carrie friend

I enjoyed a lovely visit this summer.

Though there were many photos to choose from, I thought these best summed up our time.

This year marks ten years since we met.  It was eighth grade gym class and while standing in line to do pull-ups or some such thing, we figured out that we were on the same chapter of The Two Towers.

Time did some funky thing to us on this particular trip and we found ourselves fourteen again.  Nerdy, blabbing, laughing, girly fourteen again.  Like some cheesy, magic, awesome 80's movie.  It took my summer up several notches and turned my brain off of it's preschool channel.  I was very grateful.


Thank you C-Buck.  I miss our free and easy friendship that allows me not only to be myself but also to learn more about a side of me that I don't get to visit often.  Starring a girl that can do anything and nothing and feel just grand about it.  You remind me to bask in the little things.  Gummy coke bottles and sweat pants.  Lavender sachets and snacklemouth popcorn.  Cucumber water and Mary Poppins.

Thanks for making me those Aladdin pants.  And for being my Carrie friend that comes to visit and stops time for a while.  Feel free to do that again sometime.

when i grow up

I'm going to be a preschool teacher.

via Etsy

I've always wanted to be a teacher.  It was my go-to answer whenever I was asked the question 'what do you want to be when you grow up?'  But it's been quite the journey to learn that I don't just want to teach.  I want to teach preschool.

Originally I thought I'd teach high school as an english/humanities teacher.  I had two fabulous teachers in high school that inspired me to the point that I was convinced I wanted to follow in their footsteps.  But after a few classes in college I pulled away from the thought of teaching high school, feeling overwhelmed and scared at the thought.  Then a little after I was first married, I worked in daycare and acknowledged that I loved to work with little ones.  I reaffirmed this in the after school program, noticing I tended to work better with the younger age groups than with the older.  Particularly when we had a chance to work with middle/high school age children on occasion.  No, these older kids were not a fit for me.  I came away thinking that perhaps I'd teach elementary school--though I wasn't crazy about every aspect of it.  Sometimes I'd wonder if I should become some sort of specialist so I could work with children one-on-one.  Or maybe I could teach special-education?

Then I began working at my current job as a teacher's assistant to two year olds.  It's the first job I've had that I wasn't trying to figure out when I could leave.  (am I terrible, or what?  haha)  I have loved working with these two-year-olds.  More importantly, I have loved working with the lead teacher I'm assisting.  I believe things happen for a reason, and I knew almost immediately after working with this teacher that I was meant to be in her classroom.  I have learned so much from her and respect her so much as a teacher.  She is someone I can truly model and hope to be like.  She is organized, calm, consistent and aware of the capacity of these young children.  She's taught me to trust that these kids can do more than you'd expect.  For example, the week around Easter we were learning about ovals i.e. eggs.  On the last day of the week the teacher brought real eggs for the kids to crack.  I groaned inside thinking she was crazy.  Give two year olds real eggs to crack?  What a mess!  But it wasn't.  One by one, each child broke an egg over a bowl with a spoon.  They squished it in their fingers and felt the texture of it-- and then we washed their hands.  It was controlled, simple and fun!  Not at all what I was expecting.

I was content to work with this teacher for however long I might, but a few weeks ago she approached me with an idea.  "What would you think about being a lead teacher?" she asked me.  There was a vacant spot for the art teacher and she supposed that the current teacher in charge of the classroom above ours of two and three year olds would do really well as the art teacher-- thus leaving a spot open for the lead teacher.  Me.

It's been a long few weeks since the suggestion was made.  But it's been a very telling one.  I got the job.  After this teacher's suggestion I thought and thought, and prayed and prayed and felt strongly that I should approach the director about it.  Since then it has been like clockwork.  I begin teaching in my own classroom next month.  I've had a few days to substitute in the classroom I'll be leading and I've come to learn that it is completely my element.  I love it.  I love preschool!  I've come to realize how much you can teach kids of this age.  And also how important it is to have good teachers for children this age!  You need teachers who care.  And see it not as a babysitting job but as a teaching position.  Teach them how to communicate the right way.  When and how to say please and thank you.  How to care for your environment by putting your things away and taking care of what you've been given.  How to treat your friends.  To have fun with learning!  I was not expecting to be able to apply the knowledge I've learned from this job so quickly, but I am grateful for it.  It will certainly be a challenge and I'm not going to pretend that I'm not super anxious about it.  But I'm excited all the same.

