May the Lord Bless You, May the Lord Keep You

This past school year I had the wonderful opportunity of getting to work with over two hundred fantastic kids at the elementary campus of Westminster Christian Academy. I taught kindergarten, first, second, and fourth grade music in addition to teaching first, second, third, fourth, and fifth grade library, and kindergarten, second, and third grade computer. I cannot deny that it was quite a challenge, probably my biggest challenge ever, but I feel deeply blessed and strengthened by the experience. Each of my music classes met twice a week and fourth grade met three times a week! We were able to do so much together, including memorizing the first verse to a different hymn every month and sing some classic children's worship and Bible songs. We were also able to dig deep into our music literacy learning and we worked hard on learning the different rhythmic and melodic elements outlined in the Kodaly method. Though, admittedly, there were times when I didn't think I would survive, I think it is a fair statement to say that I not only survived but also thrived.

Sometimes we are presented with opportunities, very good opportunities, and this past year will be my first and last year to teach at Westminster Christian Academy. Starting in August I will return to my own Alma mater, Randolph School. I will be teaching music and choir in the middle school division. I am very excited about this next chapter in my career and have already started my research and to do lists in summer preparation.

Knowing that I was leaving Westminster, the last hymn and worship song I taught the students were selfishly my own very favorites. Their May hymn of the month was My Shepherd Will Supply My Need by Isaac Watts (the name of this blog is taken from the third verse of that hymn). Their worship song of the month in May was a song that has always been very dear to me. When I was little my family attended First Baptist Scottsboro and even after we moved to Huntsville we would still return occasionally and worship at First Baptist Scottsboro with my grandmother, aunt, and uncle. They ended every service with a sung benediction; the chorus from a small anthem called May the Lord Bless You. I have remembered this chorus from all my many times of worshiping with my family and extended family and it has always had a very special place in my heart. We even used this chorus as a congregational sung benediction at Noah's and my wedding. My students at Westminster too learned this chorus and we sang it in our music classes and in our chapel services. On the last day of school, a second grade class gave me goodbye cards that they each had made. I was overwhelmed when I read them later that night at home and saw that many of them had included the words to this benediction in their cards. It was deeply touching and I say to everyone at Westminster:

May the Lord bless you,
May the Lord keep you,
May the Lord lift up His face to shine on you.

Months Two and Three In Pictures!

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Week 13

May Update

On May 3rd we went back to the doctor's for our third appointment. We were only there for a very short amount of time. We did not have an ultrasound because they were able to hear the baby's heartbeat from the outside! The baby's heartbeat was 176 beats per minute. We were both given a clean bill of health and told everything was going very well. Our next appointment will be May 31st.

Though I cannot be thankful enough for the safety of my friends and family after last week's devastating tornadoes, I was very glad that I was able to go ahead with my regularly scheduled appointment. Since my last appointment my life has been crazy busy and I have struggled off and on with different maladies, beginning with horrible stomach aches for three days that then turned into bad acid reflux which then caused my throat to be sore. The stomach aches, though I knew they were not in my lower abdomen still caused me a lot of worry. I also have struggled more with that queasy nauseous feeling but saltines for some weird reason really help. Lately I have been having more and more headaches and some allergy issues including a cough and sore throat (not related to acid reflux). I'm glad the What to Expect When You are Expecting book lists a 'feeling of unreality about the pregnancy' as an emotional symptom of pregnancy in the third month because that is exactly how I feel; not very pregnant. Most of my pants no longer fit and I'm just barely squeezing into my jeans. I'm not sure if my tummy bump is just fat or water retention or the actual beginnings of a true baby bump.

I am back in school today after a week off, and I am feeling pretty well. I am glad things are getting back to normal and we have power and are not staying in hotels. Though our lives were twisted around this past week, I have absolutely nothing to gripe or complain about, we were not touched by the tornadoes at all. I will pray for my community and state during this time of loss and rebuilding. I will also continue to pray for those who are still waiting and hoping for God's answers to their prayers, whatever their prayers may be.