tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-295427922024-03-14T00:39:39.030-04:00Melba's MusingsMy place for musings about life, photography, education, and other stuffMelbahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16058896619253076094noreply@blogger.comBlogger185125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29542792.post-29841185099144862252014-04-21T22:34:00.001-04:002014-04-21T22:34:15.319-04:00Two weeks in...Well we are two weeks into the juicing thing and still going strong. While I haven't had any more significant weight loss, I have maintained my initial loss without being overly careful. I can also honestly say this whole endeavor has made me feel so much better. <div><br></div><div>My energy is still high, and I am also still (mostly) caffeine free not counting the occasional cup of tea. Another benefit I didn't plan on - I have greatly reduced my dependency on OTC pain relievers. My go-to drug of choice was ibuprofen, or sometimes Tylenol. I would say that 5/7 days in any given week would have seen me taking two or more doses of the stuff, just for general aches and pains like headaches or leg cramps. Now I'd say I'm down to 1/7 days where I take ANY OTC pain relievers, and when I do, I can take smaller doses and still feel completely better. </div><div><br></div><div>Also--TMI ALERT IF YOU CARE--last week I started the first period I've had since January. As someone who has had a consistently inconsistent cycle my entire adult life, this is a big deal. It means my body is becoming healthier, and trying to self-regulate. I'll take it, and I can only hope the contined influx of veggies and low GI fruits will continue to work their magic on my system. </div><div><br></div><div>If nothing else, this has been a great learning experience, and a generally good thing for the hubby and I to do together. It's nice to have a partner in crime, and someone to bounce ideas off of in terms of juice recipes and ways to make it all easier and more sustainable. </div><div><br></div><div>Speaking of ease, last night I tried the trick of lining the pulp-catcher with a plastic bag before using the juicer. SMART! It saved me a lot of time in the cleanup process, and it also made the job of carrying the pulp out to the compost bin a bit easier to complete.</div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9b4AaL-pLi2O5kPwbIpBT8e_Smgj6f88N0ydWwjFxTagD-zaWZk6wvsv16_gUQ9gzVUu87rYD-CP56El7HglLHPZ_UuDzRI1b5WB2Gkjrkng9mV-XGJK9yiTWQXIiElvvB4v4Rw/s640/blogger-image-1642912036.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9b4AaL-pLi2O5kPwbIpBT8e_Smgj6f88N0ydWwjFxTagD-zaWZk6wvsv16_gUQ9gzVUu87rYD-CP56El7HglLHPZ_UuDzRI1b5WB2Gkjrkng9mV-XGJK9yiTWQXIiElvvB4v4Rw/s640/blogger-image-1642912036.jpg"></a></div><br></div>Melbahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16058896619253076094noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29542792.post-31488346961205460292014-04-11T19:54:00.001-04:002014-04-11T19:54:48.037-04:0080/20After lots of reading/research this week, I've learned that it's important to try to stick with a vegetable:fruit ratio of 80:20 when juicing for health purposes and weight loss. Usually we are successful at this, but sometimes it's hard to get enough variety with veggies. I try to think of it like a buffet where I need to choose four servings of veggies and one serving of fruit. Generally speaking, if my juice comes out a nice, green color then I know I've done pretty well. The big exception to this would be carrots because their color tends to dominate. <div><br></div><div>Overall juicing has been a good experience for us this week - I definitely think our vitamin increase alone is worth the time and effort we've put forth. </div>Melbahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16058896619253076094noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29542792.post-53271139335473293172014-04-10T22:01:00.001-04:002014-04-10T22:01:51.131-04:00Top ShelfThe top shelf of our fridge is slightly ridiculous after my most recent Sam's Club run. You can't even see the light come on anymore because the produce is stacked so high:<div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY1l41QRpMk0G3Kc8LJk-4_bACEzWbzH4Yh2TtPfah0KmgmPhyphenhyphencqbbchJ1Dsceu4BeBLgnPTl9T0eYXsoJ8dbNdIRYV2UOZfisZZqG1ilWDHcw66EP6QuGCr6pQo2QKdJNGjVzhw/s640/blogger-image-1957415970.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY1l41QRpMk0G3Kc8LJk-4_bACEzWbzH4Yh2TtPfah0KmgmPhyphenhyphencqbbchJ1Dsceu4BeBLgnPTl9T0eYXsoJ8dbNdIRYV2UOZfisZZqG1ilWDHcw66EP6QuGCr6pQo2QKdJNGjVzhw/s640/blogger-image-1957415970.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">I've honestly never bought so much produce in a week in my entire life. I guess if we are using it then it's a worthwhile expense. Certainly beats spending that extra money eating out, which is what we would have been doing last week. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><br></span></div><div><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">I stopped in to restock our supply of greens, and ended up </span>picking up a few new things to try in the juicer too. Among them, green beans and sugar snap peas. At this point we're still experimenting and trying to nail down exactly what an how much we need to buy in order to sustain juicing 3x a day for 2 people. Haven't found the formula yet, but have found a few really good "go to" juice recipes. At the moment my favorite green is spinach. It's very water-packed so it yields a lot of juice. It's also nutrient dense and very low in calories so that's a triple-win in my book. </div><div><br></div><div>Onward and upward...</div>Melbahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16058896619253076094noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29542792.post-15944652550708063652014-04-09T17:29:00.001-04:002014-04-09T17:29:02.904-04:00Energy...and a few more resourcesEnergy...it's a beautiful thing! Now granted I'm on spring break this week so I've afforded myself quite a bit more downtime than usual. I am aware that the way I feel this week may not paint the whole picture of my working-life reality. Still though...for a very long time now, I have been able to almost guarantee a 2:00 p.m. energy crash to swoop in and put a big damper on my day. <div><br></div><div>Not only have I been without coffee since Monday, but I actually have more energy than I've had in a while. This week, when I could have taken naps if I felt the need, 2:00 p.m. has come and gone with very little notice on my part. I didn't think that much of it until today. I got a little sleepy at around 4:30 and was surprised to see that it was already 4:30. And "a little sleepy" is a very different feeling from my afore mentioned 2:00 p.m. energy crashes. The jury is still out for me as to whether this is related to juicing or not, but I think this change is very notable and very important. Also, back to the coffee for a minute, I have also still NOT experienced a caffeine craving headache, which I would have fully expected by now. I have had some small amounts of caffeine here and there, a cup of tea last night and the little bit in the chocolate I ate after lunch yesterday, but considering what I would've had by this time last week, I would have thought my body would be in full withdrawal mode by now. </div><div><br></div><div>I was also pleasantly surprised this morning when I discovered I've lost 4 pounds. I