My Daily Life

Days you should never sub

2012-02-14T11:34:00.002-05:00

After being a substitute teacher for 4 years, I have learned that their are some days you should never work on (of course, I do anyway).

1. The day before any major break (Thanksgiving, Christmas, Spring Break, ect). The students know that you aren't doing any "real" work so they are already "on break".

2. The day after Halloween - the kids have been up to late and have eaten too much candy in order to be able to focus on anything.

3. Today (Valentine's Day) - the kids (especially in elementary school) are to excited about the candy and everything to focus. Once again they have too much sugar during the day with the candy they get from teachers and friends to be able to focus on anything. Even if you take up their stuff until the end of the day like I did today, they still have cupcakes that are brought in at parents for lunch and candy that other teachers give them. Even without that they are so excited about what is in their bags that they can't concentrate on their work.

Even so, I work with some great kids!!! They might be a bit crazy somedays, but they are some of sweetest kids! I love my job, even on the days that are "hard"!!!

The Chill Zone

2012-02-13T19:42:00.004-05:00

This Saturday was The Chill Zone at my church. The Chill Zone is a day long VBS of sorts for K - 5th grade students. The kids arrive at 10:00 in the morning and do a variety of different activities until 6:00 that evening, it is a LONG day!!! The music was lead by Jeff Slaughter, the guy who writes all of the music for the VBS curriculum we use, and the kids had a blast with him.
These first two pictures are during the music when Jeff invited all the kids that wanted to, which was the majority, to come on stage with him. He did music from last years VBS, which our kids knew inside out since we did the musical and they did it at VBS. What amazes me is that the little girl was one of my Puggles (2 year olds) when I was leading AWANA and now she is in Kindergarten and I'm working with her again. The little boy is one of my pastor's kids and he is in the second grade and is one of my Kidz Choir kids. I love these kids like they were my own!!!

This last picture is of the alter time we had. Jeff invited the children to come down if they wanted and to just pray and worship. Those children but us adults to shame, the flood the alter in true worship and prayer as they went down mostly by themselves or with a friend to lift their sweet hearts up to God! It was such a moving site.

Unfortunately the weather wanted to play a part in our day and it was freezing! The kids were greeted at The Chill Zone with snow flurries! We had to move rec inside because it was so cold out. Due to the fast and drastic change in weather I'm sick again with a sinus infection and very sore throat and I'm back on an antibiotic. I have a dear friend who has strep, but my doctor didn't think it was that, plus he said with the antibiotic for my sinus infection if it is strep it should knock it out anyway.

Freedom Weekend

2012-01-28T14:48:00.002-05:00

This weekend I have had the wonderful opportunity to work with out youth at church for Freedom Weekend! Freedom Weekend is what we call our discipleship now program! Youth get together from Friday night through Sunday after church for a weekend of worship, bible study and mission work. I'm working as a decision counselor and helped with registration last night. It is awesome to watch a bunch of youth give up a weekend to spend some intense time with God. The weekend's theme is "Pause" about taking time from the busyness of life to focus on God. I think it is a message that we all need!! I know that I do! :-)

Dad isn't doing well. He had to go to the doctor this week for blood work and an ultrasound of his liver. He is having reactions to "something" and we are trying to figure out what the "something" is. He got bit by a tick so one thing that they are checking for Lyme disease. He has a couple of spots on his arms that look like ringworm, but it isn't. He is also having more issues with his memory, which I know is to be expected, and just seems to be going downhill quickly.

I guess that is all for now!!

What a way to wake up

2012-01-26T11:39:00.002-05:00

Well once again I wake up to a flooded bathroom. On the positive side, at least this time it was contained in the bathroom and was clean water!!! It is still a mess to clean up though.

New Year Resolutions

2012-01-18T09:28:00.003-05:00

I know that we are more than half way though the first month of the New Year already (where did the time go), but I figured it is never too late to set goals. I don't really like "resolutions" because to me that makes it seem like if you mess up once you blew it. I prefer goals, something that you are working towards, and if you mess up you can just try again! I need to give myself permission to try again, because I seem to blow it all of the time (yes, I know I'm very hard on myself)!!!

One of my goals for this year it to start blogging again. It has been a long time since I've blogged on a semi-regular basis. Although at times I still wonder why anyone would like to read about what is going on because my life is still mostly work, school, and church, I enjoyed being able to "do life" with my friends that I made though this blog world!!!

This semester I'm kind of taking a break from school. I'm still taking classes, but because I changed my major during the summer I can take all of my classes online. This gives me a lot more flexibility in when and where I do my school work. It also helps my shoulder since all of my books are e-books and I can download them all to my laptop and iPhone, so my laptop bag is a lot lighter. I now do class at Starbucks most of the time. One of my dearest friends from church jokes with me all the time that I'm addicted!!!

Kidz Choir has started back. I love working with the kids every week. This spring we are doing a musical called "Under God's Sea in 3D"! The kids are very excited about it!

I guess that is all for now!!! I'm still trying to get use to this "new normal"!!!

All Night Long

2012-01-14T19:11:00.002-05:00

There are only a couple of things that will keep me up all night!

Being so sick/hurt that I can't sleep - I don't like this one but it will keep me up.
Needing to stay up with a hurt friend or family member!!! I don't like this one much either because I don't like seeing loved ones hurt, but I do this gladly!!!
Relay for Life! I LOVE this event. I think the reason that I love this event is because I HATE cancer and what it does to families and this is an event to eliminate it!!!!
My friend's chorus Lock-In!

Number 4 is what kept me up last night! I got to spend about 8 hours (10 with set up and clean up) with 42 middle school students. They played on an inflatable obstacle course and laser tag maze, had funny contest like sleeping bag races, potato sack races (using sleeping bags), funny hat and sock contest and because this is a chorus lock-in we also have a talent show and a impersonate the teacher (my favorite because she is my best friend) contest. For the most part though, they just hung out together and had fun and so did the adults.

Happy New Year

2012-01-03T11:35:00.002-05:00

Happy New Year dear friends!!!!! I am glad that 2011 is now in the past, it was a rough year around here. I took a long break from blogging because nobody needed to hear what was running though my head! Grief is a beast! In addition to Grandma passing in October, we lost Dad's step-mom in the beginning of December. Mom had to make an emergency trip to Oregon to handle all of the legal stuff, they will be going out in the next month or so for the service (she doesn't have any other family - even I never met her). Christmas was nice, my sister and brother-in-law came up, but it was a hard time. This is a normal that we knew was coming, but not really prepared for.

Here is looking forward to a new year! No problems don't automatically go away, but it is nice to have a new start and something to look forward to.

11/13/11

2011-11-17T19:50:00.002-05:00

November 13th at 2:30 morning, Grandma had been gone for one month! It is still as hard as the it was a month ago. That day was even harder though, because it was also my birthday. Needless to say, I didn't get my birthday wish because all I wanted was one more day with Grandma. Logically, I know that she is in a better place. A place where she is no longer in pain, and is whole and health and is probably fishing with Grandpa again (Grandpa died in 95 from lung cancer). She was ready to go, but I wasn't ready for her to go yet. It all seemed to happen so fast, just one month from diagnosis. I'm glad that she didn't suffer any more. It was just hard, and it isn't getting easier!!!

Now the holidays are upon us! The first ones without her here and it will be hard sitting down at the Thanksgiving Table with her spot empty. It will just be Mom, Dad and I.

It isn't easier...It is harder!!!!

2011-10-23T13:22:00.001-04:00

When people tell you that dealing with the loss of a loved one gets easier with time, what they forget to mention is that at first it gets harder. Well at least it seems that way to me. At first, I guess I was numb. Yes, it hurt - I would be lying if I said it didn't. However the next week, when life got back to "normal" was even harder. Because even though life was suppose to be returning to "normal" their was nothing normal about it. It isn't the big thing, but all of the little things. Last week I went home to change clothes before class and was leaving a little late and nobody was fussing at me that I was going to be late class, however worrying that I was going to be late seemed to Grandma's job. It just hit me that she wasn't there to fuss at me about running late. That use to drive me crazy, but now I miss it. This morning I needed Kleenex for my purse (I don't leave home without them right now), and Grandma always kept a supply a those pocket packs and I know where she is at she doesn't need Kleenex anymore. However, not needing to ask her if I could take pack made me cry. I never thought that Kleenex could make cry, nor not getting fussed at.

Good but hard weekend ahead

2011-09-30T09:11:00.002-04:00

My sister is in town, and I love getting to spend time with her. We don't get to see each other very often since I moved to Georgia and she still lives in Florida with her husband. However, I don't like the reason for this visit. She came to see Grandma for the last time probably and to say good-bye. Grandma isn't doing well at all, she has stopped eating (even her beloved ice cream) and it seems that she was just waiting to see Lisa. So now Lisa is here, and we are going to try to enjoy some family time.

The Latest

2011-09-10T13:56:00.002-04:00

Well it turns out that it wasn't pneumonia or a blood clot, they did a CT scan on Thursday night with radioactive dye and found out that Grandma has a major cancerous mass in her lungs that has lymph node involvement and has spread though her body.

Grandma doesn't want to do anything to treat it and at 89 treatment would only reduce her quality of life and not really give her any quantity anyway. We are going to do our best to keep her comfortable and preserve her quality of life for as long as we can. Right now she is in the rehab facility, she still wants to believe that she can get well enough to come home, but Mom has already talked to hospice as well.

Update on Grandma

2011-09-08T21:22:00.005-04:00

Well Grandma got out of the hospital on Saturday night around 9:00, they thought she had pneumonia She was super weak and couldn't do much of anything, so on Tuesday (since Monday was a holiday) Mom was bringing her to the doctor so we could get her admitted to a rehab center for PT and her doctor did a direct admit back to the hospital. It turns out that she has blood clots in her lungs. They are giving her medicine to dissolve the clots and tonight they are doing a CT and tomorrow a X-Ray and drawing blood. Depending on her numbers she might need to get a blood transfusion . She might be going to rehab on the drug therapy for the clots as soon as tomorrow. We don't know if she will be able to recover from this, we have thought before that she wouldn't and she has proven us wrong. If she can recover from this but can't get strong enough to come home and be safe by herself, since Mom and I are often not home and Dad's health is questionable at best, we will look into long-term care. We do not want to come home one day and find her lying on the floor. As Mom says, she doesn't have to be able to cook and clean but she should be able to at least get to the bathroom and make her self and peanut butter sandwich.

"I don't know what the future holds, but I do know WHO holds the future" - unknown

It starts again

2011-08-30T17:09:00.002-04:00

Why does it never fail that two - three weeks into the semester, someone in my family ends up in the hospital. This semester is no exception to this rule. We had to put Grandma in the hospital today. She is very short of breath, having pain in her shoulders, and is extremely weak. Mom is talking about calling in hospice, because our goal is not to prolong her misery. We just want her to be comfortable.

