Endings and Beginnings

The last week and this next week are a time of endings and beginning for me. It's been a crazy few days, and they will continue to be crazy, but God is still good and on the throne and teaching me more about Him. Here are some of these endings and beginnings:

-Ending: Last week marked the end of my first year of teaching. WOW! God has taught me so much, and I have grown so much in so many ways in the last year. I will greatly miss my third graders! I can't believe the year is done!
-Ending: School was supposed to end on Thursday, but the principal came at 11 on Wednesday and said it was the last day for the students. Two high schoolers had contracted swine flu, so they decided to end early. The parents were worried about it, even though their kids don't interact with high schoolers, and pulled their kids out early on Wednesday too. So by the end of the day I only had 7 kids. It was a weird ending, but that's life sometimes. Thankfully, nobody else caught the swine flu, so that's good.
-Ending: I am living with new roommates in a new apartment next year, so I have been packing up my apartment. How can I have so much stuff in only a year? It's crazy! Some of it though is my mother's fault. Rubber chickens, blow up monkeys, fake frogs...
-Ending: 10 months of living in a foreign country! I go back to the states for the first time in 10 months tomorrow! I can't believe it has been that long. I really am going to miss life here, and I am so glad I am coming back next year. It would be too hard to leave otherwise.
-Beginning: Saying goodbye. I do not like doing that. Thankfully, for most people, it is only for two months. I was sad because my two closest friends at my church weren't there on Sunday, so I won't see them again until August.
-Beginning: Preparing my mind for the summer! I get into Dubuque late tomorrow night and then drive with some friends to Colorado at 7 the next morning. I am going to be so dead! Then from there I am flying to Seattle on the 15th and then to New Mexico on the 24th and then finally home to Iowa on the 29. As a guy at my church says, "craziness!" It pretty much is
-Beginning: This isn't such a happy one. I have been having problems with my ear lately and went to the doctor. He did some tests and discovered it was my jaw. Now, those who know me know I have had braces twice and jaw surgery. I should NOT be having problems with my jaw! It's a little frustrating, but i need to just trust that God has a plan in all of it. Unfortunately, we have just been realizing it, so I am not going to be able to get all the appropriate tests and such before I leave to figure out the problem. That may mean trying to do them in the states. The orthodontist was going to make me temporary retainers that are supposed to help (don't ask me how) so hopefully they will hold up until August. It has certainly been a test of faith because I thought I wouldn't have problems after the surgery, and to have another medical problem here has been super frustrating. I am trusting God to provide the finances for all of it. He is big, and I know He can just take them away if that is His will.
-Beginning: SUMMER! I am sitting in my classroom waiting for the parents to come pick up the report cards. My room is mostly packed (we have to put everything away and get everything off the walls). It's crazy. I am looking forward to having a time to rest and get refreshed before next year.

I love learning new things and seeing how God works in my life. May you all feel His presence today! He is so good!