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Name: Suzanne
Country: United States
Birthday: 10/23/1983
Gender: Female
Interests: Jesus, family, friends, kids, all things outdoors or full of adventure, building things, roller coasters
Occupation: Student
Message: message me
Member Since:
3/7/2006
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| This whole Jacox thing has felt like a huge roller coaster. Some days I love it and some days I hate it. I haven't had many in-between days. But that's probably normal for me anyway.
So I walk into Jacox the first morning, and a lady looks at me and says, "Which one are you?" She just so happened to be my grade level chair. She brought me to the library to meet the other grade level chairs and the principal. She walked me down the hallway, where there was a huge sign in the hallway that said "Welcome Miss Sharkey to Jacox and third grade!" and was signed by all the other third grade teachers. Then, they dropped me off at my new class.
Now, at my old school, we would get kids from Jacox bussed in. And so I had heard stories. Everyone made it sound like I should walk in with a bullet proof vest or something. But the kids really were pretty well behaved. Although, we did have a lock down drill my first day there, because apparently that happens a lot at that school. I had never heard of that at Calcott. Anyway, I liked my new class and the other teachers on my grade level.
Tuesday, I went to my first data meeting. They do things completely differently at each school! They asked for my input and then told me we couldn't do any of it, because it would take too long to take the test. Wednesday was worse because we had an all day meeting. Our kids had a sub all day and I didn't feel like I learned anything except more things I didn't like about my new school. For all of these things we need to do to boost test scores, we lost a day of instruction!
Thursday and Friday were better because I didn't have any meetings. I got to start teaching a little bit too. I had been shadowing the teacher I would be replace the first few days. But it was still very frustrating because I did a lot of watching. I felt like I was student teaching again. Which stinks because it is my third year of teaching and I know how to do this! And then I got an email from the teacher who replaced me at Calcott. At first, she wanted to use all of my stuff because she had only ever taught kindergarten and needed it. By Thursday she had moved all of her kindergarten stuff to that room and couldn't fit it all in there, so she said she put a few things in boxes that I needed to pick up. So I get there after school and it's all my stuff! Minus a few books. Way too much to fit in one car trip. So I told her I would get it Monday for parent teacher conferences.
Monday was a total waste. I had to split my day between my new schools. I was supposed to have conferences with my parents from Calcott in the morning and then go to Jacox in the afternoon. Well, apparently the papers didn't go home with my Calcott kids because none of the parents knew about the conferences. A few stopped by to see if there would be any because they were at the school anyway for another conference. Then, I went to Jacox and all of the parents that came there, did so in the morning so I didn't get to meet any of them. But I did get a few things copied so it wasn't a total waste. Then, after we got off at 6:30, Tim met me at Calcott and we put all of my stuff into my dad's suv and brought it to our new garage. I haven't gone through it yet to find things.
Tuesday was better because it was my first day of teaching by myself! I really enjoyed it. When I hung out with Tim that night we decided that I must have been bored at Calcott because he had never seen me this excited about teaching before. I think that's when I decided the whole Calcott thing was over. The whole week in a half before that, I felt like I had been living in two worlds. I had to do Calcott stuff and Jacox stuff. But now I'm just at Jacox. Even the meetings we had Tuesday and Wednesday weren't that frustrating.
Thursday wasn't bad until dismissal. A parent came to yell at me for pulling her kid's color because she hit someone and then wanted to argue about why I was a bad teacher and she wanted her kid out of my class. She wanted to talk to me and the old teacher. And mostly complain to the old teacher about why she didn't like me. So I expected to come in yesterday and have this little girl removed from my class. She came to see me in the morning and said her niece didn't want to be taken out of my class right now, so she could stay. But if there was any trouble she would be back and take her out.