Question, but no answer required

2011-08-17T22:10:00.004-04:00

What do you do when the one person that you talk to about everything and is the only person who you would feel comfortable talking to about a certain issue, is the same person that you can't talk to because it concerns them and you don't want to hurt them because it isn't there fault?

*****Update***** Let me clarify that it is nothing bad. I just know my friend, and she would think that she hurt my feelings, which she didn't and that would upset her and I don't want to do that.

Major Update

2011-07-26T13:30:00.005-04:00

It has been a long time since I have give you all a family update. In the words of Mom "this is a living nightmare"! Dad has been diagnosed with vascular brain dementia and frontal lobe brain damage. In the past 6 months to a year he has been on a slippery downhill spiral and we haven't been able to find another plateau. A big part of this downhill spiral is that the frontal lobe controls emotions, so right now we are dealing with a lot of aggressive emotional outburst. For me a lot of it comes in the form that I'm his daughter and he so desperately wants to be "Dad" that when I disagree with him he thinks I'm being disrespectful.

Now to the title of this post. Yes, I own you all a major update in the fact that I haven't posted in so long; but the major I was talking about is my school major. I enjoy math, but it isn't a passion of mine. Technology on the other is a true passion, I love it only slightly less than I love music and I'm much better at it than I am music. I decided to get my degree in Business Information Systems. The reason for this change is that it will still allow me to work int he school system as a technology specialist. I can help students use technology in the media center and help provide support to the teachers by helping provide them with the tools that need to do that demanding job. For the first time in a very long time, I'm excited about school starting in the fall instead of dreading it. Plus since I don't need to do an internship I will still finish at the same time. I still want to work with kids, and still love the middle school environment, but it will just be in a slightly different way.

If I Could

2011-07-20T17:59:00.003-04:00

I am having to adjust to a new plan for this next school. Due to budget issues our county school board decided that in secondary schools (middle and high school) that they would have one "in house" sub and will only just substitute teachers for long term situations (like maternity leave, extended illness, ect.), daily substitute teachers will only be used in elementary schools - at least that is the plan for now (my personal opinion is that isn't going to work). I have not substituted elementary school since my first year subbing, and even then it was only occasionally. I have always preferred the secondary schools. I do have peace about this for this season.

With all of that said I was thinking how nice it would be if I won the lottery and didn't have to work to pay the bills. If I could, I would love to volunteer for the rest of my life. I LOVE helping out a dear friend in her classroom and subbing for her. (She is a middle school teacher, so I I won't be able to sub for her. I might be able to sub for her three day trips and I can still help and cover (read..sub without getting paid) for her.) I also love helping out at my church in the church office during the week with different things that they I need, and have really enjoyed being able to do that this summer while once of our church secretaries are out on maternity leave. I just LOVE volunteer work. Too bad I don't know anyone who has won the lottery so that I just volunteer for the rest of my life.

Oh well, for now I will enjoy volunteering with I can and sub to pay the bills.

Salute to the Armed Forces

2011-06-22T22:05:00.002-04:00

My choir at church is singing this on July 3rd to pay tribute to those that have served in the Armed Forces. Ness, I will be thinking about Michael as we honor the Army. Hallie (I don't know if you still stop by here), but as always CJ will be close to my heart. My cousin is a Major in the Air Force and his wife is in the Navy Reserves, also my grandfather (pictured here) earned a Purple Heart for his service in the Navy during WWII. I never can get though this song, watching those that served and are serving stand, without tears.

To all of you who have family that have and are serving in our Armed Forces - THANK YOU!!!!

Change is on the way....

2011-06-20T17:37:00.002-04:00

and I don't like change! Well at least not change that I didn't choose. I have a friend who is a principal in one of the elementary schools and he told me that they are getting rid of substitute teachers in the secondary schools and replace them with ONE paraprofessional in each school. HELLO - I am a secondary substitute teacher!!! I can substitute elementary schools, but that isn't my area. I am applying for the paraprofessional position, but considering there are only 7 secondary schools there is a chance that I won't get it. Part of my concern is that I'm getting towards the end of my program and I don't know if a principal would hire someone who might only be in the position for a year. Although after three years as a substitute, primarily at one school, and with two teachers and one principal as references I hope I have a good chance. If it doesn't, I do have a backup plan. I will sub in the elementary schools in the county and get on the list to sub in the City schools. In Georgia they have different schools systems for cities (Cartersville isn't a big city by any stretch of the imagination, but big enough for it's own school system of 4 schools) and Counties. I don't have the connection that I have in the county secondary school system in either the elementary schools or the City schools, but thankfully I do have a few to help me get started.

I'm supper stressed right now. I feel like I did when I found out that they were closing our site for Xerox and we just didn't know when our final day was. I don't like this limbo feeling, of not know what I'm doing this week.

Way to long since my last post

2011-06-07T20:39:00.003-04:00

I don't know if anyone ever reads here anymore. I have really thought a number of times that it might be time to shut down this place that I call "My Daily Life" because I'm never on here...but truthfully I come here everyday to check on my friends, so I keep this little place up and going!!! I just don't have much time to write!

Since my last update Dad's health has gotten a LOT worse. We are watching him slowly die, this will kill him - his brain is slowly dying and it is very hard on everyone!

Well I finished my Spring Semester and Summer classes have already started. This summer I'm only taking 1 class, which is very unusual for me, but it is Calculus II. I figure that is like taking at least two classes anyway. This week is Vacation Bible School. This year for Kidz Choir we did the musical that went along with VBS, which is Big Apple Adventure. Our Kidz choir kids are liking being the "go to" kids for music since they know the songs and motions already.

The end of the school year was wonderful, but a little sad for me. This years 8th grade students were the first class that I had since they were in the 6th grade, so it was really hard to tell them goodbye. Thankfully I still occasionally sub at the high school and will get to see them then, but I'm going to miss seeing them on a regular basis!!!

Nothing else new is going on, except that lately I seem to get a lot of side jobs housesitting. I enjoy it - my primary responsibility is just to be there and feed the dog and I get paid!!! It is rather nice and gives me a break from around the house!!!

Weather and Kidz Choir

2011-04-28T22:56:00.002-04:00

I know that those two things are related, but they are the two major things going on around here right now.

As most of you probably already know, we had some major storms roll though the south recently. In my area we had a couple of tornadoes touch town, especially in the northern area of the county. Where I am is fine, but the areas hardest hit are where "my" (I'm still spending most of my time subbing at the same middle school - so I claim those kids as my own) students live. School has been canceled for today and tomorrow, so I haven't gotten to check on many of them yet and I'm just praying that they are all safe. I grew up in hurricane land, New Orleans and Ft. Myers, so I'm use to bad weather and usually it doesn't freak me out. Last night though freaked me out, I could hear the storm down in the basement in my bedroom which is about 8 feet under ground and is in the back corner of the house away from everything with two cement walls - I never hear anything in my room except for the dogs running across the ceiling. Dad went outside once and said that while he was out the wind stopped completely, he said that if you dropped a feather it would have fallen straight down to your feet, for one solid minute and then immediately picked back up to 45 miles an hour. There was a large enough tornado in the area that it sucked in all of the air around it. The only time I have ever seen anything like that before was in the eye of a hurricane. Like I said it freaked me out!!!!! Enough of all of that!!!

Now on to the fun stuff...KIDZ CHOIR!!!!!!!!!!!!! This Sunday is our Kidz Choir musical. We are doing the musical for this year's VBS "Big Apple Adventure". It is about a group of kids who go on a mission trip to do a VBS in a neighborhood in New York, and about a New York kids who comes to check out what is going on and his change of heart! The kids are doing a wonderful job! In addition to doing their musical Sunday night, they are singing in "big" church on Sunday morning. Every Sunday, in addition to a typical Sunday School program, we do Children's Church. The kids have their own time of worship and lessons designed especially for their age range (since we have two hours, our K-2 do Children's Church 1st hour and Sunday School 2nd and our 3 - 5 do Sunday School 1st and Children's Church 2nd). Sometimes they don't like going to "big" church with their parents, they love when they can go down for something special. It is going to be a fun weekend!!!

Time to Play Catch Up

2011-04-19T13:42:00.004-04:00

This post is long past due. I think the last time I updated was the beginning of March. Things around the house has been crazy. Dad has been diagnosed with vascular dementia, and the medicine that he has been taking is no longer working. This has been very difficult for all of us.

Other than that, life has been very busy. Mom has been working a lot of doubles and I have been working almost every day.

I'm also busy with church, that is what keeps me sane (although at time I still wonder if my sanity is in tact). We have a Good Friday service on Friday night, and of course Easter on Sunday. The following week is our Kidz Choir musical. So we have lots of practices. We also have a big community service for the National Day of Prayer on May 5th. I'm really looking forward to all of these special services. I really do love my church family, they are my support when things at home go crazy.

I have been reading your blogs, but haven't commented much. I'm sorry! I have been in kind of a funk with everything. Please let me know how you are doing and if you are still stopping by!

At least I'm keeping up with the seasons

2011-04-18T23:59:00.002-04:00

I haven't posted in a long time and it is late....so I'm not really posting much now. Will need to play catch up soon. However I did at least get rid of the winter decor and made it look like spring over here. I will work on filling you all in on the latest this week. Not really sure if anyone still reads here anymore though or not!

Long Time.....No Post

2011-03-10T21:50:00.003-05:00

I haven't posted since we got the major snow in January. WOW, I think I need to update more often. I wonder if anyone ever stops by here anymore.

Things around here have been crazy and boring all at the same time. Not much has changed; I'm working, going to school and working with my church. This semester I'm taking three classes online and only 1 on campus, so I'm working A LOT more since my on campus class isn't until 4:30.

At the end of February I did take a mini-vacation. I went down to Savannah for a weekend for the Georgia Chorus All-State. I substituted for my friend, who is a chorus teacher that week while she took her students down from Wednesday - Friday and then I joined them on Friday night - Sunday morning. It was a short trip, but wonderful. I have been working with this group of 8th grade students since they were in the 6th grade, so by now I'm claim them as my own. I got to watch them perform their concerts that they worked so hard for and join them for lunch and dinner on Saturday. The kids were so excited that I came and that made the 5 hours in the car each way TOTALLY worth it!!!

One of the middle school groups singing "We Are One"

Other than that the only other thing that is going on is that Dad's health is getting worse. He has been diagnosed with Vascular Brain Dementia from a complication with his arthritis, which is an auto-immune disease. He has been on the medicine for awhile, but recently it stopped working. We are noticing a rapid deterioration in his memory. Right now we just need to wait and see what happens, they don't have any other medicine that they can try and he is on the maximum dose.

