Assuming all goes as planned,

we will be in bright, sunny (or rainy, dreary) southern California in less than 24 hours.

Please pray that we make it through security.  I won't be able to update the blog for a while, so if you don't hear from me, we made it through!!!

Some fun updates...

1. Time with the Trainer

Chloe and I have loved working with the trainer.  She's so much fun, and it really does feel good to building muscle and strength.  Even our 4:30 wake up time has become completely doable.  We have so much fun that we made the boys jealous, and now, they work with the trainer once a week!!

I have been upfront saying that I've felt a little fluffy the past year or so.  I am so thankful to report that I've gotten my eating under control, and the weight is coming off!  I made myself a deal that when I hit my goal weight, I would buy myself something special.  Well, I'm getting close!!  Louis Vuitton, you are in my sights!!

2.  Teaching History!

I was so excited when I learned last Spring that I would be teaching history for the 2016-27 school year.  And, I have to admit, it has been SO MUCH HARDER than I anticipated.  While the grading load is much easier, the day-to-day teaching is more difficult.  For me, teaching novels made life fairly straight forward.  I did a lot of work behind the scenes, but any individual class came fairly easily.  History has been kicking my butt!!  There's just so much to cover- and to do it an interesting way- that life is trickier than I guessed it would be.

On the other hand, I have LOVED watching my students ask questions and connect dots and become engaged historians.  Although the US presidential election made me sad, it has made my students care about what history can teach them.  That, my non-history-teaching friends, is why people want to teach history in the first place.

All of my classes and individual students have been amazing!  I really am blessed to teach at CCA.  I'm lobbying pretty heavily with God that I get to stay for a few more years.  I have my sights on the AP US History Exam!  ;)

3.  Time with Jesus!

I've made no secret of the fact that Jesus and I weren't doing well.  I know that means that I'm not doing well, because it isn't on Jesus, you know?  Last Sunday, I stayed home from church (which has become my custom- another blog for another day).  I decided to watch a sermon because I feel so empty.  I chose to go through IHOPKC's OneThing archives, and I stumbled upon a message from Bill Johnson.  It. Was. Amazing.  I love Bill Johnson, and I love the understanding he has of the Father.  He's just unlike anyone I've heard speak before, and this message was no different.  At the end, we were to all pray and ask the Lord to commission us to a ministry.  I heard SO clearly from the Lord.  (Is there anything better than that??)  The gist of His word was healing joy.  I believe that is His word for me and His work through me.  I will find healing as I embrace the joy of the Lord.  As I operate in joy, I will be more fully healed.  And, I will be a representative of Joy to the hurting.

Since Sunday, I have really been working at seeking the Lord for joy- and about being focused on joy. I don't desire to be fake- which, of course, is everything I hate.  I am just taking a step into the baby pool of living in the victory that I already have in Jesus.   Loving where I am this week...

Well, I'm off to bed soon.  We'll be up at 3:45 tomorrow morning, and I'm sure I won't sleep super well because I never do before I fly.  I'm trusting that you'll have an amazing week while I'm gone.  I'm going to try to write a few blogs to post while I'm gone, but I make no promises.

To a relaxing weekend!

L