It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas...Sort Of

The Wednesday before Thanksgiving I ran out of school as soon as the last bell of the day rang knowing I had little time to make my Thanksgiving surprise happen.  I made it to the airport with a decent amount of time and boarded the plane that would take me to Forte Lauderdale where I would catch my next flight to Chicago.  I had told nobody except for my brother Nate that I was coming, and I was definitely excited to see surprised looks on the faces of my family and friends.  I got off the plane in Forte Lauderdale and immediately started shivering, I had forgotten how much cooler it is in the states even in Florida.  Thanksgiving morning I walked out to the kitchen where my mother had to do a double take to realize who was standing there.  It was  fun surprising everyone as one by one they arrived for Thanksgiving.  It was a great weekend, and I loved being able to be home and eat some good Thanksgiving food. Sunday, it was back to reality as I stood in a long line for security at Midway early in the morning going through the necessary procedures for my return to Santo Domingo.
This past week was extremely busy as I was trying to get in the rest of the new material needed to complete the semester meanwhile trying to stay somewhat healthy after catching a cold and sinus infection.  This week begins our review week in which we're not allowed to begin any new material.  It is all about reviewing and preparing for their final exams which will happen the following week and a half. 
Its weird to think that I'm completing my first semester as a real math teacher. I feel like I have been teaching math for years.  It has definitely been a good semester.  God has shown me so much his patience and some of the hearts that he is patiently waiting for.  Every day I see kids that have everything they could want, but yet they are not satisfied, are empty, and are desperately reaching out for everything and anything to fill that hunger that only God can satisfy. It makes me very grateful for my high school expxerience.
I keep saying it really doesn't feel like December.  It is definitely not cold enough for that to be true and it's hard to believe I have been here for that long.  In a couple weeks, I'll be flying back to Chicago for Christmas, and I've been hearing it's been "warm" there, and I won't be heartbroken if I don't have to see snow this year.