Where did the time go.

Graduation came and went in a flash. The past few days I have been thinking back to memories of the last four years... and with that there has been a lot of scanning thru pictures. I found the following pics from September of 2007, which was the month and year that I started college as a freshman..

Hard to believe I was just a mere 18 year old scared to death of moving out of my parents and into a college dorm with a daunting four year process ahead of me. I had kind of a rough time the summer before I started school. An end to a bad relationship plus some falling out with high school friends led to me not really enjoying my summer before college. I hung out with my family a lot, and my brother Beau and I became pretty close. He was 11 years old when these pictures were taken. Now look at us....
The kid is nearly as tall as I am. Not to mention he now wears deodorant, has a deep voice, and even lets me pop his zits sometimes. His hair has started to curl and he will graduate from HIGH SCHOOL four years from now. I look at these pics, I think about the time that has past, and I think about how much my brother has grown up. It's a weird feeling! I just couldn't resist sharing. It blows my mind to observe how fast the time goes, paired with how much we have both grown up.

I am planning to recap on the last few weeks in a future post. Happy Summer-- crossing my fingers!!

This is the first day of the rest of your life.

I woke up this morning promptly at 6:30 am and felt sorta weird. You know those days when you go against the norm of your routine? Do something OTHER than what you have been doing every day M-F for the last three months? It was odd. I looked in the mirror, and shrugged at my bed head, puffy eyes and pale skin. Brushed my teeth in no rush while slinking BACK into my room to halfheartedly dust on some bronzer and blush so that I didn't look completely lifeless. I threw on jeans and a t-shirt (a foreign concept for the last three months), tossed my hair into a bun on the very top of my head, grabbed some grapefruit-in-a-cup (departing gift from my cooperating teacher) and I walked out the door. End a story.

I am done with student teaching (insert giant overemphasized exhale HERE). I seriously can't believe it. The last three months that I had anticipated lasting for infinite actually flew by like it was nothing and I'm now kind of like.... oh? Huh! Just like that it's done. It's one of those feelings where you are kind of puzzled on what to feel... do I celebrate? Do I feel sad? Do I feel excited? I can't put my finger on what I really feel. There are some things to update. I was offered a nannying job for the summer... and then three days later, I got a call from an organization where I applied for a job (I seriously didn't think I'd even hear back) and I have an interview on Wednesday. Kind of a crazy last week of college! So yeah... the interview is in two days and I have no idea what to expect but I'm just praying that whatever happens will all be a part of the plan.

I wanted to give those who are constantly hitting refresh on my blog page (kidding) the update on life and what's going on. If you could say a prayer for my interview, please do. But even if it doesn't work out, I'm glad that I have something else lined up at least for the summer.

Dusty moved to Mahtomedi a couple of weeks ago! The problem is that this state is going thru weather-PMS and won't say goodbye to cold rain and chill. I'm so excited and hopeful for this week... 60s/70s and sunny ALL WEEK LONG and hopefully that will allow for time spent by the lake at Dusty's house. Of course... Saturday is graduation and after that.... is when life sort of just begins.

I was going through the day today and kept thinking about all the things I would normally be doing on a school day... which classes I'd be teaching, when I'd be eating lunch with all the other teachers. It was a weird feeling. It did feel good though, having a day to be at Bethel and enjoy the last few days of college. But this whole wrapping up feeling, moving out of my house, and embracing life after college... is different.

Not quite sure how I'm feeling about it yet.

Shoutout, doubled with living vicariously

The past couple of weeks have been a whirlwind of crazy, busy, and relaxing. I have abandoned the concept of lesson planning completely, and am pretty much okay with just winging it when it comes to my last week of student teaching... NEXT WEEK! Good heavens. I'm not trying to sound like a slacker, and I'm not, because actually my lessons are planned to the very last day, I have all worksheets created and copied (The last two weeks have been a crash course in learning how to use the latest Canon copy machine at Mahtomedi, and so far, I think I would give myself a B- in knowing how to use it). The final test that I will be giving is also created (never underestimate the time it takes to create a decent exam... it takes a long time, I will be honest). Somehow in the time between, I am still managing to work at Eaglecrest three nights a week, with an additional Saturday night shift tucked in there as well. I also had time to watch the Royal Wedding coverage, go on a date with Dust and two friends, attend church, visit Arizona, and read two books in the time that has passed since I last blogged. Quite an agenda I've just breezed through. Whew.

So... about Arizona. I am going to leave it to my friend Dan Curtis @ Life Among Limes to give you the verbal description of what a great time it was, so as to also promote his blog that is fairly new but HIGHLY entertaining. Check out Danny and Steph's adventures at lifeamonglimes.blogspot.com

(Steph and Danny have recently moved out to LA and after the great weekend we all four had, I am sad that they are so far. It seriously makes me contemplate moving out there for a short time just to have adventures with sweet people. And that's saying something, I am the queen of the homebodies).

Other than that, I have a few big things happening for me in the coming days. Thursday night, I have a job interview (fingers crossed). This weekend, I am in charge of my brother and my parents house, which includes the dog, and then next week, I say goodbye to a 105 tenth graders who I have spent the last three months teaching and getting to know. And then... I walk across the stage in cap and gown on May 21st and officially complete my college career.

Just typing that last sentence, made me overwhelmed, nervous, excited, happy, and depressed all in one. I am going to end it on that note and stuff those feelings away for a little while longer.

Dust and I in AZ... I sadly did not remember my camera for the trip, so cell phone pics will have to do. None the less, I am glad to have him back in good ol' MN and this pic pretty much sums up how I feel about being able to take pics at all! :)