Summer 2024

Is it mid-July already? What an interesting summer I've had so far.  

I can see why God gave me the word PRESENT this year because I have to remind myself to soak in the present moment as I live yet another summer in between new chapters and stages of life. I turned in my key at New Song Mission and jumped right in to new trainings and preparations for a new job, teaching in a building I've never taught in, working for a district I've never worked for, and teaching a grade I've never taught (at least with a self-contained class). 

On my first day of a district training, I walked in and realized that I didn't recognize a soul. I haven't been the new girl/teacher in a public school in over 20 years. I sat down at the wrong table without knowing it, and I picked up a sticker in front of me.  It said: "I can do all things who Christ who strengthens me." A nice little "note" from God. Then I took my new sticker with me and moved to the right table with my new grade level and felt very comfortable with the teacher sitting there. Later I found out that she goes to my church, and we've since connected at church. We got up for a break, and I found one person that I did recognize--my pastor's wife. She and I connected over texting that evening regarding the training content, as well as other district resources she connected me with. I also met another one of my neighbors there! Yes, God made it very clear that I am on the path He has chosen for me, and He is right beside me. The next day, I met three more people from my school and even went out to lunch with them. It was not a mandatory training, but I'm so glad I went! 

                                                

I'm also working super hard to prepare for a certification test that I never took classes to prepare me for. I definitely have a much better understanding now of the history of Spain and all 21 Spanish-speaking countries. (The Department of Education made an exception for me by allowing me to take the Spanish World Language certification test in order to give me the ability to teach upper elementary grades in a Dual Language program. I had the option to teach lower elementary with the certification I already have or to jump through a few hoops to be able to teach upper elementary. The first option would have made for a smooth summer and transition, but I chose to pursue the second option because it's a good opportunity to be more versatile as a teacher.) Thankfully, learning all things Spanish has always been my passion, so I've actually enjoyed learning lots of things I never knew about the history of the Spanish language. Next week, I'll find out if I prepared enough or if I'll have to prep a bit more and take it again. Pray for me!

My empty next is no longer empty (again), and David seems to be settling in quite comfortably. He's working with Mike and Matt (his uncle) with Tipton Home Services for now until he "figures out what he's going to do with his life", while he occasionally takes some time off each week to work on resumes and job applications in his field of business financial analysis. Then in the evenings and weekends, he's usually helping Mike out with our house remodeling projects or working on his car or truck. I think he's really enjoying working with Mike and Matt for now (despite being out in the heat a lot or coming home sore from hard manual labor), so I don't think he's in a big hurry to land that first major job. Mike and I are enjoying his company and his help, so we're not trying to push him out the door either. I think all three of us know that once he finds that job and moves to wherever it may be, that will be it. No more coming home to us. And considering we moved away from the only home he ever knew, I'm thankful that this can be home to him for at least a short while. I asked him how it felt to see me getting ready to go back to school soon and to realize he's not, and he said it feels very strange. Let's just say we're all just savoring our time and experiences together right now. 

Juan continues to work for PoolWerx in the DFW area. I miss him like crazy, but we've thankfully stayed in touch pretty often this summer as he's been helping me reimmerse myself in Spanish. All of our conversations, phonecalls, and texts have gone back to Spanish, and I think that has actually brought us a little closer. I feel like our conversations are a little more authentic and vulnerable, at least on his side. :) I asked how he felt about his family moving so far away, and he said that he knows he has a family, and that's what matters. With the CopaAmerica going on this summer and Colombia advancing all the way to the finals, he's been watching a lot of soccer! He even had the chance to watch Colombia play one of their games in person in Houston, which he said was a really great experience. One of our friends from Colombia was also visiting in Dallas and got to watch one of the Colombia games with him. 

Mike and David are working hard on finishing our latest big house project where we turned a small. third, pink-paneled bedroom into a master bath and closet that now extend out of the master bedroom. As they (Mike and Matt) started tearing the pink-paneled room apart, they quickly realized that this was going to be a much bigger, more complicated project than they bargained for. Thus why we pulled the door shut and let it sit for the last year. But finally they tore up the floor, took out the existing joists, and started digging out the crawlspace back in the end of March. Little by little, one step at a time, a new floor went in, ceilings were raised, windows were replaced, walls went up, and the electric and plumbing were set up. A few weeks ago, we finally got a second toilet in this house, and the vanity hooked up to the plumbing. Then the bathtub went in, they put up the tiles, installed the faucet, and hooked up the plumbing! Just a few days ago, I finally took my first bath in my house. It was lovely! And the closet is so nice to finally have all of my clothes in one space! It's been a huge job, and as impatient as I've been tempted to be (can I just decorate already?), it really has made me value all of my husband's skills as I've watched how long each step has taken. It's also made me value David's work ethic that Mike instilled in him because he just jumped right in to help however and whenever he can. Not once has he complained about not having more free time. Here are some pics of their progress. It's much closer to being done now, but I'll wait on a current pic until it's a bit more fine polished. 

