Dear Dad,

I miss you.


Love, Susie

He knows.

When going through a hard time we often confide in others to receive consolation. Oftentimes we hear the expression, "I know what you mean." Not to disregard that sentiment, I often think: "Do you really know what I mean?" You can't, can you?

Since I've been teaching full time life has been tough, but not just in the teaching arena. I have had lots of time to contemplate my life in all aspects, trying to make sense of it all, and trying to understand the Lord's will.

Thursday I had the opportunity to go to the temple...this wondrous place...

And I had an amazing experience. As I voiced my concerns and questions to the Lord, I was overwhelmed by many feelings of peace. Through my tears I looked up to see this picture hanging:

Then I was reminded. He knows. He knows. He knows. Jesus Christ knows. He doesn't just "know what I mean," he actually knows. How grateful I am for a Savior who knows our pain, anxieties, worries, trials, and sorrows. It's only through him that we can feel sustainable peace.

I know He lives. And I know He knows.

Snorkeling 101

Remember when I went to Puerto Rico?? Wow, I miss those times. In remembrance of PR, I give you "Snorkeling 101"

How to put on a snorkeling mask...by MDG

You struggle

You struggle some more

You get help from Din Din

You start to get it

You can't figure out the gray thingy

You secure the unsanitary mouth piece.

And you give a thumbs up after 5 mins of struggling. :)


Meliss is teaching lessons on a regular basis now.

Sustained.

Today I experienced my 2nd fight of my teaching career. If you check my gchat or my facebook, you will see that I have already advertised this. Just to clarify: I was not in the fight. The fight occurred between two of my students, a boy and a girl. I could see it escalating when they started mixing the f-bomb with their angry words. I called an administrator in right before it happened. He witnessed it with his own eyes, escorted them out of the classroom, and I started teaching. Bam, just like that. It was all a rush.

Surprisingly I was very calm through the whole ordeal. I didn't freak out at all. I just let the administrator and the other 3 security guards take care of it. Pat on the back, right?

But honestly I have to give credit where credit is due. It's not me, it's the Lord. I have only felt this sustained by heavenly hands one other time in my life and that was on my mission. Now, I am sustained by the Lord in the work place. I don't know how to begin to explain His sustaining hands,but let me try. He gives me lesson plan ideas everyday (I teach fifteen lesson plans/week). He helps me to be patient with my students. He allows me to love students that I originally disliked...immensely. He takes the burden of a hard day and allows me to smile as I sit on the metro. I can't explain it really, but I know it's Him that helps me.

People always ask me how I do this job. Although I often shake my head in bewilderment, the answer is usually the same: "I don't do the hardest work. He does."

So ladies and gentleman of the blog world, I testify that Heavenly Father is involved in all aspects of our lives. He sustains us through difficult trials if we let Him. And if he can sustain me as a first year inner city DC high school teacher, you bet I know He will do the same for you.

Viviendo el sueno en Puerto Rico

Silliness on the airplane with Sar and Suz

Rain forest hiking through a landslide

At our bed and breakfast with the rain forest oh so close

When in Puerto Rico do as the locals do...except for the naked part :)

Sarah's translation: terminal cafeteria
Melissa's translation: road ends
Yes, Melissa's is correct

Viewing the rain forest from our room

Scripture study. We felt like we were transported to the Book of Mormon.

Meliss got this of me laughing...so true to life

Sarah captured this laugh

Hooray for hiking

I don't know what they are doing, those weirdos.

Playing with big leaves. Sarah couldn't handle it.

hiking through the landslide yet again

The only picture I got of all of us.

What a jungle.
Just giving you a hip shake to please the eye...

The waterfall


We got to throw our tissue in the trash can and not the toilet. Just thought I'd give you that detail.

Hammocks. One of the best parts of the trip.

Casa Cubuy...our little bed and breakfast enveloped in the rain forest

Here's another view...gorgeous.

We saw this fresh hot fries vending machine. Had to capture it.

Our second place to stay: La Casa Alta Vista...a little more ghetto.

Our first room. Ghettolicious.
Our second place that Melissa bargained for...complete with a living room, kitchen, and two bedrooms. Awesome.

Vieques Island off of Puerto Rico. Gorgeous and gorgeous.

Getting ready to beach it up. Pre-sunburn.

In the water.
The only picture you'll see of me in a swimsuit.

Clear, warm, water
Palm trees.

Dinner

The strawberry daiquiri is sticking up her nose...k, not really.

There are a lot of pictures of me like this.

The fish that Meliss got. She wasn't too happy; neither was her tummy. :(

So Puerto Rico.
This is what we did.
On our way to snorkel in Din Din's ghetto car

Me and Din Din...he became our good friend while in Vieques.

Our PR friend, Javier, after taking us kayaking in the Bioluminescent Bay. He had a crush on Meliss :)
There's Din Din with his hijas...that's what he called us. Oh and he invited me to salsa with him but I declined the offer.

Before getting on the ferry back to PR

Snazzy Sarah.

Buying hammocks near San Juan. Meliss used her Spanish skills often.

San Juan
Cheers.



The houses were so cool...and the signs.

The Old Fort.





PR=muy divertido.

That's the extent of my Spanish skills.