Onward Hoe!

For those of you who simply can't live whenever I don't update my blog, I'm sorry. You have probably passed on by now. However, Camilla (my computer) was in very critical condition and had to be on life support for much of last week. She had roughly 5000 (yes, that's the correct number of zeros) viruses that had affected nearly every li'l bit of her. I took her to the doctor, and I'm happy to report that she is alive and well, running pretty normally and ready for action again.

During her recuperation, a few things happened.
1. I had a very happy birthday, thank you very much. And special thanks to all of you who sent cards and Cadbury Creme Eggs. I just reviewed my wish list to find that I actually got several of the items listed (minus naked pictures of B. Arthur and the Rod Stewart Musical soundtrack, thank goodness). Jason and Jenn took me out to Bojangle's and to the movies. Then we shared margaritas and watched Night Rider. There was also cake involved, which just makes any day worth living. Emily took me to lunch (it wasn't the Olive Garden, but it was Italian, so that counts). My students sang to me. Two of the teachers I work with took me to P.F. Chang's for dumplings. Yumm. And Jenn gave me 4 C.C. Eggs and 2 pairs of socks (to get me through the week until my day off when I could do laundry).

So I've completed 25 years of life on earth, and though I've never before recapped a year in quite this fashion, I thought it might be a worthwhile practice to adopt. This may be the only time I ever do it (my memory ain't what it used to be), but if I only do it once, this will be a good year to pick as it turned out to be a pretty successful one. So here goes it:
- I finished a Master's degree. I'm a master.
- I moved...4 times. This has to be a record for someone who isn't on the lamb.
- I learned never to say, "never."
- I taught English classes for 3 different schools.
- I fell in love with 5 different groups of English learners.
- I fell in love with teaching English.
- I worked in 3 different American Eagles.
- I learned that I'm not cut out for retail.
- I went to Europe for the first time.
- I learned the importance of community in my life.
- I went to California for the first time.
- I learned to take life one step at a time.
- I realized that I don't have to know everything right now and that perhaps it's better that I don't, because the experience required to learn is what makes the knowledge worthwhile.
- I learned to wait.
- I learned (again) to trust God even when what you know is right seems crazy.
- I learned that it's the people in your life who define each phase. When I think of NY, I don't think of how many times I saw RENT or the Statue of Liberty; I think of my friends at the Journey, my friends in Navs, my roommates, my classmates, my students and everyone I met at AE.
- I learned that relationships are what we're here for.
- I learned that Christ will be seen if we allow him to be.
- I learned that people everywhere, regardless of who they are or where they come from, are searching for real life and real love.
- I've been amazed at how friends have clung to me in their search for life and love because of the presence of God in my life.
- I've watched as God has made himself known to them on his own, in their lives, personally, apart from me.
- I've been blessed to see them acknowledge Him and respond.

It's been a good year. Happy birthday to me.

2. (In my list of things that have happened over the past week.) I've been offered another ESL class from Wake Tech. Starting in 2 weeks, I'll be teaching another beginning class every Tuesday and Thursday morning!! This means that I only have to work at AE on Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings (and THAT is infinitely exciting!). My plan to phase them out has officially begun.

3. I cooked chicken tacos for about 15 people...successfully...nothing burned. No one died of food poisoning. I think it was a hit even. I'm so domestic.

Maybe that's all? Maybe so...until it's not.