sigh no more

Here come several bullet points updating my life!

• Graduation is in 8 days. I've been using the following metaphor to describe my feeling about it. I'm very excited about graduating and not going to school anymore. However, I feel like for the past 5 years of my life, I've been mentored and carried along by the waves. And now, they waves are crashing to shore and retreating back to the ocean, while I am left of the beach to survive and avoid being eaten by seagulls.
  
  
• I've been really into Mumford & Sons lately after watching their live performances from Coachella last weekend. Every single of one their songs is amazing. You'll find one of my favorites here: http://lessofmemoreofyou.tumblr.com/post/4721915421/love-that-will-not-betray-you-dismay-or-enslave
  
  
• Student teaching is over. So I'm a much more pleasant person to be around.
  
  
• Summer is coming. Which means camp is coming. Which means I am a WAY more pleasant person to be around.
  
  
• I am currently in the middle of a Good Friday HSM marathon. I'm a happy person.
  
  
• My mom informed me today that there's a good chance she and my dad will be moving in the next 3-5 years, maybe sooner. Apparently my grandpa isn't doing well so we're not sure how long he'll be around, and my grandma will want to move somewhere smaller so my parents are thinking of buying their relatively new house in Goshen. It's so weird to me that my parents won't live in Shipshewana forever. I will miss this town. And what's even harder for me to deal with is the fact that they might not be at Shore forever. There are so many people there who love me and who have supported me my whole life, and it's really hard to imagine not going home to visit Shore. I guess we never know what the future will bring.

Happy Easter!

stay beautiful

I'm pretty aware that there aren't many people, if any, that actually read this, but it helps me to be able to put my thoughts out there. And I really really like making lists, so here are a few things that have been going on lately.

• On a recent weekend outing with some of my friends, we ended up at a sketchy hicktown bar to hang out and watch some March Madness (see next bullet-point for more on that) Although I had been looking forward to this night, I was also a bit hesitant. I don't do well surrounded by people who are different than me, and, I don't mean to sound completely narcissistic, but I wouldn't consider myself a hick. The people who frequent this establishment are, however, hicks. But it ended up being a great night. I will forever have the memory of sitting there, enjoying our drinks, watching the games, and interacting with the locals who stumbled in for the evening. All in all, it was a fantastic evening.

• March Madness has consumed me. I have never gotten into it as much as I have this year, and there are a few reasons for that I suppose. Since 1 of my 2 favorite teams didn't make the tournament (next year, IU!), I focused all my energy on Notre Dame. They let me down pretty early, but the other Hoosier state team has been rockin it. With the Final Four coming up, I'm pulling for Butler all the way! They almost had it last year, so this is their time! I'm also impressed that none of the #1 teams made the Final Four. March Madness is simply the best time of the year.

• The countdown to sunshine and sand has reached single digits...5 days! I'm so so ready for warm weather and the beach!

• I've also begun other countdowns: 2 more weeks of student teaching, 33 days until graduation, and 2 months til I move to camp!

• Speaking of student teaching, here is a link to my tumblr and a hysterical quote I heard one of my students say today: http://lessofmemoreofyou.tumblr.com/post/4162635054/seafood

Well, I suppose that's all for today! More on my trip and the beginning of lasts to come!

it's all uncharted

Me, oh my! I have been the worst blogger in the history of bloggers! Seriously, how is it that I haven't posted anything since last summer?!? A lot has happened, so I'll run through a list of highs and lows over the past (many) months.

1. I had an incredible experience student teaching in the kindergarten class. I loved my kids and my cooperating teacher, and it just came so natural. I am currently student teaching in a special education resource room, which is good, but it's a lot more work. I'm learning so much every day.

2. I'm graduating! May 1, 2011! Super excited! I still have Mayterm after that, but at least I'll be 3 weeks from finally completing college!

3. Concerts, of course! Since my last post, I've seen Maroon 5, Jason Reeves, and Joshua Radin, all of which were fantastic! And the company I was with added to the memories.

4. I've made a lot more friends. And I actually have weekend plans. I love it.

5. I'm applying for jobs, which is scary and frustrating. But hopefully all my hard work will pay off and I'll have something to do in the fall.

6. Summer is coming. Which means that camp is coming too! I've taken the Summer Program Director job at Amigo, so I've been working at getting things ready for that. It'll be a great experience, and I'm just ready to get going.

Well, to anyone who actually still reads this, I hope you've enjoyed the little update. I have been keeping up with my Tumblr account...check it out too! http://lessofmemoreofyou.tumblr.com/

giddy on up, giddy on out

summer.

that's probably my favorite word. i love summer. and although this summer is a little different than summers in the past, it still has it's perks.

i'm missing camp. that's a given. camp has been a part of my life for 4 years, and not being at amigo and working with kids every day has been really hard. but i'm glad i'm not there right now because i believe i'm supposed to be here, working a fairly mundane job, trying to get used to living at home, and spending time with old friends. since i like making lists so much, i'll list what has been going on for the past month or so.

