Another Year Almost Complete

It’s hard to believe this year is almost over. I’m sure that my busy school schedule helps to make it feel that time has gone by quicker than usual. However, there is a difference between time flying by and getting little or nothing accomplished, and time flying by, but getting a lot accomplished. This is one of those years where I can say that a lot has been accomplished.

Academic:
I finished my Associates degree with Summa Cum Laude honors, and five hours came from TWU transferred hours. My transfer to TWU went smoother than I expected especially the drive and parking issues. I felt at home in each class, after my first three weeks. My personality requires organization to function well, and I do whatever it takes to create it where ever I am. My English minor is finished and I begin working on my content in January.

Personal:
Mike and I joined the local health and fitness center. I signed up to work with a trainer twice a month. I really don’t like working out in a gym; however, my schedule for the spring semester is going to make it difficult to walk everyday and I hate walking when it’s dark (before or after classes). We don’t have room or the equipment to get a good weight-lifting workout, and I love to lift weights. It is easy to build muscle and with more muscle, it is easier to keep my weight under control. I don’t want to look like the typical teacher when I start teaching with the rear-end spread. Unfortunately, sitting for many hours at school and then again at home creates weight issues and lost of muscle-tone. I’m going to the gym 5-6 days while I’m home from school. Hopefully, this will give me a jumpstart on my fitness routine. It’ll also help me lose a few pounds and gain some muscles before I head back to classes. I’ll need the muscles, and the strength that goes with them, just to carry all of my books for the semester.

I followed through on an ethical dilemma that was brought to my attention during my education course. After talking a local police officer, I found out that I wouldn’t have to do anything else. The officer filled out a report, asked me a lot of questions and said she would get back with me after she talked to her supervisor. When I hung up, it felt like a ton of bricks were lifted off my shoulders. The situation deals with the abuse I was exposed to as a child. It has taken me 18 months of counseling, almost 3 years of college, and time to get to this place in my life. I have no desire to press charges and certainly don’t want my perpetrators prosecuted; however, reporting the abuse to someone in authority left me feeling empowered.

Spiritual:
My personal growth goes hand-in-hand with my spiritual growth. I understand that God equips the called, but even then, He desires for us to rely on Him. During my first 2 years at community college, I relied on Him for everything. My emotional state was still fragile from the post traumatic experience I suffered during the summer of 2003. Going to college after graduating from high school 25 years earlier was difficult. I didn’t know if I was smart enough, but God reminded me of everything I had accomplished up to the point, and He wasn’t finished with me yet. He made sure that I had teachers that would see my potential and encourage me to do more than status quo, but they did it without pushing me over the edge. With each course finished at the top of the class, my confidence grew. By the middle of my first semester, I understood that God had called me to the mission fields, and my mission field at this time is college. There are many advantages to being a “non-traditional” student: I can minister to students, professors, and the staff members I come in contact with. By my second semester, I was tutoring students from all walks of life. I especially enjoy working with students from other countries. I began to really understand how God has prepared me my whole life to enter into the world of teaching. As each semester goes by, I am encouraged as I understand my part of the picture scheme of things. I have the title to the first book I want to write and the content of what will be in this book. I know that it will include my testimony of where I have come from to where I am now, but I want the book to be inspirational. I want to say to others that they can overcome anything when they choose to do so and allow God to rule in their lives.

With this year coming to an end, I'm looking forward to the new year and all that God has planned for me and my family. Join me as I continue my journey.

Graduation 2006!

Tomorrow I graduate and receive my Associates of Arts degree. As of this posting, I do not know with certainty if my transferred hours are all A’s. One grade is posted and it’s an A; however, I will not know until next week if the others are A’s. I finished my Shakespeare test on Monday and feel confident that I made an A. I finished my Advanced Grammar and Composition test this afternoon. This class has caused me the most stress, but I have also learned a lot from my professor. I’m not sure what my final grade will be for my grammar class. There is a chance that I could pull a low A, but then there is a possibility that I will make a high B. Whatever it is, I know that I have learned and that I have done my best.

When I began my education journey, I had no idea that I would be able to achieve such high honors. However, as every semester finished with all A’s I began to work toward the highest honor of Summa Cum Laude. Initially, my intention to achieve this goal was to prove that I am worth something, contrary to what I grew up hearing. This journey has been long, but along the way, I have discovered who I am and what I can do. My strength to carry on comes from the Lord; my courage to stand fast comes from knowing Him; my hope comes from knowing His Word and understanding that He has a plan for my life. What began as an opportunity to break away from the bondage that my parents created with their words and actions, has now turned into a quest to be all that God has designed me to be with out chains to weigh me down.

I walk tomorrow and will receive my diploma knowing that the last link of bondage from my past has been broken. I walk tomorrow, free to pursue the dream God has placed in my spirit. I walk tomorrow with a new confidence as a woman of God gifted with intelligence and abilities. When I take those steps down the aisle, I will be taking with me the encouragement and support of many professors, friends, and especially my
husband.

Post Graduation: 12-15-2006

Graduation was good; I'm glad I decided to walk. I did get recognized as Summa Cum Laude (4.0 GPA), and with that I received a gold medal (hanging around my neck). There were only five students who made Summa Cum Laude and I shared a few classes with two of them. All three of us are non-traditional students, which probably makes a significant difference in our desire to do well in our studies. We are there to learn and are willing to do whatever it takes to get the most from our education.

My father-in-law came with us to watch the ceremony, and afterward, he said he was glad he went. He took one of the programs to have something to show-off at his retirement center. He's going to brag about my honors recognition. ;-) The next goal he is looking forward to is watching me walk to receive my B.S. degree in two years.

Mike said he got misty-eyed when I first walked into the auditorium. I think it's because he really knows what it took for me to take the first step and return to school. My next two years will be intensive as I focus on my content for my teaching. I'm looking forward to beginning this next leg of my journey. Last week, I checked the local school district's job postings and saw one for Family and Consumer Sciences. If last night's ceremony were for my B.S., I might have gotten a job exactly where I want to be. I have two more years and will trust God for providing me with a position.

Here is a photo of my cap and gold tassle with a Phi Thetta Kappa charm. The gold stole, and blue and gold cords are for PTK members. The red, white, and blue ribbon with the gold medal is for Summa Cum Laude. Mike wants me to mount my medal in a shadow box; I'll have to think about it later. The blue folder is for my diploma...there's a note inside that says the real diploma will come in two weeks.

One more graduation accomplised and at least one more to go before I am finished with this part of my journey.