didn't even have a perfect day yesterday with food choices (think chocolate) so I wouldn't have expected such a dramatic loss but I guess a 100% increase in vegetable intake and water will do that for you. I'm still not ready to make the switch to drinking only juice for ANY number of days, but I have been successful with drinking only juice for breakfast and eating less along with some juice for lunch and dinner. For now that will be my plan and I will reevaluate at the end of this week. My main goals with this plan are sustainability and better health. Sub-goals include weight loss, better energy, and skin improvement. </div><div><br></div><div>To that end, I have found a couple useful apps that I want to share: </div><div><br></div><div>1. My Fitness Pal - calorie counter, food diary, etc. it's great! </div><div><br></div><div>2. Juicing - it's free and offers recipes by category, as well as an option to sign up fro recipes & tips via email</div><div><br></div><div>3. My Diet Coach - Also free and looks cute, although I did just download it today. </div><div><br></div><div>4. Day 1 - An app for private journaling on your phone. Helps me keep track of the juices I've tried and feelings about them. </div>Melbahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16058896619253076094noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29542792.post-12347567718196880732014-04-08T12:10:00.002-04:002014-04-08T12:21:37.308-04:00Juicing<div style="border: 0px; margin: 12px 0px 18px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255,255,255,0);">We finally bit the bullet and bought ourselves a <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Breville-JE98XL-Fountain-850-Watt-Extractor/dp/B003R28HWQ">Breville juicer</a> yesterday. I've been wanting to try juicing for better health ever since I started seeing green juice recipes on Pinterest a couple of years ago. Watching the documentary by Joe Cross: <a href="http://www.fatsickandnearlydead.com/">Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead </a>is what cemented the idea for me. I've seen the movie twice now, the first time alone, and the second time when I shared it with my husband. The stories shared are eye-opening and compelling - they have inspired me to want to do better, and to want to be healthier. </span><span style="background-color: rgba(255,255,255,0);"> </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxWOfeSquJ3ser1P8HIzcCMZGuOuxOEIhjyqfUZcFqWZEkElJTRArFmpteaT90aVf9C5dUEkGNNw3IO_1qs6RGHEpeiEFY21jA12NnwSvotk9XoHYdyxCuzcUQrGN8jHks_jpp6w/s1600/juice.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxWOfeSquJ3ser1P8HIzcCMZGuOuxOEIhjyqfUZcFqWZEkElJTRArFmpteaT90aVf9C5dUEkGNNw3IO_1qs6RGHEpeiEFY21jA12NnwSvotk9XoHYdyxCuzcUQrGN8jHks_jpp6w/s1600/juice.JPG" height="257" width="320" /></a><span style="background-color: rgba(255,255,255,0);"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255,255,255,0);">We
had some green juices along with a light dinner last night, kind of just sampling a few different recipes we've seen. </span>This morning my husband made me the "Mean Green" juice </span><span style="background-color: rgba(255,255,255,0);"><span style="background-color: rgba(255,255,255,0);">that is recommended by
reboot with Joe</span> for breakfast. He tried a green smoothie by adding a banana and a cup of milk. So far it seems to be going
well. My juice was pretty good but I think our ratio of cucumber
was a little bit off – I needed it to be a little bit sweeter. I do have to say I feel satisfied enough. it is 9:28 and I am hoping that will hold
me off until an appropriate lunchtime…</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255,255,255,0);"> My
short-term goal right now is to replace one meal a day with some
form of a green smoothie, and see how that goes. If it is sustainable
and I'm able to lose a little bit of weight then I will consider maybe
replacing two meals a day and so on. I'm not quite ready to do the full
on "body reboot" as advertised by Joe Cross just yet. I want to sort of take it down by
notches and see how that goes...be sure this is something that I can sustain while also working full time and raising a family. One thing is certain and that is that there are tons and tons of
resources available out there, many of them free, that will help me
along this journey. One I've already used more than once is this great
PDF that gives you the correct ratio for different green juice or
smoothie concoctions. I plan to laminate this and tape it to the wall
right next to our juicer for easy reference. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255,255,255,0);"><span style="background-color: rgba(255,255,255,0);"><span style="background-color: rgba(255,255,255,0);">I
am also really liking the relatively low investment cost of this idea, and
the fact that it is all based on natural foods that are much healthier
than what I have been eating. Even when we did the LA weight loss plan –
having to buy their bars and pay for their program and all of that </span></span></span><span style="background-color: rgba(255,255,255,0);"><span style="background-color: rgba(255,255,255,0);"><span style="background-color: rgba(255,255,255,0);"><span style="background-color: rgba(255,255,255,0);"><span style="background-color: rgba(255,255,255,0);"><span style="background-color: rgba(255,255,255,0);">–</span></span></span> it seemed a little...I don't know...gimmicky somehow? We are still working our way through and trying to figure out the formula for what we actually need in order to sustain a week's worth of juicing. Still though, going to Sam's Club and literally filling our cart with fresh vegetables and fruit felt really good - really life affirming. Even if I don't manage to lose the weight I want to lose, I know I am going to be healthier, and be doing my body a favor by consuming so many vegetables. I'm kind of thinking of it like an army inside my body - and all of this produce is my fortification of that army. </span></span></span><br />
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O<span style="background-color: rgba(255,255,255,0);">verall I do already feel better. I have not had any coffee
since Sunday, and I don't have any headache so far. Hope I didn't just
speak too soon. I also have the same (or slightly more) energy that I would feel on a
normal work morning, but this is without coffee. I plan to blog about my
journey a little bit, mostly just to chronicle the process, and to keep track of my learning process and any great resources I find. </span><span style="background-color: rgba(255,255,255,0);"><span style="background-color: rgba(255,255,255,0);">Only time will tell, but the idea that I can fight back against my life-long struggle with
obesity, and against all the processed, refined CRAP out there by using my body's natural healing powers, and following a plan that is both simple and sustainable in terms of cost and
upkeep - well that is empowering, and I'm definitely ready to give it my
best shot!!</span> </span><br />
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Melbahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16058896619253076094noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29542792.post-22002168732228790662012-08-14T23:11:00.007-04:002012-08-14T23:11:58.388-04:00Six Songs of MeI heard <a href="http://www.npr.org/blogs/deceptivecadence/2012/08/08/158442642/you-are-what-you-hear-what-your-favorite-music-says-about-you?sc=fb&cc=fmp">this really cool story</a> on NPR about the music we listen to defining who we are. I decided to create <a href="http://www.sixsongsof.me/Playlist/SixSongs/melanie.love,16658,16582">my own personal sound track</a>, based on the six questions the study group asks: <br />
