First Class Teens Update

Woohoo! I'm so excited! Rod and I officially have permission from the Board of First Class Skagit County to work with our teen group! They are ages 12-18. Why am I sooo excited?

We had a Board Meeting tonight where they prayed over us! We feel like we have been "sent out" with the blessing of the board... almost to the point of feeling commissioned!

Most of you know that I was involved with Youth Dynamics as a student, student leader and as a college youth leader. I helped out at His Place with the Jr. High Youth for a couple of years. Those were some of the best memories... I loved most everything about it. It was a huge time of growth in my life. I have always thought that one day, if I ever had the chance, I would give back the way that I was given to.. but I didnt' think that that chance would ever come.

About a year ago, we started talking with the Teens. Rod & I noticed that they are not traditionally schooled kids. They have different issues. Most of them are christian kids that need to grab ahold of the faith they already have. Most of them have parent issues rather than morality or drug issues. Because of all of this, they don't necessarily fit into the traditional youth group mold. We realized this and said some things to a few different people. Told some people that we were interested in helping. Mostly they didn't know our background of youth ministry and we don't have teens. So, at the time they thought that we wouldn't fit.

Not too long ago, it was agreed upon that that the direction of the teen group needed to change. That's when Rod & I began to talk about our experiences and we decided to take seriously having fun with the kids. We took some sledding in December. Took some ice skating in February. The feedback from parents & kids involved has been tremendous. For the first time we've heard the teens say that they do want their own first class teen group, and they are excited about it! Yay!

It looks as if we will be doing one or two fun activities a month (ie: ice skating, skeet shooting) and then one activity night at the church. This of course is open to change. it may need to be adjusted or changed altogether. But we do *have permission* to do all of this. Got a facility use form from EBC today... that's new territory!

What's going to be interesting to see, is that since these kids are homeschooled and most already have a faith in God.. that we should be able to do more with them spiritually than what you would do with most youth groups. I'm interested in seeing where this will take us. I hope that starting something like this in our own co-op will mean that in the future that we will be able to get together and do things with the teens of other first class co-ops. We're also hoping that by the time that Josiah is able to attend (2.5 years) that there will be a foundation laid down for our group!

So pray for us, as we begin this journey. I'm really looking forward to what we have to share with the kids! Zindra

A New Year's Update

Hi! Just thought I might give everyone a little heads up about life lately...

Christmas was fabulous.. We had Christmas dinner with my parents in their new house with my brother Zane, his wife Shannon and my niece Katelin. They are visiting from Maryland. Funny thing is, until yesterday... they had no electricity! We had a hallelujah breakdown yesterday afternoon after the electricity was installed. My dad called and had me bring out the camera! We took a picture of my mom turning on the power to the house! Then, we installed the 37" flat screen that Mom & I found on Black Friday. It took Rod and Dad a bit of time to figure out how to get it to hang on the hanger that hangs on the wall. Then Rod and Garrett went to their 'old' house and got the 360 and we watched 20 minutes of Ratatouille on the big screen tv. Yah, all of us, even my parents, sitting on couches in front of the new tv in the new house. Making new memories.

At least the heat is on now. I suppose they could officially move in!

Their phone was supposed to be transferred today... but of course that couldn't go as planned. Not sure about a date for the phone.

I've had a cold since the day after Christmas. Rod had the week off. I guess it was a good thing, because I was sick most of his time off. Even though I was sick, we managed to take some of the kids from our Friday School group sledding as well as we took our own kids sledding.

Rod and I are getting involved with the Teens from our Friday School group. Sledding was the first official thing we planned. We are going to go Ice Skating in January. Then, we are going (and whoever wants to come is invited) to go see Toby Mac (from DC Talk) in February at Overlake Christian Church. (Have you ever seen their sanctuary??!!) That should be a ton of fun. Once Friday School has started the spring term, we are most likely going to begin a Youth night... we're thinking of starting it once a month. I know most of you know but Rod and I were really involved with Youth Ministry in our college and early married days. We've noticed that there is a need in our own Co-op. Since we both have a youth ministry background, we thought we'd do it. And our teen group includes 7th & up... which means that in a couple of years, Josiah will be in it. So we thought we'd try to get it started so it will be established by the time our own kids are involved!

