Thursday, October 29, 2009

Long, Busy Days and Weeks

Sorry it has been so long since I have last reported in to everybody. My life has been gung-ho for the past two weeks, but in a very good way. The recent change has been that I am no longer in first grade or the Elementary school, but in the sixth grade which is over at the Jr. High. It has been a lot of fun, and very very different.

I will admit the first day it was super hard and a HUGE adjustment. I missed my little babies, and even though they have the best teacher in the world, I found myself worrying about them, what they were doing, and if they were getting it all or not. So sad I know! But after a week or so, I got accustomed to where I am at now as soon as I began to recognize the kids and putting names with faces. Sixth graders are ssooo much fun! They are older and are more sarcastic, which is sometimes good, sometimes bad. They are still young enough to not be "too cool for school". Needless to say, I am having a great time and am learning a lot. My new teacher is awesome. She is so much fun, has some great ideas, and the kids love her class! All in all, my student teaching experience really has been extraordinary.

Mark and I have both been busy with the youth, doing Wednesday nights, bible studies, 5th quarters, games, and all other sorts of stuff that has been going on. Both Ellie and Sadie are doing well and being good girls for the most part. They are full of energy, but tucker themselves out pretty good each night. All in all, that is my post for right now. Hopefully I can post some mroe interesting things later.

Saturday, October 10, 2009

A Bitter Sweet Friday!

Well folks it is the time has finally come when I have to leave the class I have come to love so much, and go on to the new and exciting 6th grade classroom. I love my little class full of first graders and their smiling faces, curious eyes, and learning minds. They are the sweetest things, and I will miss them dearly. I will miss them telling me hello each morning with a hug, telling me I look pretty everyday (even if I don't at all), giving me the sweet things they had made at home the night before, wanting me to look at their paper because they are proud of how they did (and yes that did get annoying after a while, but it is still something I will miss), all of these things.

Anyway, at the end of the day on Friday I come waltzing back into my classroom after helping my mom over in her office, open the door, and hear a chorus of "SURPRISE!" coming from 22 little mouths. I look up to find Miss Newsom, my classroom teacher, standing there, camera in hand, taking pictures of my very shocked face. My eyes then dance their way around to the table where low and behold, there sits a cake, and presents, and juice all waiting for me! I could hardly contain my excitement. I walk over to view the beautiful chocolate cake and find it says "Good Luck" on the top and then "Mrs. Kristen" on a cookie on the side.It is a two tier cake, and around the sides of it there were frosted cookies that said a name of every child in my class! It was the cutest and prettiest thing ever!I thought Miss Newsom had gone to some fancy cake store to get it, but come to find out, Mrs. Cheryl Hardy from right here in Harleton whipped that up for me! That made it 10 times more special!There were also presents all around of items that I would be able to use in my future classroom! One big thing that I have been looking for and wanting very badly was what I call a "teacher bag" where I can put all of the papers and things teachers have to take home in and is very cute and stylish. In the bag where different miscellaneous items, stinky stickers, a cool folder to leave for subs, post it notes, ect. Mrs. Lloyd, the teacher right next door also got me a bag of goodies which included a bunch of things you never think about such as a tape dispenser, paper clip holder, orange handled scissors ( which are super hard to find), markers, the list goes on!

One of the parts that meant the absolute most to me was the people that showed up. My mom came which was so sweet, because as Mrs, Amy, our speech teacher said, "Aw it is like it is coming full circle for Traci, since this was her old classroom and all. How cool for her." Mrs. Amy was another one, Mrs. Lisa (mom's best friend and the fine arts teacher), Mrs. Wendy (the school principal and my fourth grade teacher), Mrs. Kay (Mrs. Amy's boss), the other first grade teachers (for a second), I mean it was a party. It was just so nice to have all those people there in support of me and what I am about to do. To know that I have multiple people who think I am ready for this and are encouraging me is extraordinary.If anything else, I know there are lots of people who like chocolate cake like me haha. Seriously, it was like a coming of age thing as an adult, an entrance into the world of working people, something I will remember for the rest of my life. A funny story from this party was one of my little girls told my mom "She is never coming back." Mom replied, "Yes she will, she will come back and visit you." The girl looked back at her and shook her head side to side and said "Nope, I'm never gonna see her again." We then told her I would come back and visit, but isn't that just the sweetest thing in the world!?!?

So yeah, get ready sixth grade, cause here I come!

Thursday, October 1, 2009

What I'm Thinking. . .

I decided to do something a little bit different.

What I am thinking. . .

1. I am so glad I was able to make it to the test center in enough time to be able to take my PPR(Pedagogy and Professional Responsibilities) exam for to become certified to teaching. I thought the test was at 1 for the whole month I was signed up for it, only to find out this morning it is really at 12 and I have to be there 30 mins beforehand. It was 10:32, and it takes over an hour to get to Tyler, which is where I was taking my test! Can we say panic much?!?! Yeah, luckily I made it and they let me in and take the test, which I think I did ok on. We will see the results in a week or so, therefore everyone keep your fingers crossed!

2. I am so thankful for the beautiful day that we are having! I love fall!! It is my absolute favorite season, although I am sure I have already said this. It is getting cooler, less humid, and I am a happy girl. I am ready for the leaves to start changing and falling off the trees, that will make me very happy.

3. I am sssoooo ready to go to First Monday Trade Days! I have a shopping list already of things I am going to be looking for! We are going tomorrow and I am so excited! I will be looking for these special shoes for my up and coming teaching career. Also any other tid bits for my home and classroom will be scouted out as well!! Super excited and ready to go.

4. I had fun tonight with my husband visiting some really good friends from Tyler. I love just sitting around a fire catching up and talking about random happenings and topics. I miss them a lot and wish we had them closer to us. Sometimes it is a little tough being back home in Harleton, because although I love my home town and don't desire to be any other place, I miss my friends and not having hardly any married friends that live around here. Life is good though, I can't complain.

5. I am ready to start teaching. I am ready to get into my own classroom, with my own students, and bringing home my own paycheck. I am excited to be able to finally start contributing something to our bank account. I am super excited about my career, and am just ready for it to be here.

6. I am ready for Monday to be here. NO not because it signifies the start of another work week, or due to the fact I just totally miss my first grade babies so much of the weekend lol (though sometimes I do), no it is because that is the day we are scheduled to receive a home phone, cable, and INTERNET!! YAY!!! No more long times in between posts or having to post on the fly, or at the church, or packing up my computer to take to my mother's house! I can finally get farmville on facebook too!! It is going to be a glorious day.

7. I am sad I didn't get a chance to Skype with Matt and Sarah today, our friends who moved away to California so Matt could go to seminary. I miss them a whole whole whole lot, but I know they are right where God wants them and am excited for this new and exciting adventure. So Matt and Sarah, know I love you guys a lot and we miss you tons!

8. I am beginning to think I need to really start becoming more conscious of my healthy, and living a more healthy and better lifestyle. I need to start eating right and exercising now, while I am young, and get into a routine, that way it wont be so difficult a few years down the road. Even if it just starts out as learning how to eat right, that is fine.

Well I guess that is really all that is on my mind for now. . . Hopefully on Monday I will be able to post something from the comfort of my own home on the couch! Time will tell!