when did this happen

it's over. they have finished graduation. i was so busy helping the students get ready for the end that i forgot it myself. and now it's over. i didn't say goodbye to so many people. i forgot i needed to. i just got so used to seeing them everyday that i assumed i could always just do that. i won't drive that stupid mini bus again, i won't sit and smile as i listen to the students debate in the back, i won't just hang out in the office as students randomly stop by. why didn't i realize it was over? i didn't even tell greg, my boss, goodbye. i drive out tomorrow. i hope they all realize how great it was to work with such a fun faculty. i really loved it. i liked talking to them.
i usually feel like i need more time to say goodbye, but this time i feel like i didn't even say goodbye. i just am leaving. i need closure, i guess we had it when we had our goodbye party, but that was two weeks ago! i hate to say goodbye so maybe this is a way where i can leave it at 'i'll see you later' at that's that.
all in all. i'm sad to leave this place. i learned a lot from gca. i hope gca learned a lot from me too.

goodnight and God bless,

Chaplain Sonya.

happy thoughts.

Last night was the Junior/Senior Banquet. The theme was Masquerade. It was great because several of the girls wanted to come to my room to get ready, they decided to watch a movie as they got ready. I was very content as that was happening because it is basically what I wanted all year. I just wanted students to come to my room, hang out and relax.
While I didn't go to the food part I did go to the movie part. It was The Scarlet Pimpernel. I love that movie. The first time I saw that movie was last year in Tchad. I remember watching it on a Sat night. The generator was on to pump water. Then as I was watching last night I remembered the part where the generator shut off and we had to finish it later or maybe on a laptop comp. Either way it was a delight to watch it again and this time all the way through, even if it was a really late night.

This is my last weekend here at GCA. I can't believe the year is over. I imagined this weekend but never realized it would be here so soon. I'm sad to leave not just because I have had to pack up all my worldly possessions again but because I truly have grown to love the students and life here. I knew I would enjoy my year but I didn't realize it would be this much. So here's to one last weekend of fun and supervision!

the end to the best journey almost EVER!

Mud, we've got mud

All it takes is an adventure on the Oothcalooga

A week ago tomorrow (sunday) Andrea and I went on the adventure of a lifetime. I had asked another faculty member here at GCA if he would let me borrow his canoe to go down the river with Andrea. So on Sun morn he took us to a drop of spot, we ended up in a new drop off but figured it was as good as any. Well, what we thought was part of the river turns out was only a creek that lead into the river. But we were already on it and so we stayed. The creek was very little and so not even 10 yards after we put in we were climbing up a muddy bank to pull our canoe up and around a big tree blockade. We ended up having to get out and drag the canoe two separate time while we had to maneuver the canoe around trees and over logs several times. So after an hour of adventure and work we came out to the river, the mighty Oothcalooga as we called it. Then it was another hour before we even got to the bridge we originally were going to put in at. But it was okay. We had no real place we needed to be or any pressing maters at hand. We had the open river, friendship, water and some granola to get us through the day.



We journeyed for 5 hours. It was no work at all, the river was a nice fast pace and we didn't even need to paddle. We sat and shot the breeze, so to speak, for the whole journey. It was nice. We both decided that if we could just do things like this once a week or once a month life would be perfect. An adventure to get muddy on, a bit of hard work, and a good friend to share it with. That's the life.

Nice and muddy, that's the way I like it :o)


A self portrait of Andrea.


Andrea's new toenail polish, she's very green. . .


This was a shot of the memory of our first attempt last fall. The tree on the right is as far as we made it from the bridge before we had to stop so we could re-inflate our raft. It's a long story. . .


This is us at the end of our journey waiting for our pickup :o) Ahh, success.

subbing

ahh, the joys of teaching a class that is not really yours. Wait, there are not many joys. It's like babysitting a very large family for only 45 min. Ohh, maybe you could say that it is like speed babysitting! Sitting for large families an hour at a time for 7 hours! Yeah, that's it! Some have big well behaved families, others have big immature families. And on top of all that it's a bit underpaid. Shoot, this is the life.

