Recently I have been having conversations with different people and they have asked the amount of time I have been teaching.
This month marks 20 years.
As those words leave my mouth, it is as if I am living in a dream and it can't be real.
However, it is.
It all began in 1994 when I was asked to take over the position of a now fellow teacher when she was out on maternity leave. This was an exciting chance for me to begin my teaching career! I was going to get to go into her room for a couple of months beforehand and "learn the ropes" before I took over in March.
Well, since we are in the month of January right now, you can put together that the plans that were planned were not what the Lord planned!
My friend and fellow teacher went into early labor and I was called one winter night, in an unsuspecting time, to begin my teaching career the next day.
Shock does not even begin to help you understand what was happening in this brain of mine. I was a planner.... had to know what was going on at all times... had to be in control.
So began my journey of losing control of myself and beginning to depend on the Lord - only I didn't know that yet. haha!
The Lord knew I didn't need to ease into anything... He needed to throw me in the water and teach me to WALK on water as I trusted in Him.
Here I am with that first class that I took over in January, 1995.
Most of them are married now and many have children of their own.
Yes, I feel old.
Before I tell you what lessons have been learned in the last 20 years - because they are coming! - let's take a look at the LOOKS I have shown my students.
No laughing.
Really.
I think teaching is the only job where you yearly get your picture taken to show your growth - in more ways than one!
This would be circa 1996 - I was styling in that sweater that was 3 times too large for me. And, yes, I was still getting perms because my hair is not THAT naturally curly.
Circa 1997 - Don't hate me because I am beautifully cute and got my hair out of those perms and realized just how straight my hair was and how it never did anything I wanted it to do.
And, yes, I LOVED that dress - thought I looked totally awesome in it, in fact.
Circa early 1998 - hair doing a better job of working the straight. Pretty soon a shocking thing would happen... wait for it... wait for it....
Circa 1999 - in the fall of 1998 I got the bright idea to cut off all my hair and it worked OK for the time. The kids I taught that year were constantly confused because my hair kept getting shorter and shorter. I didn't like change so this was huge for them - and me.
I look like my stomach hurts or something the way I was posed in this picture. Notice, I had not had my daughter yet to tell me exactly what would be appropriate to wear with that turtle neck tucked into my skirt.
Circa 2000 - a few weeks before my babies were born. Not bad looking for a woman carrying twins. However, I was rather large... I taught up until 2 weeks before the kiddos were born. I was determined to make it to April as April 15 was their due date.
The Lord saw fit to bring them April 1.
Yes, He was still teaching me HE was/is in control, not me.
Fall of 2000 - going back to school to teach after leaving my babies from being home with them for four months.
Hard does not do justice to describe how it felt.
I think circa 2001 - I just know I still had that short hair. Of course, being a teacher and the mom of baby twins, the hair worked well. Is it me or am I looking a bit stiff and scared?
Circa 2002 in the Spring I think?
I was rocking the purple top.
This would be circa 2002 Fall - with a new class. Notice, there is some hair peeking out of the back there. Beginning to realize maybe the short hair needs to grow out.
Yeah, It's growing out alright circa Spring 2003. It was struggling to figure out if it wanted to all be on top of my head. There I am with that turtleneck again. I bet it was tucked into my skirt, too.
Circa fall 2003 or maybe 2004? - new batch of kiddos. Notice I was rockin' the silver necklace with the colored beads and have a bit of a stylish top for the time. Kellie was starting to go from frumpy to not-so-frumpy.
Whew - circa 2005 had me gaining back that weight I had lost in 2003. Oy. The joys of gaining and losing. Notice, the hair is becoming stylishly longer.
There I am again holding my stomach in this circa Spring 2006 picture. What is it with these photographers posing us that way? At least the turtleneck sweater was not tucked in this time. That weight is piling on more....
Somewhere between 2006 and 2007 I began my next weight loss moments. This is now circa Spring 2008 below. Hair is longer and more like me. Whew.
Circa fall 2008 - new crop of younguns
For some reason in 2010 the photographers thought THIS background looked great with that shirt. AND... they decided the half body shot was in order. At least I am not holding my stomach as if in pain.
Circa 2012 - can you tell my daughter is now old enough to begin dressing me more and get me out of my box of simple necklaces? I must say - between the "ruffle" and the necklace that was a bit overkill. And WHAT is up with my hair? Was it windy that day or had I gotten a little crazy with layers?
Circa Fall 2013.
Oh my.
Heaviest. I. Have. Ever. Been.
Thankful that right after this I began the weight change.
Circa 2014 - just this past fall. Thankful for another year to learn and grow. (Just not grow in weight again...I pray!)
Over the years I have definitely LEARNED more than I have taught. The Lord has used these past 20 years to mold me, shape me, teach me, and help me see I am nothing without Him. I pray that I am able to teach as long as I can. There is nothing like watching the learning take place in those sweet faces.
Here are a few things the Lord has TAUGHT me in the past 20 years:
1. Be prepared during prayer request time. You never know what may come out of a child's mouth.
2. Never assume that a child knows something you think he/she should know. Over teach if you have to do so.
3. Telling a child to go get water really does NOT help a stomachache. Peppermints do.
4. Duct tape should never be used to hold up one's pantyhose. Just sayin'.
5. Patience is needed. Every minute. Of every day.
6. It is wonderful to be wild and crazy in front of your students.
7. Have control so that when you are wild and crazy in front of your students you can bring them back without them hanging off the light fixtures.
8. When you are teaching something you may just find out you have finally learned that concept in math that you have been struggling with for years....like when YOU were a kid.... (oh... the stories I could tell, people)
9. Throw up never gets easier. I am still scared of it.
10. Compassion increases.
11. The scary teacher dreams never really go away. They always find you before school begins and you lose control of your class in them every. single. time.
12. When your schedule changes after 20 years, it is OK. You CAN make it. You CAN find out that you will survive.
13. I thought I knew a lot when I got out of college. Right now I am realizing just how much I DO NOT know and how much more learning needs to occur.
14. There is NOTHING that can replace what is learned by experience.
15. Losing control has been THE BEST THING that I have learned. Losing control to the Lord, that is.
16. I wouldn't change a thing. Thankful for this journey the Lord has given me as He has taught me to teach His small children.
I love what I do.
With all of my heart.
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