Over it

Yesterday, I decided I was done with these summer grad courses. Unfortunately, I have a little over a week left. I think I can I think I can... Pretty much everyone else in the cohort is feeling the same way. Between readings, readings being changed, crazy quizzes, classes where we don't learn what will be on the quizzes, and 2 tests every week, we are all... tired. And reminding ourselves that it will be worth it in the end. We will make it.

Luckily, at the end of next week, I get to go to a wedding with Dan and then he shall visit. Even though I have to work a lot, it will be a fun few weeks to not think before the craziness begins again. Work has, however, been nuts lately. I almost answered the phone "Financial Aid" the other day when Dan called... oh boy. Hopefully, it will calm down however. 

The weekend after the wedding, I finally get to see my friends as well! Were all meeting up at Molly's beach house for a weekend! I havent seen everyone since the beginning of the summer, and while I have friends here, we are generally studying- not too exciting. It will be good to catch up and enjoy each others company. 

I just have to make it through a week and a half. I think I can I think I can.

Life, or something like it

Tomorrow! Danny and I will have been dating for a year. That is craziness. So much has changed... then I was at VT, finishing my degree and he was in Quantico jetting off to exotic locations all the time. Now, Im at W&M and he's at Anny (at least for now...). Time sure does fly. Apple Blossom seems just like yesterday and years ago all at the same time. Weird.


Some highlights (in no particular order):
Apple Blossom: it was a crazy busy weekend full of dancing and balls and parades... definitely an experience
Katie's wedding: Dan got to meet a lot of my high school friends, bond with Hunter as I tried to take care of all my Maid of Honor duties, and we all danced the night away
Danny's birthday: getting to meet the whole family all at once, and a million friends, was crazy and exciting! Plus there were two concussions, always interesting.
Fredericksburg: Living there for those 6 months and subbing could get a little boring, but it was so nice to be a "normal" couple and see each other at least once a week
Christmas: even though Danny worked Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, it was nice to share our traditions with him and get in the Christmas spirit : )
Marine Corps Ball: who doesnt love getting dressed up? And hearing boys say oohrah a hundred times? And celebrating the Marines birthday? and dancing? and McDonalds at 2 am.... enough said.




Since he works this weekend (nothing new there!), he came and visited on Thursday and we exchanged presents. Confession: we had to stop at Target and buy his present because I hadn't gotten it yet... oops. He brought me beautiful pink roses, a movie, and gorgeous diamond earrings! And I bought him a George Foreman Grill.... hmm... We then went out for a lovely Japanese dinner (yum) and hung out until he had to go home : ( I'll see him next weekend when we help Holly move, however.

In other aspects, this session of school is nuts. We have a test once a week in both of our classes and on top of that TONS of reading. I think Im learning a lot, it is just a very stressful schedule of reading, studying, work and class. Only three more weeks! Then Ill have a few days off (which I will work) and it will be Fall semester! We mainly will have classes and will also have practicum, where we observe in the school that we will be student teaching in in the Fall. Oh yes, and I have to work 20 hours a week. This year is going to be crazy.


This weekend is only the 2nd that I have stayed in Williamsburg since Ive been here. It is nice to have time to get ahead on reading, and I just went to J Crew for a bit of shopping : ) I suppose I should get back to that reading... and studying... and paper writing... and waiting for Danny to wake up <3

Tim McGraw!!

Last night we went to see Tim McGraw with Love and Theft and Lady Antebellum. All of them were wonderful and it was an amazingly beautiful evening! Tim played for a few hours and you forget how many wonderful songs he has! Faith was apparently in the audience, and his little girl even came out to sing for a while! It was so fun!


It was also a little sad. Charles went with us, and now, after bringing him his vacuum and saying goodbye, I dont know when or if Ill ever see him again. Its so weird because he and Holly act just like they always do. He's still affectionate and still seems to love her... but I guess he doesnt. In two weeks Im going up to help her move, and it's just so sad. He has been like a brother to me for 7 years... that is a LONG time. But if I am sad, I cant even imagine how Holly feels... it is just so weird. I hope that one day he figures out what he is missing.


Mom hates the saying "everything happens for a reason," and I think people say it too much, but I hope that this is happening to Holly for some reason. Either so that Charlie can figure out that he wants to marry her or so that she can find someone better. People change and perhaps they have just grown apart. I suppose we have to wait for this "reason" to appear. Until then, Holly is, as usual, one of the strongest people I know. AND she got promoted on Friday- so at least there is some good news!


In other news, I havent seen Dan in what feels like forever, and I suppose Im not going to see him for another two weeks. This also makes me sad. 


Amongst all the sadness, however, I must get back to studying. I have two tests every week for the next four weeks... along with all of my other quizzes, readings, and papers. At least being busy gives me no time to be sad. 

