The wheels on the bus go round and round

My class has been writing to pen pals that go to a Christian school far and forever away. They are from Oakland Christian school in a suburb, Auburn Hills, about an hour away. On Monday, we loaded up the mini but and made our way to meet these writing strangers! The kids were so excited, a tad nervous but couldn't believe we were actually going to meet them. When we got there some high schoolers were eating lunch outside and they were so concerned that those were our pen pals. It was a beautiful day and picture of God's grace as by the time we had to leave they were trying to exchange email addresses (...ha, which our kids don't have) and promising to 'stay in touch'. It was so much fun! (sidenote: we also write to my sisters class in South Dakota. Erik really thought we were getting on the bus and driving to South Dakota until we got there and he asked in amazement, this is South Dakota? Bless him. Also, Taugh- who has the best one liners of all time- arrived, got off the bus, and said "It smells like farm out here"...oh to live in the city...)





Friday of last week we loaded the bus with the whole school and went to Belle Isle. Belle Isle is a very colorful place! It's an island (obviously) where you are in Detroit but can see Canada on the other side (Justin Stottlemyre I hope you read this). On a typical weekened it's packed out with family reunions, picnics, fishing, and some other unmentionable activities ;). But, on this beautiful sunny Friday afternoon the park was free reign and the kids took advantage. We had 10 college students on a service project join us and besides a few scraped knees and bloody lips we had an excellent time! (and what teacher doesn't like an extra field trip at the end of the year!

Though I forgot to take a picture...we got on the bus again yesterday and went out to another far and forever away suburb, Novi. We have some friends, we call them, from a retirement community called Fox Run. This is not your typical retirement community though. It's like a all inclusive college that keeps these people a movin' and a shakin'. They come once a week and read with our kids so faithfully. Most are retired teachers/principals that can't even stop themselves. So, yesterday they invited us to their place for lunch and a tour of the place. We saw all the sites (just like cute little elderly folk would do) and even got to join the quilting ladies to make a quilt square. (one of the teachers may have predicted me in that room in 50 years, and i was so ok with that!) It was another beautiful day of blessing for our kids and people really loving on them. We love our Fox Run friends!

Just three more days of school!!! On Friday we have the "batman" coming. Some students really think batman is coming...we might let them think that for a few days. But, truly, he's just a man that has some bats and other strange animals. Not so sure where we found him. We also have our family picnic at lunch too. More pictures to follow!

LOVE!

Chicken Update

For those of you following me along the chicken saga (or shall we say drama...)...we had 10 eggs incubating nicely at City Mission Academy. We shook them three times a day and kept the water channels full just as instructed. We were told shaking them rather than turning them was more like a mother hen and we wanted to be the best mother hens we could be. We candled them along the way. That's where you hold a flashlight up to it to see the baby. Of course we were convinced that we saw some, ha, not. Well after day 25 the last possible day they could hatch we cracked them all open to find nothing other than egg yolks. Don't worry we didn't promptly make scrambled eggs for breakfast. Much disappointment but we decided life will go on. I was going to keep two of those 10 chickens, Libby and Rosie were going to nest at my house. But, because of all circumstances the chicken drama was put on hold.

However, Miss Amy, our wonderful garden lady says we will get eggs to hatch come hell or high water. She may have been so strong to say her life depends on it. She took the incubator home yesterday to try it on her own. Then, when the kids come back for school in July we'll try a new batch too see what we can do. Maybe we weren't the best shakers! Regardless, we'll continue to expose kids to things like caterpillars (which will hatch in 3 more days) and chickens because i think it will help them become they best they can be (that's how important these chickens are...)

Chickens and Caterpillars,
Jessi

first post

I've been sending out update emails for almost two years. The time for update emails has come to end and the joining of the blog world will begin. I'm sure many of you will be glad to not have me fill up your inbox anymore. The others of you that aren't, just check in here when you can. I'll update when I can and hope to add pitures more often than not. To start the blog I thought it'd have my first post be a list of 25 things about me.

25 things:
1. I'm a follower of Jesus Christ
2. I am 24 years old
3. My name is Jessi, not Jessica
4. I am a teacher in inner city Detroit, Michigan at City Mission Academy (city-mission.org)
5. I am also a home owner in inner city Detroit, Michigan
6. In two weeks I will no longer be a teacher but a program director at the same school/ministry in Detroit, Michigan
7. I planted a garden in my backyard. My first gardening experience
8. I'm from South Dakota, born and raised until college in Iowa of course
9. I adore my family. (near and far!)
10. I have worked as a fudge seller, mower, landscaper, coffee shop cook, babysitter, reading teacher, concessions seller, banquet server, and daycare worker all through high school and college. I never got bored
11. My very best friend peed her pants in her car outside of my house when we were freshmen in college and waited a few years to tell me
12. I consider Hillcrest Church in Sioux Falls, SD home.
13. I drive a '98 Bonneville and am pretty obsessed with it
14. I'm going out of the country in August for the first time to visit Joy in Australia!!!
15. I want to visit Alaska, and at least see or race in the Iditarod
16. I hate pickles
17. I love donuts
18. My life is all about children. But, I'm grateful that most nights they still go to their own homes :)
19. Some may describe me as crafty, in an arts and crafts manner.
20. Neighborhood kids play at my house almost all hours of the day (home or not) and I often make pancakes and eggs for them. Or our other favorite mac n cheese and hot dogs. Our favorite thing to play is Connect 4.
21. I am incredibly blessed and see and realize it more each day. My friends from all seasons of life are just incredible and continually support me in all I do. Millions of great memories.
22. My favorite thing in my kitchen is my red kitchen aid mixer from my former boss, Louanne. Which I use to whip up all kinds of yummy treats (too often according to Khalid)
23. I do almost everything fast. ...walk, talk, think, talk, move, talk, eat, talk, work, etc.
24. I enjoy watching reality tv shows. Survivor and Amazing Race are among my favorites. I'm still waiting for Tim Swart to get on Survivor.
25. I LOVE reading blogs. Therefore, I thought it was my turn to start my own.

Hopefully furthur posts will give 25+ more things you don't know about me in this crazy life I'm living in Brightmo' (in Detroit).

Love to you-
Jessi