What I'm Thankful For

Thanksgiving is just around the corner. Like, seriously, it is so close I can almost taste my mom's amazing cooking! It has been a crazy and busy 3 1/2 months, and I am unbelievably excited to go home. Just ask my students. Every time we talk about how close Thanksgiving, I mention that am excited to go to Wisconsin. They always say "We know Miss Ongna! We know you are excited!" They love me, they really do.

School has been crazy lately, with report cards going out 2 weeks ago and parent teacher conferences this past week. Both went very well, which is a huge blessing. I was quite nervous about the whole process, but it ended up being pretty painless! I have also been blessed with having students with wonderful parents. One of the things I was most nervous about starting off school was having parents that were unsure or worried about their child having a first year teacher. I didn't want to disappoint anyone or feel as though their student was missing out on something. After meeting with the parents, I feel so encouraged and revitalized. They have all been so incredibly supportive and encouraging. I know that God placed me in this school for a reason, and after the conferences, I could see one of the many reasons why He did.

We have also been doing some really exciting things in class! I feel as though every day I become more and more comfortable in my teacher role and I continue to grow in my teaching as well. We have spent time in our reading textbooks that have a compilation of lots of stories all separated into different topics. We have recently started a new topic--kindness. We read the first story together, then I had the whole class discuss 4 different aspects of the story: characters, setting, vocabulary, and plot. After discussing the meaning of these words, we went to work figuring out answers for each aspect. We wrote the answers to each on post-it notes.

My kids blew me away! They enjoyed it so much and worked really hard at figuring out appropriate answers for each part. When I asked about when this story may have taken place, by looking at the pictures and the story itself, one student said, "It seems like it would have been the early 1900's, because of the style of clothing and buildings." I think I literally jumped up and down. It was an awesome teaching moment!

As you can see, life is good and I continue to have so so much to be thankful for. An awesome job, wonderful friends and family, a God who loves me, and so much more. I feel as though my cup is just overflowing. It will be wonderful to have a break though, and I am thankful especially for that! Prayers for safe travels for Julia, Ryan, and myself are appreciated. Prayers for my students are also appreciated as they travel as well, and as we continue school after Thanksgiving.

Here's to bracing for 3 days of school then traveling home. Ready or not Wisconsin, here I come!

Life is Like a Box of Chocolates...

You never know what you're gonna get! Yes, a great Forest Gump reference. It holds very true though. This past weekend my dear friend Tricia Brouwer came to visit Julia and I! It was a bit of a surprise and a wonderful one at that! She drove here by herself to hang out with us Thursday-Sunday.

While Tricia was here, we showed her around the city, lazed around, and she also got to meet some of our friends out here as well. It was wonderful to spend time with her again since we have all been all over the place for the past few months and really the past few years! However, we will also see her during Thanksgiving which is soon, so we are all excited for another reunion! 

One of my favorite parts of the weekend was Tricia visiting my classroom Friday afternoon during our "fuzzy party". This is a part of my classroom management system. I'll try to explain it to you in the sort version. On the blackboard, there is a small box in the bottom corner with "Miss Ongna" on one side and "Class" on the other. Everytime a student talks out of turn or without raising their hand, I get a point. Anytime the class answers questions by raising their hand or works very well, I give them a point. At the end of the day, if the class has more points, they earn a fuzzy (a pom pom). If I win, then I take a fuzzy out of the jar.

So, my students filled up their jar and we watched some Magic School bus and had a little snack. Tricia stopped by to see my school and visit with my students. This past Friday also happened to be "Book Character Dress Up" day. All in all it was a fun day and my students had fun with all the activities and loved meeting Tricia. Their first reactions? "You are really tall and blonde! Like Miss Ongna!"

As I mentioned, Friday was book character day, so all of the elementary students dressed up. It was so fun to see everyone in costume! I dressed up with the first grade teacher, and we were Thing 1 and Thing 2 from "The Cat in the Hat". I had a blast! I even tried doing my entire spelling test with my students in rhymes. I was somewhat successful, with help from my students! It was a great ending to a crazy week.

Finally, Thanksgiving is only a week and a half away and I could not be MORE excited! I love life here, I really do. But I do miss home and lots of people at home. It is going to be wonderful to head home and see family and friends! I am already packing lots of events into the days I am home. Julia and I both have a TON to do before we go home though, so we are trying to focus. Prayers are appreciated! Can't wait to see all you Wisconsin folk!

My class dressed up! We have Ron Weasly, Nancy Drew, Pinkalicious, 2 Tara the Tuesday Fairies, and 3 Fancy Nancies.

My costume, Thing 2

Tricia, Julia, and I enjoying a gorgeous day in Pittsburgh

You Know You're a Teacher When...

You buy 10 books at a half priced book store in one afternoon.

Oops.

In my defense, I got 4 Harry Potter books for $16. That is a steal! They were just begging me to buy them. I am a nerd and I am quite ok with it.

I also bought some Ramona books...and Anne of Green Gables...among other things. I feel as though I have to explain that I am a teacher every time I purchase children-esque stuff. It doesn't matter that these books are completely for my enjoyment. I am still a teacher ya know...that reasoning totally works.

Time Flies

The beginning of November means that I have been here in Pittsburgh for 3 months. 3 months! I can barely believe it, and time just keeps flying by. In that time I've settled down into a house, started my teaching career, and done lots of other grown up stuff that includes the words insurance, credit, and pension. Fun stuff.

Some signs of settling in? It has become infinitely easier to find things around here. I can actually get around without my gps! Huge feat. Except if I am going somewhere totally new, then I haul the trusty guy out. But I can recognize roads and such now which is a big deal, especially in these crazy hills. It is also delightful for people to talk about towns and roads and be able to actually nod in agreement, not just to look polite but because I actually know where they are talking about. "That Giant Eagle down Rodi Road?" Yep. Totally know where that is. (Thats Rodi with a long i. I botched that one up bad and got quite a few laughs.)

During this time of crazy changes, there have been lots of people who have made it so much easier. Perhaps none more than 2 people in particular--Julia and Ryan. As the story goes, Ryan and Julia accepted jobs here in early May at the same school. I was struggling to find a position and received news of the job I have now from some family friends. (Thanks Tammy!!) I applied and got this job in the beginning of July and moved out here with Ryan and Julia.

I have known Ryan my whole life, seeing as we are cousins, and I have known Julia since 2nd grade when she moved to WI and came to Ryan and I's class. We have been each other's support systems and social lives while figuring out life here in PA. It has been so much easier adjusting when you have people there to explore with you and to have little pieces of home. I love these 2 a whole lot and we have had a great time so far. I am so so thankful that God placed us all out here together. I can't even imagine what doing this alone would be like.

Perhaps the funniest part of the 3 of us coming out here together is people's faces when we explain our story. They are totally flabbergasted to find out that the 3 of us went to school together since 2nd grade, except when Julia went to Trinity. But Ryan and Nicole went to the same college. And Nicole and Ryan are cousins. And we are all from the same tiny town in Wisconsin. And all got jobs in Pittsburgh. Yep, small world :)