Hey Good Lookin...: Time to update.

Hello friends! I'm still here.

The last few months have been CRAZY hectic for us. We did FINALLY get an offer on our house towards the end of June/beginning of July. Two offers actually... we accepted the first one and then it fell through. But, the first one gave us the opportunity we needed to write a contract on a new home in Kingwood. Thankfully, we had that contract. Otherwise, we would not have gotten this house. But, as the first offer fell through, we had a second one waiting in the wings. We signed that deal the second week in July and we closed on August 14th.

After closing on the Denison house we came down to Kingwood and stayed in Rodney's apartment for a few nights. I had to start inservice on Wednesday! Then, we closed on this house on Friday. Movers came Saturday, and we have spent the last week unpacking, organizing, and decorating. Thanks to my mom, Taylor, and my aunt Terri for help in those departments.

So.... that was the abbreviated version of the move story. But, what you really want to know is... we LOVE it here. I cannot tell you all how grateful I am for this beautiful home, and a job that I know will be very rewarding and challenging.

I complain about teaching, alot. I do it because I always envisioned myself in some other type of career, (preferably one with a higher salary), but most days, I am very happy with my choice. I heard a quote the other day at one of our inservices, and I have been pondering it ever since. "Your life as an educator is your gift from God; what you do with your life is your gift to God." It causes me to really think. That, truly, being in a position to help young people learn and grow is a very high calling. That maybe this career shouldn't be my Plan B, or the stepping stone to something greater, bigger.

I would love to go back to school, partly because I love school so much myself. But, at the same time, I really enjoy being with middle schoolers. I think they are the coolest creatures on the planet. I love their enthusiasm, their unashamed sense of curiosity, and especially, the way they light up when you show them you care.

Being in a new place has allowed me to consider, or reconsider I guess, my educational philosophy. I've always been sort of the 'tough' teacher, the one who might have been a bit unreasonable in the opinion of some, but I guarantee that my students never doubted my high expectations for them.

I will always hold kids to the highest expectations I can imagine, but I want my focus this year to be relationships. I will strive to build a personal relationship with each child. To learn something about each and every one of them aside from their last TAKS data or the list of accommodations they will receive. I will ask them about their hobbies, their likes/dislikes, talents, etc. I will notice something positive about every one, even if it kills me, and I will appreciate the positive about all 150 of them ;)

It may sound a bit ambitious, teaching is hard, dirty work. But, I am convinced that taking this step will make many other things easier and more rewarding. Hopefully, I will be much more 'invested' in the child's success if I know them a little better.

I was lucky to teach some amazing kids for the past three years. A few of them absolutely stick out in my mind as shining examples of how relationships build success. I would like to make that my creed. Help keep me honest.

Here are a few pictures of the house, we are very proud and very happy ;)

This is me getting the keys to the new house... after closing without Rodney. Had to sign every single form like this: Rodney K. Dove by Whitney N. Dove; attorney in fact. It took forever!