Here I am after the Colts beat the Ravens.

Well, I had to get on here and do a Super Bowl edition because, my boys, the Indianapolis Colts, have FINALLY made it there!  I about had a nervous breakdown in the process, as well, as some of you who know me well, can imgaine.  If I actually got on here more often I would had it in blue already.    I think getting there this year was better and more exciting because no one (i.e. media, etc.) expected them to be there.  And I guess they were just waiting for me to get home so I could be here and be right in on all the fun.   It has been fun though.  I have several kids in my class who don't like the Colts, but like other teams that I will not mention here.  Part of it is jumping on the bandwagon, but a few of them are for real.  So we have been having this ongoing war all year during football season and now it's even more fun for me!  I have my classroom windows and outside walls decked out in Colts stuff.  It's so awesome!  What else was awesome was that we ALMOST got to the AFC championship game, but it didn't work out.  My brother's best friend from high school has a brother-in-law that plays for the Colts.  My brother and his wife got to go to the playoff game agains the Chiefs and there was a chance we might have gotten to go if the AFC championship game came back to Indy.  And lo and behold it did, but the tickets didn't work out.  I don't think I couldn't have handled that game in person.  I about didn't handle it on TV at home.  I was screaming, pacing, about to puke - you get the picture.  So I still have to wait one more week for the game!  It is about to kill me!  Go COLTS!!

It has been forever since I have been on here, but things are going okay.  I'm looking into going to Saipan to help out over the summer. When I left, I thought that maybe I would go back this coming year, but I don't feel like that is what I need to do at the moment, but I will keep praying about it. 

My class at school is kind of wearing on me. It is a big class with lots of behavior problems - none bigger than what I have had before though, but it still wears me out.  They are very needy and it just drains me.  Not much else is happening. Our holidays were good, but hard without my dad here.  It is good to be home and around family. That in itself is healing. At church, I am still involved in the praise team and now I am helping some with Children's Church. 

Well, off to do some work for school!  GO BLUE!!!!

Well, I'm sitting at school with lovely high speed internet and I just got the urge to actually write on this thing. I'm very frustrated with the dial up thing that we have at home. But as my mom says, I guess I'm just spoiled.  Anyway, in case you're not on my email list, I got a job teaching 5th grade.  It is going pretty well. I have some stinkers as all classes do, but overall nothing near what I have had in the past. We are in the middle of getting ready for state testing which they do here in the fall so that is fun stuff!  I am being well reminded of all the pressures of teaching in the States.  Oh, to be on an island again...

And some days I do wish I was on an island again.  I have been having some days lately of really missing Saipan.  Something just clicks and reminds me of Saipan or I get an email, etc.  I miss the laid backness of it all, the people there and the beautiful scenery. I miss being at church and seeing those people every week.  I know I need to be here and things are going well, but part of me is still out in the Pacific somewhere.   

I can't really remember anything else that has happened lately except school, school and more school. I feel more comfortable and on track this week. 

I also just wanted to say thanks (to whoever is reading this) that sent emails etc, last year when my dad passed away. For some reason, I just reread some of those emails and was just moved and touched again at the care that was sent my way during those days. I was just overwhelmed again how blessed I am by the family of God that I have all over the world.  So, thank you. I know I don't respond to blogs alot, but I do read and appreciate you, my friends.

Until next time,

Sara

I guess I should probably change my background, name, etc. since I'm not in Saipan anymore, but I guess I can be a Saipan island girl without really being there. 

Most of this is from my last email update so if you get that forgive me for the repeats. Thought this was easier than writing it all over again.  I am again sorry for the long absence!  May was a very busy time and I don’t feel like I have stopped much since I have been home.  I arrived back in Indiana on June 5^th.  The first week I was back I slept, read and started redoing my bedroom at home.  I took down 30 year old wall paper, plastered some holes, and then did a coat of primer and paint.  I also bought a new desk and spent one evening putting that together.  The next week we had a family reunion that was relocated from north Georgia to Indiana.  My grandpa had emergency surgery on Memorial Day so we had to adjust our plans a bit.  He is recovering and doing better now.  It was great for almost our entire Voss side of the family to be together.  It has been many years since I have seen some of my cousins – who now have spouses and children that I hadn’t met yet. We had great times of playing games, shopping for the girls and golf for the boys and worship together.  We have made plans to continue to do this yearly if possible, so I am glad for that.  The last week of June I went to Maryland visit some friends from Trevecca.   It was a great time together. 

I have had two interviews for teaching jobs.  The first position wanted a five year commitment and I didn’t think I could do that right now.  I knew it was a long term commitment going in, but I thought I would at least go and talk to her.  The second position is at a year old charter school.  I am still in the process for that.  I have had the initial interview, but nothing else.  He would like me to do a sample lesson with a group of kids, but I haven’t been there since the interview long enough to do it.  These are the only opportunities I have had so far.  Please be praying that the right job will open up for me. 

