Now that I'm back

So I'm happy with my life. I really am. When I came back from Arizona I was confused. I had majored in education because I knew that I was supposed to be an influence for good in the life of children. And being as that there are at least 2 generations prior to me that were teachers I was pretty confident that was the route I was supposed to take if I wanted to work with kids. There was no way I was going to be a Child Development major- those classes sucked the life out of me!

And so I went 7 full semesters as an education major and was starting my 8th and final education semester as a student teacher and the impression came that I needed to be done with student teaching and that I needed to come back to Idaho. And it was hard to follow. I'd already made several friends down in AZ and I was in the middle of student teaching. I was just going to buck it up and finish what difference did 2 more months make, but the feeling kept coming. I needed to be done, that wasn't where I was needed. And although confused with the impression I was recieving, I looked into the option of not finishing student teaching and just getting a university studies degree. And I found out that I already had enough for it. So I decided that if that was what Heavenly Father wanted I'd move back.

Well I moved home and all of a sudden I was really grouchy and grumpy. I was happy to be back with my family close- my mom was THRILLED! but personally I felt like something was missing. I was so happy in my house in AZ, and now I was just hanging out in my parents' basement something I'd always promised myself I wouldn't do.
And I couldn't do it. I'm just to subborn, independent, whatever you want to call it to move back home and have my parents support me until I figured out what I wanted to do with myself.
So I called back to good ol' TLC and I was going to ask for my old job as a Developmental Therapist back until I figured out something more permenant, and at least this time I'd get a raise because of my degree. So I called and all I got was a voice mail box so I left a message asking if there were any job openings.
Well later that day I actually get a text from my cousin who works for the same company saying that she'd heard that there were some job openings, and not just as a DT. Would I be interested in working as a Lead Tech or a Developmental Specialist. I said possibly I'd need more details.
Well the next day I got a phone call from Lisa (my boss) and she had a couple of positions to offer me. Both had a ton more responsibility and one in particular much better pay and supervisory responsibility. And the one she thought would be most appropriate for me required a Bachelor's degree and based off of what she'd seen me do over the last few years she definately thought I was up to the job. I said I was definately interested, but I had to think about them because they both required a lot more paperwork/desk time and a lot less interaction with the kids. And coming back I figured I should just save as much money as I could in 8 months and head out on a mission come fall.

I thought about it over the weekend and felt like the Developmental Specialist position was what I was supposed to take. And by the next week I was hired as an Assistant Developmental Specialist. (basically the assistant just means that I do more of the paperwork and less of the management). But basically that means that my responsibilities require that I keep the files for the kids that come to our center current. I meet with their parents, administer SIB-R tests, (assesses developmental milestones), write IPP and PIPs basically states what a child needs to work on and how to teach them those skills. I also review the progress that the kids have made and then I fill out the formal paperwork to send to their parents. I also contact the clients schools, doctors, PTs, OTs, STs etc to get updated treatment plans or IEPs from each of these places.

And I've been back about a month now and I feel ever so blessed that I came back when I did. I still have to take a couple of tests with the state so I can be a certified Developmental Specialist, but now by the time my graduation rolls around I will have already taken one of the tests and be taking the class to take the next test. Which otherwise if the job hadn't been filled by the time I got back, I would have missed the cut off date for the class to take the test.

And now I'm a salaried employee and I work 4 ten hour days. And I make about double what I used to make in my old position.

Which thanks to that pay raise I decided I could afford to get an apartment. And I found one and a roommate and with rent and utilities I'm paying less than I was paying for a shared bedroom in Rexburg and I have my own room and a huge apartment.

Stay Tuned for Details

There is so much that I want to write, but sadly I don't have the time currently to write it. I will write an update as soon as I can, but I have to be responsible and go to bed so I can be to work by 8 tomorrow morning. And we know that when I write an entry it's like a novel! But I promise they are coming!

Watch this

wow! All I can say is wow!
You've got to watch this it definately gives you a lot to think about
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=snAjZ8mfoYw

LOVE and LIFE (and no I'm not talking about my love life)

This post I actually started to write when I was in Arizona, but I moved home before I actually posted it. And I just found it so it kinda explains a little bit. There's a lot more to tell, but I'm working on some other posts with that.

