Author: kercelinzee8

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Your Calling will not be Comfortable

It’s okay to be scared. That means you’re about to do something really brave.

“Are you sure?” I asked my husband with a fear in my eyes. Then he said something I’ll never forget. “We have always said we felt the Lord calling us to this. And we will always be able to find excuses for why the time isn’t right.” I nodded as he wrapped me into a hug. I returned the phone call I had received and told them “Okay. We’ll do it. We’ll take him.”

One week later, right after our daughter’s first birthday, our new 15-year-old son moved in. Gianssen is from Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic and had come to the States to try for better educational opportunities. His parents run a non-profit ministry in the Dominican and had sent his older brother to do the same 6 years prior. Now his brother was starting his junior year at Stetson University in Orlando, Florida playing basketball and Gianssen’s hopes were to follow in his footsteps, earning a basketball scholarship. We committed to a minimum of 3 years (the rest of high school) as his American guardians with the hope of him continuing to college here in the U.S. as well. We voiced that we were not in a financial situation to be able to afford taking him in and all the expenses that come with that; but we were assured financial partners and support would be provided if we would be willing to handle the physical and emotional aspects.

The first few weeks were an adjustment…for everyone. We had to adjust to having a teenage boy in the house. Typical day to day things shifted, not in a bad way just in a different way. Electric and water bills increased and our grocery bill…well it skyrocketed to say the least. It was a transition period for Gianssen too. He went from a home with electricity just a few hours a day to remembering to turn off light switches. From getting cold water 2 days a week to an endless stream of hot water that seemed like it went for days. We had to have conversations like 40 minute showers are too long and lights get turned off when we leave a room. As we all tried to get to know one another better, the days turned to weeks, which turned into months. He was great right from the start; he was respectful, an amazing big brother to Mila, and a hard worker in school and basketball. As time wore on he started to open up more and feel more comfortable. It wasn’t long before he affectionately became “G” to everyone and it was hard to remember what life was like before him.

As people in our community began to meet him and be around him, we would get the same question pretty consistently:

How’s it going with him? What’s it like to have him with Mila being so young?

And we would look at each other and smile because we could honestly answer it’s going great! We love him and he’s such a good kid. The Lord really knew what he was doing when he put us together. But we always had this underlying issue that was pulling at us. We never received the financial partners we were promised. We had individuals donate to us and that was a huge blessing to us. We are so grateful we had so many give in so many ways. But it wasn’t near enough to sustain us moving forward. And we knew eventually, we would have to dip into our own savings account that we had been trying to build up. That is exactly what happened. Fast forward even more and our savings are almost completely gone. We are so far in the hole without having that steady support we were told we would have. We continue to pray and reach out, trying to do whatever we feel is right in asking for help, something I am not great at doing. But we believe the Lord is going to provide like He always has. He will provide ways we can stay together as a family.

Because that is what we are. Gianssen truly has become a part of our family. He has his American parents, sister, grandparents, and the rest of our family. His love for his biological family is still strong–I love that they Facetime every day. We have grown to love his parents and siblings like family as our own. We are so blessed by our Dominican extended family through this son we share. Mila truly adores him and to watch their relationship grow brings tears to my eyes. It is a true mother’s dream to bring a teenage boy in when your first and only baby girl is so little and for him to just overwhelm her in the best way. We see him as our own and truly don’t know what life would be like without him as our bonus boy. We are continuing to pray that the Lord shows His favor on our family and that we seek Him above everything as we grow as individuals and as a unit.

“May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God.” Romans 15: 5-7

If you would consider becoming a one time donor or a monthly partner to help us keep our family together, please click the link below! Put our last name “Detrick” in the memo line when you give. All donations are tax deductible and we truly appreciate any consideration you give it. Please be praying for our situation no matter what you decide, as we know the Lord will provide if this is His will.

GIVE HERE! Don’t forget to add “For the Detrick’s” in the memo line please!

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Top 10 Spots from a Spanish Teacher’s Bucket List

The school bell rings and jerks me back to reality from my daydream. I sit at my desk with my students in front of me, waiting to learn this Spanish language. I look to my right and my big map stares back at me, begging me to leave my classroom and join the Hispanic world. I desperately try to make my students understand how awesome it would be if one day they get to travel to all of these countries.

“You could actually use this language you’re being forced to learn! That’s why you should get excited! “

I am such a fan of experiencing new cultures, a big reason why I wanted to study a second language and become a teacher. I have so many places I want to visit. Is it just me or did you think that we’d have a teleportation device invented by now…it is 2022 right? For now I’ll just have to do it the old fashion way. Save save save money. Plan the trip. Save some more. And some more. Although I do have a hack by using Scott’s Cheap Flights but we’ll save those details for another blog.

