Hello World!!!!! I am back.

All projects are finished and turned in--just waitin' for the final exams.

I am so happy to be back. My family is happy I'm back too. (Bethani keeps telling me so.)

School Woes

It has been a long time...I know. Our life has just become so very crowded, and I am afraid this is how it will be until spring--at which time, you may hear more from me. You see I have just begun my final round at college. In order to make this the last one, I have taken an extra heavy load. I keep reminding myself that May is coming, and when it gets here, I will be a better interpreter.

Additionally, I am starting a new Bible study on Wednesday afternoons. I am very excited about this. After all, if I am too busy to teach a Bible study, I am too busy.

Tiffani is taking Deaf Culture and Fingerspelling and Numbers. I have class on Monday and Wednesday, (after my Bible study, and before church) while she and Raphalen, (a good friend) have class on Tuesday. On Thursday, the three of us leave home at 3:00, and don't get back until about 11:00. It is a long, very long evening. Thankfully Craig is able to hold the fort while we are gone.



As far as practicum goes...I seriously doubt that I will meet the required 200 observation intern hours. It is really a sad thing--I would like to take advantage of those learning opportunities, but really, people, there are just so many hours in a day. Keep in mind, May is coming.

Craig is busy preaching out every weekend. I miss not going with him, especially when he is flying to other states, but during this season of my life, I must attend to other duties. There will come a time when we will again travel together.

For now, Bethani is excited about planning her birthday sleepover. I'm sure I will have pictures and stories to share...

School Has Officially Begun

Yup! We are back at it. Two high schoolers and a 4th grader.

As an added bonus, Tiffani and I will be taking classes at CCCC this fall. Her class, ASL 2 and my class, Int. 2 just "happen" to be at the same time on the same nights. Isn't God good to work out the details for us?


I am looking forward to this new way to bond with my oldest daughter. We will have so much more in common and so much to talk about.

TEP

Texas English Proficiency

In just 9 days, I will embark on the monolithic task of passing the Texas English Proficiency Test. The manifold vocabulary lists from which I am to study seem interminable. My assiduous studies have left me wishing for supine reprieve. I am not looking to exonerate myself. I realize that my perfunctory procrastination is incontrovertible. I remain solely culpable for my situation. My friend, on the other hand has been a paragon, as her salient efforts have allowed her to subjugate the book "1100 Words You Should Know." Her erudite tendencies are inate.

Before I succumb to a paroxysm of histrionics, which would only serve to exacerbate rather than ameliorate my current situation, I solicit your fervent prayer on my behalf. With that in mind, I will walk into the testing room with temerity believing that God is indeed on my side regardless of my virtuosity

I am fairly certain that the anxiety that I now feel is just a harbinger to what I will experience in August when I go for the final expressive sign language exam.

(Please forgive me if this has been ostentatious. It has served as an au courant review.)

Let the Summer Begin

Tuesday was my last final exam, the summer has officially begun for all of us. (Never mind the fact that I will be taking 9 credit hours in June.) We are looking forward to a summer jam-packed with fun and exciting adventures. With our calendar so full, I'm afraid it will zoom by, but we are going to try to savor each moment.

I won't be able to blog for a couple of weeks. Don't worry, I will fill you in...

Tiffani's Last Day to Homeschool

Friday was our last day of homeschool for the 2007-2008 school year. As we finished up the final exams, cleaned out desks, filed papers, stored away text books, and averaged grades, there was a different feeling than other years. Friday was monumental. For the past 11 years, I have been Tiffani's school teacher. For nine months out of every year, she has started every school day off at 8 p.m. sharp (well, sometimes not so sharp) writing her spelling list, and then moving on to language, math, history and science. (There were electives in there too. Her most recent elective was French, in which, ironically enough, she scored higher than in English.)

But. Friday was her last day to homeschool. This fall she will be starting the collegiate program in the metroplex whereby she will complete her last two high school years congruent with her first two college years. It is a free program for those who are accepted. Two years from now she will have 2 graduation ceremonies: one for her high school diploma; the other for an associates degree in engineering.

As most of you know, we have used the A Beka curriculum, and it has served us well. She scored extremely high on the Accuplacer entrance exam at the college.

This is a big step for all of us. This is one more step in letting go, and I've got to say, it is tough for the mom in me. These are unchartered waters, however, we have all prayed about this, and we truly feel as though God has opened this door for her. Tiffani has a good head on her shoulders, and when it comes to the big decisions, she consistently makes the right choices. I trust that she is going to be a faithful ambassador for God on that campus this fall.






This is our downsized classroom, ready for the 2008-2009 homeschool year.

Final Exams!

Well, my last 2 final exams were Tuesday. I think I aced all 3 classes--even Henry's class! It was only 10 credit hours, but still a lot for me to juggle while homeschooling the Fruit.



This is Thursday, and we won't be leaving for school at 1:30. Instead we will be leaving for the airport to pick up my mom. She will be staying here with the kids while Craig and I fly to North Carolina. I appreciate her so much! She has stayed close to us regardless of what our return address labels say.

I haven't felt the sense of relief yet. Maybe it will hit me this afternoon when I pass the exit for the college, or Saturday morning when I wake up in a hotel room and have no plans to go to the lab. (I spent 65 hours of my life in the lab this past 4 months.) Maybe it will all sink in when I check my online grades and see the accumulated credit hours, who knows. I do know that I appreciate free time a whole lot more now than before. I am afraid though that this 1 month break of mine is so consumed with holiday events that I won't even notice all the free time.

Romeo, Where Art Thou Romeo?

Yesterday was quite a fun day at my school. My assignment was to act out a college level literature drama. I chose Shakespeare's Romeo & Juliet. Jessica, another girl in my class was my project partner. We talked about it and decided that Craig would be a much better Romeo than she when it came to the kissing part, so Craig graciously agreed to come to my college class, kiss me, declare his love for me, ask me to marry him, and then die for me. It was all very dramatic and very romantic. I guess you had to have been there...

Support!

I have wonderful parents. They have believed in me all of my life in whatever endeavor I happened to take up. I am now taking up ASL, and here they are, at my school and in my class. Thank you mom and dad for supporting me in everything I do. I love you!

School Again??

A couple of weeks ago, Craig and I were talking about the possibility of my going back to college one day to become a certified sign language interpreter. He suggested that I look into it sooner than later. The next week, I was planning to meet Amanda at the college to gather some information for future use, but the day we chose it rained, so I dismissed the idea. My mom called, and encouraged me to go in spite of the rain. I gave in and called Amanda and we met at the college. One thing led to another, and 3 hours later (I promise, I don't know how it happened) I left as a registered student at Collin County Community College, scheduled to start classes the next day.

I have had some time to think about what I've gotten myself into, and yes, I am more than excited. I believe God has His hand in all of this, and I have found what He wants me to do. I feel passionate about it. Perhaps I have found something that I love to do, and one day someone will pay me to do it.