Finally

My first day of college:

Well, it's about time.  I am now a graduate of the University of Northern Iowa. It has been a long. haul.  Six years is most likely no record, but it's quite long enough.  I thought graduation would be be filled with nothing but celebration, relief, and pure joy.  However, as I was packing away graduation memoriliba and filing student teaching papers this giant feeling of, "But..what now!?" came over me.  Thanks to college, I have worked long and hard on the self-talk that eases anxiety of frequent freak-outs.  So, I quickly provided myself an answer.  Now I am moving onto a new chapter where I get to apply for jobs that people with degrees can consider. I can start my career, have an income, and feel like a grown up (come with that what may).  I am done talking to snooty advisors, pleading with professors to let me in full classes, and sprinting across campus in snow/sleet/and rain to ensure my 2 attendance points.  However, apart from a degree in my pocket and being free of minor college hassles, I do not know what is next.  And with my self-talk and Jerimiah 29:11, I am trying really hard to be okay with that.  I am sure there are a small handful of recent graduates who are feeling the same way.

Like my entire college career, my family was with me at my graduation cheering me on.  I am still trying to figure out a bigger way to say thank you to my parents.  Saying the same words to the man who bags my groceries and my parents who supported me through a pain-in-the-butt college career just seems wrong.  Since I have yet to come up with something, a thank you from the deepest part of my heart will have to do.  Someday when I am a rich teacher (ha) I will send them on a fancy European tour or buy them a shiny yacht named, "It's about time". 

Each year of college has held events, people, and friends that have given me memories and shaped who I am.  Through college I have not only gained a degree, but also confidence.  I have seen kindness move mountains, the importance of family/support, and the value of education.

Graduation pics below: My cheerteam keeps getting cuter.  By the time I get my Master's I'm going to be taking a big family of knock-outs to the ceremony. 

The End

For any kind of milestone or celebration, Olive Garden is always appropriate.  Therefore, Will and I promptly made our way after my last day of student teaching to gorge ourselves with pasta, breadsticks, and strawberry daiquiries . Ok...I may have been alone on the strawberry daiquirie. A girl's got to celebrate.

G is for Goodbye

Tomorrow is my last day in my Pre-K student teaching placement.  Correction: It is my last day of student teaching EVER.  I started student teaching 16 weeks ago, so it was 16 weeks ago that I began the  crying/overreacting/whining phone calls to my mom.  It goes without saying that I am simply happy I have successfully finished.  While I was the student teaching Scrooge, there were so many joys in each day.  It was just hard to focus on those things when there were assignments, coordinators, and full blown anxiety in the back of my head.  Friday was my last day teaching so this week I have had the chance to take some deep breaths and simply enjoy the kids.  The conversations and ideas of four and five year olds continue to surprise me and solidify my career in teaching.  There is so much in education that take the focus away from the kids that by the end of the day you nearly forget the whole point of the career.  Taking the time to enjoy them brings the focus back to the sweet and eager hearts/minds you are there for.  It has been a great way to end student teaching and dare I say, I might....miss...them...? Yikes! She does have a heart after these past 4 months. Who would have thought?

Since there are two groups of kids, each coming 2 1/2 days a week, it was my last day with one group so we had Goodbye Party #1.   Since I did a "camping" theme with the kids and we made s'mores the other week, I thought the s'more cupcakes I spotted at the store were a perfect "goodbye treat".  The kids did too :). Along with a sugar high, I sent them off with a picture of themselves doing one of our camping projects (these 4 year olds LOVE photos of themselves) and a thank you.  They each presented me with a card of scribbles, explaining what each scribble line was.  I must admit I got a little choked up when the most challenging little guy of the class "wrote" the most heart felt message and was on Cloud 9 giving it to me.  Come to think of it, the troublesome ones are the ones I'll miss and think of the most.

I wish each and every one of the Pre-K cuties the best and know they will do great things in Kindergarten! As for me- GRADUATION IS SATURDAY! WOOOO!

Below are a few things we have done throughout the past few weeks!

