Most Pure Heart of Mary...Parish

Well, Friday came and went, and I feel that I have little to show for all the time I spent in my classroom. My major accomplishments included:
1. Putting tennis balls on the legs of all my students' chairs (to protect the wood floors).
2. Sorting the posters in my closet.
3. Dusting my desk.
4. Dusting my bookshelf.
5. Dusting my windowsills.
6. Dusting my chalk trays.

My goal for today (Sunday) is to come up with a game plan on what rules, consequences, and procedures need to be posted on my room, where those will go, and also create a game plan for which class's work will go on each wall. I am also kicking around some ideas about what each class can do throughout the year to cover the walls. I'm sure I'll keep yall posted about that as developments occur.

This week I have a pretty busy schedule. I've got meetings at my school on Monday, Tuesday, and Friday (that last until 2:30, giving me the rest of the afternoon to set up in my classroom), a meeting with all the teachers in the area on Thursday, and what I think is a free day on Wednesday (I'll be in my classroom). Today we're also picking up the last member of our community - she's flying in today.

I have had some absolutely wonderful experiences with Southern Hospitality already. The night I arrived (Wednesday), we were invited to the Notre Dame Student Send-Off. Thursday night we ate the leftovers that they sent home with us. Friday night we went out to eat with the parents of one of my community members who were visiting. Last night we went to the house of a couple whose daughter is in ACE and who take really good care of us. We had boiled shrimp, gumbo, banana pudding, cucumber salad, and good chips and dip. It was awesome. They also sent home lots of leftovers for us. Two of the other people I live with went with me to the ACE house in Pensacola, Florida (45-50 minutes away) for a day at the beach. It rained on us most of the way there, but stopped when we arrived. It started pouring again as we drove to the beach, but stopped when we got to the beach. It stayed sunny and beautiful for the whole time we were there. I am now completely red with sunburn.

I also met up with a friend from my dorm who was visiting family here in Mobile at the end of last week. We drove around the city one night just catching up (and I tried to learn my way around at least a little). The next day, his family invited me over for brats and hot dogs for lunch. It was really good, we had a great time, and again, Southern Hospitality shone through. His cousins are actually going to the school where one of my housemates is teaching, so that was a cool connection to make too.

Finally, we just got back from church this morning. I wanted to go to the church attached to my school, and was completely planning on going alone. However, 4 of my housemates (out of the 5 that are here) wanted to come along with me. So, we piled into a car and headed out. It was a really cool experience. I had never heard any of the songs that we sang, and everyone was extremely welcoming and smiling and energetic. At the end of the mass, several people came up to each of us and welcomed us to the parish and told us that they hoped we'd come again. I definitely will, and I think everyone I went with enjoyed and appreciated the experience and will probably return a few times also. The pianist really belted out the songs (on the piano and with her voice); she was great.

This post has gone on long enough. I'm going to go finish straightening up my room here at the convent.