Registered for Spring

I woke up at 2:30 this morning wondering if I should get out of my warm bed to log online and register for my classes…I didn’t. Kayleigh is great about sharing everything, including her colds, and I started feeling yucky Wednesday evening. Needless to say, I just didn’t feel well enough to get out of bed; and consequently, I couldn’t fall back to sleep. I kept thinking about the classes I wanted and was worried I wouldn’t get the ones that are on a rotation. When I finally got up and logged on just before 6am, the system was having problems and I couldn’t get in to register. I made dozens of attempts without any success. However, I could monitor the class availability and noticed the one class on spring rotations was no longer open. The combination of not feeling well and not getting to register before the class filled pushed me over the edge and I finally broke down and cried. By the time the system was fixed and I got in, it was 4 pm. Thankfully, I had already worked out a tentative class schedule for the duration of my time at the University. This allowed me to swap the classes on spring rotations. So, I switched one class for the spring of ’08 with the one class I wanted for this next spring. It’ll probably all work out to be in my best interest. I have to look at this incident as a reminder that I can’t always be in control. I have to place my trust in the fact that God is the one in control of my life, and then I must trust Him to work everything for good.

The spring semester will be busier than I am accustomed to since I will be taking 15 hours. On Monday’s, I will be in classes from 8 a.m. until 8 p.m., and I am not looking forward to having such a long day. The Monday evening class only meets once a week and my Friday class only meets eight times during the semester. I’ll have a sewing and a cooking with a lab class that should be easy for me to breeze through. I do have three reading-intensive classes, but with my other classes, I should find a balance. With all of my classes on M-W-F, I will have Tuesday and Thursday each week to focus on homework assignments. I hope that I will be able to have the weekend’s to recuperate before I hit the door running every Monday.

Despite the frustration of registering today, I did manage to get some baking done for Thanksgiving. I made orange-cranberry sauce, an apple pie, cranberry-date bars, and doubled eggs (Justin renamed deviled eggs when he was 3), but the dressing will have to wait until tomorrow morning. While I am in school, I have happily relinquished hosting Thanksgiving dinner to who ever volunteers. Since Justin and Michelle bought a bigger house with two eating areas, they are hosting Thanksgiving this year. :-)

I am thankful for so much: God has blessed me with many abilities and I am thankful for family and friends who continue to support my academic endeavors.

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Registering for Spring Semester

I tried to register for the spring semester, but the online system reminded me that I am a sophomore (lacking 5 hrs to be a junior), and I will have to wait until next week to register. This left me feeling frustrated after I spent time mentally preparing myself to sign up for fifteen hours.

My advisor helped me with my degree plan a few weeks ago. However, after I looked at the number of hours she had me taking on a couple of semesters, I decided to rearrange and add one more semester so that I will not have to take more than 15 hours. This means I will do my student teaching during the spring semester in 2009, graduate in May, and be ready to interview for a position to teach in the fall.

This semester is beginning to wind down, and my last final is on December 14th. I graduate on the 15th from community college, and then I have a whole month off. I’m looking forward to having some time for me. Maybe, I’ll even have time to read for pleasure, not just for school assignments. This might be a good time to tackle a new home improvement project. Mike and I want to give the kitchen a little face-lift. We both like the Venetian finish I did in our master bathroom and want to do the same in the kitchen/breakfast room. The wallpaper isn’t out of date, but I’m tired of looking at it for the past 18 years. We’re also thinking about sanding and refinishing the cabinets. We like the antique white with an umber glaze look, but I’m not totally sold on the idea. I think I will wait until I strip the wallpaper and finish the texture and paint to see how the cabinets look. The biggest expense for this project will be the counter-tops. My ceramic tile is a mid-toned blue and I want to replace the counters with the same color granite look. I’m not making any decisions right now, at least not until this semester is over and I see how I feel about committing to working on this project.

My homework is finished, the house is cleaned and I want to take advantage of some down time and get some shopping done.

A Major Change: Making it Official

Well, it’s official, I have changed my major…again. Had I known about Family and Consumer Sciences (FCS) when I first started college, I would have pursued it from the beginning. I hadn’t heard anyone talk about this major and I wouldn’t have known that it was Home Economics of my era, not with the name change. No matter, I looked into the plan and realized that it was custom made for me. I’ll be able to bring a lifetime of experience into this area and teach practical life-skills to students in 6th-12th grade. I’m really excited about starting the course work next semester, but I’m not too excited about taking 15 hours each semester. I am going to hold onto what I already know will be easily applied toward each class, making the workload not so overwhelming.

A couple of people aren’t as excited about my change in major. Part of their reasoning is concern for future job availability. I have looked into this, called 8 school districts, and talked to the advisor for the program. The information I have collected support job security inside the school system and outside of the school system. For those who know me well, they completely support my decision acknowledging the same conclusion I stated; a degree in FCS is a perfect match for my gifts and talents.

As for my 18 hours of English classes, they will be my second minor. The English advisor will sign the required documentations at the end of this semester. It feels good to have taken so much literature and earn recognition for what I have learned. I won’t close the door on taking more literature courses, but I’ll have to get through the 80 hours of FCS first.

Other changes that took place this past week:
My honor cords, tassel, and sash for Phi Theta Kappa came in. On Thursday, I purchased my cap and gown from NCTC and will graduate December 15 with an AA. One degree down, and one more to finish…I’m almost there.

Z is for a Zebra at the Zoo

The change in our temperatures brought out the animal is all of us; so, the family decided it would be a good day to go to the Fort Worth Zoo. This is Kayleigh and William’s first trip to the zoo. William was oblivious to the sights, sounds, and scents around him. He pretty much slept through the visit. Kayleigh on the other hand wanted to “see more animals.” With her two-year-old attention span in charge, we didn’t linger for long at any one exhibit. Consequently, we got through most of the zoo in just a few hours. Kayleigh’s memory is like an elephant. Next time you see her, ask what she saw at the zoo…alligators, bears, condors, dragon (komodo), elephants and down the alphabetical list, she’ll go.

Here are the women in the family: Ame with Kayleigh, Aunt Samantha with William (he's not a woman of course!), Michelle, and Granny.

And here are the men of the family: Abba, Justin with William, and Papa.

Booster-shot of Encouragement

After getting past my first two weeks confidence crisis, I dug in and found my niche at University. I found myself dealing with some of the worse case scenarios these past two weeks. The first was having my in-class, hand-written, and timed essay read aloud and graded in front of the whole class. Let me first say that I truly dislike writing in class. I prefer writing at home and on the computer. However, having my paper read and analyzed by the professor and by my classmates wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be. I was even surprised by a couple of positive student comments. They said they would be happy with the B I received. Fortunately, the professor doesn’t record this grade. We have until the end of the semester to rewrite the paper for a better grade.

