the last 2 weeks

Arrived home from Ed Week on Saturday the 21st. On Sunday the 22nd, MacAfee downloaded an update...and after that this computer refused to work any more.

Glen brought it in to the Tech Club at the high school and Shiva was able to fix the irreconcilable differences in the programing and after 10 days of using dial-up on our old computer which uses old versions of everything (therefore limiting its usefulness to not much more than checking email), we are thrilled to have our computer back.

We were fine with using the old computer for the most part...it was the fact that Eric started his 3 online classes on Monday that was really making life a little difficult. But, all is well, at least for now.

So, I had a great time at Ed Week. I guess I'll post of few notes at a different time.

The kids seem to be off to a great start to the new school year.

As I mentioned, ERIC is taking 3 online classes: pre-calculus (which it turns out his cousin Megan is enrolled in it, too), English 101, and Psychology 102-psychology of personal and social adjustment. He is also in the WNC production of "Cinderella" where he is cast as a butcher and some other part like a villager. His cousin Michael is cast as the baker.

RYAN is taking French 4 (don't ask me why...since he has only had French I and II, but since the  French teacher retired at the end of last year, she is only coming back for this one class to let those who started French finish it...in the past she has taught a French 3/4 combined...why they don't call this class French 3/4 puzzles me, but that's OK and really of no import...just makes me wonder...). He also is a TA for Mr. Holt's Algebra 1B math class. He then has statistical elements, modern physics, English, and psychology (which is something he has been gaining a big interest in over the past many months).

HANNAH starts off her day with a heavy load: English honors followed by Geometry honors followed by Modern Biology honors. She then gets to relax a little in Glen's Theatre II class. Then it's Health, Volleyball PE, and Spanish I. And, since she made the tennis team, she has practice or games everyday after school until 5. Their first match of the year was on Tuesday, however, she didn't play in it. Today they will be in Reno at Galena. Don't know if she'll be playing or not.

ALEX is settling in to his new school, EC Best, but isn't 100% happy...he misses his old friends from Numa. But his teacher is fantastic and he seems to be really enthused about the class work. He did come home from school the first day and said that he had 2 new friends...so as he develops friendships we hope he will feel happier about the change.

GLEN is getting used to the new schedule (Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays he sees all his classes for about 45 minutes each; on Thursdays it's a block schedule and each block lasts almost 90 minutes and he has his 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th period classes; on Fridays it's a block schedule and he has 5th, 6th, and 7th classes with school being over early). He starts off at the HS M-Th teaching Intro to Theatre, Stagecraft 2 & 3 (set building), stagecraft 1, and Theatre 2, 3, and 4. Then he has his prep and then he ends his day at the Junior High teaching 2 theatre classes (with his nephew Joseph being one of his students). So Fridays he has his prep, then his 2 JH classes.

My paragraph for me is not going to be about school, but about our book that we read for book club this month. It was The Hiding Place by Corrie ten Boom. WOW. What a book. It's been on my "want to read" list for years, but I tend to shy away from books that I'm afraid will be emotionally hard to take--so I've been putting it off.  I will admit that I cried like a fool towards the end...so much so I almost couldn't see the words on the page, but it was so worth it.

I'm so glad I finally read it. What an uplifting book. How inspiring she and her family are. The way they relied on the Lord, tried to listen to His Spirit, served others, and were just plain good. So, I highly recommend it. Makes you think how you'd react if such a thing were to happen today. I believe that reading that book has made it so that if that were to happen today, I'd react better and be a better person that if I hadn't read it. And that makes for a book worth reading.

P.S. It was pointed out to me that I neglected to mention ANDREW in my post. Other than to say he's doing well and might be transferred next week, I don't really have any news on him. We think of him often and pray for him daily and enjoy his weekly emails. He has 10 months left to serve. It's amazing how quickly his mission is passing by...