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<li><b>First song you ever bought:</b> "Fame" by Irene Cara. This may not even be true, I can't remember for sure, but it is among the first I bought. Belinda Carlisle, Debbie Gibson, Madonna, The Bangles, Carly Simon, Tiffany...somewhere in there lies the first song I ever bought but I couldn't actuality pinpoint it. </li>
<li><b>Gets you dancing: </b> The Locomotion
<span>by Kylie Minogue. Enough said! Although, I could've chosen a few others too, like Another One Bites the Dust by Queen or Pump Up the Jam...now that was a good song! </span></li>
<li><span><b>Takes you back to childhood:</b> Bridge Over Troubled Water by Simon and Garfunkle. I can remember <i>belting</i> this out upstairs in my attic bedroom as the record (yes, I said record) played on my turntable. Sometimes I miss the simplicity of those days! </span></li>
<li><span><b>Perfect love song: </b> All I Ask of You from Phantom of the Opera. It's <i>our</i> love song...what else can I say??</span></li>
<li><span><b>A song for your funeral:</b> Summer of My Dreams by Kathy Mattea. I don't even know why, really. Just something about the song speaks of peaceful endings and closure. I really want my funeral to be very musical though. There are so many songs I absolutely love and I truly do believe in the healing power of music...</span></li>
<li><span><b>The encore, one more song that makes you, you:</b> Yellow by Coldplay. I had to think about this one for a long time. There are <i>so very many</i> songs that I think define me. Honestly it's almost impossible to pick only one...or six. But still, this song has always warmed me up and made me so happy. It makes me feel warm and cozy, the way your best friend's kitchen does when you're feeling really lonely. </span></li>
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Melbahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16058896619253076094noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29542792.post-76902042104665087862011-08-07T17:54:00.003-04:002011-08-07T17:57:56.346-04:00My New JobsThe past few months have been quite busy with lots of changes for me on the job front. In May I applied for and was offered a job at <a href="http://tutoring.sylvanlearning.com/index.cfm">Sylvan Learning Center.</a> It's been a great part time job for the summer; however, the overall experience has not been what I expected and I don't plan on continuing my work there in the fall. I also applied for and was offered a job as a <a href="http://www.wayprogram.net/">W-A-Y mentor</a> through the main branch of our local school district. Though much of my previous work in the field of education has been with very young children, I'm looking forward to trying my hand at helping at-risk teenagers as a welcome change of pace. I start training for that tomorrow, and I'm excited to see where the job leads. <br />
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This past week was particularly busy as I interviewed for a position at <a href="http://ewmacademyk12.org/Home_Page_and_Calendar.html">East Washtenaw Multicultural Academy</a> in Ann Arbor. The interview went well and I found out on Friday that I'll be working as a preschool teacher for them this coming school year. While I don't see myself teaching preschool for the long haul, I do want to work with young children and this is a way for me to get my foot in the door and get some valuable experience under my belt. The program for which I'll be working is a state funded GSRP program, which means I'll be servicing low income families who might not otherwise have the chance to send their children to preschool. I'm looking forward to the coming week, when I'll be able to meet the families with whom I'll be working for the 2011/2012 school year. In considering this job and my future, I've decided that if money and this horrifying economy were not an issue, my true ideal job would be to teach second or third grade in a public school setting. Unfortunately, this job market is not one which lends itself to any sort of cherry picking--a job is a job after all. Still, I think it's good for me to have some kind of idea of what I want for my future. I'm pretty broadly qualified, educationally speaking, which was an intentional choice on my part. It's not that I wouldn't be happy teaching other grades/ages, or, for that matter, using my reading endorsement and teaching language arts to middle school students, but at least if I have an area upon which to set my sights, I'm more likely to make intentional choices toward that goal.<br />
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Time will tell. There are several other jobs for which I've applied, and I haven't heard anything about any of them. I'm not exactly sure what that means...I suppose it could be good or bad. It's August now though, so I would imagine most schools will be conducting interviews and making their decisions very soon. Unless something unexpected happens in the very near future, I'll be teaching preschool for the foreseeable future. A job is a job, after all! <br />
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Melbahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16058896619253076094noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29542792.post-74660273820700853132011-07-21T21:14:00.000-04:002011-07-21T21:14:47.396-04:00Heat Wave<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1BLU5g8IgD4MZCburhjLKQQpBfLPrnBcxl00DFFpqDJr-AAQccqpPqlKQUVXlhGMlDi07z5QCDWH0N4jd-w-jMFCPn2GYcxw1xNYKOUOEWecplewFxtxFT4MK-gLJ1e5gD76uRw/s1600/284281_10150243885241851_710051850_7962356_4945935_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1BLU5g8IgD4MZCburhjLKQQpBfLPrnBcxl00DFFpqDJr-AAQccqpPqlKQUVXlhGMlDi07z5QCDWH0N4jd-w-jMFCPn2GYcxw1xNYKOUOEWecplewFxtxFT4MK-gLJ1e5gD76uRw/s320/284281_10150243885241851_710051850_7962356_4945935_n.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>Back in the spring, someone I was talking to predicted this would be a hot simmer. Turns out they were right. We're currently in the midst of a heat wave the likes of which I've never seen. All the news stations are reporting, "excessive heat warnings" & relentlessly advising us how to stay cool. Something happens to your brain when you see things like, "feels like 115" at the left. Suddenly you become extremely curious. "What exactly does 115 degrees feel like?" you wonder. So you go outside and find out. It's not so bad at first, then you decide to move. Wow, that's hot. I walked to my neighbor's house two doors down this afternoon, with our two-year-old on my shoulders and by the time I got there, I was wilting. <br />
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I feel very fortunate that I have access to central air and AC in my car, and that going outside is a choice for me. I really can't figure out how people who work outside for a living are functioning through this extreme heat. I got out early to water the garden this morning, and even by 9:00 it was HOT. <br />
