Summer Bible Reading

I have decided to take on a challenge, anyone who wants to join feel free. I am going to read the entire Bible this summer. I found a website (http://www.biblein90days.com/index.php?option=com_challenge&pgID=5), where you can download a bookmark with the daily readings on it. I am not signing up for the challenge online because I know I won't go on there and write there, but I am doing the challenge and telling you if I succeed or not. Who knows maybe I will make this a summer occurrence. Anyone and everyone can feel free to ask me how I am keeping up with the challenge, as it is a lot of reading each day that I am planning on doing.

Running

So I have decided to take on the task of training for a 5K in July and a 10K in September. They are spaced two months apart, which is perfect for making sure I have enough time to train. I signed up for these races a week ago, right now I am trying to convince my husband, Ben, to run with me. I think he will run the 8K when I do the 5K and he has not decided between the 10K and half marathon in September.

Since deciding on doing this I have gone running 5 times, which actually went amazingly well. I have exercise induced asthma, which means I have to take an inhaler before I work out. I have been doing some aerobic classes to help me build lung capacity, but I have only been able to attend occasionally. Basically running is one of the hardest things to do for someone with asthma, but I enjoy running and I know it will help me build that lung capacity.

My runs actually went quite a bit better than expected. I figured a week later I would still be running half mile intervals, which I did do for a few runs. On Friday I ran a whole mile at one time and then Sunday I ran two whole miles in one go. I have been running on treadmills to get me started, because I can push myself a lot harder when I see how fast I am running, how much time I have left and how far I have gone. It is easy for me to say, let's go .1 mile faster. That's how I got to two miles. I would set the treadmill at one speed and set a time goal, then at the end of the time I would bump it up slightly and set another time goal. Next thing I knew I had been running for just over 20 minutes and went 2 whole miles.

Currently I am trying to get my older brother to run a 5K with me and I am trying to get my Mom to walk the 5K I am running. I think it would be fun to make it a family affair.

End of the Semester

So now I am finally coming to the end of the semester, at least the end of the classes I am taking. I am a substitute teacher and high schools are still in session for about another month.

The best way to sum up the end my schooling, especially my second Bachelors, is relief, I am ecstatic to be finished. I took one semester off between my degrees and it was glorious, I worked full time and got to know a lot of people and I got to know the city I was living in much better, which was great. I knew going back to school would be rough, but I would get through it and I practically have. Monday I take my finals (which are not finals that can be studied for) and I am finished! Ok, so I have to student teach in the fall, but that is much different than taking classes. It will be a very busy time, but I am very excited for it.

Sometimes you enjoy what you are doing while you are doing it, other times you enjoy the end result more than the process. Taking classes for my teacher's license is an example of enjoying the end result more than the process. This semester I have learned a lot of valuable things however.

For example, my last thing to finish is my final IPA (Integrate Performance Assessment), this is something used in a foreign language classrooms. A framework that ACTFL promotes. Basically it consists of three steps (which happen to be the three modes of communication). First you do an interpretive activity, then you move onto an interpersonal activity and finally and prepare a presentational project. For my class we have to write three IPAs. The first two I did with a partner and the final one I am doing on my own. We did one on nutrition in Spain vs. nutrition in the United States, looking at the food pyramid and la rueda de los alimentos. Then we did one on telling bedtime stories. Now I am working one one about immigration. This one I am doing for a German class, so I am focusing on Turkish immigration to Germany and comparing that to Hispanic immigration to the United States. Both countries encounter similar problems such as disdain towards the newcomers, finding ways to integrate them into society and the education of the immigrant children (amongst other issues as well).

Well, I better get back to finishing up that project, especially since I have a fun filled weekend of visiting with family and friends. :-)

Till next time...