Southern Hospitality

    "If you would like to help a child or family in need, then bring an article of clothing to the Giving Tree to help someone in need during these harsh winter months". The Principal would echo throughout the school over the intercom. I think I gave to the Giving Tree a few times in my Primary school years. Honestly, I don't really think I gave it much thought when I was in high school.  However, the Giving Tree seemed to be more and more decorated with each passing day. Bottom line, people care and people give. The people of Shenandoah have been so welcoming and generous, it leaves me speechless.

(Imagine that!)

   On Thursday, I, along with other new staff had an all day in-service. This consisted of going over the master contract, curriculum, information, meetings, tours, anything and everything concerning the school district. We were then taken out to lunch with some members of the SEA (Shenandoah Educators Association...the Union). To be honest, I am not sure how I feel about Unions (pick your jaw up from the floor please) buuut they took us to Godfather's Pizza.

   A few slices of pizza and much information later, they rolled out 9 coolers on wheels! The President of the SEA informed us the coolers (from 1st National Bank) were filled with donations from businesses in Shenandoah. 

   This, my blogger friends, is where I make a connection to the Giving Tree concept; helping out people who may be in need. The Vice President put it perfectly, "Young new teachers, in here you will find gift cards to local restaurants and the grocery store...you will be able to sustain yourselves as you await your first paycheck." I am still speechless because we recieved so much! Gift cards to HyVee, Walmart, Pizza Hut, Fareway, Godfather's, T-shirt stores, Furniture shops, Cafe's, etc. Truly amazed and thankful I am. LOVE!!!

 (Picture coming soon)

   In all seriousness, I cannot express how thankful I am to all the businesses in Shenandoah who donated to us new teachers; their kindness is amazing. All I can do is continue to walk around with a smile, do my best with the whole teaching thing :), and say a grateful "Thank you" when I hand over my coupon or gift card at the local establishments.   Shenandoah.you.rock.


Let us give so others can receive.

Luke 3:11 And he would answer and say to them, “The man who has two tunics is to share with him who has none; and he who has food is to do likewise.”

blood, sweat, & corn

I am officially moved in (minus the oodle amount of plastic containers in my storage room). I could not have made this transition into my lovely apartment without the help and support of my amazing family (shout-outs you know who you are). Here is a brief recap of the past 3 days: We arrived to Shenandoah on Tuesday afternoon. Pulled right up to the front door of my apartment (which is located above a shop on main street). Yes, that means many steps to go up, a roaring 20 to the top! With a nice rally line of people, we hauled my loved posessions (treasure not trash..y) up into MY place. It was the HOTTEST day ever might I add. We literally had to be careful to not get a heat stroke! On Wednesday more reinforcement came to help haul in the mega-heavy items.

Fast forward to this evening (Friday), My place is finally looking like someone not only lives in it, but a delightful 23 year old left handed lady at that. ;) My mom is staying a few extra days with me to really help get me on my feet and organized (Lord knows I need help with that). I will be spending my first night tomorrow alone...just Leo and myself.

I have a bunch of emotions running rampid as of late. There are many things I am unsure of and uneasy about currently; though I know this is to come with moving to a brand new place. But I do know that I am in the right place, it seems to fit, and I have a form of peace about it all.

Delight Fact: 4 shops down on the corner form my place is a local bakery. A large coffee is only 75 cents!

**I will update the status on my classroom on my next post. I have realized with the way I type and the effort it takes me to not put EVERYTHING on here has caused me to break up and choose what and when I post.

a tall, dark & handsome...farmer?!

Many people have joked and betted about the immence possibility of me falling in love with a tanned farmer boy who gives me corn cob bouquets. Well my friends, not even 1 hour in Shenandoah and the opportunity presented itself...oh, dear Lord. Let's just make this crystal clear mind you, I have not even moved there yet. Twas just visiting for the week.

More to come later, I am tired of blah-blah-blogging.

the training wheels FINALLY came off!!

