Wedding Weekend

The last weekend in May was a blast! Laura (my roomate from college) got married to Jonathan, these two are very close friends of mine and I was so excited to share this big wedding day/weekend with them. :) David and I left Roanoke on Thursday and made our way to the "Rivah", we had a ton of fun driving up stopping to eat and discovering new delicious goodies at Starbucks! We stopped at a new 4-wheeler dealership and had a good time looking at the 4-wheelers and comparing them to the new one that he had just gotten! (see picture below) I think it might have been fate that we missed our exit and got to stop there...haha We arrived in time for a cookout and then went to the newlyweds new house and hung out. Friday we helped set up for the reception and then went out to discover the town. We found a really good restraunt called Virginia Street Cafe and enjoyed fresh seafood for lunch! We then went back to the house and relaxed waiting for the rehersal festivities to begin. We had a great BBQ dinner, we sure ate well all weekend. After rehersal and dinner we met the future Mr. and Mrs. at Mojo's to enjoy the evening. Saturday was wedding day!! We slept in, fished, and layed out waiting for the wedding to roll around. The wedding was absolutely beautiful and the love they have for each other was very evident! I am so happy for these two and glad we were able to help them celebrate.

Mom and Dad after the wedding...

We've got "whatever it is" :)

Laura and I...

Bridal Party

Having fun at Mojo's

Mr. and Mrs. Longest

A little slice of heaven on earth

Sitting on the dock of the bay...

The new 4-wheeler! Lots of fun

College Graduation

May 9th I graduated from college!! What a great feeling of accomplishment as I walked across the stage to receive my diploma and moving the tassel from one side to the next. After a few days of rain and storms the day turned out to be beautiful as well as hot! I am so glad it was a morning ceremony. I can't believe how fast the past four years went, it sure is filled with lots of fun memories and good friends. I am so thankful that my parents, David, Emily and S, Uncle Emory and Leslie, as well as my grandparents and great aunt and uncle were able to go to graduation with me! We had a fun Friday night in Farmville before graduation, we went to Applebees on the way up. Layed around and watched golf until Emory and Leslie got to the hotel and then I showed David, Emory, and Leslie around Farmville and Longwood since it was their first visit; afterwards we headed to Charley's for some yummy dessert to celebrate! After the parents retired back to the hotel David, Leslie and I headed over to Hampden-Sydney to visit with Thomas and Taylor.

After graduation on Saturday morning we came back home and had a party at the house. It was a lot of fun and filled with the BEST friends and family a girl could ask for. I am so fortunate to have all of the love and support that they each give to me!

David and I before the party...

Leslie and I at graduation...

My parents and I...

David and I at graduation...

Shaking Dr. Cormier hand and getting my "diploma"...

Thank you EVERYONE for your love, support, and prayers! :)

Pictures over the past month or so, writing below! :) Enjoy!

Well what's new, it has been a long time since I've updated the blog.

It has been a GREAT and FUN month filled with family, friends, and David! We have been to Chapel Hill, Christiansburg, Eden and Roanoke. Keeping the road hot and having a blast. God has truly blessed us over the past few months! :)

I graduate in three weeks and this is the last week of student teaching yay!! Can't believe these four years have passed so quickly! Second round of interviews coming up in the next few weeks, keep praying! Also I passed the Praxis II, boring boring test but I passed!

March is going GREAT!

March has been a great month so far and has kept me busy busy! Lots of fun being able to hang out with family and friends! :) And as you all know I have been filling out job applications and also studying for the Praxis II, well some big days with that is coming up. THIS Saturday is when I take the Praxis, please pray that I will pass the first time! I have been spending my afternoons this week reviewing the information and think it should go pretty well. I also have two job interviews coming up the last week of March, stay posted for how they go!

Last Friday I finished my Kindergarten placement and the class threw me a fun farewell party! We had snacks and opened my presents. They gave me a scrapbook that Mrs. Blevins made for me with pictures from my time in the class as well as pictures of the individual students. Each student wrote me a sweet letter to go a long with their picture! I love my "Bee Book" and enjoyed looking at it with the children. They also gave me flowers, a candle, and then a bag with each of their handprints on it, and the bag was full of school supplies that I will need as a teacher. They were such a cute group and I will miss them :)

This Monday I started in Fifth Grade and it is quite a drastic change from Kindergarten and most of the kids are as big as or bigger than me! They are a fun group of 96 students so I am trying to learn each of their names. They say I'm a pro at learning names and are impressed with how fast I am learning them, there are still a few in block that I need to learn. I am currently helping direct/teach the class and will officially take over on Tuesday teaching plants and animal cells in Science, and Language Arts will continue to be class projects for another week as we wrap up Nonfiction.