Friday was rough. The kids are pretty good, though way lower level than I'm used to. Part of it is that I'm used to teaching fourth grade and these kids are in third. Part of it is that the higher kids are just on grade level. No one is above grade level in my class and more than half of them are below grade level. There are even some special ed kids in my class. Which is fine, I just have to get used to it. The other thing, is that their old teacher still uses the room as her home base. She's the floater now and does remediation. But all of her stuff is still in the room. Which I didn't think would be a problem because its a completely different curriculum and I don't have third grade stuff. But like, the stuff for my desk is still sitting in the trunk of my car because there isn't room for it in the new room. And my kids still say they are in her class. They don't understand that I'm their new teacher. They don't ask me questions, they wait until they see her to ask them. I cried on the way home from school yesterday because I don't really know what I want to do about it. I could ask her not to be in the room for a while. I could ask her to move all of her stuff. I could completely rearrange everything and change the way things are done so the kids understand that its going to be different. We were trying to keep a lot of things the same for consistency for the kids. But its not working for me at all. But its only the first week. I don't know if I should give it another few days or what. I just don't know. Everything is confusing. I don't know how I would set up the room. there are specialists in and out of there all the time so I have to have ways for them to work in groups, but I like having my room as a horse shoe like always. Ugh. I prayed about it and feel like I'm supposed to be there, but don't know what I'm supposed to do yet. Some stability or direction would be nice... | | |
| So Thursday at 3:10, the office manager at my school calls on the PA system that I need to see Mrs. Akers for five minutes after dismissal. Now, I am proud of myself because normally when I get called to the principal's office I think I'm in trouble. That isn't always true. And even if I am, its not usually a big deal. So I didn't freak out. My kids' immediate responses were, "Ooh, Miss Sharkey. What did you do? Are you in trouble? Are you going to get fired?" So after dismissal I hear them do an all call for me to come to the office. I get there and the secretary tells me to go to the conference room. I walk in and there is the principal, AP, math specialist, reading specialist, the newest fourth grade teacher (who incidentally is my favorite) and a kindergarten teacher. Basically, all my favorite people in the building. The only problem is, they look like they have been crying. So Mrs. Akers starts talking. Yesterday was the end of the 30 day count. We're losing a kindergarten position. Suzanne, I'm sorry, but since you're the last one hired, they're sending you to another school. Marissa is going to teach your class. You have to teach third grade at Jacox. She talked for like ten or fifteen minutes and Marissa is crying and finally it hits me and I'm like, "Wait. When is my last day at Calcott?" Tomorrow. "When do I have to go to Jacox?" Monday. And I can't say anything to anyone until she comes to tell my kids tomorrow at 2pm. So Friday is the secretary's last day. He's really cool, but he's retiring to be a stay at home grandfather. There was a big breakfast for him before school, but I skipped it because I knew I couldn't go and pretend like everything was normal. But someone has a big mouth because by the time I got to school, all the teachers knew. But the kids didn't know (at least mine didn't) until Akers came in. After she told them four of them cried. Once she left all but four of them did. Recess was pitiful. Most of them sat on the steps and cried for most of it. Then they moved on to breaking sticks and saying it was my principal's boss's neck and asking why they didn't send another teacher to Jacox. They are all looking forward to December though. Mrs. Akers said I could still invite them to the wedding since I already promised. They're all looking forward to that. Everyone in the conference room said they hoped I would still invite them! which I thought was cute. I'm full of thoughts and feelings right now. Not sure what to think. Part of me is nervous. Part of me is excited. Part of me is frustrated. Back in the day, I kept telling people I wanted to teach at an inner city school. I was frustrated with God when I started teaching at Calcott because it is not inner city at all. But I stopped fighting because God said that this is what He has for me, that I will have the most influence here. Well, Jacox is as inner city as it gets around here. 99% free and reduced priced lunch. Most of the kids live in the projects. Title 1 school. My other dream has been to live in the neighborhood that I teach. I thought that would be a reality when I got married in December. We bought a house in Calcott's neighborhood. I was looking forward to that three minute commute... At least from either my parent's house or the new house to Jacox is closer than my parent's house to Calcott. I've already received two emails from teachers at Jacox welcoming me. One said that they throw great bridal showers, so I'll get two out of the deal. One at Calcott and one at Jacox. So I cleaned out my desk yesterday. Packed a few personal things and cleaned and left notes for the new teacher. I am going to to go Jacox Monday to get the lay of the land and see what I need to bring from Calcott. The teacher who is replacing me has only ever taught kindergarten, so she doesn't have a lot of fourth grade stuff and I have a ton. So hopefully I can leave her a lot of stuff. Then, after school Monday, a bunch of people at Calcott said they would stay after, help me pack, and then bring all my stuff over to Jacox. Pray for me. I don't know what God is doing. I'm excited about it though. I'm worried about both sets of kids. I know God has it under control though and it will be fine. This weekend is crazy though. I feel kind of homeless. Between schools. I guess you could say I teach at both. I don't know. There are a lot of things I do at Calcott after school. So God will either have to raise new people up or let them die. It will be interesting to see what will happen. | | |
| So Tim and I bought a house. It's perfect. It's not ready to have people over yet. But it will by my birthday so we can have a party at the new house :) The kitchen and office are ready and the furniture is all set up. Just a few boxes left. My favorite part is that it is about three minutes from school! I am looking forward to that commute come January.