Teaching Spanish day in and day out makes me daydream of all the places in this world where I can use this language. My students get so much more excited when I can share firsthand experiences with them about where I use my bilingualism. A big bucket list item for me is to visit all 21 Spanish-speaking countries and so far I’ve checked off 5. Pretty good I think! But I wanted to walk you through my Top 10 Hispanic Places to Visit so you can add it to your travel bucket list!

1. Take a 3-week road trip through Spain!

My suggestion is to take this route but click HERE if you have any suggestions or questions!

-Barcelona—Explore the entire city!
-Zaragoza—Main focus of Sos del Rey Católico
-Pamplona—Running of the Bulls Festival
-San Sebastián—Beach Spot!
-Bilbao—Learn about the history of Spain.
-Segovia—Segovia Aqueduct & Alcazar de Segovia
-Madrid—Museums, Monuments, and Rio Madrid
-Toledo—Mirador de Valle and Castillo La Mancha
-Valencia—Valencia Cathedral
-Cartagena—Horseback riding tour of the city and ruins
-Lanjarón—White Villages and The Sierra Nevada
-Granada—The Alhambra
-Córdoba—Mezquita Cathedral de Córdoba
-Seville—Cathedral de Seville
-Take the ferry to Tarifa and Tangier to finish with more beach time!

2. Visit Tikal in Guatemala.

3. See the Laguna Colorada in Bolivia.

4. Explore the streets of Buenos Aires, Argentina.

5. Walk through the Perito Moreno Glacier in Patagonia, Argentina.

6. Visit the oldest city in the new world, Granada, Nicaragua.

7. Climb to the top of Machu Picchu in Peru.

8. See Laguna Miscanti in Chile.

9. Visit Willemstad in Curacao, Venezuela.

10.See the beauty of nature in Tortuguero National Park in Costa Rica.

So to quote Susan Sontag, “I haven’t been everywhere, but it’s on my list.” I love to travel. Ask anyone of my family, my friends, or my students. Traveling does something to your soul, to your spirit. It does something to you that I just can’t put into words. I have seen people who haven’t ever spoken two words to each other become deep friends because of traveling together. I have seen students from different backgrounds, different cliques come together when they travel with a purpose of helping someone in need. I can’t put it into words. But Deborah Lloyd stated it well.

“Travel sparks our imagination, feeds our curiosity, & reminds us how much we all have in common.”

¡Ve! ¡No miedo! So go! No fear! And most importantly…

DON’T
LOOK
BACK.

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3 Lessons from a First-Year Teacher


I actually wrote this piece almost 6 years ago now but I felt the need to re-share it because I found it so valuable! And I hope other young teachers, or even veteran teachers, can relate and learn from it. I have always wanted to become a teacher and a coach; and finally after 25 years on the planet, I finally got to live out that dream. People always tell me that the older I get, the faster life goes. I think I’m starting to believe them. I can’t believe that my first year teaching was 6 years ago and so much has happened in my teacher life since then. Even more, the top 3 lessons I thought I was going to teach my students that first year, I ended up relearning the lessons for myself. And guess what…those lessons still remain true to this day.

Lesson #1: Stay passionate.

 I heard the following quote when I was 17-years-old and it has been my favorite ever since: “Passion makes suffering look like entertainment.” I often use this quote as motivation to my players when coaching, using the hard preparation yet game entertainment as the perfect example. However, teaching high school students has reminded me just how important passion is in your every day life. I have seen people in every career that have lost their passion and in turn, lost their joy. I believe that my passion comes from my students, my players and the relationships I build with them. So after constant reminders, I have vowed to continuously strengthen my relationships with my students. Decades in the same job will not change my passion; it will not take my joy. I will always find passion in teaching and coaching because I will remember what it is truly about: the next generation finding their own passion and for the cycle to continue.

Lesson #2: Grow Old, Not Up.

The lyrics to this song (click the link and listen…no right now. Do it!) give us our Lesson #2. My dad and I have a lot of shared interests but our top one would probably have to be the artist of this song. If you know anything about JB fans (not to be mistaken for Justin Bieber…ever) we call ourselves “parrotheads” or as small children, “parakeets.” Above almost all else, we love to have fun! Returning to my inner child happened often in my classroom this year. Because I teach Spanish, simple activities are an easy way to interact and help the students memorize. Realizing that you’re only as old as you feel allowed me to understand that even as an adult, silliness and laughter will often times teach your students the most; and a teacher who can play with her students (even if they are 17-years-old) will reach them more than one who just lectures them. Receiving this feedback from my own students pushed me into my second vow: “Grow Old, Not Up.”

