Weekend Trip to Oklahoma anyone???

Ok, once again, I've got a lot to post, so bear with me...

Last night was free dinner night at [radius] (the campus ministry). We've sort of decided to take a different tactic than what we originally thought we were going to. Obviously, like most other ministries, we planned on doing worship services, small groups, etc. The problem with those (or at least it's a problem for us) is that they require people--which we currently do not have. For the opening worship night, we only had three people show up. So we ended up just hanging out. And decided that's what we should do for a while--just eat and hang out. So our plan now is to simply have free dinner and fellowship no strings attached. We won't be doing a devotion or worship, no pressuring to come to worship, just fellowship. The hope is that as people come for food they will build relationships. From relationships will come things like small groups and worship. Or at least that's our goal.

So Sunday was Miami's freshman activities fair. We had a booth, gave out cookies, put ourselves out there, and touted our FREE DINNERS. We had 60 some people sign up for more information, and many more who just took fliers. Monday, Eric emailed everyone who wanted information.

We hoped maybe even a fourth of those people would show up for free dinner last night...they didn't. We again had 3. Don't get me wrong, we're thankful for those three people. But it was very hard for us to fight the discouragement last night. And I've seen it's effects on Eric today.

I think that may be one of the hardest parts about this process so far--keeping Eric encouraged. I'm doing the best that I can, but because he wants so badly for this ministry to be a success, he gets discouraged quite easily. I don't blame him. In fact I think one of the only things (besides the grace of God) that is keeping me from being discouraged is knowing that I need to keep him encouraged...but I just keep telling God how much I want this thing to take off. And seriously...free food? It doesn't get much better than that.

We'll keep praying for next week.

In happier news, as is eluded to in the title of the blog, Eric and I are making a weekend trip to Oklahoma City. Apparently, Paul (Eric's dad) is being ordained on Sunday. Today I got an email from my mother-in-law Judy that mentioned the ordination, which we felt like we should be there for. And shortly thereafter Judy and I plunged into the world of online airline tickets hoping for a good deal. We found something we could live with (although we probably could have done better had we planned ahead), so tomorrow at 7:30 we fly out of Louisville. It should be a lot of fun!!!

Miss South Carolina

A friend of ours discovered this particular video on youtube. Really, I think the video speaks for itself, but as an educator it just makes me shake my head. I'd like to think I can usually figure out what people are trying to say, even when they're not speaking very clearly, but on this one...I'm clueless (as it appears she is as well). National television, and she's so nervous she can't even come up with something coherent to say. I feel really bad for her...

Just click on the title of this post, and it should take you to the video...Good luck!

A very long week

This week was absolutely crazy here in the Ankenman household...I'll try to give you a day by day breakdown...

Monday:
The week started off slowly in that Eric spent a great part of the day at Miami painting and decorating, while I had inservice training and then had a going away get together/party with some friends for Jen and Drew who moved to NYC. So far so good, right???

Tuesday:
Another inservice day for me, and another long day at Miami for Eric. We pretty much crossed paths as he got home around 7 but I went out with Andrea, Rene, and Jen for a send off dinner. We didn't got to bed until 12ish, which meant that...

Wednesday:
We were both tired having stayed up late (or later than we should have) the night before. I was up by 5:45 to go to my first day of school. Quite the long day. Hot as all get out here in Cincinnati, and my school doesn't have air conditioning. Eric on the other hand was up to Miami by 8 that morning to start painting and putting the finishing touches on the ministry. As soon as I finished school, I went up to Miami and help Eric to continue to prepare.
All in all, we had 3 students stop by, and Eric left encouraged, but making some important realizations about how the ministry will work (which I think will be much different than any ministry I've ever heard of before)--but I'll let him tell you all about it in another blog (I'll try to get him to do that soon).
Unfortunately, being up there for the kick-off meant we didn't get back here until 12:30 or 1 ish.

Thursday:
So, I was absolutely exhausted on Thursday. Up at 5:45 again, although the kids were only in school until 12:30 because of the heat advisories. But I had to work until 3; thankfully there are select rooms (like the library and conference rooms) that are air conditioned--needless to say that's where all the teachers were after classes let out. Eric slept in some, and then was back up at Miami.
After work for both of us, we went down to Sebastian's for dinner (the great Greek gyro place we loved from CCU) and then to visit Brenda Lang in the hospital. She went in for emergency surgery on Monday night. Apparently some scar tissue she had wrapped itself around her bowels. She was about 5 hours from the bowels being completely constricted, which would have meant they eventually burst, and well...things would have ended quite sadly. But, she is doing awesome now. Incredibly she's in very little pain (considering) and has only been on Tylenols since the surgery...incredible to me (I'd be asking for all the morphine I could get).

