Graduation!

Well, as you can see, it has been a really long time since I blogged. I think after I graduated college, I decided that I really didn't need to do anything with my life. I surrendered to utter laziness for a few weeks.
So I graduated from Iowa State University on May 10, 2008. I am now a certified Special Education Elementary Teacher. Sounds pretty impressive, right? I didn't do anything for my graduation except have dinner with a few very special individuals (kyle, me, amy, mom, dad, pete and emily and kyle h, he took the pic). I didn't walk through with a gown and hat, I didn't care. I mean graduating from college is a big deal, but I was really just excited to be done. Done with student teaching, done with working at the Hawthorn and done with school work in general. Of course, I am a teacher, so the school work will never end. But I did want to blog just to commemorate the occasion.

THE END!

Today is my very last day as a student teacher. I am filled with many emotions. I am so happy to be done, I want to laugh. I am also sad to leave teaching behind. I have enjoyed it immensly. Teaching is something I always wanted to do but hadn't really experienced yet. I received great joy from teaching as well as frustration. But I can say with certainty, besides being a mom, this really is what I want to do when I grow up.

With the end of teaching comes thinking of the future. I feel confident in the direction I have chosen, but that doesn't mean I'm any less scared. My graduation is in two days. I will be finished with college. I can remember graduating high school and the anxiety that came when I thought about going to college. Being finished with college was the last thing on my mind. But now I'm here and I feel slightly emotionally unprepared.

After graduation, for the month of May, I have no idea what I am going to do. I will be a Special Education k-6 teacher. I could possibly substitute teach, since most schools will still be in session. But I honestly want to just lay low for a while. It may be irresponsible not to have a job but I feel like I have run long enough, I can take a little bit of time to catch my breath.

After May I would like to Nanny or in the least just find a job. At the end of the summer my lease will run up and I will once again be moving home. From home I will leave to go on a mission. I am excited about a mission and excited for the experiences I will have. I feel happy for seemingly having plans and aspirations. The only thing holding me back right now is my sorrow at leaving my best friend. I am filled with this inner voice that keeps telling me that my time is running out. It whispers to me to soak it all up, remember every happy moment, use my time wisely. It should be a blissful summer, but that will make the going even harder, and I'll miss him. But life goes on, things change. I have more adventure waiting just around the corner.

Thanks family and friends that supported me as I made it through those four years of college. Of course, I have graduated quite yet. :)

The Final Countdown!

  Well, folks the end is almost here.  I have literally seven days of teaching and seven days of work left.  Holy cow!  I can't wait for the sweet moment when I will finally be done.  Its been a good four years, but my time is drawing to a close.  This last month has been absolutely packed.  My schedule is still the same, teach all day and work until 8 or 8:30 four nights a week.  I have also added in the stress of getting my mission papers completed.  Why the time crunch, you may ask?  I lose insurance in two weeks.  At that point in time, all the doctor visits that are necessay would be way too expensive.  Now you wouldn't think going to the dentist and doctor would be that big of a deal, but as Kyle so clearly stated today, I am simply a baby in these matters.  I was explaining to him that I was hungry because I only ate about two bites of my lunch because I was so nervous for my 3:00 doctor's appointment.  Last week I went to the dentist and the morning of was spent in at least ten minutes in tears on the phone to my mom.  That's what mom's are there for, so their 22 year old daughters can call and cry about going to the dentist.  Seriously people,  I have an irrational fear.  Anyway, I go to the dentist again tomorrow for the inevitable fillings I will receive and I go back to the doctor's on Wednesday for test results.  Then on Thursday the day before I graduate, it is one more visit to the dentist to have my one and only wisdom tooth removed.  If that tooth ever gave me any wisdom, it will be gone soon.  And while I vent to you all about my hard life, there are three boys in the livingroom playing Nintendo Wii Mario Cart.  What a life. I love it.  Have a good day everyone, and I'll let you know how the rest of my semester ends up.  Love ya.

Kyle's Birthday Celebration!

I'm sorry to say that Kyle's Birthday was several weeks ago and I am just now getting some pictures up.

We had a great time together when Terry, TT and Katy made the trip down to help celebrate Kyle's birthday on a Saturday evening, just four days after the actual event. Kyle's actual birthday was pretty sad. I had to work, and poor Kyle was left by himself for most of the evening. I did come home eventually and promptly threw in a frozen pizza for dinner. What a sad state of affairs! He did appreciate hearing from several family members who remembered what special day it was. Saturday turned out to be much better. We celebrated at Red Lobster and as always, it was quite the experience. I always find it amazing. And Kyle and I have now been there three times together, these are the only three times ever. This just added to the excitement of Kent's gift. Thanks Kent and Kate and Afton! On top of the great dinner, Kyle also ended up with a nice jello cake and a lovely evening. The following pictures are just a few from the happy event. Of course, I had to put Kyle and I at the top. It actually is my blog, if you forgot. :) Thanks everyone! We love you all!

Shan's Thoughts on Beauty

Today I found myself cleaning. In the process, I found some very interesting things. I want to share one, but as a reader you are not allowed to think less of me in any way. Also, please don't feel obligated to make any sort of comment. This is not a contest to see how many compliments I can receive. It is merely an insane gesture to let you all know a little more about me. Fasten your seat belts, it may be a bumpy ride.
So I found this little scrap of paper that I am pretty sure I wrote during Sacrement meeting one day freshmen year.
"There are so many beautiful people in the world. But whether or not they are beautiful depends purely on the person observing. For the most part, people have pretty much the same opinion. A beauty is a beauty. Then there are the sub par individuals who are beautiful because someone loves them. But back to the regular beautiful people. What makes them so beautiful? There are a million different traits tht combine to make a masterpiece; the curve of the neck, the line of the nose, the shape of the eyes. All of these things can be different but for some reason come together into perfection. There are those who possess a few of these. They seem to have one or two of these traits that give them the air of almost being a beauty, but not quite. They do seem to gain the rest when someone loves them so much that they become the most beautiful girl in the world. Its almost like the saving grace of Christ, bringing as much the rest of the way as needed."
"I have always wanted to be one of those girls. When I was younger, I knew I would never be beautiful. Even at a young age when I was skin and bones I knew that the curve of my neck and the line of my nose weren't it. But I wanted to be that girl that was unexplainably attractive. For some reason she had something. Something that couldn't be named. For some reason she was mysterious and beautiful. I don't know if I've achieved this. I've been told by the only two people I've ever mentioned it to, that I have. But they were good friends, why would they crush me? It doesn't really matter. The truth is, I'll never be satisfied. I say that, but I need to learn to be satisfied. To love me. Maybe someday."
Why I shared? I don't know. But I hope you learned something.

Spring Break!

Yay! Spring Break is finally here! This means that I have approximately seven weeks until I graduate. That is almost too hard to comprehend. Am I really that close to the end? I was reflecting on my college career resently. I've lived in six differently places in Ames, had nine different roommates, friends have come and gone, too many first dates, one real bf and a cat later and I am feeling pretty good. College is suppose to be the best years of your life. I'm not really sure about this, ask me again in ten years.

I act like I am done with college but I still have a few hills to get over. I started my second student teaching placement. Sixth graders. I'll either love them or hate them. Don't ask, its too soon to tell. Within the first week, I have already had some ups and downs. But Spring break couldn't have come at a better time.

The picture above is from K's house. We visited some friends and the parents and katy last weekend. I always enjoying visiting k's home base. After this particular picture kyle and I were dancing around the livingroom, listening to some records. Kyle knew all the words and we both laughed as he sang and I tried to dance. Good times. Sometimes a little break is all you really need.