the beginning to the marvelous weekend I just returned from. After a night of star gazing, eating, and whip cracking (so many jokes go with that) we had to get up before the sun so we could make it to the beach at low tide. Saturday held a magnificent morning drive to the coast where we got to see the sun rise through thick fog, then we drove through a short forest path and along the beach for hours. We started at Rainbow Beach and ended at Noosa. John let me drive most of the way which was so much fun! I know why people love to do it. I will definitely go off-roading again. The day- beautiful, perfect waves and a warm sun. We stopped at John's brother's house for lunch before a few of us headed out to hike halfway up Mt. Coolum for an overlook of the coast. After our hike we headed to the beach to go surfing. I was a little less successful on my own, but still managed to stand up. That evening we drove to John's parents house for dinner and a much needed sleep. His parents were amazing people and I loved getting to know them. Sunday morning, my adopted family took me with them for Mother's day brunch at the surf club- I wish my mum and grandma were there too, they would have loved it. That afternoon we hit Maleny in the hinterlands, where we saw the glasshouse mountains, and then stopped at Naomi's sister's house before we began our trek back to Kingaroy. It was a long weekend, but one of the best I have had.
The best statement made last weekend was by John while we were on the beach. I was practicing my new skill of whipcracking, ha, and a car drove by. John said "Mia, Australian men like women with a whip." hahaha, yes.
3. A message
Since I have been here I have realized just what it means to rely on God. I see his presence everywhere I look. This has just been such an incredible experience that I do not think can be described. I love sharing what God has done in my life, and the magnificence of the sacrifice that His son Jesus made for the whole world. I was able to share that message in chapel on Monday. I did the chapel message and spoke on the story of Daniel in the Lion's Den. The story hit home a bit too just talking about the presence of God. I used Papa's (Larry Burgdorf) Arch Book that he wrote about Daniel, and the kids absolutely loved it. I just feel so at home being able to talk about God's love and presence to other people. At the end of the message I showed pictures of Concordia and my family. I also had a video clip from my class at St. Johns Seward saying hello; the kids loved it, and the parents who stayed had good things to say. I just hope that as much as this school and these people have made an impact on me, I can leave a little something behind as well. I am going to soak up these last two weeks that I have left. Cheers and I hope all is well stateside.
1. A toast.
Two weekends ago now, the weekend of May 5 and 6th I was able to go to Moreton Island. It was a great distraction for me because that was graduation for everyone back at CUNE. It was a very bitter sweet weekend. All of my friends were on my mind, but I knew I would not trade this experience. The weekend on Moreton turned out to be amazing, and definitely an unforgettable one. The weather had been rainy all week, but Saturday and Sunday were warm, sunny, and glorious. I was able to go snorkeling, hiking, and sandboarding. The weekend also included probably one of the coolest things I have ever seen! Our group got to see baby sea turtle hatchlings make it from their nest to the ocean. It was amazing! They were the cutest things in the world, smaller than my palm and definitely on a mission. If you want inspiration, just watch those little guys. I had brought along a graduation hat that belonged to Ashley (one of the teachers at my school that went on the trip as well). I figured that I still had to celebrate my graduation somehow, so what better way than taking my graduation pictures on the beach? So when we were finished snorkeling I took out the hat to snap a few pictures. Our guide for the weekend thought it was great, he was just loving the fact that I was there instead of at grad, and had me climb up on the four wheeler and just thought it was the coolest thing ever. Everyone else was congratulating me on my graduation now too. The group of people that ended up being on this trip was great as well, and a big part of what made the weekend special. That evening, sitting around a campfire, the Irishman gave me a glass of wine and we toasted to my graduation; the Spaniard, the Irishman, 2 Germans, 3 Aussies, and 3 Americans. Wow. After the fire we all went out to the coast and sat along the beach to watch the full moon- amazing night. I was missing home a bit that weekend, and God really has funny ways of providing because there were two other Americans on the trip, one studying over here, and the other had been living over here for two years...she was from Missouri. We could not believe it. Of all trips and for how small the group was the odds of that were close to 0. She had also been missing home a bit, so the two of us were able to chat about things back home. It was a nice refreshing weekend, and new friends were definitely made.
That Sunday evening we stayed at Ashley's folks' house in Brisbane and they popped a bottle of champagne for my graduation as well. It was nice to have a little celebration over the weekend- I cannot believe I made it through four years of college.
