Wowee Zowee

Hi everyone! Emily here. What exciting adventures you have all been up to! I love the pictures and the stories:so cool. I have been bogged down in correcting papers and surviving the intense land of inner city middle schoolers. I ended up teaching 6th(going into 7th) grade reading at WA MS in Beacon Hill. All of my kids were there because they flunked at least 2 classes during the year. Because my class was added on at the last minute, my 2 classes were made up of the kids that the other teachers "gave to me" because they didn't want to deal with them. In one class there were only 4 girls, fights everyday and a lot of apathetic, self-concious namecalling. Not to mention being spit at. It was quite a learning experience. My first partner teacher quit after 2 days, the second one after a week and then we had subs. They didn't give us the curriculum until the second week, so I made up a lot of stuff. We analyzed song lyrics and did readers theatre with Agust WIlson and Romeo and Juliet. I had to fail people which was hard, some kids wouldn't do anything but sit, tap their pencils and glare. I think most of them liked me though. I've learned some new slang! It made me feel kinda old to have to ask, "what does that mean?" Anyway, now it is done, and I am moving! Phil and I and our friend Jorden have moved into a cute 3 bedroom in Shoreline, just north of Seattle. We have a great yard and fireplace! I still have lots to move in, but it is great and now we just have to get our cats to get along. WE ARE HAVING A HOUSE WARMING PARTY ON OCTOBER 28th AND YOU ARE ALL INVITED. So, if you should find yourself in the northwest, you know you've got halloween plans availiable. We are planning it now because then we can hope to get as many people to come as possible. AND WE WANT YOU. Ofcourse, I agree with Lex that Seattle is a great place to visit anytime, and please do. I really want to go to Disneyland sometime soon. Well, this overdue message is long, Mostly I want you all to know that I am thinking about you, and lookingforward to when we can be all together again. Can you believe summer is almost over?! AH! ok, by now, love Emily