Once a year?

I don't blog but once a year. Sometimes I read other people's blogs. Ok, honestly, I only read the Semsens to avoid those awkward moments when we are together and they're like "wait, you didn't know this was happening in our lives? You should read our blogs". So embarrasing.

This one should be entitled "miracle" becuase the last few months I have experienced some serious miracles from God in our life situations:

Miracle # 1: Melody and I are expecting a very healthy baby boy in November (ok, October 31st and we'll be blasting Thriller on his way out:)

Miracle #2: I finished my Teacher Credential along with a MA from APU. I walk this Friday. The crazy moments come when I feel like there is something I should be doing, like reading a book or writing a paper, but there isn't anything to do. I'm done baby! At least for a while....

Miracle #3: I spent three years at Midway Baptist teaching English, PE, and being the Athletic Director. It's a great school and I'll miss it a lot, because I quit! No, that's not the miracle. I quit at the worst possible time...when teachers are being laid off, California senators can't balance their own checkbooks, let alone the states, and jobs in educationan are super volatile. HERE's THE MIRACLE: I got a job! I don't think I've prayed so hard in my life. I went in for an interview at Liberty Charter School in El Cajon, we all sat in the Kindergarten room in those little tiny chairs (just picture my knees in my chest), then they asked me to do a demo lesson. After the lesson, by the time I got home there was a letter of intent in my email. Yay God!

Miracle #4: Becuase I quit my Midway job, my benefits were going to end early. Not a good time to be messing around with medical insurance when we have to go to all these pregnancy appointments. Anyway, I talked to my old boss and he was kind enough let me keep our medical until August 31st. Then I talked to my new boss and he said that my new insurance would go into effect on Sept 1st! Seemless. Amazing. All at the same time. Plus, I'll start getting paid on 9/1, which means that we won't have that dreaded gap in pay that always happened when I had a job in college.

So those are the biggies that have happened in the recent past. melody and I are still working on our house. Just poured two new sidewalks and we're working on sprinklers and grass growing. For the last three weeks of my summer I'll be in S-bucks every afternoon working on my syllabus and course lessons for the coming schoolyear. It's crazy to have all these new things- baby, new job, Melody staying at home- all happening at once. But it's a fun change into the next stage of life. Wahoo! and yay God.

Another Class

So I've been in school for what seems like forever now. I started my California credential program last september. It was not easy. The classes we once a week for 5 hours at a time. I juggled school, work, and basketball season. It was perhaps the busiest time of my life. I remember in my undergrad, I was just as busy. But when you're an adult, it counts more. I have to pay bills and do well in school, and have a job, and a marriage (thanks Melody!)

Anyway, I just finished an online summer session course. I'm not proud of it. I spent less time than I should have. This was actually a Master's course. As it stands right now, I've finished my student teaching and have submitted for my credential. That's right, I passed all my classes with a B or better! They don't let you go on unless you do that. Right now, after finishing this class, I have only 6 more units until I get my MA in Education. To be honest, I'm not super excited about it. I'd rather get a MA in literature. But to be only 6 units away is a big thing. Thank you Melody and Heidi for making me just stick it out. It will be worth it in the end.

So I will take a class this Fall, skip one quarter because of basketball season (no way am I doing that again), and then work on my thesis in the Spring/Summer. Crazy! I don't even know what I would write about.

My xanga is titled 'once in a while', and I'm sticking to that. I submitted my final project a few minutes ago. Now I actually have one full month of vacation from schoolwork! It's great. I'm looking forward to working on our house some more and getting ready to start teaching/AD in August.

Right now, we're in Idaho visiting my parents. It's hot. We're going to float the river on Monday. It's super fun!

That is all. Tune in in about five months for another update.

Bye (or as my old roomate would say, Caio)

Hello......is anybody out there.........?

So I'm on Christmas break from school (teaching is a great job). We get three full weeks this year. I just spent the first week fixing up our new residence at 1018 D Ave in National City. That's right. We bought a house. Very scary if you think about it too long. So I don't. I'd rather just do what millions of consumers do in the US every day.....can I make the payments? OK! Lets buy it!

We're sitting in the airport in San Diego waiting to fly to Boise to see my parents. Bad news: the flight was delayed like three hours. Good news: we got vouchers for $200 each. Anyway, it will be fun to take a break from the craziness of our house. We come back just before new years and will be moving in just in time to start back to work. Exciting times in the Holz family

My credential work is going fine. I was really gun ho my first quarter (read every assignment, etc) now, I'm like a real student just trying to get by. All is well.

That's it. Anybody know how to paint? We could always use an extra pair of hands on our house.

OH CRAP!!!!! I'm actually blogging again. Quick updates.....

1. I'm still teaching junior high English at MBHS

2. Now I'm going back to APU (extension campus SD) to get my credential and masters

3. It's a lot of work.

4.My wife gets more beautiful with each passing day.

5. I quit church (not permanently, just taking a break for now; think of me as a freelance churchgoer)

6. I will coach basketball this season (even though I'll be going to class twice a week for five hours at a time)

7. Did I mention I was busy with school, school, and more school.

8. Es todo

So really, life is great. I'm "doing my homework" right now while Melody is off with the girls. She makes the best Salmon! I love being back in school because my mind is challenged again. Learning about how to teach more affectively is quite enjoyable. It's great to be able to put it in to practice each day. (big thanks to midway for paying me to learn how to teach)

P.S. I LOVE MY WIFE

She is amazing. She is leading worship now on wed. nights at MB. Sooooo talented. She even picked up, that's right, picked it back up-the violin. What a woman. Anyway, gotta go. She'll be mad when she sees this because she thinks I'm doing my homework and slaving away for our future.

I'm taking a study break OKAY!

When was the last time I was actually writing on this site? Dunno. Duntcare. No need to update. Life is good. First year of teaching is almost over (Thank God). So tired. Of kids.

So maybe we should try to help Mexico as a country restructure their government so the gap between the upper and lower class isn't so huge. Pre-emptive strike anyone? If we just blow up mexico, then we won't have any immigration problems, right? Anyway. Don't know how to solve the problem. Don't know if it really is a problem.

Hey, my wife is amazing! She works so hard. Even making extra money by playing piano. She sure is great. I love Melody Holz!

That is all.