The next event took place in my Education course. Last week we walked into class and had to sign up in groups of four. This impromptu assignment required each group to create a lesson in 30 minutes. The lesson had to include visual, auditory, and kinesthetic aides. Each member of the group had to participate and we had 8 minutes to present the lesson to the class. My group came together quickly when I signed up without hesitation for the Era of Education. One student even said she wanted to be in my group because she liked me and thought I was smart. The other two agreed and I was voted as the leader for our group. I don’t normally like group projects because someone always seems to be a dead weight and I, being the way I am about everything, end up doing that person’s work as well as my own. This situation wasn’t the case for my group. I discovered just how far I have come with delegating work and cracking a whip. Our group finished creating our history lesson by using every letter in the alphabet with a two-stanza rhyme that covered education during the Colonial Period. We had so much fun creating the lesson and the result of our corroboration set the precedent for the rest of the class. This experience gave me another example of how far I have come and grown in the area of confidence.

Topping off both events ended with this morning’s Leadership Conference at the community college I attended for my first two years. I submitted a paper titled, “Conforming to Individuality.” On Thursday of this week, the moderator notified me to let me know my paper was one of the top two winners. Mike and my brother went with me this morning to participate in the conference until I received the recognition and cash award. I did not think I would receive first place, my goal was to have my paper published. However, I did receive first place and it feels great to be acknowledged for my ability to write. I mention this about writing, because this is the initial reason that triggered my confidence crises a few weeks ago.

The lessons learned from all of these examples: Stand fast and don’t be moved, surround yourself with supporters who can offer encouragement when you need it the most, and believe in yourself especially when you are being tested.

Glamour Girl

Justin and Michelle asked if I would give Kayleigh her first real haircut, not just her bi-monthly bang trimming. I hesitated to cut her hair for fear that it would cut off her naturally wavy loose curls. After bathing her Friday night, I sat her on the counter in front of the big mirror to comb her hair and see what needed trimming. Justin thinks her hair looked like a mullet, but I couldn’t see what he was basing that on. I used a clip to hold the back of her hair before trimming her bangs. I decided to give her more bangs to help keep them out of her face when her hair isn’t pulled into pony-tails. Trimming bangs is routine and Kayleigh sat still as usual. However, as I combed the back of her hair and made the first cut, Kayleigh reacted with, “Ow.” I tried to explain, to a two year old, that cutting hair doesn’t hurt. She seemed unconvinced every time I made another cut. I finished the hair cut with a blow-dry, and added a few curling iron touch-ups. When she looked at herself in the mirror, she smiled and hugged herself as she proclaimed, “Kayleigh’s a princess.” Yes, Kayleigh is a little princess and she's all for allowing photo-opts.

Here she is after her “make-over” as she relaxes on the window seat in the study. Abba is at the other end as Kayleigh is reading to him about "Old McDonald." The pursed lips are the results of getting to the part about a cow, "with a moo-moo here and a moo-moo there."

Our Friday evening and Saturday's are so much fun. Mike and I love spending time contributing to the lives of our grandchildren.

I Can See Clearly Now...

I know, this line comes from a song, but it expresses how I feel about this semester -- now.

On Wed. I gave my power point presentation for my Shakespeare class. It was about pogonology (study of beards). I gave my introduction saying, "I love beards, but let me be specific. I like well groomed, short beards, not ZZ Top kind of beards." Everyone laughed and my professor asked me how I felt about "that Oak Ridge boy with that long beard." I don't think I went over my four minutes and that is always a good thing for me once I do start talking. Before I could get to my seat, several students gave me words of praise for my presentation. This experience is so different than being at the community college. There aren't many students at college who are willing or able to give words of encouragement. The sense of community at the University is strong and everyone goes out of their way to encourage and help one another.

My frustration with grammar terminology isn't so bad now. I visited with one of the college professors for 2.5 hours on Fri. while she went over the basics with me. It helped-a lot! I even came home with homework she assigned. :-) I hope to incorporate the same energy and passion for English grammar into my own teaching as Ms. Varner has for it.

Not a lot to report about my education course, it's fun, it's easy, and it's what keeps me from feeling overwhelmed.

I'm finally able to work ahead on my classes. Plus, I can enjoy time with my grandchildren and work in my yard. My focus this year is to stay balanced between school and family.

Hitting a Wall

These past three weeks have been a challenge to say the least. As I have mentioned before, I don’t like change and sometimes change comes slowly. I thought the longer drive to University would cause more stress, but surprisingly, I have adjusted a lot quicker than I thought I would. Parking is no longer an issue after dropping my Spanish course. Finding my way around campus isn’t a problem either. So, you’d think that everything was going perfectly. Well, if you thought that, you’d be wrong.

Let me give you an update:

My first week of classes was stressful, but I knew I would eventually adjust. However, as I sat in my Shakespeare class I realized that I might have taken on more than I should. This is a senior course and technically, I am five hours shy of being a junior. The professor asked everyone how much Shakespeare we knew, and it seemed to me that ¾ raised their hands, and half of those students have played parts in his plays. We then went over the syllabus and the additional handouts that listed the various projects we will have during the semester. I felt out of place and overwhelmed by the increased workload expected at this level. I began to think that I couldn’t keep up and should quit college altogether. As an optimist, I decided to give college a full week before making a decision. I’m glad I did, the professor is wonderful and by the second day, I knew that I would love her as a teacher. I decided to stay the course and hope for the best. I am enjoying this class and have connected with other students, which really helps to get over feeling like an outsider.

My second day of classes originally included Spanish, advanced grammar and comp., and my first course of education preparation. My day started at 10 am and I wasn’t expected to get home until 8:30pm. My last post explained how this day ended with me leaving my last class to get to the hospital for William’s birth. What I need to explain is the unexpected effect my Spanish class had on me. I have a lot of tolerance, but my Spanish teacher was going to challenge my tolerance level and I wasn’t sure if her style was going to be worth it to me. Let me begin with calling her eccentric. She dances, sings, and experiments with falsetto voices all while she is talking to us in Spanish. Now, add to this mixture a large portion of the class from her first semester of Spanish. Their lack of self-control, feeling comfortable with the teacher and enthusiasm to talk non-stop throughout her lecture contributed to noise pollution. By the second day of this class, and within 15 minutes, I thought my head would explode. I came home that day in tears knowing that I was going to drop the class but also knowing that it would affect my scholarship requirements. Mike assured me that the scholarship wasn’t worth what I was experiencing and released me to drop the class on Friday. The whole procedure led me to my Chair and that in turn meant that it would go to the Dean. Thankfully, my Chair is taking care of the whole situation and I won’t have to confront the professor.