The pink paneled room

Starting to look real

The window seat in the closet 

(working around two existing windows made for a unique layout)

Finally a second toilet!

A beautiful blue vanity

Getting closer! Quite a bit different than the original pink-paneled room. 

    This summer we've also had fun going to the fair, making yummy treats at home that David asks for, and hosting the 4th of July festivities in our spacious front yard. I finally convinced Mike to let me invite all of the neighbors over on the 4th, or at least to invite them to stop by for a drink and cookies. We assumed we'd be outside in the yard for most of the day, anyway. Why not get to know a few neighbors while out there?

    Of course, as soon as we made that decision, nothing went according to plan. First the mower broke, as well as the one we borrowed. Then the weed eater stopped working, and when Matt brought over his mower to help, it broke down, too. So we had to bite the bullet and spend the money on a newer mower, which was something we've needed since we moved in. Finally got the yard mowed, and then we got busy going to the community fireworks the evening before the 4th. We planned on going to the fireworks show on Wednesday night by a lake out near us because it's a smaller crowd watching, but when we got there we found out they postponed it till Saturday due to rain coming. Matt's family decided to drive into town to watch a different show, so we followed along and went to a park in town to watch. It gets dark at 10:00 here in Columbus, so that made for a late night! 

    We put off getting the rest of the yard cleaned up enough for guests until Thursday morning. Then it decided to pour all morning long. We told the neighbors they could stop by anytime after noon, and Mike and David didn't even get outside to start cleaning up until right about noon. Our first neighbors came shortly after, so we just opened the door and had them sit and visit with us in the kitchen. Mike and David both slipped away at different times to quickly shower while they were here! Thankfully we'd used the rainy morning to at least get the kitchen area all cleaned up. Only three couples stopped by, but they came in four different shifts, so we were occupied the entire day. I'd been praying for a chance to meet the neighbors who live the closest to us, and they came first and even brought freshly baked cookies in a lovely bowl made in Mexico. :) 

    Not long after the last neighbor left, Matt and his family all came over for a big cookout and fish fry, followed by Matt and Kase putting on a pretty cool fireworks show in our front yard. Turned out to be a really great, memorable day, despite not going according to plan. 

At the fair

Yummy evening treats

    There's not much summer left for me, but the calendar still holds a few big events. I got into my classroom this morning and will be back tomorrow and Wednesday. I met my new 6th grade teammate today, and tomorrow I"m getting together with the fifth grade teacher (my friend from church) to go over things she picked up at a bilingual training, as well as any questions I have about the students coming to me. Then Thursday we head to the dunes in Michigan with Matt's family for a few days. A day at the beach (on a Great Lake) sounds pretty inviting about now. When we come back, I have to take my Spanish certification test (pray for me!) then help run a pretty big women's resale event at church that I'm on the planning team for, and then I start new teacher orientation on July 29th. Teachers officially report back on August 5th, I think. 

    I'm excited, anxious, nervous, and maybe a little bit terrified, mostly about being the new teacher, even though I'm going right back into my field of bilingual teaching right back in a school with very similar demographics as the school I taught at in Garland for my entire teaching career. Though I truly  thought God brought me to New Song to stay until I retired, He's definitely given me a renewed passion and excitement to jump back in to teaching bilingual kids and working with bilingual families. He used New Song as a bridge to get me here (and, of course, to fulfill a purpose while there), to continue to equip me to work with older students and get familiar with that level of curriculum, and also to give me a "break" to pursue training and certification in Biblical Counseling. I see more clearly now that He had a place and a church family waiting for us at Terrace Lake Church. Though I still look back and ask why I had to leave so many people I loved, I am grateful for the new people He's put in my life here, for the connections and opportunities at my church, and for the way those connections opened the door to this new chapter yet again. I look forward to seeing how He's going to use me this year (and hopefully many in the future) at Legado, the one and only Dual Language school here in Columbus. I'm also super thankful that David is here for now and will be able to help me set up my new classroom again. :)

God doesn't show us what's coming. He just tells us to follow. And sometimes the road we think we're on takes us places we don't know are just around the corner. 

