The last three months have been an incredible learning experience for me. I have grown so much and I am starting to see myself as the teacher that I hope to become. Not only has my cooperating teaching taught me many new things but my students have also had a tremendous impact on my teaching. With 27 third graders, life is never boring! Learning to keep up with everything going on in the classroom was a challenge and I can say that my 'teacher voice' has definitely developed. I feel like I just walked into the classroom for the first time yesterday. I don't know how I'm going to say goodbye to my students in a week and a half but I will never forget them and everything they've taught me.
It is crazy to think that my college experience is almost over. I only have one semester left! I look back at who I was when I started college and I can't believe how much I've grown up. To think that I will hopefully have a career, no just a job, in six months makes me so nervous and excited at the same time. Going through the awful registration process for the last time, I'm definitely not going to miss that, made me so sad. I love Concordia and it's sad to think that I will no longer be a student there. Everything seems like a last right now. The last homecoming was fun but the thought that it was the last one for me was in the back of my mind throughout the festivities. Next year I will be coming back as an alumni and I already know some of the amazing friends I've made throughout my college career cont have the opportunity to make it back "home" next fall.
Here are a few pictures from homecoming in October!
Not only has school been a crazy part of my life but, as many of you know, things have been pretty intense with my family the past month. At the beginning of November, my dad was diagnosed with stage 3b non-small cell lung cancer. He has started chemotherapy and he has an appointment to meet with the doctor about radiation next month. The amount of support that we have received has been overwhelming and I can't thank my family and friends enough. We have a rough road ahead of us but we are trying to have faith.
I know that having faith has been a struggle for me. With the amount of hardship my family has faced in the past nine months with my mom having her stroke, the numerous surgeries my parents have had to endure, and now this, I've struggled with my faith. The question of, "What have we done to deserve this?" is always in the back of not only my mind, but my family's. For a while, I was really angry with God. I could have lost my mom last spring and now I'm going through a similar situation with my dad. I know that at times like this, keeping faith is important but I was truly struggling. One particularly bad day I was listening to music while I was driving and the song "Have a Little Faith in Me" by John Hiatt came on. In that moment, I felt like God was talking to me in his own way, just reminding me to have a little faith in him.
I told one of my friends about this "revelation" that I had and I was so embarrassed because it honestly felt so... cheesy. But honestly, I has helped me to accept the situation and now I'm trying to move forward about focus my energy on the present.
My family did take formal family pictures for the first time in years! They turned out great, thanks Katie! Here are just a few of the pictures Katie took:
The past few months have been so crazy for me but even though it has been tough, many great things have happened. Once again, I can't thank my mom and dad enough for all they have and continue to do for me, my sisters for being their great selves, my extended family for all their love and support, my friends for being there for me even when I'm sure it hasn't been pleasant on your part, my students and cooperating teachers, my professors for being so understanding and helpful and everyone else who have shown their love for my family. We thank you all for everything you've done and we appreciate your continued prayers for our family.
I hope everyone continues to have a blessed holiday season.
Much love to you all,
Nikki
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