it's been a long week... and it's only Wednesday!

Maybe it's just that this Monday we had a 'staff development' day, but every teacher in the school is exhausted! I know, I know, welcome to the life of teaching: awful, boring staff 'training' events that tell you exactly what you already know and make you play SuDoKu for 3 or 4 hours... or maybe that's just me :)

BUT I have been so happy, regardless of my tiredness, to be back and seeing all my kiddos again. I really missed them! Even when they're talkative, kind of rude, or just bouncing off the walls, I love being able to see the goodness in their hearts and the innocence of their ways. One imparticular 1st grader comes to mind, a boy who is also on my soccer team. His mom, Alicia, the Kindergarten teacher at Heritage, picked me up as I was walking to school the other morning. When we got to school, it was Jonah's turn to pray, so we all bowed our heads and folded our hands, and his prayer was just beautiful. It went something like this:

Dear Jesus, thank you for this day and that we get to come to school again. I just want to pray that we all have a good time at chapel today and that all the kids would be good. Jesus, I want to pray for the teachers here, that they would teach all the kids really good. Thank you for everything you give to us. Thank you for Mom and Dad and Brody and Greyson too. I just want to pray for a good time today, Jesus. I love you so much. Amen.

He was so precious. He's one of my favorites. That is, of course, if I had favorites!
Love these kids, even when I'm tired.

say cheese!

I love being the Yearbook Advisor! First, no one questions why I'm taking pictures of everything. (not that I've ever needed a reason...) Second, all I need for the kids to pose is to ask them if they would like to take a picture for the yearbook - and they all gather 'round! And I just love making layouts, playing with backgrounds and designs, and editing all of the photos. Granted, my 9th graders who are in the Yearbook class are having a hard time understanding "consistency" and "themes"... especially since I told them they can't use clip art. We'll see if I end up making the whole yearbook or if they are able to start grasping the concepts. I just gave them an assignment of making their own personal books using what I've taught them about margins, picture placement, framing, text, color schemes, etc. Time will tell how it's going to go!

Anyways, I wanted to let you all know that I have another website that I've been posting some pics of my kiddos to. I'm not planning on posting them on facebook or anything, and I wouldn't have the time to wait for all of them to load individually on blogger (it takes forever with our Internet here!!) SO my solution was to upload them to one of my shutterfly websites.

My site with my Uganda pics will be: http://www.kristi1.shutterfly.com/

My site that has my 'professional' pictures has been: http://www.kristifuller.shutterfly.com

praying that you all have a blessed Sunday!

AND a special Happy Birthday to Mom today, Danielle yesterday, Jess on Friday, and Grandma Shirley tomorrow!

and the adventure continues!

I headed out of LAX late Saturday evening, after a wonderful last day in Cali...

I finished packing everything (peanut butter, chocolate, and all!) in the morning, then Casey and I went to the Dodger game (vs. SF Giants) and we won 12-1! sorry, Brandon! It was an awesome game; Kemp and Loney hit back-to-back home runs, Belliard hit a grand slam, and we got to see Brad Penny (former Dodger who we didn't think was all that good) not pitch very well. :) Randy Johnson (not the one from Simi) also came in to pitch. I don't know why, but I really like him!



*sidenote* I think that I might just like Randy Johnson because when I was in 4th grade, at the Father-Daughter dance at Hollow Hills, I won three packs of '89 and '90 baseball cards, and one of them was of Randy Johnson pitching. I really liked the picture of him; his arms were completely stretched out as he was rotating through his pitch... And other than the Sammy Sosa rookie card, that's the only other card that I can actually remember from the hundreds that I had. Hence, why I like him. *end sidenote*



The game was followed by dinner with Aunt Jacque, KK, Mom, Kell, Dillon (and Casey & I) at the Cheesecake Factory. Mmm... nothing like a piece of Godiva Chocolate Cheesecake before an 11-hour flight. Then, Mom, AJ, KK, and Kell took me to the airport and (after a few problems - what else is new?) I boarded the plane! I must say though, we were quite a spectacle going through the terminal; me with 3 huge bags of luggage, my carry-on bag, my laptop bag, and my purse; and my four weirdos behind me: waving, hollering, jumping on each other's backs to wave, making faces ... I'm even surprised they didn't detain us :)



Made it through security in about 30 minutes; everyone says you have to be there several hours early, but it has never taken me more than 45 min. to get through and be sitting there waiting and waiting :) knock on wood. Anyway, so I waited with a lot of other people for our flight to London. The couple sitting next to me only spoke Italian, so they were confused by the boarding procedure. I'm sure it was kind of comical to see me using my hands to motion that their row had been called and they could go board the plane. Once I boarded, I got to sit next to an older man who was also Italian. He made many motions as well, which I took to mean that he didn't speak English either. Our flight, therefore, was a little sparce on conversation, but excellent for sleeping! We had the seat in between us open, and I asked (by gesturing) if it would be okay if I put my feet on the middle seat. He nodded yes, so I was able to cuddle up and conk out for the rest of the flight (with the help of NyQuil).

And then, all of a sudden, I woke up and we were getting ready to land! I did have a six hour lay-over in the Heathrow airport, and since I didn't venture into the city, I made myself comfy at one of the eateries and ordered some chips. that's right... french fries! The prices were kind of outrageous, and I really didn't want to convert too much money into pounds, hence the french fry dinner. I lounged about, walked up and down a few times to check out the duty-free shops, and watched a lot of the planes take off, land, and taxi around. Then, I just cuddled up again in a really comfortable lounge chair and got some more shut-eye.

