Tuesday, August 30, 2011

The Hawaiian Doxology- Ka Mele Ho'omaika'i

I thought I would share with everyone the Doxology in Hawaiian. My first graders learn to sing both versions of the of song. I am learning along with them. :)

Ho'onani i ka Makua Mau
Praise to the Eternal Father
Ke Keiki me ka Uhane no
The Son with the Spirit indeed
Ke Auka Mau
God Eternal
Ho'omaika'i pu
Bless together
Ko Keia ao, ko Kela ao
Of this day, of that day (everyday)
Amene
Amen

~Jessica 



Sunday, August 28, 2011

First Week Done... On to the Next!

I completed my first week of teaching! It was such a crazy busy week but I couldn't have asked for a better first week of school. I have a wonderful class of first graders who are for the most part very well behaved. I am a couple students who are talkers and have a bit of a hard time sitting still but we are working on that ;)

As the week went on I began to feel more and more comfortable with the daily routines and how things run at the school! I am so excited to have my own class of first graders and they already bring me so much joy! I love getting to see their faces light up when they realize they know something or get excited about what we are learning about. I did a lesson for both of the first grade classes about volcanoes and it was so much fun to have them all get excited. I am also really excited that I get to teach math for both of the first grade classes. I love teaching math and thing that team teaching is going to be very beneficial for both Kim (the other first grade teacher) and myself. Kim has been such a help to me and is always there to help me learn all of the schools procedures and routines, I am very thankful that we are partners!

Even though this was an amazing first week of school it was also a very very exhausting first week of school! I  would come home from school around six and practically be ready for bed! It will be nice when things get to be a little bit more of a routine and I am more comfortable with having my own classroom.

To celebrate completing our first week of teaching, Laura, Laurie and I all went out to Waikiki on Friday night to watch the fireworks show on the beach that the Hilton does every weekend! We got there just in time to watch the sunset and then watch the fireworks! It was a perfect way to celebrate!

Sundays are our day to relax and do a little bit of exploring so today after church and lunch we went hiking with another one of the Trinity teachers up to the Makapu'u lighthouse! It was a perfect day for it! The view from the top is absolutely gorgeous and the water is so blue and clear! It isn't much of a "hike" because you are on a paved trail the whole way up but it is completely worth going to and I am sure I will be doing it again!

So now I am ready to head into week two of teaching. I have parent night tomorrow night where all the parents come in and I tell them what I do with their children all day! Prayer that that would go smoothly would be greatly appreciated! I am missing everyone from home, especially with little Lily Eden being born this week! I wish I was there to hold her and kiss her! But I did get to Skype with my two favorite nephews which made me weekend! They are just so adorable and I can't wait to find out if I will be having another adorable niece or nephew this week! I love you all and miss you!



~Jessica

Tuesday, August 23, 2011

First Day!!

Well, I survived the first day of first grade, and I didn't even lose any kids! It was a fabulous first day and I am so excited for this year and finally having my very own classroom of students. It was definitely a very busy day and I felt a little bit like I was running a marathon. I think the only time I stopped to sit was during lunch. I am already learning that when you have your own class room and you are the one who is always in charge, there is always more work to be done and a million things to remember!

I have a great group of students and only 13 students! The day was spent mostly setting up the routines of the day and my expectations for them. During the morning I left a little scattered and out of sorts but by the late morning when we started our Math I started to feel like I got my groove and things started to make sense! The rest of the day was a whirlwind of business and getting to know my students!

I had decided to dress up all nice for the first day of school and wear heels once. But I must say that by the end of school I was wishing I had not worn the heels :) In celebration of completing the first day of school and finally getting our condo all to ourselves us girls decided to get pizza, wine and ice cream for dessert!!!

Ready to do it all again! I will try to have pictures of my classroom up soon! Thank you for all the prayers today! I really appreciate it! Love you all.

~Jessica

Sunday, August 21, 2011

Sunday Drive

Today Laura and I went on a beautiful Sunday drive along the coast around the tip of the island! I can't believe how gorgeous it is here! God's creation is so amazing! I took lots of pictures so you all can feel like you went on our Sunday drive with us!

Tomorrow school starts to Laura and Laurie and I have more parent conferences! Then Tuesday school starts for me also! I am excited and ready to start the school year! I will let you all know if I survive the first day of school ;)


~Jessica

Thursday, August 18, 2011

Whistle While You Work!

