Dear Richard
So last week saw the students back on campus, and I was lecturing my
third years. They’re such a fantastic class, and I feel like my teaching has
really improved over the last 6 months or so, so it was just a really great
environment. And that’s despite the fact that we had huge issues with the notes
not being printed, and the laptop not working on the first day, and the
projector also not working… So the first day I was teaching in a completely
different way to how I normally do – the students had nothing in front of them,
and nothing on the screen… So I was really just talking (thankfully it was a
topic that they had done last year, so the first day was revision, before we
started building on it later in the week) but the lecture actually went really
well! And the whole week actually went well, despite the continued challenges
around the printing. I even got an email today from a student saying that the lectures
were really helpful last week. So I’m feeling good J
We’ve had sick kids (and us a bit too) a lot of the week – from a cold
to a mild gastro over the weekend… And then to add to that Andrew was out a LOT
last week… Home teaching, youth, a ward activity on Friday evening to watch the
Work of Salvation broadcast, and then a really last Sunday afternoon because of
his monthly interview with Pres Holmes… Thankfully not all of the weeks are
like that J and he still is out less than someone
like Pres Holmes, so I’d rather have him in the ward still. So I had some good
evenings, and some not so good ones, especially when they weren’t feeling well.
But for the most part things are still improving as they get older bit by bit.
Oh, and it seems that Caleb is definitely a true Herbert in terms of his
sleeping patterns… Joshua is like me, but Hannah and Caleb are both doing the
early rising thing. So thankfully Andrew is generally awake to do the early
morning shift!
Thursday was Nelson Mandela’s 95th birthday, and I think as
a country we were all glad that he is still alive. It’s been 6 weeks that he’s
been in hospital now, and although they say he is improving I’m not sure how
much longer he’ll last. But it was nice symbolically that he made it to his
birthday at least. For Mandela Day we made sandwiches for a local school, so it
was cool to get involved.
I had a cool experience when I was visiting teaching this week. I had
been planning on giving the same message as last week, but as I was walking up
to the house I felt that I should rather share an article I had read in the
Ensign on Sunday (and because of the tablet I had it all with me, and I could just
change like that, with the good parts already marked etc. Loving the tablet! J) and as the sister was talking I realised
just how much Heavenly Father was wanting her to have this message. So I was
able to follow that prompting, and I think it was a positive experience for us
both J
I also got to watch the first half of the broadcast after the kids
went to bed on Friday, before Andrew came home (I had kept the kids at home
because of Caleb’s chest and the cold night air). Ah man, I was getting so
emotional seeing all those missionaries, and thinking about you! You made me
cry! But it’s so wonderful to see the army that is going forth into the world!
I took Hannah to a party on Saturday morning, and strangely she did a
similar thing to what Josh has done so many times. She was all shy, and not
wanting to join in right until the time that the party was due to end! Thankfully
the party was a home party, and they were quite happy for us to stay a bit
longer, so she did get to be part of things a bit before we left. But I didn’t
expect that from Hannah! I thought she would be the more confident one… Maybe
Caleb…? But the boy’s older sister was so sweet – she took Hannah into her room
and was showing her toys, and really trying hard to help Hannah feel at home. I
can see Hannah being like that in a couple years – really maternal J
And Caleb went to Nursery again yesterday (in his mind there wasn’t
even a question!) and so I actually got to serve completely at church. I sat
with one teacher during Sunday School helping her prepare for her lesson next
week, and I evaluated a Relief Society lesson, and I even played the piano in
Relief Society. I can participate again! So awesome!!!
So a busy week, and tomorrow I start a 4 week stint of lecturing the
second years, which means 8:00 lectures, and a really early start. But I’m
excited about the lectures – I think that things are coming together for me
nicely J
Love you lots
Shelly
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