February 2012

The Month of Love.  That is true.  I've seen God's love in so many situations this month.  I've had so many answers to prayer, and have seen Him work in so many wonderful ways.  Here's the highs and lows of the month of February.

Lows:

• Right off the bat, I missed my Grandpa's birthday on the 3rd.  Turns out I didn't really need to, but plans changed and weather made it difficult to get back, no matter how bad I wanted to.  I'm pretty sure he had a great day though, with a surprise birthday party and all.

• I had to take a trip to the Registrar's office this month.  I hadn't heard back from the lady who does grad checks and I was beginning to get a little worried.  WE talked and I found out I need to take a class that I was not expecting, add that to a class that I had to drop, and I will be in May term plus a full Fall Semester to graduate in December and student teach in the spring.  I've got my work cut out for me!
• This month, I was able to go to camp not only once, but twice.  The worst part?  I worked in the Dining Hall a lot and had a bad case of dry hands.  It took a few nights of intense lotion repair to get my hands soft and smooth again!
• I started Phase 2 this month.  I think that I will be back and forth on this experience.  It is really giving me a glimpse into a real life classroom.  Fourth grade is not what I remember it to be!  Sometimes, it feels like I'm in a behavior disorder room rather than a 4th grade general education room.
• I don't know why, but I've been using the word, surprising a lot lately.  I always leave out the "r" so it ends up being "suprising" with a red line under it.

Highs:

• Early on in the month, I applied for student teaching.  I'm continuing to gain excitement for it!  I will find out, hopefully in a couple of weeks, what region I will be teaching in.  My older brother is getting anxious for me to find out.  He wants us to be at the same school.  Maybe, I'll be rooting for the Pekin Panthers again.  Hopefully, I can still do the cheer that I had down from going to Matt Jones' football games.
• I have the best friends, I really do.  I had 2 friends that got to take cool European trips in January.  I got 3 mini snowglobes from their adventures.  My momma also got me my first sandglobe from the Hoover Dam from my parents Vegas trip.

• I was reunited with a friend from Hills.  It was a good Thursday night!
• I was lucky enough to go to camp twice this month!  Ah, camp!  I got to go for the Faith Baptist retreat, and also for the 4 State Youth retreat.  I keep learning new things, and keep seeing lives changed.  God is so good!  :)
• Phase 2 is on this list as well because I am gaining so much experience.  I feel like I'm really getting somewhere!  I have a great co-teaching partner, wonderful supervisors and two teachers that are helping us any way they can.  Kailynn and I started teaching this week, and have already been observed and have been given great, helpful feedback.  I love my 4th graders, even if they can be quite a handful sometimes.  5 more weeks left!
• To dovetail the above high, my math methods professor from last semester has been going into the 4th grade classrooms at my school and helping implement their new math curriculum.  Kailynn and I both had him as our professor, and we were delighted to see him again.  We now see him weekly, and after our first encounter, he sent a very nice e-mail to our cooperating teachers saying how lucky they were to have us.  It was encouraging, to say the least.
• One of my biggest dreams came true this month.  I got to see GEORGE STRAIT in concert!!!  Talk about one happy girl!  :)

Honestly, I had this month filled to the brim!  Through it all, God had me, and I know He will continue to have me.  I look back on week 1 of Phase 2 and the blog I wrote then.  I think that verse takes the cake for the month!

Lamentations 3:22-Because of the LORD's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail.

This has to be my favorite picture of the month!  Momma Duck is reunited with her Ducklings!  :)

March, what will you bring?

Batman's underwear & Forever Lazy

Seriously, I had the best weekend ever.  Once I got back from the George Strait concert, I wasn't tired.  Instead, I blogged about the concert, did a chunk of homework, and packed for camp.  About 5 am I began to get hungry, so I popped in Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark and grabbed my chocolate animal crackers.  I barely made it a half hour through before I fell asleep until the credits rolled.  By then, it was time to get ready for the day and go pick up Jay to head to camp.