Friday:
Same ole same ole with work (although again my kids were let out at 12:30). Tonight, Eric and I took a nap (well, in the afternoon), and we've been just relaxing since then. I finally finished Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. That was an intense series of books I'll just say that. But they were really good. I'm glad I waited until they were all out to read them. Now I don't know what I'll read, but I'm sure I'll find something :)

So yeah, I'll try to get on tomorrow and update how the job is actually going. But for now I'll just say that I think I'll enjoy it, but it will definitely be a test in patience...

Night all!

taking a day off (sort of...)

Hey everyone--since Kerri has done all of the posting on here, it seemed like I ought to chip in a bit as well. As she mentioned, Thursday was Freshman Move-In, and it was hot. Blazingly, incredibly hot. (Of course, I would expect nothing less.) Friday and Saturday were spent painting and redecorating inside the campus ministry building; as Kerri mentioned, we are attempting to make this place look a bit less like a Junior High youth room (the assumption being that such an environment is not appealing to the average college student).

So, needless to say, I am tired. I had originally thought about going back up again today to try and get more painting done, but I decided that (since I probably won't get much of a break for the next few weeks) it would probably be a good idea to take a little bit of a day off.

It is interesting how God is constantly teaching me to trust Him; although it is mildly frustrating that He seems intent on teaching this lesson by simply putting things completely out of my control and forcing me to come to Him. Needless to say, it is not an easy lesson, but one that I am slowly learning.

Pray for us over this next week--I have no idea how many people will show up on Wednesday. Pray that God will not only bring people, but that He will bring the right people and that He will help me not to worry. Talk to you all soon...

Welcome to college...freshmen

Yesterday was hot...very hot. And because it was so hot, we decided to do what any good American would do on such a stifling midwest day: we stayed inside in the air conditioning. Almost. No, actually, yesterday was freshman orientation day at Oxford. Eric and I went up there and helped the kids move into their dorms for the first time. And, yes, it was quite hot. I don't sweat very much, but I was drenched yesterday. Thanksfully, Katie came out and helped some, and a couple of guys from the Liberty church came in the afternoon. It was a lot of hard work, but very good to go help out some and get our name out there a little.

Today, we were up at Oxford again, this time painting our ministry building. It's starting to look less like a jr. high youth group room, and more like a college campus ministry. Hopefully we can get it all done by Wednesday.

I also remembered that I never wrote on here about Eric preaching last Sunday in Liberty, IN. That church contributes to the ministry, so we were invited to come out and introduce ourselves. I have to say, I was a little nervous about how Eric would do. The last (and only) time I've heard him preach he didn't do a very good job (something he would tell you). But, he actually did awesome on Sunday. He was funny, captured people's attention, and then delivered a very interesting sermon. I was pretty impressed.

So, anyway, tomorrow we're back up to the ministry to do more painting/decorating...

Job Training

First of all, I just want to say that maybe after things are quite so hectic with the campus ministry I will be able to convince my husband to write something on here....maybe (I make no promises...even after a snide comment he still hasn't...).

I had training today for my position at Colerain. This is definitely not going to be an easy job. I will have kids in my class every period (with the exception of my lunch period and my planning...which are technically one period, just split into two halves). I'll be working with another guy, who thankfully did this last year, so he knows the ropes and all that stuff. For the most part we'll be teaching reading and math, but the interesting thing about it is that the school stuggled the most on Ohio testing in the areas of social studies and science (which I'm not really surprised, I think that's actually pretty common). So, what that means is that for some of these kids, in tutoring them to read, I will also have to work in social studies and science stuff to help them pass their OGT (Ohio Graduation Test) and OAT (Ohio Achievement Test--this is the one that affects the school's national standing--think No Child Left Behind). I'm pretty excited about that (the social studies part).

So, I'm feeling a lot better about this job. I'd still like to have a real teaching job, but this I think is as close to a real teaching job as you can get without actually having one.

2 Things

First of all, I am now officially an employee of Colerain Middle School. I kind of feel like I am a glorified substitute, but perhaps that will change when I actually go to the training and see what my job will be. I am an intervention tutor, and that's about all I know.