More Texas in May highlights

It was a quick trip with a quick turnaround, with some rather complicated travel plans that came up at the last minute. It was also my birthday and Mother's Day, it was the first time for Mike to meet Loren, Juan's steady girlfriend and her family, the first time for Mike to be back in Texas since we moved, and it was the first time my mother-in-law and my nephew had ever hung out in Garland, Texas with us to see our house and where we lived and worked. As much as I would have loved to have been able to plan a little more relaxed, family time, that just wasn't possible. It was way more stimulation than I cared for, I was VERY sleep deprived after some very late nights, but I do cherish the memories we were able to squeeze in. Here are a few pics of those moments:

My amazing son picked me up at the airport late Wednesday night and took me to my friend Martha's house where the rest of the family would "invade" the next night. My flight didn't get in till 9:00 (which was 10:00 for me), so needless to say, I was up "way past my bedtime" that night. It was a really nice time, though, sitting up talking with Juan, Loren, and our friends/hosts, Warren and Martha, till past midnight. 

I got to join my mom for the last week of her Bible study on Psalm 23, a study her ladies at church had decided on based on my raving recommendation. It was neat to see where my mom gathers with her Bible study peeps and to meet the friends she's been hanging out with more since I moved. It was also a blessing to have several of the ladies come up and thank me for recommending the study because it was such a blessing to them. After the study, I drove back to my parents' house to see my dad, and we took this really sweet picture of the three of us. 

Our friends blessed us with the use of a car while we were in Texas, an old vehicle that they called "the beast". 

Drove by my old house. Still looks the same, minus the rose bushes. I drove my mother-in-law by it and then down the alley to show her the back. We got caught by the owner just sitting behind the backyard staring at it, a moment we'll still be laughing about for a long time. 

I had a chance to meet with two of my closest friends, my first Bible study peeps from the first Bible study I ever taught. They are my soulmates, and I love how we just pick up as if no time has ever passed. 

My mom made me a batch of homemade chai and surprised me with it on my birthday morning. Sorry--I didn't end up making anyone coffee that morning. Lol. 

We met Juan, Loren, and her whole family at a Colombian restaurant for brunch the day after graduation. Juan wanted to make sure that they all got a chance to meet Mike for the limited time he was there, and he made sure to tell me how much he appreciated us making the time for it to happen. We were supposed to go to a Mexican restaurant, but at the last minute, we decided to try a new Colombian place that just opened. What a treat! It was a cultural experience for everyone!

Jugo de mora--Blackberry juice

Empanadas

Patacones--(Fried plantains)

My mother-in-law's first experience with Colombian food! She was a little overwhelmed!

After brunch, the boys went one direction, while I hung out with Peggy to show her around town. I showed her where we lived, where I worked, where we shopped, and where Mike worked. We went to my favorite coffee shop where they had a Mother's Day event going on, and yes, I put my birthday crown back on. :) We also stopped at my parents' house first thing in the morning, and she really enjoyed seeing them and seeing their house. Honestly, when I found out a year ago that David's graduation was the same weekend as my birthday, hanging out with Peggy in Garland on my birthday was the last thing I could have imagined. A very unexpected special time, indeed. In 30 years of being in a relationship with her son, we regretfully never built much of a relationship until the last two years. She had her eyes wide open the whole trip and cherished every moment. She said it meant so much to her to be a part of the whole celebration.  

Our church where we attended on Saturday nights for 12 years until they dropped the Saturday service after COVID finally started their Saturday night service again, so we were able to attend church together at our home church. We only saw a couple people that we knew, but David's friends also joined us because that's where they have all been attending the young adult group on Tuesday nights for the last two years. 

They gave out roses for Mother's Day after the service. I love that Mauri (the pastor) photobombed our pic. :)

Juan and I spent a really precious time together on Mother's Day morning. First he took me out to a Mexican restaurant for breakfast. We enjoyed very sweet conversation, talked a lot in Spanish, and I even saw the parent of three of my previous students and talked with her. :)

Then we went to an Asian bakery that he found recently and got me dessert and coffee. He called it an Asian Starbucks. Once again, we just sat and talked and enjoyed our time together. 