The day was sunny, and Jay and I both happened to forget our shades.  We always have lots of laughs and great conversations on our drive to camp.  It was so great to see everyone and find my JUMP girls from the summer.  Literally, I almost fell over because three of them tackled me at the same time!

I found out that I would be in the kitchen from 1-7 and I was glad that I decided to bring different shoes.  My feet are still thanking me for that one!  I had a great time in the bakery baking Lots of Chips Cookies-over 250 of them, stirring up the Baked Oatmeal for the next day, and then I joined the pizza crew.  At supper that night, I took the liberty of eating 2 cookies.  It was worth it!

Upon leaving the kitchen, I began to realize that a night with not much sleep combined with a long day was starting to make my contacts very irritating.  As I walked back to Heckman, I knocked my head back and gazed up at the stars.  It seemed a little foggy, but they were still there.  Combine that with a little glowing slice of moon and you have a giant chunk of beauty hand-crafted by God.  That beauty combined with a good chill just takes my breath away, every time.

I headed to chapel and was pleasantly surprised that worship was being led by some of the youth.  They did a wonderful job.  I was really glad that they brought in a hymn, Nothing But the Blood.  It was the night of the Gospel presentation.  I began to feel my exhaustion and I will admit that I began to fall asleep when they played a video that I had seen a few times already.  I was wide awake and praying, though, when the speaker called for all those wanting to make first time decisions and confessed to having things that were holding them back from really pursuing their relationship with God.  One of my favorite moments of every week during the summer was when we had a Victory Celebration on Friday night.  I got chills then and when we had one on Saturday night, I got them again.  I love getting those kinds of chills.

After that, I headed back to the kitchen to help with snack.  It seems like every time I go back to camp, I learn something new.  I love it!  Working with Erica, Jay and Michael, you just don't get bored.  The boys smoked up the kitchen with the popcorn making process and Erica might have lost a little bit of hot chocolate on the floor.  I headed to bed early because by 10, I was feeling the fact that I only had an hour and a half worth of sleep the night before.  When I got to my cabin, I was the last one.  Everyone was sleeping already and I somehow managed to get the nosiest mattress.  EVER.

For some strange reason, my alarms managed to not go off in the morning.  Yes, that's correct-alarms...I have a harmful relationship with my snooze button.  I still managed to make it to the Dining Hall in time to take care of hostessing duties.  I learned how to refill the hot chocolate machine as well as the milk machine today!  Debbi has been a great help to me and my ignorance in the camp kitchen.

In the lull between breakfast and brunch, I sat at the couches and had a random conversation with some boys about Batman's underwear and what he wears.  Wonder if he has his name on his waistband...  I also got drug to the Lodge to get in a picture with 4 of my JUMP girls from the summer.  Jordan walks around the corner and I about fell over laughing at her.  She was wearing the figure friendly Forever Lazy.  She proudly showed the butt flap for those emergencies!  :)

I began to really feel my exhaustion and decided that having Jay drive back to CF would be the wisest decision.  At brunch, I talked with Andrew about the summer.  All I need to do is get my classes figured out and I will hopefully be going back!  There IS a spot for me!  This was great to hear and put the biggest smile on my face!  :)

After that, I was barely competent about my surroundings.  I think I tidied up the camp store, and made mud for the salamanders, and probably turned down a candy bar sale or two from Daniel.  I also might have swept the hall in the AC.  I'm pretty sure that I was walking around with my mouth hanging open though...that tends to happen a lot when I'm extra tired.  We stopped by the Vik's to say goodbye and then we were out.  Jay got temporarily turned around since it's been so long since he's driven anywhere and he wanted to head home, not to CF.  I was in and out of sleep for about an hour, and still, I was barely functional.  When I sang with the radio, I got the words wrong...a lot.  I am calling this weekend a pure success.  I am happy and tired in a good way and not ready for Monday, except for Bible Study.

George Strait Junkie

"Hi, my name is Katie, and I am a George Strait Junkie."