Well, some of you have said I need to post more (Grandma :) ). So here is a little of what I have been up to since my last post.

I am in the middle of my second and last week of teacher training. It has been busy busy busy and more busy! It is crunch time now to get all of our lesson planning and room set up done before Friday because parent conferences start at 7:30 on Friday Morning. This week has been a little more stressful than last week. There is a lot more little details that need to get done this week and when it seems you have crossed off a couple things off your to do list you remember about ten more you forgot you had to do! But my room is coming together very nicely and I am really excited about it! Everyone has been really helpful and my principal Nancy has already reassured that if things don't get done it won't be the end of the world and oh well! :) So tomorrow will be a busy day getting everything finished up and put away!

We have had lots of fun this week also of course! We finally got to have a beach day on Sunday, it finally really felt like I was in Hawaii! Laura, Laurie and I spent Sunday afternoon at Lanikai beach, swimming in the AMAZING water and lounging in the white sand! I absolutely LOVE the beaches here! I am thinking that this might become our Sunday afternoon routine! We also got to go to Target for our big shopping trip to get stuff for the condo! That was quite the trip where I spent more money than felt good (luckily it is part of my moving expenses, so it wasn't really my money I was spending). There are so many little things to think of when you first move into a new place and are trying to set up. Our condo looks like a disaster right now! Next week we will finally have the whole place to ourselves and will be able to arrange all of our stuff and unpack! I will be very glad when that happens, I don't love living out of a suitcase!

Here are a couple pics for you all to enjoy! I will post more of my classroom once I have it all put together!







~Jessica

Sunday, August 14, 2011

Week One!

I have officially been in Hawaii for a whole week! It has been such a busy week full of teaching training, getting my classroom ready and meeting lots new people. I am quite exhausted but I am so excited about where God has me right now and how He has a plan for me here!
             Tuesday I celebrated my 22nd birthday! Never thought I would have spent my birthday in Hawaii. It started off with a full day of teacher training and work in the classroom. Then the fun began Tuesday night when some of the girls; Laura, Laurie (my other roommate), and Emily (another teacher at Trinity) all took me out to dinner. We had a fabulous dinner and dessert and I felt very blessed with all the birthday messages and calls from everyone! But I definitely missed being able to spend the day with my family.

                During the rest of the week my mornings have been full of teacher training meetings and my afternoons filled with preparing my classroom (organizing, arranging, cleaning) and try to plan lessons and my daily schedule of my students. It has been a little overwhelming at times thinking about all I have to do before school starts but I know I will get it all done and God never gives us more than we can handle.

                Since my arrival last week I have been amazed at how welcoming and hospitable everyone has been! We have already been invited over to several peoples house and had many more offers for help getting everything we need for our condo. We got invited to Ben’s (another Trinity teacher) pastor’s house who we had never met, but they heard we were new to the island and it ends up that they live right across the street from us! It was a fun night spent getting to know new people. Then Friday night we were invited to the pastor of Trinity’s house for dinner. There we got another opportunity to meet new people who go to Trinity. I am very excited about all the new friends we are making.

                Today was a parent work day at the school so I didn’t get to spend my Saturday sleeping in but instead woke up bright and early and headed into school to get some more work done (after getting my Starbucks of course). As I was driving through Kialua on the way to school, I looked around and was in awe of how beautiful it is here!  God’s creation is so amazing and I can’t believe I am actually living here and get to experience His beauty on Oahu all the time, it is breath taking!

 When we finished working at the school the pastor’s wife took us into Honolulu so that we could learn our way around, go to China town and find the Costco. That is where I got to experience my first grocery shopping trip as an adult! And I must say that I miss my Mother’s kitchen that has all the dishes, pots and pans, and food I would ever need (Mom I will never again say we have nothing to eat at home). J  When you are starting a kitchen from scratch there is so many things to think of and buy, it was a little overwhelming! But we made it in and out alive with some nourishment to last us, at least for a little bit.

                Tomorrow is Sunday and I am looking forward to a day of rest! I may even hit the beach to relax in the sun.
~Jessica

Monday, August 8, 2011

Day One!

Well, I survived my first day of teacher training! I am very tired after a long day, filled with a lot of new information, so this is going to be short and I just have couple of pictures that I took throughout the day of my classroom, the school and the beach. I will post more later!