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Melbahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16058896619253076094noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29542792.post-11742147781881572342011-07-13T15:53:00.001-04:002011-07-13T15:54:28.022-04:00The Search is Over...Quite a long time ago, I wrote <a href="http://photomelba.blogspot.com/2008/08/communion.html">A POST</a> about church and my {rather conflicted} feelings on the matter. I did attend the church I referenced in that post for about six months, nearly every week. I even went to Sunday school, and I met some people there that I still remember fondly now. For reasons I won't bore you with here, I fell off the bandwagon. Life got very complicated for a time, and then <a href="http://photomelba.blogspot.com/2009/05/my-life-will-never-be-same-again.html">our son was born</a>.<br />
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Life got even more complicated. Everything changed. <br />
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One thing that didn't change though, was that my spiritual existence felt very unformed. Any time I thought of God or church or religion at all, I pictured a mental image of a blank screen with a little cursor flashing in the corner. Like those old Compuware 486 computers used to do when you first turned them on. Like, "Come on already will you please DO something?" When our son turned two not that long ago, I started talking to my older sister about how I was feeling. I told her that I really wanted to start taking the little one to church because I wanted him to have a moral foundation upon which to grow and learn. We talked about how we can teach our children morals but we really want/need a moral community within which to raise our children so that those lessons we teach can be reinforced by the broader "community" if you will. We also talked about how many of our closest relationships over the years blossomed as a result of our shared experiences <i>at church</i>. Call it divinity or whatever you will, but my sister had a lot of the same feelings I did regarding church. Though we hadn't previously discussed it a lot, we had both been wrestling with it privately and wishing for a solution.<br />
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That was it then, we had to start going to church. We enlisted the support of our younger sister, who has also been wanting to find a church she can attend. Three sisters strong, we started church-hopping to see what was available. The first church we attended, chosen by me, had an excellent children's ministry but left us all feeling a little uncertain in other ways. We decided we would each choose a church per week until we (hopefully) found one about which we could all feel good. The next week, my younger sister chose for us to try <a href="http://www.unitya2.com/">Unity Church of Ann Arbor.</a> <br />
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As it turned out, neither of my sister's made it to church that week, which left me attending services alone with my little one. Despite the slight, inevitable awkwardness of attending church alone, and despite the fact that I didn't know children's services were only available at the 11:00 service, meaning I had to entertain my two-year-old the whole time, I<i> loved</i> the church. I found myself thinking that I<i> really</i> hoped my sister's would like this church too because I was pretty sure I wouldn't be looking any further. I left there that Sunday feeling spiritually full, like I was ready to face the world and all it's complications. My mind wandered back to points from the sermon several times that following week. I felt not only like I wanted to be a better person, but also like I could be a better person. I felt the way I always imagined <i>my church</i> would make me feel. Since that time, my sister's have also attended--and become very fond of--the church. We all sort of feel like we belong there, even though it hasn't been that long since we started attending. The things I like best about this church are:<br />
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<ul><li>There are many different skin tones, both among the congregation and among the clergy members. </li>
<li>They teach based on the foundation of the bible and Jesus but they relate it to today, to real life.</li>
<li>They practice meditation and mind calming techniques. </li>
<li>They teach based on a set of principles that leave room for different interpretations. </li>
<li>They don't have a "my way or else" philosophy. </li>
<li>The church is not tiny but not huge. I'm already beginning to know people and I don't feel lost in the crowd. </li>
<li>They are open to questions and individual interpretation of their teachings. </li>
<li>They love my little boy and have welcomed us with open arms. </li>
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There are other reasons I like this church too but they can all be summed up by saying that I feel that I can truly be myself here. I can come in with my questions, my doubts and openly seeking a stronger connection with God and that will be supported. I can teach my son the things I believe and know that his spiritual journey as he grows will also be supported and nourished. That is profound, and so far, so is the Unity Church of Ann Arbor.<br />
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</span> Melbahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16058896619253076094noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29542792.post-1433935009139606662011-04-09T14:21:00.001-04:002011-07-13T15:52:45.981-04:00This Time Next WeekRight around this time next week, I will be sitting in the convocation center at <a href="http://www.emich.edu/">Eastern Michigan University</a>, wearing my cap and gown and listening to...who knows what kind of commencement speech. Shorty thereafter, I will be the proud holder of my bachelor's of science in elementary education. I am SO excited, there really aren't enough words to encompass how I feel. <br />
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Last night I went to a little cap decorating party with some of the awesome women who have been with me along the way. Our caps look smashing and I had a great time hanging out with them. We are all so ready for next week but there is nervous anticipation too. Now it's actually starting to feel real! The journey from <a href="http://photomelba.blogspot.com/2008/05/decision-time.html">this post</a>, (way back when I was first making decisions) to now, seems like a thousand miles. And yet, the time actually seems to have gone by rather quickly too. It's an odd conundrum really but I guess that's what happens when you're so busy. <br />
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In any case...I am absolutely thrilled to have come so far and I feel really proud of all I've accomplished. According to my transcript, I'll be graduating <i>magna cum laude</i> next week, which means I've been able to maintain an overall GPA of 3.75. Considering all the other major things I've had on my plate over the past three-and-a-half years, and considering we've also had some significant life changes thrown into the mix, that's pretty darn awesome. Come on, April 16! <br />