Georgia Snow

2011-01-10T13:08:00.004-05:00

I know for my friends up north, this isn't much snow...but remember I live in the SOUTH! This is crazy. We have at least 6 inches of snow piled on the table and grill.

See the pot on the table....we cooked veggie soup last night and it was too hot to put in the fridge, so we just took advantage of the natural "fridge" and left it outside to cool. Had to bring it in this morning though so it wouldn't freeze.

The house across the street. It was too cold for me to go out and take a picture of the front of our house....but it looks pretty much the same. Those "lines" in the snow is suppose to be the street - nobody is moving in Cartersville today. Schools are closed today and tomorrow at least.

New Year's Resolution

2010-12-31T14:44:00.002-05:00

My usual practice is to avoid making New Year's Resolutions like the plaque, but I decided to break my normal practice for 2011. This year my resolution is to pass both sections of the GACE in Secondary Math and both sections in Secondary Business. I HAVE to pass both sections of the GACE in math by the end of year in order to make sure that my internships go as planned, especially if I want to try to finish up a semester early. I only have 10 classes left after this semester, so I could get finished in a year and a half, but about 8 of those are math classes and I really don't want to take 4 math classes at once. It just kind of depends on what type of schedule I can get. For any of it to work though I HAVE to pass the GACE THIS YEAR! So that is my resolution, on top of my classes and everything else to study and pass the GACE in both Business and Math, ideally the 1st time since it cost a $140 per test.

Happy New Year! Tell me your resolution!

Top 10 of 2010

2010-12-28T12:35:00.002-05:00

As the end of the year is quickly approaching, I was reflecting over the past year. There has been the good, bad and ugly this year, as always, but at this time of year I like to look back and count my blessing and focus on the good.

So here is my top 10 of 2010!

10. Another year of school completed. Two more left!

9. My sister being able to make it up twice this year. Since I moved up from FL 3 years ago, I normally only get to see her once a year.

8. Getting to help my friend with his campaign for State House. Even though he didn't win, it was an honor and a lot of fun (and a lot of work) to help a good man run to represent us.

7. I passed my mathametical logic and proof writing class. This had to make the top 10 since I took the class ALL year and it looked like I would have to take it a third time.

6. Although we had some major health issues, everyone is doing ok now.

5. My trip to Savannah in February with Mom. Looking forward to doing the same trip this coming February by myself - I need some time off. The trip is to the All-State Chorus, and I love it.

4. Work! I LOVE my job.

3. My church family! There are too many to mention one by one, but my church family (especially the music ministry) is very dear to my heart.

2. A lot of good times with family and friends. Again too many to mention!

1. We have a new baby in the family. My cousin had her baby girl on December 26th!

What is your top 10 of 2010?

A White Christmas

2010-12-25T19:40:00.006-05:00

Well today I experienced a first, we had A White Christmas in Georgia. It has been snowing since about 10:00 this morning and is suppose to snow through tomorrow afternoon. I didn't take any pictures myself, because by the time I went out with my phone to take some pictures, it was too dark. However, my sister did take a picture this afternoon.

The snow coverage is a lot heavier now. This was taken about 1:00 this afternoon. I did manage to snap this picture, you can't see much but you can tell how much thicker the snow is.

The roads are a mess here, and since this is the SOUTH and we aren't equipped for this type of weather, tomorrow will be a good day to stay at home and relax. Church is even canceled.

Merry Christmas everyone!

Free Time....

2010-12-22T14:06:00.003-05:00

Ha, that is such a joke. I decided to use my "free time" from work and school to do some major cleaning and rearranging. Back in August we had a flood downstairs when our septic system overflowed, which caused me to take up the carpet I had in my office. Ever since then I haven't had carpet in the area because I haven't had time to deal with it since this happened as school was getting started. Well my sister and her husband are coming in town for Christmas and the cement floor in the basement gets really cold, I need to get new carpet down (large area rug). So while I was moving the furniture to do that, I decided it would be a wonderful time to re-do everything. What in the world was I thinking. Thankfully I'm almost finished since they will be up here tomorrow night.

Next week I will be house/dog sitting for my worship pastor, so hopefully I will have a bit more down time then to just chill before all the craziness of school and work start again.

If I don't get on here before Christmas. I hope that you and your family have a blessed a Merry Christmas.

Thrilled

2010-12-16T12:59:00.003-05:00

To most of you this won't seem like a big deal, but if you read my previous two post you know that I have been having been dealing with a NIGHTMARE concerning one of my classes. Well, last night I got an e-mail from the university to check my transcript. Most of the time I ignore those, because they usually mean that final grades have been posted to your transcript but we have a grade system where we can check final grades before they are posted to our transcripts so I don't worry about it. Well I decided to check last night, I haven't in a while, so I wanted to just look over everything and when I did I found out that my grade for that class was changed from a D to C. For my that is HUGE!!! For one thing a C means that I don't have to take the class again for the THIRD time, but it also means that the Dean took action on something that was completely unfair.

This past week...the good, the bad and the ugly

2010-12-06T17:26:00.002-05:00

This past week as been one heck of a roller coaster ride. I like roller coasters in an amusement park, but in really like - not so much.

Lets start with the ugly and work ourselves up to the good so we end on a high note!

On Monday I get to my math class, after working all day, and find out that a member of my group cheated on our group project. The directions very clearly stated that you couldn't talk to anyone except the members of your group for help. Well it seems that someone in my group ignored this piece of information and either shared our work or copied another group's work before submitting our assignment.

On Tuesday, I get an e-mail from my professor around 6:00 that I have until 3:30 the next day to re-do the assignment by MYSELF and turn it in. It took me a week to do it the first time, so needless to say I was super stressed. We had rehearsal for our Kidz Choir program that night and I got the e-mail as I got to the church. In a way having rehersal made it worse, because I needed all of the time that I could get to work on the assignment, however really I was glad that I had rehearsal that night. I had a major melt-down that night, it was all just getting to be too much for me hold in, and I was glad that I was with my friends. My friends are amazing!

Wednesday I somehow managed to get something together to turn in, just to find out later that she might not count it after all. Today was my final exam, I was so mad that I wasn't going to even bother showing up but I did. I didn't want her to be able to say that quit. No matter what happens I can honestly say that i did my best and that I finished the class with integrity. If I fail the class, the I fail but I can look at myself in the mirror at night and know that I did what was right and that is the most important thing.

Well that was the bad and ugly together....now lets get onto the good.

Last night was our Kidz Choir musical. They did WONDERFUL!! We had rehearsal on Tuesday night and dress rehearsal Saturday. I was still a little nervous, but last night it all came together. God touched it and in turn touch everyone there. Tonight is the band concert at the school where I sub all of the time (heck...it is the school that I work at - I don't feel like a sub there and they don't treat me like a sub). So I'm going to help the band director with that. Tomorrow night is our Ladies Christmas Dinner, and I'm at my best friend's table so that promises to be a wonderful night. Wednesday night is church as usual, which is always a blast. Thursday I'm helping my friend give out the stuff from her fundraiser. Friday is our Worship Arts Christmas Party/rehearsal with dress rehearsal on Saturday. Sunday is our BIG Christmas program at church. Promises to be another busy week. At least school is finished. Now I can just work, which I LOVE, and do my church stuff - which I also LOVE!!!

UGGGGG.......WARNING..Major vent session

2010-11-29T21:03:00.002-05:00

With everything else going on right now I really didn't need this. On my last group assignment for my Mathematical Logic and Proof writing class, otherwise known as the class I HATE, someone in my group cheated. On the coversheet for the project it clearly states that you are not allowed to work with anyone other than the people in your group. Well our assignment and another groups assignment had the exact same work and mistakes on two problems, and on this type of assignment that practically impossible unless you work together and since working with another group was not allowed - it is cheating. Now my professor knows me and knows that I don't cheat, but now their is a big investigation to find out who did and it is being elevated to Student Affairs. I had to submit exactly what I sent in to the group and the copy of the group work that I looked at. My professor wants to be fair, but is also mad that a couple of people would outright cheat like that. I don't blame her, I just wish that I wasn't involved. I have enough stuff going on right now, I DON'T NEED THIS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

School and other stuff

2010-11-28T13:39:00.002-05:00

Well school is almost finished for the semester. I have one test left in the class that I HATE a week from today and then I will be finished with another semester. Unfortunately for me finals exams always hit in the fall just as the Christmas Season is getting started and I'm swamped. In this class, which this is my second time taking, only 5 people out of 25 ever pass the test and I'm never one of the five - hence the reason that I hate the class. I have a small chance of passing the class this semester, it all depends on how I do on this last test, and if I don't I will be taking the class for a THIRD time. However I know people who are in the math honor society who have had to take this class 4+ times to pass - so it is normal although ridiculous. I just hope I manage to get out of the class, I need a C and it I somehow manage that I'm going to take it and run for the hills.

It is starting to feel more like winter up here. We are getting down into the low 30s now on a regular basis and with the windchill the 20s. This morning I had to break out my heavy coat for the first time this year , it might have been a little to heavy but my other jacket was way to light.

Now that the Sunday after Thanksgiving has passed, we are officially into the Christmas season at church. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this time of year. It is crazy, as I mentioned in my last post, but so much fun. I find myself coming to my blog, not to update - even though I need to do that more and even though I check on all of you not necessarily to do that either, just to minimize it in the background because I love the Christmas music that I have on here.

Have a good Sunday. I know that I am - I'm spending my evening working with our Kidz Choir. They are so much fun!

Time for Christmas

2010-11-26T21:28:00.004-05:00

Well I only made it 17 days of my Thanksgiving post and most of them I did in one day. Oh well, it was more of an exercise for me to remember my blessings than anything else. I'm just not a daily blogger.....maybe I should change the title of my blog then though since this is no longer an account of my daily life, more like my once a month life. One of the issues is that "my daily life" is rather boring...I'm either going to class, work or church most days. That is basically my life. I wouldn't have it any other way, well except for this one class that is driving my completely crazy.

The next two weeks are going to be a wonderful, busy, exhausting but fun time. I printed out my schedule for Mom so that she would know when I would be home for dinner and it is only 5 times in the next two weeks and only twice will I be eating with the family (Grandma has to eat by 5:30 - so the other three time I get home after dinner and will eat leftovers). Our Kidz Choir Christmas program is a week from Sunday, our Adult Choir's Christmas program is the following week, and the school concert is the day after the adult program. In between there is rehearsals, lots of rehearsals; the town Christmas parade and lighting of the Christmas Tree, which my church choir is singing at; Christmas parties and final exams (the only non-fun thing on the list).

Tomorrow we start decorating the house for Christmas...traditionally we do that today, but Momma had to work and she is picky. Today, I decorated the blog and got my Christmas music going.

