"Falling" out of October

Fall in Moscow disappeared just as quick as it came this year. We have been in the highs of about 45 degrees each day. The sun has only made its appearance about once a week. The leaves changed and fell fast and we enjoyed it for about 2 days. The rain has been pretty consistent which changes things around here for our students, our commute to work, and our after work plans. Fall is my absolute favorite season and if you ask me, it is way too short here! My goal is to make it to a park here soon to catch some photography moments before Fall is completely gone. 

Since my last post, it seems like life has taken off on a path that I was not entirely prepared for. Some of these things I am unable to get into details but I can ask you all to pray for our school. Things are not looking too good right now for a number of reasons and we can definitely use the prayers from all over the world. As a staff, we recently had to go through our annual medical examines, which are never pleasant but we can praise God that everything went smoothly. Our building project, the gym, is still continuing to go up, we see progress everyday. The students, as well as everyone else, are anxious for it to be completed. Again, we praise God for allowing this project that was prayed about for 10 years or so, to be doing so well despite neighbors opinions and complaints. 

As far as second grade goes, well friends, it is going. I can sure use a lot of prayer for this group of students this year. After meetings with counselors, my boss, parents, and other teachers, I think we have come up with a conclusion that will help in the classroom. You see it is not just the energetic students I had at the beginning but rather behavior off the charts, disrespect, and a lot of aggression. These students are facing life to the fullest and have struggles that I pray I can help guide in the classroom. These students are also really low in academics and with their english skills. My days are exhausting and some days I feel like I hit a wall that I can't seem to get over. If you can pray with me for my students behavior, hearts, and desire to learn, I would greatly appreciate it. Pray that I have wisdom and strength to teach them and help in the areas they struggle with on a day to day basis. 

On another note, this coming week, we are having Elementary Spiritual Emphasis Week. We have a team coming from Calvary Bible College in Kansas City to help lead VBS with our students. This is a fun experience for a lot of students here have never experienced an American VBS. YAY!! :) 

Prayer Requests: 

• Our school as a whole 
• VBS Next week 
• Wisdom and Energy
• Decision making about next school year 

Another school year, another beginning

As I returned back to Moscow a little over 3 weeks ago, I have found myself reflecting back on my summer. An unforgettable summer that I praise God for daily. A summer of reconnecting with my family, friends, and church back home. A summer of making new memories, a lot of driving, making connections with supporters, and mending relationships. I am thankful I was able to spend my time in visiting great people that I miss terribly while I am away. I am especially thankful for the relationships I was able to mend and for new relationships that were created.

Leaving home was much more difficult this summer than any other but I am grateful for returning to a place that I can call "home." Having wonderful friends, a job, and a great community, I have been blessed to be a part of what we do here in Moscow. My transition from Florida to Moscow went as smoothly as it can when traveling internationally. Our teacher training and first week of work (without students) went really well. Being back in a work place where we all come for the same reason and love the same God is truly an amazing experience. It was a time of reunion with one another, getting to know the new staff, and being there to help each other get things ready for the beginning of school. This coming week we are preparing for our annual staff retreat outside of Moscow. It is a time for worship, building relationships, and relaxation.

We just finished our 2 week of classes and my second grade class is an exciting but exhausting class. My class consists of 8 students. I have 4 boys and 4 girls: Russian, American, Rwandan, and Korean students. This particular group of kids have much more energy than I do. I find myself hitting a wall of exhaustion by about noon each day, I definitely need prayer for strength and energy to last until 3:30 each day. We have had a good time getting to know each other, learn Ms. Macomber's rules and expectations, and what it means to be a second grader.

My roommates and I have enjoyed getting back in our new amazing apartment. We have found our place here and made it feel more like home. We have helped each other get all the cleaning and shopping done each week as well as chatting over dinner or a fun little game. We are thankful we are able to host in our home again this year. A couple weeks ago we held our first staff game night and it was an amazing turn out. We played games, ate great food, laughed a lot, and had wonderful conversations together.

I am happy to be back in Moscow where I can continue my updates as much as possible. I enjoy sharing what God is doing over here in my life, my work place, as well as the community. Until next time, love you all!

Prayer Requests:

• That I can connect with each of my students and meet their individual needs 
• Staff Retreat this week 
• Our gym building (We have a foundation built, now to finish out the process) 

Praises: 

• I made it safely
• Support raising (Thank you everyone for your support whether it is through prayer or finances. If you know anyone who would like to support what I do, please forward my emails on) 

Countdown to Summer

           The flowers are blooming, the sun is shining, Spring has hopefully made its full arrival to Moscow. Life since my last posting has been extremely busy and full of events, travel, goodbyes, baby showers, and so much more. The Lord has shown His great love and faithfulness for our school in so many ways. Hinkson had many positions to be filled and our goal each year is to fill them before leaving for the summer. Sometimes, this is unsuccessful but we have managed to fill every position with a month left of school. We also have been praying and working with many Russian lawyers in order to get approved for a new gym to be built on our property. Our director and our lawyers have jumped through many hoops, we have made many changes at our school to be in appliance, and we have raised the funds to provide what we need to go through with this project. With Gods great love and always providing, we have been approved and should break ground this summer. Prayers that there are no more hoops or documents needed to finish this project. 

