Save the dates have been ordered, invitations designed, bakery options found - things are coming together!

I'm getting married! :)

A year in review

January, February, March

My first month really living with my boyfriend! I moved into the apartment in December once I finished up my quarter in Bellingham, and had the chance to finally settle down. Began student teaching, which was postponed multiple times due both to the university coordinator's ineptitude and an ice storm. Student teaching galore! Was asked what my plans for Valentine's Day were, and when I responded that I was going to go to an Ethiopian cooking class, my students wanted to know if I was going to be cooking Ethiopian aphrodisiacs. Hilarious.

April, May, June

Drove down to surprise my mom for her birthday. Enjoyed spring break, celebrated my future sister-in-law's birthday with a girls' spa night, and honored the anniversary of my would-be future father-in-law's with a weekend at the beach. Taught units on Romeo and Juliet, The Lord of the Flies, and writing research papers. Completed my student teaching internship, and got my teaching permit!

July, August

These two months get their own heading. Took a girls' trip to Vegas, ate at casino buffets, saw the Blue Man Group, and went clubbing for really the only time in 2012. Got my first bout of stomach flu of the year. Went to Toronto for a week, where I got to visit a friend from high school, and meet for the first time I gal I've been friends online with since my junior year of high school. Graduated with my master's! Celebrated my oldest brother's wedding! Got a job!

September, October

Went wine tasting with friends. Was blown away by the support of my administration and co-workers, was honored by a student who asked me to chaperone him onto the field during senior night at the football game. Got engaged!

Tried to figure out how to be a teacher. Sank into grading hell.

November, December

Started planning a wedding. Asked some of my best friends to be a part of our ceremony. Turned 27 - yikes!  Spent my first Christmas away from my family, and my first one with my future in-laws. Got my second bout of stomach flu. Honored a close friend at her baby shower. Took engagement pictures. Celebrated the holidays with great food and even better company.

Here's to seeing what 2013 has in store. :)

 

Details, details, details.

"... there were maggots inside maggots, there were maggots inside the maggots inside the initial maggots. Maggots everywhere. I immediately shut the fridge and threw up on the floor, my vomit kind of looked like maggots so I threw up again, then I threw up again because of the smell."

This is what I get when I ask for lots of details in my students' writing.

I really love breaks. I enjoy being able to sleep in, and I find an unidentifiable joy in having Mike leave for work before me. I like setting up day-long routines for myself that include breakfast, reading, working out, naps, and minimal work. Needless to say, I've been looking forward to this two week holiday break since, oh, about September 1.

Here's the issue, though. As I get older, I find that there is more to do over my breaks. When I was in third grade, all I would do is read. And maybe empty the dishwasher, or take care of another random chore. But now, there are adult things that have to be taken care of, like grocery shopping, and laundry, and errands. And then, when all of your friends are educators and on break at the same time, there's the beautiful opportunity to socialize. But with holidays also comes family, and all of a sudden a two week break becomes a bit of a relay, running from family to friends to rest time to errands and more movement to and fro.

I started off this holiday break with a rousing 48-hour stomach flu, and just hit the ground running after that. It was fantastic! I saw family and friends, and played games, and spent the holidays surrounded by people I love. But in the back of my mind, I was also constantly nagged by the thought that I was putting off my grading. And now, at 8.00 p.m. the night before school starts up again, I'm surrounded by a pile of things that really should have been graded 10 days ago. And I'm blogging about it. Hello, responsibility!

I should probably go do something more productive. Happy new year! I hope you had a nice break.

Three departments?!

Let's talk about how much I love my job. Guys. I love my job. So much. Seriously. That doesn't mean that I don't have bad days, or days wherein I'm so exhausted and in such a cranky mood that I want to call in a sub just so my students and I don't have to look at each other. Oh no. They happen. Today, actually, was one of those days. But overall, I'm just loving it. One of my coworkers even said to me yesterday, "You seem like you really like your job." Apparently this is a Big Deal for a first year teacher. The last two weeks have been intense, though. For the first time this year, I'm feeling quite overwhelmed by the fact that not only am I teaching three different courses, but that each of these courses fall within a different department. I'm endorsed in one, highly qualified in another, and have zero experience in the third. And while I'm okay with taking a few days to relax and ease off on curriculum to give everyone a break, I really, really dislike feeling like I have no clue what I'm doing. I really, really, really dislike feeling like I'm doing a disservice to my kids because of my ineptitude. But, seriously. All of that said? I love my job.

Cards against humanity

Everyone should play this game. But, with this said, everyone should also be warned that it is a terrible, terrible game. And absolutely hilarious. This past weekend was full of relaxation, cleaning, friends, and some work. Today I'm back at the grind, and boy, did I grind away. I spent a few hours prepping for my classes tomorrow, building seating charts for my classes, poring over essays that can be picked apart to analyze theme, and also just sitting. I'm meeting my mentor teacher from the district tomorrow, discussing tax shelter options with someone next week, going to another orientation of staff on Saturday. And in the midst of all of this, I'm also working at cleaning the apartment, making food for the week, and being in a relationship. Here's the thing, guys. I'm so happy. I'm really enjoying my job, loving my apartment, learning how to budget my time and resources. We're talking marriage, we're going to start saving so we can rent a house and plan for a wedding. My family is healthy and happy, my friends are all in good places for the most part. I'm completely aware of the fact that some days will be really hard, and that I'll want to rip out the hair of every person in the room. But for now, I'm just in such a good place. It's a relief, and refreshing, and everything else wonderful that starts with "re." Happy Monday, folks. This week has hit the ground running.

You want me to teach... what?

I know. I know. It's been ages. The newest improvement? I have a job! Three weeks ago I received a life-changing phone call, from a local high school's assistant principal, inviting me to become a part of her staff. I was being offered a position as a language arts teacher, and she said I would most likely be taking on a full load with 10th grade English and perhaps a section of 9th grade English, too. Now, here I stand, a full week into teaching, with three 10th grade English classes, a section of Intermediate ELL Writing, and one section of Spanish 1. And let me tell you, I'm absolutely loving it. I'll add here that this is tough. I'm trying desperately to do long-term planning, while at the same time focusing on all the small things that need to be dealt with. I'm constantly reevaluating the assignments I'm giving, the way my desks are arranged, and how I can improve my classroom to be the most effective learning environment for my kids. I know that I have a whole shit-ton to learn this year, and I'm also being really purposeful in pacing myself so I don't become overwhelmed and burned out. But seriously. It's so fun. My kids are hilarious. My administrators and colleagues are supportive. My classes are challenging, but I'm being given freedom to play within some great, critically thought out and planned frameworks. Especially after the odd environment I was in during my student teaching, this is about as ideal as I could ask for. I'm learning what it means to teach, being offered all types of suggestions and support, and teaching my ELL students new words and phrases like "peer editing" and "goober." Though I know things can change, and some days will be far different from others, but today, my fifth day into teaching, I"m just so happy.