So I've learned a lot about love and life the past week or so.
Honestly, I loved it down here in Mesa. But the reason I came down here I really didn't love.

I love working with kids, but I really don't enjoy teaching.
I've know it for a few semesters, originally I just thought that it was the class, the assignment, the teacher, whatever. I was running out of excuses, as to why I just wasn't excited to go to class or write a lesson plan, but I thought, well I'm close enough to graduating I'll muscle through the classes (which indeed were driving me me batty) and then I'd finish student teaching and then figure out what I wanted to do with my life. Just cause I do it in school doesn't mean I have to do it for the rest of my life. I have a scholarship covering my tuition, it's better to get something and be done for now than to start completely over. And I was doing a pretty good job faking it. Typically I got As and the lowest grade I got in any class was a B- and that one was unavoidable. Honestly on paper and even in performance I was a pretty good teacher. I love working with kids and there was nothing better than talking with them at lunch and after school.
But actually preparing for the lessons I procrastinated like it was doomsday.

And then I got down to Arizona and started student teaching. And I was with an amazing cooperating teacher. She's really organized and had files at the ready. But she seriously lived and breathed for her classroom. We had to be to the school by 7:15 am everyday and then we usually ended up leaving around 5pm.

And that was before I had to start teaching a ton of lessons.

And I knew going in that student teaching was going to be hard, but really it wasn't so much that it was hard so much as it just wasn't bringing me joy.

Like I can teach, and once I get a lesson figured out I'm set, it's just that I'm really not in Love with teaching and what goes with it.

There's a quote out there that says something like "Do something you love and you will never work a day in your life." And I've experienced this. But it wasn't in the classroom. In fact, it was at my summer job. I felt like I was getting paid to play. And I know that eventually I'm going to be doing more than just working one on one with the kids, but I found joy there.

And public education was just bringing me stress and not a whole lot of peace and I was spending more time motivating myself to plan the lessons than I was motivating the students to actually do the thing I was teaching. - Not a good sign when this is supposed to be your chosen occupation.

And after one very long weekend trying to motivate myself to actually prepare for the next day I started researching my options. Was I really going to have to continue to motivate myself and bribe myself everyday to do lesson planning or did I have another option.

I got in touch with some people up on campus and found out that it was possible that I could get a University Studies degree with an education minor and after a lot of phone calls and now a final visit that I'm in Idaho, I found out that I definately have enough credits to graduate and I think that it's more of what I want anyway. I wasn't planning on using the teaching degree so at least now I'm getting a degree that I can use NOW. It might not be as "fancy," but it's going to serve its purpose.

Happenings in Mesa

So I loved being down in Mesa. I think I had more of a social life in the 3 weeks I was down there than I did combining my semesters in Rexburg. It's amazing what happens when you don't have homework.

While I was down there I went and helped take down the Christmas lights around the temple one early Saturday morning. And while I was there I was invited by a guy helping out there to go to a cha cha class he was teaching at the stake center that night

... sorry no pictures from either event. - No one wants to see a picture of me stepping on someones toes. However I did get a few compliments on my appearance, but alas still no picture.

And come to find out the really cute guy who taught the class was the Elders Quorum Pres. in my ward. . .One of the attractive reasons I wished I could have stayed ;) and these details are for you Heather- he was wearing a stripped black button up with his sleeves rolled up, no wonder my footwork was off!

I also explored a little bit of downtown Mesa and here are a couple of scuptures that I found while I was roaming. I think that there was probably at least one sculpture on every corner if not more!

The next day I went to my singles ward and met some of my neighbors and was invited to come over and enjoy a fire with them across the driveway at a marshmellow roast.

One of my amazing old roommates, Marlene had been down there for student teaching too and we played together a bit.