Back to Class

After a two day break... I am back to classes. We had a nice fourth of July weekend, though. I got to see the family and watch the DC fireworks from Holly's building. It was very nice. However, I am getting tired of driving somewhere every weekend. However, Ill be back to DC this weekend for a Tim McGraw and Lady Antebellum concert- I guess that is worth it!


My two new classes seem like they will be a lot of work. Educational Psychology is a lot to remember (and apparently has REALLY hard multiple choice questions) and Curriculum, Instruction, & Assessment will be challenging. We have a test every week for both, so it is going to be a lot of studying on top of a lot of reading... but as always, Ill manage.


I feel like I havent seen Danny in FOREVER. I may get to see him this weekend for a few hours, but I miss him! One day we will both have a little bit of time off together... just not so sure when that day is going to be! Im done with this semester on August 6th and were supposed to be going to a wedding that weekend, so that could be fun!


On another note, I cut all my hair off. Im not so sure that I like it, or know what to do with it, or make it look good... but I suppose it will go. I did get to donate it to a Locks of Love type organization, so that makes me feel better about not liking it. It will grow.


Life is pretty uneventful.. back to reading.

Ahh

I am almost done with my first summer session of grad school! It was only about 5 weeks long, but it is still amazing to me how fast time goes by. I have survived and done very well in all of my classes, so it's nice to know that I can handle the school work.


Things only get busier from here though... The next summer session starts next Tuesday. I have two classes again for that month and then a bit off. Then I am taking a crazy amount of classes and doing practicum. I know all of this hard work will be worth it, but its going to be a crazy year. Between work and homework, practicum and classes, Im not sure how Im going to have time to breathe. However, I do know that this is showing me that I think I will enjoy teaching. The thought of making up lessons and units and lesson plans excites me. I know that all of them will not be great and that some of them will fail utterly. But I believe that W&M will teach me how to make them better... and hopefully me a better teacher.


It is still crazy to me that this time next year I will be preparing for my first teaching job (hopefully I can get one!). I will be a licensed teacher. When did I become old enough to be the teacher and not the student? Im really not sure, but Im looking forward to it. And until then, Im going to try to enjoy being the student for as long as I can...

No Place Id Rather Be...

Right now I should be here (or at least packing to be here):


This is the view from the house that I stay in at my favorite place on earth: DeBordieu.

The beautiful beach

I have been to this same beach every year of my entire life, including the one that I was in my Mom's belly. I look forward to the trip every year. In past years I have even been lucky enough to go for two weeks. My Mom's whole side of the family gets together just to sit in the sand and enjoy the sun and the waves. We used to all fit in one house- now it requires three! For a long time (Until I was about 8) I was the youngest of the children, but now re range in age from 60 to 2. That is a lot of relatives! Despite the fact that there are lots of relatives, there are not a lot of people! If you go on the beach and see 2 other families, thats crowded!

I cannot believe that I am going to miss the trip: sitting out on the porch, watching fireflies, collecting sea shells, riding waves, eating good food, taking long walks on the beach, catching up with family, and overall just a relaxing week of having to do nothing but put my toes in the sand and read a good book. This year, I will be hunkering down and trying to write a 12 page paper. Luckily, my cute boyfriend (who I really wished to see DeBordieu and meet all the family as well) will be visiting. He is trying to convince me to go to Virginia Beach- but I think the comparison might just make my sadness greater.

Hopefully, the family will have an amazing time. And next year, Ill be there for two weeks! 365 days and counting...

One for the books..

Soo... This is a crazy story. One that I thought I should write down, thus not forgetting the details.


Thursday night Danny came to Williamsburg to surprise me. We had a lovely dinner and watched Burn Notice and I had fun not studying for a few hours. He left. I was sad, nothing new there. But then at about 12:30 I get a call from him. Id been asleep for a while so I was a little discombobulated, but here's what happened:


Danny was driving down 95 in the left hand lane. All of the sudden he heard a thud, a very big thud, on the right side of his car. He pulled over, along with the three people behind him, to realize that a man had just ran out from the woods and hit his car. He did not hit the guy, the guy hit him. Yes, like a deer would do.


Danny, being the calm person that he is, calls 911, reports it, and the other people help to direct traffic around the guy. He was hurt, so they didnt want to move him and his bone was like sticking out of his leg. Ew. The cops got there, and noticing that there was no damage to the front of his car, and it was not his fault, were much nicer. They said that had a call earlier saying that a bunch of guys had dropped their friend off on the side of the road because he was drunk and belligerent. Who does that?!?! 


Overall, it was a crazy story. We found out that it was a 25 year old man from North Carolina. No idea what he was doing in VA. Just another annoying thing to deal with...