Lesson #3: Never Stop Learning.

As an undergraduate student, I remember my professors always telling me that as “teachers we never stop learning.” Most teachers think it is their number one job to teach. Pretty standard opinion and I can’t say that I blame them. Fortunately, I have been blessed with phenomenal former teachers and coaches that have instilled a different mindset in me. My number one job is to learn. If I teach the same stuff over and over again, I’m going to eventually run out of things to teach and on top of that ways to teach them. However, if I continue to learn more and more about my content, about my sport, about life in general I will always be able to keep my students’ attention. Isn’t that what teaching is all about in the first place…the students. So we have arrived at my final vow which is to

Never.

Stop.

Learning.

These three lessons are few of many but in my opinion, the most important. My first year teaching was unbelievable. The constant reassurance that this is what I was born to do encouraged me daily. What I love about the world of education is the lessons you learn are not just for those involved in this occupation, but they are applicable to any profession. I love what I do because I learn something different every day, usually from my kids, which makes me love them that much more. Sure…I could strangle them all at least 10 times a day…but because I am intentional about my relationships with them these life lessons we share makes it all worth it. So no matter what stage you are at in life, no matter what you do day in and day out, remember my first written lesson: stay passionate, never grow up, and never stop learning.

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5 Unique Conversation Starters

Are you tired of the same old small talk? Every time you have to participate in team building at work…on a first date…all the places where you are forced to have conversation with someone you don’t know very well. As an extrovert, I have no problem talking to anybody to include a brick wall. But that doesn’t mean awkward situations don’t arise. And for all my introverts, whose worst nightmare are the situations above, I have a few things to help! I also want to share with you guys some more about who I am so you can know the person you’re following along with. These are good for all ages so please feel free to use in whatever context you need!

Let’s check out 5 unique ice breaker questions that will allow you to get to know someone in a fun way without having to entertain the boring small talk. Along the way, I will be answering these questions for myself so you all can get to know about me a little bit more as well!

1. Do you speak any other languages? How did you learn? If not, what languages would you be interested in knowing and why?

So I am bilingual in Spanish and English. I am currently a high school Spanish teacher in Huntsville, AL. I was originally interested in learning Spanish when I went on a mission trip to Baja, Mexico the summer before 9th grade. I loved playing with the kids and I wanted to be able to come back and speak with them more than that summer. I took 3 years of Spanish in high school and really enjoyed it. My great aunt and uncle were also missionaries in Mexico, my uncle was Hispanic, so once I told them that I really wanted to be fluent my aunt wouldn’t take no for an answer. Every phone call, email, etc. my Aunt Nomi would pretend like she couldn’t speak English and force me to figure it out. Fast forward to college where I received a minor in Spanish and then a couple more years go by and I went to language school and lived in Guatemala. Full immersion was the best way to really top it off and now I try to stay fresh in any way possible. I help lead mission trips to Spanish-speaking countries, I listen to Spanish music, and I am currently raising my baby girl bilingual by speaking to her in Spanish as much as possible. I would also love to learn ASL and am working towards getting my basics down now. My best friend is a CODA (child of deaf adult) and is encouraging me to do it!

2. If money were no object, what is the #1 thing you would ask for on your next birthday?

No brainer–my dream house! But it has to be paid off–of course. If you’re in the adult world you know good and well what a blessing it is to be completely debt free. If I could build my dream house on a couple acres of land and have no mortgage payments I would be set! Check out some ideas I want in my dream home by clicking HERE. I would love to hear your comments or questions about what you have in your homes that you couldn’t live without! Click HERE to share with me some home building/decor ideas that are must haves or simply comment on this blog!

3. What did you want to be when you were younger? Is it the same as what you want/do now?

When I was really young I wanted to be a doctor or a vet–spent my whole childhood fixing my family and my stuffed animals. I mean who didn’t right? As I grew into my teenage years my passion went to photography and writing so naturally that turned my dream job into being a photojournalist. I would die for a job at National Geographic–I would still say that’s my dream job. But reality of how much you travel made me nervous to be away from family so much so I went to my next passion-coaching basketball. Which in turn made me pursue education. And here we are! I love teaching and coaching for sure. But part of me would still hop on the next plane (if it’s paid for…. #teachersalary) and jet off on an adventure with my camera and my journal! Oh and my husband and my child….my people too 🙂

4. What is the one thing you cannot leave your house without and why?

Although I would love to be the cool minimalist mom-it’s probably my phone. Being a new mom, I love being able to FaceTime my baby girl when I’m at work. My husband and I check in with each other. I even start my day with podcasts that of course are on my phone. Now would I freak out if I accidentally left it one day…no I am not one to overreact. But I would definitely miss it and much prefer to have that every day.