Okay, it's not all that bad. I do like playing good cop and letting them out early sometimes or being bad cop and keeping them in until the bell rings. Hehe. I run a tight ship, I make them wait until after I have prayer and worship before I let them leave to go get a drink or use the bathroom. I tell them sure the other teacher might let them do that but I'm Chaplain Sonya not Mrs So-and-so. They might think it's mean but I do it so I can know who is in the class and who needs to be marked absent.

One time I was asked to sub a pre-calculus class. Woow, glad I wasn't introducing a new topic. It was a class that the two students had to get up and teach the class. I stood in the back of the room and looked very confused. I wasn't even trying to understand the concept but I got confused just on the words they were using. It was a whole other world!

There have been times when I was asked to sub a teachers whole load for the day. Not to bad I certainly realize I don't want to be a teacher as much as I want to be a chaplain.

There are also some teachers who are better to sub for than others. The nice kind of teacher gives you EVERYTHING you will need to sub their class. A play by play of what will happen. Everything from attendance to the button to push so you can start the video that is already queued up to play. Ahh, those are the fun classes.

I have also subbed for a couple teachers in one day. 9 classes in one day. I read the entire book of Ella Enchanted just while subbing classes. I've had time to hang out on myspace, facebook, shoot even lasonya.blogspot.com. . .. which is where I am right now. That's right I am subbing a test in Gov't class. They are almost all done. So I guess this is it from the land of a subbing chaplain.

Facing my past

It seems to me that working at a high school can be dangerous. Simply because it brings the faults, fears and heart aches of all that I went through in my youth to my mind. As I was on supervision the other day I was watching a couple and how they interacted together. It was a bit hard because I saw me in their place and the way I interacted when I was there. Only it hurt me to watch because I have a good idea how it will end and I know how to not let it happen. I know now what will prevent the deep pain of having to back track and try to be friends when that was passed by to fast. I know how it will feel to wish things. . .

I also have seen myself several years ago when I wasn't quite sure who I was yet and I was searching, laughing at anything trying so hard to fit it. I remember those days so easily while I am here. I remember when I didn't know what to say or do and what ever I did do seemed to come out awkward and pathetic. . .

I'm reminded of a verse I found last year.

Remember, O Lord, your unfailing love and compassion,
which you have shown from long ages past.
Forgive the rebellious sins of my youth;
look instead through the eyes of your unfailing love,
for you are merciful, O Lord.

Psalms 25:6,7

Praise God, that He is in the job of helping us to grow and won't let us just stay where we are. Praise God that I was sent here to not relive my past growing pains but to help the students grow into beautiful sons and daughters of the Living God. It is hard, yes, to relive the past pain, but it's beautiful when I realize how far God has brought me from the 'rebellious sins of my youth'.

video two

Here's how it would sound if you were with me on the wheel :o)
*might want to turn down your volume first.


Sara Chase and I had loads of fun as country girls out for a night of fun! Ye-haw!

a video or two

Hehe. I just figured out how to download my video's and pictures from my phone onto my computer. So here are a few:

. . . yeah, I was getting a bit sea sick on the ride. Don't judge me because I get sick on a little ride at a small carnival.

worship team

there was a worship team this morning that went out to the Bowman Hills SDA church. I was the designated driver/sponsor. I was excited to go because I really like the students that went. The down side to going was I had to get up earlier than I do during the week. I had to get up around 6am. Ugg. But I was so blessed by Jordan's sermon and the special music and all the other things the students did. It was well worth getting up early for. On the way back we took the back way and it was just us girls because Brendan went home, and we all talked and shared funny stories. I will miss getting to hang out with these girls next year. They were all seniors and I know they will do great next year in college. I have no doubt that they will grow up into strong women for Christ. In fact I wish I had some of the confidence that they have when I was their age. It might have helped my transitions go smoother. They have taught me things in life. Thank you Jordan, Carissa and Chelsea.