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</span> Melbahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16058896619253076094noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29542792.post-30457150630814194202011-03-14T15:16:00.004-04:002011-07-13T15:52:07.210-04:00Sweet!When you hear the word "sweet," what kinds of things do you think of? Kisses maybe? Or candy? Maybe your best mate or your roomie? What about pie? Well yes...pie is sweet but what about pi? Pi as in 3.14, do you normally think of that as sweet? If you're anything like me (a bit of a math-a-phobic person really) the answer is probably no... <br />
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...until now that is. You simply must hear this to believe. The sound of Pi is actually quite sweet. As someone on a friend's Facebook feed so eloquently put it, "<span data-jsid="text">MIND = BLOWN!!!!!!!! Its like math just exploded into song!!!!!" I couldn't agree with that more and so, without further ado, I'll leave you with this:</span><br />
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</span><span data-jsid="text"></span></div>Melbahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16058896619253076094noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29542792.post-13071721828288007672011-03-05T13:55:00.002-05:002011-03-05T13:59:11.591-05:0042 Days......until I GRADUATE!!! I know not everyone will understand but this is HUGE for me. This is a lifetime goal that I've always held and it's been a loooong time coming. My educational path has been non-traditional in nearly every way. My journey has included many twisting, winding, sometimes bumpy roads. I was definitely not the girl who graduated from high school knowing exactly what she wanted. There was a time when, despite my knowledge that it was important, I wondered if I would ever earn my bachelor's degree. That was actually a really big factor in my decision to go back to school at the ripe old age of 32 - the knowledge that having a four year degree was something that really mattered to me in the grand scheme of my life. <br />
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There's <a href="http://www.blogger.com/%3Ciframe%20title=%22YouTube%20video%20player%22%20width=%22480%22%20height=%22390%22%20src=%22http://www.youtube.com/embed/t43VgJ4U9_Q%22%20frameborder=%220%22%20allowfullscreen%3E%3C/iframe%3E">a song by the Avett Brothers</a> that I really love right now. My favorite line says, "Decide what to be and go be it." I love that! It speaks to me in the deep. The song also talks about, "...a kid with a head full of doubt" and I feel somehow that the kid is/was me. I wish I had been able to make those decisions when I was younger and I wish (sometimes) that I had just gotten all this done years ago. But then...if that were the case, I wouldn't be who I am and I wouldn't have had any of the rich and rewarding experience along the way either. Those twisting, turning roads have not been bad, just long at times. For the most part though, my former educational and career experiences have been value added to the person I've become. <br />
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I wonder what the next chapter holds? I wonder when/where/if I will find a job? I wonder who my future students will be? Which of those children will have "a head full of doubt" to which I may be able to add a ray of hope? Although it took me a long time to get to where I am and although the uncertainty of being a job-seeker in the worst economy since the Great Depression is, to say the least, daunting, I can say for sure that my decision to be a teacher was absolutely the right one. Gone (but not forgotten) is my head full of doubt. Although fear is definitely in the mix too, I'm now able to look ahead with pride and confidence in how far I've come. I'm also able to look ahead with hope that I may be able to make a difference in the future by influencing the people who will live in it.<br />
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<span style="color: black;"> <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54486/176/6AA11CB31CDB27B019F3BC888B32489C.png" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-size: auto auto; background-attachment: scroll; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat; border: medium none;" /></a></span><br />
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Melbahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16058896619253076094noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29542792.post-36899710880093541052011-02-01T15:13:00.001-05:002011-02-01T15:13:53.641-05:00This is the big one......this is the one we've all been waiting for!<br />
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OK well maybe we haven't all been waiting for it, but I certainly have. I've been doing snow dances every time any kind of system moves through our area and this time, it seems to have finally worked!<br />
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<blockquote>If you didn't already know, teachers (including student teachers like me) LOVE snow days!!</blockquote><br />
This is what greeted me on weatherbug dot com a few minutes ago:<br />
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</div><span style="color: black;"><b>BLIZZARD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 10 PM THIS EVENING TO 7 PM EST WEDNESDAY</b></span><br />
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• A Blizzard Warning Means Severe Winter Weather Conditions Are Expected Or Occurring. Falling And Blowing Snow With Strong Winds And Poor Visibilities Are Likely. This Will Lead To Whiteout Conditions...Making Travel Extremely Dangerous. Do Not Travel. If You Must Travel...Have A Winter Survival Kit With You. If You Get Stranded...Stay With Your Vehicle.</span><span style="color: black;">Urgent - Winter Weather Message, National Weather Service MI<br />
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<span style="color: black;">Impacts...<br />
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• Heavy Snow...Strong Gusty Winds...And Widespread Blowing And <br />
Drifting Snow Will Make Travel Dangerous Tonight And <br />
Wednesday. <br />
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• White-Out Conditions With Visibilities Of One-Quarter Of Mile <br />
Or Less Due To Intense Snowfall And Blowing Snow. <br />
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• Quickly Accumulating Snow And Blowing And Drifting Snow Will <br />
Make Roads Very Hard To Clear. <br />
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• Untreated Roads Will Become Slippery...Snowpacked...And <br />
Dangerous.<br />
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• Heavy Snow And Strong Winds May Cause Power Outages.<br />
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Hazardous Weather...<br />
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• Snow Will Spread North Into Southeast Michigan Late This <br />
Evening And Become Heavy Overnight Into Wednesday. <br />
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• Northeast Winds Will Gust In Excess Of 35 Mph Tonight And<br />
Wednesday Morning...Creating Areas Of Blowing And Drifting<br />
Snow...And Widespread Blizzard Conditions.<br />
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• The Heaviest Snow And Strongest Wind Gusts Are Expected To <br />
Coincide Between Midnight Tonight And 10 AM Wednesday. <br />
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• Heavy Storm Total Snow Accumulations Between 8 And 12 Inches <br />
Are Expected. <br />