• i moved home and am in the process of "de-high school-izing" my room. pretty much what that means is i'm getting rid of everything i don't need or haven't used in the past 4 years. i've already moved out 3 trash bags and am working on the 4th. my goal by the end of this month is to rearrange and repaint my room so that it feels grown up and i actually like living there. it's been kind of fun, but it's a lot of work.
• i went to denver for a week for audra and nathaneal's wedding. that was so much fun! there's just something about my hesston friends that makes it so easy to be with them, even when we've been apart for a long time. the wedding was beautiful and we all had a great time together!
• in addition to my 3 days a week job at the nut shoppe, i starting working at MMA for the other 3 days of the week. i prep files, scan files, and dispose of files that they need to get rid of in the hr department before their move to the new building. it's not a whole lot of fun, but it pays really good and it gives me something to do. there are 4 other interns there and we have lunch every wednesday together. they're a lot of fun to talk with on breaks and such.
• my brother is my new best friend. we never got along extremely well when we were growing up, but we have been lately. i have a lot of fun with him and i'm so proud of all his accomplishments. i can't wait to see him on campus next year at gc!
• i'm waiting impatiently for kristin to get home. i miss her a lot. she needs to come home and see cheesy movies with me. (camp rock 2 premieres soon, kristin!)
• i'm also waiting patiently for eclipse to come out. 10 days!
• i'm also waiting patiently for the maroon 5 and owl city concert in august that tim, gina, kris and i are going to. we may even fly up with kris...that would be awesome.

i can't think of much else that's going on, but i'll try to update more regularly. i'm not even sure if anyone reads this anymore, but sometimes it helps just to get things out if i write them.

this time maybe i'll be bulletproof

it's been a tough week. and it just seems to be getting tougher.

maybe it's the stress that it's may term, and although may term is the best time of the year, it's also the worst because some of my best friends are leaving goshen for good soon. it seems like everyone is on pins and needles, and absolutely no one is around when i really need to talk. i can't remember it ever being this bad. i keep wondering where my friends are, because none of them are here when i seem to be hurting the most.

and it's extremely painful.

this is a new year

sorry for the delay....i haven't posted at all in 2010, and here it is being april already! i'll brief you with what's been happening this semester:

• i had my last placements before student teaching. one was alright, but the other one was amazing. i decided i love teaching k-3 the best!
• josh came to goshen! it's been fun having him live downstairs with dan and kris and hanging out with 211 all the time.
• i've made some amazing friendships with the people in my education classes, especially leanndra, ellie, suzanne, and katelyn.
• my grandpa got a new kidney!
• i've become obsessed with twitter.
• i decided to move home next year.
• my student teaching placement will be in a kindergarten class at chamberlain elementary in goshen.
• i just finished writing my children's book...it took forever but i'm really proud of it!
• i'm wearing dresses more, which is so much fun!
• i spend easter in chicago with gina.
• i'm in love with my new ipod.
• i worked at some winter youth retreats at amigo.
• glee is finally back! and i'm gleeful again!
• and probably the biggest highlight so far....TAYLOR SWIFT!!!! i went to her concert last month and had the best time ever!

So there you have it! a look into my life over the past few months. i'll try to keep updating more, even though kristin is the only one who ever looks at this...haha

when life was good

against all common sense, i took off for hesston over thanksgiving. there were definitely things i could be doing here, but i went to see bethany, brenda, josh, kevin, and the buhrmans. i ended up seeing a lot more people than that and had a amazing time! it was fanstastic to catch up with the nebels and have coffee with ron and deb. my lunch with kevin was entertaining, as always, and i had so much fun sitting at the round table in drubers. then on friday night i spent time with josh and kris at newells. this was by far the most relaxing part of the trip, mainly because i was with 2 people who i am entirely comfortable with. they know me and still choose to be friends with me. we laughed and laughed all night and had some great conversations with the two of them.

now i'm looking at less than a week until finals and i'm done for the semester. and i only have 2 finals and one presentation next week. after friday, when i have a presentation, a portfolio, and a case study due, i'm on the home stretch. now i'm at panera with my roommates and we're working on homework, except for i decided to take a little break. ;)

over christmas break, i'm looking forward to spending time with kristin and colette and erica and kelly and sara and i may even get to see carrie! i think those few weeks will go by quickly, but it would be great if i could make them last forever. next semester will definitely be lighter than this one, but i really need a break from homework and the drama at school.

since it's december, i can officially play christmas music!! and i found out that amazon is having 25 days of free christmas music, offering a new song each day. it's heaven. check it out.