First Day

It doesn't matter if it's September or March, the first day of school is always very special. Nolan joined his class today and loved every minute of it! His teachers said he was a delight and he enjoyed the attention he received as the "new friend" in class. A big classroom, both new and familiar friends, snack time and having his own coat hook & cubby are his favorite things.

It was my first day of school, too. The morning went by smoothly, the girl I'm working with is very pleasant and bright and just needs a little extra attention. I enjoyed being in the classroom and look forward to the remainder of the year. The thought occurred to me that Kelly and I are on totally opposite ends of the education spectrum. I'm in the classroom for the very first school experience, while Kelly is teaching and guiding those who are finishing their educational career. And we all have summer vacation... yea!

Have I mentioned the weather lately?? It's currently 78 degrees... we're loving it. Our backyard has plenty of sun and shade alike to make for a perfect place to play and hang out. Tonight is our inaugural grill of 2007. Because everything tastes better grilled over a fire (even if it is fueled by propane). I'm going to enjoy it and pretend that I didn't see the rain/snow forecast for later this week...

Who Wants NORMAL Anyway?

We Spanns never do anything "normal". We like to keep life exciting... An adventure, you know. It definitely keeps us on our toes.

As I recently posted, I had a job interview for a position to begin in the fall. I've since been offered a position as Assistant Teacher for Kingdom Kids Preschool at our church, Christ Community. I'll be teaching M/W/F mornings, Nolan will be in his own preschool class those same days and Claire will be in 1st grade all day. Her school bus will even pick her up from the church. Our church is on the bigger side (2,000 on a weekend, including Sat evening services) and the preschool enrolls just under 400 students, not including a kindergarten program new next fall. I'll be teaching 4 & 5 year olds and am really looking forward to this great opportunity. It's very outreach-focused and I think it's going to be a great fit. Kelly, the kids and I will all have the same schedule... I love living on the school calendar, I wouldn't want it any other way!

Yesterday, when I made the call to accept the position, the director asked if I might be interested in something for the current school year. I told her that yes, I was, and it's all been a blur from there. I start Monday!

I will be in a para-professional role, working one-on-one with a 3-year old girl who has shown signs of a developmental or mental delay. It's too late in the school year to do thorough testing, I've been told, but the funding was just approved yesterday for the state to pay for someone to work with her, and I am that person.

So, since 3pm yesterday, I've enrolled Nolan in a preschool class at Kingdom Kids, arranged with the transportation department to pick up Claire at the church on the mornings I work, changed and canceled various appointments and commitments previously held on those M/W/F mornings and bought some new pants since I won't be wearing jeans everyday (my current wardrobe).

Kelly left this morning for Iowa, to coach RCTC in a tournament this weekend, returning on Sunday. (He's coaching hitters & outfield - and loving being in the dugout). I'm preparing to teach Sunday School for the first time in Nolan's class this Sunday morning. Kelly & I will facilitate our first small group this Wednesday evening. I'm giving my testimony in our large-group time at my Thurs morning Bible Study and we've got a Pancake Breakfast & Easter Egg Hunt as well as art class to attend tomorrow morning. Whew... When my head starts to spin, I take a deep breath, whisper a prayer and realized just how blessed we are. Truly.

On a purely fun note, Saturday we enjoyed a visit from our friends, the Fisks. Our families went bowling, ate out, played games and had a sleepover. It was great! On Monday, my sister Lydia and nephew, Adrien, came to visit. They stayed until yesterday, we loved having them. Our house is a bit quieter now, but the noise of friends and family is always welcome. And it looks like Spring has Sprung! Baseball and football in the backyard, running and playing, it's been just perfect!

So,when I say that we don't do "normal", I mean that life is exciting! And the confidence that comes with knowing that it's all orchestrated by our God, it makes me downright giddy! Here's to not being normal!

New Blog! New Blog!

Kelly has started a new blog called Field of Dreams (www.kcgraysbaseball.blogspot.com). It's his account of his summer of FCA baseball, beginning now. Check it out to keep up with him!

What Blizzard?

Did my last post really talk about a blizzard? Shows how fickle the weather is. We enjoyed a weekend spent outside, complete with sunshine and bike rides. Lots of snow still on the ground, it's going to take a while to melt what we accumulated the previous two weekends, but it's melting nonetheless. Today we'll see a high in the 50s and its actually beginning to feel like spring. Daylight Saving Time (Kelly points out that it is, in fact, Daylight Saving Time - not Daylight Savings Time) has begun and I may be tired but at least it's warmer!

Friday night we enjoyed 'Family Fun Night' at Claire's school. There was a children's musician and author and both Claire and Nolan took turns singing up front. They're so shy, you know. The highlight for me was meeting parents of Claire's classmates, who also live in our neighborhood. Play dates and parties are in our future.