Then Juan went to spend the day with Loren's family for their Mother's Day family celebration, and I spent the day with my mom (and dad). Plans kept changing, so we never made any kind of a definite plan for the day. It actually turned out nicer that way. We watched Hallmark movies and had tuna boats for dinner. Yum! I hadn't had a tuna boat in years, and it sure was good!

I'm so glad I got to see my bestie, Amy! She came out for David's party, and then I went to her house after school on Monday to catch up a little bit more. 

My brother wasn't able to make it to David's graduation party or even see Mike or David at all, but my mom and I were able to drive out to his new house on Monday so at least I could see him and his family. He collects pennies and just celebrated his 49th birthday, so I took 49 pennies for him. :)

Monday night, Juan came back to get me and took me out for Korean barbecue, something he had requested for his birthday that we sadly never took him out for. The food was interesting and the experience of cooking it ourselves. But the time together was priceless. Juan really went out of his way to spend a lot of quality time with me on this trip, and I'm so thankful that I traveled separately from the rest of the gang so that I had that extra time with him before they arrived and after they left. 

I sure do love that boy.

As if we didn't have enough packed into a few short days, I also had the privilege of speaking at our ladies retreat with Terrace Lake Church in Indiana on my birthday. I shared my testimony via video of our journey to Juan and his siblings and how it related to prayer. So while I galavanted around my old stomping ground in Garland, I kept getting messages from my new friends in Colombus thanking me for sharing my story. Apparently I had everyone in tears, as they kept passing tissues around while my video played. Though I hated not being able to attend and speak in person, God planned it strategically so I would be reminded that Columbus is my home now and the place where He's chosen to use me at this time in my life. (The weird part is that now 70+ women know me a lot more intimately, but I don't even know who they all are!) It did make for a nice welcome back, though.

All in all, I came back physically and emotionally exhausted. Every time I go back, I grieve all over again. I still wish it all didn't have to be pushed into just a few short days so I could have savored the moments (and not operate on such minimal sleep), but I realized that this blog is my chance to savor them now and to reminisce. It's almost like getting the chance to experience them twice--once in real time, the second time in quiet reflection. To not take the time to blog about them would only rob me of that second time. 

A bittersweet May

 

Oh, how I love the month of May. As a teacher, I always make a big deal about all things "May", including all the pretty flowers in bloom. Such a sweet month it is, filled with sunshine, flowers, teacher appreciation, Mother's Day, my birthday, and the end of a school year leading right into the beginning of summer break. But this particular May of 2024 held almost more than I could take in in such a short amount of time, including quite a few bittersweet moments that I wish I could have savored just a little bit longer. 

I haven't shared much because I came home from David's graduation both physically and emotionally exhausted. It was all I could do to make it to the end of the school year without crashing. So where do I even start now? I was going to go back to the first of May and go over all the highlights in chronological order, but I think I'm going to do the opposite and start at the end, since it's freshest in my mind.

Last Friday, we brought the 2023-24 school year to a close at New Song Mission by inviting the kids' families to join us for a special Awards' Luncheon in the kitchen/living room right above where we do school. This time, the kids rehearsed two special performances so they could be part of our celebration, both a musical performance and a Reader's Theater. After they performed, we ate and then called each student up for two special awards, an academic award from me and a character award from their houseparents. At the end, they had fun with some noisemakers while I handed over a stuffed portfolio with all of their work from the last year. They all proceeded from there to the houses to get their things, so I didn't have to go through any real goodbyes or anything. 

Shortly after all the kids and their families left the campus, the whole team met back at the kitchen table to end our year with prayer. Bob thanked all of us for answering the call and willingly walking in this specific good work that God had prepared beforehand for each of us to walk in. We shared a few good memories or rewarding experiences of the last year, and then we each prayed individually to thank God for the year behind us and to pray for the future. We then said our goodbyes, and I turned in my key because I won't be returning as the teacher at New Song Leadership Academy in the fall. 

Though I moved into the classroom at New Song two years ago with the thought that I'd stay until I retired, God had other plans for me and only intended to use my time at New Song to stretch me and continue to equip me for a bilingual teaching position not yet in existence until the 2024-25 school year. I know He sent me to New Song for a purpose and strategically placed me in the lives of 13 different students who found a seat in our classroom at some point over the last two years. I also made some great relationships with the team that I hope to stay in touch with for a long time. Iron sharpens iron, and I do believe we sharpened each other, especially through prayer in challenging circumstances. But when I attended a Colombian cultural event in town in September and visited a little booth for a Spanish immersion school called Legado (Legacy), my heart lit up in a way I knew it didn't at New Song. The students had made bookmarks for the school, so I took one with bright pink letters and committed to pray about it. And thus began a pursuit to find out more about this school and to get to know one of the teachers there that attended church with me. 