FOR THE NOW VERY EXCITING NEWS!! During the past week I got to go see UNC play twice! I got to go to the Carolina/VT game in Blacksburg last Wednesday and saw a great game however one that also kept me nervous to the last minute. It was a lot of fun being with Emily, S, and the Bolinskys for dinner and the game! On Sunday Dad and I headed down to Chapel Hill to try our luck at getting tickets to the Carolina/Duke game and we were SUCCESSFUL! :) This is the second year we have gotten in the game and it is truly the best game a basketball fan could EVER go to. I also enjoy it because I can see the senior introductions and speeches. In 2005 when I started college and the senior class at Carolina was freshmen I set my mind on it that I wanted to be there for their senior game! I loved every minute of it! Dad and I went down on Franklin Street for lunch and shopping, then went to the basketball musuem (needed a lot more time to stay in there), and then we headed out to find tickets. We were out on the sidewalk for a long time and got to know the scalpers quite well! haha That is how we got our tickets though because one had spent time around dad and I and when a guy said he wouldn't sell his tickets to scalpers he said well then sell them to this girl cause she has been dying to get inside that game all day! I was soooooo excited that we were in! :) The game was great with a wonderful outcome as well!! Pictures will come soon, gotta get batteries for the camera before being able to upload them.

Snow Days

The snow was a lot deeper than I expected when I stepped in the grass.

Woods in the backyard

Thought the wheelbarrow looked cool

Well we finally got the snow we had been looking for all winter, only had to wait til March! I had already counted that we'd get no snow and stopped my snow dances and was READY for warm weather. However the snow has been nice to have a few days off of school and who knows maybe tomorrow at least a delay? It doesn't look like the snow is going anywhere today with the low temperatures. We probably got around 7 inches of snow and it is beautiful but seriously where is SPRING and SUMMER? Days at the lake, beach, outdoors, cookouts, putt putt, baseball games, etc. I am ready for it all!

I discovered yesterday that Snow Days are not as much fun as when you're younger or have people your age living around you. When we were younger our street used to sled and play in the snow from sun up to sun down but now everyone has grown up. Or Emily, S, and I used to go out in the snow and have Nintendo marathons. Now my snow days consist of going out in the snow for a little bit and then JOB APPLICATIONS, and dinner with my Bible Study group! Oh yea, and I also watched The Bachelor last night, the decision def. threw us all for a curve ball, for some reason I get suckered into this reality tv every season. Now I am waiting for tonight to see if they are still together, haha! I was talking to a friend last night at Bible Study and its funny talking about the show cause it's like you are talking about people you actually know.

Well I am off for a day of shopping, watching basketball tonight, and The Bachelor update.

Sick Days...

This past week has unfortunately been full of sick days for me! All kinds of stuff has been going around school and I have caught it. Last Monday-Wednesday my throat was really swollen only to be told by the doctor I didn't have strep or tonsilitis and all she could tell me to do was over the counter drugs and it worked! I was better by Wednesday morning. I kept on teaching that whole week while sick and not sick as it was my first full week of teaching myself and I didn't want to miss a single moment of it! I loved it :) It was full of excitement as I saw the lightbulb turn on in many students heads! That is one of the most rewarding parts of teaching! Well yesterday I got to school sore throat and fever in tow but thinking I'd make it, however by 10:25 I was on my home for some rest, relaxation and recouperation. The main thing that is getting me this time is the FEVER! Hopefully I will be good as new tomorrow and on my way back to Kindergarten. My sweet teacher that I work with just called and checked on me, she is one of the nicest ladies and I am truly blessed to know and work with her. I am going to want to stay in touch with her for years to come! She also said we have 5 out today sick! See I told you I am all around germs!

I have enjoyed my day at home today though and have started reading "The Shack" by Wm. Paul Young. I definitly recommend it and I'm only in the fourth chapter. I don't want to put it down but have had to. I am taking the Praxis II in two weeks so I have disciplined myself today that I have to take some time while I can to study for it, so far this morning I have studied Language Arts and hope to get Math in today as well. Then complete one or two job applications. Who ever thought that Senior Year, student teaching, finding a job, and living my life would be so busy? There are many things to do! I think all the tests that are required for me to recieve my teaching license might break the bank, haha. Do they understand that Student Teaching is a NON-paid position? As soon as I get all the tests done that will be it. Well besides of course waiting on a job. No leads on a job yet but I have finally heard that a few counties such as Montgomery and Rockingham in NC, are hiring! So that is a plus :) Just got to keep trusting that God will provide and place me where I need to be. Please pray for me as I take the tests and that I will pass them as well as continued prayers for the job search!

Even though I have been feeling under the weather I have been able to have some fun times as well! I have started a new Bible Study on Monday nights, I have enjoyed getting to know everyone in the group and grow closer to God as well. Right now we are studying what it takes to be a Godly spouse as well as boyfriend/girlfriend, either preparing for it in the time of being single or growing in it as you are married! It is a group of young adults some single, some married with kids. They are a great group and have really made me feel welcome.

