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!!
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.
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! :)
Well... once again I have gotten into a bloggin' lull and have been extremely busy with all kindsa stuff. First things first... I have THREE and a HALF WEEKS left of student teaching. Which to me, is just extremely insane. Like I literally can't believe it. I even have planned out the remainder of my unit for the final weeks and you have NO idea how big a burden that is lifted off my shoulders. WHEW.
Last Monday was my 22nd birthday, and Tuesday was Dusty's 23rd. We really enjoyed a full day of being the same age, as usual. Yesterday was our "official" two and a half year anniversary. Dust took me out to dinner at Don Pablo's (I have been craving Mexican lately) and unbeknownst to one another, we each had a little anniversary surprise up our sleeves. I just got Dust some cheesy card, but he made me one of the best mixes I've listened to in a long time. One of the things I love about Dusty is his taste in music. We both listen to the Current... do you ever listen to it? 89.3 for those of you in the Twin Cities. It's got a lot of local music played, which I love, but also has some great more alternative/old school tunes also. The mix featured two of my newest favorite songs... which you may sample: First... "Will Do" by TV on the Radio.....
And second... "Triple Spiral" by Bright Eyes
Just a small taste of some great alternative jams.
Other than that I've been working about three nights a week, sometimes four, in addition to student teaching. So I kind of feel like I'm bouncing back and forth between Mahtomedi, Pres Homes, and my house while juggling Dusty, family, and friends on top of it. Makes for some pretty quick days, I tell ya. On the bright side, I have had a really great last couple of weeks at school. I really feel a connection with the kids I'm teaching, and it's starting to feel less like babysitting, and more like teaching-learning. For those of you out there who have experienced being on the teacher side of a high school, you probably know what I'm talking about. I am blessed.
Still no idea what I'm doing when I graduate... which is in...... about a month? Oh my gosh. Freak out! I've been trying to have a "live in the moment" attitude toward life after college... I feel like letting myself think about the future too far in advance just gives me extreme anxiety with no positive aspects. I have enough to get through in the short amount of time between now and graduating, and I really just need to take everything one day at a time. I am happy to know that this is NORMAL. Completely. But that doesn't mean I'm just going to float from cloud to cloud on a happy train to nowhere. I have plans to really crack down and find a job soon, I really do.
Friday morning I leave for Arizona. I'm spending Easter this year with Dusty's family and I'm really excited. We are meeting up with two of our good friends, Danny and Steph. I think they've been dating about two years longer than Dust and I... and they are so great. They both recently moved out to LA within the last couple of months and we miss them. It will be great to catch up. I'm excited to spend time with the Wahl-Saxon gang as well. Always a good time.
So that's a quick update... in a nutshell. I guess I shouldn't apologize for the blog-silence. Dusty's been back and that has been totally great, and I'm sorry to all you loyal readers, but I will gladly spend time with him over blogging any day ;-)
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.