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• Wind Chills Are Forecasted To Range Between 0 And 5 Degrees<br />
Below Zero Tonight.</span><br />
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<span style="color: black;">I've also already learned that <a href="http://www.emich.edu/">Eastern Michigan University</a> has closed for tonight and tomorrow, which is VERY rare and the public libraries in our area have all closed for tomorrow. Obviously my first and most important concern is for everyone to stay safe and warm...and to stay OFF the roads if at all possible. Bearing that in mind, bring on the snow! I'm guessing the preschool where I'm currently student teaching will close for two days, based on what my CT and other veterans had to say this morning. Two days of unexpected time off? That definitely works for me!! </span><br />
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<span style="color: black;">I'll be sure and post pictures and updates later, assuming I'm not buried under the white stuff! </span><br />
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1. Instagram - FREE! This app is a fun and easy way to share photos, as well as to follow other friends who use the app. It has some fun "filters" you can add to the photos you upload and it easily connects to most social networking sites and has privacy settings you can control. I would expect popularity of this app to grow over the coming months. <br />
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2. Shazam - FREE! This app is simply awesome! It "listens" to a snippet from any song you are hearing and it tells you the name of the song, artist, album, etc. It also gives you the option to connect directly to the iTunes store so you can purchase that awesome new song you just found. I love this one! <br />
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3. NPR News - FREE! If you are an NPR listener, this is a "must have" app! I use this just about every day to connect to the live stream of NPR from anywhere I am. I can also download tons of free podcasts and other content that NPR has programmed in. <br />
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4. Words With Friends - FREE (or paid). This app is a fun, quick way to connect with friends and have fun. If you like scrabble, you'll like this. You can play games with friends/family who also use the game or you can play with random strangers. I like the fact that I can have several games going at one time and it only takes me a couple of minutes to play my rounds. <br />
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5. Around Me - FREE! This one is good for when you are out and about, especially in a location with which you are unfamiliar. You can use it as a GPS, or just to find local listings of just about any type of establishment you could want. I don't use it every day but it's been quite handy on more than one occasion. <br />
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6. Bump - FREE! This one was used a lot more when I first got my phone than it is now but it's still pretty cool. Allows you to share content from your phone (contacts, photos, music, etc.) to another phone loaded with bump by simply "fist bumping" the person with whom you wish to share content.<br />
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7. Fooducate - FREE! This app lets you scan the bar code on any food product using your phone's camera. Once scanned, this app generates a list of the pros and cons of the item, along with a "grade" for the food you have scanned in terms of its nutritional value. Handy tool to have at the grocery store when you want to quickly compare two similar products. <br />
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8. The Weather Channel - FREE! This one is pretty straightforward but I still like it much better than the default weather app on my phone. It provides hourly weather snapshots, weather warnings, videos, etc. for the weather wherever you are. <br />
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9. Time Waster Games - all FREE! I may be cheating a bit here but I have a whole folder on my phone called "Time Wasters" and I want to share them. These are aptly named because they are perfect for those moments when you are stuck somewhere and you just need to pass the time. I have often used them while waiting (obviously parked) in line at the pharmacy, or in doctors offices, etc. In no particular order they are: Run Stick Run, Fall Down, Tap Tap Revenge, Jungle Crash, RedBall, BubbleFree, and Fat-a-pult. They are all a little silly but easy to play and fun if you just need to kill a few minutes. <br />
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10. Shop Savvy - FREE! This app is new on my phone and as such, it's one I haven't used a ton yet. Still, I'm impressed with its features. Lets you use your phone's camera to scan the barcode on any product in any store and then it will generate a list of comparison prices at other similar stores. If you're willing to shop around, this could save you some dough. <br />
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</span>Melbahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16058896619253076094noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29542792.post-45029871190539689882010-11-21T11:54:00.000-05:002010-11-21T11:54:11.407-05:00Three Weeks to Go......Ha! I was planning to update this blog every couple of weeks during student teaching. Obviously that didn't happen. It's not entirely a bad thing though, I'm kind of glad that I went the paper-journaling route. <br />
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I could say much about my experiences but I think it would be most prudent for that to wait until after I'm officially done. Honestly I can't believe there are only three weeks left in this semester. I will miss the children more than I can say but I will also be so glad to have this chapter behind me. <br />
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This coming week is short because of Thanksgiving and I'm really happy about that. The extra time off will do me some good, I'm sure. I only have two more observations and a handful of assignments left to complete and I will be DONE. What a tremendous relief and weight off my shoulders! <br />
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Then it's on to my next semester, which (at least at this point) seems like it will be a really good placement for me. Come on April...come on graduation! <br />
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Melbahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16058896619253076094noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29542792.post-3113316037018066512010-09-23T21:09:00.000-04:002010-09-23T21:09:46.891-04:00Three Weeks InWell vacation came and went, school started, routines changed, tears fell, summer ended...and that brings us to now. <br />
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I've been officially student teaching for three weeks now. So far things are going well. I am more exhausted than I've ever been, perhaps with the lone exception of the weeks prior to being diagnosed with <a href="https://health.google.com/health/ref/Hypothyroidism">hypothyroidism</a>, several years ago. In case you didn't know, keeping pace with 24 six-year-old children and then coming home to a 16-month-old toddler on a daily basis has a tendency to deplete your energy! <br />
