So a few weeks ago, I took horseback riding lessons for the first time. I loved it so much, I plan to continue when I get back from vacation. Anyway, because I'm vertically challenged - aka short - I had to use a chair to get on the horse. On the first day of lessons, I got on with no problems. I figured the second day would be the same. Mafi mushkela ("No problem" in Arabic), right? WRONG.
The chair we used was a cheap, plastic chair. Genius that I am, I stood in the middle of the chair instead of the sides, like smart, normal people would've done. I hopped once, twice...then the 3rd time, BAM! My foot went thru the chair and I nearly busted my butt. Embarrassing to say the least. The nasty bruise I got is just now going away. It was all in fun, tho. My friend caught it on video. I know, lucky me right?
Enjoy laughing at my expense. It was quite hilarious, I must admit.
Have you ever wondered if you were making any headway in your obedience to God? He'd given you a task, you obediently took it (although it seemed so daunting) and now, it just doesn't seem like anything's happening. You'd asked God for a sign to let you know you were doing something right, but it doesn't seem like He hears you.
Yeah. I've felt that way...many times. I've felt that way just this past trimester. I knew God had sent me here to Abu Dhabi. I knew - for reasons only He knows - He put me in this specific class to teach these specific 3/4 year olds English, despite the fact that I haven't worked with kids that small in a classroom setting (I tend to avoid preschool aged kids). I must admit. I didn't want to. I prayed so hard for Him to put me with the older kids (a prayer I'm now glad He said no to). There were times when I struggled. Especially the times when I was left alone with 25+ preschoolers who didn't understand a word I was saying and who looked at me like I was an alien (which, I may as well have been since I was speaking an "alien" language). At the beginning, most were shy towards me and hardly ever talked. It was hard. And draining. And I wondered if I should give up and go home. I mean, I tried, right? But something within me - the Holy Spirit - kept me going. I kept asking God if I was doing it right. Was I reaching the kids? Did they feel His love through me?
I got my answer after our three-week break. When my kids saw me, they swarmed me with hugs as if - dare I say it - they missed me. They called out my name, snuggled their chubby faces in my neck, and grabbed my hand and wouldn't let go. At the end of the day, they eagerly waved bye to me, calling out my name from across the room (repeatedly, if I didn't answer right away), just to get my attention. This, my friends, is now an everyday occurrence. Even my shyest little angels make an effort to show me love. And OMG, their hugs! Man, but they make day! They spread their arms as wide as they could & squeeze. They race to see who would grab my hand first, like they want the privilege of holding Ms. Raenice's hand. I even got a sweet kiss on the cheek. One of my students, who never went for hugs last trimester, can't seem to get enough this trimester. He smiles at me everyday and sometimes, he's one of the first ones to grab my hand. And I just LOVE when they are so excited about showing me their work. "Ms. Raenice, shoofi!" Ahh, the joys of teaching.
I asked and God answered. Yes, they can feel His love shining brightly through me. Yes, I'm doing something right...reaching the children, despite the language barrier. Yes, I'm making some headway in this journey. They know Ms. Raenice is not like other people they've met, and I'd like to think it's cos of God's love. His love is what's drawing them to me. It's funny cos I've asked God to let His light shine through me so bright, that it draws His babies to me...and that's exactly what He's doing. God has given me the tools I need to succeed, even when it looks like I wouldn't. He's right here with me.
This trimester, I have a second class to teach. I still have my original babies, but now, I have double the chance to spread His love. I feel like I'm starting all over with these students. Some of them are shy and trying to feel me out. And yes, it's draining. But I believe just as God has used me to make an impact on my first group of babies, He will do the same with my second group. It's funny watching my first group look at kids in my second group with that "Who are you and what are you doing with my Ms. Raenice" look. And my second group looks at me like, "Who i
Here's a recent conversation between me and a nine year-old about our love for Disney channel:
Nine year-old: I like Sonny With a Chance and Good Luck Charlie. Do you like those shows?
Me: Well, I like Sonny With a Chance, but I haven't seen Good Luck Charlie. I don't have cable.
Nine year-old: *Gasp* You don't have cable? Well, what do you watch? You watch movies all day? (she says this like it's a fate worse than death)
Me: Nope. I sometimes watch regular channels.
Nine year-old: What's regular channels? (she says this with a perplexed look)
Me: You know. NBC...CBS...
Nine year-old: *Blank Stare*
Me: ABC...UPN...Fox
Nine year-old: *Blank Stare*
Me: Channels 2...11...13... (now I've got the perplexed look)
Nine year-old: *Blank Stare*
Me: Ay, forget it.
I guess not having cable/satellite is a sin this day and age. smh
This past weekend, I went to Chicago to celebrate my 33rd birthday (which was this past Monday). I had an AWESOME time! For those who don't know, Chicago is my hometown - lived there the first 8 years of my life. When we go back to visit, we usually don't get a chance to visit and enjoy downtown. This weekend, my sister and I were able to do just that, as well as relax and not think about issues or problems we may have faced at home.
First of all, our friend and her hubby live in one of the downtown high-rise condos. The view was SPECTACULAR!
