Updates on Life

So, nothing too deep this time around. Just some updates on how life is going, and a few pictures from the last few months.

In August, my husband, parents, and siblings and I went out to Los Angeles to visit with family. My grandmother was having her 90th birthday party, and combined with my uncle/godfather's recent diagnosis of cancer, it was finally time make the trip out there. We had a great time reuniting (and in Frank's case, meeting) with family, lounging at the beach, and going through old family pictures.

When we returned, I began a new stage of my life which has so far consumed every ounce of free time that I thought I had (and then some): full time teaching. I was offered a job in June to teach Spanish and Social Studies at a local high school (well, actually about 40 minutes away), and started at the end of August. So far, things are going well, although, as I said, VERY time consuming. I usually leave for work around 6:30am and get home around 7:00pm. Needless to say, by Friday afternoon I am EXHAUSTED! However, the kids are great, the lessons are fun, and even my Current Events class (which I have never taught before) is slowly progressing into something more than just summarizing the newspaper :)

Another unfortunate side effect of full time teaching is missing the weekday services of the church. This year the feast of the Nativity of the Theotokos and of the Elevation of the Cross both fell during the week, and I was not able to get to the morning services. However, the Lord has blessed me with things like church Podcasts and lectionary calendars which helped me celebrate those days at least in some sense at home and on my way to and from work. Not the same, but hopefully at least a small difference.

Anyway, check out the links below for some pictures from our California trip and some other random things. God bless!

Vacation Bible School: http://picasaweb.google.com/julianadancer1/VBS2010?authkey=Gv1sRgCN_Njc2nmaub8QE&feat=directlink

California trip: http://picasaweb.google.com/julianadancer1/California?authkey=Gv1sRgCO6Y8_Di3ZGzWA&feat=directlink

Founders day picnic at Church: http://picasaweb.google.com/julianadancer1/FoundersDay2010?authkey=Gv1sRgCNOa-YbSmqCFWg&feat=directlink

Labor day "picnic" (it was raining, so we stayed inside): http://picasaweb.google.com/julianadancer1/LaborDayPicnic?authkey=Gv1sRgCMSc7Iz1xZH8Vw&feat=directlink