This week we went to Utah. I have been involved with the TELL (Teaching English Language Learners) program at BYU since 2004. I started out working with pre-service teachers doing practicum experiences in schools. Then, I started teaching the TELL endorsement classes. Now I train the teachers who teach the classes. So, I went from mentor teacher, to teacher educator, to educator of teacher educators. Brian started working in the TELL program in 2010. This year, I conducted the training with a new partner every two days. The final two days, Brian was my partner. During the rest of the week, Brian and Hannah visit family and friends. They also went to the Lego movie.
Getting here was not so fun. We missed the plane and had to wait another three hours to get another one. Hannah was good in the airport and the Delta people were really nice about getting us rescheduled, but it was still quite stressful. It was also not fun that our new flight had to take a longer route to avoid storms and then our rental car reservation was cancelled. We were hungry when we landed and tried to go to one of our favorite hamburger places in Utah, but it had already closed. We went to Del Taco instead. I stood in front of the menu not knowing what to order and feeling stressed again and the nice employee looked at me and said "It's okay. Take however long you want. I can even get you something from the breakfast menu." Things got better after that moment.
While we were here, we visited or accidentally ran into several former co-workers. Several of my former students also came to visit me during lunch on BYU campus. We saw lots of family. Hannah really enjoyed being here. There were so many kids here to play with both family and friends from bygone days. Brian and I calculated that Hannah has lived in Kansas longer than she lived in Springville. It was then that we felt like we had been gone for a while.
TELL training is also a long hard week, but I am glad that we were able to do it.
Playing in the pool.
Playing in the sand.
Playing at BYU.
At a community festival.
Playing at the babysitter's in Springville.
The family that Hannah goes to visit is full of blonde girls with fair skin like her. She goes with them wherever they go and they braid her hair to look like theirs and have tea parties, make crafts, and dress up. As a parent, you can never be grateful enough for people (in and out your family) who will be kind to your children and keep them safe.
Getting here was not so fun. We missed the plane and had to wait another three hours to get another one. Hannah was good in the airport and the Delta people were really nice about getting us rescheduled, but it was still quite stressful. It was also not fun that our new flight had to take a longer route to avoid storms and then our rental car reservation was cancelled. We were hungry when we landed and tried to go to one of our favorite hamburger places in Utah, but it had already closed. We went to Del Taco instead. I stood in front of the menu not knowing what to order and feeling stressed again and the nice employee looked at me and said "It's okay. Take however long you want. I can even get you something from the breakfast menu." Things got better after that moment.
While we were here, we visited or accidentally ran into several former co-workers. Several of my former students also came to visit me during lunch on BYU campus. We saw lots of family. Hannah really enjoyed being here. There were so many kids here to play with both family and friends from bygone days. Brian and I calculated that Hannah has lived in Kansas longer than she lived in Springville. It was then that we felt like we had been gone for a while.
TELL training is also a long hard week, but I am glad that we were able to do it.
Playing in the pool.
Playing in the sand.
At a community festival.
Playing at the babysitter's in Springville.
The family that Hannah goes to visit is full of blonde girls with fair skin like her. She goes with them wherever they go and they braid her hair to look like theirs and have tea parties, make crafts, and dress up. As a parent, you can never be grateful enough for people (in and out your family) who will be kind to your children and keep them safe.
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