As I said before my last month in Saipan was very busy.  May usually is a busy time for teachers, but even more so this year with packing, moving, etc. I spent many hours packing and going to the post office to ship my things back to the States, along with school activities like Field Day, graduation, Uke Jam and the spring band concert. I also completed the testing on my ESL students for the year and several of them exited out of the ESL program.  We also had a surprise banquet for our principal who was also leaving to go back to the States. We thought we had blown the surprise on a couple of occasions, but he didn’t have a clue.  It was great! 

Things are still continuing on at Living Hope Church of the Nazarene.  In May, we had a sort of going away dinner for those of us who were leaving for good and summer, etc.  It was the last time we would all be together for awhile – even those that are coming back.  Many of our people will be traveling at some point over the summer.  Please be praying for the summer plans and ministries of the church.  We have a volunteer couple that I believe is there now for the summer.  Continue to pray for people to step up and be willing to be involved in the ministries that are happening at the church.  Laura and I both are not returning to Saipan along with Bryan and Melodie Bucher.  There are some who have already said they would do a particular ministry, but more help is still needed – either from the people already there or from more volunteers.  Please pray for one specific family in our church who are currently separated from each other.  The husband lives and works in Saipan, but doesn’t make enough money for his wife and children to live in Saipan as well.  They are in the Philippines as of now.  Some plans are being checked into about how the rest of the family could come to Saipan if the wife was a volunteer for the Church of the Nazarene.  She would be a great asset to our church and their family would be able to be together.  Also pray for Pastor Dave and Helen Ann Bucher as they are in the States visiting family and friends.  Pray that this will be a refreshing and relaxing time for them. 

Saying good bye is not something I like to do.  I was very had for me to say good-bye to the wonderful people of Saipan.  Some of it was done in waves at different times, but that last Sunday I was there was the worst.  I said good-bye to the majority of people that day.  At church that morning, I got a glimpse of what it has meant for me to be in Saipan.  One of the teen girls just cried and cried as I was singing the special.  I knew she was crying and I’m kind of glad she had her face covered or I would have been bawling myself as well.  I didn’t really expect her to react like that and I guess I didn’t realize that I was that special to her, but it just reminded me that I have no idea what has been and will be done for eternity from the two years I have spent in Saipan.  I will not get to see the ripple effect of what God is doing there from these past two years, but that is okay.  I know He will take care of and finish what he has started there.  I may go back to Saipan one day – to live or just to visit, I don’t know, but it will always be apart of me and who I am.  I wouldn’t have meant so much to me if I hadn’t left a little bit of myself there by investing in others and truly ‘living’ there and not in the mindset that one day I’d be leaving.  This made it harder to leave, but I’m glad I did it - I wouldn’t have had it any other way.

Please continue to pray for the work in Saipan and Micronesia.  God is working in these tiny places in the Pacific.  Please pray for me as I am at home this year and that I will get the job God intends for me to have.  Also, that I will receive direction for the year(s) to come.  Whether to go back to Saipan, stay in the States or go somewhere else. 

I also have an interview on Tuesday at a college here in town in the International Programs office.  They want someone that has lived overseas and had ESL experience. I would really like to have this experience so we’ll see what happens.  Two more teaching positions were also listed today here in this county.  So I don’t know what will happen, but I know the right this will open up and be offered. 

I also attended my 10 year high school reunion last weekend. I got to see a couple of my good friends and catch up a bit (hey, Amber!)   It was fun, actually.  I was kind of dreading it at the last minute.  It wasn’t really about seeing everyone and comparing what we look like, who’s done what, etc.  I just really realized even more how much I have changed since the last time we were all together – how God has used the experiences he has blessed me with to change me.  How I used to be insecure around a lot of those people, but now it’s not really a problem at all.  I am so glad I have learned to see myself how God sees me and not how others do.  It has taken me a long time to see that and accept it, but I’m so glad that I have.

Sorry this is long and kind of random, but I wanted to try to catch up some on all that has happened in the past few months. 

Well, what's going on in Saipan - I know you are eagerly awaiting the news!   First, of all I did go to the doctor in Guam a little over a week ago for an echocardiagram and stress test.  It showed that nothing was wrong and he didn't need to do anything else.  I haven't been back to the doctor here in Saipan yet, so I guess maybe it will be ruled as anxiety. 

Things have been going well at church and school.  We have been having our regular Kid's Club meetings and Bible Study.  I have been teaching the youngest class on Thursday nights at Kid's Club.  It is quite a challenge at times with anywhere from 13-17 kids, ages 3-7 or so.  I have some parents that are out there helping me, but sometimes seem to cause more chaos than help. They are a great help to me, but culturally here, it's not a problem to be talking while someone else is talking, if you know what I mean.  They are trying to correct their children or just talk to each other, and most times very loudly.  It is a blessing to me though to be with those kids every week. 

I'm ready for school to be over!  Or to just at least have Spring break.  I'm just tired and have little motivation.  One more week until achievement tests - so that means a little break for me since I don't have to give anyone the test and then Spring break is the next week. My mom gets here to Saipan on April 5th, my birthday so I'm VERY excited abou that.  I'm so glad that she's getting to come here before I leave. 

Well, sorry I can't seem to do a very good job at keeping this up to date. I just lack some motivation for it as well.  I'm off to bed!