Christmas Blues, Undercover Boss, and SNOMG 2011

3 Blogs in 1... Get ready.... deep breath... aaaaand go!

Blog 1: Christmas Blues

(and promise not to think i'm a huge bah humbug.. cause im not.)

Christmas Break 2010 will go down in the books for sure... because for the most part it was TERRIBLE. It started out with surgery to get my tonsils removed, which in and of itself did me in. By Christmas Day, I had had enough pain, discomfort, starvation, boredom, lonliness, and stir craziness to last me all the way to 2012. Just being honest.

Christmas Eve was super fun though because Daniel, Kirby, and Felicity was there and we "did" Christmas on Christmas Eve. Even though I was still under the weather, I loved that day. I had become ok with the idea of having it on Christmas Eve because I wanted to celebrate with my brother and they wouldn't be at home with us on Christmas Day (easy decision). And I really was ok with it. Really.

...until I woke up Christmas morning to snow. Everyone was SO excited that it was a white Christmas when really, for me, it was just another day. The snow was pretty, yes, but kept me inside when I had made plans to FINALLY venture out into the real world so that I wasn't at home being lame on Christmas Day. I became upset and even more upset that Daniel gets two Christmases and I only get one... (how SELFISH am I? some people dont even get ONE. and is that what it's even about?! ugh. i make myself sick sometimes.) I was frustrated and frustrated that I was frustrated and then it just became a vicious cycle leading to nowhere good.

And then... The Lord. (always, right?) I honestly didn't wanna hear much from Him because I knew I was too busy thowing myself a pity party to celebrate His birthday and that's just plain embarrassing. The Lord taught me a little something that I'll carry with me for Christmases and holidays to come though.. nothing huge- just to take time to remember the brokenhearted. That there are people out there that spend holidays in the straight dumps- in conditions I couldn't even fathom. It's just reality- the world is hurting. And it's no fun to hurt on any day, much less Christmas day. In years past I hadn't been sensitive to that... at all. But this year I was able to take some time and really pray for those out there who are having an even more downer day than I was. Just pray for them is all. And I learned that Jesus loves to be there and comfort His children... even on His birthday.

Blog #2: Undercover Boss.

aka Anna Cleland life update: IM OFFICIALLY A TEACHER!!!! as in a for real teacher. crazy. i know. but seriously it just fell into my lap... here's the story:

I'd been subbing allllll over knox county for 1. experience 2. money and 3. the real reason- to get my foot in the door so that job hunting would be easier come next school year. I was honestly getting discouraged about how I was spending (what felt like wasting) so much time and energy... I felt like I wasn't meeting the right people, going to the right schools, etc. I spent a lot of time praying the Lord would lead me where i needed and put a lot of trust in the fact that He would.

So, let me just say up front- if the Lord is your undercover boss, you'll be right where He wants you to be... which is good because that's right where I want to be too. He heard me... saw my efforts... knew my desires... and has provided. So cool.

One day last semester I just so happened (a mini God story in and of itself!) to get a subbing job at Sequoyah Elementary, a great school just down the road. Long story short, within one hour (literally) of me being there, I had met the principal and was sitting in her office telling her about myself interviewing for upcoming teaching positions. Fast forward and I ended up talking more and more with her about those positions and ended up getting a 5th grade teaching position where i will be the interim teacher until February and then will switch to Kindergarten until the end of the year. Seriously- it's been ALL GOD that you can't miss it. There's NO OTHER explanation to why this principal chose to pursue me that day that I was subbing and that it all led to where I am now.

SOOOOoo, I'm currently teaching 5th grade and it has been so so great. I'm absolutely loving doing what I've been working toward for so long now. It's definitely consumed my life and has become an around the clock job here at the beginning, but it's been a perfect way to begin the rest of my life. Still praying for more opportunities next school year and that the Lord opens and closes the right doors. He's faithful, yall.

Blog 3: snOMG 2011

What's a blog without pictures of how you celebrated the blizzard of 2011?! Once I was able to get with friends back in Knoxville and was actually well enough to play in it, it was SO MUCH FUN!