New Beginnings

Happy New Year!!  Hope you all had a wonderful holiday and made the most of friendship and food!!! :)  School started again for us today and we are getting back into the swing of things! 

It's nice to be back in a routine, and I feel like things have started with a bang.  A lot seems to be going on.  One of the alumni students (graduated ICSB 3 years ago) was killed in a car accident about a week ago.  This has been a traumatic time for many of the students and staff who knew him and his family well.  His sister was on my volleyball team, and one of the girls that I have gotten to know.  She will be returning to school next week and we are all praying for her.  In light of this, I am going to be speaking to the senior class (her class) about helping her deal with her grief in a helpful way.  I am a little nervous for this, as it's a hard thing to talk about, so we would appreciate your prayers for that and for the family!

I will also be back in the elementary classrooms this month for my monthly talk....AND I will be teaching 5th grade math all semester!  I am NOT a math person, so I have had to review a lot, but so far, so good. I think we will have fun learning together! :)

Brandon is back at work coaching the varsity basketball team and they will begin having games this month.  He is excited to be working with them and traveling around where their games take them!  And of course, the elementary kids could not be happier that he is back.

Last month was a hard month for me, being homesick and not being home for Christmas, but I know that we are here for a reason and that it will get better. 

We have a few prayer requests that we would like to put out there for you:
1. Our health...we have both been sick a few times and we are praying for health!
2. The family who lost their son/brother
3. Our jobs here at school...and the children/adolescents that we interact with each day

Thank you for all of your support!  We appreciate it more than you know!

Melissa (and Brandon)

P.S. We just posted some new videos from December on our Youtube account!