just keep swinging

I think I'm fully into the swing of things now. I've gotten into a nice state of busy where I have things to do most of the time but they aren't really stressful things. I'm working afternoon/evenings which was tough to get used to mentally but it means I can actually make programs happen--evening sports for kids and community members, fitness classes, arts and crafts clubs, school newspaper, etc. This week we're starting P90x for teen guys and zumba classes for teen girls.

I really love the school community and I really love my job. Loving the people first makes me love my job because these kids want to grow and develop, and I want to give them the chance to do that. Tonight four 11&12-year-old girls came over and we were sitting around the table talking about things they want to see happening after school. Besides sports, they want to do drawing, painting, 'learning old ways', woodworking, dance, school newspaper, creative writing, knitting, beading, cooking, taking care of the environment and a singing/karaoke club. What a list! I'm always astounded when I ask the kids what they want to do. It's one thing for a group of adults to sit around and scheme up programs for kids, but really they do have dreams for their school and community. I'm excited to give them a chance to be invested in their school and to see them thrive in that--it actually gives me chills!

I got to bring 5 boys and 4 girls between 10-14 to a three day Dance Jamboree this past week--such a fun adventure! We picked kids on the basis of good attendance, work ethics, participation in class, etc..  None of them had taken a dance class before and at first they were a bit hesitant to participate in the dance instruction workshops. I told them they didn't have to like the styles of dance, but they had to try them out so they'd have a fair judgment. So they were brave and tried. They learned about different cultures and discovered that they could do things that initially looked difficult (like some of the harder partner-turns in Cuban/Salsa dancing). I had a brainwave while we were there: the grade 8/9 teacher tells me how her kids are petrified of doing presentations--so I want to start mini dance-sessions in class for all the grades so the kids can practice being comfortable in front of people. I'm not expecting miracles, but this weekend I saw dance cause change. I saw an 11-year-old boy who's very small for his age and picked on by his older brothers step out and grow a lot of confidence. He found a way to express himself where he didn't have to be big or loud, he just had to be able to move. I wish I could show you the way he was beaming the whole drive home yesterday, I almost cried.

Last week I got to reconnect in La Ronge with a childhood friend who I hadn't seen for almost 10 years. She's married and pregnant, but still the same girl and only 3 hours away from me. It's nice having some kind of a network in the middle of nowhere. We're making friends up here--there's an RCMP officer and his fiancee that live across the road from us, and other new teachers who are lots of fun. But I'm realizing increasingly how much I took Church community for granted when I was in North Bay.

Sending love to my friends and family and church family and work families--I do miss all of you. But my heart takes strength from knowing God's got me here for a reason. And there are a lot of people here who really need love, so until I get a clear message otherwise I won't be wishing I was somewhere else. It does mean something to me that people would care enough to read this and follow what's going on in my life though--proof to me that God is good, and I am blessed beyond measure!