Utah's Newest First Grade Teacher...

...is me!

Yup. 

I accepted the job I was offered last week!

First Grade, here I come!

I can't wait!

Also.

I'm scared out of my mind!

Setting up a classroom? Making sure I have all the supplies I need? Planning thousands of lesson?

AHHHHH!

But it will all work out. 

You know how I know why?

Check out my secret to less stress in my last post here.

But still, if anyone wants to help out, PLEASE DO!

Any teachers out there? 

What's the best way to set up my classroom? 

What do I do on the first couple days?

How do I set up management?

Yes, I knew all these things once, but somehow a wall has been built in my mind and I can't remember anything!

Also- non-teachers!

Do you have any first grade level reading books? 

Please please let me know if you want to donate them to my classroom!

If you didn't know, teachers have to buy a lot of their own supplies, and books are a huge part of that.

I want to make sure my kids have a big selection to read,

as well as some fun books I can read to them!

Let me know if you can help!

Thank you!

Baseball Game and Sabbath Thoughts

Last night I went to a Salt Lake Bee's [semi-pro] baseball game with my roommates and friends.

[This picture wasn't taken last night, but a few weeks ago at a different game!]

It was nice to be with some friends. 

What wasn't nice was when a foul ball bounced off the rafters above us and when whizzing just inches over my head.

That. was. scary. 

Today in Sunday School at church we talked about this:

"Give us strength according to our faith in Christ."

We talked about how having faith can strengthen our hope and even help us to be less stressed. 

I thought about how scared I am for a new job this fall. 

How worried I am to have to plan lessons again, to manage a class of 25 kids, and to make sure they are all learning and succeeding. 

Being a teacher is hard, and quite frankly, terrifying. 

I realized, though, as I listened to the teacher, that I don't have to be stressed out about it if I keep Christ there with me. Yes, I need to work hard and do my best, but the Lord will step in and He will not let me fail. After all, my students are His children. I just need to always pray for them, and pray for guidance in helping them to succeed. He will give me strength. 

In which I lose my job and search for a new one.

So remember my job that I love?

Well, my boss called me into her office last week.

Last week as in also being the last week of school for the year.

And told me they were dissolving my program.

No more Early Head Start.

No more child care.

No more of my beautiful babies and adorable kids.

No more hugs from those tiny little arms.

No more.

I was crushed. 

I had been really looking forward to a new year, 

I had so many plans, so many great ideas.

Oddly though, I didn't panic. 

I was suddenly jobless.

And Miss-I-need-every-single-detail-of-my-life-planned-this-second didn't have a panic attack.

Somehow I knew everything was going to be okay.

I spend a few days this week helping clean out the classroom,

and may be doing more of that later this summer.

My wonderful, amazing supervisor whom I am going to miss dearly, has been so kind in this whole process.

She has emailed every principal she knows that has openings and raved to them about me.

And thanks to her, I got three interviews. 

I had two yesterday, and one on Tuesday.

And another at a Charter School that I got on my own.

[BTW, does anyone else feel like this in a job interview...]

But guess what?

I got an offer.

They liked me so much that a few minutes after I walked out the door

the principal caught me before I got to my car and had me come back in,

for "another question."

That question was:

"Would you accept if we offered you the position?"

I didn't accept on the spot,

I was totally caught off guard! 

So I'm waiting until Monday after another interview and after I hear back from my first. 

But.

I am so excited!

Summer Begins.

Hello!
How was your weekend? 
Mine was wonderful. 
I went on a little trip down to a small town near St. George, UT (about 4-5 hours away).
I went with a couple of my roommates and a couple friends, staying at one of the friend's family's vacation home. 


It was BEAUTIFUL! Here is the view of the back of the house:

We spent many hours laying next to the pool, laying and swimming in the pool, relaxing in the hot tub, watching movies in the theatre room...

One night we even busted out the sparklers!

Oh, and went on a midnight bike ride.
The streets were so dark we needed a flashlight to see.
The problem with that was that I had injured my knee just a couple days before and so got behind the group.
And couldn't even see the road!
Freaky? Yes.
Good thing one of the guys stayed with me and then a search party was sent back!
No pictures of the ride, but here is some of the group after, just a little exhausted!

I love weekend trips!

The Time I Watched Someone Die...

My dear, sweet grandpa passed away on Sunday. I had the opportunity to be by his bedside when he took his last breath.