Although I'm looking forward to the holiday season, my heart is heavy. I hurt for Hallie, John, Conner and the rest of their family as they face their first Christmas without CJ. I also have a IRL friend who's infant granddaughter passed away just before Thanksgiving due to complications from an early delivery, my heart breaks for their loss. Also remember the members of our armed forces, like Michael (Ness' son) who are spending this holiday season away from their families to protect our freedom, not only their sacrifice but that of their families as well. As you gather with your family and friends to celebrate this Christmas, take a moment to count your blessing and remember those who wish they could be with their loved ones.

Knock Knock

2010-11-22T22:23:00.003-05:00

Is anyone out there? I know that I haven't been posting very regularly, which is totally my fault. As usual for around here, things have been going crazy. Just wondering if there is still anyone stopping by.

Thankful Day 17

2010-11-17T14:32:00.003-05:00

Today is one of my very dear friend's birthday. Today I'm especially thankful for her. She is the one that I turn to for advise and I trust her opinion completely. I love that she is willing to tell me the stuff that I might not want to hear, but in the sweetest way possible, because she only wants what is best for me. I love how she knows when something is wrong but I'm not talking and that she knows when to just leave it be and when to push me to talk. I usually see her a minimum of three times a week (she is the chorus teacher that I help) and when I don't I miss her. She isn't just my friend, she has become like a big sister than I never had.

Thankful Days 4 - 16

2010-11-16T12:37:00.005-05:00

So I'm really behind in posting my Thankful thoughts for everyday in November. Allow me a few minutes to play catch up.

#4. I'm thankful for a job that I love. Even though it is only considered "temp" work I'm grateful that I get up and do something that is a passion of mine.

#5. For my choir! I love this group of people that I get to serve along side of weekly.

#6. For the students that I get to work with on a regular basis. They might not be technically mine, but you couldn't prove that by me.

#7. I'm thankful for my church family. Not only is my church a place of worship, but is an extension of my family.

#8. If I was doing this on time, Day 8 would have been Dad's birthday. I'm very grateful for my Dad. He came into my life when I was a teenager (7th grade) and has treated me like his own ever since.

#9. My family - they drive me crazy at times...but they are MINE and I love them very much!

#10. For being able to get together with old friends. I was able to get together with a friend from when I was in Youth Group in Florida because even though we both moved away from where we grew up, we ended up moving close to each other.

#11. Starbucks - I can't function without caffeine! If you follow me on facebook you know that this is true.

#12. For technology that allows us to keep in touch with family and friends.

#13. If I was doing this on time, Day 13 would have been my birthday. I'm grateful for my health that allows me to do what I want and need to do.

#14. For reliable transportation. I have a friend who has been having major car problems. It is amazing how easily we take for granted the simple things.

#15. For little things that just make you smile on a bad day!

#16 Today I'm grateful for this blog community. A place where I meet new friends and a place where we offer support and comfort to each other though this amazing little devise called the internet.

Thankful Day 3

2010-11-03T13:25:00.003-04:00

Today after dealing with the nightmare that is figuring out and registering for classes...I'm really thankful that I have a wonderful academic adviser who truly listens and cares about her students and works hard to make sure that they are successful and to figure out what will work for them individually. I have had so many in the past to whom I was just another number and they just give you the generic program that they give everyone. Today my adviser had my program sheet up, where she worked out what she thought would be best for me and as we were talking she modified it to fit me. It makes school so much nicer to know that you have someone on your side.

Thankful

2010-11-02T20:23:00.002-04:00

I "borrowed" this idea from Mo on facebook. The idea is to post one thing that you are thankful for everyday in November. Well as usual, I'm already behind considering that this is the 2nd day of November. In order to play catch up I'm going to tell you two things that I'm thankful for.

#1. I'm thankful for my family. Although at times things get crazy around here, something has happened this week to show me how truly blessed I am.

#2. I'm thankful for my friends. Those that I know only though this blog/facebook community and those that I am blessed to have part of my daily life in person. I think I have the most amazing group of friends.

Well hopefully even if it is really short, I will be posting something everyday. Look for it!

Had to change my settings

2010-10-21T21:03:00.002-04:00

I had to update my setting to remove Anonymous posts. I am getting a lot of inappropriate SPAM, especially on some of my older post.

Fall Is Here

2010-10-05T14:57:00.002-04:00

Well it is starting to feel like fall in NW Georgia. The high this week is only suppose to be in the upper 70s and the lows are down into the 40s. It is breezy and beautiful outside. Unfortunately my allergies do not agree. This is the time of year that I LOVE walking around campus...not so hot that you feel like you will melt by the time you get to class and not so cold that you feel like a popsicle either. I enjoy running around in a pair of jeans and a light sweater or t-shirt and light jacket, hair up in ponytail.....just comfortable.

Well it is hard to believe but I'm past mid-terms in my fall semester....for me fall really starts with fall classes in August, but it takes a while for the weather to catch on. For those of you that still read here and didn't catch my previous post, I have majorly slowed down the pace of my classes. With Mom & Dad being sick and Grandma being Grandma, it just felt like what I needed to do. I might pick things back up in the spring or I might just keep thing at a more relaxed pace. I haven't decided yet.

Speaking of Mom & Dad. It turns out that Mom did have a stroke. She is now in PT and plans to return back to work the middle of this month. She is now on Plavix, along with everyone else except me, to try to prevent another stroke. We are pretty sure that Dad had pancreatits again, but he is being stubbor (I lovingly call him the King of Denial) and is refusing to go to the doctor. Mom has told him all of the implications, but he doesn't want to deal with it. Mom isn't going to fight with him anymore, the stress of fighting with him puts her health in jeopardy and we don't need both of them in the hospital. Grandma is in a lot of pain and is now having trouble walking and is getting very short of breath, but we expected it with her pulmonary hypertension and other health issues. I can't really blame her for not wanting to go to the doctor, unlike Dad there really isn't that they can do to help improve her quality of life since if they tried surgery there is a very good chance that she wouldn't survive.

Well that takes care of everyone but me! I'm staying super busy with classes, subbing, church and of course family. These days I'm spending a lot of time at Starbucks studying because home just isn't very conducive to studying. Plus it is just nice to get out of the house for awhile and not to deal with all of the drama. I'm still subbing once or twice a week (or working with my friend) and keeping super busy with church also. I have "limited" myself to working in the Worship Arts department, but I'm involved in everything that departments covers....main tech team, kids tech team, choir, choir leader, Kidz Choir leader, ect. That is why I put limited in quotes...because I didn't really limit myself at all, but I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE it!!!!!

Oh by the way I have changed my blog layout to match the season..it was time to get rid of the spring/summer layout!

Relay for Life

2010-09-14T13:39:00.006-04:00

This past Friday night and Saturday morning I participated in my area's Relay for Life. It was a great evening of friends and fun, while raising money for a very important cause. This year I walked as part of a team from my church. The school that I work with was there and if I wasn't on a team already, they invited me to walk with them...it is nice to know that they consider me to be a part of their group. In addition to walking, this year I helped out in the survivor area. I had the honor of checking in the survivors before the survivor lap. My church's worship team also did a set that night and them many of them stayed and helped us walk!

Working the Survivors Area!

Me during Relay!

My church's worship team doing a set during Relay!

My team during the team lap!

Only one bad thing happened....I sprained my ankle! It will heal though and the cause was worth it.

Long Time - No Post

2010-09-07T09:38:00.003-04:00

I know that it has been forever since I posted. This summer was a bit crazy! If you follow me on facebook then you have already heard most of this. This summer, once again, I took 3 classes. This time though I only took two math classes, my third was an education class. Over all the my summer semester went well and I finished once again with an A, B & C. I got an A in my education class, B in Discrete Math and a C in Prob/Stats (which I took in 4 weeks - killer)!

I also spent a lot of time this summer helping a friend run for State House. Unfortunately, he lost the run off due to some dirty tricks by his opponent. It was interesting to experience the political world from that side of things. I will say one thing for sure, helping out with the campaign just straighten my opinion that everyone needs to do their research well and get the facts and then get out and VOTE!!!

Well school is back in session! I'm back subbing 3 days a week and if I'm not subbing usually I'm working with my friend again this year. I LOVE IT!!! I can't wait to start teaching. My college classes are in full swing also. I was going to take 4 classes this fall, 3 being math classes, however after a lot of though, with Mom & Dad being sick, I decided to only take 3 classes this fall -- 2 math classes and a psychology class. With all of the stress at home and trying to work, I was making myself sick trying to take the load that I was. It pushes back me finishing a semester, but it also means that I won't be killing myself in the process. That was an extremely hard decision for me to make, I'm use to going full out and getting things done...but I finally realized that it won't do me any good to push that hard and make myself so sick that I can't finish anyway.

Have a good day!! I will try to post more often - TRY being the key word!!!

Steph

On the Campaign Trail

2010-07-27T23:41:00.002-04:00

The past couple month, but especially the past couple of weeks, I have been on the campaign trail. No, I'm not running for office. However, I have had the honor of supporting a friend and his wife as he runs for the State of Georgia House of Representatives. I know them both pretty well. His wife was one of the first people that I met when I moved to Cartersville. When I first moved up I was singing alto in the choir (now I sing soprano) and use to sit by her in choir. She also invited me to participate in a bible study that she was leading at church and I got to know her even better that summer though the study. At that point I was still looking for a Sunday School class and went to the class that her husband taught. After being in his class for over two years, I can honestly say I don't know of anyone else I would rather have in the State House. When you live life with people on a weekly basis, you get to know their true character. Anyone can put on a front for a little while, but after a while that front starts to crack and you get to see the truth. This is why I have been on the campaign trail. I decided to not only vote at the polls, but to vote with my actions and get involved. I don't like what I see happening in our country and in our schools, but I also feel that if you don't do something about it then you are also part of the problem.

Finals and Big Decision - Input requested

2010-07-22T17:05:00.006-04:00

Well it is final exam time. One tonight, which I'm not that worried about, and one on Monday, which is freaking me out big time.

Other than school, which by far is the majority of my time, I have been helping a friend with his campaign for Georgia House, District 14. He is a wonderful man and our state will benefit having him in office, so it has been a pleasure to help him. Unfortunately I haven't had much time to lend my support, but he is in a run-off now and since school is almost finished for the summer I hope that I can help out more.

