So This Is Christmas...

Just a quick update for you, my friends and family. :) Short, but sweet, I hope.

Last night we had Christmas at the Whyte House, and for the first time in four years, had Santa visit our house early! We were sad that Rachel could not be here last night, but we enjoyed some time in the Word, some giggles, and some new toys together over steaming mugs of tea and chocolate.(Top: Brittany, Jess Rispin, Jackie. Bottom: Melissa, Jessica, Genevieve)

While at home last weekend, Mom, Dad, Becky, and I enjoyed decorating our real live IKEA Christmas tree. The most wonderful part of decorating the tree is unpacking years of memories. Each ornament on the tree represents something that we (the girls) experienced for the first time, accomplished, or discovered during the previous year. I don't have space to post all of mine, but here are two for a flavour...

A mini creche figurine of Mary and Child from France, 1986.

An enthusiastic, newly graduated, and off to college chorister who was baptized in the camp pool, 2003.

And a new posting is not a complete one without a tidbit from my life at school (since that's about the only life I have!). Here is what I might call a "graphic organizer" with my students. In other words, "Look! Pretty! Remember this! It's on your test tomorrow! HINT HINT!" This was actually an energetic 20 minute discussion of where exactly the climax of our novel, "The Outsiders" falls, and how we got there.

All those years, all those ornaments, and all those graphic organizers will culminate (in a grand total of 4 more teaching days) in the official graduation of a newly certified, excited, terrified Alberta Teacher. Yikes!

And the beautiful grad ring Mom and Dad have given me to represent four and a half years of hard work. From this end of things, yes, I am tired, but excited about my future in teaching, and anticipating the next step God has for me in this incredible journey. It truly is one of life's most precious rewards to watch a sombre student smile. It is a gift to see a shy girl stand a little taller. There is an unbeatable sense of accomplishment when a boy who is "fine, thanks, except I hate LA class" asks if we can finish reading the next chapter in our novel today. And there is nothing like a giggle I can barely hold inside when I warn "Gentlemen..." from the back of the class, aiming to quiet two chatty students, and have no fewer than five heads turn and say, "Sorry, Miss Rider". I love it when a guilty conscience results in confession!

Back to lesson planning! Tomorrow is my last day teaching a full day. Three of my classes will be writing unit finals, and one class will be presenting final presentations. There will be a dramatic decline in my teaching load on Wednesday... down to only one class! I can't wait to be home for Christmas, sleep a little more, and spend a lot more time with friends and family.

With love, Jessica