I'm a preschool teacher!  It took me a while to figure it out.  Despite the many hints I've been given that it was my path.  But I cannot tell you the freedom and joy of knowing exactly who I want to be when I grow up.  Though I've always thought I would be a teacher I was never completely stalwart in the idea.    I've dappled with a lot of ideas.  I could open up an independent bookshop/cafe.  I could go into interior design.  I could go into photography.  I could try acting/singing/dancing.  I could help Ian and become a videographer/editor.  But no.

I'm a preschool teacher.

new spectacles

Finally showing my true geek/nerd colors.  And loving it!

fail

I'm looking through old photos and thought this was a funny sequence.  Especially the last shot.

Can you see your face Mabs?  That last shot is hilarious!  I love you Mabel.  Your sweetness and goodness will never fail to inspire me.  I know this year is not what you planned for yourself.  Not by a long shot.  But I also know that God's plan is always the better one and he definitely has a great plan in mind for you.  I just know it.

never stop trying to stake your place, babs.  maybe you just need to find the right pole.  at least you know the plank doesn't work.

loveyou

sophie visits

My darling kid sister Sophie definitely came to visit.

 

She just graduated from high school and chose US for her senior trip.  How kind.  We had a grand old time, we really did.  However, this visit was the first time I had used the camera in an awfully long time.  I tell you this only because I was out of practice, so I didn't get the shots that I should have.  I mostly took a lot of pretty close up shots of things because I was discovering the camera again.  I've made a mental note.  But meanwhile... you will just have to put up with the close up shots and listen to my stories of the grand old time we had while looking at the pretty pictures, and then use your imagination.  I (sort of) apologize.

There was definitely a lot of laughing.  Oh, Sophie you jokester, you.

There was plenty of eating.  Some dance parties.  Scarves worn on heads by all (doesn't Ian looked thrilled at his inclusion?)  The first night Sophie was here, we were lucky enough to go the the old & beautiful Kentucky Theater downtown to see The Wizard of Oz on the big screen.  It was super enchanting, if I do say so myself.  It was like seeing it for the first time!  Except everyone was singing along on with We're Off to See the Wizard parts.  Especially on the "because's."  We of course joined in.  We all clapped when Toto got away from Miss Gulch.  And several other times throughout.  Loudest when the both witches were gone.  Like I said, enchanting.

We went on lots of walks and drives to show off Kentucky's beauty.  Many movies were watched.  Fireflies were witnessed by Sophie for the first time!  She gasped just like I did.  We did some window shopping and went to 'Thursday Night Live'-- where live music and vendors come out downtown every Thursday night during the summer for everyone's enjoyment.  All of this time together made Sophie and I feel pretty inspired to step outside of our comfort zones and live a little.  This paved way for a trip to Michaels to buys some paints and canvases.  First ever painting!  Hooray!

We went to the farmer's market Saturday morning.  Which is where I began taking all those close-ups I was talking about.  It was packed that day, but still really fun.  During the summertime, there are not only have the farmers and eateries out, but also a small craft fair as well.  

We spent one day at Red River Gorge, which is about an hour & thirty minutes away.  Sadly, the day we went with Sophie Lou-- Ian and I forgot our camera completely.  Sophie did not, so she has plenty of pictures-- but alas.  Again, you will have to use your imagination.  Well, not completely.  The pictures below are from the spot we were, taken on a different day.  Isn't it beautiful?  We swam for a while, laid out in the sun, spent a good half hour skipping rocks.  This place must be where skipping rocks was invented.  There are perfect skimming rocks by the handful every time you go to look for them.  We couldn't resist.  So much so that our arms were sore the next day.  Ian and I hope to occupy this spot many more times this summer.  It is exactly how one should spend a good summer day.  Ian did dare me to jump that twenty foot drop off that huge rock-- which I did, semi promptly.  I think I made a distinct clenching/yelp sound as my stomach jumped up into my chest-- but I still did it.

We also went to the Arboretum, Kentucky's state botanical garden.  This is where the majority of my close up shots were taken.  I actually spared you from a lot of them.  But I thought these were pretty!  The arboretum is one of my favorite spots in Lexington.  I work just down the street from it, so it's typically where I spend my breaks.  It is just acres and acres of manicured pretty gardens and land for all to enjoy.  What's not to love?

Sophie... sometimes you are breathtakingly beautiful.  

And then Sophie had to leave us.  We were sad.  But also feeling very happy that she came our way to stay.  We are missing my family!  If only Kentucky and Utah weren't so far apart.  Sigh.

Thank you for gracing us with your darling, quirky, and stylish presence Soapy.  You took our summer up several notches, for which we are supremely grateful.