I'm one happy fan!  

I love this man's music!  I've grown up on George Strait music, and became obsessed with him around my senior year of high school.  Kaitlin Fairchild and I sang Heartland about everyday in Ag when the FFA yearly video was being made.  I also discovered Pure Country.  Although it is not my all time favorite movies, I do love it.  I have tried to share it with a few of my friends, but not all of them admire it the way I do.

This week, Friday could not come fast enough.  I was ready to hit the highway and head to Des Moines for the concert.  I apologize if I happened to annoy anyone by posting a new video everyday this week.  I was just really excited...

When I jumped in the car with my family, I annoyed my brother by being extra excited and squirmy.  We had to sit in traffic for too long.  George has a lot of fans!  Mom and I jumped out when we were close to the arena and left the parking of the car to Dad, Peyton and Allison.  By the time that I purchased my shirt and we found our seats, we only had to sit about 5 minutes before Martina McBride kicked off the show.  She is a favorite of mine, and I'm glad I got to see her perform as well.

After Martina left the stage, my excitement began to build, even if I thought I was pretty excited to begin with.  Then, the lights dimmed and I knew it was time for my dream to come true.  I would finally be seeing George Strait in concert.  He is so good!  I just love how I am always in the mood for a George Strait song.  My momma screamed like a high school girl.  She thinks George is a hottie!  :)

George had 3 pages worth of songs to sing.  He has 58 #1's and 85 in the top 10.  The only thing that I was sad about was that he didn't sing Heartland or I Cross My Heart.  I guess this means that someday soon, I will have to wade into the sea of plaid, Wranglers, and cowboy boots and hats to see George again.  :)

Reflections

I'm pretty sure that it is safe to say that most of us have, or have had teachers or professors who assign reading that is, well, boring.  I've had to read many chapters and articles by experts in certain fields, and sometimes, I just don't feel like reading them.

Tonight, we were going over an article in class that I did not read, but skimmed it in class.  I highlighted some of the key quotes, and stumbled onto this good sized quotation.

"I have come to a frightening conclusion.  I am the decisive element in the classroom.  It is my personal approach that creates the climate.  It is my daily mood that makes the weather.  As a teacher I possess tremendous power to make a child's life miserable or joyous.  I can be a tool of torture or an instrument of inspiration.  I can humiliate or humor, hurt or heal.  In all situations it is my response that decides whether a crisis will be escalated or de-escalated, and a child humanized or dehumanized."

Um, can you say, "Ouch!"  I feel as though this quote is very convicting.  This quote extends past the classroom.  I don't typically make a child miserable, humiliate, or hurt them, but sometimes, I do miss out on chances to do the opposites.  How many times have we all just sat back and let things happen not really leaning towards one way or the other?  Aren't we all, at one point or another, in the position of teacher, even if it's not in the classroom?

This Week

This week kinda kicked my butt, but in a good way, ya know?  It was busy and filled to the brim, but still had the moments of quiet rest, and good night's sleep.

Sunday:  Leaving camp is always hard.  I was tired, and I only watched the Grammy's for Glen Campbell's appearance.  I managed to talk to my dad on Skype.  He's still getting the hang of things.  I was growing anxious about Phase 2 starting on Monday.

Monday:  I love starting the week at Bible Study, I get a belly and heart full at the same place!  I picked up my co-teaching partner and we headed to Irving to begin Phase 2.  This elementary is HUG+E!  I'm used to my little school where it forms a square, not stairs, multiple hallways, and checking in and out.  When the students were walking in, one girl complimented both of us saying that we were pretty.  These kids latched on fast!  I managed to be late for class.  I'm pretty sure that he didn't really care.  Finishing my science assignment was a big relief.  I don't care for this class and I'm ready to start counting down the days until it's over.