2. A drive
This past weekend.......even harder to describe. Great friends, great company, and great experiences. I was supposed to head out with the Kotzur family for the weekend, both John and Naomi teach at the school and their daughter Bethany is in high school. I was going to stay the night at their house on Friday so we could leave bright and early for the coast in the morning. Well Sonya and I pull up to their house for what I just though was tea (dinner) with the Kotzurs but there was a whole group of the faculty sitting around the BBQ and bonfire waiting for me. I cannot remember a time when I have been that surprised, I had zero inkling that they had planned this. I just could not stop smiling. It is just simply amazing the love that these people have. They wanted to celebrate my graduation and new job, so we had a sausage sizzle and roasted marshmallows, and went four wheel driving, and learned how to crack a whip, and what a perfect evening. I cannot tell you how great the staff is here at St. John Kingaroy, they just blow me away. That was just the beginning to the marvelous weekend I just returned from. After a night of star gazing, eating, and whip cracking (so many jokes go with that) we had to get up before the sun so we could make it to the beach at low tide. Saturday held a magnificent morning drive to the coast where we got to see the sun rise through thick fog, then we drove through a short forest path and along the beach for hours. We started at Rainbow Beach and ended at Noosa. John let me drive most of the way which was so much fun! I know why people love to do it. I will definitely go off-roading again. The day- beautiful, perfect waves and a warm sun. We stopped at John's brother's house for lunch before a few of us headed out to hike halfway up Mt. Coolum for an overlook of the coast. After our hike we headed to the beach to go surfing. I was a little less successful on my own, but still managed to stand up. That evening we drove to John's parents house for dinner and a much needed sleep. His parents were amazing people and I loved getting to know them. Sunday morning, my adopted family took me with them for Mother's day brunch at the surf club- I wish my mum and grandma were there too, they would have loved it. That afternoon we hit Maleny in the hinterlands, where we saw the glasshouse mountains, and then stopped at Naomi's sister's house before we began our trek back to Kingaroy. It was a long weekend, but one of the best I have had.
The best statement made last weekend was by John while we were on the beach. I was practicing my new skill of whipcracking, ha, and a car drove by. John said "Mia, Australian men like women with a whip." hahaha, yes.
3. A message
Since I have been here I have realized just what it means to rely on God. I see his presence everywhere I look. This has just been such an incredible experience that I do not think can be described. I love sharing what God has done in my life, and the magnificence of the sacrifice that His son Jesus made for the whole world. I was able to share that message in chapel on Monday. I did the chapel message and spoke on the story of Daniel in the Lion's Den. The story hit home a bit too just talking about the presence of God. I used Papa's (Larry Burgdorf) Arch Book that he wrote about Daniel, and the kids absolutely loved it. I just feel so at home being able to talk about God's love and presence to other people. At the end of the message I showed pictures of Concordia and my family. I also had a video clip from my class at St. Johns Seward saying hello; the kids loved it, and the parents who stayed had good things to say. I just hope that as much as this school and these people have made an impact on me, I can leave a little something behind as well. I am going to soak up these last two weeks that I have left. Cheers and I hope all is well stateside.
Sunday, May 6, 2012
The End of the Mayan Calendar
We have been warned about it for years now.......but I was sure that the world was coming to and end last Friday just as the Mayan's predicted it would this year. Ok maybe a slight exaggeration, but Friday was an interesting day......just listen.
The weather has been a bit intersting in Kingaroy as we change from Autumn into Winter. There was a storm that was rolling through on Friday afternoon during big lunch. The sky was black, and if we had been in Missouri I would have thought it had tornado potential. This storm is rolling in and some of the kids are already freaking out when the lightening struck-not anywhere near us mind you- but flashed none the less. So you have your preps and year ones screaming as their teacher tries to line them up which is a pretty funny scene in itself; the bell rings for everyone else to head inside for the duration of big lunch. Year 6 and 7 are all in my building and there are three classrooms in the unit, but our wall can be opened and there is a door to the third classroom that can be opened as well so that all three classrooms are connected. We coralled all of the students into the classrooms just as the rain started to absolutely dump. Thunder, deafening rain, and about 75 middle school kids is always a good combination.
As the rain was underway we are trying to get the classes under control and get them sitting down at their desks (their own desks) and working on something; which is way easier said than done. The storm has been fluke enough, but two girls walk up to me and one is holding her eye. "Ms. Pauluhn- her pen exploded and the ink went into my eye" Well sure enough it did. As I was staring at her with red ink in her eye trying to make my eyes stop watering I asked if she could see, and the answer was yes- awesome not blind- put some water in it from your water bottle to try and flush it out, its the only thing I could do for her then. She was fine, won't kill her. In the midst of all of this I have about half of the class, most of which are not a part of my class but the one next door, asking to use the restroom-
Um, no not unless you have a slight death wish and want to get pelted by rain, you are 12....hold it.
And NO you may not go out on the metal veranda in a thunder and lightening storm to get something from your backpack you already should have in your desk. Find something else to work on!!
Really guys this is not the end of the world....or was it.
Oh really??? Your puppy doesn't like storms and it is all alone today. That is really sad, but probably doesn't require tears, and a five minute story- WORK on something.
Then here is when I was really convinced something else was at work here.
"Ms. Pauluhn, my tooth is bleeding and it is wiggly"
"Should you be losing a tooth? Did you hit it on something?"
