Let me picture you

“Hey Carissa! Come look at this!”

I hurried over to the window to stand by Jules and look at the long green lizard that was hanging on the thin metal bars, its body twisted at a funny angle. She poked it and it twitched.

“Wait! I want to picture it!”

Picture it. Carissa, no. That isn't proper English. That isn't right at all!

Though one can get positive energy from the kids here, one also gets a heavy dose of bad grammar and fragmented sentences. While walking to the beach after the closing Sabbath meeting, Jessa ran ahead of me, picked a small red flower, and then spun around with her arms wide and cried out, “Picture me, Miss Carissa!” I couldn't bring myself to correct her, so for the rest of the evening it was “Let me picture you!” and “Let me picture you and Miss Julianne!” Quiet kids, and let Miss Carissa picture this amazing sunset.

My crazy kids! From left to right:
Yahle, Meuser, Sasha, Oci and AJ

We’re becoming teachers. When I’m down in my classroom making lesson plans my desk is covered with little kid knowledge. The lined paper covered with A’s, I’s and the’s mingle with drawings of plants and math assignments, coming in contact with the water that sweats from my Nalgene. I have so many books that I’m looking through to find ideas, and somehow I still have difficulty filling some class periods. It’s all trial and error, and I’ll get the hang of it soon!

When it gets to around 9:00 pm, that is when the four of us start thinking about how much we just want to go to bed. Now, the very idea of pulling an all-nighter scares me so bad! If we’re up until the late hour of 10:00 we start to get a little loopy, our language is reduced to that of our students, and all things seem more entertaining. That hour has been compared to how college students typically act when it gets around 2:00 am at WWU…

Last weekend I was told that I would be doing the children’s story on Sabbath. I remembered a simple story about little Billy and his fluffy kitten who fell down into the well, and on Sabbath morning I was ready to go up there and tell those kids how God’s arms are stronger than even little Billy’s father’s arms! But that wasn't the church schedule’s plan. Any church meeting is still kind of confusing for us. We always have to be ready with a special music or a personal testimony. Two Fridays ago the speaker didn't show up to vespers, so since I was going to do the children’s story the next day it was decided that I would be the one to give the message. I don’t like talking in front, so that was an adventure!

But anyways, I looked up to the front to Mr. Neth and pointed from me and then up, asking if I was supposed to go and do the story. He motioned me up, so I did, and then watched the kids fill the front. When they were all sitting still and the whole church was hushed I looked to my right. Another church lady stood there looking at me. “Oh! Are you doing it this week?” I exclaimed and she nodded. I spun around to face the congregation, threw my hands up, and smiled. “Guess I’ll just keep mine until next week!”

Awkward.  

Here's to hoping that doesn't happen again. In the meantime, please enjoy this picture of the four of us and a sunset. Mary pictured it for me.