Tuesday:  Tuesday was the longest day of the week.  After science and lit, we were headed to Phase 2.  There was a little actual learning, but most of the afternoon was spent at Valentine's Day parties.  I haven't been to a Valentine's Day party probably since elementary.  The kids were HYPER!  They had so much sugar and were watching Toy Story 3.  They gave us candy too!  I came back with enough!  :)  We came back for class and got a few more things cleared up for what we will do in Phase 2.  After class, I came back and I started watching 19 Kids and Counting.  I'm their newest fan!  It is a great show!  I also got a call from my mother saying that they had made it safely to Vegas!  Can't wait to see what they got me!  :)

Wednesday:  I took the liberty of sleeping in!  I felt like I deserved it!  This was my catch up day, and catch up I did.  I also went and did a little shopping!  I got a pair of purple flats!  They just might be my new favorite pair of shoes!  :)  I also scored some half off bags of candy!  Coming back from this outing, I remembered that 4Queens opened!!  I know where I'll be stopping this weekend!  ;)  I also got wonderful mail from my friend, Alison.  She always knows just what to send!

Thursday:  This was the first day of the WHOLE week that I did not hit the snooze button for more than 30 minutes!  I saw so much during Phase 2.  We saw extraordinary examples of co-teaching.  I came back and watched FRIENDS for 2 hours.  Why not, right?  House Dinner, Big Bang Theory and UNO was a great way to end the night!

Friday:  I went to bed early and slept in.  I was so rested today!  Talked to my parents, they made it back to Iowa just fine.  My momma wouldn't settle for a snow globe she didn't like, so I have no idea what they got me!  :)  Phase 2 went alright.  We still have a lot of questions that need answered.  7 more weeks to go!  Tonight, I think I'll pop in a Disney movie and dream of seeing George Strait next week!  :)

Every week, I have a verse written in my planner.  I write these mostly at the beginning of the semester.  This week's verse was PERFECT!

Lamentations 3:22-Because of the LORD's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail.  

Lasagna Layers & Space Heaters

This weekend was the first weekend I had been back to VCBC since New Year's.  I was soooooo ready to go!  Friday afternoon couldn't come fast enough as I worked on homework, cleaned my room, ran some errands and watched the clock until it was time to pick up Jay.  Two and a half hours later, we arrived at camp, just in time for supper.  It was good to see everyone that was there.  I was even able to catch up with one of my JUMP girls.  After supper and dishes, I moved into the Upper AC.  Then it was off to chapel.  The group that came was Faith Baptist.  I knew a couple of kids from family camps.  I took the younger kids to the craft room where we drew pictures, played with toys and played Hide-and-Seek until the parents came back.  When I got back to my cabin, I did notice it was chilly, but didn't know what to do about it, and I knew that I would be fine for the night.

The next morning, I realized that I had a space heater.  Then I found another one.  I just knew it would be a great day when I had Baked Oatmeal for breakfast!  At morning chapel, I told the story of David and Goliath and foreshadowed on the Armor of God.  Those kids were the smartest.  Their favorite song?  Fruits of the Spirit.  We sang it every time.  Sorry, Alison, they didn't want to learn a new song, even if I promised to deliver in coolness!  :)  I've come back for a couple of retreats since leaving camp last August.  I keep learning new jobs!  I hosted a meal for the first time!  It was a good experience, and I enjoy being able to know more about how camp works.  I really had to work on my patience though, I was one of the last through the line, and I had to wait for a long time!  I then thought it was time for me to find someone to get another job.  Debbi told me to just change my apron because I was in the kitchen until 7.  I actually like work in the kitchen during the lower key retreat season.  I love chit chatting with Debbi and Katrina while working on the meal for the camp.  I helped Debbi layer lasagna, cut a bunch of broccoli, made dessert, cooked ground beef and pasta.  I decided that after spending about 8 hours on my feet in the kitchen and dining area that I might need to retire my Nikes.  I headed to chapel and joined in on worship.  They played one of my FAVORITE hymns ever!  It Is Well With My Soul helped me through a lot last summer.  Those weeks where I had particularly draining one-on-ones, campers, or exhausting duties, I would cry out to God and sing the chorus over and over until I was ready to take on another task at camp.  When we sang this song, I realized that I hadn't thought about school since I left the day before and I was at peace for the first time in a few days.