Kentucky was amazing! I was actually really excited about this year before we left. There is something to be said for being old enough to drive the van. We had other female leaders this year which was odd, but ended up okay. It was just a really good trip. Lots of lives were totally changed. We had healings. And I brought a kid from school with me. He got saved and filled with the holy spirit! If that's all I ever do as a teacher, I'm okay. That's huge!
Tim got his license back right before I left for Kentucky. His car is really cool. The key stays in his pocket the whole time and he just presses a button to open doors or start the car. It's pretty neat.
August started well but ended horribly. My grandma died unexpectedly. She would have been 90 in January. She had a massive stroke and never woke up. Once everyone got there to say goodbye, they took her off the ventilator and she died. It was interesting when the priest came and did the whole last rights thing. Some of it was really cool about breaking strongholds. Some of it was just kind of odd to me. The whole thing was a whirlwind of craziness. You may think I'm crazy, but I think I really had myself convinced that my grandmother would outlive us all. She was the oldest person in her exercise class and the most agile. Kept everyone on her toes. Had more energy than anyone you would ever meet. She looked about 60. Did a lot of volunteer work. My plan originally was that when we had kids, she would be the babysitter. So now life is weird. Not the everyday life. But holidays will be strange. We're selling her house. A house I've been to for every holiday of my existence. A lot of Saturdays growing up were spent there. And it will be gone! I don't know what to think about it. It was nice to have everyone here for a week. I didn't want it to end because I don't think family life will ever be the same. Grandma's house will no longer be the gathering place. I was really upset when everyone left because after the weddings, I don't think we'll all be together again. And I've only ever had a birthday cake made by Grandma. Part of me wants to skip my birthday this year and another part of me wishes I had already gotten married so Grandma could have been there.
Speaking of weddings, I've been really frustrated lately. First of all, my family was all excited about coming to my wedding until my sister got engaged and is getting married three weeks before me. So now all of my dad's family is coming to her wedding and not mine. Then, someone else is getting married that weekend and wants me to move my things around. And I'm going to have to come up with a new plan for music because now there are schedule conflicts for people. I'm so frustrated. And I have people who originally were planning on coming who aren't anymore. I feel like I'm just pouting like one of my kids now. Who knows? Maybe I am.
I'm taking birth control now. We wanted to start trying things in the fall so we weren't stuck with something we didn't like once the wedding rolled around. I think it makes me more clingy, but not necessarily crazy. Tim doesn't mind :) Started premarital counseling at Eden today. It was actually kind of fun.
School is back. I'm in the building this year. I liked it the first week when it rained everyday because I stayed dry. But last week I almost asked my principal if I could move back to the mobile. I couldn't remember where I put things and I lost my lesson plans. And I was sick which didn't help. But now I think I'm getting into a groove. I have one kid who is pretty much crazy. Has a horrible story. His dad was murdered when he was in second grade. Today was the first good day we've had. And I'm glad! Cause the rest of my day was stressful. But all in all, I'm glad he's in my class. He makes me smile. He drives me nuts sometimes, but he still makes me smile :) I think it will be a good year. Open House was pretty good. Not too many parents. They asked about my wedding and I told them I planned on inviting their children. A few have since come in and said their parents said they could come :) It's cute. And I'm excited about it. PAAC started yesterday too. I'm glad. A lot of the kids in PAAC, like all but 5 I have either taught before or am teaching now. SO I get another hour a week with them. should be fun.
