Sisterly Creativity!

My sister and I decided to release our inner artists this Easter.  For her Good Friday/Easter celebration with friends, we made this cake: 

We made a carrot cake, with yummy cream cheese icing.  Joy made two 9 inch round cakes and then frosted the cake.  We put 24 marshmallow peeps around the base of the cake.  

For the little garden, we used three chocolate wafers and ground a few other wafers to be the "dirt" in the center of the garden and on the icing.  Joy sliced a few green Mike and Ike candies and stuck them to the top of orange Mike and Ikes to make the "carrots" in the garden.  We put the other five bunnies on toothpicks on the top of the cake.  

I think it looks awesome!  And I can now verify that it TASTES amazing as well.  I actually didn't eat the peeps, but the cake itself was incredible.  

My Funny Valentine

I know it isn't February, but this little girl definitely has my heart every day of the year!

What a cutie!  In case you are wondering, she has socks on her hands as "gloves" and a bucket on her head!

Green Smoothie Goodness

I've gotten a few responses to my green smoothies.  My sister thinks I'm nuts.  My mom likes them.  Some friends also make them.  I think they are amazing!  I actually start to crave them if I go a long time without one.

The idea behind a green smoothie is to use green veggies as the base of your smoothie.  Fruit can be added to sweeten the taste.  I add a little bit of kefir as well.

I make all sorts and I don't really follow a recipe.  Whatever happens to be in the fridge is what goes into my smoothie.  Here is this morning's smoothie:

Don't the colors look pretty?  I started with some cucumber, then added three big strawberries. Next, I chopped up a banana and then added several handfuls of baby spinach leaves.  I poured a little raspberry kefir (or yogurt) on top, added a bit of water, and blended it together.

I know some people are put off by the green color, but it tastes delicious!  I actually love the brilliant green.  I prefer to use baby spinach, but I have some friends who use kale.  The baby spinach tastes a little sweeter to me.  If you haven't made one before, you should really get out your blender and try it!

Birthday Blessings

Monday didn't go quite as I planned, but it ended wonderfully.  Snow started falling at about two in the afternoon.  Val and I had planned to go to campus to hear a guest lecturer, but I was exhausted.  Val told me I should lie down and take it easy.  When I woke from a nap, it was 7 p.m. and the snow was still falling.  Rather than venture out, we stayed in and made a vegetarian version of my mother's chicken gravy (so...gravy and peas and carrots) and baking powder biscuits.  It was a perfect warming meal for a beautiful evening.  

It felt like a wonderful lead-in to my twenty ninth birthday.

My parents and I were able to skype at 8, which was a great way to start my day.  The rest of my day was fairly un-birthdayish, as I worked on lesson preparations and paperwork for my new job.  The snow started melting and had dissipated by the time I left for an afternoon at Barnes and Noble with Val.  She spoiled me with a birthday latte and treat at the cafe.  

I left Val at 5:30 to meet my sister for a surprise birthday outing.  Val was going to a lecture on campus and was then going back to her parents' home.  I got home and had a surprise waiting at my front door!

My parents arranged for a beautiful potted gerbana daisy to be delivered today. I can't wait for spring!  I'm looking forward to creating a container garden on my little balcony and this little plant can be my first!  Thanks, Mom and Dad!

My sister arrived and gave me a wonderful spa treat basket, and included the hugest mug I have ever seen!  :) I'm drinking my Twinings of London Orange Cinnamon and Spice tea out of it right now.  

Joy and I then headed off to a "undisclosed" location for dinner.  She took me to the Melting Pot, a fondue restaurant.  We were there a few minutes before Val walked in the door!  Sneaky girls!  Then another good friend, Marleen, joined us as well!  My sweet sister planned a wonderful girls dinner out.  Several girls couldn't make it but we four had a great dinner.  We shared a cheese fondue, followed by a chocolate fondue for dessert. 

It has been a special day.  I'm so thankful for the amazing people in my life and especially in my family!

