february 22nd: i had a half day of school because for my seminar class, we had an assignment to get to know the neighborhood we work in - for me, Pilsen, so i interviewed a few people in the neighborhood. i interviewed my pastor at the church we've been attending, Amistad and a lady who is the mother of one of my students and works in the adult resource center at Perez. the interviews went really well and i learned even more about the mexican culture's society and about how they function as they are immigrants here and all the resources and opportunities that Perez is offering to the community.
that night we had tickets to see les miserables on broadway. i was extremely tired (per usual) and had to leave at intermission, but it was really good all that i saw. shane and my roommates raved about it - huge fans. the rest of the week i spent lesson planning and maybe some movies (per usual for both of those as well.) i'm always extremely busy with lesson planning, and it seems to never end. monday and tuesday nights i try to get all my previews of the coming week done (a general overview about the lesson plans), wednesdays i spend with shane and my roommates, thursdays i get extremely busy and stressed with my lesson plans - getting all of them written in one night. fridays i turn them into my teacher and am so relieved and can't believe how good i feel each friday. :]
the following thursday (march 3rd) there was a social justice conference that many of the chicago semester staff and professors are deeply involved with. all the students needed to attend all day, and we student teachers were required to go to the night session. shane claiborne spoke at the night session and it was so good to hear him speak about grace and the love of God that we should be sharing with the city.
the next day (friday) i was off to battle creek to get home for a few hours. my mom picked me up from the train friday night. saturday i had my first dress fitting and we spent the entire weekend on "wedding things". sunday night i was able to go to spring arbor and spend some time with my roommates, which was much needed and so refreshing. monday i was back off to the city. that night my roommates, shane, and i went to portillo's for some chocolate cake shake. it was incredible. a ice cream shake that has an entire piece of chocolate cake in it. YUM.
tuesday, believe it or not, my niece and nephew were born in little ol' delaware! it was a good day and i was so happy to hear the news. (sorry - it's on my calendar...i needed to share it.) the rest of the week i was lesson planning and getting ready for next week's lessons.
yesterday shane and i went to the suburbs to visit with elizabeth, someone i grew up with at church, and her husband. we went out to lunch (at portillo's again) and drove around the suburbs. they took us to see the school in Naperville that i'm applying for a teaching position in the fall at. it was nice to see the suburb-life and what shane and i might be getting into.
today we went to church at Amistad and officially started our new "ministry" - we've been asked to be the youth leaders at the church. we aren't sure what it all entails, but we have a staff meeting tonight so hopefully we'll know a little more. pray for us as we start this new endeavor.
starting next monday my life turns 100% upside down as i start full-time teaching. that means this week lesson planning is going to be even crazier than normal. ugh. well, i know what's ahead of me and i know that in 6 weeks i will be practically done with student teaching, have spring break, get to meet my niece and nephew, and hopefully have a plan of action for a new apartment and maybe even a job (?).
it's a crazy, busy, beautiful life here in chicago. i'm constantly stressed out and tired, but ... (as far as i can think) i wouldn't change it for anything.