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Overall my placement is good. I mostly enjoy my time at school and am happy to (finally) be applying some of the knowledge I've been spending the last few years accumulating. Today I got to do some real teaching, which consisted of reading the children a book and going over some math and grammar worksheets with them as a whole group. Up to this point, I've been feeling rather like a (slightly) glorified secretary. Not that I mind doing some of the prep work when that's needed but it was becoming quite excessive for a minute. There have also been some scheduling issues, which are completely out of my control. <br />
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There's been a lot of stress surrounding the time of day the children are slotted to go to their "specials," which are subjects like art, gym, music, technology and media. They go first thing in the morning, which means all the academic subjects have to be crammed into one long afternoon...NOT a good arrangement for first graders! Since I'm required to do two student teaching semesters--one for elementary education and one for early childhood education--I'm currently at the school for three full days and two half days each week. These (along with daycare arrangements, my husband's work schedule and our car sharing arrangements) have been in place since late August. It's not logistically feasible for me to make any major changes to my schedule at this point, which basically means I end up missing out on a big chunk of the academic schedule with the children on two days of my work week. Granted, this is a bummer but it's not something that will be detrimental to my placement and my learning this semester. I'll still have plenty of opportunities to observe and teach all of the subjects, not to mention the fact that I will be working five full days during the two weeks when I'm teaching my unit. There has been so much stress surrounding all this and it's very frustrating, for all parties involved. With the support of my college supervisor, I finally had to directly state that a schedule change was not possible for me. It was tough for me to speak up like that, since I want to shine in my role as a student teacher but it was essential. Once that conversation was over, some of the stress eased. It's still a daily challenge but the stress is no longer directed at me and my schedule, which is a huge relief. <br />
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Whew! That was unintentionally long-winded. I'm required to keep a paper journal as part of my student teaching experience and of course, I've been writing about all this (and then some) in that. I didn't expect to have so much to say about all this here but it just kept coming. Stream of consciousness I suppose. In any case, I'm done for tonight. Time for me to go get ready for tomorrow and then get some much needed sleep. All the stress and exhaustion aside, I do love getting up in the mornings, knowing I get to spend my day with youngsters. I feel that my time is valuable and purposeful now, in a way that it really never has been before. I can't imagine how great I'll feel when I reach the point where I'm actually getting paid to do something I love so much...hang out with children. First graders are so very sweet! <br />
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<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54486/176/6AA11CB31CDB27B019F3BC888B32489C.png" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-size: auto auto; background-attachment: scroll; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat; border: medium none;" /></a></span><br />
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<span style="text-decoration: underline;"></span> Melbahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16058896619253076094noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29542792.post-27894639335094222882010-08-21T09:43:00.001-04:002010-08-21T09:43:58.901-04:00Vacation!!<blockquote>One more day to go, one more day of sorrow...one more day in this old dump, vacation starts tomorrow! </blockquote><br />
I'm feeling pretty excited right about now. Tomorrow we leave for our family vacation to the lake and I really can't wait. It's been two years since Michael and I have been able to get away. We're headed to Mecosta County, Michigan where we'll be staying in a cabin right on the Lake. My parents and two sisters (along with their familial counterparts) will be there too. Oh, and it's also our first real vacation with our son so that will be very special. Hopefully it will be a great week with lots of (much needed) R&R and family fun!<br />
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<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54486/176/6AA11CB31CDB27B019F3BC888B32489C.png" style="-moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-size: auto auto; background-attachment: scroll; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat; border: medium none;" /></a></span><br />
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<span style="text-decoration: underline;"></span>Melbahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16058896619253076094noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29542792.post-8997062930772864312010-08-15T11:31:00.000-04:002010-08-15T11:37:13.405-04:00Big Wheels Keep on TurningI could have given this post a title about the winds of change blowing because they are around here, big time! A little over a week ago, I closed the books on my last on-campus class at Eastern. All that's left for me before I graduate is two semesters of student teaching, the first of which starts in a little over two weeks! There is one short year between me and my bachelor's degree and I absolutely can't wait for that achievement. I know the year will fly by, which is a good thing on one hand and a bad thing on the other since it also means I will have a two-year-old by then. It's unsettling to want the time to fly by so desperately and at the same time want it to slow down so I can hold onto my baby a little bit longer. <br />
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Student teaching is called the "capstone experience" of my degree and I can understand why. There is so much resting on my performance during this one semester in the classroom, it's a little intimidating. At the same time, I'm very excited and very ready to put everything I've learned into practice. I've already gotten my feet pretty wet with my substitute teaching experience but this will be different. I will actually get to know these children and I will feel like more of an influence in their lives. That's what it's all about for me anyway--this career choice I've made. I want to be able to make a difference in the lives of children. I hope this coming year is the first in a long line of opportunities for me to do that. <br />
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But oh I am terrified! I'm not even sure exactly what I'm scared of. I guess just the change. I'm nervous about being a guest in another teachers' classroom. I've met her and so far I really like her, but what if we don't get along? What if I don't agree with her teaching philosophies? What if I overstep my boundaries in my efforts to be self-motivated and independent? What if she doesn't like me? And I'm worried about my feet too. I need some good shoes but money is very limited for us at this stage of the game. I already have issues with my ankle and I know standing on my feet all day every day is going to exacerbate that. <br />
