Summer Fun

from Laura


After the school year wrapped up, I had grand plans of writing regular thoughts here during the break... and that didn't happen. But this was a wonderful summer. Here is the first of 2 blog posts about the summer. This one is about summer refreshment. We were blessed in a lot of ways during these two months. Here are a few: (Click on the pictures to enlarge.)

Sister and friend hanging out at July 4 BBQ

1- We had relaxed time with friends. We had dinner with some different people, including some of the fellow staff who we didn't spend much time with during the year. We played games, and learned a few, too. (Quiddler and Wise and Otherwise, to be specific) We spent the 4^th of July with friends-- from America and elsewhere-- eating enormous amounts of food at a barbeque at Faith.


2- We read books. :) Even though I didn't stop reading during the school year, I wasn't breaking any page-total records. It was wonderful to sit and read away an afternoon, to finish YA books in one sitting, to have time to re-read something trivial and fun, to preview books for my classroom library, and to read books with professional ideas for teachers. A few summer reading highlights, from several categories: The Praying Life by Paul Miller; The Glory Field by Walter Dean Myers; The Book Whisperer by Donalyn Miller.


3- We slept enough. At first, this meant a lot. But mostly, throughout the summer, it just meant the ability to choose our bedtime or alarm-clock time based on fatigue rather than stress and schedule. This was truly a luxury and a gift.


4- We traveled in the Philippines. This is really at least 3 different blessings.

With Jovar and a really big croc skeleton

      *We visited a young man named Jovar, who I have been supporting through Compassion, International for 12 years. He lives in Puerto Princessa, Palawan. We spent a day with him, visiting his home, his church, his town, and the nearby crocodile farm. It was an amazing experience to put 3 dimensions together and get to know Jovar in person.
      *While in Puerto Princessa, Seth and I were also simply on vacation together. We visited the Underground River, went snorkeling in Honda Bay, explored downtown Puerto Princessa, and wandered the Baragatan festival (which was conveniently timed to match our visit). There is not much better in my book than exploring beautiful and interesting places with my husband.

Ocean and clouds from Mindoro

      *With my parents and sister (see below), we went to the beach! For having lived in an island archipelago nation for a year, we have spent surprisingly little time at the beach. Mindoro is an excellent island for relaxing beach days, and this was the first time that we had gone there. We swam, snorkeled, took walks along the sand, read books while sitting on beach chairs, and watched clouds roll in over the water. We also got (sort of) lost trying to find restaurants, showered without hot water, and had sand and seawater everywhere. All of which were pieces of a lovely family vacation.

After hiking to Aninuan Falls, before swimming

5- We were visited by family! My parents and my younger sister Kandy came from Chicago to visit us for almost 2 weeks. We got to share life with them for a little while. I didn't realize how big a deal this would be to me. I knew I missed my family and would be excited to see them. I didn't know how important of a time it would be to me. For them to travel the way we travel, go where we go, shop where we shop, share food and friends and adventures with us... it was amazing. We had so much fun together.


6- We had time to go back to work early. After about a month and a half of doing very little schoolwork of any kind, we started going back to school in mid-July. Some people may be appalled by this, and there are surely some years when teachers shouldn't do this. But we were ready, and it was an enormous blessing. We organized papers and other resources from last year, and from years before us-- making new and useful discoveries every day! We had time to think through our curriculum and classes at the level of underlying goals and yearlong layouts. It was refreshing to be asking questions like “What do I really want students to be able to do by May? And what can I do to help them actually get there?” instead of “What can I do with the class tomorrow to teach the next couple of pages in the textbook?”

On the beach near the Underground River, Palawan

With all of these blessings (and more that I don't have room for) behind us and lifting us up, we arrived at the first day of school ready, in each area of life. I don't know this year will hold, but we have been strengthened and renewed by our summer, made ready for whatever God has for us to learn and to do.