Fall Fun

Since it's been a while since I last posted I will be posting a lot of pictures to show you what we've been up to. (I know that's what you all want to see anyways because I know I sure do!!!!) First I just wanted to let everyone know that things are going well with us. My second placement is going really well, and I've already finished 3 weeks as of tomorrow. That means only 5 weeks left until I'm done! (And about 2 months until graduation!!!!) I had to go on Wednesday to get my cap and tassel (I'm wearing mom's gown from she graduated from NKU) and it was so surreal to walk around with my friends and realize that in a matter of weeks we will be alumni of NKU instead of students! So wierd....so exciting!!!

Okay, so pictures. The first set of pictures are from the Fall Foliage Festival that we went to up in Indiana several weekends ago.

On the way home we stopped at this orchard that we started going to quite a few years ago. We got some apples to use for a pie, and extra to eat of course! The kids were literally fighting over the apple...I love it that they'll fight over fruit!

Last Saturday we went to the pumpkin patch. We love to go to the pumpkin patch, it is so much fun to watch the kids pick out a pumpkin and go on a hayride. This pumpkin patch is not very far from our home and they had a petting zoo where the kids could pet and feed some barnyard animals. Jonah loves animals and he particularly loved this part.
He loved the animals!!!

Bri in the haybale maze!

I love my brother!


Our family

Tonight Steven carved the pumpkin with the kids (while I took the pictures of course!!!) It turned out really good and it was so funny to watch them pull out all of the "guts" since he had never done it before. He kepts wiping his hands together and saying "EWWWW!" The only thing that was not so cool- Steven cut himself with the knife. I think he's gonna be alright, but Dr. Mom had to come to the rescue! So here's our cute jack-o-lantern.

Brianna- our "old" pro!

Ewwww!

Showing off their creation!

Posing with their pumpkin and their Nina!

Happy Fall everyone!

Last Day at St. Cecilia

Today was my last day at St. Cecilia. I promised myself this morning that I wasn't going to get all emotional, but they got me. I didn't start crying until I drove away from the school, but I felt on the edge all day. During 7th grade math, which was also the homeroom that I was in, they completed a quiz, took a few notes and then surprised me with a party. All of the sudden in walked room mothers bringing cookies and drinks and carrying presents. The presents kept coming and coming- I couldn't believe my eyes! I felt like a little kid at Christmas! My cooperating teacher, Mrs. Davis, explained that she had asked the students to bring in supplies that I could use to set up my first classroom. The bags, and the beautiful basket, were brimming with pens, pencils, post-it notes, paper clips, stickers, notebooks and notebook paper, you name it, it was there! Here is the picture of all of goodies they gave me!

I had to take 3 trips out to the car to carry all of it! The kindness of these students and parents touched me to the core- and I realized again why we do this. Teaching isn't a profession that offers a lot of money, and there are days that you are completely exhausted, but at the end of the day it's all about the students! And at a school like St. Cecilia where all of the parents are so supportive it's even better! I will forever remember these students and I will often wonder what they are doing with their lives. Who knows, maybe one day some of them may become teachers too! I would love to see that happen!

I also recieved a few gifts from Mrs. Davis, one of which is a new teacher survival kit. The poem that explained what everything inside was for goes like this:

Crayon- to color your world. Peanuts- to remind you to get a little nutty now and then. Band-Aid- to remind you to heal hurt feelings. Marbles-to replace the ones you may loose from time to time. Bath Salts-to take you away. Cup-for when yours is overflowing. Rubberband-to remind you to be flexible. Matches-for those days when you feel you need to light a fire under your students. Wiggle Eyes- for when you wish you really did have eyes in the back of your head. Animal Cookies-for when your classroom seems like a zoo. Penny-to remind you that you are priceless. Eraser-to remind you that everyone makes mistakes. That's okay, we learn by our errors. Pencil and notepad-to remind you to list your blessings every day. Angel-to remind you that you are the guardian angel for your students. Sweet & Sour candy- to remind you to appreciate your students' differences. Snowflake-when all else fails, PRAY FOR A SNOW DAY!

It was so cute, and I laughed as I read it. I plan on making a few of these for some of my friends for graduation- we could all use one! Another gift that made me chuckle was a bag of Hershey's Cacoa Reserves. They crossed out the Cacoa with a sticker that said Emergency so the bag read Emergency Reserves! So cleaver and funny! Every teacher needs their emergency stash of chocolate!

I recieved so many kind and thoughtful gifts and words and I will remember everyone with fondness. I learned a lot over these 8 weeks, and while it wasn't always easy I have learned that teaching is one of the most rewarding things that I will ever do! I know that I finally have found where I want to be when I grow up!!!! So thank you to all of the students, parents and faculty and staff at St. Cecilia! You made my time there so memorable and I pray that God will bless you and your school for many years to come! I will be back- I promise!

8 down, 8 to go

Well, I've done it! I've made it half way through student teaching! As of tomorrow my first placement is complete and I move on to my new placement on Monday! I can't believe how fast 8 weeks flew by. Some weeks definately went faster than others, and some weeks I was ready to throw up my hands and walk (actually run...run very fast!!!) away. But mom, and Steven, and everyone else reminded me how hard I had worked to get where I am, and that I can survive anything for a few more weeks. So I sucked it up, stuck it out...and Monday I'm ready to move on to round two!
I swear, this is the hardest thing I have ever done. Childbirth, 6 weeks of bedrest...this tops all of that! But it has been very rewarding. I have loved the kids that I have been working with. They make me laugh every day! That's one of the things that I love about middle schoolers...they are so funny! I will definately miss the students. I feel like I'm just now getting to know them...the slackers, the trouble makers, the underachievers, the overachievers. I'm finally learning what makes them tick, and now it's time to go learn the same thing about 100 something other students.
And just like I said before the semester started, they have taught me more than I ever could hope to teach them. And I know I will learn even more at my next placement. I just wanted to let you all know that I am still alive, they haven't killed me....YET! :) So here's to the next 8 weeks....may they go REALLY fast!!!!!