So, my mom is a teacher. I have several aunts who are teachers. My brother is a teacher, my sister-in-law, several friends. I don’t know if I just severely misunderstood the job description, or if I just flat out never gave them enough credit… but MAN! what a job they have!

I got through two half days and I feel like I’m still catching my breath. But, gloria a Dios for His will is perfect!

I have established a system for mornings here. It’s called get up 2 hours before I need to be somewhere. I have time for breakfast, quiet time, shower… and enough space to collect my thoughts without rushing. The system works pretty well. I’m generally early … so yesterday morning (first day of school) I went into my classroom and checked (and re-checked) to make sure everything was in place. Of course, I still feel like I have no clue what I’m doing, so everything is somewhat of a gamble at this point. I plugged in the overhead, which I had tried multiple times the previous day and discovered it didn’t work!! So, after I sweated through my first day attire, I realized it was the outlet and made the switch in time.

Nothing else too exciting to report, except that I am constantly filled and challenged with the way God has provided community, fellowship, and opportunities here. The very prayers I prayed before leaving are happening right before my eyes!

Today I got to focus a bit more on the guidance side of things – which is beautiful! I am already creating a 7th grade transitions program (called SIT – students in transitions) because from what I gather the 7th grade have a really hard time adjusting. There is no “middle school” here. It’s straight from 6th grade elementary to 7th grade high school – so you can imagine the wide eyes we saw this week! I’m working on a newsletter as well, but in a recent development.. I just found out I’ll be teaching an 11th grade elective class – Journalism! I couldn’t be more excited! I’m hoping to get the students writing a school newspaper by second semester.

Anyway, all that aside I just want to say again the Lord is good. We start each school day morning out with teacher devotions and I already know it will be a much needed grounding – to remind us of our missional purpose here at Pinares and in the community.

In other news… I know it’s been awhile since we’ve heard from Christina. I get the feeling she almost has too much to report. I still don’t feel like I’ve heard a decent account of her mission trip to New Mexico. From what she did say, it was an absolute amazing experience that God used to grow and challenge everyone involved.

Though we have strayed from our goal of keeping to a schedule, I think this next week we’ll do better! Please spread the word that we’ll be back to your regularly scheduled blogging in the next week!

Hope this finds you well.

Okay… many of you know that life has been more than crazy lately – for Christina and I. Tonight finds me in heated preparation of the beginning of a school year. Tomorrow, we have our first day of school and tonight most of the teachers wandered out of classrooms at 7 or 8 o’clock, looking a bit weathered.

But, as I sit with my roommates tonight, we are marveling … because we are teaching with Truth in mind. We have the opportunity to reach out to each and every student, unashamedly presenting Scripture as part of our lesson plans! I know and have heard about the struggles other teachers are facing in public schools everywhere – so I’m cherishing this gift of freedom!

We have set aside time to praise and pray tonight… for the school, the students, the leadership, and for our own words – that they may be pleasing to God.

Pray with us for this year at Pinares – that God’s love and light will reach each student and beyond to the community.

Buenos Noches!

I am on a plane flying North to South. Do you see me?

I finally packed everything – inventoried down to the pairs of underwear and bottles of ibuprofen. Yesterday I breakfasted with my friend Margee, went to town with my mom, lunched with my brother, played a round of putt-putt golf (and lost mightily), went to the library, packed, cleaned, stored, supped for the last time with my parents and grandparents, and rushed off to Omaha. WHAT a day!

I kept saying it would be “real” once I got on the plane, but now I’m hoping it will seem real enough when I land – right now it seems like any other crazy trip.

My time at home was especially sweet. If time off work was a twinkie, then Cass County would be the creme filling. There’s something about the rolling green hills, campfires, and beautiful people that will always win a comparison.

For some reason, this time when I was home an overwhelming feeling kept creeping up from my toes and would come out in waves under my eyelids. I’m not sure if I can say why, except for a foreboding feeling that things will never be the same. My friendships are changing – we are all getting older and stepping into a different phase of life. I think it was that, but also as my friends are changing… I’m leaving the country for an undetermined amount of time.

But, as I listened to my mentor at a little mexican restaurant in Atlantic, I scribbled her advice on a piece of paper that I stuffed somewhere in my carry-on. It said, “Do what you are doing now with your whole heart… your whole heart, Caroline, as unto the Lord.”

Amen!

Because, the blessings God has given are more His than mine. It’s silly to hold too tightly.

I am on a plane flying North to South. Do you see me?

Here are pictures from leaving Austin and then coming to Iowa. I had a great trip – stopped in Branson to have dinner and pray with Liana and then stopped in St. Louis to spend some time with one of my favorite pastor couples (Schoenfelds!) … then finally arrived in Iowa, where I’ve been gazing at green fields of corn and walking in them too! I spent an evening in Des Moines where I was hit on by a guy with a grill in the hood (he offered to buy me a phone so he could have my number!) and then we got lost in an inner city forest. Then I spent some time with my bro and we ended up at a local county fair.

