Fit to be sick

Oh man, it has been a tough week.  Basically, fall has come with a vengeance to invade my body and keep me away from school.  It has been very pretty outside,

And it is neat because all around us there are maple trees.  So many maple trees that people are employed to rake leaves all day.  And then the next day, they rake the same place because more leaves have covered the ground.  As the leaves fall and they are all in the shape of a Maple Leaf, do you know what I am thinking?   Wow it feels like home, and no, I do not cheer for the Leafs.

Well anyways,  I have been at home battling sickness this week which has been quite difficult.  I had to get a sub, (thank you John P.) but the worst part about being a teacher is that even though I am sick, I have the same amount of work to do to have a sub to teach in class.  You have to come up with lesson plans, PowerPoint slides, be a good communicator, make up assignments.  All from the comfort of your bed, sneezing and sniffling away.  I should have just gone and taught because I am more busy now than when I was healthy, except, I couldn't get out of bed.

Fortunately for myself, John is very flexible so he was able to run my classes smoothly without any real hiccups.  So I got to go to work today and had some tests planned and as I gave them, I found out just what was taught.  It is not easy to make a test for stuff you "think" your students learnt.

Anyway, it was difficult to not have the energy to do more than 5 minutes of work before resting for an hour, but it sure taught me alot about humility as at one point, Colleen was in a language lesson and I was watching Jolen (Ellianna was sleeping) and about 1/2 was through her lesson, I had to give her Jolen and just lay down.  Man, you try to be everything to your kids and your wife and are humbled by a simple illness.

So, tomorrow we are having some of the students over for a party at our apartment as we live only a 5 minute walk away.  Colleen has been hard at work  in the kitchen preparing.

That is one exciting thing Colleen has found here.  She can do ministry by baking!  She loves baking and it is stress relief so when I bring baking to school, the teachers thank me for driving my wife to baking and ask if I can keep driving her crazy for their benefit.  I am truly the lucky one in this relationship as my stomach is never in want!!!

A prayer request we would have is for Colleen as she starts teaching Health at KCA.  Both for her preparing and teaching, but also for the children as they adjust to mom being gone some of the time.

We appreciate all your prayers and thoughts as we take each step forward in Christ day by day.