13 Days til Departure!

      13 Days til I hop a plane for the USA.  Hard to believe another year is about done.  Its been a crazy past few weeks.  A couple of weeks ago, the choir director for our highschool asked if I could play accompaniment for the choir.  They were going to be doing a medley of songs from Les Miserables and needed someone to play.  So far they didn't have anyone.  When I first attempted to play the music, I thought, there is no way I can pull this off in less than 2 weeks.  I hadn't practiced the piano at all in weeks and this was a long piece-around 10-15 worth of playing.  But after realizing, the choir was in a bind and the piece wasn't impossible to play, I agreed to tackle it.  The first week I practiced on my own at home, at work when I could find an available piano and and other free moment.  The second week was the same but I started practicing with the choir.  The first day was a train wreck.  I didn't realize I would be nervous, the speed, the timing there were so many things wrong.  I'm used to playing alone except for my days being on the worship team.  I had a total of 3 practices with the choir.  The next two were better but full of errors.  I decided to embrace my nervousness head on and decided that I would enjoy doing it no matter how messed up it was.  In the actual performance, there were loads of errors.  Not sure how many were obvious but they felt obvious.  There were parts that were totally fine.  The next day, people complemented me on playing.  I guess its all about perception.  My next task-graduation.  I'm playing a hymn that everyone traditionally sings along to.  Its a one page song that is totally playable.  Thank heavens!

      I'm also finally thinking about my trips.  I have two big ones this summer.  The first is to America to see family and friends, clear my teaching credential and do VBS- all in 3 weeks.  The second trip occurs 6 days after the first.  I will goto Shenzhen, China and help out with the summer camp for the orphans at Sunshine Academy.  I don't know exactly what I'll be doing but it should be fun.  I'm looking forward to both trips.

End of Year Two

Blue Pond

Its hard to believe that its nearly the end of another school year.  It seems like it just flew by.  We finished another spring break only a couple of weeks ago.  I head south to Ao Nang- my second Thai home.  It was fun hanging out with my friends again.  We spent one day at Railay Beach as well, swimming in the sea and climbing down rocks to the lagoon.

A cave on Railay Beach that is supposed to be for fertility.  I call it the  phalic cave

Now back at work, I'm doing end of the year testing and scheduling IEP meetings for those of my students who need it.  

The lagoon we rock climbed to

This is the year that my two year contract ends.  I had the option of leaving at the end of the school year or sign a new contract.  I had hoped to get a job in Southern Thailand but apparently that is something that God is going to have me wait a little longer for.  I've known since the first or second month after I moved to Thailand that I was going to be staying here beyond my two year contract.  Thailand has been a really good fit.  I'm still learning new things and meeting new people.  But I'm also discovering new things about myself.  I've been learning to be the person who stands up for my students and learning that my opinion matters too.  I'm learning to be more bold.  

my future pastor and her daughter