Weekend Pictures

What a wonderful weekend! (How's that alliteration?)  Cee got a crash course in American history, between watching Lincoln and then a trip to Gettysburg on the way to the airport!  I don't think she minded.  It was so nice to be together again.  We all noticed that it didn't seem as though much time had passed.  Val and I decided it must because we had a breadth of experiences to solidify our friendship.  After all, we worked together, worshiped together, holidayed together, traveled together, studied together... for short periods of time, we've even lived together!  That is a lot of togetherness!

Our time together was characterized by an easy camaraderie and lots of giggles.  I'm very thankful for these dear friends!

The Weekend Reunion

This weekend has been a treat!  Two of my friends from London came from their current locations to visit!  Val and I have gotten together a number of times, but we have not seen Carmen since July 2011.

After a trip to DC to collect Cee from the airport, we made our way to my house.  Friday felt like a Saturday.  We lazed around (recovering from our late return to mine) and then ventured out to Barnes and Noble Booksellers.  After coffee and a yummy treat from the cafe, we wandered around the store for a bit.  We have a very relaxed relationship, a result of the amount of time we have spent together in the five years that I have known these girls.  We each went our own way in the store, not needing to always be together but inevitably ending up in the same departments.  Our final convergence happened in the International Travel department!

After leaving B&N and visiting two other stores, we drove across the river of an Egyptian restaurant on Paxton Street.  Sadly, we were the only patrons.  Our meal was wonderful though!  We got dessert from SweetFrog and then we went to a quaint little theatre to see Lincoln for $4.00.  Ticket prices have gone up since I was last there!  

Lincoln was very well done.  It seemed quite fitting that Cee (a Canadian) saw it in Pennsylvania, sandwiched between two of her favorite Americans.  Perhaps on our way to take Cee back to the airport today, we can stop in Gettysburg.

Yesterday was just a lazy day.  I had previously promised to pick up friends of mine at the airport, so I went to the airport once more on Saturday, but thankfully this was just to our local airport.  When I returned, my house had gained another Londoner!  Eli joined us for the rest of the day.  Our big adventure was just to leave the house to get groceries for dinner.

In the meantime, I had to decide if I would take the second course I mentioned in an earlier post.  Encouraged by wise council, I've decided just to take the one class for my next 8 week term.  The syllabus for the one course looks very daunting and it is Linguistics, which could be quite challenging.  I did well in my first course, and I want to continue to do well in this program.  

Well, I must be off to start our day!  My visitors are still sleeping but I need to get some coffee and maybe the smell of breakfast will wake them up....

Hospital Visits

A week ago, my aunt and uncle had a motorcycle accident.  A car pulled out in front of them, making a  U-turn without seeing them.  They went over the front of the car.  We are very thankful that they are both alive!

They were airlifted to a trauma hospital about an hour and half away.  This week has been full of prayers, waiting, and questions.  My uncle is feeling better now, despite bruises and soreness.  My aunt needed to have a surgery to repair her pelvis, the right side of which was shattered in the crash.  She spent the days after the surgery in the Trauma ICU, but she has finally (praise God!) been moved to a less intensive Intensive Care Unit, if that makes sense!  Yesterday, she was able to talk with family! 

She will need a lot of healing in the next months, but we are seeing progress.  

I've felt a confident peace over this last week that can only come from God.  I know I'm an optimist, but this is more than just optimism.  God has been a refuge for us in the last week, just as we are promised.  

The Call

So much has happened in the last few days!  I barely know where to begin, so for now, I’ll just write the really good news.  

Monday morning, I got a call from C.C. and I was offered the job!  I will begin teaching English in April.  I don’t know the proficiency level, but I was told in the interview that the available classes are beginner, intermediate, and low literacy.  The teachers who are already there are given preference.  

This job is only 8 hours a week, so I will be continuing to look for part time work elsewhere to fill in the gaps.  Additionally, I’m considering doing two classes for my M.Ed in the coming eight week term.  It would be a lot of work, but I think it would also be a good idea.  I have to decide in the next day or two.  I’m scheduled to take Linguistics.  My second class would be Advanced Instructional Design. 

I can scarcely believe it, but I’m finished my first class.  I submitted my final paper on Monday!  It has been a wonderful start to my program.  

