Opportunity Knocks...

This year is not at all what I expected. I have finished student teaching and my Masters Degree, been a bum for a summer, and taught 1st grade for 5 months. I never thought I would finish the Masters program. I cried and cried when I first started, thinking I could not do it. As the year went on, and I fell in love with teaching all over again, I realized (with the help of my husband, family and friends) I can do anything for a year.

This summer stunk. Well, for me it did. For my brother and sister-in-law, it was a miracle-they adopted a baby girl in July, who I got to meet for the first time last week! For my friend, she added a fourth child to her family at the end of July. I had the opportunity to watch her kids the night before and see her newborn and hold him in the hospital. For me, personally, I looked for jobs. I slept in a lot, I cried a lot, and I looked for more jobs. I did toy with the idea of starting a jewelry making business, and started a jewelry blog that [surprise] I have not updated since the summer.

In August, I was offered a first grade interim position (the last blog I wrote explains it more thoroughly). I was ecstatic! I have enjoyed working with the first grade teachers at my school and getting to know my students. I did not expect any of what has happened in the past five months. Sam says I should write a book about it-1st graders come with great stories, and maybe I'll share them on here at a later time.

I've learned that in order to teach, you first have to love. There is no way I can teach these students what a noun or verb is, if I don't first teach them that I love them and that they are safe at school. Without love, nothing else matters. There is no need for anything else, if you don't have love. I also learned (once again, with thanks to my husband) that I am only here to plant seeds. I do not get to see them grow completely. I have heard this before, but the note my husband left me one morning hit HARD. God takes the seeds we plant and continues to take care of them as they grow. I have no idea why the teacher I interimed (yes, I made up that word) for decided not to retire, but I know that I was placed there, for that time and now it is time for me to let go.

Please don't let me fool you, I did not come to this reality easily. And I have a feeling it will be something I have to learn over and over and over and over...

Now, as we begin another year, I have another opportunity. I am the interim teacher for a third grade classroom. I will be there for the remainder of the year (as far as I know). I am looking forward to this opportunity with confidence, and a lot of fear. I know those seem to be conflicting emotions, but that is exactly how I feel. I have new students to meet, new curriculum to teach, and a wonderful group of teachers to work with. I also have the first 6 weeks planned out for me from the previous teacher, and this was the same time I soloed in third grade last year during my student teaching.

I hope to share more and have great stories from third grade to tell. I will be more diligent at keeping you up to date (I know you are sitting on the edge of your seats!)

What tomorrow holds...

The more I think about it, the more I realize how true it is. It seems so simple. We have no idea what tomorrow holds. This has been my motto for the whole summer. Some days it was a comfort, some days it was a concern. But every day it was true.

This has not been the summer I had expected. I had lots of sleepless nights, and if you know me, you know I can sleep. I have never had trouble sleeping, until this summer. I was so full of anxiety, stress and not-knowing. I was looking for a job, and hearing nothing. I was sad, unmotivated and bored. I didn't feel like myself. I was tired of talking about my job search and tired of saying "I don't have a job."

Well, my friends, I got a call yesterday morning, offering me a job-an interim in 1st grade. I am absolutely thrilled! I will get to work with the teachers I worked with last year during my internship and will be at a school I know and am already comfortable with. I was filled with joy yesterday, and felt like me again. I am just so excited to be able to use my degree and teach!

Now I am filled with anxiety, and it was hard to sleep last night, but it's a good thing now. I cannot wait to start setting up my classroom and to meet my students!

Being on the other side of tomorrow gives me a whole new perspective. I am so thankful that God is constant, especially when I am not.

I'm sure there will be more stories to follow-kids are funny that way, and I love to share!

It's been a while

I thought about waiting until the 31st to post, so it would actually be 2 months, and my OCD would be in check, but I have a little time now to fill you all in on what's been going on. (I know you are ALL on the edge of your seats!)

I don't really know how to summarize the last two months of my life. There may be one word: CRAZY! We have moved, I have changed internship placements (for a little while), we even had Spring Break in there (that's when I moved) and I've finished writing a thesis (for the most part). Now I just have final editing to do and wait until May to defend it. I started a new placement in my internship-now I am in 1st grade and I absolutely love it!

The most exciting part of the past two months is the news I received at 11:30 on some random weeknight-I was already asleep, Sam answered the phone and I heard him tell the caller I was in bed because I had to get up early for school the next day. Then Sam woke me up and put the phone on speakerphone. I heard my brother's voice (you know, the one who he and his wife are trying to adopt) and I woke up REAL quick! Shawn informed me that I was going to be an aunt!!! You can follow their story here. Their baby girl is due on July 8th and I CAN'T wait to meet her!

I will post pictures of the new house soon...and maybe I'll fill you in on my trip to WV this weekend...we'll see :)

P.S. Hilah-I did not see your title until after I had started writing this post!

Random Things

I've been putting off doing this for a while, because I wasn't sure if I could come up with enough, but here are random facts about me:

1. I was born in Delaware.

2. I claim I'm from Colorado, because it sounds a lot cooler than Delaware.

3. When I go to the bathroom at a restaurant, or other public place, and I have to go more than once (which is usually the case) I have to use the same stall I did the first time.

