walking next to you...

i decided to blog a bit this afternoon because it is only going to get busier as the day goes by and since i have free time, i will blog before hitting the books:) this weekend i have the opportunity to spend time with tons of Montverde students and there are quite a few. the academy has a senior retreat for students and their advisors and since i am a senior advisor this year, i got to join them. ad i am SO glad i did.

last night, there was a little complication on our way to vero beach so we arrived a little late but the students handled it so well, even though it was hot and they were so sleepy and hungry and thirsty. i felt proud of the way they handled it. as soon as we arrived, we went straight to dinner and into meetings so i didn't get to my room until late but i found the nicest surprises once i made it to the room. first, the room itself is lovely and my roommate is so wonderful, her name is jen:)

second, there was this little guy:) a little towel turtle. he was just on my bed when i walked in and i snapped a photo.

last night, the students were given college information and when all was said and done, they had a bit of free time so they all headed down to the beach! it was so dark but you were able to see their cell phone lights and the stars were breathtaking. the talk about shuttle launches came up and well, i was a bit jealous because i have always wanted to experience one and they get them here all the time...maybe i will get to see one. hopefully.

this morning came quickly. i stayed up a little longer last night but i am glad i did because i had such a nice conversation with Jen. she is a really nice gal:) when we got to breakfast, these little guys were on the table.

the soccer ball was a plus considering a good chunk of the student body is comprised of athletes:) after breakfast, the most amazing thing took place. the students had an entire morning/afternoon of team building activities and well, it could have been a disaster but it so wasn't. the students did such a brilliant job. i couldn't believe how well they worked together and how full of encouragement they were. seriously, this morning was one of the funniest mornings, neatest mornings, of my life. i have experienced a few beautiful moments in my life, ones that are just sorta stuck with me and i like that. i have experienced some funny ones as well and that is so wonderful. but when you have 80ish american and foreign students working together, it is fire and ABSOLUTELY unforgettable:)

they had different stations set up all around and they split the students up. that was nice because it gave them the chance to meet students they may not have met otherwise. the students at this school, they are like no others. i promise. i find myself so overwhelmed with teaching and getting a handle on things but these students, they just ease that. their hearts are so beautiful and they are so funny and not perfect by any means but so good and pleasant. that shined through so crazy this morning. i felt a bit emotional at times seeing them work together and accomplish such neat goals. and they had fun. and we teachers had fun. it was/is good. i feel so grateful.

i am getting such a neat opportunity to invest my time into these students and i want to make sure that i do it and wholeheartedly. i just want to. they are here and their families aren't and oh my gosh, they deserve to have so much love. you would completely understand and agree if you were in my place, i promise.

this one was one of my favorites. the blindfolded students were being led by the seeing ones. they had to pick up the bucket with the stuffed animal on it. they used the bungee chords and they had to move them without dropping the animals. they did so good! the last one was constructing a tower and that made them shine because they came up with some pretty amazing stuff. if i have not mentioned this before, these guys are brilliant....seriously.

i had a conversation about music with a student yesterday and one with another student today and those conversations made my heart race. some of them here really have the right idea about music and oh my goodness, it is so exciting.

some of the students---hilarious. seriously.

"we goin to gradu-a-a-a-tion!"

"hey, hey...they said we can use the blocks for some weird stuff..."

"we have trust! we have loyalty! we have community! we have communication! we ARE family! yeah! yeah! yeah!" this one sort of made me cry and laugh a bit:)

we had a bit of free time where we were able to go down to the beach. the students had such a nice time. i spoke to one who told me ha has only been to the beach five times in his life because he is from switzerland. i couldn't believe it but it is not just him, i am certain of it. this is such a neat weekend for them.

today was ocean inspired feasting. sushi for lunch and dinner tonight was crazy. there was a huge platter covered with oceany things. it was quite intense and yes, i tried some. BUT it was not for me. nope. not the crab. not the shrimp. and i couldn't go near the clams or the muscles. you can tell the texture is wrong just by looking at them. but it was so neat and everyone else love it:) and the dinner company....it was perfect!

tonight they voted on their class leaders, on their t-shirt design, on senior privileges. they sat together and decided on things together. it has just been such an amazing time. i have not been able to get too much work done BUT i have had such an amazing time regardless because i am getting to know the students and the terrific people i work with. sometimes it is ok to take time for things like this---because they matter. this is going to be a challenging chapter. it is going to be an amazing chapter.

the night is ending with---karaoke:)