I AM GETTING MARRIED!!!!  Rob Lamb proposed to me on Friday evening outside  the St. Louis Art Museum.  We are so excited.

The great St. Louis power outage left me without power for 27 hours.  That was not too bad.  The bad part is that I am in a show this weekend, and the theatre STILL does not have power.  Our Thursday night performance was canceled, and I am sitting here awaiting word about tonight (likely also canceled because as of 1pm there was still no power).

To those of you going to the OZ wedding (that would be Olivia and Zach) please come say hi to me and meet my new (well, new to you...he has been around for 11 months) boy.  We will not be at the reception because of my show (sad day), so don't miss your chance.

I finished 6 hours of grad classes and a two week class I was teaching at STAGES.  I have two more free weeks and a week of meetings, then school starts AHAHAHAH!  I feel so much more prepared for my second year than I was for my first BRING IT ON!

Currently Listening Blue Like That By Melissa Errico see related

De-Tox

It is wierd to come to the end of the school year as a teacher.  After getting all of my checks for summer (something very scary for me), I headed to the lake, where I spent the rest of Friday, and most of Saturday.  I went out on the sea-doo, on the boat, went shopping, ate bar-b-que, and got ice cream.  Saturday night I slept hard for 12 hours.  Last night I went to dinner and a movie, then slept another 9 hour.  Today I got up and went to Wal-Mart and Schnucks to stock up for summer (part of that having my entire pay for 3 months already in the bank thing), then slept for 2 more hours.  I am trying to train myself not to think of my classes 24/7, only when I want to.  I am trying to teach myself not to eat really fast.  I have so much planned for the summer, but all if it is stuff that I CHOSE to do...it's so much cooler to have summer break when you are a teacher, than when you are a student!

It seems we go through life trying to do the best we can for our job, for our family, our friends, or significant other, and sometimes for ourself.  But, rarely does something come along that clearly shows you that you are doing well.

But, today something came along.  In 1982 the choir program at the school where I teach had about 300 students.  In the last 24 years there has been a steady decline in the numbers.  When I started in the fall, my school of 2,000 students had only 48 kids in choir. I determined to make that the very bottom of the down swing (not really knowing how, or if I could do it).  I was very excited to have 64 in choir this spring.  NOW HERE COMES THE EXCITING NEWS.  Today I finished choir audition for the 2006-2007 school year......the total please (drum roll)....97.  Yes folks, that is right!  In one year I have DOUBLED the choir program!

It is so great to have confirmation that you are doing a good job.  However, this is where I stop to recognize that it is not I who really doubled the choir.  All I did was beg and plead my students to bring their friends.  And, because I have the most amazing kids in the world...they did.  After all, it is their choir program...everything I do is for them anyway.

Anyway, I only tell you this partially to brag...and the other part is to encourage you.  Find a place you fit, and just go in and be yourself.  Show them Jesus...and they will come.