Working away...

I've signed in to blogger several times to write a post, but I'm just now getting around to actually writing one.

I'll make it short: I'm not done with my quilt.

When I'm done (hopefully on Thursday or Friday), I will post pictures.

Until then, you'll find me hunched over the dining room table, either sewing stitches on my new sewing maching or making sure the sashing between the blocks comes out right.  Tomorrow I'm going over to Ross and Audra's house to tie my quilt; we're going to tape the quilt to the linoleum because it will keep it all stable and because you don't see needle marks in linoleum.

At least I hope to tie my quilt.

But I must finish it first.

Happy almost New Year!

Made it!

I finished my twenty-fifth book today.  The complete booklist will be up next year; I left it in SoCal.
Merry Christmas Eve Eve!

No idea

I have no idea what my readers actually like reading about on here, so I'll just keep doing what I'm doing, I suppose.

Irene and I on the Santa Monica Pier

1. Today is my best friend Irene's birthday!  I met her when I was sixteen.  She just finished her degree requirements but is going to spend an extra semester in school taking fun/personal enrichment classes.  She's also going to bike across the United States this summer!  Crazy...

2. I've spent several hours sketching, reconfiguring, calculating, etc., all in anticipation of a quilt I'm going to make.  I sure hope it turns out well after all the work I've put into it!

3. I have approximately 120 pages left to read before the end of the year; I think I'll make it. ;)  When I finish those 120 pages, I will have read twenty-five books this year!  I was inspired to keep track of my books because my friend Heather wrote a post about books earlier this year and Amos wrote a post a few years ago.  I also wanted to read 20 books this year, so I'm quite happy that I've gone beyond my goal.  Check back next year to see my list and maybe some comments.

4. It is rainy here in SoCal.  Preparation for my journey to NorCal, I suppose.

5. One of these years I would like to be able to spend Christmas with Amos.  The first Christmas (2008) was terrible.  Last Christmas (2009) he was able to come up for a few days before heading back down to work on Christmas, but this Christmas (2010) he has to stay in SoCal and go to work; he doesn't have enough days off in a row to make it worth it to travel north.  I'm sure I'm not the only one who wants to see Amos on Christmas, though.  Amos won't be able to go to visit his family in Nebraska in January, but we're hoping to go for his cousin's wedding in April.

6. I'm hungry.  Time for lunch!

New every morning

In the midst of disappointments that come in various forms, the Word of the Lord is comforting. :)


This I recall to my mind,
Therefore I have hope.
Through the LORD’s mercies we are not consumed,
Because His compassions fail not.
They are new every morning;
Great is Your faithfulness.
“The LORD is my portion,” says my soul,
“Therefore I hope in Him!”
The LORD is good to those who wait for Him,
To the soul who seeks Him.
It is good that one should hope and wait quietly
For the salvation of the LORD.
It is good for a man to bear
The yoke in his youth.
Let him sit alone and keep silent,
Because God has laid it on him;
Let him put his mouth in the dust—
There may yet be hope.
Let him give his cheek to the one who strikes him,
And be full of reproach.
For the Lord will not cast off forever.
Though He causes grief,
Yet He will show compassion
According to the multitude of His mercies.

~Lamentations 3:21-32

Quilt

Well, I have decided to make a quilt.  For years my mom, a talented seamstress, tried to get me into sewing.  I wasn't interested, but I decided finally to make a quilt!  I currently have a handmade quilt on my bed, sewn by my sister-in-law Audra.  When I go North in a week or so, Audra is going to help me pick fabric, and Mom and Audra are going to help me make it!  I'm thinking of dark turquoise, deep blue, jade green, and dark green as the overall color scheme with some cranberry-colored pieces as well.  It's going to be a unique quilt because it's going to include fabric I got in Africa and India, as well as fabric from Israel (I might cut up an old purse or use part of a pillow case, just so I can get Israel in there. ;) ).  I sure hope it turns out well!

In other news, I did not get the job I applied for at the local high school.  It is comforting to know that God made that decision, and He obviously has something different for me.

At tutoring...

In addition to my work as an on-call substitute, I also tutor at a tutoring agency for approximately ten hours a week.  I have one first grader, two fourth graders, two seventh graders, and one fifth grader.  I tutor mostly math and writing, though science and history are also part of my repertoire.  I like my kids, though I definitely prefer teaching in the high school environment.  One of my fourth graders was my tutee last year, and this year I started tutoring his first grade brother, too.  These little guys are so cute and funny.  It is hilarious to watch them be goofy elementary kids who aren't afraid of what other think yet.  I feel like laughing every time I tutor them; sometimes I do laugh, but they don't mind. :)

On Monday I had an interview for a job at one of the high schools in the district, and I will find out on Friday if I actually got the job (please pray!).  If I get this job, I think I am going to drop most if not all of my tutoring so that I can really focus on my teaching and hopefully be hired back next year.  But that all depends on the decision that will be announced on Friday.  I am comforted by the fact that GOD has made the decision, not the people who interviewed me (especially since the interview could have been better; oh well!).

Anyway, here's a little peek at what goes on at my job.

At tutoring today...
Me: "Think of another animal. It begins with M. It lives in Canada."
Student: "Monkey!"

Frequently repeated phrases:
"Stop."
"Please stop."
"Your parents are paying right now for you to [insert misbehavior here]."
"Stop."
"I really don't want to be poked in the eye with your pencil."
"Come over here."
"One of these days I'm going to go crazy, and you'll have to get a new tutor."
"Stop messing around."
"I really don't want to be stabbed in the eye with my own pencil."
"Does that make sense?"
"Please stop."
"I'm going to trip over your chair and break something, and you're going to have to take me to the hospital, which is a problem since you can't drive."
"You are crazy!"
"I don't mind you being silly, but we have to be serious right now."
"Please stop."
"Is that how you spell that word?"
"Please sit down."
"Sit down."
"Don't sit in your chair that way."

And on and on it goes... ;)

Bleargh.

I thought of a good blog topic the other day, and now I've forgotten it.
*sigh*
Happy weekend!