Spring News

Praise God, what a busy and blessed few months we have had in our family! Here's the update:

Scott continues to work at Home Depot as the Human Resource (HR) Manager. He works way too many many hours, but that's what happens when you are a salaried employee. Scott won the 4th quarter HR manager award for all the stores in Alaska. He recently found out that he also won for all the stores in the Pacific Northwest! He rocks!! Because of his long work hours, he hasn't had time to do much else. I can tell that spring bear hunting is just around the corner because he has a special spring in his step and sparkle in his eyes. I would like to think it was because he gets to live with me and look at my stunning beauty everyday, but I've finally accepted the reality that it's the hunting :) Scott is almost done with his first big house project. He completely gutted out our downstairs bathroom (ripped up the tile, tore down the walls, replaced the bathtub, fixed the fan, etc.) and has spent the past couple of months putting it back in order. All he has left to do is lay the new tile and put back the sink and toilet, and we'll have a new bathroom!

I continue to teach the junior high class at North Pole Christian School. Before spring break, the school board approached me asking if I would pray about taking over the preschool program next year as director and teacher. They apparently think I have the energy and determination to do it. I laughed and told them I would pray about it knowing full well that God wouldn't allow an old woman of 43 to take over the preschool. Well, after praying about it, He changed my heart, and I decided to go ahead and to it - next year. God had other plans. During spring break the preschool director resigned, and I ended up moving over there much sooner than I had anticipated. The school was able to get a substitute to take over the morning hours of my junior high class while I teach preschool. When preschool goes down for nap after lunch, I teach the junior high in the afternoon. It is a little overwhelming, but God continues to give me strength. Even though the age differences and academic levels of the two classes are completely different, the mentality is surprisingly the same! Just kidding.......well, not really :). I'm also taking over the summer program (ages 3 through 12) and am looking forward to it. I have enrolled in Vanguard University (a Christian college in California) and am taking online classes to earn my early childhood development certificate.

Kaylee moved down to Anchorage in January to attend the university I graduated from (UAA). She is completing her first year in college and is almost finished with her pre-nursing courses. She is taking chemistry this summer then has only to take Anatomy 2, Microbiology, and English 212 in the fall, then she can apply to nursing school. Kaylee just got a job as a certified nursing assistant (CNA) at providence hospital, and her training begins May 11th. The semester ends the last day of April, so she is going to be able to come home for a little over a week. While she is up here, we are going to help buy her first car. She is so excited and can't wait to stop relying on public transportation.

Jackie is still working at Safeway. She hits her one year anniversary at the end of this month. Last quarter she received a 4.0 in school! About half of her classes are special ed, but the other half are regular classes. We are really proud of her! Jackie has decided to take up learning Japanese on her own. She has spent her own money to buy programs that teach the language. She is bound and determined to live in Japan one day. I used to laugh at her (in my head, not out loud), but she spoke to me in Japanese today and it freaked me out. It would be like her to do something like become fluent in Japanese when she has such a hard time with the English language! Jackie drove into downtown Fairbanks for the first time today. I sure do wish my van had a brake pedal on the passenger side. She did fairly well, but the Barnes & Noble parking lot was a little touch and go. I only almost stroked out a couple of times but am still alive to write this update. Praise God!

Johnnie is continuing to grow quickly, and he makes me laugh every day. I can't imagine my life without that little boy! He enjoys having me over in the preschool with him. It was a little hard on him when he realized I wouldn't let him sit on my lap and be "mom" during classtime. He has adjusted now and frequently tells me how much fun he's having with me there. It turns out I absolutely LOVE teaching preschool. The kids love it when I start singing and dancing around acting silly (unlike my repressed 7th and 8th graders who roll their eyes and get embarassed). We are praying about whether or not to put Johnnie in soccer this summer or waiting until next year when he is five. We need to make the decision soon because the deadline is fast approaching. Jonathan is just starting to learn to read, and it is the cutest thing I've ever seen. I'm so thankful God put him in our family!

I think that's about it for now. I pray all is well with our friends and loved ones. We miss you!!!

Love, The Watson Family