Made it through the GRE

I did it! I took the GRE! It feels good to have it out of the way. I would like to take it again this summer, but considering the fact I didn't study for it (since I am focusing on anatomy) I was pretty happy with my scores. Anatomy is going ok. It is pretty hard though and I miss all the free time I had before it started. I have no clue what I am going to do and if I will actually use it. But whether I choose to enter the health field, or not, it is a very interesting class.
I have found a church in Virginia that I love. Trinity Presbyterian. They are in downtown Norfolk and they do a lot of outreach within the community. A couple weeks ago they hosted an event to house homeless people for a week at the church. There is a project here called NEST and all of the churches take turns housing the homeless in the winter. It was cool to go visit with the people who came to stay for the week.
Not much is new. Just working and studying a lot. I am looking forward to the summer. I am not sure what I am going to do yet this summer. I won't be working I don't think. As long as I get my job back for the fall I will take off the summer and continue to be a Special Ed Assistant for another year while I either take more classes or work on my teaching certificate. We'll see...

Anatomy?!

People who know me well know that I am always trying to decide what to do with my life and I am tossing around new ideas all the time. Well one career that I have always tended to fall back on is teaching, and I am not ruling it out, but it never seems to be something I am truly excited about. I have considered MANY careers, and I do still want to spend time on the mission field (eventually). One career path that I have never really considered is entering into the health field. I guess I have just never felt "smart enough" to deal with all the science that comes along with it. Well I am going to give it a shot. I am not exactly sure what I want to do, but what I have decided is that I need to take anatomy. I have signed up to take anatomy this semester and I am taking the GRE on January 30th. So...depending on how the GRE goes, and depending on how well I do in anatomy, will determine what I will do next. I am still enjoying being a Special Education Assistant and plan to do that at least the rest of this school year and possibly next school year too while still taking classes.
Who knows! I know God has the plan all worked out and little by little He is opening and closing doors in my life to lead me exactly where He wants me.

Working Girl!

Work is going great. I am loving the student I work with. He is a great little guy and has a fun personality. I am really enjoying being in a regular third grade classroom, and also getting to spend time with my student in speech, at the occupational therapist and I am getting to work with the inclusion teacher (special edcation). This is proving to be a great learning experience.

I am trying to figure out what to do as far as getting a master's degree. I am thinking something in the education field and something I could apply on the mission field. We'll see...

I have a job!!!

Happy Thanksgiving!
I certainly have much to be thankful for this year. On Tuesday I had an interview at an elementary school to be a Special Education Assistant and on Wednesday I got the call that they wanted to hire me! I am so excited about. I will be in a regular third grade classroom working as an assistant to one student with special needs as well as assisting the classroom teacher with other activities throughout the day. I go on Monday to sign my contract and I start Tuesday.

This does mean that I will not be going to Fredericksburg to work for my Aunt Pam, so please pray that she is able to find a reliable person to come help her out in her home a little bit while she is having chemo treatments.

Thanks for all of your prayers and have a Blessed Thanksgiving!

Fredericksburg

My Aunt has asked me to come live with her for the next three months in Fredericksburg while she is undergoing chemotherapy to be her nanny/assistant. She will be able to cover my expenses and I will continue to look for work and pursue missions. Fredericksburg is about 2 hours north of my parents, just outside the DC area. My Aunt is an amazing Godly woman and it would be a blessing to get to live with her and her family during this time. I am continuing to research and pray about what mission organization to go with and where to go. Thanks to everyone for your prayers and encouragement.

This is a prayer from The Valley of Vision: A Collection of Puritan Prayers & Devotions. We prayed this prayer in church on Sunday and I think it is so fitting for my life.

Holy Lord, I have sinned times without number, and been guilty of pride and unbelief, of failure to find Thy mind in Thy Word, of neglect to seek Thee in my daily life. My transgressions and short-comings present me with a list of accusations, but I bless Thee that they will not stand against me, for all have been laid on Christ. Go on to subdue my corruptions, and grant me grace to live above them. Let not the passions of the flesh nor lustings of the mind bring my spirit into subjection, but do Thou rule over me in liberty and power.
I thank Thee that many of my prayers have been refused. I have asked amiss and do not have, I have prayed from lusts and been rejected, I have longed for Egypt and been given a wilderness. Go on with Thy patient work, answering ‘no’ to my wrongful prayers, and fitting me to accept it. Purge me from every false desire, every base aspiration, everything contrary to Thy rule. I thank Thee for Thy wisdom and Thy love, for all the acts of discipline to which I am subject, for sometimes putting me into the furnace to refine my gold and remove my dross.
No trial is so hard to bear as a sense of sin. If Thou shouldst give me choice to live in pleasure and keep my sins, or to have them burnt away with trial, give me sanctified affliction. Deliver me from every evil habit, every accretion of former sins, everything that dims the brightness of Thy grace in me, everything that prevents me taking delight in Thee. Then I shall bless Thee, God of jeshurun, for helping me to be upright.

Now What?

Today I found out that I did not get the job at Discovery Cove. I applied for a job yesterday and found out today I didn't get that job either. Still haven't heard back on any of the positions in VA Beach (Special Ed. Assistant, Social Worker, Pre-school teacher). I have continued applying for teaching positions in Orlando and I am desperately looking for a sub-leaser for my room in Orlando. I can't afford to keep paying rent without a job.
I am still in Virginia with my family. This weekend I am up in Northern Virginia spending time with my Aunt Pam and cousins. It is refreshing to be with my family, but I am missing my friends in Orlando. I feel very overwhelmed with what to do. Through prayer and seeking counsel from others I do feel that I am called to go overseas and I am pursuing that now. Please pray that God would show me exactly where He wants me to go, becuse that is still a bit unclear to me.
Even in my sadness and frustration I know that God is drawing me to Him. I find myself calling on Him constantly in times like these. It is sad that it takes difficult situations for me to run to Christ. My prayer is that I will see how much I need my savior at all times...in the good and in the bad...I believe that, I just need to live it out.
Psalm 32:8~"I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go;I will counsel you with my eye upon you."

Weekend Getaway

This weekend I enjoyed the peak of autumn in the mountains of Virginia. There are few things I can think of better than this. And to top it off I was with my best friend Joanne, the other bridesmaids in her wedding (which is Jan. 2), and a couple other close friends. The weekend was really Joanne's bachelorette party. We drank wine, spent time in the hot tub, went to a wine tasting at a local winery complete with a picnic lunch, played games, and we even practiced our dance moves for the wedding, haha :). It was great to get away for the weekend and not think about work (or lack thereof).

Tomorrow the weekly Virginia Beach City Public School job openings will be posted. Can't wait to see what there will be!! :)