One of the many reasons I love my sister...

It's been a pretty tough week. I have been finishing up my last week of grad school. Yes, you read that right. I attended my last class yesterday and tomorrow afternoon is my Master's Portfolio Oral Defense. Yes, that deserves to be capitalized. I also moved last weekend. I ALSO started a new job about three weeks ago. Yeah...it's been tough. Bless my dear roommate. She has been so wonderful and doesn't get too annoyed with me and my general grumpiness. Yet, I digress...that is the topic for another post.

I stayed late at school tonight grading and trying to get a little caught up, particularly because I won't be in tomorrow. I came home, absolutely famished and exhausted. I pull up my email and see one from Annie with the subject of "A note for you". I open it to find this...

Made my day.

Adventures in Teaching

Today marks my first full week of teaching in an honest-to-goodness, paid teaching job. Thursday was my first day on my own (I was transitioning the long-term sub out) and it was...rough. It's an inner-city school and they may be 7th graders, but they are tough kids. My first day I sent three kids to the office and one of them ended up getting suspended. There is a lot of posturing and pushing the boundaries. Their previous teacher had a personal crisis come up and left, then they had various subs come in and out before they got a long term sub that worked. And here I come, less than 30 days of school left and I want them to work!? The horror! Needless to say, it's been a bit rocky. But it ended on a pretty good note. One of the toughest students actually apologized to me at the end of the day on Friday.

This is by far the most difficult thing I have ever taken on. Yet, they're already becoming my students. They're loud-mouth brats sometimes, but they're just kids. Most of them just want someone to listen to them and care about them.

Today in advisory the student that was suspended asked if he could talk to me. In my head I was like...great, what now? But he actually just wanted to ask if he could be my TA (teacher assistant). I'm not entirely sure he isn't just setting me up for something but we'll see. All in all, it's been a difficult week but I'm happy where I am. They definitely don't give an inch, that's for sure. But then again...I won't either.

I *MUST* be crazy...

That's the only possible explanation, really. My to-do list seems to be getting shorter but the few things I've added lately are doozies! I was able to remove "find a job" (yay!) but I added "start new job" and "pack apartment" and "move to Layton" in its place. My mom is surely reading this and saying, "I told you to wait until after you graduate to move!" She's right. She did tell me that and she has a valid point. You see, I have this wonderful habit of moving at the worst possible moment. For example, I moved a week after having MAJOR surgery. This time last year I was moving during finals while sick AND planning a bridal shower for a dear friend. So it would seem par for the course that I would move while finishing my Masters and starting a new job...right?

The good news is we have found an apartment. And when I say "we", I really mean Lisa. I told her that since I chose such a winner of an apartment the last go around (and I'm crazy busy) she could chose the next place. We looked at a couple of places together and we some some....interesting...stuff. Our new place is in Layton and is part of a bigger complex. Yay for 24 hour maintenance!

We really could have waited until after I was done with school but I didn't really feel like driving to Ogden every day until the end of May for my new job. (Did I mention I got a new job? Because, I did. I'm a teacher!)

All in all, I'm just praying that I can make it through the next couple of weeks and then survive the rest of the school year. I'm excited but also completely terrified. I know I can do this. However, I also know this is going to be a trial by fire.

Thank you so much to those of you who have offered your support and offers of help. I appreciate it more than I can say. The diet coke runs, loads of laundry, making sure I eat (I'm like a toddler sometimes, I know), laughing with me when I wanted to cry, letting me cry, girls night out and girls night in. Really...all of it. You're all so wonderful!

Changes are a comin'

I have accepted a job teaching 7th grade at a junior high in Ogden. The teacher actually left in December and students have had a long term sub since then. I am starting next Tuesday! Eek! We'll do review for about three days and then students will be taking their end of year tests. I then get to come up with some brilliant end of year activity...woo-hoo! The school year ends the end of May and then I really get to get busy planning for next year. Amid all of this I am still finishing up my Masters and I'll be moving to Layton-ish. As much as I would love to make the commute to Ogden every day, my wallet does not want to cough up that gas money. So there you have it. I'm a teacher. I completed my paperwork this afternoon...it's official. Here I go....