I can't remember anything else. But I feel better now. Xanga is so theraputic. I should really do it more often. | | |
| Wow. Three months. Does anyone read this anymore? I'll write anyway, so I can look back and remember. So the school year ended well. My kids were all super excited that I am getting married. They met Mr. Tim in March anyway and wanted to know when he would come back and visit them. But he didn't have time. The boys referred to him as Mr. Dude anyway. And some of the girls started calling me Mrs. Faust towards the end of the year. Every single kid wrote in the their letter to next year's class about my wedding. Some teachers are moving around. We lost a third grade position and gained a first grade position. So a fourth grade teacher (my favorite) moved to first grade and a third grade teacher (my favorite) moved to fourth. I'm excited about Miss Kinsey teaching fourth grade though. We play volleyball together and she is a Christian. (A random side note, she is also a neighbor of the Whitescarvers) AND I am going to be grade level chair next year. Which is interesting to me. I don't even have tenure yet! I am still the low guy on the totem pole in the whole building. Oh well. I'm excited. More influence... Tim had an accident on June 6. It rocked my world. We were on the way home from Crossfire. He was following me, but got stuck at the light, so he wasn't right behind me. Before I get home I received a call from Tim's phone but it was some foreign guy saying my fiance had been in an accident. So I turn around and pull up to like five cop cars, and ambulance, and a fire truck. I run over and he's sitting on the grass. His car is in the middle of the road with a light pole on top of it and beside it. Apparently, Tim passed out while he was driving, took out the light pole, and knocked into a tree too. All of the cops and ambulance people were baffled. They said he shouldn't have been able to walk away from the accident. He should have died! So they took him in the ambulance anyway to make sure he was okay because he was complaining about chest pains. Shannon and I got some stuff out of his car. Well, we started to. Because apparently the wires were live and his gas was leaking so they were afraid the car was going to blow up! They didn't write him a ticket but medically suspended his lisence until they could figure out why he passed out. So we went to the hospital to hang out with him. Stephanie and Adam met us there and brought some food. We were there for six hours before they said that nothing was wrong with him. He would just be sore for a few days. Later, he had to go to Patient First, who referred him to a neurologist, who made him get an EEG, and then back to the neurologist. Then, the neurologist had to fill out this paper, that he promised he would do that day, July 1, and he didn't until Monday. The cool part about Monday was that it was Tim's birthday. But that is a long time to wait. So anyway, we're waiting on the DMV medical review now so Tim can get his lisence back. And then he can go buy a new car. Although that is frustrating too, because he totalled the other car and insurance didn't cover all of it. So he still owes $6,000 on a car that doesn't exist! Driving him everywhere gets old after a while. And it messes with him. Until Monday, he was definitely depressed. I would be frustrated too if I had to rely on everyone to drive me places for 6 weeks. That's a long story. But, the point is. Tim should be dead. And he's not! God is so faithful!!! I don't know what I would have done if he died hat night. Morocco was amazing. I got to hang out with my best friend JoAnna for a week. It takes a long time to get there. Not horrible, but the layovers are rediculous. So Shannon picked me up at 8 on Friday and we went to the airport, waited in line for two hours, and I still missed my flight. So they put me on standby to New York because I had an 8 hour layover anyway. Then, when I got to New York, I got to hang out with the Thrashes, KPC missionaries to Germany, who just so happened to be flying in the JFK airport that day. The flight to Casablanca was nice. I sat next to a nice girl from New York who was travelling with her parents. I had a 13 hour layover in the Casablanca airport to fly 45 minutes to Fes. And let me tell you, there is nothing to do on the local side of the airport. Nothing. There isn't even a resteraunt. That was hilarious too. There was a problem with the plane so we were delayed a couple of hours (I was only supposed to be there 9) So a bunch of people held a protest because they didn't tell us what was going on and they wanted the airline to feed us. And this