This past weekend was full of birthday celebrations! We went to NC to visit with family and friends for mom's birthday, it was full of much laughter, fun, food, and fellowship. Even some excitement as three cop cars barracaded my grandparents street at midnight on Friday to arrest a drunk moped driver. Glad they got him before he or anyone else got hurt but being outside listening to what they were saying was rather humorous! Our family friends daughter turned one and we celebrated her birthday Saturday night. Her mom sure knows how to throw and amazing and beautiful birthday party, I think she could even go into business doing it! It was a Chinese themed party because they would like to eventually adopt from China and in leiu of gifts you could make donations to Shaohannahshope. Which is the adoption organization that Steven Curtis Chapman set up to help people who want to adopt be able to financially afford it. For more details check out www.shaohannahshope.org Laeklyn is a cute little girl and it was great to finally meet her in person! Their family means so much to mine and we have so many good memories with them, it was nice to visit with each other again. I sure do love my time with friends and family!

Well I'm sneezing off to study some more...

Pictures from the Superbowl!

Didn't take many pictures :( But enjoy the two I did take!

Update and Superbowl Fun!

Haven't been on here in a while, student teaching sure is keeping me busy as well as of course doing things with friends and family! It's been fun being back home and catching up with old friends! Student teaching has been quite the adventure, the class is pretty wild but they are the cutest kids and I love being in there with them. There are challenges that come with the wildness though. Last Thursday was a day where a lot of them had to get playtime taken away from them and was just a rough day in general. Thank goodness there have not been many like that! :) I have now taken over everything but Language Arts and I believe that will be coming next week! Math has been a lot of fun to teach, right now we are learning about Time and Money, today I was teaching about sequencing using the words first, second, third, last, next, before, and after. Lots of words for Kindergartners to remember but they continue to amaze me with the information they know! The principal came in during my lesson, my first thought was like uh oh, i sure hope the kids continue to behave, I hope she likes my lesson, etc. After talking through the lesson and giving examples the students got into pairs and had sequence cards that they had to put in order and then have me come over to hear them use the vocab. words as they told me about them, then as a reward because they did a fantastic job we played a game of Simon Says because it is kind of a sequencing games. After playing for five minutes I still had five students standing, sure can't trick them! Then it was time to do their worksheet. She was VERY pleased and commented on it several times as well as to my cooperating teacher!!! She said I was a natural born teacher and what she looks for!! :) SO HAPPY to hear that, now just hope there is a job opening there next year! With budget cuts it looks like job openings are going to be sparse this coming year but I know that God will provide!

Which leads me to mention to please pray for me as I go through this job search and that I will listen to where God wants me to teach. Also I have several friends and family members that are having harder times with jobs right now so please continue to lift up everyone as the economy is at this point.

Yesterday I had my first parent teacher conference day and overall it was a complete success and it was great to see how to conduct a conference. Those are things that preparing to be a teacher you def. should see one in action. It made for a long day though not getting done til 7 and then 12 1/2 hours later back to school for today!

Over the weekend I worked on job applications, watched ACC Basketball...GO UNC!! :) Sunday for the Superbowl Emily and S came into town. It was a lot of fun to spend time with them as it was the first time I've gotten to see them for longer than 15 mins. since Christmas! We all went to lunch and then came back to watch the Duke game and hang out at the house. Later we went to the Bolinsky's to watch the first half, eat pizza and wings and just enjoy each others company. We headed to New Century (our friend Jared is the youth minister there and God is truly doing a great job and blessing him there) for halftime to hear Kenny Lewis (VT running back) to give his testimony. When we got there Kenny Lewis started talking to me, sadly I had to ask who he was :( kinda embarrasing but when they all have their helmets on during the games you don't see their faces! He laughed and was a neat guy to talk with. He then introduced me to the rest of the players, a Hokie fans dream! His testimony was great and how he has stayed strong through the years and keeping God first in His life doing things for His glory. His verse he left everyone with was Psalm 37:4 "Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart."

Hope you all are having great weeks and I am going to try to get better at "blogging"!

Photo Tag

I was tagged by Chantry in a Photo Tag. So when going to my fourth folder and fourth picture I found this picture of my little cousin Sydney on Christmas singing to the family. She is a true ray of sunshine in the family as she is the youngest! She is full of personality and is a smart little girl. This Christmas with her was full of singing and sparkles. I wish I was able to see her more throughout the year but do enjoy my time with her.

Anyone else who reads this TAG YOU ARE NOW IT!

Been a while...

So I haven't posted in a while and today while I am watching some basketball I thought I would take a minute to update. I started my student teaching this week and it has been a blast! The kids are FULL of energy but a real sweet group. I am fortunate to have one of the best teachers and feel that I can learn a lot and benefit from being in her class. This week I mainly observed and did some small group activities however come Tuesday math is all mine plus a few other lessons, hoping that all goes well.

I have been applying for jobs this weekend, such a tedious process but I know it will be well worth it when I have my own class. I am applying all the way from Georgia to Virginia, so we shall see where God has me going.