4. I always get gas from the Pilot station in front of the Starbucks I work at, and I always use pump 11.

5. I also know it is exactly 5.5 miles from pump 11 to my parking space in front of my townhouse.

6. I hate the sound of windshield wipers on the windshield when there is no rain.

7. I hate when people play with their gum.

8. I am constantly paranoid that my zipper is down on my pants.

9. I have seen the other side of the Atlantic Ocean (from the Cliffs of Moore, BEAUTIFUL!)

10. I have to flip through all of my presets on my radio in my car before deciding on a song.

11. My favorite snack is chips and salsa-and has been since High School.

12. I have been to 3 other countries besides the United States.

13. It takes a lot to make me mad, but when I get to that point, I can be really ugly.

14. I am Irish/Italian. (which may explain the above) 

15. I used to play the piano, flute and french horn. None of which I continue to play, and regret that I never kept up with any of them.

16. I love photography, and I learned how to develop my own black and white pictures when I was a senior in High School.

17. I have never broken a bone.

18. I had a sewing machine needle go through my index finger in 5th grade.

19. I prefer to drink water out of a plastic cup than a glass, unless I have a straw.

20. I rode the public bus to school in 5th and 6th grade.

21. I like decorative clocks.

22. My favorite flower is a gerber daisy.

23. Science was not my favorite subject in school, but I love teaching it to my 3rd graders!

24. I want to have 4 kids.

25. I love wearing scarves. 

Teaching

Tuesday started another week (well, 6 days) of class for me. I only have one graduate class after this! I have learned a lot the past 4 days, more than I thought I would, if I can be honest here. What an enormous responsibility teaching is. I have known this, but the past couple days have really put that into perspective for me. Next Wednesday I will be returning to my base placement (3rd grade, in a public school). This is where the first 3 month of my internship were spent. Those kids have been heavy on my heart this week, especially the "tough" ones. I think about the things I have tried that have worked, and not worked, and how I can change myself to meet their needs. I think I have almost cried everyday. I am so blessed to be in this profession, and I don't think I will ever know to what extent. 

Kids are my passion. I love to see them light up when they finally understand. I love to hear their answers to questions that I had never thought of before. I love their questions. It is so fun for me to watch them interact and work things through. 

We read the book Molder of Dreams by Guy Doud-if you haven't read this, pick up a copy-it's an easy/quick read. He talks a lot about the people in our lives that mold who we are, and as the 1986 National Teacher of the Year, how he has been able to influence the lives of others. AMAZING! He states in the epilogue "You just never know who's life you will touch." (I think that is quoted correctly) His book also helps you to think about the every day people you come into contact with. I have not had a book make me think so much in a while.

As I ponder the things I have learned over the past few days, I am overwhelmed at the great responsibility I have to my students. I am also full of excitement as I continue my journey as a teacher. 

No Pictures of Christmas

As Sam and I loaded up the car with Christmas presents and luggage for WV, and getting all those last minute things, we decided to pass on the camera, as I could not find my "point and shoot" and Sam did not want to bother with his AMAZING cannon rebel. This was a choice I regretted as soon as I walked in my in-laws' door. My mother-in-law bought a new tree (Sam was not happy about this), but it looked really good in their new front window. She had beautiful decorations all over the house and it looked like the perfect country Christmas house. I would be able to prove this to you, if we had taken pictures, but you will just have to imagine it for yourself. 

This was my first "McGhee Christmas." Sam and I have celebrated 5 Christmases together now (can that be true!?!?) The first 2 years we were dating and did Christmas separately with our own families and the past two were celebrated in Tennessee together and Colorado with my family. 

We had to do a "modified" McGhee Christmas this year, as we woke up a little later than they usually do. We opened presents as a family and then got ready to visit the extended family. We had a meal at the grandparents house, with Sam's aunt (who we are so thankful to celebrate Christmas with this year, after her awesome recovery from cancer this summer) and her family. We then went to the other grandmother's house with lots of extended family (my mother-in-law is the youngest of 7). Not all of the siblings were there, but the house was full with lots of children playing and laughing and the family was together under one roof.

It was a long day, but a lot of fun. My family did a much smaller-scale version of Christmas, especially when we moved to Colorado, and I had never experienced so much family in one day. Despite all our differences, frustrations with each other, or other things we get hung up on, family is important to have especially around the holidays.

This was my first Christmas that I did not spend with my immediate family. Money, time and distance got in the way this year. After 22 years of doing Christmas the same way, it was a little different for me not to be in Colorado with my family. I miss them.

It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas!

.....Well, sort of. There are no snow covered trees or anything in Tennessee (yet) maybe this will be the year. But, there are red cups at work, we've been listening to Christmas music, and tonight we put up the tree. This is probably my favorite time of the year-and these are a few of my favorite things...(the sound of music reference is for Donna)

people are nicer

the crisp cool air is refreshing

the music is great

cuddling up on the couch with a blanket

decorating for Christmas

seeing family

Christmas plays (especially the ones at church put on by the kids)

As far as music goes-Mariah Carey's Merry Christmas CD is my favorite! It is the best CD to sing to, clean to, and get ready for Christmas to. I thought I lost it, but I found it this afternoon and listened to it probably about 5 times today while I was cleaning the house. 

I just love Christmas-the expectancy, the good spirits of everyone you come in contact with and the best gift that we could ever ask for-the birth of our Savior! 

There are only 19 more days until Christmas!!!