Okay, now for the part about the scholarship: They took half of the money away for this semester as a one-time deal. I will have to take 12 hours for the remaining semesters if I want to keep the money. After much prayer and agonizing over this, I have decided to give up the remaining scholarship. This will allow me to take the rest of my Spanish courses at the college where I took my first class. It will also allow me to take the hours I feel more comfortable with.

Thus far, I have worked through everything I encountered…until I went to advanced grammar and comp. I kept looking at the syllabus to make sure that I was in the right class and not in a class for Greek or Hebrew or any other language I have no clue to understanding. I had no idea what the professor was talking about when he started going through the seven sentence patterns. This is where my wall appeared; I don’t know the technical terms for grammar. The result of this awareness caused me to suffer a confidence crisis. I stopped by the college to ask my Director to remove me from the tutoring schedule. When she asked me what was going on, I had to explain that if I didn’t know grammar, I didn't feel I should tutor students in English. She said that she has her English degree and taught developmental English and yet she couldn’t diagram a sentence using all of the technical terms. Her words of encouragement helped as have the others who talked to me about this issue.

I am thankful for having professors, friends, and family who have stepped up to provide me encouragement and to help me create a strategy by which to tackle this challenge. The results: for the first two weeks of this class, I could get two out of ten sentences correctly diagrammed. On Thursday, I correctly diagrammed eight out ten sentences. My new motto for this semester is, “success breeds confidence.” When I can’t get over, around, through or under the wall, I have a support system who can help me get to the other side.

With God, all things are possible.

Grandbaby #4 is Finally Here!

For the past two weeks, everyone in the family participated in a variety of activities to get Michelle to go into labor before school started. However, William decided to hang around until the Doctor had to induce him to come out.

School started for me on Monday with no sign of William’s arrival. Justin’s classes started on Tuesday, that is my long day of classes beginning at 11:00, and ending at 8 pm. Tuesday wasn't any one's choice day for Michelle to be induced, but the rest of the week was full.

I went to school that morning with my phone on low-ring and checked it between classes. When it finally rang, it was just minutes before my last class started. Justin calmly asked, “What are you doing?” I let him know that I was on my way to my last class. He countered with, “Michelle is 9.5 cm dilated, pick up your syllabus and get here.” If you know me, I hate to miss my classes but I did not want to miss this birth. Before I hung up with Justin, I told him to pass on a message to William, “he may have taken his time getting here, but now he needed to wait for me to get there.” I quickly stopped by my class, introduced myself to the professor, and filled her in on the situation. The class cheered at the news and she waved me out.

I arrived in the delivery room just as Michelle started pushing. Thirty minutes later, William James Russell made his appearance at 5:54pm. He is a big healthy baby at 9lbs, 6.5 oz and 21.5” long. Everything about him matches his daddy’s stats, except for the color of his hair, which is much darker than Justin’s is.

Justin called a little while ago and said they were all home. For those of you who aren’t able to drop by to visit, here is a picture I took of William when he was only about 15 minutes old.

William James Russell

Transfer for the fall

Classes begin on Monday, part of me is excited about going to University, and the other part of me isn’t looking forward to the change. I don’t particularly like change of any kind, I adapt fairly quickly, but the initial change can take its toll on me. I’m a routine, give me a schedule, step-by-step, kind of person. Transferring means a new driving route, different traffic to deal with, a different city, new people and teachers and all with their own variables that I don’t have control over. I don’t like being late to anything and that causes more dread when I consider the traffic and the limited parking spaces at the University. I know that I will adjust within two weeks and so I try not to think too much about the details involved with this change.

Mike reminds that I felt like this before I began college. I may have, but I only had a 15-minute drive over the lake and the campus is much smaller than the University. I have grown since my first day of college and I feel better prepared this time around. I think my apprehensions are just part of my personality. So, my take charge personality mapped out the parking spaces I’ll be allowed to park in and color coded them with the classes I take each day. I’ll have a couple of parking lot options for each class, just in case the first lot is full. I plan on taking a dry run tomorrow after church to locate the parking lots and make note of what street I need to turn on to get to them. Several are one-way streets and I don’t know my way around the area. A little bit of planning helps to give me a feeling of some control, which reduces my anxieties.

While some anxiety is normal, I may be feeling a bit more than usual because I have been going to school year round for two and a half years with very little time off between semesters. I’m tired. These past two weeks have flown by quickly and I didn’t even have a chance to get bored, well-- not physically bored. Normally, I begin to feel completely bored, and have lots of energy to tackle several projects, after the first week of break. However, when I first started college I created a list of projects that needed to be finished and tackled them during every break I had between semesters. I have finally reached that place where I don’t have any major projects to work on. In fact, the majority of little projects are finished. I’ll always have school papers to organize, but that doesn’t really count. There is also the ongoing scrap-booking project I started a few years back and will continue to work on as long as I take photos. But that too doesn’t really count, they are just part of on-going life.

After rereading this and reflecting on the past 2.5 years, maybe I have a right to feel tired and in need of a little more time off before this next semester begins. I’m going to need lots of prayer covering just to get started for this semester.

Core Complete!

Finally, I finished my last science course and am now core complete and am considered to be a junior in college. However, I don't really think it makes much difference except that I get to take whatever classes I need to finish my major.

I sat down and looked over my degree plan and realized that I forgot to figure into the expected graduation date with my student teaching. If I feel comfortable with taking 15-18 hours per semester, I could still graduate in the Spring of '08. Part of me says there is no way I can do more than 12-13 hrs per semester, but then there is another part that says I could do more. I should know how comfortable I am with 12 hours after I complete my first semester at University. In the meantime, I'm taking the pressure off and will plan for graduation in the fall of '08.

My two weeks between semesters are already filled.

• I'll be helping Michelle finish with the little details of getting their house in order after their move. One of the ways to help is to keep Kayleigh for a few more days so that Michelle can rest in preparations for the birth of William. We'll also get a few more meals prepared and into the freezer.
• I decided to tutor again in the fall and this means that I have to complete 6.5 more hours of online training. I have until the end of next spring, but if you know me, I'd rather do it earlier rather than drag it out.
• I have my books for the fall semester and that means I'll be getting as much reading as I can before classes begin. Better to be prepared than feeling overwhelmed by the reading load I will have.

