Aww Miss... Whatchyu know 'bout dem shoes??

This last week was my first week with students back in school and it was exhausting. I didn't realize how exhausting until I took a 4 hour nap on Saturday, and slept like a baby that night.

The reason why the title of this post is what it is, was from something a student said to me at the beginning of last year. He commented on my sperry's... it was a compliment. This is how the majority of my students speak, and I love it. There's never a dull moment.

Last year teaching was my first year, and it was really tough. I work in a school with kids who have a lot of issues. Poverty issues. Anger issues. Gang issues. Drug issues. You get the idea. It's not your cookie-cutter school with your cookie-cutter students. It's hard. I get a lot of attitude. I get cussed out on occasion. All in a days work.

Teaching Spanish means that I have an array of students. I get all grades, but being the only Spanish 1 teacher in the school, I have a lot of freshman (by the way, our dept. has 3 people in it. 3). The good new is, these freshman are smart. And when I say smart, I mean smart-smart. At my school, usually when you hear smart it's in the context of the being a smart... well you know.

It's hard to judge just by the first week, but I can already tell this year is going to be easier than last, and I think I have a good group of kids. Don't get me wrong, I have my challenge students... but I'm so much more prepared to deal with those kinds of kids than I was last year.

Wish me luck

Wedding

There are less than 3 months until my wedding, and I just haven't felt that "wedding stress." It probably has a lot to do with the fact that I've had all summer off, and have been spending most of my time planning for up to now, the biggest day of my life. I'm glad that I don't feel stressed, I want this to be a fun experience. I know that you're only engaged once, and it's a very unique, sweet, short time in a girl's life. Our engagement is only 6 months, so I'm trying to get the most out of it.

Speaking of engagement, here's the bling:

The center diamond was given to me by my grandmother. It was from a ring her grandmother gave her. The appraiser said that it was probably made between 1860 and 1920. That's a lot of dinners made and babies' diapers changed!

I have a lot done already. I have the venue. You can check it out here.

I have my dress... sorry no link! Super secret.

Here's a picture my florist and I took inspiration from for my bouquet. I'm just loving the orange flowers.

I'm still looking and thinking about small details. I want to keep it personal while keeping it in budget.

Although, my mom made a good suggestion... would it be weird if I had a caricaturist at my wedding? (answer: no)

2 Bedroom, 2 Bath

Sean and I are all moved into our new apartment. We are going from a 1 bedroom, 1 bath to a 2 bedroom, 2 bath. It makes a world of difference!! I can breathe. I never realized how cramped I felt until I moved into a place with some space!

It's also exciting to think that this will be our first "official" married couple home even though we've been living together for about a year. I know the newness of marriage will be a little easier to deal with since my future husband has been my roommate. I know his quirks and habits... so no surprises (hopefully).


Along with it just being an overall nice apartment, we lucked out on the location of our building. We're on the back end... no road,  no cars. There is a nice little hiking trail. Here are some pictures to help you get the idea of the amazing view from our apartment. This picture is taken from out porch. We have the same view from the bedroom and guestroom. 






















Life is good. Gotta go back to work on the 10th, school starts on the 15th.

Long time, no write

It's been over a year since my last blog post. Let me tell you, a lot can happen in a year. Where should we start...

sister

My story left off with my staying with my sister over the summer in bahston. That was the longest time I've spent with my sister since I was 7. You'll be happy to know we get along quite nicely, and it was very, very difficult for me to say goodbye to her, my niece and my brother-in-law. It was a wonderful experience and I'm so glad I was able to spend some quality time with my one and only sister.

my sean-y boy

Along with saying goodbye to my sister, it was also hard to say goodbye to the northeast, as my love, Sean, was still working at camp in Pennsylvania. I was surviving off our 23 hour visitations in between 2 or 3 weeks of not seeing each other. Leaving the northeast meant saying goodbye to Sean for over a month. As we drove up together, the original plan was to drive back to Arkansas together. However, I had to leave early as I got my very first teaching job in Colorado.

colorado

And so, I made the drive all by my lonesome from Boston, MA to Rogers, AR. In case you were wondering, that's about 1,489 miles. I drove 10 or 11 hours one day, and 11 or 12 the next. I started talking to my car. I spent about a week in Arkansas and then my wonderful parents and I loaded up a U-haul and made the drive to Colorado. My parents helped me move and am eternally grateful. However, they had to leave as soon as we got the boxes in and I sat on my floor and cried. It was scary being in a new place, a new state all alone. I unpacked some, and started work, and waited until my sean-y boy got done with camp and made his way here.

growing up

Teaching proved itself very difficult. I work in a high-risk, low-income school and it's not at all what I had been prepared for. I had a lot of ups, a lot of downs, I cried a lot, I yelled a lot, and I smiled a lot. I know this next school year I will come in much more prepared than I was for the last. It'll be another challenge, but in a different way. I am also now an engaged woman. Sean proposed to me right after the school year ended during a lovely weekend getaway in Breckenridge (when you live in Colorado you can do weekend getaways in Breckenridge). Today marks the 99 day mark. Super exciting.

keeping up

I will try and continue this blog, if not for sharing my life (which I don't believe to be all that interesting) but as a journal of sorts as I can type much faster than I can write. Keep in touch.

So Wicked Good

So upon the finale of my education, I moved to the Boston area for the summer to live with my sister, brother-in-law, and niece. It's a nice deal. I'm grateful of them for allowing me to stay with them all summer.

I have a lot to look forward to after the summer, but I'm trying to enjoy this free time while I can, because I know once you grow up, they take away your free time. I've been spending my days mostly lounging, reading, running, and playing Viva Pinata on my bro-in-law's XBox. Although it has been somewhat difficult to be apart from my beau over the summer, as he's making ridiculously rich children's dreams come true at a summer camp.

Anyway, after this summer, it's him and I off to Colorado.

Headin' for the highway. Lookin' for adventure.

Graduation

So I walked across the big stage yesterday, (again) and "received" my diploma. What I actually received was a red folder with a letter in it and that graduation song stuck in my head for the rest of the day.

I know a lot of people participate on commencement for their parents' sake. Me, I appreciate the closure... the feelings of accomplishment I get. It's like all year long I've been so wrapped up in work and internships that I forget the whole point.

So, now that I've finished the most difficult school program in my life, I now have a M.A.T. degree. M.A.T. means I spent a year of my life working my butt off and 12,000 dollars to become a teacher. Yup. Go me.

So long, Farewell, Auf Wiedersehen, Goodbye...

Today was the last day of Grad School classes. Although I'm not officially finished, I no longer have to concern myself with mind-numbing, endless assignments. Okay, well two more because I'm running a little behind, but those will be easy. I have four more days of internship, and one formal observation within that. Then, I'm DONE.

I'm truly seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. Finally.