I'm doing the newsletter for our Co-op. Each month writing a cover story/letter gets easier and easier. I didn't think I would ever write one at all. I thought I'd stick filler in it and not really worry about writing something. But I've come to enjoy it. The St. John's who started friday school have invited me to write for their ezine... Haven't submitted anything there yet, but I'm sure I will.

Still meeting on fridays with my prayer group. It started out we were reading a christian book together. Now we are doing a bible video series by Ken Hamm. It's a little bit older of a video series, but excellent content.

It's the New Year, which means I have to get Rod's vacation schedule scheduled for this year on his work calendar. It took me a couple of years to feel okay with scheduling out the entire year. I'm used to it now... but it's something that needs to be done in the next few days.

Since we took the Holidays off from homeschooling, I guess it's time to get going again. I really like schooling... I just don't like the getting going part!

I guess that's all for now :) Happy New Year! Zindra

Our First REAL Cake Order

YaY! Rod and I got our first real *paying* cake order! One of the girls at Rod's work wants her very own birthday cake... And she designed it herself! Here's a picture of her sketch... It's due in January!

First Class Teens

Rod and I are going to be helping out with the First Class Homeschool Co-op Teens. We realized last summer after a church group camping trip that we went on that our teens don't have many of the issues that normal high school teens have.

And then we realized that with the backgrounds that both of us have in Youth Ministry... That we may be able to make this work. It may sound a bit odd considering that our kids are younger. But Josiah will be of age for the teen group in about 3 years. That will go by quickly. It would be nice to have something established for him & his friends by the time they need it..

So we are thinking about doing some youth group type activities with them. Have fun with them and then be able to engage their hearts.

Barista Zindra

I was reading Shannons recent Blog when I realized that I haven't blogged in about a month! Where has the time gone? Well... we've been up to alot lately. Here's a mini update.

Let's see.. Rod and I are quite involved with Friday School this term. Rod is teaching two Chess classes and a Paper Airplane class (Top Gun School of Flight is the title :) ) Both are a success. I thought all I was going to do was be in coffee corner block a, my block off (or help with admin stuff occasionally), and help out Rod in his classes block b & c.

A couple of months ago, First Class bought a real espresso machine for our co-op. Free coffee for Teachers. An Incentive to get people to teach. And everyone else only pays $2 per cup.

Well, the first friday morning, Chrissie, who's in charge of Coffee Corner asked if I could help her out in Block A. I said sure, I can do that! What I didn't realize is that I would become the new Barista! Well after we got all of the food together, they stuck me in front of the espresso machine and asked if I remembered how to make mochas... (we had a training when we bought the machine).

Ummm, well there's more to it than putting coffee and milk in a paper cup! After the first day, I had it down. Week two went without any major hitches. My biggest thing is trying to remember to hold/take off the thermometer when pouring the milk. It only fell in twice this last week!

I'm really enjoying it very much. I'm doing something fun, something that people like, and everyone comes up and talks to me while i'm making it! So i'm getting plenty of my words out on fridays!

When we first got the machine, I had told Rod that I would love to make coffees at friday school... i've always wanted to work at an espresso stand. Why? I'm not sure. Maybe for free espresso? Anyhow... I can now say that I am a real Barista! That was a fun surprise. I think I'd like to expand my repertoire at some point to make a few more drinks... I had no idea what it took to stand for over an hour making coffee. Remembering all of the details. Figuring out how to make them more quickly. There are enough orders, that the entire time I am in front of the machine, I'm frothing milk or waiting for the shots.

At training, the starbucks lady taught me how to make a caramel macchiato (sp?). So next week i'm taking my caramel syrup to make my first real one. Chrissie likes them too... What's been the real surprise, is that i'm really getting the chance to know Chrissie and Tammie. Both gals that I liked before, but we've now gone through the espresso making trenches together.. we'll be bonded for life :)