french woman came around and was telling everyone who to call to make a complaint. I got to Fes about midnight, and they lost my bag! So JoAnna and I went to a hotel in Fes. Spent the night. Wandered around the old medina that morning with another peace corps volunteer and then went back to the airport. They did have my bag. So then we started our journey by taxi. In Morocco, there are petite taxis that take you in town and then grand taxis which take you from town to town. You can't leave in a grand taxi until it is full. So you have to have 6 people to fill the 4 seats, or you have to buy them out. It was quite an experience. Interesting though. Fes was the last place we saw western toilets for a while. It took like 8 hours to get to Rich, her banking town where we stayed in a hotel. Monday, we walked around the city, shopped a bit, and did some work with her association. We met the kite (like mayor) and ran around trying to get paper work done. Everything looks like a castle in Morocco. I loved it! There are pictures on facebook...Monday night we went back to her little village, Ait Attou (sounds like I tattoo). Had some tea with some families. I was really sick monday night and Tuesday. That stinks in America in western toilets, but in a squatty...Anyway, so we had to push back some of our plans. So Tuesday, I did a lot of reading and hanging around Jo's house. Tuesday night we visited more people. Wednesday we took a transit to this place on the side of the road to wait for a taxi to Errachidia. We went to the Gorges that night in Tanhir to meet up with some more peace corps people. The hike was gorgeous! Took like 5 hours to get there on foot. Had a great dinner. Then we stayed in this berber hotel. We had tea and couscous with the owner :) Thursday, we saw Ned's association. They teach kids with disabilities a skill like metal working and jewelry making and then sell the stuff. It was really cool to see. I bought some stuff from them. Then, we took a bus back to Errachidia. I sat next to this woman and her baby, who threw up on my book bag. It was hilarious. And she didn't speak english and I didn't speak Arabic...But we took a taxi to El Erfoud to meet our tour guide who drove us to Marzouga where we rode a camel for an hour and a half to some tents. Had dinner, spent the night, watched the sunrise, ate breakfast, and went back. We took some taxis back to her town, headed to Rich for a meeting, made some jello and popcorn for dinner, and hung out a while. Saturday, we took a 7 hour bus ride to Fes, shopped in the medina, ate dinner in an english pub called cafe clock, and slept on the roof. We headed to the airport by taxi at 5 am. There is so much more to do on the international part of the Casablanca airport! But I was only there for 3 hours. When I got to NYC, I took the subway into Brooklyn to have dinner with my friend Maura. Then took the subway back. The airport was locked because it was after 8, so a bunch of people had to walk around the long way. Then the lady told me I needed a new boarding pass and I thought I was going to miss my flight back to Norfolk. but I made it just in time! I think my favorite part of Morocco was just hanging out with JoAnna. We had some great prayer times together. And just sitting on her roof. We got to plan my wedding some too :) But the people there are super friendly. I learned a lot about hospitality! I had a few marriage proposals. And several people asked me to stay. When I told them about Tim their response was ALWAYS, "that's okay. He can come and live here too and you can learn Berber together!" Then they wanted to know if they would be invited to the wedding... Since I've been back I've just been hanging out with Tim and getting ready for Kentucky. I leave in 10 days!!! The other cool thing is that we've been hanging out with Sam Sansalone, who is infact, the best real estate agent in Hampton Roads! We started hanging out with him last Monday. And last night, the couple that owns the house we want, accepted our offer! So we are buying a house!!! My dream has always been to live in the neighborhood I teach, and I figured that would probably come later in life. But I don't have to wait. Techincally, the kids on my side of the street go to Bayview, but the kids on the other side of the street go to Calcott!!! The plan is to close on the house August 13. I'm super excited. I have some planning and decorating to do. And time to start on it before I go back to school :) Our address will be 8700 Chesapeake Blvd. You should be able to check it out online for the next couple of days. Eventually, they will take it off williamewood website since its sold. Oh, and I got a call from KK yesterday. He's a friend from camp, who lives in Ghana. He and his wife are planning to come to America for my wedding! He said it shouldn't be a problem to get a visa once I send the invitation :) Isn't that cool?! I wasn't expecting that at all. God does cool stuff :) Wow. If you read all that, you deserve a lolipop or something. Let me know what flavor you want. | | |
