Stunning Petals

I met a man two years ago in Flagstaff who lived and worked out on the reservation near Chinle. He told me of his wife who forced him to make the three hour drive to Flagstaff every weekend, just to get away. Fortunately, God did not call me to live on the reservation, where a gas station and dirt roads is sometimes all that can be seen for miles. He called me to Sun Valley, a mere ten miles down the road from Holbrook. I am so grateful for Holbrook. I am so grateful for Zumba classes, a church filled with loving brothers and sisters in Christ, ladies cookie exchanges and movie nights, monthly church barbeques, and random drives through nowhere. However, despite all these wonderful joys, I miss the city, the mountains, and people my age.

A quick update on the past two months: Back in October my students and I carved a pumpkin. Out of the pumpkin, we dug gooey seeds, which were baked and quickly enjoyed. We attended a harvest festival at the Baptist church in Holbrook and not one child gave me his/her candy! November brought colder weather and 10-12 inches of snow on December 2^nd! My students have been improving greatly academically, memorizing the locations of all 50 states, as well as diving into multiplication! We are currently enjoying The Best Christmas Pageant Ever, a must read for everyone.

During the short Thanksgiving break, I made a quick trip via wonderful Southwest Airlines up to Denver. This weekend was a huge refresher for me, as I experienced the things that so many people take for granted. I went to a hockey game that was only a 20-min. drive away! I walked around downtown, looking at lights.  I sipped a hot peppermint mocha. One morning I woke up and decided that I was going to turn on the tv. Yes, I watched a movie on Satellite TV! My brother wanted something from the mall, so we quickly went over there. It was not an hour and a half drive. I spent time with people my age. I set up a ping pong table and played football on the grass! I EVEN GOT A GRASS STAIN! Grass is such a rarity in this part of the country. I don’t think people realize how much one weekend away means to me. It is a rejuvenating experience to have conversations with adults that don’t involve children. However, despite these breaks, I do enjoy my batch of kids at Sun Valley.

Sometimes they drive me crazy, yes. For example, one of my boys got frustrated and threw his chair across the room today. I think at times that my hair is going to go completely gray before my 24^th birthday. But, to see that look of joy on their faces last night as they went on their first train ride on the Polar Express was priceless. When my students walk around with their reindeer bells around their necks, there is no response but to smile. When my girl walks through the snow with only socks on because she is half-asleep at 10:30 at night, I laugh hysterically.

I’m really not going anywhere here- as I’m quickly jotting down my thoughts. But, let’s just say that Sun Valley is the best, most frustrating, most fulfilling, and the most difficult job I’ve ever had all at the same time. Sometimes I want to just throw everything in my CR-V and book it out of here as far as I can go. But then I turn around and see my kids. That boy who threw his chair in frustration today- Yesterday he told me he was going to repeat third grade next year so he can be in my class again. I have no idea what I’m doing, yet I feel like I know exactly what I’m doing. Then there are days when I’m lost and feel like my degree is pointless. Everything I’ve ever learned in college can just be thrown out the window. Confused? Yes, so am I. I go around and around in circles. One moment I want to cry. One moment I DO cry! The next my girl says something hysterical that makes me fall out of my chair. Let’s just say that I don’t know what God is doing through all of this. As my pastor stated on Sunday, as a gardener prunes his plants in order to keep them healthy and growing, God prunes us…and it hurts! Well God is sure pruning right now and I really hope I make it out of this with stunning petals.