Wheaton Acadamy Interview

As, I mentioned in my last post, Tim had an interview with Wheaton Academy. The process actually started back in February. Tim filled out the initial application and sent it in. At that point, he had no idea how competitive and complicated the process would end up being.

Once Wheaton Academy reviewed is initial application, they gave him the go ahead to fill out the FULL application - which ended up being like 14 pages of essays about doctrine and teaching practices! It took him forever to fill out.

So after that was sent in -end of February, We waited to hear back. Finally we heard back that they wanted to see him for the first round of inteviews. That interview took place last Wednesday, March 26th. The interview lasted almost 2 hours! He thought that it went well as far as he could tell. But while he was at the interview, he found out that more there were over 60 applicants for this one position! Only 15 had been chosen to come in for the first interview. Only 5 will be called back for the 2nd round of the interview process, and out of those 5 only 1 will be CHOSEN!

Isn't that just crazy?! We had no idea that it was that competitive. IF he gets called back, we will most likely know by the end of April, he will have to go back for a FULL day at the school. He would teach a few classes, eat lunch with the kids, and spend some time with the other Bible faculty members.

After that day, IF he all goes well, he would be called back again.
The position is to teach Systematic Theology and World Views to high schoolers full-time. If the Lord would work this out, he would certainly love the opportunity. It would mean that we would have to move a little bit south. But we are not making any plans yet. I have every confidence that the Lord knows what is best for us. And He will certainly open this door or close it according to His Sovereign plan.

Thank you for your love and prayers. We will keep you updated!

Props to my Husband

It's been an exciting and yet difficult time of our lives moving to Chicago. Since September, Tim has been taking about 15 graduate credits at TEDS. He has loved every minute of it - which has encouraged me greatly! He started in the fall simply focusing on seminary full time. The way that Trinity works is that anything over 10 credits is free... so at $630 a credit hour, he was saving us money by not working and going to school full time!

After a while, we realized that our budget couldn't handle Tim not working, so he sweetly offered to get a part-time job to help pay the bills. In February he started working at Starbucks. So now he is a full-time student, part-time Barista, and a full-time husband! He is so busy and so tired, but he rarely complains.

On an average day, he wakes up at 3:30am - gets ready for the day and drives to Starbucks to open at 4:30am. He works until about 8:30am (some days until 12 or 1 if he doesn't have an early class). Then he heads straight from work up to TEDS to attend classes. Some days he is there until almost 6pm. He heads home, eats dinner, and then usually helps me clean up before he gets to some reading for writing. He has been trying to get to bed around 10pm, but that hasn't always been happening (if he has something pressing due).

On top of that,he went to Colorado for a week to preach to his old students from GCA. Then last weekend he spent the weekend in Iowa to preach at a camp for Ben Eilers.

Today is interviewing at Wheaton Academy to teach High School Bible in Fall 2008.

I am just incredibly blessed and thankful to have a husband that is so industrious. And yet as busy as he is, he has made it a priority to spend time with me - he always deals with my emotional ups and downs so well (even if he does have a paper due the next morning). He has been incredible in helping me get used to grad school as well. He helps me think through my papers and projects and gives great advice.

I don't know what I would do without him. The Lord has blessed me greatly to have such a husband - he is my best friend!

Things that my 3rd Graders say daily:

1. "Mrs. Baylor - he's breathin' his nasty old breath on me!"
2. "I'm gonna use it on myself!" (Go to the bathroom in their pants)
3. "Oooohhh he just treated you!" ( Made fun of you badly)
4. "He just kicked me!"
5. "He just hit me!"
6. "Mrs. Baylor, he be talkin' bout my mama!"
7. "Mrs. Baylor, he said my whoooolleee generation!" (i still do not know what this one means!)
8. "She's dancin' all nasty like!" (yes, a little dirty dancing)

There will be more to come...

Scared out of my wits!

Ok, so last Friday night, I went out with some of my friends from work. We went to a little place near where I teach. The logo is above, which in light of the story I am about to tell, is very ironic :o)

If you don't remember, I work on the west side of downtown Chicago. It is not a great area to say the least. But it was still light, so I thought that it wouldn't be a big deal.
I left there at about 8:00pm and left with a friend to go to a diner close by to get some breakfast for dinner. Well, it was about 9:00pm when I left to go home. I was really silly and forgot to get directions to the highway. Well, I had a map, so I looked at it, but ...I went the wrong way (anyone who knows me, knows that is not uncommon :o) So I basically went into a worse part of town.

Well, I am driving down North Avenue minding my own business, when a cop car (or the po-po as my students say) slid to a slanted stop in front of my, cutting off the road. The officers jumped out of their car and drew their guns, pointing into a crowd of people (away from me fortunately). Before I knew it there was glass breaking, people shouting, and guns shooting! I could not believe my eyes!

I was less than 20 feet from all of this! I was so nervous! I thought for sure I was going to be one of those innocent bistander's that is in the local news for getting shot!
I called Tim right away and he told me to keep driving slowly until I could get past all of the craziness.So as I drove by I saw people in handcuffs, yelling, and mulling about. Just as I got past the area, 5 more cars/SUV's swarmed the area. I got out of there as quickly as I could, my heart racing! Tim had a map and navigated me out of the area! PTL!

