Pop Stars Revealed

Yep, this happened today.  Ms. Hendriks accidentally modeled this "pop star" etiquette one day in rehearsal a few weeks back as what not to do.  It stuck.  And no, we are NOT performing this style on the concert.  Just a teaching strategy to bring absolute joy to their faces when we reach this part of the song!!!

And they want to eventually be featured on a talk show.....

Hope this brought a smile to your face.

#tochinaandback

Conferences

Hey, it's conference week (and lots of other fun things) at Concordia.  The middle school teachers have all day Thursday & Friday for meetings with parents/students.  But for us specialists, it's a different ballgame than in the states.

I have two entire days to sit in a location (which isn't my main classroom or office) and "wait" to see if anyone will come meet with me.  One cool thing about this - I am not having conferences during my evening time.  Thanks Concordia!!!!!  Previously, a table in the library/gym, or in my office, served as my spot to "wait" for meetings.  Over the last 15 years it has been fun to have parents/students lined up waiting to chat.  Because they enjoy chatting with their specialists.  Makes the evenings go quickly when that happens.  This has been an interesting two days.

Thursday:  conference at 9am, and conference at 2pm.

Friday:  conference at 8:45am, so far

Today's meeting - I broke into tears after the conference.  When you have a 7th grade boy who (besides being late to choir every day and using sub par effort...) has a voice that sounds like yours, blends with yours, has vibrato like yours, and then agrees to sing by himself in front of the entire select choir, that's pretty special.  It's even more special to hear that he is up, energized, and excited to come to our before-school CCA choir rehearsal each week, but won't wake up the other days.  It's even mostest :) special to see him smile and nod his head in agreement when, in front of both parents, you talk about how it's okay to enjoy singing.  How you don't have to go overboard with excitement or "nerd out" in class.  But how it's okay to enjoy every moment on the inside.  Especially when it's one of the most beautiful gifts you're given.  Tears, tears, tears.

I am so thankful for my job.

#tochinaandback

Three months and going

Three months ago on a Sunday like today, I flew into Shanghai, China, and Asia for the first time in my life.  And the purpose was simple:  I was starting a new life!!!  As many of us newbies have reflected recently, it feels as if we've been here, surviving on this soil, for years.  Yet, it has only been three short months.

I don't have any wit or wisdom to share for this posting.  My weekend was filled with shopping, naps, rehearsals, eating with colleagues, chaperoning the Autumn Bash, having some much-needed conversations with close friends, sleeping in, sending a multitude of emails, a Hawkeye football victory, and trying to stay warm.  Right now, I'm ready to hop in bed at 8:30pm.....  So like I said, not much wisdom to be had.  My laundry machine is roaring on the final cycle.  I'm enjoying my Nutella treat.  My feet and legs are basking in the glory of their post foot massage joy.  There is no Daylight Savings Time, so I don't get that extra hour of sleep I lost in the spring.  And tomorrow is musical auditions.

Soli Deo Gloria.  To God alone be the glory.  There are so many things that I've been blessed with and shown during my short stay.  And I have a LONG list of work to be done.  But because it's God's work, that makes it even more glorious.  :)

#tochinaandback