Two weeks off isn't much time, but I did get out today to do some shopping. During a semester I shop like a guy with my list in hand, in and out and then back to my books. Today was leasurely, I enjoyed myself and got some really great bargains. I plan on making a visit to Victoria's Secret tomorrow before I go to Michelle's.

I almost forgot to mention my grade, I received another A. I just hope I can keep my track record up after I transfer. The goal of Summa Cum Laude is calling my name and I like the challenge.

Today is Jason’s 28th birthday

It is so hard to believe that I have a 28-year-old son especially when I can remember every labor pain and the delivery in detail as if it happened today. However, it was all worth it to bring into this world a very talented son. Happy birthday, Jason!

A Few Statistics:

When I was 28, our sons were 9 and 10.
When Mike was 28, they were 1 and 2.
Jason at 28 has sons that are 3 and 5.
My Professor for Environmental biology is 28, and only five months older than Jason is. Kind of weird when I think about that, but Mike has always said that after High school, age is all relative.
Our youth pastor at church turned 28 this summer.

As you can see, much can be accomplished by the age of 28. I’ve taught a lesson on the different decades in ones life. The 20’s are a time for life and academic learning. After learning how to be an adult during the 20's, in the 30's decade you get to practice what you learned and really get to enjoy being an adult. Only two more years before you turn 30, enjoy this time and keep learning.

Atley's 3 Today

Today is Atley's birthday and we are planning to drive to Tyler as the half-way point to celebrate his birthday tomorrow. Since tomorrow is Grandpa's 91st birthday, and we have Kayleigh until Monday while her parents move into their new house, we will all go and spend a couple hours together. We're meeting at McDonald's and while it isn't my favorite place to eat at, it's too hot to do anything else and they have an indoor playground where the three cousins can play together for a while.

See you tomorrow Atley!

"It's a Birthday Party"!

Kayleigh turned two on wednesday, the 5th of July. The family party was on Sat. She is a very blessed little girl to be surrounded by so many family members who love her unconditionally. Her Granny (maternal grandmother) and I (paternal grandmother) talked about how unusual it is in this day and age to have both sets of grandparents, a great-grandfather, aunts and uncles all living within a few minutes of her. Kayleigh won't be getting away with very much when so many of us are out and about town, she'll never know who she might run into. Who knows, but she might be one of my students when she gets to 8th grade or any of the high-school grades I might be teaching. Anyway, she is covered by many prayers and surrounded by love.

Kayleigh is extremely intelligent, she picks up new concepts very quickly and I could go on and on about all of her brilliant achievements, but I'll just say that everyone (not just proud grandparents) think she is gifted.

We'll keep Kayleigh during this weekend while her parents move into their new home. Hopefully, the next few weeks will go smoothly as Justin and Michelle get their house unpacked in time for William's arrival. I'll try to help them as much as I can after I finish with my class and homework.

Kayleigh isn't the only one who is blessed, Mike (Abba) and I (Ame) feel very blessed to have a wonderful relationship with our granddaughter, her parents and the extended family members who live nearby.

One Science Course Finished, One to Go

Finals were yesterday and the grades should be posted sometime today. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for an A, but after yesterday's test...I might receive a B if I make less than a 73. I'm not sure what the Professor was attempting with this test, the way she worded a lot of the questions made it very difficult for everyone. I just took my time and eliminated the wrong answers and when it came to those questions I would call a "trick question", I just read carefully and then, if all else failed, quessed. I hate to just quess at a question, but it's better to take a chance than to leave one blank.

I'll check my grade later this afternoon, but in the meantime, I have a birthday cake to make for my granddaughter. She turned two on Wed. but the family party is on Sat.

Time to get my four mile walk in before I start baking and cleaning the house.

And the Grade is...

an A! Okay, I couldn't wait until this afternoon to check on my grade. Now I can finish my chores and cake decorating.

4th of July and Four Days Off

The original schedule for this semester included going to class today and then having tomorrow off for the 4th. However, my professor decided that we would have the day off to allow everyone, including her own family, a four day weekend. We'll make up for the time on Wed. and Thur. by having two full days instead of the half days that were scheduled. No one complained about the change of plans. I am taking advantage of the extra time off by getting lots of chores finished at a leisurely pace.

We have our lab test on Wed. and our lecture finals on Thur. The professor is planning on covering two chapters on Wed. so they will be added to the test. I have read both chapters and started studying the material I have with high hopes that I will make an A in this class. I didn't think there was any way for me to get an A with the two B's and two A's I have so far. I don't usually add up my scores to see what kind of grade I will get, but I did for this class. When I added up everything I have made so far and then allowing for a low A on the rest of my test scores, I actually have a possibility to make an A. I'm not stressing over any of this, especially when I reflect on the fact that this is an accelerated class with a lab... but, I still want an A.

I have a goal of getting my associates degree with a summa cum laude recognition; however, magna cum laude or cum laude are all recognized as outstanding accomplishments and I will be satisfied with any one of them. I understand the drive behind this goal, part of it is for my own satisfaction and part of it is to be a contradictory witness to the negative input my parents impressed upon us as kids. It took the first year of college to erase all of the old messages they put into my head (not good enough, not smart enough, not worth enough, etc.) and the next year to rebuild positive, validated messages. I have finally come to embrace the fact that God has equipped me with so much more than I ever thought possible and I want to use what He has given to me to bring glory to His name. So, while I work hard at my studies and in my service to Him, it really is all for Him. Christ is my fortress, my foundation, my strength, my peace, my countenence, and my everything. Without Him in my life, I would be lost.

Each step along this journey takes me further from the abuses I was subjected to as a child, with many of the effects carrying over into my adulthood. I thank God often for my husband who has supported me through these growing years, who supports me through my college trials and who continues to allow me to grow and heal at the pace I need.

The destination is my goal, but the journey is where I am learning and enjoying the life God has created for me.

THEA Scores

Just a quick posting to let you all know that I passed all three areas on the THEA testing. I will now be able to jump right in and take all of the classes required for my teaching degree. By the way, I hate math word problems, but I made 100’s on all of the areas that included word problems. I’m happy with the test results, especially my math scores, but they will not influence me to change my degree plan to include more math.

I took my second test in biology today, covering five chapters. At this point in the semester, I can say that I’m not having fun in the course. There is too much information and not enough time to get it all in, at least not in a way to be able to enjoy the learning process. Right now, I’m just trying to retain enough information to pass the course. On a positive note for this class, I finished writing my research paper that is due next week. Just two more weeks and then I’ll have three days off before Environmental biology begins for another five week science course. Remind me not to take a science class during a summer semester…oh wait; these are the only science classes I have to take. What was I thinking of when I started my college career as a biology major?