Now for the big decision. After fall, assuming that I pass everything, I will have 11 classes to finish and my two internships in order to graduate. What I need to figure out, is how do I want to do them. I'm taking 4 classes in the spring, I have to remain a full-time student, so that leaves 7. Option #1: I can do 1 in a mini-semester, 3 in the summer, 1 in the second mini-semester and one with each internship and still graduate when I planned. However I'm afraid that type of schedule will kill me (I already have a friend who keeps telling me that I'm killing myself with stress as it is)!!! There is one class that I HAVE to take in a mini-semester, so I know that I will be doing at least one mini-semester. Option #2: is just to move the second mini-semester to the first mini-semester or summer 1 the following year and I will still graduate by the end of May or June to be able to apply for jobs. Option #3: is to say heck with trying to rush through it all, give myself a break and take 4 classes in the spring, 3 over the summer (including the mini-semester, 4 in fall, 1st internship in Spring 2012, take summer 2012 off (I won't know what to do with myself - maybe I can find a job, even if it is temp work) and then graduate Fall of 2012. That might make it harder to find a job, but I could do long term subbing or work at a place like Silvan Learning Centers. In and all input would be appreciated. I really leaning toward option 2, it seems like that will give me the best chance to get a job and not kill myself while doing it.

Hopefully after Monday I can get back to updating on a somewhat normal basis.

Steph

Sorry...

2010-07-07T11:35:00.002-04:00

To all of you who still stop by here from time to time, I'm sorry that I haven't posted in forever! School has been really rough. During the spring I ended up only taking two classes and failed one of them, which is not good at all. Summer is going okay, I guess. I'm taking three classes, not the four that I originally planned, but I do have all As this semester so far (just by the skin of my teeth though - I try to remind myself an A is an A no matter if it is a 90 or 100).

I know I posted on Memorial Day, but that really wasn't an update. So since my last true update, my sister came up for 3 days in May and we have fun spending some time together. The end of the public school was wonderful, I did manage to post some video of the kids spring concert. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE working with them. Spent a week in June helping out with VBS, which also counted as my observation hours for my education class this summer, and that was a lot of fun. Other than that it has been normal church stuff (choir, children's church, etc) and school. Choir is out for the next 5 weeks for summer break, but I will have practice next week since I'm on tech team and I can't wait. I hate taking time off from choir for the summer, however most people enjoy the break.....I don't do breaks well, I like to be busy!!!!! I need to learn how to slow down though, sometimes it gets to be too much even for me!!!!

Only two more weeks of summer class, then I get a three week break from KSU!!! That is one break that I'm looking forward to. Public school starts here on August 9th and I can't wait to get back!!!!

I will try not to make it almost two months between post next time!!!

Memorial Day

2010-05-31T13:29:00.005-04:00

Today we think about all of the men and women who have served and is currently serving in our Armed Forces. Below is a picture of my grandfather and his brick in the National World War II Museum. He served in the Navy in the Pacific.

My cousin is currently serving in the Air Force, right now in Pensacola, and has served two tours over the in the middle east. His wife is in a nurse in the Navy Reserved.
Needless to say this day is important to my family.

Also please remember Michael, Ness' son, as he is currently serving in the Army. Ness and her family could really use our prayers right now. Michael is off serving our country, and Roger and KJ are both in the hospital (different hospitals at that).

Today though, my heart is heavy for the Twomey family. Their son CJ is veteran and has proudly served our country. Today as we remember those that have given their all, they are in my thoughts knowing that they are facing another "family" day without their beloved hero.

Spring Concert

2010-05-24T18:27:00.002-04:00

As I have mentioned many times on this blog, I work with a local middle school chorus that is directed by one of my dear friends. Well a parent videoed parts of the concert and put it up on YouTube!!

These are "my" kids!!!!

In Loving Memory of CJ

2010-04-23T13:59:00.001-04:00

I'm finding it hard to come up with the right words for this post. I'm heartbroken for my friends Hallie, John and Connor. Although I haven't had the pleasure of meeting them in person yet, I feel as I know them though Hallie's blog, facebook, e-mail and text messages better than I know some people that I see everyday. I can't imagine the pain that they are going though right now. All I can offer is my friendship, love and prayers and that seems so small to the mountain that they are facing.

I have re-posted a video that I made for CJ when he was in training with the Air Force. I titled a tribute to a hero. CJ, you have always been and always will be a hero. Your love for other people has come shining though that killer smile.

School is a NIGHTMARE

2010-04-07T18:57:00.002-04:00

Well this semester is AWFUL!!!! I have taken two exams for my math class this semester and I have failed both of them, but only 5 - 7 people out of 30 pass and the average grade is a 50%.

On top of that I had a group project for my education class and one of the people didn't do anything on the project until the very last second, so we went to the professor, and now she is causing a big stink. Oh well, she is proving our point about her lack of communication because she still hasn't even responded to our professor. I just hope that our professor just sees the truth and doesn't fall for her lies.

I just keep telling myself only 3 more weeks. Just 3 more weeks!!!

I hope to update more often when I get out of this nightmare!!!

I didn't fall off the face of the earth...

2010-03-02T17:39:00.003-05:00

Just got slammed with school. This semester has been really rough for me. I ended up dropping my Calculus II class after getting 3 zeros on quizzes. I couldn't understand what the man was talking about, he is from China, and he went so fast that I couldn't keep up. So now I'm behind in my Math classes for me to graduate when I planned, not in classes as a whole but just having enough semester to get though all of my math without having nothing but math for a semester or two. If Calc II wasn't bad enough, for my education class they lost my background check. Now mind you I have been background checked, finger printed and had a drug test to substitute; but KSU needs their own, which I did last semester. I finally got that taken care of this week. Thankfully since I had the documentation that I did it last semester they let me go ahead and start my field experience since that is 75% of my grade for my education class. For my other Math class I failed my first test, but I was so stressed about Calc II, that I didn't prepare as well as I should have. However, I don't know if that would have helped since only 7 people in the ENTIRE class past the test.

I would say that I'm looking forward to this semester being over with, and don't get me wrong I am, but there is just another one to take it's place. YIKES!!!! What in the world did I get myself into!!!!!

For CJ & Michael....

2010-01-18T16:32:00.002-05:00

and the rest of the men & women serving in our Armed Forces!!!

Grandma

2010-01-13T11:21:00.002-05:00

I didn't post this last week, but last Wednesday we had to put Grandma in the hospital. She was sick and we thought she was just dehydrated. They ran a bunch of test but nothing seemed to show up and they released her on Sunday. Mom took Grandma to the doctor yesterday to check on a cough and to follow-up after her trip to the hospital. They discovered that she had a MINOR stoke (thank God it was very minor!!!!). The only effect from the stoke that she has is that her legs are weak, but she can walk ok with a walker!! God is so good!!! On the MRI they did find out that the blood vessels in her brain are very, very small. The doctor predicts that this stroke was just the beginning of things to come, and that she will either have another stroke or that the blood vessels will continue to shrink and cut of the blood supply to her brain and she will start to get confused and suffer from some dementia. Neither one sounds good to me.

Mom, Dad & Grandma leave tomorrow to go to Tampa to see my sister graduate with her Masters Degree Magnum Cum Laud (Lisa is the smart one in the family). I'm not going because my classes just started and I'm already swamped with homework.

2010-01-11T22:27:00.000-05:00

Perseverance in 2010

2010-01-04T21:55:00.001-05:00

Mo at Mojoy challenged people to come up with one word to be their word of the year (she got the idea from another blog)!!! I decided on the word PERSEVERANCE!! I have this bad habit of wanting to quit whenever I think that I might fail at something. I have stated before that I often set unreasonable expectations for myself, and want everything to be perfect. So when things get tough, instead of risking failing and not being good enough, I quit.

Romans 5: 3-4 says " We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop perseverance. And perseverance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. "

I did a search for the word the perseverance in the bible and it is found in 21 verses and is talking about us, as followers, every time. The word perfect appears in 43 verses, but not one time was it used in reference to us!!! If we could be perfect then we wouldn't need a Savior.

So this year my word is perseverance!!! It means taking risk and from time to time failing, but pressing though.

New Year...New Me!!!!

2009-12-29T21:00:00.003-05:00

Sometime soon I will have to figure out a way to get a new picture of myself. I need to update my profile picture on facebook and upload a new picture here. Since I started school in the fall, I have lost 3 to 4 pants sizes. I still have a lot to go (A LOT!!!!!!!), but it is starting to show I think. I can't really see it that much myself, but I can when I look at old pictures.

I don't really go for New Year's Resolutions, but this coming year I would like to continue what I have started. I don't really care if I EVER to get to be a size 10, I don't think I was EVER a size 10 anyway (maybe in elementary school), but I want to get healthy. There is a lot of heart issues on my father's side of the family. I can't believe I'm going to put this out for the whole world to see, but when I started, I was wore a size 32 and I now I'm down to a 26-28. Like I said I still have a LONG way to go, but at least I'm now moving in the right direction!!! I want to continue to do well in school (well...for me start doing well in school...I KNOW!!! I'm way to hard on myself.) and get closer to getting my certification.

For the first time in a long time, I can honestly say that I'm happy just being myself. Yea, there are things that I want to improve and change (don't we all have those things), but I finally content where I am in my life.

Happy New Year!!!
Steph

Happy New Year!!!

2009-12-27T20:22:00.001-05:00

Wanted to wish you and your family a very Happy & Blessed New Year!!!!

Merry Christmas!

2009-12-22T18:12:00.002-05:00

Wishing you and your family a very Merry Christmas and God's blessing in the New Year!!!

Love,
Steph

SNOW!!!!!

2009-12-05T09:14:00.003-05:00

Today it is snowing in NW Georgia! It isn't sticking, but it is come down pretty good at times. I can say that I have driven in snow, not something this southern girl would ever think she would be able to say. Since it wasn't making the road a mess, thankfully, it was pretty to watch as I was driving in downtown Cartersville (think typical small town Main Street)with the Christmas lights on and there weren't any other cars on the road. That is what happens when you have to leave your house at a ridiculously early hour on a Saturday for final exams.

This week we start our Christmas season at church. I can't wait. I love being able to sing with my choir. They are very talented, but even more important they are wonderful people.

The next couple of weeks will be busy. Finals will be over with on Monday at 11:30, if you can't tell I'm in count down mode. This Tuesday we have our annual Ladies Christmas Dinner at church. Also for the next few weeks, I will be helping my friend, who is a chorus teacher, in her class. She has her big concert on the 15th and has a ton to do and I love being able to help her.

Deck the Blog

2009-11-28T15:26:00.004-05:00

It is the Saturday after Thanksgiving and I was in the mood to do a little Christmas decorating, however since Mom & Dad are down in Ft. Myers and Mom is very picky I can't decorate the house. So I decided it would be a good day to get my blog Christmas ready. I have updated my header, and changed my template to match and added my Christmas music! So my blog is all decorated for Christmas.

The Promise - by Michael W. Smith

My church choir is doing this song in a couple of weeks and it has always been one of my favorites.

