Off to the beauties...

Carissa is thinking the moutains are calling her name, so she is following that call.

Happy Thanksgiving! :)

What's on the homefront?

Since my last post, life has gotten busier, I still have yet to figure out my boundaries, I have bought my first christmas present, and I got 4 new kids in my classroom. We are two days out from Thanksgiving break (Praise the Lord!) in which I will head up to the mountains with my family for an excellent time of skiing, relaxing, and being in the snow.

I just found out that we have been given a solid go ahead to plan our trip to Sierra Leone next summer. We will probably be gone for 3 weeks in June and I am getting so excited. Pray for our team as we do fund-raisers and plan the trip. Pray that we would have guidance, and since we are going with other non-Christians, that some of us would be a light to them!

That's a little update on my life, and now I off to brave Christmas shopping with my friend Sarah:) Adios!

Our kids had their first performance at the school on Thursday night. Before the actual event, they were supposed to be in our room for about 20 minutes. I have never seen my kids so excited and energetic before! Here are a couple pictures of them before the performance...

Chinese lanterns...

So we are studying Ancient China in History for three weeks. We made paper lanterns to today. The kids really enjoyed it, although I think they favorite part was walking around the classroom with their lanterns on their heads. They thought it was hilarious...I must admit, I'm not really sure why.

Amber (my co) and I also rearranged out classroom today:) So fun, I feel like I am back to freshman year of college all over again when Suzy and I would rearrange our room like once month. I think the kiddos will really enjoy it...and we like it too.

Funny quote of the week. On Monday I was wearing a black and white striped shirt to school. One of my students comes up to me at the end of the day and says, "You know what you look like Miss. Cole?" I said, "No, what do I look like?" He replies, "You kinda look like a zebra...a pretty zebra." haha...kids say that dardest things!

This week's been a little rough, I must admit. I've been a little sick. I feel a little behind in my work. I feel a little bit alone. There's always a new day tomorrow, and I look forward to seeing what the new day will hold. I've started a new Bible Study, Why Godly People Do Ungodly Things, and it has surely been kicking my butt. It is stretching me and challenging me just like any other Beth Moore study. It is really making me dig up some past struggles and sins while confronting some other craziness in my life. I am so grateful that GOD is always on my side:) Without Him, I don't know what I'd do! It has been so real to me lately that we are fighting a spiritual battle every single day of our lives.

Here's to a new day tomorrow.

They light up my life...

Here is a picture of my kiddos that just makes me smile:) Thought I'd share it! Meet Alberto, Margarita, and Dany who are showing off their projects they made last week!

Aren'ts they just incredibly beautiful?

Today has been one of those days that is just plain fun! Whoever said that school isn't fun was completely WRONG. My co-teacher, Amber and I had an enjoyable day with our kids of laughing and fun, yet of course very educational, activities.

One of my students, Alberto asked me the other day, "Miss. Cole, how much do you like your life?" It really got me thinking. I have come to the conclusion that I absolutely LOVE my life right now. I am surrounded by 24 incredible kids every day and I feel incredibly blessed by the fact that I actually like going to work. I am involved in a new Beth Moore Bible Study which is stretching and encouraging me. I am slowly making friends in the Denver area and feeling more and more encouraged daily. So my answer to Alberto was this, "I love my life, and you wanna know why?" I guess it ultimately comes down to getting to spend 40+ hours a week with 24 amazing 7-year olds and being surrounded by incredibly amazing Christian professionals...this transition is slowly becoming a bit easier:)

I've decided to live a big kids life and create a blog. I figure I have friends and family on four different continents and what a better way to keep in contact...right?

Right now I find myself seeking, searching, and trying to figure out what I want for my life. My dear friend Sarah and I were talking last night about how we are struggling with such heartache for some of our co-workers. Some of them show such interest in Christianity and we are yearning to find the balance of ministering and loving them without being judgemental about the such differing lifestyles they live. I find myself praying daily that the Lord would outpour and shine through me so they may see something different. Join me in prayer for these!

I am stuck in a new world, a new job, and a new everything without much of a spiritual support system. I am trying to find a church that I can get involved in, but it is a lot harder than I thought it would be. Ah...so the search continues.

Today my day is filled with packing and moving (helping a friend), writing lesson plans, and cutting out a matching game for my second graders to play on monday dealing with the geographical features and terms. As I sign off, I hope you are all incredibly blessed today!