Grass Hair Project: Haircut day!

S'mores

Songs

 Nature Scavenger Hunt

Building our classroom campsite

"Roasting" marshmallows for the s'mores.

Nature Scavenger Hunt

 Games

 Our Alphabet

Tis the Season

May brings mushroom hunting.  This may be the first year I will not make it out to the woods with Will. I am blaming it on my lenthy "to do" lists and tired evenings but truth be told, I am not having to work AS hard to impress him as when we were dating and there may be a correlation there.  I don't exactly feel bad for skipping out on this hobby since it lasts a couple weeks a year and Will has apparently prospured with the guidance of his other hunting buddies.  My  job became getting the frying pan and butter ready as he excitedly warned me of his arrival with a pretty substantial gathering.

Quick Like a Bunny

As I get older, holiday celebrations seem to get shorter.  I don't know what the age cut-off is of dying Easter Eggs and hunting for chocolate, but sadly, I know I have passed it.  This year Easter seemed to hop by with an early service and quick Cousin brunch.  However, I did still get to see kids experience the magic of Easter.  With 2 Easter Egg hunts, 2 Easter parties, Easter Egg dying, 32 retells of Peter Rabbit, bunny crafts, and several renditions of the Bunny Hokey Pokey-  I am a little Easter-ed out and perhaps Easter wasn't all that quick afterall. Although I had a very "Public School Easter",  reflection on God's grace was not at a lost as I experience it every. single. day. I am reminded and encouraged of the grace and love I need to show the kids, who need so much of it everyday. 

Dear Pastor: An Anniversary Reflection

Dear Pastor,

 A few weeks ago Will and I celebrated our 3rd wedding anniversary and I feel it’s appropriate to thank you for helping us carry out God’s plan to make the sacred commitment of husband and wife and marrying us. In addition, when reflecting on marriage and Will and I’s relationship, I frequently remember something you told us prior to our wedding.  I thought you may appreciate knowing your words do have an affect on young love-struck couples :).  I don’t know if it was meant as advice or a warning, but when Will and I were seated in front of you, you very directly told us, “You two have no idea what you are doing.” Honestly, I was a little taken aback.  My thoughts were, “Of course we do! We are so in love! Why would you say that!?”.  I was also a little concerned of the affect this conversation would have on my fiance.  After all, I didn’t want a runaway groom. 
After a mere 3 years, this statement has completely become relevant on numerous occasions, and while it may have aroused worries and negative feelings pre-wedding, I have grown to appreciate this aspect of young marriage.  We really had (have) no idea what we were (are) doing and you were exactly right.  However, apart from bad habits and minor situations,  I have loved the surprises and new things I learn about Will.  I have experienced his drive, heart, commitment, character, etc. in ways I didn’t know he was capable of when we said “I do.” I thank God all the time that Will has “turned out” the way he has because 3 years ago, I had no clue what we were doing.  Your statement that astonished me at one point has turned into something I appreciate in marriage and cements the fact that bringing Will and I together was truly His plan.  In retrospect, 3 years doesn’t even compare to the 50+ we have ahead of us. We haven’t even experienced an ounce of the trials and joys that lay ahead of us and I know we will surprise each other in ways that aren’t pleasant.  I know we still have no idea what we are doing and at times this is hard; but I know this can also be the beauty of marriage and provide the bonds that build a sacred relationship.
I appreciate the wisdom you gave Will and I and the opportunity you gave me in seeing the “discovery” in marriage.  Thank you for your truthfulness and recognizing the promise between two, clueless kids.

Good Read

It's amazing how once very important things are not so important anymore when you have yourself a very.good.book.  Suddenly you aren't THAT busy and you have more than enough time to do those OTHER things later.  It's even more amazing when your husband who only reads sales books, Money Magazine, and Yahoo News gets into a novel.

Suggested Read: The Hunger Games Trilogy 


(Yes, we have both jumped on that bandwagon. They are so entertaining that I don't even care that I have joined the over-commercialized, sensationalized, science-fiction saga.) 

 Apparently they do not entertain everyone: