Summer time= Life Update

I know I was on a little hiatus with teaching blogging this past year... but I plan on getting back into the groove of blogging again, because I REALLY  missed weekly blogging time.

Lots of big life changes have happened during the 2013-2014 school year, but to save you from a really long and boring post I decided to create a top 5 list.

August 8, 2014 had to be on my top 5, because it was the day I helped welcome my nephew into this world. Talk about life changing moments... After nearly 12 hours of labor my little sister was told that she would have to have a c-section.  Scary stuff even for her big sister to hear.  My mom and I decided that I would get to go in for the surgery and mom would be in the nursery waiting.  You can't tell in the picture of me in the hospital gear, but I was shaking from nerves.  I managed to keep my cool and help my sister bring baby B into the world.  When we first started hearing his cries I teared up and started singing "Happy Birthday" and to my surprise... so did everyone else in the delivery room!  That little boy has become my world since then.

Around the same time my sister was having her baby I was adopting my fur baby.  Meet Khal Kitty, named after one of my favorite books/tv shows.  He's my favorite thing about coming home from teaching and my furry alarm clock.   

I would be a terrible blogger if I didn't include the Indiana Blogger Meet Up in my top 5 memorable moments!  It was hosted by the two most amazing and thoughtful bloggers Holly from Kindergarten Connections and Greg from Kindergarten Smorgasboard.  Shout out for all their hardwork and the awesome style both of them were rocking!  It was great to spend time with all of my favorite people in the world... teacher bloggers!  I have become super close with the ladies in the picture:   Amy from Math, Science, Social Studies Oh My, Krea from Learning in Progress, Brenda from Primary Inspired, Jenny from Luckey's Lilypad, Ciera from Adventures of Room 129, Heather from Teaching Through Turbulence, and Nicole from All Things Apple In 2nd. I even walked away with some awesome swag with a Vera Bradley bag filled with Scentos (amazing art products!), Jamberry (neat manicuring company), and classroom decorations from Creative Teaching Press (Can you say new classroom theme anyone?).  

If you've been following me for a while, you will know that there is a special guy in this blogger's life.  He's been my rock, cheerleader, and best friend for 3.5 years.  This year was a big one  for him because he was finishing his OWN teaching degree. (Side Note:  Isn't funny how teachers usually end up with other teachers?)  I was so proud of him this May because he's joining his family and me in the teaching legacy of 3 generations.

Yes!  You just read correctly, yours truly got engaged this school year.  Mr. R managed to surprise yours truly with a Christmas tree with a special message "Will you MERRY me?"  *cue awwwwwws*  

He then got down on his knee and said "You've made me happy for the past 3 and a half years.  I want you to make me happy for the rest of my life.  Will you marry me?" How could a girl say no??!  

So that's what you missed from me during the 2013-2014 school year.  I promise *CROSS MY HEART* that I will be better this coming school year because I truly missed blogging about my classroom.  Since there's been a lot of changes for me as a teacher, I've got a big teaching and blogging announcement to make soon!  

I woke up in a car...

I find myself back at the Anchorage Airport sleepy and cold... much like I was over a year ago.  I'm back.  I believe all my readers knew that I decided to give teaching in the village another chance.  Something I'm proud and excited about.  I haven't been writing much recently because I've been absolutely busy with all of the craziness that comes with a teacher summer.

 Summer Camp Counselor
I was very lucky to get job working with kids all summer.  I worked as a summer day camp counselor.  Games, crafts, swimming, and even snack/reading time.  It enjoyed my summer job much more than the normal person should.  Good activities.  Well scheduled.  And awesome coworkers.  It didn't hurt Nate was working there too. ;)




Who I Lived With...
Lived with my best friend since 3rd grade.  It was nice to enjoy "living on my own" back home in Indiana, but still have some semblance of my past.  Loved waking up on the weekends to hear little Sammy giggling.







California With the Bestie...




Because spending 9 months far far away from my best friend and other half was incredibly difficult, we planned a joint vacation to her dream state CALIFORNIA.  We stayed in San Diego and LA and made our way around sightseeing, tasting the cuisine, meeting new people, and even doing a bit of snorkeling and surfing.  Much more happened than that...  So many memories that were documented by technology and other memories that will just have to live in our memories.

One Girl Mexico Mission Trip

Following my vacation I was blessed to be invited to participate in a mission trip of all women building houses in Mexico.  It was quite the experience.  It took a day to dust off the spanish I'd learned in high school and attempt to translate but like a bike you never forget how to do it.  That trip tested in me in various ways and also reaffirmed certain things.  I was soooo incredibly lucky to have a great group of wise women to help me with biblical and sound advice about life questions and problems I'd been struggling with.  I was so blessed to have young women surrounding me and reminding me what it's like to be a Christian woman and how good it feels to have community with them.  Finally I'm thankful God has placed the founder of this mission trip in my life... because without her I'm not sure how close mission work would have come to my heart.  This trip has made it clear I don't want to stop spreading God's word in other countries with little children.

 
Color Run 2012

I did it!!! I completed my VERY FIRST 5K!!!!  At the beginning of the summer last year I'd told Nate and some friends that I wanted to get healthier and maybe pick up a healthy workout goal.  Nate suggested I try to do 5Ks.  I know, the idea of purposely torturing my body for 3.1 miles didn't sound appealing to me either.  But then... I came across the Color Run ads all over Pinterest.  And I knew that would be the only 5K that would motivate me into actually trying to workout.  So over the summer I spent time trying to eat healthy, drink water, and train for this run.  Even training made me feel good about myself and showed results quickly.  The day of the race Shelly and I got ourselves up at the crack of dawn and got pumped up for the race. She was racing for her uncle who has brain cancer and I was just racing for the heck of it. "Bows Before Bros" was  my motto.  At the beginning of the run I was excited and actually went at a much faster speed than normal.  At different parts of the course were volunteers standing throwing out handfuls and bottles full of colored chalk/corn starch.  It would get all over your clothes and sweaty body leaving you a different color than normal.  When we crossed the finish line I don't think I've ever been more proud.  :)  There was a bit of celebrating afterward and many pictures were taken.  We even went to Circle Center Mall still covered in colors.  Love living life to the extreme. 

It's currently 3:00 AM Alaska time... which means I have 3 hours of sleep before my next flight into Bethel.  More about summer in my next post.  Until then goodnight and good luck!