New!

It's been a really long time since I have posted here, but here I am with something new! This year has flown by, but we are now on the final countdown until John and I get to actually be a married couple again! Yay! I am scheduled to fly back to Germany on June 18th (arriving bright and early on my special guy's 29th bday!). I have already begun the process of packing away my winter clothes and returning things to our storage unit that are not essential for spring living so that it's not a huge headache when it gets closer to the end of the year. With less than FIVE weeks left until the end of the school year, I can honestly say that it has flown by at lightening speed. I guess it's good to feel like time is on fastforward when you're living away from your husband. I wouldn't want it any other way.

I have been working away like a mad woman all year long trying to complete year 1 and year 2 of my program all smashed together in one crazy, über productive, and stressful year. My core defense is scheduled for June 16th at 10:00 am and that marks the first "formal" big hurdle in the program. I will present for 20 minutes to demonstrate how I apply the core areas to my educational interest and then I will get barraged with questions from my committee of three faculty members, two of whom are my advisers. The presentation is open to the public, so there may or may not be other classmates/students in attendance as well. I did my first run through this past weekend with my classmates and I am planning run through number two for Margaret and John in Cali over Memorial Day weekend and run through number three for my first year cohort peeps sometime in early June. I got really good feedback from my first presentation, but I know that I can make it smoother and better articulated. Not to mention my practice presentation went on for 15 minutes longer than it should have.....guess I am used to talking a lot... I truly do not ever shy away from a moment in the spotlight! I have not finished my final version of my core paper, but I have until June 2nd to submit that, so I am in good shape and plan to take a nice writing retreat while I visit J&M at the end of May.

My birthday is the weekend after John's and we will be celebrating in style this year in LONDON! We are going to Wimbledon and then doing some other fun stuff in honor of our 29th year. The week after London we head to Amsterdam for Jesse and Michelle's wedding, so I can already tell this is shaping up to be a great summer!

I know the end of the school year is going to be sad because I just love my students this year (all 43 of them!). I have really enjoyed teaching Kindergarten this year...I never thought you would hear me say that...and I think there is just something really special about being part of a child's first year of school. They have all come such a long way this year and it is really rewarding to see all of that growth and to know that I was a part of it. We currently have 5 cocoons in our classroom and are anxiously awaiting the emergence of our butterflies! I am sad to see them move on to first grade, but I have worked really hard this year, so although I will miss all my little friends, I am really ready for a break and some relaxation.

Most of my courses are pretty chill this term, so my last major hurdle is the core paper/defense and then I think I deserve a big party and happy send off before I go back to Johnny. I will try to write more frequently on here (and take pictures of my dinner for Mary!), especially when I am back with John and have a little bit more time on my hands!