Happy Valentine's Day Post (a day late, naturally)

I have been busy busy for the last week and a half.... preparing for this past week when I began teaching on Monday! If you have been checking in trying to figure out whether or not I survived, I'm sorry that you had to wait this long. Oh, and I'm alive, also. Honestly though, I couldn't ask for a better placement, or a better classroom, or a better group of students. Minus the three boys in my last hour of the day that meow... that is a whole different story that I don't want to waste my time discussing.

I took over with the Great Depression unit. And no better time than this past week when we were experiencing multiple days of negative degree temps! Wahoo! The kids have been great. It's kind of amazing how much you learn just within a week of experience, but really, I feel like I have learned SO much just based off of one week of trying to manage three classes of kids that are so unique and different in their own way. My first class of the day is second hour, and they are awesome. They are the most controlled group of kids I have all day, and they participate constantly which helps me out in tremendous ways. My second class is fourth hour which conveniently has a lunch break right smack dab in the middle of the period. On some days, this is a good thing, and on other days, it's the worst. But they are also great kids. My final class of the day is actually the last period, 6th hour, which is full of interesting kids. It's the boys that do me in...

Today we had a lesson on FDR and Herbert Hoover, comparing the two to decipher the similarities and differences that they share. or those who may not know, Hoover and FDR are both former presidents from the Great Depression era :) I know that there are in fact people out there that might not really appreciate history like I do... which is totally fine, so I clarify! Anyway, so I'm having the kids do research to compare and contrast the two. And one of my students gets up there to defend Herbert Hoover and says... "Why would we ever elect a president who is in a wheelchair?" And.. I froze. How the heck am I supposed to respond to something like that? I didn't know what to do so I looked at Janine, who immediately said, "That is inappropriate, and you're done. Sit down."
It's times like these I realize they call it student teaching for a reason!

But other than that, the occasional stupid remark or flub in class, things are going SO great. I love the school, I love the social studies department, I even kinda enjoy looking at Dusty's football picture in the trophy case on my way out to my car (kidding). Jana and I chaperoned the winter dance last weekend and had a blast with that, and believe it or not... I am over halfway done with my first unit! So far I haven't had too much trouble with planning, because I have a fair amount of time during the day where I am without wireless and just have nothing better to do than grade and figure stuff out!

So there is a student teaching update. A positive one. It's amazing how my attitude goes so haywire at the beginning of a new challenge, and very quickly settles right into whatever it is I have to do. I was an emotional wreck my first week. Now, it's just something I get to do everyday! Nevermind that it's something I wake up at the crack of dawn for.... but that's no big deal.

In other news. Dusty is coming home in ....... (DRUMROLL) THIRTEEN DAYS. Wait, I'm wrong, he doesn't just come home... he MOVES BACK! And I'm ecstatic. I haven't had much time at all lately to even express how excited I actually am, and when I really think about it, I'm thrilled BEYOND thrilled. And I also found out a couple of weeks ago that I will get to spend spring break in Arizona with my Grandma Bev and my aunt and uncle. So I am looking forward to having that much needed break and in WARM WEATHER at that!!

Not much else has been going on... Other than great stuff that's been going on in my relationship with God... which I swear I have been meaning to write about, but just haven't found the time. But to sum it up in a nutshell, I have been going to church every Sunday with my fam, and have been spending time in devotions with a book that I love called "Experiencing the heart of Jesus" by Max Lucado. Dusty suggested this devotional to me last year and I kind of forgot I had it (oops) until right before I started student teaching and it as been an AMAZING guide in helping me tackle new stuff, and also in getting to know Jesus on a much deeper level. There is so much more to it that I want to save for another time, but I just have to put that out there, I am learning so much apart from just how to be a teacher in this time, and I'm grateful for what I am learning.

The only downside to the last few days is that I got really sick over the weekend, mostly starting on Sunday, and it has worsened over the last few days, like really bad. I have a cough but no stuffy nose, and I feel achy all over and might be running a slight fever, but I don't have a thermometer so I really can't be too sure, ha! This is the downside to having a mom who is also a nurse: You are never TOO sick to get checked out. Seriously, I could be foaming at the mouth and my mom would probably tell me that I just need to ride it out. So... I don't know what I'm sick with, but my mom the nurse says its a virus. I want to respond by throwing on boxing gloves and kicking the crap out of the virus but we are at about round 3 right now and I'm losing bad. Okay, horrible analogy. I thought it was funny before I actually wrote it out.

Notice I'm not erasing it anyway.

So there is a quick, failing to do my life update justice post. One more thing that I can't complain about: THE WEATHER IN MN! It's been a nice, brisk upper 30 degree week so far and the snow is actually MELTING. I can't believe it. I love winter for a couple months, but February is definitely the time that I need to say SEE YA and never look back. Looks like nature is compliant with my beliefs for once!

It's amazing how things can seem so much more upbeat and exciting when you have something to look forward to. In just a few short days, Dust will be back. Exhale. I really can't believe it. This was a long and tough road but we are just about at the end of it, and I really can't believe it. As much as I would love to say it was awesome for our relationship (and it was), I'm ready to just toss that idea aside to just welcome him home, finally. I really love him, and I miss him to pieces.


I have to share this photo ^^^ It was taken this past summer at our friend Britt's wedding and she just recently posted the pics to Facebook... I love this picture. How cute is he? I adore him.