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Here are pictures from the family reunion at Lake Anite State Park. In the words of my brother Samuel, “Well, I guess this goes to show we don’t need fancy jet skis and fine dining to make a Nichols vacation memorable – just each other and some superbly made water balloon launchers!”

We pretty much had a blast. And note the striking look of me on a motorcycle – get used to it, because I am getting one the next time I need wheels to get around. Well, a scooter, but it’s basically the same effect, right?

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So, when my Iowa friends get together, something awesome is bound to happen. And of course it did, when we got our sneak on at an abandoned school in Cumberland. Then, William, Grace, Patrick and I went to visit Heidi and Amaya in Lincoln. We took them to the zoo and had SUCH fun!

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Here are some pretty great pictures from the fair. What can I say? I’m proud of my roots! My cousins showed beef cattle and pretty much owned the ring. I’ll admit, I was a little more careful around the animals, but I loved it all the same!

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Enjoy these little slide shows and stay tuned for more! Today I met with a brilliant mentor and missionary and I have much to process.

Blessings!

Some people think cities are lightspeeds ahead when it comes to busy routines, commitments, and straight up activity. In a lot of ways, I have to agree. But, in the few days I’ve been home I have to say these country folk will put up a solid fight, more than they’re given credit!

I stayed with my grandparents last night, thinking we’d have a quiet relaxing evening bird-watching .. and when I pulled up at 8 pm, my grandpa was blowing out the mosquito zapper and my grandma was hard at work cutting the iris’s.

Earlier in the day, my gram had come to our house to help paint our living room and my grandpa woke up at 4 am to unload the truck at the Care Center. I can hardly seem to keep track of the days around here – people are zipping everywhere and knee-deep in numerous projects.

It’s crazy!

When we finally sat down last night, gram explained her schedule during the school year, when she drives the school van to pick up pre-schoolers. She barely has time for a 15 minute nap in the middle of the day – yowza!

My parents are the same way – remodeling, service projects, church commitments… and last night my dad was helping some neighborhood kids who wanted to show feeder calves. This makes my perspective from Austin a little funny, now that I think about it. I would call or email from my desk and ask a question and my mother would be traipsing about the countryside or in the middle of hauling shingles with the loader. (!)

In some ways, I seem to fit right in … and in others I seem a strange puzzle piece. But of this I am sure: people do know how to keep busy around here!

I’ve been thinking about clutter recently. You know, my “getting-rid-of-a-bunch-of-my-stuff” kick? I really felt like I was getting somewhere by moving all the things I own into the living room and separating into piles- KEEP, SAVE, and ASK A FASHIONABLE FRIEND. Unfortunately, I had to move all my great piles b/c people were coming over, so I’m afraid if I don’t rope my fashionable friend into helping me sort that pile, all the stuff will make it back into the “using but don’t know why” pile! My closet is much emptier already, but the tried and true system

1) Do I love it?
2) Do I need it?

Is working nicely. Now if I only had the time to finish the job… Aye aye aye. Anyway, I guess with thinking about decluttering my life, I’ve also been thinking about decluttering my head. With all the stuff I have going on right now, it’s easy to get overwhelmed by all the things to do/ think about/ pray about/ worry about. Really easy. This morning I was praying and trying to figure out how things have gone awry, why I’m feeling less and less triumphant and more and more sick and tired. Anyway, I found a verse in my daily reading that gave me some direction.

Psalm 86:11 says…

Teach me your way, LORD, that I may rely on your faithfulness; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name.

An undivided heart. That’s what I need- I need to focus on Him- my relationship with him, and doing my best at everything else.

Another good verse is Psalm 111:4

He has caused his wonders to be remembered; the LORD is gracious and compassionate.

I think, when things get all busy, jumbled, and overwhelming a great way to clear out the clutter is to remember his works. What has he done that you can praise him for? How can you see His hand upon your life? For me, that’s a great way to remember Who has it under control, and who’s really driving this train of my life.

So, I had long-winded, philosophical thoughts about taking inventory of my life… about how I am sending four boxes with 336 items to Honduras, including three throw pillows, three pairs of jeans, one box of tea, one highlighter, and one bottle of ibuprofen. I was going to talk about the sobering effect of counting each necklace and trinket and dress. I was probably going to end up in a rant about how we need so little, but accumulate so much.

But, after last night all I really want to do is talk about my friends Ingrid and Oliver who helped me pack last night.

They are not just some of the greatest neighbors I’ve ever had, but they also remind me about the simplicity of life. Last night, as I sat next to Ingrid eating delicious brownies with ice cream, she turned to me and said, “I really love you very much!”

Out of the blue, just like that. It was hard to answer all the questions about my leaving. ‘Why’ Is such a hard thing to understand and make sense of. I felt a little better when I set up their skype account so that we could talk through our computers, but when Ingrid and Oliver jumped in my car to say, “We will just travel with you!” I was a bit overwhelmed.

I guess if I really want to bring it back around to my inventory, last night just reminded me all the more that my ‘stuff’ has no imprint… it’s all about the people. That’s about as minimal as you can get.

Oh, yeah. Told my bosses that I’m leaving, and they took it really well.
Thank you, Jesus!

{insert dance of happiness}