Well, it's been a year full of adventure. So much adventure that I haven't been able to find the time to blog since basically September. I could beat myself up over that or give myself grace that some years are just like that. I think I'll choose the latter.
However, I'm taking advantage of my last day to myself for the year as Mike and David are both working, I have no appointments or last minute shopping or baking to be done, and the house is quiet to at least write one final entry to wrap up the year. I say it's my last day to myself because tomorrow is Christmas Eve, meaning church, pizza, and our family gift exchange in the evening. Then Christmas Day I am flying out to Texas to spend time with family and friends there. I can't wait to see my son and hug his neck. :)
I did enough blogging about all of my spring adventures (our annual women's Gathering, our trip to the Dominican Republic, the counseling conference in Texas, camp, and my trip to Puerto Rico.) Here are a few of the highlights from this last semester:
These kids and my teammate are truly the highlight of my life. Last year I taught one section of Dual Language and two sections of traditional sixth grade. Not exactly what I was hired for, but it definitely gave me a better perspective of the culture of the school that I am teaching in. It was also quite a culture shock from teaching in Texas to teaching in Indiana. But all in all, I grew quite a bit as an educator and learned a lot.
This year, we had two classes of Dual Language, meaning I got.a new teammate and have been able to just teach those two sections of Dual Language students that I share with my teammate. We decided to both teach all subjects, but to switch our students midday and teach the opposite class in the opposite language. I am learning much more about how a 2-way Dual Language program works, and I am really enjoying it. I am loving both of my classes, too. The Math curriculum isn't my favorite and has been hard to figure out enough to make it my own, but little by little it's getting easier. It's such a complicated program that I can't let a single night go by without previewing the entire lesson for the next day.
We switch back and forth between modules so the kids are getting instruction in absolutely everything in both languages, with even a touch of Math in Spanish to support those with less English skills. We also do several projects, which gives the kids a change of pace and lets them work more creatively. My teammate took the lead on that aspect, and I am learning a lot from her.
Some of our kids worked a fundraiser for the Puerto Rico trip, which unfortunately got cancelled due to not enough people signing up (because a small number jacked the price up too high). So we're not quite sure what kind of activity we'll end up doing with the funds they did raise.
Another highlight of this year is that we have teamed up with Pre-K, putting the youngest students with the oldest students and letting them for a sweet relationship. Our students read and do fun activities with the Pre-K students every Friday, and then we also joined up with them for their Christmas program and celebrated with them. The fun part of that for me is that my closest friend's son is in the Pre-K class that we help with, so I get to send her selfies of us every week. :)
Mi amiguito, Mason
Me and Mason's mom, Hannah
I took on the role of being the Spell Bowl Coach at my school this year. I had one fourth grader, one fifth grader, and all the rest sixth graders on my team. We didn't end up placing or anything for the final Spell Bowl (run quite differently than the Spelling Bee we had in Texas), but I had a lot of fun hosting the kids in my room for practice after school on Wednesdays. I am beginning to feel much more a part of my school now, which really helps. I enjoyed getting to know the kids in a different setting when we weren't just in class together. I do have lots of ideas of how to make it even better next year.
The other big highlight to our year was that we gained a future daughter-in-law! Juan started dating Loren just a few months after we moved away, and he took the step to propose to her this fall. She's a beautiful girl with a huge heart, and she brings out the Latin side of Juan that he's been missing since coming into our family. I'm pretty sure they decided on a fall wedding in 2026!
Colombia is known for its emeralds, so he had some friends bring back an emerald stone from Colombia, and he had her engagement ring made with that emerald instead of a diamond. So incredibly thoughtful and unique. So very Juan. :)
We've been trying to wrap up the year on a calm note, so we ordered a puzzle to do together on Thanksgiving Day. That puzzle took a bit longer than expected, especially when our fun cats knocked part of it on the floor! So we've been working on smaller puzzles since finishing that one. They are a relaxing way to spend time together, to just sit and talk, to work on while watching Christmas movies or listening to music, and they are good reminders of how life is a puzzle and every piece matters.
This puzzle came with an extra piece! (Which must mean someone else's had a piece missing. So sad for them!)
We just finished a coffee cup puzzle and are now working on a circle puzzle of a farm scene. I even cleared off a puzzle table at school so my kids can work their brains on puzzles there, too.
