Baby Camp

I can't believe I didn't post about this before now! We have a new addition to our family, born October 26th. Campbell Aaron Reeder! He is the sweetest things and we are so happy to have him around. I think Bennett really enjoys being a big brother too. Having a newborn and a 2-year-old is hard but the parents are doing a great job. Here is a look at my precious new nephew and his big brother ready for Turkey day!

Best laid plans- for the best

So since I posted last, have have completed my student teaching in 3rd grade. The placement went by so quickly, I can still hardly believe it is over. I didn't do as much teaching or running of the class as my first placement, but that is to be expected as I had finished my teaching requirements and because of the shorter amount of time. However, just observing and helping out where I could allowed me to continue learning and confirmed for the love I have for 3rd grade! The teachers I worked with were, again, some of the most devoted, open-minded, pleasant faculty I have ever been around. I can't believe how blessed I am to have been in the presence of such talented educators and supportive friends. I might tell you more about specifics later but I just spent the last 2 weeks reflecting and writing about all of that stuff for my final portfolios.
Which brings me to my next bit of news- I got a job!! There is a 1st grade teacher at the school I have been working in moving over Christmas and they needed someone to replace her. I interviewed with the county on Thursday, then was asked to meet with the 1st grade team at our school on Monday, and then accepted the job. I start on January 2- ahh!!! The team is so amazing and I'm really sad the teacher I am replacing is leaving because she's cool ha. I plan to spend the rest of the time before the Christmas holidays in the classroom with her, getting to know the routines of the classroom and, most importantly, my future students!
Now, I know some of you might be thinking, "wait, isn't she getting married in March?!" and you would be correct. Originally, I was looking forward to a flexible spring where I would substitute teach as I please, work on fixing up the house, and prepare for the big day. But, as per usually it seems, my plans did not work out. Along the way, I have had many plans about how I wanted my life and education to go- relatively none of them worked out how I had planned! I can now say I am so thankful for that. It just goes to show that God has a plan for each of us and there is nothing we can do about it! If things had gone according to my plan, I don't think I would be where I am today. I know the spring is going to be insanely busy for me, and scary, but I am putting it in God's hands and going for it. I can't wait to see what happens next!

5th grade is the bomb

To say this an overdue post is an understatement. I'm not sure how these other teachers keep up with their blogs because even as a student teacher, I am consumed with the day at school. Maybe after I get into a routine it'll be easier (wishful thinking?!).
So anyway, 5th grade is awesome! Previously, I thought 5th grade would be too old for me. I figured they would be starting with the attitudes and honestly I was a little intimidated by the curricula. However, this was the best group of kids I could have asked for. I got so attached - bad sign I think! It was already super hard to leave them. I received many sweet cards and drawings - a couple of them claiming third grade didn't want me so I should stay. haha. I learned so much about teaching in these past 10 weeks and feel increasingly more confident about teaching on my own. I actually really enjoyed the curricula too and think I could handle it. My two week project I did with them was a version of the Paper Bag Character Project which I found here:
Rundes Room paper-bag-characterization
It was insane teaching them from the beginning of the unit, working together to choose books for them, supporting them through the project, and then watching them present their final products! I was really impressed how into the project some of the students got, dressing up and rehearsing their presentations.
I probably can't talk about all of the significant things that have happened during student teaching these past 10 weeks in one post. I do want to mention how incredible the staff that I worked with is. Seriously, I think I saw the administration more in that time than I ever saw my own principals. Shocker, I know, I did not make many trips to their offices. But these people are everywhere all the time, checking in on students, simply curious about the learning that is happening, joining in on meetings, everything. The women I work with are also the most hilarious, intelligent, and passionate group. I don't know how I got so lucky.
I can't wait to start 3rd grade tomorrow! I promise I won't take this long next time to check-in....famous last words...but seriously!

Temporary

As I have moved from school to school, apartment to apartment, changed roommates, changed majors, stayed one place one weekend and another place the next, I have become accustomed to thinking everything is "temporary" at this point in my life. This is a difficult reality for me to accept as I am such a get-it-doner. My college life and working towards my career has been a long process in my eyes. I have had small victories along the that are nothing to snuff at but I sure am ready to get where I am going already.
I am now a statistic and am one of the 80ish% of college grads that move home. While it makes since in my life right now and I know it is "temporary", I do have mixed feelings about it. I think I always knew I would move back home for a bit, mainly to save some money for a while. However, I feel defensive about my current living arrangement and feel the need to explain to people that I know where I am going after this and it's not forever. I have a plan! It's definitely been an adjustment though as I feel the need to know where I am going to be each night of the week, not having the luxury of randomly inviting people over or leaving at a moments notice. I can no longer eat a bowl of cereal for dinner and have that be accepted as a sufficient meal. Not to say that these are all end of the world, terrible changes; all I'm saying is that it will take some getting used to. Overall, it feels natural to be back and like I never left. I'm blessed to have supportive parents who are happy to have me home (I think!).
As I spend time at the school I am student teaching at, I continue to be reminded of my temporary state. I catch myself wondering how I will feel at the end of my 10 week placement and wondering about my next placement and being sad already that I won't get to spend more time with the students I am with now. Everything I do seems to have an expiration date on it, for better or worse. I'm not going to know what to do with myself once I do actually get where I'm going, if that ever happens.
Wow I'm getting a little deep! Sometimes my mind ends up going in circles. Anyone else? No? Ok, great. Goodnight!

