Teaching and Thoughts

Dead tired but have been thinking quite a bit regarding teaching. I see my NIE peers who've graduated and ploughing away in schools and I feel really helpless. I see the overwhelming load, and I think if I'll survive. Although I still do get all excited about teaching (even when I see schools I get a rush. Yes, I'm a lil' mad... :D) I really don't know what's going to happen when I graduate.

I feel like after being so long in NIE, I've kinda lost touch with kids etc. Somehow I think that I had more rapport with my kids before i went into NIE, yet using my practicums as comparison doesn't do me any good either - basically there wasn't time for rapport etc. It was quite task oriented, and hardly any chance for relationship building. It didn't help that I was overjoyed with being pregnant with abby and forgetting everything else... :)

I know the free time I have now is really limited and I'm really making the best of almost every minute. It's so easy to nuah away the time and just lament that all's gone, yet knowing that this 'freedom' will never return makes me cherish it even more. Abby would be the most privileged child we'll ever have I think... the privilege of having mum and dad around. At least for a while. Thereafter we'll really need to stick to our priorities. I love school tonnes... i mean in primary schools. There's an unexplainable adrenaline rush... I must say that God has really granted me favour with my contract and relief school, and by that I've really enjoyed teaching. My Dip-posted school was a different matter - i couldn't wait to get out of there!! (I was accepted by NIE and was looking forward to my one semester off!! :D) My practicum was also very enjoyable... I had great CTs. Very encouraging. Even the one I was afraid of turned out to be really sweet! She bought a pair of socks for abby (i was still pregnant then) and wanted to be abby's godma!! :D heheh... she's real sweet. :)

As for priorities, Ben has really walked the talk. He has challenged himself to prioritise his devotional time as well as family time, and God has duly rewarded him with productivity and excellence in his work. God literally directs him in his work! And as a result, great favour with his bosses and colleagues!! :D He really sacrificed time at work to meet his priorities, and God has been faithful. I'm challenged and awed.

Right now, I know that this is preparation time for the next lap. I don't think I'm really satisfied with my last semester's work (results not out yet) because it was really new territory for me, and I was rather unprepared. I ended up firefighting and procrastinating alot. Not good at all. I pray that next sem, I'll be more organised. :) Like in my dip years... (but looking back at my previous entries, I don't think I was *that* organised either.) Definitely God's grace!

In the midst of packing the study (still...), and I really hope to be inspired coz I'm stuck with many things and alot of space but somehow I need to re-analyse my space allocation. If I'm not happy with the location, I'll have the tendency to keep changing it... and it wastes alot of time. Not worth it!

I miss my aunt and her family. She messaged me the other day and I really wished we were all there with her. Sigh. Today, I hunted for my granny (usually my aunt takes excellent care of her) but couldn't find her. Some problem with her phone, and she also fell down on last thursday, so she complained about her foot. Taking her to the doc tomorrow. Heartpain lah, see her liddat.

Leaving for church camp next week. I really hope Eve will be able to receive from the Lord. I really need to prepare my heart also, especially when I'm easily distracted (esp by abby!!) But to impart life to Abby, I must first receive life from the Life-giver. She has been such a blessing and a joy. Ben managed to share with his mum that during my pregnancy, we really prayed very often that she'll be a blessing to the family! And for her to be sweet-spirited and joyful. Praise the Lord for His faithfulness.

She's amazing. She'll lean forward to hug Vic, they'll exchange toys (one's coming 10mths while the other's coming 9), they'll kiss each other, and today, according to my mil who gave her a rusk, she was eating it, then she offered my mil! :) She then declined and abby went on eating, and then offered again!! :) My fil was so impressed! And they both know she hasn't been taught to offer yet. :) Wow. Praise the Lord. :)

She's learnt how to 'Eh'. Like Ben's buddies. Really cute. She'll be playing with her granny, laughing and all, and when Ben steps into the room, she'll turn to him and then 'Eh!' him. :) Heheheh... Keeps doing that to people. And she'll keep smiling sweetly at Eve! Heheh.. Quite amazing. Both the babies look alike (and the helpers also!) And we keep swopping babies, people around us (my relatives coz vic and eve were over at my aunt's 'house cooling', and church friends) are so confused! :D I really hope we'll all have a fantastic time at the church camp! :)