WOW!!! It has been a while... Yikes!

Life has gone completely crazy... :) My substitute teaching job turned "long term", Yeah!! I am teaching full time, going to school full time and of course, being Mom and Wife and Daughter! Any who... I will fill everyone in more at the end of school. Trying balance everything and some days I am able to do it better than others. ;)



On another note... Hannah has kept us busy at the doctor. :) First it was the ENT Dr., which turned into a blessing in disguise. Hannah had a Vascular Granular in her left ear. Our primary was treating her for an ear infection, which led to the specialist and he was able to resolve the issue. Then, drum roll please, she broke her *left* pinkie playing tether ball at school. (HHHHmmm, didn't Mom just break her left pinkie?!) :) So this led to more specialist apt.s and boy oh boy, now physical therapy.



All and all, we all are doing great and this time in our life seems extremely busy, but wont be like this forever. :)



**Todd's cousin had a baby girl and what a cutie she is... Charity Grace has posted a few pictures. Congratulations!!!

1st day of Substitute Teaching

Spring is in the air and it has made all of the kids go a little, um, CRAZY! Still having a great time though... and this Wed. I had the opportunity to fill in for the teacher. I had the class all day by myself, yep, all day. :) I came home excited and I knew, I really knew, being a teacher is where I want, need, will love, to be.

I also wanted to share a great search portal that is for students, educators and parents, really for anyone who wants to avoid inappropriate pop ups... (Great resources and ideas.)

Thinkfinity

It is midterm week and I have a research paper due in a month, so, posting may be even lighter... is that possible?! Spring break is also fast approaching and I can hardly wait, oh, that's right I have to work. Hannah's school and college have the same week off, however, work is the week after. Bummer!!! Oh well, I will get cracking on my paper. (Todd and I are planning on taking Hannah for a weekend get away, its a surprise for her.)

Happy Spring!!!

3 weeks and oh so tired!

Well another week has passed and I am just as excited as I was the first day... :) This weekend 4 of us went to a class on Autism and what we learned there was awesome. I am thinking ,and have thought, I really wanted to get in to Special Education. I know that this is the field where I would like to get my Master's and to teach. Working with these children is incredible and today proved it.

I am totally exhausted though, and with school midterms fast approaching, realizing just how much this can take out of you. :) I am still aiming for a 4.0 and knock on wood, it looks like that could happen... On the other side, this may sound awful in some sense, but it is the truth, working has brought something about in me. I love being a Mom and Wife and I do think that is the most important thing I could be, but this is just adding that much more to our world. The world is made up of all different types and how wonderful it is to be able to share that with Hannah.

Hannah gets to come to work with me (schools have different schedules) occasionally and she enjoys interacting with the students. She is learning more and more acceptance of others and everyones 'normal' is different.

Anyways, I could go on and on and on, but I am starting to ramble and we don't want that. :) We will post soon!
Love to you all and have a fabulous rest of the week!

The weekend is here!!

My 8 hour teaching math class was canceled for today, YAY!! I love this class and teacher, so it's not excitement of missing this class, but I am tired and need this weekend to regroup and start my research paper. This week went great!! I did realize that working with my two students does take a lot of my energy (physical as well as emotional). This has inspired me to take my vitamins and eat right and exercise, building up stamina is the key right now. :)

I have done some reading on helping these two and wow, I knew this was going to be my cup of tea (or least for right now), but realizing I can be a voice for children in this way is amazing. I am learning so much and feel that 3 years of going to school is paying off. ;) To know I have retained what I have learned and able to apply it is so awesome. I want to make sure to keep up my spirit and not let some of the red tape get me down. Having been there only 3 days, I see how the red tape can wear you down, but what did that the little old ant say, “he’s got high hopes, high apple pie in the sky”, that’s me today.

I know that I am running on adrenaline right now and my brain is going to, at some point, rebel. So let me say this now… sorry for any grammar mistakes, spelling errors, lack of making sense and all that goes with a brain short fusing. :) Well, we are off to the “big” city to do a little shopping and take Grandpa to the Art store…. hope you all have a great weekend!!!

First day Gitters!

Yikes!! I would never have thought this... I have butterflies flittering around in the already anxiety rid gut. lol I went for a job interview today and I got it. I will be a full-time teacher’s aide and part time substitute teacher. I am really excited, but it just hit me as I was trying to get some school work done and ahead. WOW!! Full-time Mom, Full-wife, Full-time student and now a full-time employee!

Ok, enough of the nerves... I am so excited and knew of the possibility this weekend, so my house work is all caught up. Piece of cake, she says now. :) I am so excited and thrilled to be gaining this experience… I will keep you all posted on how I feel after tomorrow. :)

Exciting! Exciting!!

Everyday there is something to help me see the light at the end of the tunnel. Today was one of those days. I made calls to a few Universities that I have in mind (to be announced later). Well, I received only good responses and extremely helpful staff. The excitement of it all is almost too much to handle. :) I can hardly wait to talk with Todd.

My fire is reignited and there is no stopping me now.... :)

(Not that you could have stopped me before!)

* Side note: I just re-read my first post and realized I missed a post. The school I found at first was great, but it has changed. As that school is still a contender,it may just not fit into the "big" plan. :)

Inspired again!

This blog has seemed to fall to the side... the reason for this was conflict within. I had many more days of 'why am I doing this?" and not enough 'kindling' to keep the fires burning. It seems that all of the pre-work was getting me down and when I look back, not only was it the classes, but the people. See, I want to be a GREAT teacher and I found that I was surrounded with people who wanted the easy way. :) If there is one thing I have learned... GREATNESS does not come easy.

Well my fires have been stoked! Yesterday was the first day of my Math for Teachers class and WOW, I love it!! The teacher is a wealth of information, experience and GREATNESS!!! It is she who relit my fire and for that I will be forever greatful.

So I will have to say that I am just so excited and can't wait for more to come. I will be posting more often with thoughts and experiences... Stay Tuned!!

P.S. '5's' break it down to 5's. :)

Welcome to my Journey!

I recently have had a request to start a blog about my journey... called college. I have emailed some of you about this journey, as well as have had in depth phone conversations about the feelings, emotions and thoughts it has provoked.

WOW! What a journey it has been and will continue to be... the personal growth and change that has occurred is mind boggling to me. AAAwwww, expanding the mind, how sweet it is.

The next step in this journey has been picking out the University to finish my B.A., Masters, and one day, the Ph.D I hope to earn. Let me just say this... From the very beginning Hannah (and Todd) have been my first priority and college has had to fit "our" schedule. This has been easy sometimes and very nerve racking other times. I have been very fortunate to have been able to schedule classes when Hannah is in school, eeerrrrrr!!, except this semester. I had two evening classes and this has left me scrambling for a solution. Ergo, the solution for more than a semester, the rest of my College career!

Hannah has been graciously excepted to join in these two classes. She is learning right along me and what a joy it has been, but that may not always be possible. The one thing I have said all the long is, "There has to be a college that would allow me to be the mom I want/need to be and be the college student I know I can be" and oh, how I have prayed about this.

I found it and oh what a joy! Not only will this school allow me to be the Mom and Wife I am, but the Student I am and want to be. They do this by local mentor teaching and a more relaxed class format. I see the light at the end of the first tunnel, yay!!


I loved the title of a paper written by Jamie Katner "Education is a journey not a destination"... There could not be a truer statement.


Welcome everyone! This is the first installment in many more to come.