"I haven't lost it yet...I don't know....No I didn't do anything to it I was just sitting there" (just sitting is actually believable for this girl to)
"I guess get a drink, stop wiggling it and hold a tisue on it for a bit to help stop the bleeding" -thats right I know proper first aid- ha!
5 minutes later- same girl walks up to me
"Ms. Pauluhn, my tooth is split in half"
"What?!"
Sure enough this girl's tooth was split completely in half from top to root. How the heck??? And why now? So I just stared at her and then called Mr. Mo over to take a look at it. He stared at me and all I could do was shrug my shoulders, laugh, and say I have no idea What is going on. So he had to phone the office and then try and get a hold of her mum. It was the strangest series of events I have ever experienced. It was all during the storm that lasted a grand total of about 45 minutes. But literally you could have started to believe that the Mayans were on to something.......or at least my class acted like it. I would hate to see them during a tornado.
That was only my Friday- the beginng to a great weekend. I will post about more of that tomorrow hopefully.
Oh I did get to drive this weekend as well. And I did not do too badly except that I signalled with my wipers on multiple occassions because the signal and wipers are on opposite sides of the steering wheel, along with everything else, but it was great fun. Three words. Wide Right Turns. haha.
I hope everyone had a fantastic weekend. I am so proud of all of my Concordia Graduates. You did it!!! Love you all. Cheers from Down under- Hope all is well stateside, you will hear from me soon so stay tuned.
Hebrews 1:2 "But in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom also, he made the universe." ( :) could not help myself)
The weather has been a bit intersting in Kingaroy as we change from Autumn into Winter. There was a storm that was rolling through on Friday afternoon during big lunch. The sky was black, and if we had been in Missouri I would have thought it had tornado potential. This storm is rolling in and some of the kids are already freaking out when the lightening struck-not anywhere near us mind you- but flashed none the less. So you have your preps and year ones screaming as their teacher tries to line them up which is a pretty funny scene in itself; the bell rings for everyone else to head inside for the duration of big lunch. Year 6 and 7 are all in my building and there are three classrooms in the unit, but our wall can be opened and there is a door to the third classroom that can be opened as well so that all three classrooms are connected. We coralled all of the students into the classrooms just as the rain started to absolutely dump. Thunder, deafening rain, and about 75 middle school kids is always a good combination.
As the rain was underway we are trying to get the classes under control and get them sitting down at their desks (their own desks) and working on something; which is way easier said than done. The storm has been fluke enough, but two girls walk up to me and one is holding her eye. "Ms. Pauluhn- her pen exploded and the ink went into my eye" Well sure enough it did. As I was staring at her with red ink in her eye trying to make my eyes stop watering I asked if she could see, and the answer was yes- awesome not blind- put some water in it from your water bottle to try and flush it out, its the only thing I could do for her then. She was fine, won't kill her. In the midst of all of this I have about half of the class, most of which are not a part of my class but the one next door, asking to use the restroom-
Um, no not unless you have a slight death wish and want to get pelted by rain, you are 12....hold it.
And NO you may not go out on the metal veranda in a thunder and lightening storm to get something from your backpack you already should have in your desk. Find something else to work on!!
Really guys this is not the end of the world....or was it.
Oh really??? Your puppy doesn't like storms and it is all alone today. That is really sad, but probably doesn't require tears, and a five minute story- WORK on something.
Then here is when I was really convinced something else was at work here.
"Ms. Pauluhn, my tooth is bleeding and it is wiggly"
"Should you be losing a tooth? Did you hit it on something?"
"I haven't lost it yet...I don't know....No I didn't do anything to it I was just sitting there" (just sitting is actually believable for this girl to)
"I guess get a drink, stop wiggling it and hold a tisue on it for a bit to help stop the bleeding" -thats right I know proper first aid- ha!
5 minutes later- same girl walks up to me
"Ms. Pauluhn, my tooth is split in half"
"What?!"
Sure enough this girl's tooth was split completely in half from top to root. How the heck??? And why now? So I just stared at her and then called Mr. Mo over to take a look at it. He stared at me and all I could do was shrug my shoulders, laugh, and say I have no idea What is going on. So he had to phone the office and then try and get a hold of her mum. It was the strangest series of events I have ever experienced. It was all during the storm that lasted a grand total of about 45 minutes. But literally you could have started to believe that the Mayans were on to something.......or at least my class acted like it. I would hate to see them during a tornado.
That was only my Friday- the beginng to a great weekend. I will post about more of that tomorrow hopefully.
Oh I did get to drive this weekend as well. And I did not do too badly except that I signalled with my wipers on multiple occassions because the signal and wipers are on opposite sides of the steering wheel, along with everything else, but it was great fun. Three words. Wide Right Turns. haha.
I hope everyone had a fantastic weekend. I am so proud of all of my Concordia Graduates. You did it!!! Love you all. Cheers from Down under- Hope all is well stateside, you will hear from me soon so stay tuned.
Hebrews 1:2 "But in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom also, he made the universe." ( :) could not help myself)
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