Another Airplane...

One of my best friends is boarding a plane right about now.  Leslie has been in the USA for seven years for school and work.  

C.S. Lewis wrote this about friendship: "Friendship is unnecessary, like philosophy, like art, like the universe itself (for God did not need to create). It has no survival value; rather it is one of those things which give value to survival."

I came across a Swedish proverb about friendship recently: "Friendship doubles our joy and divides our grief." That is certainly true of Leslie's friendship to me.  

Well, I'm not doing a very good job of writing an meaningful send off post for Leslie!  Leslie just sent me a text from the airplane saying, "Just say I'm a little bit loco."  Well, I guess that says it all :)

Interview

Well, the interview went well, I think.

The job would only be 8 hours a week, which means I will still need a second job if I'm offered this one.  I would be teaching six hours a week and the other two hours are for preparation and classwork.  I would most likely be teaching a beginning level class, which is a challenge, but I think it could be very fun :)

Sarah, who interviewed me, said she has three other interviews scheduled.  She will let me know on Monday.  We shall see what happens!

Interview Day

In about three hours, I'll be going into my first interview for a teaching position.  This feels like a new world!  It has only been about a year since I started to think about teaching English as a profession.

I'm actually not too nervous.  I have a lot of energy though!  I started my morning with a wonderful spinach/grape/blackberry smoothie! :) I love my green smoothies.  (I balance the health benefits with a big cup of coffee and a generous dollop of creamer.)

My advisor wrote a wonderful reference letter for me to take to the interview.  Her words seem so generous.  I hope I can be the kind of teacher she sees in me.

I am so blessed.  I truly am.  I have friends in multiple countries praying for this interview.  I have a family that has helped me in so many ways through the last year, when I've been figuring my next steps.  Even after six months of joblessness, I have never gotten to the point where I've wondered what I will eat or where I will sleep.  My family has always supported me.  My friends cheer me on and advise me.

I'm continually amazed by the way God has guided my steps.  My first class in my M.Ed is almost finished.  My final project and paper are due on the 11th.  I've decided to make my final project useful.  I'm going to be writing a development plan for a TEFL course for the church my parents are working with in Mozambique.  I don't know if it is something they can implement or not, but I know the church really wants to have English classes.  Who knows? Perhaps I'll be able to take some vacation time and go to help set up a regular program in Beira.  Whatever happens, I'm so excited that my advisor is not only approves of this idea for my project but is encouraging it wholeheartedly.

We can make our plans, but the LORD determines our steps.

Proverbs 16:9

It's a....

Tonight was so special!  I went to my sister's house, to have dinner and to be part of the discovery of Baby 2's gender!  J&J decided to find out with Anna, who has been insisting that it's "bruver".  

The technician put the sonogram in a sealed envelope.  J brought home pink and blue balloons and a big cardboard box.  I got the honor of being the first to know the gender!  I took both sets of balloons into the other room and opened the envelope.  (In the process, I completely tangled up the two sets of balloons.)  Next, I was instructed to put the appropriate set of balloons in the box and tape it closed.  J, J, and Anna could then open the box together and have the balloons float up into the air!

I'm so excited to have a nephew!

Job Interview!

At precisely 2:30 today, I got a call from an unknown number.  It was one of the two ESL jobs I applied for, calling for an interview!  I applied for this job in January.  Given their silence, despite my follow-up call to inquire, I had assumed that they were not interested in my resume.  

I have an interview Thursday at 2 p.m.!  I would really appreciate your prayers.  You can be certain I will let you know how it goes.  

This job would be ideal.  It is part time, which would benefit my studies.  Even at part time, it should be sufficient income for my needs.  It is a job teaching English to adult immigrants to the USA.  Adults are my preference to teach.  It would be wonderful to be able to learn in the classroom while I study.  

I found a new quote yesterday.  It feels very appropriate to this season of my life.  

“Faith is taking the first step even when you don't see the whole staircase.”

-Martin Luther King, Jr

Anna Moment

I watched Anna yesterday for a few hours.  As always, she gravitated towards my "hello" (telephone) for entertainment.  I started flipping through my pictures.  I showed her this picture of my mom holding her:

I said, "Anna, who's this?"