It is well, with my soul,

It is well, with my soul,

It is well, it is well, with my soul.

Chapel group was again a lot of fun.  I don't understand how they still had so much energy, but they did.  They were always saying something incredibly funny and were great at participating in the singing, and the games for a while.  I then treated myself to Puppy Chow and a Pepsi.  I headed up to the Upper AC and turned on the space heaters.  I sat and journaled for a while and was getting stuff around to jump in the shower when the lights and heaters went out.  This happened a few years ago during Senior High.  I found Camie who explained what I should do, but I couldn't get the numbers and switches and stuff to match up on the breaker box.  Camie came and tried to help me.  She was going to call Dave, because she kept hitting the wrong switches, but she tried a different box and I had heat and lights again!  :)

I woke up hating the fact that I would have to leave.  I never want to.  I packed a few things up and headed to breakfast.  Worship and chapel group again.  They still had energy.  One of the boys was only worried about possibly missing the award ceremony for a competition that the group was doing.  I headed back to host another meal.  This group was so appreciative.  They were a great bunch to have and it was so much fun working this weekend.  Cleaning up was a lot of work, but it feels good.  It was sad to leave and make the journey back to campus.  I'm just glad I'm headed back for 4-State at the end of the month!  Hopefully, I'll be able to ice skate!  :)

Repressed Memories

About a month ago, I got a post on Facebook from a friend from my year at Hills.  She said she would be at UNI and we should get together.  We didn't really make any plans and now it's February.

Tonight, I went to BASIC and wasn't really paying attention to anyone.  After the talk/questions of the night, I hear a whispered, "Katie Strupp!"  I turn around and there was Liz!  After worship, we caught up and joked about the repressed memories of our dreaded community college experience and about laughing all the time in biology.  It was hard to take our professor seriously when he wore too tight jeans and Pumas.

She gave me the comment that I usually dread when it comes to connecting.  "I'll text you and we can get together sometime."  "I don't text..."  "Oh, still?!"  Yeah, its been a couple of years, but that fact seems to stick pretty good!

Liz is the girl that introduced me to Remedy Drive, who I have now seen twice and met the lead singer.  We also share all those Hills memories.  We both got out of there as quick as we could!

Before I even traveled to Hills, I prayed for friendships.  I'm glad I got a couple of good friends from that place.  God has taken us both on very different but exciting paths in the past couple of years, and has now brought us both to UNI.

My first Remedy Drive concert!  :)

You're a beaver, aren't you?

When taking the Personality Zoo quiz during Staff Training, I found out I was a beaver.  The ironic part about this is that my nickname in 7th grade started out at Beaver.  It has since been shortened to Beav and I still carry it around with me.  Anyway, being the beaver that I am, I plan...too much.  On my calendar, I have every weekend until the end of March penciled in.  Some things are in pen and I don't plan on changing them (George Strait concert...).

Well, there is a point to this blog, I promise.  Last week was interesting to say the least.  I had my weekend plans change for the third time, I applied for student teaching and I began to stress about summer after a grad check was done.  I'm dropping a class this semester due to my planning and I found out that I need to take a class I hadn't planned on.  Thus, if I want to be done in December like I've been planning on since last fall, I will need to take at least three summer classes and possibly four.  This cramps my style.  I was planning on only taking two classes and heading to camp.  I have no idea what is going to happen now.

I also sent in my application for student teaching.  I am that much closer to growing up.  The next step is to fill out my placement requests.  I plan on being able to move back home and student teach somewhere close.  I have Pekin as my number one choice and Sigourney as my third.  I'm still debating a second.  Naturally, SE Iowa wouldn't have a center.  The closest school is Williamsburg in the Cedar Rapids center.  This will have to be my first option, but not really.  It's complicated, believe me.  I at least like to think I know what I'm doing when it comes to filling out the online form!