I visited the school on the first day of my fall break, had a guided tour in Spanish, observed in a few classrooms, and met with the principal to express my interest in any future job openings. Just walking around seeing all the Dual Language signs posted made me feel at home. Then I met my new friend from church  (who also has a very intimate connection to Colombia) for coffee and learned more about her experience teaching there as the current fifth grade teacher. Her two children are also part of the program as students, so she could give me both perspectives as a teacher and as a parent. 

The school is a two-way Dual Language program, with students who are learning English mixed with students who are learning Spanish. They just started the program 6 years ago with a PreK class who are now 5th graders. They keep adding a new grade every year, meaning they have one more grade to add next year (elementary goes through 6th grade here). After working with several 4th-6th graders this year at New Song and working through their curriculum, I knew I wanted to work with older elementary kids rather than the young grades I taught in Garland. 

I applied for the position on January 8th, finally had an interview on February 20th, and I had a job offer within 48 hours. My friend was part of the interview panel of about 10 teachers who asked me questions both in English and Spanish, and by the time I got to my car after the interview, she texted me to say, "You nailed it. They all loved you!" Somehow they all agreed that my level of experience with Dual Language and my strong emphasis on creating solid routines and procedures is exactly what the future 6th grade class needs. I know it will be a huge challenge for me in many ways, but I can also see very clearly how my time at New Song has really been preparing me for that challenge. So I'll be spending my summer working closely with my friend to prep me on the class coming to me, as well as the ins and outs of the curriculum I'll be working with. I'm also working on refreshing my Spanish skills after a two year hiatus and to add Spanish to my Indiana certification. Working with Spanish again has filled me with a joy that I didn't know was missing until God brought it back to me. 

So last Thursday, I packed up the classroom at New Song after our last day of school and headed straight to my new classroom with a carload of all my personal school stuff. The principal met me at the door, showed me my new classroom, and helped me find a cart to bring all my things in. We walked by the library office, where the Dual Language instructional coach (who had given me that first tour back in October) gave me the warmest, most enthusiastic welcome and hug, welcoming me to the team. It reminded me immediately of my very first principal at Bullock Elementary welcoming me with a huge bear hug. I'm so thankful to see God's continued guidance here in Columbus and to see the way He knows the desires of my heart better than I do. 

So long, New Song and years #20 and 21 as a teacher.

Hello, Legado Spanish Immersion Academy.

A grand accomplishment!

Day before ceremony pics

Graduation Day

Morning before Ceremony pics--packing up, truck and all. A last minute final decision to move to Indiana until God reveals his next steps truly became a whole family affair. 

A visit we least expected but so appreciated. Mauri has been closely involved in David's life since David entered the youth group as a 6th grader. He mentored David as a youth intern, then a youth pastor, and now a campus pastor at LakePointe Firewheel Church. And, he also graduated from DBU. 

One last spur of the moment trip to one of his favorite places for lunch, Cane's!

Giving the family a campus tour while David was in rehearsal. 

God blessed us with a beautiful day, beautiful weather, and beautiful skies.

Peggy and I admiring the prayer garden.

The beautiful stained glass right outside the balcony of the sanctuary that I never noticed before.

Juan made it just in time!

Officially a DBU graduate!

David and his roommate/best bud, Sean

Looks like that diploma just says 

Michael Alspaugh! LOL. Nice try, Mike.

Going down the stairs was much easier than going up.

I can't imagine all the memories made in that house 

over the last three years. 

Loading up the last few things before 

heading to the celebration.

Good food and pickle ball to follow for the next three hours. 

Not very often we get grandparents from both sides in a family pic!

So thankful for other people taking pics that night!

And then one more celebration a day later, 

joint for my birthday celebration.

So proud of my college graduate, though it's definitely bittersweet. Closing chapters are never easy, now matter how exciting the next chapter may be. I myself have a lot of mixed emotions, knowing his chapter at DBU is now complete. 

He officially moved to Indiana now to work with his dad and uncle until God makes his next step (and direction) clear.