Grandaddy

Well it's been a rough couple of weeks around our house. I finished up my class in Athens, got home, and almost immediately my Grandaddy has a heart attack. He lives in Florida so we waited a couple of days to see how things were panning out before we made the trip down there. On July 3, Drew and I went to a Braves game with some friends to both celebrate the 4th and Drew's birthday which are the same day. We got an early start to the holiday because, seriously, Wednesday is the worst day for a holiday!! Anyway, at the game my dad called and said it looked like we needed to get to down to Florida pretty quickly. My parents, Karen, and I left at the crack of dawn on the 4th to drive down (yes, totally skipping the holiday and my fiance's bday).
Throughout our visit he was very up and down, having issues with his heart, kidneys, oxygen, and fluid in his lungs, levels. Friday, the day before we left, was the best we'd seen him. He was asking about my wedding, commenting on the tennis match that was on, calling us pretty, and making jokes about his activity to-do list on the hospital board which only said "bed rest". We regrettably had to get home the next day to get my sister back to school and get my parents ready to go back to work.
On Monday night, we got word that he was was quickly plummeting in health as everything seemed to be shutting down. Later that night he passed away.
I realize people probably do not want to hear every detail about this but I guess it is helping me process everything. He was doing so much better when we left him that I am left astonished at how it ended. He was 81, which is quite young in our family. He was one of the funniest, sweetest men I have ever known. He played for Georgia Tech in college and was an excellent golfer. He left behind my amazing Nana, 3 kids (including my dad), 6 grandchildren, and 3 (and a 1/2) great-grandchildren. It is going to be very strange going to visit Florida without him there to greet me with a bear hug. I don't think it has quite hit me yet, but I'm dreading for when it does.
It does give me comfort to know he has gone to be with Jesus and actually brings a little smile to my face. It is going to be a long road of recovery for our family, but I am glad he doesn't have to go through the grueling recovery he was in for.

My beloved Grandaddy

Silly faces and pumpkin carving

Back to Athens...one last time

As I pack up my clothes and grumble as I haul them down to my car again, I realize this is the last time I'll be moving back to Athens. I can't tell you how many times I moved myself in and out of that city, not to mention moving to and from Milledgeville during my time there. I'll be heading back for the month to take my last two classes I need for my masters and then I'll be moving out of Athens for good. This lively city has been like a second home to me for years and it will be weird not having my little "escape" right up the road anymore. I have met many wonderful people, experienced many great things, and learned so much in preparation for my future career and (as cliche as it sounds) about myself. Even though I know I will miss the "Holy City" of the Bulldogs as my paster jokingly refers to it, I feel like it has served its purpose for me and I am ready to move on.
Everyone says I'm going to miss this college life of no responsibilities, sleeping in, eating whatever, hanging with friends whenever, etc and I know I will. But at some point, it sort of becomes meaningless. I like to know I am working towards something and I am finally reaching the point to start the "something" and its a very exciting time. I am definitely going to make the most of my last month there though! Here are some of the things I will be doing this month as a final hurray of being a student at UGA:
Take a walk through North Campus
Eat Keba
A night out, including Boar's Head
Drive on the loop (I finally figured it out this year!...almost)
Ride a bus
Visit everyone I know still left in Athens (most are gone)
Visit Memorial Park
Workout at Ramsey...maybe ;)
See a dollar movie
Menchie's froyo

Time Off!

The month of May has flown by! I have thoroughly enjoyed my first few weeks off from school and work in quite a while. It's funny when you can't imagine how you will spend your time with none of those responsibilities and then suddenly, you're begging for more time!
I have been able to spend a lot of time with my nephews over the break! I went with Jennifer (my sister) to Jacob's swim lessons a few times. He is such a little fish! And what a great way to work off some of that energy (seriously, I don't see how one little body can move for so long and do so much everyday).
Drew and I even got a chance to go to a movie. We decided last minute to go see The Avengers. I really enjoyed- lots of action, pretty humorous, and kind of refreshing to not have all the "mature" scenes scattered throughout. Since it was a last minute decision, I didn't realize it was opening night. Not being a comic buff, I didn't quite realize the significance of the movie either before we went. Needless to say, I felt very out of place among the crowd that showed up that night :) haha pretty entertaining. Still so fun though.
Now swim lessons are over, we've been on our vacation, and successfully caught up on my shows, I can't imagine what I will do with my last few days of freedom! Since I said that, I'm sure my days will be crazy busy- I'll never learn.

Posting

As you may have noticed, I do not have many posts on my homepage. I do, however, try to frequently update my other pages. I am trying to figure out how to notify readers that the other pages have updates. I know that the pages aren't really supposed to change all that often but I don't know another way to organize all of the different things going on in my life! Any suggestions?

Pinterest goal

Since it is Spring Break for me, I have been able to get caught up on a lot of work, rest, and visiting with friends and family! I have also had a chance to watch HGTV and do a good bit of pinning on my favorite website, Pinterest. I noticed that I spend a lot more time browsing the site than I do actually doing something with the pins! I am making a goal to take at least one of my pins each week and do something with them!

Worry, Worry, Worry

Matthew 6:27 & 33-34
²⁷ "Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?... ³³ But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. ³⁴ Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

These are the words I keep trying to remind myself of today. There have been many times where I have found these words comforting but they just don't seem to be sinking in at the moment. I know that God has a plan for me so I have no doubt that things will work out. However, it is difficult surrendering when I still feel like I may be able to work it out the way I had planned. I hope I see what this plan of His is soon; I am very confused.

I finally have a blog!

My life is so hectic right now, but it is hectic with so many wonderful things! I have so  much going on that I decided I needed a place to keep a record of all of it and a place where I could share everything with my friends. The "blog world" is another new adventure of mine so bear with me as I learn and explore!