Busy Weekend

We had a busy weekend, yet it was very enjoyable. We spent a lot of time with both friends and family. Saturday we went to the regional Odyssey of the Mind competition in Franklin County. I wanted to go see many of the children I worked with during my practicum compete. They all seemed happy to see me, which made me miss working with them even more. On the way to the competition, we stopped by our friends' new house, which they just finished building. I also was able to see their new baby boy, Mason, for the first time. After the Odyssey of the Mind competition, we headed to the lake and had dinner with Jennifer's aunt and uncle. This morning we got up and went to church. It was the second Sunday in Parkway's new building. After church we took my grandparents barbecue ribs for their birthdays and took my mom and dad out to eat at Olive Garden for her birthday too. My brother and his girl friend also went. After lunch, since it was 80° today, my brother, his girl friend, Jennifer, and I decided to go for a bike ride along the river. The weather was perfect and we had a lot of fun. After about three hours and little leg power left, we returned home to spend the rest of the early evening resting on the front porch. And now it is almost time for Grey's Anatomy, so I must go. I hope your weekend was enjoyable as well. Have a great week and God bless!

Jason

Almost there...

Well, I will officially complete my teacher licensure program this week. Although it is a relief to be ending the program, it will not be easy to leave the classroom until next year. My experiences over the past couple of months have been nothing short of awesome. In my best dreams, I could not possibly enjoy anything more than teaching. I have known for some time that I wanted to teach, but I did not have a grasp on the exact reason behind my desire. I now know. The rewards are too numerous to count. It is perhaps the most personally rewarding thing that I have ever done. It's not about a pay check, recess or the summers off. It's about having the ability to be a positive part of a child's life. And for some, this may be the only positive part of their life. It has opened my eyes to an entirely different reason for working...Truly helping others and not just yourself. Wish me luck in finding a teaching position next fall. God bless everyone!

Jason