The campus is beautiful and I am absolutely in love with my classroom! It is so big and has a beautiful view. I am also very excited about all the new teachers that I met today. Everyone is so welcoming and nice, it is very comforting. It is a little overwhelming to think about all that I have to do before my students arrive in two weeks, but I know that God is with me and I am just taking it one day at a time!

Enjoy the pics!

Classroom before!

My desk area before.

View from my classroom!

Another view from my classroom! I might get distracted while teaching.

Kailua Beach!

Amazing white sand and blue water.

Can't ask for anything much better.

I still find myself amazed that I am actually here.


Toes in the white sand!

New teachers greeting!

View from Nancy's house, where I am staying!

Day two tomorrow!
~Jessica

Ready Or Not...

Well I arrived last night in Honolulu with all my luggage and in one piece!! I was greeted by my new roommates with a beautiful Hawaiian lei! I got to finally meet Laurie, who is going to be one of my new roommates. I think all of us girls will have a fabulous time living together!

Since Laura and I can't move into our condo until August 15th I am going to be staying with Nancy, the principal of my campus. So Laurie and Laura took me straight from the airport to Nancy's house. Nancy has a beautiful home and I am so thankful for her generosity and welcoming attitude towards me! After a little bit of chatting with her and her husband I was ready to hit the hay, it had been a very long day!

Today I woke up (at 5) amazed by the beautiful view I get to see from my room! Since it was dark when I arrived last night I couldn't see anything and I was quite amazed by the view I awoke to! It is gorgeous, I find myself wondering if this is really where I am living now!

The rest of the day was filled with church, eating lunch with some of the other teachers and young couples from the church, and going to a play with Nancy and her husband! Everyone has been so nice and friendly, I have felt very comforted and welcome by everyone I have met. The sermon at church this morning was a perfect way to start out here on the island! The pastor preached about not being anxious about things that we can't control and that are unpredictable and new situations but choosing to trust God with your anxieties and trust that He has you where you are at in your life for a reason! It as a very fitting and comforting sermon for me to hear at the beginning of this journey!

Tomorrow everything starts!! So ready or not here we go! The next two weeks will be filled with teacher training and setting up my classroom and lesson planning and scheduling. I am expecting it to be a very busy next two weeks but I am excited to jump in and get started!

I will try to post pictures soon! It is so beautiful here!

Love and miss you all!

Jessica

Saturday, August 6, 2011

Leaving on a jet plane...

All of my massively large bags are finally packed!! I just got to spend my last night on the mainland laughing and visiting with some amazing friends and family and am so thankful for the amazing people that I have been blessed with in my life. Tomorrow afternoon my Hawaiian adventure will begin! I will be spreading my wings and leaving home, to fly to the beautiful island of Oahu which will be my new home for at least the next year! It still doesn’t seem real to me and I don’t think that it will feel real until I have my toes in a beautiful white sand beach starring out at the clear blue ocean! I know this next year is going to be full of new experiences, adventures and people. It is very exciting to think about what God has planned for me in this next year!

Let me just start this blog off my saying that I am not a blogger or a writer in the least bit! I have never really liked to write so this blog probably won’t be that interesting to most people. But I thought it would be a good way for my family and friends and whoever else, to keep track of me and be updated with how my first year of living and teaching in Hawaii is going! I will try to keep up with it the best that I can and hopefully will have interesting things to share with you all every once in awhile J

This whole journey has been a whirlwind from the very beginning and it has only just begun. A little over a month ago I got my dream job of teaching first grade at a Christian school and in Hawaii of all places! Since accepting the job, I have spent my time cramming in as much family and friend time as I possibly can while planning and packing to move across the ocean! I am so happy that I got to spend this summer at my sister Amy’s house! It was one of the best summers that I have ever had. After being so busy these past couple of years with school and work I was very blessed to be able to take a break from the business and spend time with family and friends. I spent my summer laughing, cooking and eating some amazing new foods, going on adventures, sitting around the fire at night roasting marshmallows, having quality talks with my sister, and watching my adorable nephews! It was a much needed break and I feel refreshed and ready to start the next chapter of my life.

If you had asked me when I graduated in June, just a short couple of months ago, if I planned on moving to Hawaii to teach I would have told you no way!! But God obviously had a different plan for me and I am excited for this amazing opportunity that God has provided for me. I feel very confident that this is where God wants me to be this year and even though I know I will miss all my family and friends (I am so thankful I have Laura to go on this journey with), I am sure that this year is going to be an adventure that I never forget!

~Jessica