Smiling Faces in 5th Grade

Welcome to 5th Grade!

Ready or Not, Here they Are!

There's nothing quite like the excitement felt on the first day of school!

School Poem

Author Unknown

Today I hurry off to school, 

To work and learn and play 

I'm in a brand new grade this year. 

What a happy day!!!!! 

Meet the new teacher!

Quite a Size Difference

This year, since I'm teaching 5th grade, I've moved to a MUCH bigger classroom.  Compared to last year, my classroom size has doubled!!!  It's amazing what you can do in a bigger classroom.

Passing on the Baton

Life for teachers at ICSV is kind of like a relay race.  You're all a part of the same team, with the same goal (to bring others to Christ), but not everyone runs the race at the same time.  Every year new team members get added as others leave.  This year we have added 4 new American staff members to our team and a handful of other international staff members from the Vienna area.  They are "taking over the baton"  from those who previously carried it.  Please pray that God will use these new "baton carriers" in ways they never thought possible.

Dahl family, Becca, and Jessica

Off Again

This year I returned to Vienna at the end of July.  I needed to get back early in order to finish preparing for our New Staff Vienna Orientation.  Leaving gave me a mixture of emotions ... excitement about going back to Vienna, sadness about leaving my family, joy for seeing my friends and students again, uneasiness about a new school year with more responsibilities ... I could keep going, but basically I was happy to go back, but not happy to leave behind those I love.  I never thought I'd be able to live with certain foods or conveniences that I used to take for granted in America, but I've learned how to.  I never thought I'd miss the convenience/inconvenience of the uBahn, but I did.  It's amazing how quickly God will chance your heart and attitude toward something.  This is just one of many reminders, from God, that I am where I'm supposed to be ... where He wants me to be.  God knows His plans for me, even when I don't.

Nothing like Girl Time!

Shortly before my return to Austria, my sisters, mother, and I went to the beach (Carpinteria) to spend some girl time together.  It was a wonderful chance to spend my last few days at home with some of my favorite people!  I'd go into details about what happened that weekend, but then I'd have to kill anyone who read this post.  Just Kidding!!!  We had a great time with lots of memories to last for a long time!

Girls' Weekend at the Beach

Dave and Busters Trip

Making time for Friends and Family

My time home this summer was spent...
1. relaxing from the school year
2. shopping for 1 year worth of "stuff"
3. spending most of my time with friends and family!!!

Four weeks in America may seem like a long time, but in reality, it's actually very short!  Thankfully I was able to spend most of my time doing what I love...being with people I hadn't seen in a long time!  There's nothing quite like coming home and spending time with those you love!!

Granddaughter Dinner

With Beautiful Baby Elise

Family Dinner

Family Night at the Musical 1776

Dinner with old College Roommate, Mary

Loving the Time with My Dad

For Father's Day I decided to take my dad out to Santa Cruz's Boardwalk for the night.  Since he was the first person to introduce me to 50 cent night (it's now 1 dollar night), I thought it would be appropriate to go there for our "Father/Daughter Date."  Because I had only been able to spend a short time with him for Christmas, it was WONDERFUL being able to have some "us" time before I went back to Vienna for a new year.  My favorite part of the night was just being with him (although beating him in the ghost shooting game was really cool too).  I'm so thankful that God gave me a father who is there when I really need him, but also a man who taught me how to handle things myself.  Even though the lessons my dad has taught me over the years haven't always been easy, I'm thankful to have a wise, godly man who I can call Daddy.

Final Score: Dad-1550, Mandy-2140!

View of the Boardwalk

Giant Dipper...Best Wooden Coaster EVER

Keeping up with the Fam

Every year my family joins the Romberger side of the family for our annual Mount Hermon Christian Conference Family Retreat.  This year marks the 28th trip since my birth!  Unfortunately I had to miss two of the years, but I've been at every other year. :)  This year was a wonderful time of catching up (I hadn't seen anyone for at least 6 months), relaxing, and enjoying time spent with family!

BBQ on the Lawn

One of our speakers-Dr. Barry Corey (DBC)

Pancake Breakfast

Train Day

The two wonderful grandparents who take us every year!

Game Night

S'mores night!!!!!

More train pics

Annual Spitting from the Train on the Bridge

"Attacking" each other in the Tunnel

Me, Mom, Dad, Joshua

The "Adult" Group