Before I knew it I was home safely in my own house! AAAhhhh I have never been so scared in my life.

Ok, so now Sarah Branine, Katie Zakes, um I mean Barker, and I have all had some close and crazy encounters! This is starting to get weird!

A Few Lessons learned:

1. Do not stay in west Chicago much after dark (especially by yourself)
2. Get directions BEFORE you leave somewhere (especially downtown)
3. Have your husband by your a tom - tom ;o)

Another week come and gone

Well, it has been a very busy with Tim starting Starbucks, our car in the shop and my kids getting a little stir-crazy with all of this snow and cold weather.  But I have really enjoyed having Tim back and we are starting to get back into the swing of things again.

Wednesday night I went to Suzanne and Ryan Dobbertin's house for dinner (tim couldn't make it with his work schedule).  We had a great time catching up and remembering old times.  I am so glad that she is in the Chicago area and hopefully we can stay in better touch now.  Her son Gavin is soooo cute!  And she is such a good mommy!  I had a wonderful time with them.  

Then came the weekend....Finally! The weekends are always nice, because we usually sleep in Saturday mornings and then go out Saturday nights. Last night, we hung out with the Logan's. The guys watched a big basketball game (no idea which one:o) and Lindsay and I went out to Babies R Us to check out things for her registry. We had such a nice time!  After almost 2 hours of walking around the store, we found this great reclining rocker.  I just had to get a pic of her.... she looked so cute!

I have been going to church early, because I have been doing nursery during the 8am service.  It has been a really neat experience getting to know a lot of families and their children... and of course it give me my "Baby Fix " -- so Tim is glad for that ;o) Then Tim meets me at church at 9:30am and we go to our 20 something sunday school class.  We have loved this time!  Not only is it a great time to get to know couples our age, but it is also such a good time of study in the word.  After that, we go to the 11am church service.  

We just love our paster Colin Smith so much.  he has been such a blessing to us in these last 6 months.  Today there was a guest speaker, but his message was very encouraging to both Tim and I.  The basic proposition was  that God does not bless you or use you because you have a certain level of potential or usability. He blesses you because he wants to accomplish his work through you. But it really has nothing to do with YOU and your abilities.  

What a blessing!

I hope you all have a wonderful week in the Lord !  

"Crank Dat" Written by Soulja Boy, performed by my third grade class

ok, so my kids always sing this song and do the dance... it's kind of a rap song. It always makes me laugh, so I had to share it with you! They are so silly :)

Here are the lyrics to the chorus in case you can't understand them.

Soulja Boy up in it (OH!)
Watch Me Crank It
Watch Me Roll
Watch Me Crank Dat Soulja Boy,
That Super Man Dat (OH!)
Now Watch Me Do
(Crank Dat Soulja )
Now Watch Me Do
(Crank Dat Soulja )
Now Watch Me Do
(Crank Dat Soulja )
Now Watch Me Do
(Crank Dat Soulja )

Busy life in February

Well, this last month has just flown by! I finished up my first grad school class  "Foundations of Education" and actually pulled offan A- (not sure how that happened with working full time etc... but PTL!) Then I started a class called "Foundations of Integrative Thought".  It was Tuesday and Thursday nights from 6-10 pm.  

Wow! Talk about crazy!  It was a very interesting class. It was basically a Biblical Theology class on crack.  What I mean by that is that it was very accelerated since it was a block course. So there was a lot crammed into 2 and a half weeks!  I found myself surrounded by people in my class (including my professor) who were questioning whether people go to hell or not! It was crazy.  I didn't think that I would face that. I was certainly the only Calvinist in there (which truthfully, I have experience that before). So needless to say, it was quite the experience.  I was really challenged in my beliefs.  It was very good for me study these things and defend them without Tim there to help me.  

Well, in this last week of February, tim was gone in Colorado preaching at a GCA teen class trip.  I was so happy that he got to go and be with this kids again.  But it came at such a bad time.  I had a Biblical Theology paper due in my class that week! And it was worth 80% of my grade! Fortunately, some of Tim's friends were a huge help! I would like to give a shout out to Nate Mihiles, Scott Logan, Tim Barker, and James Gordon. Thanks guys for giving me advice an

d helping me with this paper while Tim was away! I am sure that Tim is thankful that you kept me from falling into heretical arguments in my paper (bad for the Baylor name here, ya know?)

Tim came back into town Friday night (29th of Feb.) and we went out to dinner at a sweet little Italian restaurant in our area. It has been great havi

ng him home again.  Although, now he has to play catch up with seminary.  Fortunately, he has this week off of classes for Spring break... and I have off of my grad school classes as well! So hopefully we will be able to get back into the swing of things!

Oh yea, and Tim started a job a Starbucks!  It is just great for me! We get 1 lb. of FREE coffee beans eery week!  And when we are out together we can get coffee drinks for 30% off!  It's sweet.  He will be working 4:30am - 8:30 am Monday - Friday.   It will be difficult, but it will really help us to pay the bills. 

I am so pumped that I have about 14 days until my Spring Break at HFLS! So I am absolutely excited!

I can't believe that this year is going by so quickly! I just have March, April, and May left until the school year is over... crazy!  

Well, that's all for now. Hope you and your families are all doing well!  May God's blessing and peace be upon you in the rest of this year!