The term is off and running! We’re two weeks and boy, has it been busy! This past Saturday brought a very happy decision… I got a puppy! Meet Ginger, my 10 week old half German Shepherd, half African Mutt who is filling my days with great love and delight.

It’s been an absolute joy having her around. In spite of sharp teeth and potty-training endeavors, along with early mornings of playing tug-of-war, the delight this little pup has brought me is inexpressible. My students are probably tired of hearing about her- but some of them are just as excited as I am to have her cuteness around.

Monday my kiddos hunkered down for their annual AP Exam. Having worked towards this goal since August, they left my room Monday morning donning lab coats and goggles, confidence boosters for the feat to come.

Tuesday we celebrated! I hosted a pancake breakfast instead of class and they loved sitting on a couch instead of at a desk, munching on some goodies and playing with Ginger. My third period class (Comparative Religions) wanted to meet the pup too, and since we were watching a video, I obliged and the nine of them piled onto my couches as the pooch passed around love.

This was also one of the more fun days of the year in regular chemistry as it was our thermodynamics lab where we study heat flow from a homogenous mixture to one of solid dihydrogen monoxide and sodium chloride… er… making ice-cream.

Wednesday brought a post exam burn party as some of my AP students gathered on my front lawn during “late studie” (essentially late curfew on certain days) to gather around a fire-pit for the burning of their notes and homework from the year.

Friday brought video variety night, where students sign up to watch movies at different staff members homes. More kiddos piled into my living room as we pulled out the popcorn and hot chocolate, and piled on the couches once again.

Come Saturday, I was ready for a rest. While my morning brought the reading of a script as some of my students sat down for their SAT testing, my afternoon involved a nap on the front porch in the sun, a little pup laying down next to me contentedly. My days are full, but I cannot imagine better ways to fill them than with conversations about school, volleyball, my new puppy, chemistry, and of course, Jesus.

Prayer Point

• Would you simply pray for discipline to accomplish the tasks each day hold? This week we gear up NHS inductions once more, a lengthy time-involved process.
• In comparative religions, we’ll be fasting one day this week together as we continue to learn about the five pillars that form the basics of Islam. Would you pray my students would learn together through this process as we break our fast together over dinner?