Final Exams

2009-11-27T19:28:00.002-05:00

Final exams start a week from tomorrow. I was able to drop Astronomy, now that I'm a math ed major I don't need it, so I don't have to worry about that one. My education class is a take home final, and World Lit is only a normal test. That is the good news. Geometry though is totally a different story! I was given a 13 page final exam on stuff that we hadn't learned how to do yet and two weeks to figure it out. Then on Monday, December 7th, I go in and take the exam without any of the stuff I used to figure it out. That one is going to be HARD!!!!!!

Birthday Post

2009-11-13T06:55:00.000-05:00

Well today is my 35th birthday. YIKES!!!! If you asked me 10 years ago what my life would like, it wouldn't have been anything close to what my life looks like now. When I decided not to go into education and went into corporate America, I said that I would NEVER teach again. I had an awful experience and decided that just wasn't for me. Sometimes I still find it hard to believe that I'm back in school getting a degree in Math Education to teach middle school and that I absolutely love it!!! The first time around, I wanted to teach business (still wouldn't mind that) in a high school, I HATED the middle school environment and wouldn't touch math with a 10 ft poll. Just goes to prove, we say never and God just laughs.

For my birthday I am doing what I like to do best. I'm spending the day helping a dear friend in her classroom!!! Most people think I'm nuts for volunteering at a middle school for my birthday, but I LOVE IT!! I love working with her students and I just simply love her!!!

FYI...

2009-11-10T21:45:00.002-05:00

On a lot of my old blogs I'm getting some SPAM comments and I HATE the word thing that is suppose to protect your blog from them, so on all blogs older than 5 days I have to moderate the comments. I'm hoping that this will help eliminate the SPAM, or at a minimum I can delete it before it shows up. Some of it is very offensive and I try to keep things around here PG.

Thinks....

2009-11-05T21:43:00.001-05:00

the best days are the ones spent helping others. Got to spend another day helping a very, very dear friend in her classroom. I love her and her student!!!

Thankfulness

2009-11-04T13:29:00.002-05:00

I stole this idea from Kim over at **LIFEAFTER** to do Thirty Days of Thankfulness during the month of November. I'm a little late to do the full 30 days, but hey I have never been on time for anything (including my own birth) so why start now!!!

I know that I have posted similar things in the past, but today I'm really thankful for true friends. Not just people who you have a casual relationship with, although they are wonderful and we all need those people in our lives. I'm talking about the type of friends who can totally be yourself with and are always there no matter what. These are the type of friends who know you so well that they know something is up before you even say word. I'm really blessed to have people like this in my life. Some I have known for years in Tampa, and thanks to technology I still get to talk to them on a regular basis (even though I don't get to see them nearly enough); some I've "met" though this blog, don't tell me you can't form friends with people whom you have never met in "real life" I know better; and some I've only known for a few years here in Cartersville. Thank you God for my friends, you have so blessed me with them.

If anyone is interested

2009-10-27T17:19:00.003-04:00

Just in case anyone every wonders why it seems that from time to time I disappear off the face of the earth, this is my class load for the next year and half.

Click on the picture to make it larger so that you can read it!!!!! The classes with the check marks in the boxes I have already taken, the ones in orange I'm taking in the spring and the ones with the check mark on the outside are good summer math classes.

Big Decision Made

2009-10-26T18:38:00.002-04:00

Well I made my decision. I'm going to get my degree in Secondary Math Education. This means that I will be certified to teach 6-12 grade math and I will do a add-on that will allow me to teach 6-12 grade Business Technology. Calculus II & III here I come!!!! After talking with my adviser (who just so happens to be my Geometry professor) today I knew that this is the right choice for me. I only have 3 more classes to take by switching my major than I would if I finished MGE (math & science) and I don't want to take the science classes and I wasn't going to take the certification exam in science because I really don't want to teach science, so that seemed like a HUGE WASTE OF TIME!!! I much rather spend my time doing something I enjoy, and I enjoy math -- to me is like solving a big puzzle!!!! I know, I'm weird!!!!

New Blog Design

2009-10-20T17:07:00.002-04:00

Updated my blog for Halloween, and when I did the new blog design when I saw this picture I knew I had to use it because of Hallie's obsession with Candy Corn!!!!

This design was just for you Hallie!!!

Big Decission to Make

2009-10-14T21:17:00.003-04:00

I have to make a MAJOR decision in the next few weeks. I'm really considering changing majors, from Middle Grades Education (Math & Science) to Secondary Math Education. What I REALLY want to do is teach Middle School Math, that is it!! The problem is that I can't just do a program for Middle School Math, you either do Middle Grades with two emphasis or you do secondary in one subject for 6-12. I DON'T WANT TO TEACH SCIENCE, however I really don't want to teach Language Arts or Social Studies so Science seemed the lesser of the evils. I really don't mind teaching high school, it just isn't my first choice. You think with what I said that this would be a easy decision, however it isn't. The classes that I have to take for Secondary Math scare me to death. I have to take Calculus II & Calculus III, and as you might remember I didn't do so well in Calculus I this past summer. I don't know if I'm smart enough to pull that off. I'm going to talk to my Geometry teacher on Monday, she just happens to be the academic advisory for Secondary Math Education. When I e-mailed her that I wanted to talk to her about this her response was "Yay! I was going to try to recruit you!", so she thinks I can do it anyway!!!

I know most of you probably don't care and for those of you who are actually interested in my schooling (first of all THANK YOU) this still probably didn't make much sense. However I needed to lay it all out there so that I can start to sort though all of this.

So much for blogging every other day....

2009-10-07T11:53:00.002-04:00

Maybe I should have made the goal every other week. Unfortunately my life right now has nothing that is news worthy. I go to class, sub and go to church. If I'm not at one school or the other (KSU or public), or church then I'm studying or sleeping. Not much time for anything else. Church is my "me time". I LOVE it!!! In about a month we are having Travis Cottrell come back and do another concert and the choir will be singing with him. I CAN'T WAIT!!!!!!!!

SICK.....

2009-10-02T10:52:00.002-04:00

That is the name of the game around here. I STILL have my sinus mess, although I'm feeling a 100% better I'm still not back to a 100% yet (maybe 90% though). Thankfully I'm not contagious, so I have worked some this week.

Mom had to go to the ER on Sunday night with really bad bronchial spasms and very dehydrated. She still isn't doing well at all, a couple of nights Dad has wanted to bring her back to the ER. She is still working though because she isn't contagious.

Dad has come down with some sort of stomach something and isn't feeling well either. I'm not really sure what is going on with him. With all of his medical issues it could be anything.

The only person who isn't sick is Grandma, and we are all trying to keep it that way. When she gets sick she is down for the count because of her age and poor health quality.

That is all from the sick ward, until next time STAY WELL!!!!

Need to start blogging a lot more!!!

2009-09-29T11:52:00.002-04:00

I just realized that last year around this time I posted my 100th post, which was 9 months after I started to blog. Now 100 year later and (including this one) I have only posted another 77 entries. I knew that I was doing bad, but that is just awful. So starting October 1st I'm giving myself a challenge (need to come up with a neat name - all input welcome) to blog every other day until Christmas. It can be short and sweet, but just something to get back in the habit of blogging on a regular basis. What do you think?

Need Your Input

2009-09-28T18:42:00.002-04:00

Trying to figure out what to do about school and need your input. I figured out that I can graduate an entire semester early if I take a slightly heavier load. If I do 5 classes instead of 4 this spring and next fall and 3 classes each summer with one with my TOSS (teaching of specific subjects) internship then I can cut a semester off of my program. Just trying to figure out what to do.

Rough Week

2009-09-09T15:58:00.001-04:00

This week has been rough. On Monday morning my step-dad's (this is who I refer to as my Dad) father passed away. I never knew Dad's father, but my heart breaks for my Dad. My Dad and his father had a very strained relationship, and now along with sadness there is anger and hurt and a loss for a relationship that never was.

Today I also found out that yesterday a friend from Xerox passed away. I haven't seen or talked to her in two years, since Xerox closed, but in someways that just makes it harder. It is sad that in this day of modern technology that we still lose touch with people who we use to see everyday and had a good relationship with because circumstances change.

This week has been another reminder to never miss an opportunity pass to let the people who matter to you know it. So dear friends, thank you for be such a blessing to me. Love you!!!

It is crazy around here

2009-09-08T11:31:00.003-04:00

Early yesterday morning Mom & Dad left for Oregon. They got a call on Sunday saying that Dad's Dad (technically my step-grandfather, who I have never meet) only has about 48 hours to live. His body has started to shut-down and he is unresponsive. Dad & his Dad do not have a great relationship and this is very hard for him. Don't have any further updates as of now on what the status is out there. ***UPDATE*** Alex passed away yesterday.

Since Mom & Dad are out of town, I'm camping out upstairs. Needless to say, I don't sleep well in Mom's room but especially this time since Charlie is in a lot of pain with really bad arthritis in his hip (bone on bone). He was crying last night and then tried sleeping with me, which all that meant is that neither one of us got any sleep. Hopefully tonight will be better.

Time to play catch-up

2009-09-05T08:28:00.004-04:00

It is hard to believe, but here public schools have been back in session for a month now. So far I have only gotten 2.5 days of subbing, but I'm sure that will be picking up soon. I have been able to spend a lot of time in the classroom of a very dear friend helping her. My friend is the chorus teacher at one of the middle schools, which just so happens to be my favorite (truly it has nothing to do with the fact that she is there, even though that is nice, because when I'm teaching I never get to see her), and I have spent time working in her music library. I have loved being able to do this for her, she has done so much for me.

Other than that things are about the same around here. For once there are no major health issues in the household (in the family is another story all together). Mom & Dad are camping this weekend and Grandma & I are suppose to be joining them at the campsite today. I'm staying super busy with school (college) & school (subbing/volunteering).

Once again I updated my blog look. You know I can never leave it alone. The picture almost could have been taken in my backyard (it wasn't though - I got that of the Microsoft Office website) last fall. Go here to see pictures from my backyard, they weren't taken in fall though.

TTYL,
Steph

Bittersweet

2009-08-28T09:59:00.002-04:00

Today marks the two year anniversary of my layoff from Xerox, and it is bittersweet. I'm not where I thought I would be at the point in my life. In someways it is much better, God has been so good to me, and in someways it has been harder. Today I'm missing some friends that I haven't seen for two years and just remembering. That job was full of stress, but I had some amazing friends and that made it all worth while.

The beginning of fall

2009-08-15T22:30:00.003-04:00

For me fall doesn't start when the air turns cooler or the leaves start changing colors, until last year I never experienced any of that anyway. In Florida you have only two seasons for the most part, hot and extra hot. For me fall starts when school starts, so it is already fall. School started here on August the 6th for our public schools and my fall semester at KSU started today.

