Kitchen Victories

The up side to being new in the cooking world is that you're pretty much open to anything! However, the down side is feeling glued to a recipe. I typically choose 3-4 recipes for the week and go to the grocery store with my list for those recipes... This means that when we have a hectic day (or I forget about cooking dinner until 6 p.m. when we're hungry), then I'm stuck! It becomes sandwiches or a frozen pizza for dinner that evening. Don't get me wrong, sandwiches and frozen pizzas have their place! But I often feel frustrated because I want to be able to "whip up" something delicious for dinner like my Mom used to!

So today, I finally succeeded... Well sort of. [I'm celebrating small victories! ;)] Today during lunch, I realized that I had nothing planned for dinner and I was due for a run to the grocery store. I remembered that my friend, Rachel (who recently gave birth to the most adorable son), recently reminded me that chicken + cream of anything + crock pot = awesomeness! So I whisked together 1 can of cream of chicken soup with 1 can of cream of mushroom. I mixed in garlic and herb seasoning and we were on our way! Frozen chicken into the crock pot... The soup mixture poured on top... Set on high for 4 hours. When Adam got back from work, we made some instant rice, microwaved some broccoli,  and voila. DINNER! It was pretty good if I do say so myself :)

I don't know if this counts as "whipping up" something delicious, but like I said... small victories! What do you have for dinner on your hectic days? Or when you forget about dinner?

The Countdown

Today marks ...
* 1 month
* 4 weeks (+ 2 days)
* 30 days
... until our WEDDING!!! I can't believe it's almost here! Finally :)

Until then...
* Our last shower is on Saturday.
* I pick up my dress next Friday.
* We move into our new apartment in 2.5 weeks. (I'll be staying there, while Adam will continue staying with his buddy until the wedding.)
* Our parents come to visit (and to bring us furniture!) on July 4.
* My sister comes to visit July 9 - 14.
* We are wrapping up last minute details and I am reminding myself not to be a perfectionist ;)

God has been so good to us and I want to be careful to enjoy these last few weeks. It's sometimes hard not to become impatient, but I know that He chose July 14 long before we did! Beginning our lives together is well worth the wait!

"Worrying is like a rocking chair...

... It gives you something to do, but it gets you nowhere." -Glenn Turner

Hi. My name is Rebecca and I'm a worrier. I admit it. I get all worked up and upset about things that may never even happen! It's ridiculous when you think about it... One of the biggest impacts that Adam has had on my life has been teaching me not to worry. Early on in our relationship, he used to read me Matthew 6:25-34 EVERY time I worried about something... EVERY time. I grew tired of hearing it and eventually I learned to listen and began to apply the truths there. I've learned to worry less and trust God more. When Adam senses a "worry moment" coming on now, he simply warns "I'll read you Matthew 6." It's partially a joke, but it's also a great way that he helps keep me accountable to scripture. God's word is so good. Christ came that we might have life abundant... I don't think that an abundant life has room for worry! I'm also learning not to overreact about little things or to worry about things that I can't control.

So here's the passage from Matthew 6... Enjoy. And don't worry! "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes?²⁶ Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? ²⁷ Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life^[e]?

²⁸ “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. ²⁹ Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. ³⁰ If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? ³¹ So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’³² For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. ³³ But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. ³⁴ Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own."

My First Classroom and Professional Development

Last week, I saw my classroom for the first time - MY classroom?! They're going to give me students? To teach by myself?! Haha. It's a little overwhelming to say the least, but I am so excited! God has been so good to give me this job and I know that He will continue to empower and equip me.

Adam was sweet enough to help me clean and arrange my classroom one afternoon last week. I've gone through lots and lots of binders and files! I'm a fairly OCD person and I don't like clutter, so honestly, many things have just gone in the trash. I've been able to keep many things though and I am so thankful to have the resources! The school is going to paint my classroom this Summer! I think I've decided on a mint green... It should help brighten the room without being too distracting. That's the goal anyways.

We have spent this week creating "Learning Maps" during Professional Development. I feel like I've gotten the hang of making them, but I'm still not sure how to implement them in the classroom. It's hard to think through all the concepts that I'll need to cover. We're growing tired of creating so many maps, but tomorrow we will be given time to find resources online to aid this process. I'm looking forward to that!