We have had 3 teachers this year become with child. 2 of my coworkers have been told they would never have children and have gone through a lot of medical things while trying to get pregnant. Our God is so good and I am blessed to be apart of these families while they welcome these precious baby boys into the community here. Alongside the new lives coming we have also had the tears and hard goodbyes to great teachers who are leaving Hinkson to return home or somewhere new to teach and further their education. God has truly blessed Hinkson with a wonderful community of love and support for one another. I am also wrapping up the year with second grade, where 2 of my 7 students will be leaving at the end of the year. It has been an exciting year and I will miss these children very much. I have been so blessed to have been apart of their learning and their lives. Being a teacher at Hinkson has blessed me in ways I cannot explain to others who have not yet experienced this kind of place. The staff, students, families, the whole community is amazing. The hellos are incredible to add new people in, the goodbyes are tough, but we all love and know we share so much even across the world. 

We are now into the last month of school and there is much to happen before we can all return home to our families for the summer. We had our annual English cafe picnic at Kolomenskoye Park, where we were able to play some baseball and enjoy some conversational english with Russians. Today, I had the opportunity to assist my coworkers in leading Hinkson to their Very First Track and Field Meet. We had about 25 students and 6 events. Many of our students placed very high and we look forward to adding this new sport to Hinkson's community. As we prepare to finish the school year we have concerts, banquets, field day, birthdays, goodbyes, and exams. As well as finishing the school year, I am wrapping up my final exams for my masters classes this week. Praise the Lord my first 2 classes in my masters program have gone extremely well and I look forward to taking the summer off. My roommates and I are attending a ballet and a hockey game in the coming weeks as well as moving to a new apt. We appreciate all of the prayers we can get as the next 3 weeks will be extremely busy with our work life and home life. 

Because I will be traveling soon to head back to America. You will probably not hear from me until after I get home and get settled over jet lag. Until then, stay well and keep praying. If you are in Florida, I will be home June 7th and would love to see you! 

Praises: 

• First 2 masters classes, down! 
• Gym has been approved 
• All 2016-2017 teaching positions have been filled 
• Successful year in second grade 

Prayer Request:

• Safe travels home 
• Financial support to continue 
• Good farewells 

A short yet eventful month

              February was a month filled with experiences that are not newsletter worthy. Although it was a short month, it will a busy, productive, learning experience. At the apartment we had some serious plumbing issues that took multiple days to fix, we got a brand new washer, our cat had her first bath (and yes we survived) and there has been a lot of discussion while we brew up our next and probably last girls night at our place for the year.

While February is a short month a lot happened at school as well. We started our month with medical exams at work which were very interesting but needed to be done for school/Russian policy. Our school has been undergoing a series of inspection and making sure we are fully equipped to remain open here in Russia. We are asking for much needed prayer as we undergo all the changes that need to take place within a certain time frame. The medical exams were extensive and required for all teachers at Hinkson, thankfully we were able to make the day a half day to meet the needs required from the country.

Spirit week was a blast at the school. All grades participated in a week of dressing up and creating skits and door decor to support our basketball as they headed to Budapest for the tournaments. Our girls team came in 2nd place in finals and our boys came in 3rd. Great job Huskies! After spirit week, we celebrated Valentine's day with our students and had a 4 day weekend where some stayed and some took the time to get away from Moscow and explore surrounding cities.

My class has been hit very hard with all sorts of sickness. For the majority of February, I cannot count on one hand when I had all of my children at school at the same time. We had everything from the flu, common head cold, fevers, sinus problems, rubella, rashes, to a busted head. It seemed like something was going on, I eventually caught the mess going around as well. Thankfully everyone is back to their normal selves and we are all catching up very nicely in class.

This past week was Dr. Seuss week and we celebrated Dr. Seuss everyday in class with a special activity. My children expressed themselves in many ways and even practiced writing their own silly stories. All of elementary came together on Friday and celebrated Seuss's birthday with shared activities, a story, and cupcakes! On top of Dr. Seuss week, 2nd and 3rd grade also was in charge of putting together music and skits for chapel. We had the opportunity to learn very well the story of the Good Samaritan and share what we learned with the rest of elementary! Our kids did a GREAT job!