So far it seems that this semester is going to be a lot "easier" than this past summer. I'm taking a World Lit class, and even though I have a lot of reading to do I don't have any papers. YES!!! I HATE with a passion having to write papers. I don't mind essay test or short essays, but 4 - 5 page papers on book or anything for that matter is just torture for me. I'm also taking an education class, which also meet today, and that seems to be pretty straight forward. The majority of the grade is based on field experience and although my subbing doesn't count (you can't be paid) there won't be much that I haven't seen or heard before since I'm in the schools all of the time. Monday will be Geometry and Solar System Science. This semester is a more balanced semester by a long shot.

Other than that I have been busy helping a dear friend in her classroom. I feel very blessed to have her as a friend and I'm so glad that I can help her.

Enjoy the rest of you week!!
Steph

PS. What do you think of the new blog layout? Just trying something different to change it up a bit!

Back in town and running like crazy!

2009-08-08T13:25:00.002-04:00

I just got back from my week in New Orleans. I had a wonderful time visiting family. I was able to go down by our family camp grounds and see all of the new camps that are being built. My family had decided not to rebuild for a number of reasons. It was fun while it lasted and we have some great memories of spending family time down there, but even if we did rebuild it wouldn't be the same. Saturday I spent the day in the French Quarter with my two aunts and had a blast. I love getting to spend time with them. Sunday we went to my Aunt Melva & Uncle Larry's house on the north shore. They are out in a rural area and don't have cable or internet yet, so we had a great time just talking and playing games. Wonderful family time!!!

For those of you who didn't catch the update on facebook, I finished my first semester successfully. I got a A in Stats, a B in Math for Middle Grades and Secondary Teachers and a C in Calculus. My Fall semester starts next Saturday. I'm taking Critical and Contemporary Issues in Education, World Lit (those are my two Saturday classes), Geometry & Solar System Science (Monday & Wednesday). Hopefully this semester will not be as overwhelming since the classes are so different.

Public school started here on Thursday. I haven't started to sub yet (it is highly discouraged for teachers to miss the first couple of days), I have been back at one of the middle schools helping out a dear friend (it just so happens that she works at the school I like the best) the past three days and if I don't get a job for Monday I will be back in her class again. I will be subbing on the days that I don't have class myself so it is going to be a busy year.

Hope you are all doing well. Keep Ness' daughter, KJ, in your prayers. That poor girls has a rough time with some major health issues, especially for someone so young.

1 week left

2009-07-21T23:20:00.002-04:00

I'm officially down to 1 week left of my summer semester. I just got back my Stats exam and I got an A. All I left is 2 Calculus quizzes and my finals. Finals start on Thursday with Stats, then I have Math for Middle Grades and Secondary Teacher on Monday and Calculus on Tuesday. Wednesday I'm leaving on a jet plane, however I do know when I will be back again. I will be in New Orleans for a week spending time with my grandparents and my aunt (maybe both of them - don't know yet). Then public school starts again, I will once again be subbing this school year. I can't wait, all of my teacher friends think I'm crazy - but then I will probably feel the same way when I'm teaching full-time. I don't have the stress of lesson plans and meeting and all of that stuff now, but even so they say subbing is one of the worst jobs - but I love it (of course, I love it a lot more at some schools than others). Then on August 15th my fall classes start, I'm doing classes 3 days a week and one online for a total of 5 classes. I will be subbing Tuesday, Thursday & Friday and will be in class Monday, Wednesday & Saturday. I will continue to be a busy girl for the next 3 years :-)!!! It is worth it though. Just no more semester where I take 3 math classes!! :-)

No Title

2009-07-14T22:14:00.002-04:00

Well, I'm pretty sure that I failed Calculus this semester. I haven't gotten my test from today back yet, but my gut feeling is that I failed today's test. That gives me little to no hope of passing the semester. I'm already planning on taking the class again, but before I make my final decision I will wait to find out what my professor says.

A matter of perspective

2009-07-11T19:40:00.003-04:00

As you all probably know by now, I'm stressing big time over school. Calculus is kicking my butt all over the place. Just as I think I'm starting to get a handle on it, I freeze on a quiz or something and fall flat on my face again. With that said, I had a chance to participate in an opportunity this week though my church that made me realize how blessed I really am.

This week my Sunday School class passed out lunch, provided by the same government program that does the "free lunch" programs in the school", to kids who needed lunch. There are places all over our county where they pass out these lunches, but we were at a housing authority area pretty close to our church. These families, without this program, have a difficult time providing 3 meals a day to their children. I had one of my students from last year, I consider all the kids I subbed for mine (they were for that day at least), greet me and was happy to see me there. That just warmed my heart and made me realize that is why I'm doing what I'm doing. It is all a matter of perspective. With the goal in mind, the work might be hard but now it seems so much easier to deal with.

I will admit though, that I am still in count down mode. Only 2 weeks and 2 days left. Praying I get though Calculus with at least a C so I don't have to take it again.

3 Weeks Left

2009-07-04T15:47:00.002-04:00

I'm down to only 3 weeks left of summer classes. The next few weeks will be crazy. I have a state test to take on Tuesday, unfortunately though the last half of Calculus and through my "break" and I should get done right before Stats. It is going to be insane; Calculus goes from 11:00 - 3:00, my state exam (required for everyone who wants a degree from the State University System) is from 1:30 - 4:30, and then Stats from 5:00 - 8:00. Going to duck out of Calculus at break, my professor already knows, and hopefully will have time to grab a bite to eat for lunch. I don't think that it would be a good idea to take a 3 hour test while starving.

The following week I have 3 test, one in each class, in a row. Calculus on Tuesday (unless she moves it again), Math for MGE & Secondary Teachers on Wednesday, and Stats on Thursday (if Calculus is moved I will take this one on Tuesday). Then the following week is review and finals start.

I'm trying to get back in the habit of updating, but might not have time for the next few week. I will have my laptop with me in New Orleans so hopefully I can update there.

Happy 4th of July - had to update the look

2009-06-30T22:28:00.002-04:00

I know that I just changed the look of my blog a few days ago, and I really like that one so it will be back. However, I just had to change my blog for the 4th of July. So often you hear people talk about "my rights", but they don't stop to think that there is a cost for the freedoms that we so often take for granted. The men & women in our armed forces sacrifice their rights to ensure ours. So as you celebrate the 4th with your family and friends please take time to remember the men & women who can't be with their families because they are serving our county!!!

I passed my Calculus Exam

2009-06-25T21:09:00.002-04:00

Well on the re-do I did good, great for me, and I got a B. It was the lowest B you could get, but I will take it!!! I didn't expect to get a B at all, so I'm thrilled!!!!

Time for a new look

2009-06-23T22:10:00.002-04:00

It was time for a change in the blog design again. Considering it is the end of June and that was my Easter design, I figured it was time for an update. Hope you like it!!

Steph

PS. I didn't pass my Calc test, but I can re-do 3 problems to add 18 points to my grade. That would move me from a D to a B. Hopefully I will do ok on the re-do. I'm stressing.

I'm so far behind on posting.

2009-06-18T13:22:00.002-04:00

I have gotten so far behind on posting, that I wonder if it is even worth blogging anymore. If you still stop by here leave me a comment, otherwise I think I might just shut it down.

Well the last time I updated was on April 30th and needless to say life around these parts have been crazy. Public School finished on May 22nd, so until then I was subbing every day until the last week. The last week of school I spent in a friend's class helping her with different things. On May 18 we got a call that my Dad's father (my step-grandfather, who I have never meet) was in the hospital and that they didn't expect him to survive and that my parents need to get out there (they live in Oregon). So Mom & Dad flew out the next day, which was a Tuesday, to see him and to help take care of his wife (my Dad's step-mother, who has no family). Well he improved and went home, but isn't allowed to do ANYTHING because his heart is so bad. If you know anything about the heart, you should have a ejection factor of 75+, his is 17. So Dad stayed out there with them for about 3 weeks, Mom came home for a few day because she gave Grandma a trip to Indiana to see some friends of hers for Mother's Day and needed to take her and then flew back out to Oregon. While Mom & Dad were in Oregon, I went and checked out a ALF so that we could get them closer to family so we could help care for them. Well while Mom was gone they refused to come after we had train tickets (Dad's dad won't fly) and everything arranged. Dad got so upset he had to leave their home and go to a hotel. It was really bad.

While all of this was going on I started school. I was going to take 4 classes, but that was just too much. As it is I'm doing 3 math classes this summer, Calculus 1, Elementary Statistics, and Math for Middle Grades and Secondary Teachers. I'm in the middle of the mid-term nightmare now. Stats and math for teachers is going well, Calculus is kicking my butt. NEVER, EVER, EVER do 3 math classes at once. I'm praying that I passed my Calc mid-term, I think I did but I'm never sure in that class. That is the one class that makes me feel very stupid.

Well I think that catches you up on the craziness that is my life. If you are facebook, I can be found under Stephanie Munch. I update there much more often.

God Still is in the business of answering prayers

2009-04-30T15:16:00.002-04:00

For those of you who still read here on a daily basis, you know that my school schedule was going to be INSANE. I was going to take 17 credit hours in an 8 week session, which means that I would be attending class 34 hours a week. I didn't see any way around it, so I was trully praying for strenght to endure it. However during orientation I got good news, I'm exempt from 2 of my science classes now. Due to this bit of information, my load this summer was greatly reduced. I'm now only taking 13 hours and 3 of those I can do on the web. Which means I'm only in 26 hours of class a week, and only 20 of those will be in class at KSU. That is such an answer to my prayers (and those that I had praying for me).

Mom & Dad are in FL this week, so Grammy and I are hanging out at the house. Thankfully Mom & Dad are having a good trip. Hopefully Murphy will keep to himself and leave Mom & Dad alone.

Have a good evening.
Steph

Schedule Re-do

2009-04-27T12:44:00.002-04:00

One of my classes for this summer was filled so I had to come up with a new schedule. The good news is that I will still be able to get all of my classes and the schedule won't be such a killer, the bad news is that now I have 4 long days on campus instead of just 2.

Monday and Wednesday
Science 11:00 - 1:45
Math for Teachers 2:00 - 4:45

Tuesday & Thursday
World Lit 8:00 - 10:45
Calculus 11:00 - 2:50
Stats 5:00 - 8:00

Your prayers that I survie this semester would be appreciated. This is my first semester back in "regular" classes in 8 years. I did my MBA online and got a lot of work experience credit.

