Retrospect..
It's been one of those weeks that feels like it's taken forever to get through, yet I can't believe it's already almost Friday.
SOL season began Tuesday with my 8th graders taking their Science test. This is the only middle school test where the students are responsible for three years' worth of information instead of the subject matter for one course. Talk about pressure! By Tuesday afternoon, we had our results back and found that overall, 92% of our students passed! I looked at my scores to find that only a couple didn't quite make it, so once again, I'm so proud of those kids. They had me a little worried on Monday after a review game gone horribly wrong, but they've worked so hard throughout the year that they pulled it out in the end. Now we get to have fun and relax for the next 3 weeks. :)
Last weekend was the last in a long line of Longwood graduations that I plan to attend. Probably ever, unless I have a child that goes there (though, I do plan to indoctrinate them early, so we'll see). Even though I graduated 3 years ago, I've still had such a connection to campus because of my Crossroads small group girls. I've been pretty blessed to be able to stay so close to these girls after we've graduated one by one, entering careers months after being kicked out into the real world. I feel like they've played a large part in keeping me sane amidst the stress of learning how to be an adult when I don't quite feel ready yet. Now, my last hope, my final thread keeping me tied to Longwood has joined the ranks of the Alumni Association (bets on how soon they'll be hitting you up for money?) and I'm suddenly feeling very.. odd. And old. The past 7 years of my life has been spent creating memories in that community and now I really don't have a reason to go there anymore. I had a hard time dealing with my own graduation, but the finality of Lyndsay and Karen's commencement was very surreal. I think one thing that will help is when Lyndsay and Josh are settled in Lynchburg (!) and Rachael comes down in a few months. Now all we need is for Karen to get a job teaching down here and the separation anxiety can subside.
Along the subject of growing up and moving on, last night was my last Wednesday playing at Palestine with my Liberty guys (and girl!). At least, with the big group, as I may visit over the summer. The core guys are graduating and several are going off to work at camps this summer. Then they're going to Reading, PA in a few months to start a church together. They've been planning this since I started playing with them last spring and I've been encouraged to consider joining them for awhile now, as well. A small part of me has entertained that thought more than I'd like to admit, because I've always had a desire to work in ministry full time and just didn't know how I could make that work. I just don't know that I feel called to join them in this project, which makes me so sad. I hate having to let people in my life go, especially when I feel like I haven't had enough time with them. I'll have to be sure to plan a few road trips to visit them once they're settled in and see what God is doing in their lives.
Sometimes when I'm in these nostalgic moods, I go back and look at old journal entries I've made over the years. It was interesting to see where I was in life at this point last year. The entry was so similar, reporting SOL test scores and Longwood graduation shenanigans. But I also had just responded to Britt's craigslist ad for a roommate in the Chelsey house. I was freaking out at the prospect of packing up my life in the home where I grew up and couldn't fathom the idea of moving everything and starting out completely on my own. I was doing my best to prepare for my trip to Siberia without completely losing my mind.
Now, I've moved not once, but twice in the past year. Britt and I have lived together for almost a year (a YEAR!!) and it's become very obvious over the past few months that God's hand was in the converging of our lives. I'm so thankful and blessed to have found an awesome roommate in such a random way! I'm also proud that as close and attached as I am to my parents, I've been able to prove to myself that I can make it on my own. Thanks to encouragement from Philippians 4:11-13, God has made it clear to me that I need to trust him to provide for me and he's come through in every circumstance.
As the school year is winding down, I keep thinking of how much preparation was involved in the Siberia trip last year. I find myself wishing I had another mission trip lined up for this summer, but I just didn't feel called to anything this year. I'm itching to travel and to put myself in a place where God can use me in ways I never dreamed, so hopefully something will open up in the future. There's just not enough time to do all that I want to do! Or money.
The official countdown:
Last Day of School - 3 weeks
Dallas!! - 3 weeks
That's actually all that's really got me excited at the moment. If there were anything else on the horizon, though, I think I would have to be on medication to be able to focus on school for the last few weeks. Lord help me.