I've been praying about it a lot lately, and think about it way too much.  Tonight when I got back from my shower, I listened to Life 101.9.  A couple of songs in and I was suddenly listening to Storyside:B.  The song, Be Still.  Literally, they were singing my life.

Proverbs 19:21

Many are the plans in a man's heart, but it is the LORD's purpose that prevails.

God always sends me one of His promises just when I need it.  I'll sleep easy tonight!

Superbowl, Scratch, suprises

Yesterday was the Superbowl.  Let's be real here, I didn't get worked up...at all!  I just watch it to watch it.  I headed down to Grinnell to Whit's house.  It was a really boring drive!  When I got there, I was not expecting to be greeted at the door.  I usually just walk right in;  it's a best friend thing, ya know?  I was especially not expecting to be greeted at the door by Papu, Whit's grandpa.  Papu was so excited to see me and I was excited to see him.  I haven't seen him since last year when we visited them in Tennessee.  It was good to catch up with him and tease him about ice cream that I shorted him last year.  He is practically like another grandpa to me.

Lynnae was also excited to see me, especially since I was carrying cupcakes from Scratch!  It was so good to see everyone again!  Seriously, the Abrahamson home is like my second home.  I was also able to see New-z and tease him about Hills.

The game and commercials were a little boring.  I was so comfy all curled up under a blanket on the couch that I almost fell asleep.  Papu didn't let that happen though.  I was glad to spend the Superbowl with my friends and Papu!

Naturally, we made a Wal-Mart run.  :)

Floyd Homer Strupp

Today is my Grandpa Strupp's 80th birthday.  My grandpa makes me laugh so much.  I love his predictability.  I ALWAYS know how our phone conversations will go.  Usually, he doesn't say good-bye either.  Typically, he just hangs up the phone.

Whenever I go into their house, he will either be on the phone, taking a nap, playing cards, or watching TV with either the volume really high or muted.  I don't know if that TV has ever emitted a happy medium volume.  Whenever FFA comes up in a conversation, he always tells me of things that happened when he went to conventions.  Those stories are never short of entertaining.

My grandpa has worked hard all his life in the same town.  He is not the sitting around type, even though we often tease him about sleeping in and taking naps.

How often does it happen anymore that 3 generations play football at the same school?

My grandpa has taught me a lot.  He's taught me how to play Oh Heck, Dominoes, Solitaire, taught me about my family history, taught me about working hard, and has given me another marriage to look up to.  He has been married to my grandma for almost 60 years.  

A while back in Bible Study, I was talking about Grandpa.  They asked what his name was and I said, "Floyd."  They broke out in a smile and one said, "That is the perfect grandpa name!"  Yeah, it is.  It's one of the best!  :)

Happy Birthday, Grandpa!  :)

BASICally

Tonight was the first time I had made it to BASIC in quite a while.  Thursday ends up being the day that group projects happen, or I get sick.  I was really excited to go this week!  As I walked in, I chatted with one of the girls from my Bible Study for a while and then met up with Jay.

I just love the worship time at BASIC!  Tonight had a lot of songs that are my favorite.  We sang In Christ Alone, which has been one of my favorites since my youth group days.  When we got to this part,

No power of hell, no scheme of man

Could ever pluck me from His hand

I thought of a camper from Junior 1.  She was having nightmares that Satan was laughing at her and trying to take her.  I had never heard stories like this before and it scared me.  Sometime during the week, this little girl accepted Christ.  She still had at least one of those nightmares at camp, but I assured her that she was safe.  Later, after Junior camp was over, I found a verse that was perfect for her situation.  Ironically, I can't remember and can't find it now.

Hosanna hit me in a good way tonight.  This week, I've noticed how I'd begun to take parts of my life back from God.  Before Hosanna, there was a song about surrender, but I can't remember that song either.  Sweet relief comes when surrendering my life to God.

I see his love and mercy 
Washing over all our sin
The people sing
The people sing

Couldn't have asked for a better night of worshiping my King!  :)