Testing

When it comes to taking a test, I do not experience anxiety, not even with finals. However, what I have come to realize about particular tests, the THEA for example, is the fear of failure. I have all kinds of what-ifs going through my mind, what if I fail, especially now after two years of college? I am not sure what exactly is going on inside my head, but when I sat down to take the test, the fear simply went away. Besides, if I did fail any or even all of the test, I would have the rest of this year to retake it as many times necessary.

I guess the biggest reason I was not looking forward to taking the THEA, was knowing that the scores will go into my school records. It does not seem logical to care about this, not with a 4.0 GPA, but for some reason I just did not want to take this test. I did have to talk myself into going and not excuse myself to wait until my scheduled appointment on the 23rd. I got there early and signed in for stand-by status, which was not necessary, as there were at least six people who did not show up. The test started at 9am and it took me the allotted five hours.

Now I am wondering what all the fuss was about (talking about myself), it was not difficult. The math portion surprised me; there were only 3 problems I wasn’t sure about. I ended up plugging in the possible answers and working them out to come up with what I hope is the correct answer. I worked through every problem (almost 200) before I started writing my essay. Let me say first off, I am used to writing on a computer. I had even asked if I would be able to write the essay with a pen, but no, the whole test had to be completed with a #2 pencil. I managed to get two full single-spaced pages finished, but not to my satisfaction. I could have used another 30 minutes to get it finished. However, I am not going to stress over this part of the test, I know I can write good essays.

I did find out that it does not take three weeks for the results; it should only take 10 days. It will be interesting to see what the results are, especially in comparison to my scores from two years ago. I took the COMPASS test, which is taken on a computer with immediate test scores. If I were to compare the two tests, I would conclude that the COMPASS is more difficult than the THEA. The first test allows you to miss only a few problems before it concludes that portion of the test. You might know how to work all of the geometry section, but if you missed the allotted number in the algebra section before you got to geometry, you do not have a chance to earn those points. The THEA provides approximately 66 questions/problems per section. Answering all of them increases the opportunity to earn a higher score, especially considering only 35 randomly selected questions/problems are counted.

My typical weekend chores are completed and I started reading in my Biology book to get ahead start for the first day of the first five week summer semester. This will be a course with lots of reading and memorization, but I really enjoy my science courses…after I separate my beliefs from what the books say about evolution. I may not be able to post much during these five weeks, but I will let you know if I passed the THEA with the scores I need to get into the teaching program.

Have a great summer! Hasta luego.

Last Week Before I Return to School

This is my last week of freedom before I start summer classes. I have been starting my day with a four-mile walk and before I return home I watch the sun come up. This is my favorite time to meditate on the Lord, thanking Him for a beautiful day before I bring my prayer request to Him.

Projects Finished:
I finished sewing several outfits for my granddaughter and DIL last week. Over the weekend, I put in a flagstone path in the back yard in preparations for the next stage of my big-picture landscaping plans. This area in the yard will include a larger pond and a potting shed. The area is shaded except for the path where the flagstones went in. Grass would not grow there, too much sun for the fescue and not enough for the Bermuda. My only other choice was to put in St. Augustine, but that would have to be removed later on as part of my plan. So, I decided to go ahead and put in the flagstone to take care of the bare strip that turns into a muddy mess when it rains. With my plans drawn up and the first step laid, I wanted to start digging up the pond. However, the calendar flashed in my mind’s eye reminding me that I only have this week left before I return to classes, I restrained myself and will wait for another long break before I attempt putting in a pond. As for the potting shed, I have the plans drawn for it, but this is a honey-do project. I can help, but I don’t have the knowledge to build a shed especially one with running water and electricity.

Last Chance to Study:
I have been reviewing my math with great hope and lots of prayer that I will do well on the THEA test (a specific score is required for the teaching program). I go up to the College tomorrow to put my name on the waiting list, maybe I’ll get to take it then. This is my preference since I’ll be in the midst of my Biology class later in the month. My back up plan is a scheduled appointment to take the test on June 23. I have taken 9 semester hours of developmental algebra plus 3 hrs of college algebra, earning an A for all these hours of math. Mixed in with the hours of algebra, I tutored other students for two semesters. However, I still do not feel comfortable with math and really do not feel ready to take this test. I have said that I like algebra…that was until yesterday when I started working on word problems. I hate word problems, I know they will not go away, but I still hate them! I’m definitely not going to add math to my degree plan, not when I get a headache and feel irritable after I have worked on it for a few hours.

Addendum: I wrote the above message yesterday, but the computer rebooted before I saved it and I thought I lost the whole message. Anyway, I was able to recover the message and will post it all with today's addendum.

Studying too Much!
You know you have been studying too much when you lose track of time…even days. I went to bed last night thinking it was Thursday. I woke up this morning and prayed about my upcoming test, which I thought was today, and then I got ready and left home at 8 am. I got to school and went to sign in, but the assistant seemed confused before she realized the test is on Friday. I responded with, “This is Friday, isn’t it?” I must have sounded convincing, she asked another woman what day this was. The positive side to this is that I have had all day today to study some more, adding to the "too much."

I’ve been at it since 9:00 am, took a one-hour lunch and nap break before I hit the books again. I decided to take another break after noticing the numbers all running together, an indication that my eyes are getting tired from looking at my books and all of those numbers. The good news: I’m getting it today and even enjoy working on the math section. It has helped to remember the advice I gave to the students I tutored, “it is all about the attitude.” Okay, so maybe I should try to be friends with math. Or, maybe I’ll just keep the positive attitude and settle for being acquainted with math, friends after all, would mean spending more time working problems and I just don’t want that kind of relationship.

Please keep me in your prayers for tomorrow's test, all five hours worth while sitting in refrigerator like temperatures. It takes about three weeks for the test results and I'll be sure to post whether or not I passed with the scores I need.

Galvanized tubs make a great wadding pool

This is what Kayleigh did to keep herself entertained while I worked in the yard today. We didn't have her bathing suit and super absorbent diapers soak up several inches of water making it very difficult to walk. We're in the back yard and none of the neighbors are home during the day, so off went the clothes. She played hard and when it came time for her nap, it didn't take long before she was asleep. As much as I love being in school, I love days like this when I can spend it outside with my granddaughter as we enjoy the beauty of nature.