The people at Ouachita High have been very sweet and gracious to me. It is still strange to be the "newby." Some of the teachers already call me Mrs. Gosnell, because that will be my name the next time they see me! I enjoy hearing it :)

So that's my life lately... lots of firsts!

While Substitute Teaching...

Just after I finished up my internship at Goza Middle School, they were able to hire me as a substitute teacher until the school year ends. These are the highlights (or occasionally "low"-lights)!

1) I've enjoyed seeing students that I taught during my internship, both from the high school and the middle school.

2) "Aww, they're lucky.. They get a sub." ... I've overheard this statement many times from students going to other classes. I consider this a compliment to their teacher, because it means they will be expected to work while in class ;)

3) "Miss Wright, you look like you're 12." ... Not exactly a compliment when I'm trying to establish authority with kids that I've never seen before.

4) "Oooh." ... I often hear this echo through the classroom when I get onto a student or when the class realizes that I'm not going to let them play during class.

5) Substitute teaching has given me my first taste of closing a classroom door and feeling alone... It's exciting to be at this point in my education/career, but it's also intimidating!

6) You learn something about a teacher's personality while sitting at their desk. I sometimes learn about their organization (or lack thereof), interests, family, or hobbies.

7) You learn something about a teacher's procedures by observing how students interact with each other and with me.

8) Although substitute teaching can be boring, it is refreshing to leave at the end of the day and know that I don't have to plan or prepare for the following day.

Summer is off to a great start :) Next week I'll begin training and Professional Development at Ouachita High School!

"Wherever you go, go with all your heart." -Confucius

I know that I must go and that God has prepared me for this time in my life, but I cannot go with all my heart... Sorry, Confucius. A piece of my heart will always be at Ouachita Baptist University. I have been incredibly blessed to spend all 4 years of my college education at such a beautiful place. I have built relationships that I believe will last a lifetime. My education has given me a solid foundation as I prepare to enter "the real world." And as an incredible addition to all of that, during my four years, God provided a man for me who will become my husband in only 60 days!!!

I still can't believe that it's over... My heart is torn between relief / pride and sadness / shock.

The week before we graduated, the head of our Mathematics department invited me and the other graduates from our department for an exit interview. I had the opportunity to share my opinions about my classes and the program in general. He asked my future plans and offered advice on getting my Masters. He also explained that he believes my personality is similar to his in this way - I tend to put lots of effort into the details of everything that I'm doing. I want things to be "just so." This quality can be valuable and important in many situations, but my Dean warned that I must be careful not to commit myself to too many "ventures." Knowing this quality in myself, if I become spread too thin, I might become frustrated and could often walk away feeling less successful. What great advice! He says that he is still trying to teach himself the same thing, but he hopes that I'll learn it sooner.

This is just one small example of how incredible my experience at Ouachita has been. God has blessed me abundantly. And I know that "For everyone to whom much is given, from him much will be required" (Luke 12:48). I have big shoes to fill, but I have been prepared well. So here we go :)

Happy Birthday to Me!!!

I hope it's not selfish to blog about your own birthday... I just wanted to be sure and record today's events!

This morning I woke up to a text which read "Do: go look at your car when you get up. Don't: judge me if the dew gets to it before you do. :)" So I went outside to find this....

A couple of windows said "Happy B-day" and the other window pictured above reads "I'm getting married in 67 days!" It was very sweet :) Adam had written a very sweet Birthday letter for me and left it for me to find. I cried because it made me happy. It was a lovely way to begin my day!

Then I went for a morning walk, had some breakfast, read my Bible, and got ready for the day. Today was my last day in class as a college student... What a strange feeling! We listened to a couple of lectures this morning and after lunch we each presented our Teacher Work Samples. It was my last presentation as a college student... Once these were completed, our Professor so sweetly said "You are no longer my students. You are now my colleagues. My name is Kathy. It's nice to meet you, teachers." Ahh!!! We're teachers!!! What an exciting feeling! Our school day ended with a reception.

These are my math-y friends :) So proud of each of them!

This is Mrs. McGough, my Cooperating Teacher during my Second Rotation. I learned SO much!

My evening ended with dinner at one of my favorite Mexican restaurants with several of my sweet friends! Sadly, I forgot to take a picture to document...

It's been a fabulous day! I am so thankful for all that God has blessed me with!!! My friends and family have been so sweet. And I'm finished with college!!! How crazy!