This Tuesday is a Russian Holiday, Women's Day where all women are celebrated. It is a beautiful holiday and a day of being appreciated for being a woman! Because of the holiday we only have a 4 day week and then it is Spring Break. I am so excited about a vacation and a break from school. I, along with many of our teachers at HCA are going to Germany for a conference and following the conference me and some friends will be exploring the surrounding cities in Germany, France, and Switzerland! I look forward to being able to share those experiences with you all!

Praises:

• First inspection is over 
• 3rd quarter is coming to a close 
• Health is back for all teachers and students 

Prayer Request:

• Continued inspection 
• Getting everything done before 3rd quarter ends (Friday) 
• Travel mercies for Conference trip and all Spring Break travelers

Endings and Beginnings

December came and went it seems before I even had time to blink. As we went from a pretty steady pace in the classroom, there was much to be completed. The semester was coming to a close but there was still plenty to be done.  Birthdays, Christmas celebrations, music programs, finishing units in subjects, grades getting finished, and good-byes that needed to be made, made December fly by. 

Even through all the chaos of getting things done, on time, we never lost sight of the True Meaning of Christmas. My students were delighted in decorating for Christmas, exchanging gifts, and all the events that happen around Christmas time, but their favorite part of it all was reading thru the story of Jesus's birth and singing Happy Birthday to Jesus. Seeing the joy in my kids reminded me to not think about all the chaos happening around me but to celebrate with Joy that little baby that came to Earth that very night! Praise God! 

While we finished off December being on Christmas Break, we ended it well! My roommates and I had a well balanced 3 weeks off. We rested enough but made sure we got out of our apt enough to breathe in some fresh air. I am so thankful to have 2 great roommates this year who love games, down time, but also time to explore our surroundings. We have so much fun together but also can sit and engage into each others personal lives on a level I am grateful for. Christmas Day was special for the 3 of us because we enjoyed it together. We made a big breakfast, opened gifts, read the Christmas Story, watched a movie and went out to eat for dinner. Moving into the New Year was just as good! 

New Years is a celebration here that I absolutely love. New Years in Russia is celebrated the same as America with Fireworks and such but also very different than our usual in America. New Years to Russians is very much the equivalent to the American traditions at Christmas time, decorating, parties, gifts, etc. My roommates and I spent the night just the three of us at a friends apt. The view from her apt was so great we were able to watch approx 18 different firework shows all at the same time! What a loud, beautiful sight to see. We played games until wee hours in the morning until we managed to fall asleep. Bringing in the New Year is always a dear place in my heart because of the memories bringing in the New Year with my church family back home. Being able to bring in the New Year here, in Russia, has a new meaning and memory for me now, and I am happy to spend it with new amazing friends. с новым годом!! (Happy New Year) 

Christmas Break was over quickly and boy was I so antsy and thankful to be getting back to work. I need routine and people in my life more than I realized. While Christmas break was amazing and I have great roommates and friends to spend time with here, I needed something a little more to keep me on track and focused. I felt like Nemo from "Finding Nemo" on the first day of school. I was bouncing around, super happy (which is not me first thing in the morning) and out the door early. The first week of school is down and I still feel just as excited to be at school as I was on Monday but I am a tired teacher. Pouring out so much energy into planning, activity prep, classroom organization, and the actual teaching part is such a joy but I am reminded daily that I need to take time to focus on God and give myself a break and rest. My goal for this year is to continue to focus on finding rest in God. Without rest for myself or resting to seek Him, I cannot live out my calling of which He has called me to do and that is to serve these students, serve this community. 

Praises: 

• Some of my health issues have been fixed 
• Restful break and return to school 
• support and prayers (Thank you, without you I couldn't be here) 

Prayers: 

• Continued support for this upcoming school year 
• Mended relationships 
• The students, families, and staff at Hinkson Christian Academy 

Learning and Thanksgiving

    Time is such an amazing thing. When you are in the moment it sometimes seems to be passing so slowly but when you look back, where did the time go? It seems that just yesterday was Halloween and now Thanksgiving is less than a week away. Where has the last 3 weeks gone? 

November is a busy time of the year, preparing for winter season, finishing units before the holiday breaks, parties, projects, and tests. There is much to get done in what seems to be plenty of time but yet the time sneaks up on you before you blink. Second grade has been very busy learning all about habitats and during our unit each child has to make a Habitat Diorama. I am thrilled to see the outcomes on Monday. We have experienced many new things in class as well like: place value, fire safety, proper nouns, cursive sentences, producer and consumers, and the story of David in the Bible.