Anna: "Gan." [Gran]

Me: "Who's Gran holding?"

Anna: "Anna!"

Me: "Does Gran love Anna?"

Anna: "YES!"   

She bent over and laid her head on my phone.  

Anna: "Me hugging Gan."  

She's amazing.

Puppy-sitting

Today I'm puppy-sitting a sick little Jack Russell. 

Poor Patches hasn't been herself for two days now.  The little dear is waaaaay too subdued.  Can dogs get the flu?  Something isn't right, that's for sure.  She's barely eaten, and this pup normally thinks she can eat all day.  

I love this little puppy.  She was a gift to my sister and I in 1997.  She's technically my sister's dog, but I love her too!  It is awfully nice to have her curled up next to me as I do my homework.

She's a goof, and she's our goof!

Fasnacht Day

Yesterday flew passed in a blur. I started off my day with my first early shift at the bakery.  I had to be there by 7:30.  It's been a long time since I have had to leave my house by 7, so I was a little worried I might oversleep.  As a result, I woke myself up at 5:30, long before I actually needed to be awake.  

I made it work ten minutes early.  

My shift was four hours long.  Considering that it was Fasnacht Day, we sold mostly fasnachts and wow, did we sell them.  I'm pretty sure we served over 400 customers in the four hours I was there.  One woman I helped was picking up a previously placed order of 17 DOZEN fasnachts.  

Overall, I did pretty well.  I'm technically still in training, but Thursday (Valentines Day!) will be my first day completely on my own.  My worst mistake was almost giving a woman incorrect change.  She needed $0.45 change.  I pulled out two dimes and a nickel.  In my mind, the currency was British pounds and the dimes were 20p coins!  Had we been using the currency I thought, my change would have been correct!  Thankfully, someone standing next to me caught it before I handed it to the woman.  

The morning was flat out insane.  By the afternoon, I was struggling to focus on my homework because I really wanted to go to sleep.  At six, I went to a friend's house to babysit her three kids until midnight.  By the time I got home, I wanted my bed so very badly!  Overall, I'm enjoying the bakery.  It is a busy job to have, but that makes time go quickly. 

In other job news, I just called about the teaching English job I mentioned.  I hadn't heard from them beyond a confirmation that they received my resume nearly two weeks ago.  As of this morning, they have not yet selected a teacher for the position.  I don't know that I have a strong change of getting the job, but at least I know it's still an option at this point.  

At last!

Well, friends, the day has come...I have my first day of work today!  I'm still waiting for a call about the teaching job, but in the meantime, I'm working at a local bakery.  If the teaching job works out, I will be trying to do both jobs as well as school full time! I'll be a busy girl for sure, but that's generally a good thing for me.

I continue to enjoy my first class in the M.Ed program.  I've been so encouraged by the responses of the faculty!  During the course, I have felt a bit overwhelmed because the other students are all teachers.  The flip side is that I am the one with the most cross cultural experience.  As a result, it seems to be working out quite well! 

It scarcely seems possible, but I'm already halfway through my first eight week class!  My next course is linguistics.  I took linguistics as an undergrad, but that class is a foggy memory.  I think I enjoyed it.... :) 

Well,I better be off to do some homework before work!  I am rather excited for my first day of work.  I'll let you know how it goes!

Teaching English

Life happens quickly in the USA.  I haven't had much time for writing, and I miss it.  I hope to do better at blogging in the coming weeks.

I'm now in week three of my first class in my M.Ed program.  So far...LOVING it.  I even found a local ESL (English as a Second Language) teaching job.  I've applied for it, and we shall see what the employer thinks of my resume.  The job would stretch me but it would also be fantastic experience.  My advisor for my M.Ed has even offered to help me if I need ideas for lessons.  

This week, we were tasked with creating a graphic to show the diversity of TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) Contexts.  It doesn't take much research to see that English is in demand, in a plethora of nations and situations.  

I had the advantage on this assignment.  I still appreciated seeing the other examples, but it was really special to reflect on the number of ways I've been involved in TESOL.  