Secondly, as if I needed any more reasons to hate and be terrified of snakes, this will do it. CREEPY!!!!

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/20212558?GT1=10252

A new job!!!

Well, I did get the secondary tutor position. I have to go in for training...whatever that means...next Wednesday. It doesn't pay nearly as well as a teacher's salary, and there are no benefits, but it pays a whole lot more than I could make as a sub or working at Bible Bowl. Now, I'll just have to figure out what to do during Christmas Break, fall & summer breaks, etc., since I won't be getting paid then (since I'm paid hourly).

I'll fill in more when I know more about what I'm doing. But hey, I've got a job in a school now!!!

Job Interview

I had a job interview today for a "secondary tutor" position at a local school system. I went into it not really knowing what to expect since the lady who called me didn't really know what the job required either. Basically the job would require me to work with smaller groups of students (5-ish) who are struggling--usually in math or reading. Now...since I'm not licensed to teach either of those subjects, tutoring someone, particularly in math, could be interesting. But I'm up for the challenge.

The didn't offer the job to me, but I get the impression they're still interviewing. So...we'll see.

In other news, a junior high social studies teaching position has been posted in one of the school districts I really want to work it. So, I applied for it. I think I'm gonna call them tomorrow and express more interest and perhaps see if they know when they will start interviewing. I'd really love to actually have a teaching job. But I really just want a job.

Pray for me if you would. Specifically for the teaching job, but really for either job at this point. Thanks!

And I complain about headaches...

There's really not a whole lot to say about this story, I can honestly say it left shaking my head and thinking "wow..." Seriously, 55 years??? That's crazy. Anyway, here it is for your reading pleasure :)

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/20145219/?GT1=10252

The Hiccups

I despise the hiccups. They're always really funny at first. Even the person who has them can't help but laugh at the ridiculous sounds coming out. But after a while, they really get annoying. Fortunately for most people this strange affliction only lasts a few moments. As time stretches on, people start to look for those ridiculous cures; you know, drinking from the opposite side of the glass, eating a spoonful of peanut butter or brown sugar, being frightened, holding your breath, etc. What's fascinating (and infuriating) is that no one, not even doctors, really know how to cure them.

In fact, there have been some very extreme cases. See:

http://thelongestlistofthelongeststuffatthelongestdomainnameatlonglast.com/long44.html

So...why am I sharing this? Last night, after Eric and I finished watching "The Illusionist" with Edward Norton, Jessica Biel, and Paul Giamatti (interesting movie by the way), I started to hiccup. And, as I said before, at first these are amusing. I don't get them very often, and typically when I do they don't last too long. Unfortunately for me, last night they did. I swear I must have had them for an hour. And they weren't the little annoying hiccups. They were the deep, almost painful ones. Eric, mind you, is still laughing because he said they were the strangest sounding hiccups. Do you have any idea how hard it is to perform ordinary routine activities with the hiccups. I tried to brush my teeth--almost squeezed a huge glop of toothpaste into the sink because my hand jerked when I went to put it on the toothbrush. Needless to say, it was one of the most frustrating hours of my life.

Eventually, I was able to hold my breath and try to force myself to hiccup. Praise the Lord that worked because I was gonna have to start going to extremes to cure them.

Long Day...

I had every intention of posting some pictures on here of our dog and our apartment. But, when I went to take pictures, our camera decided not to work. I think it's probably just that it needs batteries or something, but regardless I can't post pictures that I don't have, and I can't take pictures if the camera doesn't want to work.

In other news...I have a job interview on Tuesday. It's not actually for a teaching position. But, it is pretty much full time at a school, and I'll be working with students. I'm not sure totally what to expect, but I know that the position title is "Secondary Tutor." So, I figure I'll go in and hear what the job will be like, and figure things out from there if they ask me to take the position.

Unfortunately, I did not get the worship ministry position at our church, but I'm not too bummed about it. The minister, Andy, had some really encouraging things to say to me. And he definitely wants me to be very, very involved in worship ministry. But rather than me being the main worship leader, he wants to pursue other candidates, and then ideally he would like whoever gets the job to kind of mentor me and help me grow into a good worship minister. So that's pretty awesome. I'm excited.

But for now, I think I'm gonna go drink my husband's homemade smoothy (Strawberry/banana/raspberry...mmmm), and perhaps watch a movie. Maybe a little Harry Potter 1, the Illusionist, or some other random movie that I can't remember the name of. Peace out!