That time, I only slept for a half-hour or so... the airport isn't the most conducive place to sleep! I grabbed a Starbucks (and they took my Starbucks card; I was excited) and then sat to wait and see which terminal my plane would take off from. I did enjoy, during my short stay, the round covers on the ceiling that hid the ugly wiring and piping. It definitely made the place look more modern, in addition to serving a good purpose. The Air Traffic Control tower was also really neat. I've seen my fair share of towers, but this one just looked really cool. It was extremely narrow in the body, and the control room itself was longer and more narrow than any I've seen. My picture of it doesn't do it justice; I didn't have a chance to get the angle when we landed, which is when I thought it looked so neat.

It was also awesome to see some of the London countryside as we flew beneath the cloud cover and into the actual city. I REALLY REALLY want to extend my lay-over there on my return flight so I can explore a little bit... I'd love to see some of the countryside outside London, and maybe take a few days to visit France too!

I met some awesome people while waiting for the flight to Entebbe: twelve Americans from Washington, D.C. who were coming to 'the bush' to build a new church, three British plastic surgeons who were coming to train Ugandan surgeons how work on children with elefantiasis and clubbed feet, and three Americans who were coming on a medical missions trip to go up to Northern UG and disperse some medications and teach them how to prevent different infections. A very neat group of people!!

I didn't really sleep that much on this 10-hour flight, mostly because I had slept so much before - oops! I did get to watch three movies and some tv shows, though! I also was able to see the most amazing sunrise out of my window.

I probably took 20 pictures that showed the progression of the sun rising over the horizon in the sky; it was absolutely amazing! I just kept thinking, "Thanks, Lord. What a cool gift to get on my return here!" I chose this one just because of the sun's reflections, but the others were so vivid and colorful... so breath-taking. Such an awesome (literally) earth that we live in, to have so much beauty surrounding us!!!

Ok, well, that's about it! I made it back here and started teaching the next day! It's been a long week, and I am very excited for the weekend. But we're all back in the swing of things here!

one year...

"but in the twinkling of a moment,
before the chance to say so long,
you were taken from our world and now you're gone.

but I'll see you when I get home in the street by and by
and we'll walk along the streets of gold with angels by our side
and time will have no meaning there, in the land of no good-byes
it's good to know, I'll see you when I get home"

"When I Get Home" by 4Him

"greater things have yet to come, and greater things are still to be done in this city"

"God of This City" by Chris Tomlin

"Hear, O Lord, my righteous plea. Listen to my cry, give ear to my prayer,
for it comes desperately, desperately I come to You, You're my rock and my strength.

Jesus, I lift my eyes to the heavens, where does my help come from? You, Oh my Lord!
My heart has a thousand words to say, please Lord, turn burdens into praise!"


"Jesus, I Lift My Eyes" by the Pat Little Band

"I know You're there, I know You see me, You're the air I breathe, You are the ground beneath me, I know You're there, I know You hear me, I can find You anywhere!

If all I had was one last chance, I would take it, I would stake it all on You..."

"I Know You're There" by Casting Crowns




"but it's the memory of the place you've brought me from
that keeps me on my knees, even though I'm free...

heal the wound but leave a scar, a reminder of how merciful you are.
I am broke and torn apart; take the pieces of this heart,
heal the wound but leave a scar."

"Heal the Wound" by Point of Grace

"Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,

Your perfect love is casting out fear.

And even when I'm caught in the middle of the storms of this life,

I won't turn back, I know you are near.

I will fear no evil, for my God is with me!

And if my God is with me, whom then shall I fear? Whom then shall I fear?

Oh Lord, you never let go; through the calm and through the storm.

Oh no, you never let go, every high and every low!

Oh no, you never let go; Lord, you never let go of me!"


"Never Let Go" by Matt Redman





"My heart and my soul, I give you control... consume me from the inside out, Lord!
Let justice and praise become my embrace to love you from the inside out!

Everlasting, Your light will shine will all else fails!
Never-ending, Your glory goes beyond all things, and the cry of my heart is to bring you praise from the inside out, Lord my soul cries out!"

"Inside Out" by Hillsong

sitting with my puppy

Right now, I'm just sitting here with my puppy, Coda, and doing lesson plans. I'm planning on heading out to the ranch in a little while, probably go for a hike and visit with Grandma for a bit.

Mostly, I just wanted to post and say thanks for all of the outpouring of love and support. I don't think I can say it enough.

I am so thankful for the friends and family I have, here in California, and all over the U.S. for that matter, and over in Uganda. As I was doing my lesson plans, I chose a new 'Name of Christ' for devotions with my 6th graders... I don't know who's teaching them right now, but I really hope they are still enjoying delving into the different names of Christ that we've been looking at.

I couldn't help but choose "A friend who sticks closer than a brother" for this next week. It just seemed to fit. In Proverbs 18:24, it says, “A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.” In my lesson plans, I wrote out: Explain that in our Lord, we have a friend… not a school friend, or someone we see every once in a while, but a friend who will always be true and faithful, who never leaves us. Isn’t it crazy how the King of the entire universe, instead of making us only be His servants, has ALSO given us the title ‘friend’?!? Oh Jesus, may we live up to the honor and calling that you’ve given to us.

And I couldn't help but be still and wonder at it. How many times have we called on our Lord as the King of Glory, the Creator, the Provider, the Comforter, our Shield and Strength, the Omnipotent, the Beginning and the End, and yet... He is also our Friend.

Thank you, my Friend, for being with me, for providing and comforting and caring, but mostly for being here to talk to, for never letting me feel alone or abandoned... for consistently showing up right when I need you... for being a shoulder to cry on (and weep on), to laugh at my clumsiness when no one else is around and I know you're the only one watching, and to make me excited and joyful about the little things in life. Thank you.