5. Who is your favorite fictional character and why?

This is extremely hard for a kid at heart like me. I love some fiction–books, tv shows, movies. Give me all of it! And I CANNOT pick just one. Give me all the Disney, Harry Potter, Marvel, 90’s tv shows…let’s discuss it all! If you want me to write a blog about one of these categories specifically–let me know by clicking HERE! Tell me your favorites while you’re at it!

So there you go–5 ice breakers that are not overused to get to know someone! These can help start some great conversations. Notice that none of them are yes or no questions. All are open-ended or followed up with “why” if they can be answered simply. Use these next time during an awkward work lunch or if you’re leading a group in a team-builder. These are great for all ages to get people talking. Find out your similarities and differences and build on those!

Don’t forget to click above and share with me your thoughts! Hope you learned a little more about me as well!

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It’s Okay to NOT be Okay: 3 Tips When You’re Struggling

I realize just how out of shape I am when I go for a run. One Nike in front of the other. Deep breaths over and over again. I wish I could be one of those people that just loves to run. But nope, not this girl! It’s funny though; when I do get going, my mind wanders. I see other people running, walking the dog, or maybe just simply getting the kids out of the car.

I wonder to myself, do they like running? Are they out here like me…struggling? Or is this their way to get away from the struggles? Is this their release? Because let’s face it, whether I’m speaking about getting back in shape or something much bigger than that…

EVERYONE STRUGGLES.

And in the words of Marvin McFadden: (I should warn you now..I’m a big One Tree Hill fan)

“Do I wish I was doing better? Sure, but I’m not alone in that. A lot of people are struggling right now. All I can do is keep trying, ya know. Get up. Work Hard. Pay the bills. Hope for something better. I think there’s nobility in that.That woman or man who’s waiting for the bus after a long day’s work. Parents who come home tired and still find time for their kids. That’s who I’m rooting for. That’s who I respect.”

I mean, come on, don’t you? Maybe you’re one of those unsung heroes. Someone who no one would ever know is struggling because you keep putting one foot in front of the other. You keep a smile on your face for your kids, your spouse, or maybe just yourself. But here’s what the world is just now starting to tell us: IT’S OKAY TO NOT BE OKAY.

Everyone struggles. To you it may seem small but to them it may be their hardest hurdle at the time. It may be wondering where the next meal for their family is going to come from or figuring out a new job because they just got fired. Or it may be just going for a run to try and get back in shape. Here are 3 tips I’ve found helpful when I’m struggling:

  1. B R E A T H E. I know that sounds so simple. Duh…I’m going to breathe obviously. But science literally tells us that slow, deep breaths sends a signal to our brains that activates our parasympathetic nervous system. This slows us down and tells us that we don’t need to activate our fight or flight response. More specifically, if we exhale longer than we inhale is what really helps our brains. So my therapist (therapy is amazing but we’ll talk about that later) suggests that you count to 4 on your inhale and count to 6 on your exhale. Do this at least 5 breaths in a row. HERE’S a YouTube video that can walk you through this type of breathing. This helps us to focus on the reality of things and not react in a negative way but rather in a logical one.
  2. Find a hobby that brings you JOY! This can be literally anything at all. I have found that even if you do a hobby you truly enjoy just a few minutes 1 time a week, your mental health is so much better at handling the negative things life throws your way. If you’re not sure what hobby you enjoy, check out this blog Hobbies Bucket List. Denzel Washington (one of my favorites) states in a graduation ceremony speech “Don’t be afraid to fail big. To dream big. But remember dreams without goals, are just dreams. If you don’t fail, you’re not trying.” You may not know you enjoy something because you’ve never tried it! Don’t be scared to try a new hobby–just find joy. True joy…not happiness. Make sure you know the difference.
  3. Tell Someone! We are told in our society to not let others see us struggle. Life isn’t fair and if you don’t have it all together, you’re weak. L I E S! How in the heck does that even make sense? Every logical person in the world, knows that it is literally impossible to go through life without struggles. So in reality, every single person walking on planet Earth has struggled, is struggling, or is going to struggle. So why in the world would we ever be embarrassed about it? Everybody does it! You will feel so much better if you find someone you can tell your struggles to. A family member, a friend, a co-worker, a therapist…anybody! Just tell someone! I promise it will help.

So here’s the best part! If you need help with any of this–a person to vent to, a hobby idea, more tips that a real human has tried before you–I’m here! I would love to have you follow along as I begin this journey of blogging. Contact me through social media or by clicking HERE. Also please share with me if there’s a particular topic you would like me to cover and I will add it to the list!