Childhood Discoveries in a Watering Can

I bought Kayleigh a child sized watering can that allows her to help in the gardens. She loves being outside and is learning about plants and bugs and butterflys and just about anything I am willing to teach her. I didn't capture the shot of her experiment with the watering can full of water and a patch of dirt. I watched her pour a small amount onto a small patch of exposed dirt in the butterfly garden. Kayleigh watched what happend when she poured water onto the dirt, she poured a little more and then on the third pouring she decided to mix it with her finger. She looked up at me and smiled and I could tell what was coming but decided to let her continue to experiment. Yes, you guessed it, dirt and water looks a lot like chocolate pudding and before I could say anything her finger covered in mud was in her mouth. I calmly said "yuck", and she came to me to get help to wash out the not so tasty mud-pudding. That was two weeks ago and she hasn't tried it again. I wonder what new experience she'll discover this weekend.

Grades are in for This Semester

Our grades were supposed to be posted online by Saturday, but I think someone forgot to turn on the link until Monday. I wasn’t anxious about my grades…well, maybe for my Spanish grade. I averaged the grades from three tests (92), didn’t figure in the lab grade, homework or quizzes and worked really hard on everything during the whole semester. I haven’t had Spanish before and even though I have lived in states where large populations speak it, I never really heard the language. It took about one week before I experienced an interesting revelation…I was actually hearing the language as if my ears or brain were able to identify and comprehend it for the first time. I really want to become fluent, especially since I plan on getting a minor in Spanish. Anyway, I did think the final test might be the determining factor for me getting a high B or low A. I don’t know my actual score on the finals, but I got an A for the class and that is what I worked for. So, I have maintained my 4.0 GPA.

I’m going to put my Spanish course into the same category of time consuming, brain cell draining status as College Algebra. I dedicate the appropriate time for studying in all of my classes, but thus far, these two courses have required the most time. Call me determined, but I was not about to back down to either challenge. This summer’s line-up is two Science classes (five weeks each). I have a feeling that Spanish and Algebra may not be the only two courses in this category.

I have faithfully stepped up my exercise routine and walk or bike four miles per day, five of the six days since my last day of school. I also added two days of lifting weights and added a couple new exercise DVD’s to my collection in case of rain. I feel better and have more energy when I exercise everyday. I’ve been able to sleep in for an extra 15 min. and still hit the road by 6am. I have to walk early here in Texas or it will be too hot, besides I tend to tan quickly and I don’t want to prematurely age my skin. This schedule allows me plenty of time to get lots accomplished with some room to relax and read for fun.

Now, to get started on the pile of maternity outfits for my DIL, Michelle who is due in August, a few sun dresses with hats for my only granddaughter and a throw for my study (in anticipation of those long winter days curled up in the chair reading, reading, reading.

End of the Semester…

and only one more summer semester here at the community college before I shift gears and transfer to the University. I have two finals this week and tutor each day until 1 p.m. but after Thursday it’ll be me time for three weeks. I’m ready for the break before my summer classes start. I can’t really count the four days between summer I and summer II, but then I’ll have almost three weeks off before the fall semester. Seems that I have been in school forever; but it hasn’t been that long. I started in Jan. of ’04 and will get my Associates degree in Dec. ’06. This isn’t too bad when I think about the 12hrs of developmental classes I took to refresh my algebra skills.

I’m making a list of projects I want to get accomplish during my breaks. One project will get passed on to someone else, I don’t do the finishing on quilts and I have one I pieced together for my granddaughter. There are a few sewing projects on my list, but mostly I’m going to take the time to work in my gardens. I haven’t spent much time on them for the past two years, just maintained the basic upkeep, but I really want to have a kitchen garden again. The other thing I need to do is get back into my exercise routine. I’ve neglected to exercise on a regular basis this semester due to my schedule and all of the sitting is beginning to take its toll on my backside. I enjoy 8 am classes, but it’s too dark to walk at 5am and by the time I come home around 2pm, I don’t want to get all hot and sweaty. I prefer to exercise early in the morning and then get ready for the day. So, I made sure to schedule my summer classes for a little later in the morning to allow me time to walk first thing and still have time to get ready for school. I love to exercise and I know this is something I’m going to work into my daily schedule no matter how busy I am.

I’ll write more later after this week if finished and I can think about other things.

Scholarship News

I just received word that the original two-year transfer student scholarship I received is now a Phi Theta Kappa scholarship. The money is the same, but this one is renewable for three years (technically, this means more money). Originally, I thought I would get my bachelors degree and then work on my masters while I was teaching. However, with this change in my scholarship, it may help influence my decision to just stay in school and get my masters degree.

Some money is better than no money at all, but it sure would have been exciting if this last letter announced a full ride to finish my degree. Of course, there still is that possibility for additional scholarship money once I have enrolled.

There are only five more weeks in this semester. It is hard to believe that I have two remaining classes to take this summer and then…I transfer to TWU. I have orientation in June and will then be able to sign up for my fall schedule. When I think about taking a full 12 hours (or more) per semester, I begin to feel a little anxious. I have been taking up to 10 hours per semester in addition to tutoring 12 hours per week. When I remind myself of this, I know I can take more classes and do well in them. It really is a good thing that I am too busy to spend much time on thinking outside of doing my schoolwork and keeping up with everyday stuff.

The Living Room:

After much research, looking at Home interior magazines, model homes and watching the trends on HGTV, I finally decided after almost 10 years to paint the fireplace. I painted the lower half (with the idea we could cover it with the whole mantel and front piece if we didn't like it); however, Mike and I loved the look. We then decided that the built in bookshelf needed to be painted also. The end result of this project created a more cohesive look for this wall that is broken up with too many elements.

Spring Break 2006

What is spring break suppose to be like?

Before the kids grew up and moved out to start their own families: Spring break was a great time to slow down and smell the roses. We didn’t have to get up really early to fix breakfast or rush around making sure their homework and lunches were in their backpacks before they were off to school. We stayed in our pj’s long after breakfast was over. There were trips to the zoo, the park, and a couple of times we even managed to go to San Antonio to Sea World, the Alamo and other typical places of interest. This was the week everyone stayed up a little later, and then regretted the morning school started back up. Spring break was a time to relax…that was then.

What is spring break like now?

Spring break is another expression for “back-braking-muscle-aching” work around the house. This is a time to squeeze in all of those unfinished projects that didn’t get finished the last time I was off from school. Spring break this year meant removing the carpet, the pad, and all of the baseboards; clean up from that mess to prepare for laying wood floors. Mike and I work really well together; he does the measuring, cutting, and the heavy work. I do the planning (design and time schedule/craking the whip), the detail jobs, the painting, and when necessary…help solve problems we encountered. We both ended up with sore muscles in places we forgot muscles existed. Mike took hot showers at the end of the day; I sat in the Jacuzzi with the hottest water I could stand and the valves opened wide to help beat away the soreness. I’m not a bath kind of person, which gives a hint as to how sore I was. I turned it into a spa-like occasion by lighting every candle on the ledge of the Jacuzzi and turning off the lights. If I weren’t so exhausted, I would have turned on some relaxation music…but, I was just too tired to listen to anything. After four long days of working we both said we needed to go back to school/work just to get a break and relax.