    I would like to start by saying how happy I was when Friday afternoon came around. An 8-3 5 day week of training was complete. This is my story.
   This past week I was in Shenandoah attending a training in Maryville, Missouri for the Literacy Curriculum (Pathways To Reading) the school district uses. In other words,  the PTR is what I will be using in my classroom, because I am going to be a teacher!! Maryville Missouri is about an hour from Shenandoah. Might I add I drove a 2008 suburban to and from everyday...ballin'. Oh wait, not so much. Because I had the district sticker plastered on the driver door...kill joy. The week of training was packed full of information; beneficial yes, but extremely overwhelming. Although I wanted to bolt from my chair on Friday afternoon; I gained a whole lot of insight from the training. Though I feel overwhelmed, I am on better terms as to how to implement the curriculum into the classroom and use it effectively (something I otherwise would not have been able to do. So a good thing I took this training, cause I was hired to teach). Hopefully when I attempt to explain this Curriculum (Pathways to Reading) to ever so eager ears, it will put to rest all the comments of how K is mainly painting, playing, and resting. Not. So. Much.
  You might be thinking, who Amy stayed with while she wasn't in Maryville from 8-3 training. Well, I stayed with the Literacy Coach, Ann, who was part of my interview panel and her husband. Her husband informed me I was their daughter for the week; what entertaining people they are. Ann and her husband were so wonderful to me. They took me out to dinner every night either in town to a local restaurant or to the surrounding town’s local restaurants. I was lovin' it! 3 miles out of town in the country, their house is nestled on a hill overlooking miles and miles of crops. GORGEOUS; both the view and the house. I had my own 'quarters' in their basement; the house was just built last year...so it had that 'new house' smell. For those of you who are unaware, I like scents.
  By the end of the week Shenandoah started looking familiar to me, and I wasn't feeling too much of an outsider. That was until I ran a stop sign and got lost in one of the neighborhoods. Needless to say, as I drove away on N59 Friday afternoon, I checked the review mirror and smiled; "see you soon Shen!"

& so it begins...

Hi friends!

How do I start my first blog post? Well, I am going to go with the approach of relaying as briefly as possible how this ‘Shenandoah’ blog came to be.  Prior to graduation I applied to teaching positions. All applications were filled with their fair share of questions, preferences, cover letters etc. I applied to positions as far west as Montana & as far east as North Carolina.  Why? Well, I had nothing holding me back; I knew that if I wanted too, I could go anywhere. I was open for going anywhere too, I was praying about it and had to trust in God to open a window of opportunity for me. Well, he did; in Iowa.

            Contrary to what some people may think, Iowa is the absolutely, most perfect place for me to be right now. (Side note: my entire extended family lives throughout Iowa). One day,  I found myself randomly applying for positions in Iowa. I said God opened a window for me? I didn’t know how wonderfully perfect of a window it would be. (He really does know my desires and what I need!) Fast-Forward & Condense Version: I applied to SSD on a Tuesday. I received a phone call from the principal that Thursday. I had a skype interview that Friday. An hour and a half later I answered a phone call asking me to get back on skype. 10 minutes later I was replying, “Yes! I would love to!” to the question, “We would like to offer you the Kindergarten position. What do you think about that for a graduation present?”  I could not stop smiling, my dear friends Carissa and Beth were with me at the time and can attest to my ‘freak-out’ I had for the next 4 hours.
            I can say that as of 7PM this evening, I signed the contract and am officially a Kindergarten teacher of Shenandoah School District for the 2011-2012 school year! I move on August 2^nd and the nerves are beginning to settle in (it is a new kind of freak-out). For those of you who are unfamiliar with Iowa, Shenandoah is in the southwest corner of the state; about a hop, skip, & jump away from Nebraska, Missouri, & Kansas. feeling a whole lot of bittersweet emotions. I am excited, terrified, content, scared, ready, hesitant. Though I am not alone. God opened a window for me and I am ready to see what else is waiting for me. Let's do this!

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.”

Proverbs 3:5

Oh, Shenandoah

Oh Shenandoah, I long to see you,                                                                                 Away you rolling river Oh Shenandoah, I long to see you, Away, I'm bound away 'cross the wide Missouri.

I grew up singing this song in my choir classes. I do find it quite ironic that I am now moving to a town named Shenandoah; though this town happens to be in Iowa.  It may seem a bit cheesy,  if I frolicked over the flowery meadow of a hillside as I come into town singing the lyrics to this song, all the while carrying my suitcase full of dreams. haha. Oh how some may think I kid. *I promise, I will not pull a Froline Maria and do this. ;)