So, Friday night, we went out to a restaurant called Roy’s Hawaiian Fusion Cuisine. Since we were celebrating my bday, the menus at our table had this:
Cool, huh? I definitely felt special. I ordered one of the Prix Fixe meals: appetizer was Thai Spiced Shumai Meatballs on a sugar cane stick; entree was the Pulehu Sirloin, Potato Croquette, and Cauliflower Gouda Gratin; and dessert was Roy’s Melting Hot Chocolate Souffle. The meatballs weren’t really appetizing to me, but the entree and dessert were mouthwatering, delicious, tasty, & whatever other good adjective you can think of. My meal is the one pictured in front of the woman with the red dress (me).
Here’s another pic of the first night.
Our Saturday schedule looked like this:
- wake up at 8:30
- eat breakfast (pancakes, bacon, pineapple chunks, orange juice)
- walk to the Navy Pier
- go to yoga class
- get a 30 minute massage (heavenly!)
- manicure/pedicure
- spend hours walking downtown, enjoying the sights
- go home and rest
- go out to eat dinner
Sunday, we went to church, ate White Castle (a MUST when we go to Chicago), then went to the airport.
So, yeah, I enjoyed my time in Chicago!
More Chi Town pics:
10 Things I learned in Chicago:
10. Airplane seats are NOT made with curvy chicks in mind. If you happen to have hips, sitting on the airplane can be quite uncomfortable.
9. Roy's Melted Chocolate Souffle at Roy's Hawaiian Fusion Cuisine is the best chocolate cake EVER! The cake was flourless and the melt-in-your-mouth kind. OMG, I've gotta find that cake! Sadly, the closest Roy's to Houston is in Austin or close to Dallas. Might have to make the trip!
8. The sounds of downtown Chicago are oddly calming. We went to sleep every night with the patio door opened (she lived on the 53rd/54th floors) listening to those sounds.
7. Despite the cool weather, you may still see women wearing short skirts or shorts.
6. Although my sister and I look almost exactly alike, people still have to ask if we're sisters. Sometimes, I was tempted to sarcastically say, "Nope. I've never seen this chick before."
5. If you're gonna spend hours walking downtown enjoying the scene, do NOT wear flip flops. Gym shoes (tennis shoes) are more sensible. Our enjoyment of the scenes was cut short (although we spent hours walking) because my sis and I had flip flops on.
4. If you plan to have a nice leisurely lunch outside to enjoy the beautiful weather, make sure you have something to keep your food from flying away. They don't call it the Windy City for nothing!
3. I want to live in a high-rise apartment downtown 2 miles from the lake. Seriously...or at least someplace with a view of a lake or ocean.
2. Plan to buy more than one bag of Garrett's Caramel Popcorn (or the Chicago mix of cheese & caramel popcorn): one for while your in Chicago and another for when you get home. I only bought on bag the day before we left, thinking it'll last me til I got back to Houston. It did not.
1. I MUST make it a point to get a massage at least once every 3 months. Massage+Calming Music=Pure Bliss!!!
Today's post is clearly dripping with sarcasm. Did I really experience "good feelings" when these things happened? Uh...no. More like horror, embarrassment, mortification...you get the idea. It's just, I believe that laughter really is the best medicine and I happen to have a sarcastic sense of humor - which, by the way, explains why I enjoy working with and writing for tweens/teens (if you hang with them long enough, you'll see what I mean). Anyway, instead of screaming in frustration, running away in embarrassment, or bawling like a baby, I decided to laugh and make fun.
Good feelings are what you get when a child comes up to you and asks if you remember them (your answer is yes), then asks you to say their name...and you can't. Is it my fault I'm better with faces than names? And, come on, do you know how many kids I've worked with?
Good feelings are what you get when you find out that the beautiful city of Morelia, a city you visited back in July, is one of the Mexican cities experiencing problems with drug wars, gang shootings, and killings of innocent people. I guess that explains why we saw a whole bunch of police directing traffic the night we went clubbing.
Good feelings are what you get when you've found out that you got robbed by an old, bent over lady with more wrinkles than a balled-up shirt.
Good feelings are what you get when you get out of you car (hands full of bags), close the door, and realize, right at the sound of the door shutting, that your keys are still in the ignition. Thank God for that second set of keys!
Good feelings are what you get when you realize that your little sister has mas tetas than you. Aren't big sisters supposed to have more boobage than little sisters?
Good feelings are what you get when one of your first graders come up to you, with a smile on her angelic face, and say, "Miss Weakly, you look pretty today" and in the same breath, with the same enthusiasm, point to your butt and say, "Wow, you're big right there." Kids...gotta love 'em.
Good feelings are what you get when you're walking around the classroom and trip over a mat and you fall...all the way down.
Good feelings are what you get when you get to work - you happen to be substituting at a junior high school this day - and realize, too late, that you have 2 different shoes on. Did I mention that the school's in the rich part of the school district? And junior high students are unmerciful when it comes to things like this? So, what do you do? Make fun of yourself before they can...and, boy do they have a wonderful time laughing at your expense.
Good feelings are what you get when you realize that you have a nephew who's part of the class of 2019, one who's class of 2020, one who's class of 2022, and a godson who's class of 2025. Not to mention the fact that any children you have will be class of 2028 or beyond.
Well, these are only a few of my "good feelings". I don't think I'll ever stop experiencing them. In fact, I'm sure I won't. And, really, after all is said and done, they make life more interesting!
{{{Rae}}}