Update 16 October 2011

Dear Famlings,

Per Greggie's example, I'm writing to you, too. I have actually missed our weekly email exchange since Greggie's return and had been thinking about starting it up again--minus Greggie needing to be gone.  :)

My update will be much shorter, but there ya have it.

I began my student teaching assignment on September 12. I'm at Golden Valley High School in Canyon Country (between the Santa Clarita and San Fernando Valleys). It's a school with a not-so-great reputation, but I really like the students; they seem more "real" than some of the Valencia kids. I've been teaching three periods of English 11 (American Lit) since September 19 and am picking up two periods of English 9 this week. In English 11, we've done colonial writings such as "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God," "The Declaration of Independence," "Poor Richard's Almanac," etc. During the past two weeks, we moved into literature of the 1800s, with special focus on Emily Dickinson (happy Lauren), Walt Whitman, and the Transcendentalists. This week, we're reading historical documents and diaries from the Civil War era. Next week, we're heading into Huckleberry Finn. English 9 just finished Poe's "Cask of Amontillado" and will start Richard Connell's "The Most Dangerous Game" tomorrow. I have been really blessed to have a good master teacher who is flexible enough to let me practice on her students. It's been a great experience and has confirmed to me how much I enjoy working with the 11th graders. (I'm not sure if I'll live through the freshmen, though!)

We have long days around here. I leave the house around 6:50 and the Kirk and kids leave at 7:30. I usually get home with the kids around 5, and then we have to deal with the usual rigmarole of cooking, eating, cleaning, showering, and planning for the next day. The schedule has been most difficult for Carlos (AKA "Loafy") and me since we are both creatures who enjoy our comforts, but we are adjusting. Carlos is playing soccer with his school team and with AYSO; he's super talented! Arianna is taking a "Mad Science" and art class after school. 

We have been really blessed to have Kirk home for three whole months now--a record in probably 4+ years. I really appreciate our family dinner time all together. 

We have mostly been crazy with work but made some time over conference weekend to celebrate my dad's birthday. It was a much-needed break from the normal routine, and it was fun to watch Carlos beat up his grandpa.  :-P

Kirk teaches Sunday School at church and I was just asked to help with music and occasional teaching. We really love our ward; the members are sort of pathetic, they're so excited to have us, but it's good to feel needed.

All right, there you go. I look forward to hearing about everyone else's excitement.