We've definitely begun the countdown to summer. Kelly is gearing up to coach, a press release and roster info have been posted on the FCA Baseball site. (Click on the info on the right listed under FCA Grays.) I'm still coming to terms with the fact that Kelly will be gone for 2 months. I may be crazy... possibly.

Also looking towards the future in regards to my employment. A great opportunity has presented itself, beginning in the fall. I actually have an interview today, I'll post more on that later.

In the meantime, get out, enjoy the sunshine and spring feeling while it lasts!

Another Day, Another Storm

No school today, it's the first "snow day" of the year. All other storms thus far have happened during a holiday or weekend. More ice than snow today, but we're expected to be home tomorrow as well with the white stuff falling today and tomorrow. Coffee (and hot chocolate with marshmallows, of course), snacks and PJs are on the roster for today.

Now that we're into March, I'm doing what most Minnesotans are doing... longing for spring. We're done with winter. Enough already. Gimme a little sunshine, at least. I browse the web looking for spring and summer fashions, for that perfect pair of sandals. Never mind that I won't be able to wear them for months... although take a walk through Target and you'll see pale-white (or unnaturally tanned) skin peeking through flip-flops and cropped pants as soon as it hits 40 degrees.

Another sign that winter is on it's way out (or that we hope it is, anyway) is that the calendar is filling in. Only a month until cold Saturday soccer mornings. T-Ball will start after that, and spring activities take place in-between. Conferences, field trips, bible studies, classroom volunteering, athletic banquets and the like fill in the gaps.

Until then... it's another day, another foot (of snow).

It's Official...

Kelly Spann is named head coach for the 2007 Fellowship of Christian Athletes Grays!

The FCA Grays is a summer collegiate baseball team, based in Kansas City, Missouri, and plays in the M.I.N.K. (Missouri-Iowa-Nebraska-Kansas) League. We're really excited that Kelly has been asked to fill this position and look forward to a baseball-filled summer.

There are still lots of details to be fine-tuned but here's what we're looking at thus far: Kelly is the head coach with 3 assistants and a roster of college baseball players. Being based in KC (also home of FCA Headquarters), Kelly will report the weekend of May 26th, with the first game scheduled for June 2nd. Kelly will be assigned a host family, which will provide meals and housing. They play nearly everyday, traveling throughout the league. The team also participates in bible studies, youth camps, clinics and service projects. The regular season ends in late July with playoffs extending into the first 2 weeks of August.

So, what about the rest of us? As Kelly will be gone all summer, the kids and I will go it alone part-time and travel to Kansas City for much of the summer. As of now, we plan to take 2 extended trips and stay with my sister and her family. It's going to be a crazy, exciting season.

And yes, it's a summer position, so Rochester will continue to be our home. There are still details to be worked out, namely financial, but we're going on faith (and support) on this one. FCA is a great organization and Kelly is looking forward to being part of it. We're not making hard-and-fast plans, as we'll be as flexible as possible. Our summers involve many celebrations, including our 10-year anniversary and all of our birthdays, so we'll have to be creative this year.

We would definitely appreciate your prayers as we anticipate a busy but wonderful summer, and especially as the finer details on our part are finalized. As you're making your summer plans, why not come through the midwest and catch a game? We'd love to see you! We'll get a schedule out soon (as well as letter with more details and requests for your prayers!).

So, as I gaze out the window at the snow and freezing rain, I know it's just a matter of months until we're sitting in the sun, enjoying a game and cheering on our team! Go Grays!

Ugh Canada!

Well, we're back. I wish we could say that our trips went smoothly, all was uneventful and we've returned home feeling well rested and content. Like I said, I wish. Kelly's venture up to Canada included the following: multiple and extended stops at the border, several hundred dollar fines for "legal fees", a charter bus in a ditch with a broken window, three game losses, one trip to the emergency room for a player and creative financial negotiating throughout on Kelly's part. Add a winter storm and the package is complete.

My trip wasn't quite as eventful, but resulted in an early departure due to the winter storm warnings. Our new van proved trustworthy and faithful, even as we slid across I-35 and landed in the median facing the opposite direction. A 6 1/2 hour trip slowly streched into 8 hours as we slowed to 30 mph for the last leg of the driving. And though we did find ourselves in the beginnings of the storm, I still think we've missed the worst of it (especially as I look out the window and see the frozen rain descending upon 6 inches of new snow.) We did enjoy one beautiful day at the park, however, basking in the afternoon sun and a balmy 55 degrees.

We're now home, trying to recover from colds - you know, the kind that keep you (and everyone else) up all night with a barking cough. And we've officially decided that the farthest we'll venture out is the driveway (with the snow blower, of course). Our plans for today are as follows: relax, nap, drink hot chocolate, light a fire in the fireplace, another nap and if we're feeling up for it, perhaps we'll watch a movie.

Hmm... whoever invented hibernation was really on to something...