I am in love.

Ok readers...don't fall over out of shock from reading my title yet. I'm not in love with someone but, I am in love with something.

What am I in love with??? Well, I need to address something first, so you will have to wait!! Hahaha! Please don't leave!!!!! Just bare with me for a few minutes here. Thanks, you're the best readers, ever!

OK, here is what I need to say: THANK YOU!!! My deepest and most sincere thanks to all of you who so encouragingly responded to my post yesterday. I seriously cannot imagine life without you all to continuously lift me up. God is SO SO good to me. He never stops reminding me how much He loves me through the people He has surrounded me with...even if we aren't near to each other physically. So, thank you all 100 times over for lifting me up - I can't even begin to explain to you how much it means to me to have you by my side.

OK...now for my love interest!! So, as most of you know, either from talking to me or from yesterday's post, I had the amazing opportunity to spend time with a Boy Scout troop last night, teaching them about the wonderful world of bugs. I had the time of my life, kids. The absolute time of my life! I have certainly found my calling. I am, without a doubt, a teacher. It's so funny, because all through my life I've had people tell me I should be a teacher, but I always thought they were crazy - like, certifiable! But, as most of you know, about two years ago I started falling in love with science outreach education...say, what?? Well, as much as I enjoyed my times with the kids in CS, I never lead something on my own - I was never the actual teacher. I've only ever been like, oh what would you call it...? An engager, maybe?? Basically, I did all the fun stuff - playing with the bugs with the kids, flipping through picture books with them, looking through microscopes with them, stuff like that. I never stood in front of them and actually taught a lesson.

Well, last night, that's what I did - ALL BY MYSELF!!! {And some wonderful advice and suggestions from KReddick, of course...not to mention prayers that I'm certain went up to the Lord for me, because I definitely felt His hand in it.} It went wonderfully well, I am very happy to say. It was definitely a task, putting together a presentation for the kids and coming up with something (on the fly...yeah, I didn't get to prepare an actual talk...yikes!) that would be interesting and engaging for the kids. Well, I'm going to go ahead and say that I did a decent job, because those kids had question after question, after question!! It was so great!! One thing I am going to have to figure out though, is how to get around answering some of those questions...maybe I should show them boring pictures of insects instead of cool ones...kidding! But, I had slides for a 20min, 30min tops, presentation...it took almost an hour!! They had soooo many questions! Even the parents were asking questions. They loved getting to look at the specimens I brought and Tevye and Little Bubba, my darling MHC (Madagascar Hissing Cockroaches), were a big hit. Like I told my mom: there were 3 categories of reactions to my MHCs, 1) CAN I HOLD ONE?!?! Please?!?! 2) Uuuhh.....I want to touch it...but I'm reeeeally kinda nervous...ok, I'll at least pet it 3) I'm just going to peer over everyone, catch a glimpse and not get any closer, thanks. Haha, it was great. I couldn't get any of the parents to touch them...I was kind of bummed about that. Ah, I had so much fun!! I loved it. I was definitely born to do this. I cannot wait to do it again. This was definitely a "merry adventure."

Oh, I think at some point I'm going to go on a collecting trip with the Boy Scouts and maybe have a merit badge day were we work on some of the projects they have to do for their insect merit badge.

On a side note, last night gave me the confidence I was lacking for my first day of subbing coming up on Friday. I'm subbing at my high school...weird...for the art teacher. I was, and still am a little, really nervous about it, since I haven't ever been in that teacher/authority position. Now, I know, I know, subs get the short end of the stick a lot when it comes to respect and stuff like that, but after last night going so well, I'm much more confident and excited about Friday. Wish me luck! I'll take prayers too :)

Well, that's about all I have to report - I am definitely in much higher spirits than I was when I wrote my last post. Funny, how and hour, or less, of something joyful is sometimes all it takes to lift you out of your slump. I'm off to make myself presentable for the day and go galevanting around with The Mamma.

Blessings to all. Shalom!
~MW