There's No Day Like A Snow Day

It's 11 AM and I am deliriously happy. Never mind that the whole city has essentially shut down and I have to live on the meager supplies found in my home. I don't have to go to school today, and tomorrow's not looking so good either unless there's a serious and unforeseen melt.

Addendum: it's freezing rain, wet slick roads, and school has now (about 8 PM) been canceled for tomorrow as well.

This seems like a good time, since we've come full circle, to describe what's been going on in my life since the last snow day, which was a week ago Tuesday. On that date, everybody actually went to school in the morning and we were then dismissed about 10:00 AM. Those of us who didn't have to leave immediately (and this was most of the student body, faculty and staff) went out in front of the school and threw all available snow at one another. After this, Brittany and I went over to Sara Kim's house, which is right across the street from school. There we watched the movie "I Am Legend" which is slightly better than the average apocalyptic zombie movie. It was a wonderful experience, however, because I don't get all that many chances to hang out with Brittany when not surrounded by a horde of children who still don't know we're even together. So we bonded.

After the movie, we went and painted sets for the school's production of "Oliver Twist" (not the musical version), which Brittany is directed and I helped out with. Actually I was credited as a "co-director," but that drastically overrates my contribution, which was essentially to help control the crowd at rehearsals. Anyway, we painted these sets (canvas on wooden frames) with two other teachers, the aforementioned Sara and Ruth the art teacher. We ordered Domino's (yes, there's Domino's here) and had fun.

It was a good thing, too, because for the next few days (until the last performance on Sunday night, really) life was shatteringly hectic. I was either worrying about the play, worrying about my actual job, or sleeping most of the day. The play definitely gave cause for concern, with kids forgetting their lines, or losing their props, or missing their cues right through the dress rehearsal. I was extremely stressed and snappish, and had to apologize to a few people for going off on them. This is not typical of me, and was distressing.

The play itself, however, went well. There were two performances. After the first performance, I started out being extremely glum, because some things had gone wrong that we had worked hard on (bad) or hadn't foreseen at all (worse). Naturally I blamed myself for all of this. Then I got up out of my spot and walked around, and realized that everybody except me was happy. Effusive parents praised me for how excellent the show was. Grinning kids thanked me for being involved. Brittany couldn't stop smiling and found time to tell me how amazed she was. So I got a little reality check, remembering that making all those people happy was basically why I did the thing in the first place. I wasn't attempting to reach some abstract standard of artistic perfection, I was attempting to make folks happy. And apparently, the level we performed at did that. So I quit being glum and smiled too, and then we improved a lot for the second night, which was standing-room only. I am satisfied, not because of the improvement, but because I adjusted my standards for success, and because the transparent joy of a child is so utterly, irresistibly contagious.

On Tuesday, I signed a contract for next year at Whitman Academy, so now I'm officially sewn up for that, although the decision has long been made.

Then there was today, when school was canceled due to horribly inclement weather. I did some much-needed house cleaning, and went over to the Judsons for games and food. Two other ladies from the Ashrafieya area were there, and it was just a generally good, carefree time. I won a game of monopoly by a lot, ate better food than I usually manage to provide myself, and relaxed. Tomorrow, the plan is to go to Zarqa and visit Haitham and (perhaps more importantly) a jacuzzi he knows of. A hot tub in winter is a truly wonderful thing. This is only if the whole city isn't covered in disgusting slush by then, which is unfortunately looking increasingly likely.

In the last couple of weeks, I've joined a small group. It's composed primarily of married couples with children, but one thing which I've found there and almost nowhere else is men to talk to and share with. The study this week was on what it means to be "filled with the Spirit" and it was a very insightful, deep, yet practical discussion. Also, in this group there is a young man named Moses, who lives within walking distance of Whitman Academy and is looking for a roommate. That could turn out to be a godsend, as I am sick and tired of living alone. Some solitude is good, but too much can crush your soul.

At the moment, though, despite being alone in my empty house, my spirits are high. A 5-day weekend will do that for you. And then, of course, there's the Super Bowl on Sunday.

Prayer requests: Wisdom with regard to living arrangements, effective time management to do my work and do it well, more motivation to keep up a daily time with God, and grace to conduct my relationship with Brittany (official now, by the way) in a God-honoring way.