I constantly am telling my students that they aren't the only ones learning on a daily basis but that teachers learn too. That was shocking to them, they thought teachers knew everything. (which of course we still let them think that is true about most things, lol) My students have taught me a lot in the past few weeks. I have had to learn how to be more patient with them in everything I say, do, and expect. I have learned to extend more grace. I have learned to listen and comfort on a different level than ever before, and I am learning how to be a better teacher each and every day! 

I am teaching my children what it means to be Thankful on a daily basis and not just in the month of November. As a writing assignment each day in November, we have to write something we are thankful for and why. As I think of something everyday with the kids, I realize how truly blessed I am. Of course, we all can think of things we are Thankful for but there is a new thankfulness in my heart that I would like to share. 

I am truly so thankful for my job. Now as many of us are thankful we have jobs or that we like our jobs, I am thankful that I work where I work. I work in a country surrounded by people from many different cultures whom all have different beliefs. I have the ability to read the Bible, teach of God, guide children to Christ, and pray every single day with my students. I am able to change a part of our community through teaching and simply showing love to students and families who desire to love, know, and serve God. I am so very thankful for this opportunity to serve this community in such a time that our world is hurting and struggling to look to our Creator!

As a teacher and a believer, the most beautiful thing a student can say to you is, "I love learning about God" or when they ask, "Is it Bible time yet?" My heart jumps for joy every day because I have a class that has this attitude every day! We should all be asking ourselves, is it Bible time yet? We should be eager to get into the Word each and every day! We should be Thankful that we are able to read His Word and draw close to Him. Don't miss out! Make sure you get your Bible time and God time everyday! 

Praises:

• Financial support flow (Thank you, I couldn't do it without you) 
• Knee is doing much better but not fully healed
• Thanksgiving and spending time with friends
• Acceptance into Master's Program - start Jan 25th
• I HAVE DECIDED TO RETURN TO HINKSON FOR 2016-2017 SCHOOL YEAR! 

Prayers: 

• Master course classes in Jan (Balance, rest, do well) 
• continued financial support 
• students, faculty, and families at HCA 

Optimistic October

 I asked my kiddos what their favorite subject was in second grade and these are the answers I received: K#1- Science, K#2-Spelling/writing, K#3-Reading, K#4-Math, K#5-Bible, K#6-Science, K#7- Bible, and K#8-Math. I proceeded to ask what their least favorite subject was and they all said, learning is fun but sometimes Social Studies is hard. I am so blessed to have a class that has a strong love for learning. I expected social studies to be hard for most of my kids given this is the first time  they have had to learn Social Studies. I also expected it to be hard because our first unit was all about American History and half of my class has never been to America nor has any connection with it. Even though they have no connection with America, their teacher does and I do my best to be energetic and engaging while learning the material. We held our very own class election and voting station right in our classroom. My students did a phenomenal job with their projects and speeches. I am amazed every day at the eagerness to learn. They come in every day with questions about what we learning or silly stories to share that relate to the material. My students at this present time are ecstatic to be learning about the human body. We learned about the skeletal, Muscular, respiratory, and digestive systems. The favorite part was learning the bone song and jump roping in class to see how different parts of our body work. Being a second grade teacher is so much fun!

After two and a half months of being back in Moscow, I am almost positive I have found my niche. Being a second grade teacher is becoming more and more my thing. I love the discussions, interactions, independence level, inquisitiveness, the love for learning and God. Let me be real, sometimes getting up in the morning and going to work is tough. Dealing with some behavior issues or second grade drama (yes there is some) is not entirely how I want to spend my day. The smiles, thank you notes, pile of leaves or other little surprises, hugs or high fives, and the "Light" that clicks on when they get it, that is what it is about. Teaching is so much more than giving material for knowledge to pass a test, it is investing into each child's life and loving them for who they are!
My niche outside of the classroom is being on the Praise Team at International Christian Fellowship, where I attend church. I thoroughly enjoy the team we have at the church. We all get along great, our voices mesh well together, and the love we all have for Christ shows through song. My walk with Christ is getting much stronger and the love I have for Him pours out more than just on Sunday.

This weekend we are celebrating time off for Fall Break. This is a much needed time to regroup and get ready for the second 9 weeks. To kick off fall break we had parent teacher conferences on Friday. On Saturday, my roomies and I hosted a "Fall Fling" at our apt where we made chili and cornbread and had a bunch of fun fall games planned. The turnout was amazing. I love seeing the community of Hinkson come together to enjoy each other’s company, cooking, and fellowship, so very encouraging! Here is to another 9 weeks of fun, learning, love, and community!

Praises:
• 1st nine weeks is down
• Financial support is flowing (without you all, I couldn't be here) Thank you!
Prayer Request:
• Knee recovery
• Master's program possible start date in the Spring
• Students, faculty, and families at Hinkson
• Continued financial support