The Beginning of 2012

We've been back in Dallas over a week now and it's as if we never left. Jobs and work pick back up, our busy lifestyles pick up again. I wasn't thrilled to go back to work, it's not that I don't love my job, because I do, it's just I miss being surround by people and things I'm familiar with. In Dallas I still feel like I'm a stranger or on vacation. It feels like we'll be going home any minute. I'm having a hard time getting plugged into Dallas and really feeling connected with the city, and with our church. Bruce keeps getting on me to ask girls from our small group to hang out, but truthfully I'm not sure if I want to. I have only met some of these women once or twice and I feel awkward asking them to go on a 'girl date' with me. I know I need to get out of my comfort zone, but it's hard. Another thing that has been on my mind is volunteering with the youth at our church. It's something I've always wanted to do. I'm not sure how it works at such a big church, and I've never even met the youth minister (I actually don't even know his name). I know excuses, excuses. Bruce and I have also been asked to begin leading our own small group. I'm not sure about this one either. We just joined our small group in September and we are just beginning to feel connected. I'm not sure if I want to start from the beginning all over again.

So more on my job. This week has been a bit discouraging because my numbers have been very low. Normally I have anywhere between 50-70 kids stay after school for my program, the past few school days I have only had between 30-40. And on Thursday of last week a kid in my program was kicked out of school, because he was breaking into teachers rooms and stealing laptops. Not a great start to the new year to say the least. I've been brainstorming ways to get my numbers up, but a lot of my ideas involve incentives like candy, pizza, cookie, etc. I wish that my classes would be quality enough to get the students there. (Most of my classes are awesome, or I should say the teachers are awesome. The classes that are boring, and have low student attendance are the ones with teachers who fail to plan and fail to bring materials. A good teacher can do wonders!!) It'll get better, I know it! On highlight is that I am very proud of our new North STEP Team. The girls had their first class yesterday and they were amazing! I'm hoping the girls will be ready to perform for our first pep rally of the semester at the end of February.

Bruce is signed up to take two classes at DTS this semester, which will make his life a bit more busy than normal. I am trying to find someone who teaches piano lessons, so I can go to piano while Bruce is in class. And I am also going to give some more thought to volunteering with the youth at our church. I still feel unsure about it. Although this semester is going to drag on I am excited that Bruce and I will have some visitors. One of my best friends is coming in February to visit. Then we have another visitor in early March, and I'm even trying to convince my little sisters to come out and visit us. My parents will also be out in April! So there are lots of things to look forward too. (Not to mention the five weddings Bruce and I have been invited to over the summer. Of course they are all in Indiana!)

Well in 2010 I blogged 3 times, in 2011 I blogged 20 times, so hopefully in 2012 I can blog at least 140 times! (Just saying I blogged 7x more in 2011 than I did in 2010. Let's see if I can do it again?! Also, my parents got me an awesome camera for Christmas so there will be more pictures!!)