These Days

I've been enjoying a lovely break this summer. Although I'm still working five days a week, I haven't been nearly as busy as during the school year. We have a fairly low number of students, so most days Darla and I can both take multiple breaks...unheard of during the school year! I also only have to do lesson plans during the week. On my breaks I have had the chance to think about next year in a relaxed manner...such a blessing. I've enjoyed pittering around in my new classroom, putting things in order and adding a few special touches. I still have a ways to go though, and before I know it, there will be no more time to pitter around and lots of deadlines to meet! 

We have a lovely bunch of kiddos for Discovery Club, our summer program. They are ethnically diverse and each one amazing. Of course they have their moments, but lots of the time they interact with each other in the sweetest ways. I am excited that several of them will be my students in the fall!

It's been a year (minus a few weeks) since I moved to Baltimore. I can truly say that I love it here. In many ways God has given me more than I ever dreamed or asked for. It is not that everything here is completely what I dreamed of, but in some ways it is more, and in the ways I find myself longing for more, I am reminded that we were created for heaven. 

This afternoon was simply lovely. We three teachers enjoyed a walk along the harbor at Fells Point with Nathan and Faith Zook and their family. Nathan and Faith live in D.C. but attend our church regularly. Nathan used to live in Baltimore and is a wonderful tour guide! I had never been to Fells Point before and enjoyed it thoroughly. The air was breezy and perfect, the sky a brilliant blue and the water so refreshing. Here are a few pictures from our walk.

Aah...I love the smell of water.

Here is the Domino Sugar plant across the water. You can see a ship beside the plant, probably bringing in sugarcane.

Katrina and I opted to return home by public transportation, so we walked to the metro station near the Inner Harbor. On the way we decided to check out the Seven Foot Knoll Lighthouse.

We were able to go inside and look around!

We walked past this amazing mural...

We transferred to Light Rail from Metro, and just because I don't think I have any, I snapped a few photos of the trains going by.

I know, I looked like a tourist from Lancaster County, but I'm not. I love spending days like today exploring my city! I do it too rarely. I hope to go back to Fells Point soon and explore some of the fun shops.

Maybe I will post again soon. A big maybe, but I hope so. I want to share pictures of my classroom after it's all ready for school.