| We're a quarter into the year and half of my goals have either changed or gone out the window completely. I didn't do the Shamrock 8k and will not do a triathlon this year because I need to have surgery on my foot :( I have been cooking for my friends this year and for Tim too. I will learn how to cook lots of things eventually. The fun thing is that Tim wants to learn too, so we can experiment together :) And...my room is still clean! Surprise. Surprise. My classroom and car are always a mess. But my room is still clean :) That hasn't happened for four months in ages, actually probably never! I'm still going to Kentucky and I bought a plane ticket to Morocco about two months ago. But camp is out because of my surgery. And I can't go to Urbana this year because...I'm getting married in December and will be on my honeymoon instead. I am still thinking about buying a house in the fall. Only it will be "our house." Mine and Tim's that is. Most of you have not heard the story of my weekend, so here it is:
Well. I met his parents friday night. They are great! We hit it off really well.
THey actually remind me of my parents. His dad's name is Jim and he is great.
Loves history. Has a great heart. So sweet. His mom's name is Lisa. And she
reminds me a lot of my mom. She has such a servant's heart. And she can talk
your ear off!
We did a lot of running around on Saturday morning. I knew it would happen that
day, I just didn't know any details. So whenever we went somewhere, I kept
wondering if he was going to ask me. Eventually, we drove up this mountain
because we were going to a scenic overlook in the trees where you could also see
the Susquehena River below. But halfway up the mountain, the road was closed for
the winter! So we had to go back down. Then we went to a park in the marina
below. We walked around and held hands. I kept thinking to myself, "okay this is
it." every time we walked past something cool like a little shelter or a swing.
Eventually, we got to the end of the island on this little pier thing. And the
view was so beautiful! You could see the mountain we tried to go up, a really
cool looking bridge, lots of trees, and the river was beautiful. So I was really
excited and started taking pictures of the scenery. After I had taken pictures
of everything, he came up behind me, put his hand in his pocket, pulled out the
ring and said, "will you marry me?" And I like a dork said, "you're not going to
get on your knee?" so he kind of rolled his eyes at me, smiled, got on one knee
and asked again. To which I replied, "yes. Of course I will marry you!" So he
got up and hugged me. And then he gave me my first kiss! We didn't make out or
anything (because we're not going to do that until we get married), but it was
my first kiss just the same. So I will only ever be kissed by my husband, which
I think is really cool :) And then we hung out for a while, took a couple of
pictures (not many because it was like 35 degrees outside), and went to meet
some of his friends for dinner.
Sunday we went to church and his mom didn't know how to introduce me to people.
I was her future daughter in law, her daughter in law to be, Tim's fiance, and
Tim's future wife. All at different times. His Grandma came over for Easter
dinner. She was great! And she liked me a lot. I also met his brother, an aunt,
and an uncle. I really like his family. They are funny. And kind. His best
friend came over after dinner last night. He works for Campus Crusade in Florida
doing media type stuff. Tim asked him to be the best man at our wedding :) That
was fun.
Yesterday we drove back from Pennsylvania. We stopped at King of Prussia mall on the
way home. It was huge! Two buildings. Like 1,000 stores, and no I'm not
exaggerating. It was fun. We got home at like 8:30 and then I made him dinner
and we hung out for a while. It's way different now though. I just spent four
whole days with him! The other cool thing about last night was that I got to go to Mary and Neal's engagement party, see Mary's ring, and hear about Africa :) I have a couple of days to chill out and do some school work. Shannon and I are going to Lynchburg this weekend :) I'm excited to see what other cool things God will do on Spring Break!
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