Well I figured out my schedule for this summer

2009-04-23T08:48:00.002-04:00

I spent the past couple of evenings trying to figure out my schedule for this summer. All I can say it that it is going to be crazy. On Tuesday & Thursdays I will have class from 8:00 a.m. until 10:45 p.m. with one two hour break, and that is only 4 classes. In order to get in my 5 classes, I will also have one class on Monday & Wednesdays from 2:00 - 4:45. I have 3 math classes (Calculus I, Stats & Math for Middle school teachers), 1 science class (general) and World Lit. All I can say is thank god it is only 8 weeks.

My fall semester promises to be a little eaiser. I still have 5 classes, I will until I do my student teaching, but I have 2 web education classes, 1 science class (general - part 2) on Saturday, Psychology I and the required fitness class on Monday nights.

Didn't get good news!!

2009-04-18T16:49:00.003-04:00

Now before anybody flips out, I'm not talking about medical stuff for once. This is about school! I went and meet with my adviser for the first about two weeks ago (I know, I'm behind on posting - bad Steph) at KSU to figure out what classes I need to take and everything to get my certification. Well I was planning on 1 year of classes and 1 year of student teaching and then I would be finished and could be in a classroom teaching in two years. Well that isn't what is happening. I found out that at a minimum I have 2.5 years of school ahead of me, 1.5 years of classes and 1 year of student teaching, and that is only if I manage to take 5 classes a semster. I have 8 classes out of 25 that aren't somehow related to math or science, which basically means I have a kick-butt couple of years ahead of me with the classes that I have to take. Of course, I will be doing all of this while working as well.

I think that catches you up. I'm busy studying Calculus for this summer. I have a bunch of stuff to review so that I don't look stupid in there. The last math class I took was 13 years ago and I have forgotten everything.

Steph

Happy Easter

2009-04-11T19:04:00.001-04:00

I hope that you all have a very happy & blessed Easter!!!

Steph

Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep

2009-03-30T21:16:00.002-04:00

My Mom sent me this by e-mail and I thought it was too cute not to share!

Have a good day!!

Moving Forward

2009-03-27T12:54:00.002-04:00

It is offical, I start school on May 28th to get my teaching certification. It is hard for me to believe that I have been in Georgia now for over a year. If things had gone my way, this update would be saying that I'm moving back to Tampa. That wasn't meant to be though, things didn't go the way I planned and in someways that is a good thing. I really feel called to teaching, even though 10 years ago I said I would never teach again, and know that this is the right thing for me.

With all of that said though, it has been hard. All of my stuff has been in storage for the past year. With the decission to stay in Georgia to get my certification I realized that I will be here for at least 6 years. It will take me two years to get my certification and then because of a grant that I will be getting to pay for school I will have to teach in Georgia for 4 years. At least while I'm in school I will be staying with Mom, Dad & Grandma. They still need the help, and so do I. I have tried doing school, working full-time and living on my own and it is very hard. So since they don't mind me staying (Mom & Dad have gone so far as to say I can't ever move out :-)), I will humbly accept their help and stay put. Because of this I have decided to sell all of my furniture that I had in Florida. It is not practical for me to keep it in storage. The storage unit cost too much and the wood furniture doesn't like being exposed to all of the weather changed since my unit is not climate controlled. One day I realized that even if I kept everything that by the time I could use it again it would all be worthless anyway. While going though everything though I felt the tears coming. I know this might sound child-like, but I didn't want to get rid of MY stuff. It was the first things that I had on my own, and getting rid of it just hurt.

Now it is time to move forward though. Cartersville is becoming more and more like home, I have found a great church family that I love and have made some awsome friends, not to mention the fact that I'm back with my family. I still can't believe how much as changed in a year. To all of my blog friends who still stop by here, thank you for your contanst friendship though all of the changes.

Steph

I haven't fallen off the face of the earth

2009-03-18T10:34:00.003-04:00

Hi Everyone,

I know you must all think that I have fallen off the face of the earth, but I haven't. Things have been supper busy around here though. Grandma came home from the hospital at the end of February, after being in the hospital or rehab for 2 months. All of my time has been spent trying to help care for her, teaching or getting ready to go back to school.

Lets see if I can give you a quick catch up on the last month. I know, I have to up date more than once a month.

Grandma
Like I said at the end of February Grandma finally came home. So far she has been doing well, except for this last Saturday when she fell. Thankfully she wasn't hurt. She was in the hospital or rehab center from December 28 to February 28. On March 11th, she celebrated her 87th birthday. It was great that she was able to be home for that.

Mom & Dad
Not too much to report here. Thankfully Dad's heath seems to be holding steady. Mom is working like a mad women, but that is nothing new. Dad will be leaving to go and visit his son (my step-brother) and two grandsons this week in Ohio. He always times these visits to miss as much of the snow as possible.

Me
Well I'm gearing up to go back to school. I have decided to get my certification in Middle Grades, Math & Science, with an add-on certification in Special Ed inclusion and will also do an add-on in my original area of Business Technology Education. I have been spending all of my free time studying Geometry and Statistics since those are the first two math classes I have to take this summer. I will be doing Calculus in the fall. I'm a little nervous since I haven't taken a math class in about 13 years. Other than that it the same old stuff. I still enjoying subbing, but it makes for some long days.

I guess that is all for now. I promise I will update more than once a month.

Steph

Strange Meeting

2009-02-14T20:30:00.002-05:00

On Wednesday I was subbing at a high school and had a student teacher in my room. It turns out that I went to Community College with her 12 years ago and we served in Student Government together. I hadn't seen or talked to her in the past twelve years and then we meet in a classroom. It was just so strange, especially since it wasn't like this happened in Florida where we went to school. It really is a small world.

One Year Ago

2009-02-06T09:01:00.002-05:00

Well I have missed my one year anniversary of blogging by a couple of days, but decided that today is as good as any to celebrate late. I started blogging one year ago on January 28th, when I was getting ready to move from Sunny Tampa, FL to Cartersville, GA to be closer to my family. It is kind of fitting that I write this post today though, because the entire reason I started my blog was to have an outlet during the move and today marks the one year anniversary of my move.

To all of you who have stood by during the move, family health issues, the laughs, the tears, and all the little ups and downs that have happend this past year, Thank You! Thank you for your support, your friendship and encourgment. You have made this a wonderful first year of blogging.

Steph

My Daily Crazy Life

2009-01-30T11:13:00.003-05:00

I'm thinking that I should change my blog name to "My Daily Crazy Life". What do you think? It seems to be a better fit for how things are going around here.

Grandma is out of the hospital and in a Nursing Home/subacute rehab. She will probably be there close to 20 days. The social worker at the hospital was able to get her to start taking her medicine. The social worker was able to go to a place that we couldn't as family, which is basically asking her what did she want to do. If she trully doesn't want to fight everything, that is fine and we can make her comfortable, but if she wants to get better and go home then she needs to take her medicine. She is still complaining about taking the medicine, but at least now she is complaining while taking the pills. The doctors also had a swallow test done and found out that she does have some blockage, she has a growth on her thryoid (we aren't testing it because she did make it clear that she does not want any more surgery or treatments - she will take the pills and that is it) which makes it difficult to swallow larger pills. I just wish she would have said something earlier, now they are getting the medicine in tablet form so that we can crush them and put them in pudding so they are easier to take.

Things are slowly improving for now. Hopefully she will continue to get stronger. This has really been a hard time for the family. Grandma has been in the hospital/rehab now for 5 weeks.

Hard Talk

2009-01-27T10:07:00.002-05:00

The past two nights Mom, Dad & I have been having the talks that you never want to have. Grandma is not doing well at all. Her heart keeps going into Afib and they have her on a bunch of different medicine to keep her heart rate down and to control her thyroid. This isn't sitting well with her, Grandma has always hated to take medicine of any kind for any reason. She has already said that she would take it in the hospital because she HAS TO, but that she wouldn't take it when she gets out. Well with out the medicine she will not live long becaue her heart will just stop and she has a DNR order. Also she has not eaten for the past two days because it is hard for her to swallow. They found a noduel on her thyroid, which could be nothing or as bad a cancer, but they aren't going to test it because at her age they aren't going to do anything about it anyway. At this point when she gets out of the hospital she will have to go to a nursing home/rehab center because right now she is so weak that she can't even get to the bathroom by herself. I know she won't like that, but there is no way that we can care for all of her needs at home.

Right now Grandma does not want to take her medicine, she does not want to eat and she asked that we not prolong this for her. She hates having to be taken care of and doesn't like seeing how much stress caring for her causes Mom. My gut feeling is that we won't have her much longer. It breaks my heart, but I don't want her to suffer either. It is a very hard time right now.

Crazy, Crazy, Crazy

2009-01-24T19:27:00.002-05:00

First of all, I really want to thank Ness for updating for me on Wednesday. It is nice to know that you have friends to call when things start going insane.

Grandma is still in the hospital. With the exception of this past Tuesday when she was home, she has been in the hospital or hospital rehab for a month now. She is doing better, but is still not doing well. They diagnosed her with a hyper thyroid, for those of you who aren't up on your medical jargon that mean it works too much, and that is causing her to have issues with her heart. Twice now she has gone into an afib rhythm and once her pulse got up to over 180 on Thursday night. They are trying to adjust her medication for the heart and thyroid now to find the correct levels. We are hoping that she will get out sometime this next week. We thought it might be as early as Monday but she went into afib again tonight and we want them to keep her until we are sure that is resolved.

If we didn't have enough going on with Grandma, Dad had a stomach virus all day yesterday. I made sure that I stayed as far away from him as I could get. He is doing much better today though. Thankfully he only had a 24 hour bug.

Mom is staying at the hospital with Grandma. She is worn out and just getting over a bad case of bronchitis from getting so warn out the last time she had to camp out with Grandma. She seems to be doing ok now, but she is really worn out. Between work and everything with Grandma she hasn't had a break since Thanksgiving. I'm doing my best to help her, but I don't do the medical stuff and the doctors come in early when I'm working.

As for me, I'm working still as a sub everyday and then going to the hospital after I get off of work. I'm doing ok, thank goodness I haven't gotten sick also, however like everyone else I'm worried about Grandma and don't feel quite up to norm.

I have been told not to apologize for venting or posting medical updates, so I will just say that I hope everything calms down soon. The title of my blog is "My Daily Life" and right now this is it.

Have a good weekend!!
Steph

Please Keep Steph's Grandma in Your Prayers

2009-01-21T22:13:00.002-05:00

This is Ness from DachshundStrong.

Steph left a voicemail on my phone this evening asking me to update her blog.

Her grandmother, after having been discharged from the hospital on Tuesday night has been readmitted as of this(Wednesday) afternoon.

On the message Steph said:

"Grandma is back in the hospital after just getting out last night. I just got home, after being gone for 13 hours, and getting ready to leave to go back to the hospital. Can you please update my blog?"

Grandma is quite ill-unable to keep anything down.

I know Steph and her family would appreciate all of our thoughts and prayers.