RRRRRRIIIIINNNGGGGGG. First period passed in a haze, the fog of my brain barely lifted from the cold meds I’d taken the night before. I dropped off a note and a couple cookies in our mail system for one of my students. Our third year mentoring together, today was a big day for my student P. From the UK, today was her “GSCE” math exam . Essentially as big a deal as the ACT or SAT in the states, with implications in the work force, not just college entrance, and I knew she could use a boost of encouragement… and sugar! I run a couple more errands, popping up the business office and over to maintenance to buy some duct-tape before my third period class begins.

RRRRRRIIIIINNNGGGGGGThe lunch bell rang and I hustled home to heat up a quick lunch before my front porch meeting with my sweet student J. One of my sophomores, I have the honor of being her “punishment mentor.” Her parents from afar thought perhaps the best way to learn from her mistake was to seek out a mentor to meet with regularly, and I am who she asked! It’s been a delight as we’ve been going through “A Gospel Primer For Christians” together, reading reasons to rehearse the gospel daily, the gospel in prose, and the gospel in poetry. “Do you think you have to ask God to be forgiven?” she asked a couple weeks ago… and last week, “How do you know if you’re like actually a Christian?” Asking big questions, while connecting ideas we talk about with what she hears at her dorm devotions and in Bible class, I’m amazed at her curiosity to learn more.

RRRRRRIIIIINNNGGGGGG. Another trill of the bell signals the beginning of “8th period,” an after school designated study time. Having bargained this time for homework time in class, my nine lovely AP students wander in for some review before their test tomorrow. A student lagging in his regular chem homework sits spellbound at the back of the classroom, marveling at the complexities these kids one year ahead of him are discussing. He quietly watches as he’s writing basic compound names while the girls at the front of the room wreste with the nuance of intermolecular, intramolecular, and interparticle forces.

RRRRRRIIIIINNNGGGGGG. Zippers zip and binders close. A “cute boy” shows up at the door for one of my AP scholars as others mentally prep themselves for sports practice, drama, or stop to think if it’s laundry pick up day or not.

I wander home where my outside worker is tying up my tomato plant and expertly pruning my “beauty and the beast” rose growing by the corner of my house. I begrudgingly ask him to look for my dogs favorite toy- begrudgingly because it squeaks incessantly when she exercises her jaw around its spikey shape. I head inside and start mixing. “Sugar… flour… cocoa…” I’ve got all the dry ingredients combined when I realize I’m out of eggs. I pull out my phone and search “Middle Earth Neighborhood” typing into the chat box of the group, “Does anyone have two eggs I can borrow for an AP snack for tonight?” In no time at all my neighbor Zoe has appeared at my door! No Betty Crocker mixes here, these brownies are from scratch! The day saved, I continue with my prep.

Chicken cut, onions sliced, sauce mixed, water boiling. I’m startled when my outside worker appears at my door breaking my concentration, squeaky ball in hand! Sure enough, it had been hiding in the wood pile- another favorite toy as it provides and endless source of perfectly cut chew toys.

I finish with the brownies, green beans, rice and pad Thai chicken right as the first two ladies show up at the door. Still waiting on friends, S jumps in next to me as I am washing my cooking dishes, taking over the job of rinse. We chat about schedules, job choice, and life in general, food waiting for my other two students to arrive.

RRRRRRIIIIINNNGGGGGG. I hear the warning bell sound, signaling they can’t stay much longer. The four ladies left me just enough for tomorrows lunch in the pans, having each visited the stove for seconds. As they put shoes back on and wander out the front door to make curfew before dorm jobs, I pull out the tupperware and pack up my lunch. I count out 10 bowls and 10 spoons, cut the brownies I’d made earlier and pull out a bag. I throw the squeaky ball for Ginger (my dog) and watch as Scout (friends dog I’m watching for 6 months) stares into the space between the stove and cupboard. Clearly she nosed her tennis ball into a tight spot and is awaiting human assistance to get back her toy.

RRRRRRIIIIINNNGGGGGG. This bell is in my head. The curfew bell was the last one of the day, but I’ve volunteered to be in my classroom for evening study hall (designated homework time for dorm students, 7:30-8:30 pm) as is tradition the night before an AP test. Brownies and ice-cream in tow, I head down early to get a couple things done before I spend the hour answering questions. Nope. They’re already waiting. I pull out chromatography paper, dot it with ink and stick it in water. We discuss the finer points of solubility, polarity and the separation of mixtures at one counter while brownies and ice-cream are served up at another. Before I know it, the hour has passed and students are leaving my classroom.

Two looming blobs cross past my window. My students have learned I jump scare easily, which means I’ve learned to watch for looming blobs. Two senior guys waltz into the room- former students on their way back from another evening gathering. They drifted as if pulled by a strong electrostatic force toward the two remaining brownies… the ones my AP kids had left for me… sigh. No more brownies would be eaten by me.

These particular two students have recently taken an interest in my marital status and the first bite of brownie elicits the response, “HOW ARE YOU NOT MARRIED?” A killer recipe indeed, I laugh and we begin chatting about God’s will and the importance of waiting on the Lord and choosing him first in all things. Some distractions later and T is telling me about his experience over the summer break at a school dance he’d attended in South Africa. Of course this moves us to the topic of dancing, which if you know me, you know I love to do. He’s explaining how he doesn’t know how to dance and before you know it, I’m out of my chair and teaching him the basics… STEP. TOUCH. STEP. TOUCH. Move side to side- good, now, add a little snap with your fingers, some bounce in the knees… DUDE! YOU’RE DANCING!!! Of course no dance lesson is complete without the number one piece of advice, “If you don’t know what to do, watch the person in front of you and just copy them.” I start being a little ridiculous flailing my arms up and down and he quickly reverts to standing. His friend A is laughing at him as he smirks embarrassed at the ground.

It’s after nine by the time I get my test ready for printing. As my tests spit out of the machine, I smile. I often find the most fun when I’m just chilling in my classroom around 8pm. Sometimes, like tonight, students enter in search of ridiculous escapades, leftover snacks, or a break from their homework. A couple weeks ago, I had students pop in for a ‘quiet place’ that isn’t the library because they saw my light on, only for it to come up that a long time friend of theirs has started making choices they don’t understand, and they’re trying to reconcile their friends conflicting choices with their espoused beliefs. Whether light and fluffy, school related or heart related, there’s always a laugh hiding somewhere in my time with students.

So how did my night end? Writing out two recipe cards titled “Miss Galloway’s Brownies” written across the top for two teenage boys who probably don’t even know what a recipe card is. I’ll be thinking though what to write on the back as encouragement, maybe a reminder that sweets are good for the tummy, and Jesus is good for the soul, before passing them along.

I’ll prep the next bell before I lay down, the next ring will wake me up and signal the start of yet another new day.

Prayer Points

-Please pray this nasty cold would go away! I don’t love being sick, it zaps my energy and makes it tough to sleep at night. Praise for a friend who brought me some meds today! I’m thankful for her- while I can’t buy NyQuil or DayQuil, she knows to give me some “Solvin Plus” ❤ ❤ ❤

-Pray for each of the students in here by letter (instead of name ;))! Some of them are deep in their faith, looking to honor Jesus every day. Others, currently asking questions, and even others mentioned`, not too sure they care about who Jesus even is.

-I’m finding myself struggling to love my new students- I miss some of my old ones so much! I know I know… this happens every year, and yes, every year I have to pray about it!! Would you pray with me that I the Lord would soften my heart.

P.S. Sorry there are no pictures- sometimes, I just plain forget to pull my phone out and snap a shot! All I seem to have on my phone right now are pics of my pooches.