Summer Wrap Up

This summer was pretty low-key.  I did not have any big trips this year because I had class all summer.  I am finished with one year of my Masters. YAY!! I took a couple trips to Utah with Brian.  We also went to California for a Braves game.  I spent a few days in Colorado visiting my best friend from High School. Mom and I took the girls to see Legally Blonde at Spring Mountain Ranch.  Here are some pictures of my summer.

Brian and I at Lagoon for his dad's birthday.

 A trip to Utah is not complete if Brian's sister Ali and I do not get pedicures.

Legally Blonde at Spring Mountain Ranch

Huh?

My nieces ... Love these girls

 Silly ... Silly ... Silly

 Probably my favorite picture of the night!

Talk About an Emotional Week

I am so happy this week is over!  After having mom and dad's anniversary last weekend and the anniversary of his death this Friday, I am emotionally drained and exhausted. Driving to work Thursday, I realized it was the day dad made the decision to go into hospice last year. To make matters worse, I have to drive by the hospital where we were when he made the decision every day! Friday was absolute torture! The last place I wanted to be was work! Luckily, my principal let my sister and me leave early. We had the entire family over Friday night to remember dad. We each bought balloons in remembrance of him. We stood in a circle outside, each taking turns saying something about dad and letting our balloons go. It was a very emotional night, but also very healing. I miss my dad everyday! I cannot even begin to count the number of times the past year I wished for a "father/daughter" talk. The only thing that worries me is that I am not making him proud. That is all I want ... to make him proud. When I see him again I do not want to hear anything but that he is proud of me. I have also began a quest to find happiness again. I have spent the last year in pain and misery and I'm tired of it. I am going to find something that brings me happiness and embrace it. Maybe it (whatever "it" may be) is here in Vegas and maybe it is not. For now, I am in Vegas and will look for happiness here. If in two years when I am done with school I have not found it, I will look elsewhere. Here is to a better, more productive, less emotional week!!

Class Has Officially Began

I started my Masters Program in Special Education this week. For the next two years (including summers) I will have class every Tuesday and Thursday night. My first class seems relatively easy. Most of our grade is attendance and participation. I am excited to learn more about Special Education and how to better service my kiddos.
Work went pretty well this week. Nothing to exciting. I am slowly learning my kiddos and how to teach them to where they will make the most gains. My new job is definitely interesting but I do find myself missing being in a gen. ed. classroom.  I will for sure teach Resource this year and next year. After that, who knows? It all depends on job availability and if I stay in Vegas.
Friday night mom and I went out. We ate at the Orleans Buffet and then played some slot machines. At the end of the night, we each walked out with $15 more than we had started. 
Saturday was mom and dad's anniversary. It was a difficult day for mom but she pulled through. Saturday morning I went and did Baptisms for the Dead with my friend Brian. We then had breakfast at Blueberry Hill (Dad and I used to go there when I was little). Saturday night I got to babysit Molly. It was so much fun hanging out with her for the night.
Sunday morning I made oreos and then went to church. The oreos were for our New Member Activity. Sadly, my Lions and my Braves were both on TV (which never happens) at the same time! Lots of channel flipping was going on.

Time to Start Pulling Kids

Week two of work was definitely much better than week one. It started off a little shaky. April and I had to redo our schedules after we noticed a mistake we had made. Luckily, the fix did not take us as long as I thought it would. On Thursday I was able to start pulling kids. I absolutely love getting to know these little kiddos. Working with this particular set of kiddos has really opened my eyes into what teaching is truly all about. These kiddos try so hard every day and are truly inspirational to me. They do not give up when things get hard. They simply keep trying and persevere through their trials. What a great lesson to learn from a bunch of kiddos ages nine to eleven!! I am so grateful for my new job and the new perspective on life it has given me. 

Labor Day Weekend

After the first week of school, I was definitely happy to have a three day weekend. Friday night I had the most exciting night ever. I  fell asleep at 9:30!!! HaHa I was so completely exhausted from work and stress overload that I just passed out. Saturday I spent part of the day at work, then caught a bit of a stomach bug. Luckily it was gone by Saturday night. 
My best friend Brian, his brother, and I left Vegas around 12:30am on Sunday and drove to California. We spent the morning at Venice Beach. I absolutely love walking around that place. All of the shops and the crazy people always make for a good time. Then we headed tot the Dodger game. It was a blast, minus missing catching a homerun ball. Due to my peanut allergy, I had to move seats. About a minute after I moved, Kemp hit a homerun that bounced right where I had been sitting. Darn that silly peanut allergy. Sitting behind us was a family with an autistic boy. He was the sweetest kid! I got to know him and his mom very well by the end of the game. 
Monday I spent the day at my brother's house, catching up on the sleep I missed Sunday.  Monday night I went to FHE and we played indoor volleyball. I forgot how much I missed playing. When I lived in Utah, we used to play quite frequently. 
All-in-all, it was a pretty good Labor Day Weekend. I hope your Labor Day Weekend was also relaxing and fun.

First Week Jitters

Last week was the first week back to work with the kiddos, and what a week it was. Every night I went home completely exhausted. I did not realize how tired I would be, and I haven't even begun pulling kids yet. I spent most of last week helping other teachers and getting to know the kiddos that I will be working with. It has truly been a humbling week. Seeing so many kids with learning disabilities and other disabilities has truly made me grateful for all that I have. The work ethic of some of these kiddos is inspiring. They try so hard day in and day out despite their short-comings. I am super excited to start pulling kids and to begin working with them. It is quite the hectic, non-stop schedule that I will have. April and I spent a lot of time trying to figure out a schedule to make sure all of our kiddos got their required minutes.When we finished the schedule, we realized that we barely had time for a lunch in our schedules. Busy is good though. Busy means lots of kiddos will be getting the help that they need.
On the non-work side of life, I have been quite emotional this past week. I cannot believe that just a year ago I was on a cruise ship in the middle of the Caribbean. Just one year ago I was checking my email and calling home as much as possible to see how dad was doing. Just one year ago I still had the most important man in my life. Just one year ago I was able to hear his voice. I cannot believe that in a few weeks it will have been a year since dad has passed. The past year has been filled with many ups and many downs, some of which I still do not understand. I know that the ache in my heart will never go away or be healed. I am learning slowly how to cope with that pain in my daily life and not let it affect all other aspects of my life. Some days are easier than other, but knowing that dad is always in my heart and his teaching are embedded in my thoughts is definitely comforting.

New School Year ... New Challenges

As I'm getting ready to start my second year of teaching, I could not be more nervous. Due to the threats of pink-slips and lay offs, I switched into special education to protect my job. Having very little experience teaching special education and no experience writing IEPs, I am sure this year will be a stressful one. My only wish is that I can impact my students and their education in a positive way. Not only am I starting a new position this year, I am also starting my Masters Program in Special Education. Needless to say, I am going to be one busy girl this school year. I am excited for the challenge and even more excited to be working side-by-side with my sister. Here is to a great year. I will do my best to keep you as up-to-date as I can with "Whats up" in my life.