Now that it is all finished and we no longer groan when we move, we can sit back and fully appreciate the hard work of laying floors. Every room looks great!

Transferring to TWU

It’s official, I will be transferring to TWU in the fall. I applied for scholarships and received notice for one of them last week. This two-year scholarship will pay a little more than half of my tuition. I am hoping to receive notice for another scholarship from Phi Theta Kappa, the honor society I joined after my first semester. If I receive this one, it will cover the remainder of my tuition, pay for my books, gas, and parking fees and I may have something left over for lunch money. So, if you were to ask me if it was worth the time and effort I put into my studies, I’d have to say “Yes, finally my 4.0 GPA is paying off!”

Part of me is excited about transferring and the other part of me is hesitant to leave the comfort zone of the community college. I have had a wonderful experience these past two years meeting new friends and professors. This has been a period of growth, both spiritually and academically. I pray that I have planted many seeds of faith along the way and watered a few seeds. I’ll have to trust that others will come along to nurture the remainder. This is my mission field and I have enjoyed every moment of my time here.

Spring break starts next week. I’m looking forward to some time off, only I never really take time off from my studies. I plan to write my final paper for American Literature during the break. I’ve been working on it for the past few weeks and feel ready to take the time to focus on completing the paper. I really like this class, the student’s level of participation make it one of my most exciting classes thus far. It also helps to have a great professor to lead and prompt the discussions. This is my fourth semester with this professor and I’ll miss him the most. He pushed me to find my potential in all things related to Literature and consequently, influenced my decision to major in English.

So far, this is one of most enjoyable semesters even though I spend many hours reading, writing, and studying (especially my Spanish). I may even find more time to blog. Until then, hasta luego.

A Budding Artist

Spring is here early this year and it was a nice morning to get outside and enjoy it. Kayleigh is growing up so quickly, her vocabulary included. I’m glad she likes to be outside with me. I decided it was time to introduce her to sidewalk chalk. I showed her what to do with them and she understood the concept as “colors.” I drew yellow bananas, pink strawberries, and purple grapes. Kayleigh copied in an abstract way, but we knew what they were.

Mike and I quickly used our phone cameras and captured the artist in progress with her first masterpiece. Pollock may have left cigarette butts and pieces of his sandwiches in his art…but Kayleigh put herself onto her artwork, which means her art got all over her. Thankfully, her mama doesn’t mind when she gets dirty or in this case, chalky.

Christmas 2005
I just received the photos I took around Christmas- time and have to share a few. This is Kayleigh, our granddaughter (18 months today) who is such a blessing to us. Isn't she beautiful?

Do you want to know the secret to getting her hair into pigtails? I sit her on the bathroom counter and give her a toothbrush (with fruit flavored toothpaste) and let her brush her teeth while I quickly brush her hair and get bands around two pigtails. We all think it makes her look older than she really is, but none of us can resist how adorable she looks in them.

Kayleigh loves to read books, how could she not. It seems that everyone around her is reading a book, either to her or for themselves. She'll be one very well read child.

As her vocabulary has grown, she now enjoys reading to others and it's really cute to listen to her. Here she is reading to her Abba (Mike). She especially loves books with animals, The dog says "woof-woof" and the kitty cat says, "meow." She has a whole repertoire of animal sounds and is working on identifing body parts. All of this, plus she uses sign-language for her many wants and needs. Her favorite and most used sign is for more, which can also mean, want.

Kayleigh kept her great-Grandpa entertained on Christmas day as she read a book to him about Momo (Elmo). Grandpa was pretty impressed and proved you're never too old (he's 90) to learn something new, he didn't know who Elmo was until Kayleigh pointed him out.

As you can tell by reading this posting, we all think Kayleigh is pretty special. On occasion I just have to brag a bit about her. Besides, when I'm not in school, the only real thing of importance to blog about has to be about my granddaughter.

Two weeks to go…

Before I return to school for the spring semester. As of yesterday, I now have three of my four books needed for the new semester. This means I was able to get started on my reading. I like having a jump-start on the reading, as it is part of my time management skills. The biggest benefit is that it provides the time to learn something while I am in class rather than sitting there like a sponge that is just absorbing information.

The class I most look forward to is my American Literature class, especially after the semester break I had between literature classes. I was describing to Mike why I love literature and it has to do with the whole picture that evolves around literature, not just the authors and their writings. Literature is one of the means that puts history down on paper for others, like me, to read and relive the ideas of each era. However, I do not read only for the literal meaning of the words, I also read for the moral, allegorical, and anagogical meanings. I did not realize that I read this way, otherwise known as exegesis, until I started talking to one of the English Professors at school this past semester. It seems that I am always analyzing everything, which is what makes literature so interesting. There are more ways to read one piece of prose and this keeps it from ever becoming boring.

My Spanish class may be a challenge for me and I want to do well with it. Mike transferred a CD series onto my MP3 player. This allows me to listen and practice Spanish during the hour I walk each morning. I put the CD’s in my car to provide more opportunities to listen and practice. Since I need 18 hours of Spanish to earn a minor, more exposure to it will help me become more proficient. I have a feeling that once I become fluent in Spanish, I will want to learn another language as my passion for language is growing. It makes sense to learn Spanish while living in Texas, but I think there is a bigger purpose for learning multiple languages. What that bigger purpose is I do not know just yet. However, I want a certification for ESL (English as Second Language) and perhaps that is why I have been able to learn a few expressions in other languages so easily. Only God knows the bigger picture right now and all I can do is take the steps in the direction I feel led to go in.

The other class I have is History 1302 and I have started reading it. I like history, but it is harder to read without getting drowsy. I decided the best way to get through it is to set a timer and read as much as I can within an hour before I get up and tackle laundry or something that will keep me awake.

During these first two weeks off, I have accomplished everything on my first list and have started checking off projects from my second list. I may actually get to finish Kayleigh’s quilt before I return to school. This will be timely since she will be moving into a regular bed this year in time for the arrival of her new sibling. Michelle and Justin are expecting a new addition to their family sometime in August. I am always amazed by how much I get finished during my time off from school, but I look forward to my return.

Hope everyone is off to a blessed New Year, Hasta luego!