...no comprendo?

I have been working really hard on my Spanish since surgery. Well, I HAD been working hard on my Spanish... preparing for the school year has gotten in the way a little. My school is very Spanish speaking. 97% of the kids are Hispanic (though not all necessarily speak Spanish in the home, I learned today... well, duh Mrs. Lillie). But what has really been cool is how all the teachers talk in Spanish together. Many of the teachers are also Latin American and many speak Spanish. I was doing well understanding some conversations I'd been hearing. So, today, after almost talking to our custodian many times in Spanish, I decided to get brave and ask, "I'm working to learn Spanish, can we talk in Spanish instead of English?" He said, "Yes, we will talk in Spanish now." (Now meant now.) I did good telling him I didn't want a couple things in my room anymore (sí, lo quiero... no, no lo quiero) and learned a new way to say, I think, "How is your day going?" (Como le hay ida?).

*no fair using google translate on the rest of the story until it's over*

Then he came in and asked me "Quiero un pájaro?" Hmm... pájaro... pájaro... Let's do some inferring... he is holding a box... that looks like it might have paper in it... looks like it could be from a paper company... maybe we're talking about paper... "No, no quiero?" "No quiero?!?!" he says. Then he brings over the box. With a live bird in it. Pájaro = bird.

Nope, still didn't want it. But I am doing some Rosetta Stone again tonight.

New classroom!

Today I went in to my new school! Here are some pictures from my new room.

A view from the back of my room before i did anything yet. It's HUGE! I am pretty sure it is the biggest elementary music room I have ever seen, which bodes well for a music teacher who loves to do line dancing and other crazy movement activities. The benches and trees will be leaving my room but they are waxing the front hallway.

All the xylophones! I am so excited about this! There are about 10 xylophones and 6 metallophones + 4 glockenspiels! 

View from the other side of the room

The 15 keyboards! And those black bags? Those are about 18 class guitars! How cool is that???

A different angle 

After I moved the xylophones around to a different area of the room

Oh, did I forget to mention the 10+ bass bars???

The multitude of classroom instruments!

I have just barely started digging through this room. There are SO many resources. There were many many children's books that relate to my music curriculum that I don't have, some great Orff magazines, a few more instruments hiding and some other good books I know I'll look forward to going through. I met a few teachers today, and I think this will be a good staff too. I love my principal. She is extremely nice and helpful and seems like she will really be great to work for. 

Though I am still sad being gone from my SPE family, I think this will be good place too.

More pictures coming as I finish setting it all up!

On another note... some other cool things at the Lillie house (and no, it's not a baby crazy people):

Wahoo! So proud of Pastor Bryson Lillie! :)

you make me new

All this week I feel like I have been constantly reminded that God is continually making us new. This was a big theme in the beginning of our church service the other day with new pastors and new formats and new ways of doing a sermon. Then this week I have been listening to Gungor's album Beautiful Things almost non-stop. So many of the songs express a desire to be made new, and a transformation in one's soul of being made new. I have seen a little one move from the PICU in a Children's Hospital after almost a month to a a regular room. I have watched the pleading God to make a child new from a mom who has had a little one in the NICU for the last month. I have seen the rains come to Colorado, making new this state from fires to peace.

I saw the first of two new surgeons yesterday, who suggested something completely new as a possibility, an electrical spinal cord stimulator. I had heard of this before, but it has not been suggested as me being a candidate before. There are still many things to happen before this would actually come to pass. More MRIs. Second opinions. Trials. More surgery. And, it still could not be the solution overall. It was overwhelming, and like most of my appointments these days, yes, I cried after it was over. There are many times that I have given up this hope for physical healing, and instead just felt that maybe our Lord would make me new in different ways... in my spirit, in my mind. Yet, the hope that maybe God will be making me physically new, with new suggestions from new doctors (not that I didn't love my doctor in KC) has been creeping in. I am feeling slivers of hope again that "You make beautiful things out of us" and that "Surely our Messiah will make all things new."


Watch closely: I am preparing something new; it's happening now, even as I speak, and you're about to see it. I am preparing a way through the desert; Waters will flow where there had been none... there will be water enough for my chosen people, trickling springs and clear streams running through the desert. My people, the ones whom I chose and created for My own, will sing my praise. - Is. 43:19; 20b-21

back to back...

Well, I went to the surgeon for my 6 week check up right before we moved from Missouri to Colorado. I went in being optimistic... trying hard to show that I was probably doing okay. I talked about how I can get out and do things, but it still hurts, and I'm okay after I lie down for awhile. And that my foot was still numb and weird, but if I wear certain shoes I do okay.

The nurse asked me, "Are you really getting better, or are you learning to live with the problems you still have?"

It was the second one.

A third, fusion surgery was discussed, as was just giving things a little more time.

I have cried, a lot.

I am having a hard time not being completely devastated. The words "I can't do this again" have come out of my mouth many times.

I read this Psalm out on the porch in the beautiful Colorado morning air yesterday:

‎"Eternal One, I am call out to You; You are the foundation of my life. Please, don't turn Your ear from me. If you respond to my pleas with silence, I will lose all hope like those silenced by death's grave. Listen to my voice, You will hear me begging for Your help with my hands lifted up in prayer, my body turned toward Your holy home... The Eternal should be honored and revered, He has heard my cries for help, The eternal is the source of my strength and the shield that guards me. When I learn to rest and truly trust Him, He sends His help. This is why my heart is singing! I open my mouth to praise Him, and thankfulness rises as song." - Psalm 28:1-2, 6-7 (The Voice Translation)

I am thankful for continued hope in God, in all that goes on in my life. When I don't have much hope, I am thankful that God gives me a song to sing, a song of hope, a song of strength, and a song of peace.

"Even in the unending shadows of death's darkness, I am not overcome by fear. Because you are with me in those dark moments, near with your protection and guidance, I am comforted." Psalm 23:4 (The VOICE translation)

another tribute...

This family is pretty darn amazing:

This is the Porter Family. Jeff, Andrew, Ann, Aaron (and Joe who didn't come to my graduation). While we were in Missouri, they were like our family. They invited us to holiday events, over for dinner, came to our big events, we went to see them play sports... and let's not forget lots of firework fun. And once, my car got a flat, and Jeff came to pick me up, dropped me off at school, got my tire fixed and dropped my car back off at school before lunch was even there. We love them dearly. We were so thankful for all they did for us while we were away from other family. It was so hard to say goodbye to this amazing, crazy fun family, but we are so blessed to have them still close in our hearts. And no Ann, I will NEVER forget you!

(I might try to forget Andrew though...)

Love you guys lots and lots!!!