SOL season began Tuesday with my 8th graders taking their Science test. This is the only middle school test where the students are responsible for three years' worth of information instead of the subject matter for one course. Talk about pressure! By Tuesday afternoon, we had our results back and found that overall, 92% of our students passed! I looked at my scores to find that only a couple didn't quite make it, so once again, I'm so proud of those kids. They had me a little worried on Monday after a review game gone horribly wrong, but they've worked so hard throughout the year that they pulled it out in the end. Now we get to have fun and relax for the next 3 weeks. :)
Last weekend was the last in a long line of Longwood graduations that I plan to attend. Probably ever, unless I have a child that goes there (though, I do plan to indoctrinate them early, so we'll see). Even though I graduated 3 years ago, I've still had such a connection to campus because of my Crossroads small group girls. I've been pretty blessed to be able to stay so close to these girls after we've graduated one by one, entering careers months after being kicked out into the real world. I feel like they've played a large part in keeping me sane amidst the stress of learning how to be an adult when I don't quite feel ready yet. Now, my last hope, my final thread keeping me tied to Longwood has joined the ranks of the Alumni Association (bets on how soon they'll be hitting you up for money?) and I'm suddenly feeling very.. odd. And old. The past 7 years of my life has been spent creating memories in that community and now I really don't have a reason to go there anymore. I had a hard time dealing with my own graduation, but the finality of Lyndsay and Karen's commencement was very surreal. I think one thing that will help is when Lyndsay and Josh are settled in Lynchburg (!) and Rachael comes down in a few months. Now all we need is for Karen to get a job teaching down here and the separation anxiety can subside.
Along the subject of growing up and moving on, last night was my last Wednesday playing at Palestine with my Liberty guys (and girl!). At least, with the big group, as I may visit over the summer. The core guys are graduating and several are going off to work at camps this summer. Then they're going to Reading, PA in a few months to start a church together. They've been planning this since I started playing with them last spring and I've been encouraged to consider joining them for awhile now, as well. A small part of me has entertained that thought more than I'd like to admit, because I've always had a desire to work in ministry full time and just didn't know how I could make that work. I just don't know that I feel called to join them in this project, which makes me so sad. I hate having to let people in my life go, especially when I feel like I haven't had enough time with them. I'll have to be sure to plan a few road trips to visit them once they're settled in and see what God is doing in their lives.
Sometimes when I'm in these nostalgic moods, I go back and look at old journal entries I've made over the years. It was interesting to see where I was in life at this point last year. The entry was so similar, reporting SOL test scores and Longwood graduation shenanigans. But I also had just responded to Britt's craigslist ad for a roommate in the Chelsey house. I was freaking out at the prospect of packing up my life in the home where I grew up and couldn't fathom the idea of moving everything and starting out completely on my own. I was doing my best to prepare for my trip to Siberia without completely losing my mind.
Now, I've moved not once, but twice in the past year. Britt and I have lived together for almost a year (a YEAR!!) and it's become very obvious over the past few months that God's hand was in the converging of our lives. I'm so thankful and blessed to have found an awesome roommate in such a random way! I'm also proud that as close and attached as I am to my parents, I've been able to prove to myself that I can make it on my own. Thanks to encouragement from Philippians 4:11-13, God has made it clear to me that I need to trust him to provide for me and he's come through in every circumstance.
As the school year is winding down, I keep thinking of how much preparation was involved in the Siberia trip last year. I find myself wishing I had another mission trip lined up for this summer, but I just didn't feel called to anything this year. I'm itching to travel and to put myself in a place where God can use me in ways I never dreamed, so hopefully something will open up in the future. There's just not enough time to do all that I want to do! Or money.
The official countdown:
Last Day of School - 3 weeks
Dallas!! - 3 weeks
That's actually all that's really got me excited at the moment. If there were anything else on the horizon, though, I think I would have to be on medication to be able to focus on school for the last few weeks. Lord help me.