Graduation and Christmas!

I am now an ODU alumnus (well I will "officially" be one when all the processing goes through in the next few weeks). Graduation was a fun (although cold) day, and it was really neat to be participating in a college graduation! In January I will begin the Masters program for Elementary Education, and, if all goes as planned, I will graduate with my Masters degree about a year from now!

This Christmas was an especially exciting one for us because we got our very first Christmas tree! It is a Fraser Fir and smelled so nice when we brought it in and opened it up in the living room

Christmas came and went much to fast for me. It is hard to believe that it came and is gone already! It was a nice time, however, spent with family and a beautiful Christmas Eve service at Sovereign Grace Church. This is also the last week of 2011! I wonder about all the plans God has in store for me in 2012.

Two Weeks

There is just a little over two weeks until graduation! While I am excited, there is SO much that I have to get done before then; 3 exams, a classroom management philosophy paper, a presentation (I already wrote it, just have to present it now), a geometry project, and several little two page papers. And this is just the school stuff!

I am excited to graduate, but it hasn't really hit me yet. Maybe it has at least partially to do with the fact that I won't be "done."  I plan on starting the graduate program for a Masters in Elementary Education in January. I should finish that in about a year after a semester and a summer of full-time classes (4 each) and a semester for student teaching.

Practicum

After a long wait, I was finally placed in my practicum! I have to spend a total of 70 hours in an elementary classroom before the end of the semester (35 in a Pk-3, and 35 in a 4-6). Right now I am in a 3rd grade classroom. I am really enjoying it, and I definitely have some funny and cute quotes from the kids. The hours have added a lot to my schedule though, and I have been pretty exhausted. Thankfully I do not have a whole lot of homework otherwise though, but projects will be coming up soon with the end of the semester approaching so I need to make sure I stay on top of things.

I am looking forward to the end of the semester, and having a break as well as Christmas! I plan on starting the graduate program in January, and I am a bit nervous about that.

The Gate

“I tell you the truth, the man who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber.  The man who enters by the gate is the shepherd of his sheep.  The watchman opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.  When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice.  But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger’s voice.” Jesus used this figure of speech, but they did not understand what he was telling them.

Therefore Jesus said again, “I tell you the truth, I am the gate for the sheep. All who ever came before me were thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. He will come in and go out, and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full."

John 10:1-10

I'm back!

I decided to start writing here again (not sure how many see it, but oh well lol). Anyway, things are going well for me. I'm finishing up my last semester of undergrad, and it's so hard to believe that I will be graduating in December! I have been accepted into the graduate program and plan to start that in January.

Pictures from Kait and Drew's Wedding

For more wedding pics click here

Photos taken by Melanie Wasko Photography & Amy Bare Photography
They are both really awesome photographers and you should use them next time you need a photographer! Click on their names to go to their website or find them on facebook!

Richards/Martin Wedding

Kaitlin and Drew's wedding was gorgeous and SO much fun! All of the bridesmaids and Kaitlin showed up early and Jacqueline, Rachael, and Chelsea were there to assist us with hair and makeup (Charity did Kait and Kara's makeup and their hair was done at the salon). Kaitlin was an absolutely GORGEOUS bride!

The ceremony itself was fun. It was so neat to get that perspective; it's the first time I've been in a wedding. There were pictures both before and after the ceremony. The reception was also really fun and then we sent the Martins off in a limo to their honeymoon! 

Shortly after the got back, I was able to meet them for dinner along with Alexandra and Aaron. It was so fun to see the newly married couple. They both seem so happy.

Congratulations Kaitlin and Drew Martin!

:D

Twenty-Two

Last Wednesday was my 22nd birthday! :D I had a great birthday which even stretched out to cover several days. Because Wednesday contained basketball practice for Philip, care group for Alexandra and I, and ladies meeting for my mom, we weren't able to celebrate as a family that night. However I received MANY birthday wishes from family and friends, and someone brought a cake to care group and they all sang to me :). Thursday evening I celebrated with my family with cake and gifts; Friday I celebrated by going out to dinner (Olive Garden) with a bunch of friends from care group as well as Laura.

Today at church they announced that they are doing an E-team to Rancho 3M this May! I really want to go, and I seriously thinking and praying about it. I've been wanting to go back there. In addition, I had been thinking it would be great to do a missions trip this summer, but up till now had not really found anything. I'm excited and hope it works out for me to go!

Kaitlin's wedding is THIS Saturday! I am SO excited for her and Drew, and so excited to get to be in there wedding. It still barely seems real to me that she will be married :D

Playing Catch Up

Well, I meant to update before now, but I guess I have to catch up now :). We had a great Christmas and New Years; Christmas was spent with my family and for New Years Alexandra and I went to the Richards' house. We were blessed with a HUGE snowfall starting Christmas evening that went throughout the whole next day ending up with over a FOOT of snow! They said this is the most snow we have had in a long time; it was a lot of fun to look at it, go for walks, and even play in it :).

School started about three weeks ago for me. I am taking two history classes (Va History and U.S. History from 1945-1991), Art Education, and an intro to Special Ed class that is talking about various aspects such as law and the various disabilities, etc. I am really enjoying my history classes; since they are more focused (one in location and the other in time period) we can spend more time learning some details about the various events that occurred rather than breezing by them to get to the next thing.