Joanna

Joanna arrived here just before bedtime on February 23 and just departed this morning about 9:15am.

Her official reason for being here was EFE (early field experience-required my MLC of education majors). She spent her days this past week in Nathan's classroom watching, helping, correcting, and a little actual teaching. She did have the thrill of getting to sub for our 5-6 grade teacher for a few hours Friday morning.

Her evenings have been spent being bombarded by three tornadoes. She has been, as Nathan said, "an extra Mom to our kids this week." She even babysat the kids overnight as Nathan and I escaped to a little hideaway in the Hills for the night Friday.

She also got to experience our Pre-k to 4th grade play night last weekend along with the Chili/Hotdog Supper, our Lenten service, eating out for supper twice with our whole family, Junior Choir singing for Life Sunday, a movie at the Elks Theatre, and a whole lot more.

She had originally planned to leave after church yesterday but with the skies clear and the temps reaching 60 or so she decided to take up an invitation to hike Little Devil's Tower with the Smiths, not us the Smiths but another family from church who had taken a shining to Joanna and happen to share our last name. About 1:00 Joanna, Denise, Kelly, and I all hit the trail. Ah, glorious hiking. I'll have to post pictures of that later since 60s in Rapid does not mean 60s in the Hills.

Overall it was a wonderful 10 days ending with Nathan finding more reasons to be increasingly proud of his littlest sister, with our children becoming very enamoured with their Aunt Joanna, and me becoming closer to my youngest sister-in-law. We are too blessed. :)