Six years ago, I was in China.  I remember being stunned by the number of people who just walked up to me and wanted to speak in English.  High school students, university students, business professionals, sales associates, even national teachers of English wanted to speak with a native English speaker.  It was humbling and a little overwhelming to consider that they wanted to speak to me, a 22 year old Zimbabwean/American girl who didn't even know what she wanted to do with her life.  

And now, six years later, I feel so blessed to have had those experiences. As I flip through pictures, I have only good memories.  I don't remember all of the names, but their faces and their desire to learn are forever stored in my mind.  

It is their passion to learn that has been my motivation to do this M.ED.  English language learners who have that much passion for their studies deserve to have a well qualified teacher.  

I'm told this is an apartment, not a flat :)

My sweet little corner of M-burg is starting to feel like home.  I've loved being able to decorate and pull much of my Africa stuff out of storage.  Fortunately, my roommate also has a connection to Africa, and she doesn't mind the theme of our living room.  

My room has a few very special elements.  My cedar chest (the right had side of the picture above), my bed frame, and my bookshelf (not in the picture above) were all handmade by my grandfather.  The quilt on my bed is a pattern called "Around the World," and it was handmade by my grandmother.  

My kitchen is equipped with family memories as well.  My silverware belonged to my great-grandparents.  My glasses were my great-great-aunt's.  My flatware were my grandmother's.  I have a pitcher and five glasses that were a wedding gift to my great-grandmother in 1924.  I have dinnerware that was my great-grandmother's "everyday" dishes.  The table in our kitchen was used by my grandfather and his siblings.

I didn't think that I was a person who liked antiques.  I'm not sure that I am even now.  But I love the history.  There are only things, and as such I want to hold them lightly.  But in an age when so much is disposable, there is something wonderful about using a spoon made in 1887.  

An alligator on the farm

We spent a lovely afternoon with the entire family at the farm.  After lunch, my aunt and I took K-bug and Annabanana for a ride on the Gator, which is now being called an "alligator" by A.

We puttered along at speeds of 5 miles an hour and the kids got very muddy!  We had a great time.  

AC, NJ, USA

The day after Christmas, we packed up and went to Atlantic City for a few days of time away as a family.  However, it did not go as planned.  Unfortunately, everyone except for me was sick from one thing or another and we came home earlier than planned.

My sister and her husband were up with the little Monkey most of the first night.  She seemed to be better by morning, but they were exhausted.  Pap (my Dad) and I were the only ones who seemed ok, given that Gran (my Mom) had also been awake most of the night.  Tia (that's me!) was then put on Monkey watch!

We played peek-a-boo!

And we played with the "wa-wa," which led to some very wet pjs!

I still giggle at this picture!  I think it looks like Monkey is still in the pjs and trying to peek out the window!

After all other toys seemed doomed to bore the Monkey, I made a little makeshift tent from a blanket and two chairs.  Without meaning to sound proud, I'm delighted to say that the "tint" entertained her for the rest of the morning.  I'll have to remember that for future babysitting days!

Christmas

It's almost mid January and I'm just now posting Christmas pictures!  We had a special treat this year.  Our entire family was together for Christmas, something that hasn't happened for a few years.  And as can be expected, Christmas was mostly all for Anna!

Little girls in Mozambique often wear wigs with beads woven into them for special occasions.  Anna's Pap decided she needed one!  We just laughed and laughed.  She looks adorable and she thinks it is a hat!

Boston

The week before Christmas, some friends and I took my new little Blueberry for a road trip.  We drove my Toyota to Boston to see a friend who is leaving the country soon.  I've made several trips to Boston in the last few years, and I've come to love this city.  L lives in Cambridge technically.  Cambridge is a mix of quaint and trendy.  Boston has a very pretty skyline, especially at sunset. 

We went to Piers Park after the sunset to get some photos.  It was freezing cold, but absolutely worth the chill.  

We ended the night at the Lucky Strike for some bowling.  None of us are very good, but we had fun!

I'll miss these trips to Boston.  It is a rather long eight hour drive, but my trips there have been full of fun memories and beautiful sights!