Grandpa has had physical struggles for a while, but starting going down hill the past couple of weeks. Last Sunday I spend sometime with him, but he was so weak he could not respond other than minimal mumbles and a few quiet words with great effort. As I said goodbye to him while he laying in his bed, I leaned down and kissed his head saying, "I love you, grandpa." His mouth began to move and he breathed out, "I love you, too." I'll never forget those last words he spoke to me. 

I went to visit him again this past Sunday. He was much worse. He couldn't even groan out any sort of response. He blood pressure had dropped and his breathing had sped up. The hospice nurse told us it would most likely be that day. I stayed the day there with my grandpa along with aunts, uncles, and cousins. 

Grandpa's condition rapidly decreased, and I soon found myself in a hushed room with brothers and sisters holding hands, sons and fathers grasping arms, and Grandpa Bay's favorite hymns quietly playing. Everyone was sad we were about to lose such an amazing and loving man, someone who had been such a part of out lives, but there was a peace that filled the room. Grandpa was about to go home. He was about to be reunited with his wife and his son as well as countless other family members. While those of us sitting in that room had tears streaming down our faces, those on the other side had smiles and open arms. And in just a few short minutes, Grandpa would be no longer be tied to his broken body, but would be running to them with that big old Grandpa Bay grin on his face. It's amazing to know that because of the temple Grandpa can be sealed to his wife and children for eternity. [more about Mormon temples here.]

Among whispers of "I love you," "we'll miss you," and "It's okay, Dad, you don't need to take care of us anymore, you can go," Grandpa took his last breath. He didn't leave without a fight, though, and one last joke. We had all thought he took his last breath, when to our amazement thirty seconds later he took another one! Way to lighten the mood, Grandpa! But soon enough, his spirit peacefully left his mortal body and went to join his family waiting on the other side. It was quite an experience to not only have tears of sorrow, but also tears of peace and joy. 

There is a song by one of my favorite bands [death cad for cutie] that says, "Love is watching someone die." I felt that so true on Sunday. Every single person in that room around Grandpa had such a deep love for him. It's amazing too how many more people wished they could be there. Grandpa truly was a loved man. 

See you later, Grandpa!

grandpa, his wife marva, and two of the five sons

he's so dapper

doctor bay about to make another delivery

grandpa&wife marva (she passed before my parents met)

i love everything about this photo.

grandpa&i, 1991?

grandpa&i, family reunion 2007

grandpa&i at grandma jean's funeral (second wife), 2012

grandpa&i, 2012

grandpa&i, 2012

The Early November

Last Saturday night (after a long day of yard work), 

I went to a concert with my best friend, his brother, and brother's girlfriend. 

The only reason I even like this band is because of best friend. 

It's his favorite band, and they just got back together after a break-up years ago. 

Needless to say, he was giddy like a school boy!

I have lost my camera's battery charger, so these terrible cell phone pics will have to do!

Here is the gang! 

[pre-hot and sweaty]

The Set-up

The Band! 

I was luck enough to be pressed right up against the stage for most of the performance

[which was much better than pressed up against some short dude that I swear was sweating beer. gross.]

Also. I grabbed the set list at the end. 

Yeah. I'm that girl.

But I gave it to best friend,

who then accidentally gave it to his brother. 

Oh well. 

And then after we talked to Ace Enders, the front man. 

It was too dark outside so without a camera with a flash, there could be no picture!

The concert was such a blast and much needed after being so sick.

And much needed for what was coming for me the next day...

Hospital Visit

I am WAY behind in posting. Life has been crazy, as you will see in the next few posts. But I'll catch you all up!

It began last Thursday with a stomach ache.
A BAD stomach ache.
One that ended me up in the hospital.
Luckily, I have some pretty amazing roommates that were willing to take me to the ER,
even though we had only known each other for less than a week and a half!
Thanks Ally and Steph!

Yeah, I look terrible. 

Pay no mind.

I'm in the hospital!

My best friend came to visit me too!

He basically HAD to. 

You see, I was in the hospital with a similar condition 4 years ago, and was conversing with him THAT night, 

but he was an hour away and couldn't come.

And then, 3 1/2 years later when I said something about it-he didn't remember! 

So he had to make up for it.

[disclaimer: this was somewhat sarcastic. he actually wanted to be there for me too!]

What a great guy!

Wow. Even worse than the first picture.

And I'm paler than a ginger...yikes...

So anywho.

The doctor didn't know what was wrong with me. 

I have chronic stomach pains so it could have been related to that, 

or I might have had some virus.

We may never know!

Good news is that I am no longer hooked up to an IV!