We went hiking at Usury Pass *Sorry, not the most attractive pictures of me, but hey they're proof that I did go hiking in January without a coat or boots. :o)

Where we saw a lot of catci

This type has a bunch of those little nubs (I guess they're seeds) and they stick to animals or whatever passes by like velcro and then eventually they drop off and hopefully grow in the new location.

Interesting tidbit about the squarro catcus (below) it doens't grow any of the "arms" until it between 50 and 60 yrs old.

And this next one is called a prickly pear catcus and evidently it makes a really good sauce for ribs and porkchops... I guess the inside is kinda jellyish- who knew. I probably won't attempt to try to make it however.

We also got to go The Phoenix Art Museum and saw paintings by:

Monet,

And I took a close up just to make sure I really read "Claude Monet"

Picasso,

Marc Chagall,

The reason I'm to the side of this one is because the camera "slipped" and took a picture of this picture too when I was posing by a piece that we were allowed to take pictures of. This one isn't owned by the Phoenix Art Museum so they don't own the rights. Opps! Don't tell.

Georgia O'Keefe

And a Mary Cassatt sketch with color (I think it was pastels?)

As well as a number of other fine pieces including an exhibit with Asian artifacts. Some of which were from civilizations there well become Christ. At least 5000 B.C. That was pretty cool too, but I didn't remember I had my camera until after we left that exhibit.

ARIZONA!!

When my folks helped me moved down we went to see the Christmas Lights at the Mesa temple and gosh they were pretty.

So these are some of the highlights there.

And my first offical Saturday down there not spent moving I got to go and help take down the Christmas lights at the temple, which was cool.

I'm in Mesa!!

So the weather here in Mesa is fabulous. It's 8pm and the temperature is still in the 60s. And it's sunny and comfortable weather all day.

I moved into my house down here and I like it. Parking is kind of a pain right now because I can park in the garage, basically have to.. the road outside is a private drive with a fire lane on both sides of the street, so you aren't supposed to park there.... but I don't have a door opener right now. So everytime I want to come and go I have to run through the house and use the door opener on the wall. So I'm still waiting on my own door opener.



My roommate, Heather, is still trying to get the rest of the house clean, painted etc. so basically it's just the bedrooms that are organized. Unfortunately the people who had the house before let their kids run wild with crayons and I think paint sets sometimes so there's scribbles all over the place.



Unfortunately we don't have internet access either yet, so luckily tonight I ran to my parents hotel to post a quick update and check my email because I don't know when I'll be back on. Supposedly we're going to be hooked up on Tuesday, but we'll see.



I really like my room though and I got all my furniture off of Craigslist. I found a free oak queen size sleigh bed and and queen size Serta mattress set for $100. I also found a clothing armoire (basically three shelves with doors in front and 2 drawers). And it's cherry in color and about 4 1/2 feet tall and extremely sturdy. And it looks really nice. Anyway I called and said I wanted it before I left Idaho and I agreed to pay $17 for it because it's a real solid piece of furniture and it had a nice picture online. Well when I got there to pick it up, they wouldn't let me pay for it. I guess I had mentioned that I was student teaching down here when they asked why I was moving down here, and they said that I was going to have enough expenses (I'm pretty sure the wife was a teacher) and that I should just take it.



So I furnished my room for $100 and it's all quality furniture too!! It's going to be a lot harder to move now though, can't fit these into my car!!



Today I went to the Singles Ward here (that unfortunately starts at 8am) and the people seem extremely nice. I had several people come up and introduce themselves and a few people over FHE and activities and the RS pres. all came up and told me about upcoming events. Someone has also already given me a copy of the ward directory. So I already feel very welcome. So now all I have to worry about is the actual reason for me to be down here, student teaching.... And it starts tomorrow.... gulp. Facing a class room of 29 - 4th graders is actually a lot more intimidating that the singles branch.... So I'm going to take a deep breath, smile, and hope they won't notice my hypotheical knee shaking.

Oh and the hardest part at least that I know of as of right now, I have to be to the school by 7:15am. Which means that my bedtime has been moved up a lot. And I have to wake up a lot earlier too.

But that's an update of life here in Mesa and I'll hopefully get internet soon so I can add some photos etc.