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Then there's the incomprehensible balance between work and home. I know people do it all the time but I'm not sure how. I wrote about my feelings on this a little bit in <a href="http://mandmadopt.blogspot.com/2010/07/quality-vs-quantity.html">this post</a> but they are still largely unresolved. I've been dreaming about leaving our son in daycare. All the dreams have been affirming ones but still, I am very nervous about this change. I know that the only way for me to make peace with it is for it to happen and for everything to be fine. I know that I just have to suck it up and get over the fact that someone else is going to have almost as much time with my son every week as I have with him. That is much easier said than done though. Even knowing I really like the woman who will be caring for him, it's so difficult for me to let go and trust the fact that he will be fine and he will adjust to the new situation. <br />
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To add to the mix, we also have major car problems on our plate. Buying a car, even an old one, is simply not an option for us at this point. We really need tho old ones to hold out for this one final year, until I can find a job. The current chariot of choice, meaning the one that gets us where we're going, is our '99 Ford Taurus. My parents gave us this car when it was old but still in relatively good shape. Now though, the transmission is in the advanced stages of certain death and there is a hole in the exhaust line such that the car literally roars from place to place. How in the world am I going to maintain my dignity and put my best foot forward at my new school (which, by the way, is also the school that I would <i>really</i> love to work at someday) when I'm arriving in that junker every day? The other option we have is to fix our 2001 Toyota but it's in need of repairs that are likely to run in the thousands and that is not something we can even consider. It just is what it is. Luckily the school is not far from home and both of Michael's jobs are relatively close so the driving we will need to do is minimal. Still though, there is only so much coaxing and praying that can be done before all the wings and prayers run out. <br />
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To end on a positive note, we have a much needed family lake vacation coming up next week that will, hopefully, be a relaxing closeout to summer. We'll be staying in a cabin right on the lake with my whole family, which should be lots of fun.<br />
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<span style="text-decoration: underline;"></span>Melbahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16058896619253076094noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29542792.post-67194133417501905542010-06-17T18:59:00.002-04:002010-06-17T19:25:01.026-04:00I Can Breathe Again!Whew! Today I got the good news for which I've been waiting. I was awarded a federal <a href="https://teach-ats.ed.gov/ats/faq.action#Que1">TEACH grant</a> for the 2010/2011 school year! When I read that email, I let out a huge breath that I wasn't even completely aware I'd been holding. I feel like at least one of the tons of bricks that has been weighing me down lately has been removed. The grant won't cover all of my tuition for 2010/2011 but it will cover enough that I now feel <span style="font-style: italic;">much</span> more confident that we'll be able to work out how to pay for the rest out of pocket.<br /><br />Michael is actually the one who found the grant in the first place so I'm grateful to him for pointing me in the right direction. <br /><br />Honestly I feel a little bit like crying, from sheer relief. Ever since I got the news detailed in my previous post, I've had a low level of dread in the pit of my stomach regarding school and how I'm going to finish. I'm old enough to know that where there's a will there's a way but still...you usually have to make that way yourself, the hard way. I honestly didn't know how we were going to do it and I'm feeling immensely relieved right now. <br /><br />The current spring semester, in which I've had three classes, is winding down this coming week. After that I've got one summer class, followed by two semesters of student teaching...then (a little less than a year from now) I'll be done. Now <span style="font-style: italic;">that</span> will be a relief! <br /><br /><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54486/176/6AA11CB31CDB27B019F3BC888B32489C.png" style="border: medium none; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-repeat: repeat; background-attachment: scroll; background-position: 0% 50%; -moz-background-size: auto auto; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;" /></a></div><br /></div></span>Melbahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16058896619253076094noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29542792.post-85445057027450564292010-04-23T19:19:00.008-04:002010-04-23T20:23:22.584-04:00Smashing Brick WallsRight on the heels of my <a href="http://photomelba.blogspot.com/2010/04/undergraduate-symposium-student.html">good news about school</a>, I received some relatively bad news about school. I called to check on the status of my spring/summer loan request and this is the information I received:<br /><br /><blockquote>"Actually, you've reached your aggregate loan limit for undergraduate studies." </blockquote><br />My what? Until Wednesday, I had no prior knowledge of the term "aggregate loan limit," and I certainly had no clue that I was anywhere near reaching mine. NOT GOOD, especially when you're paying for your education and supplementing your family's income (barely getting by I might add) through student loans. Apparently this term was couched (and explained) somewhere in the depths of the multiple pages of financing jargon I was <span style="font-style: italic;">supposed</span> to have read when I signed my promissory note. My bad for simply glossing over all that stuff. Does anyone actually read it all, I wonder?<br /><br />And the worst part is that no one, not one single person, ever took the time to look at my situation carefully enough to let me know that this was something about which I might have needed to be aware. I've been to counselors and I've stayed in touch. I've played my cards by the book, both academically and financially. My biggest crime is my lack of awareness and expertise about how this system operates. Now, only two short semesters away from <span style="font-weight: bold;">the end</span>, I'm receiving the news that my financial safety net is gone. <br /><br />The bottom line is that where huge, bureaucratic institutions are concerned, you're on your own. You can go to as many counselors as you want but in the end, you're completely and totally on your own to navigate the waters and understand the systems. There is no real support in place for this stuff - half the time you can't even speak to a real human being anymore.<br /><br />I do get it. I understand why they put limits and ceilings in place. It's to prevent people from repeatedly getting loans that they never intend to repay. But that's not me. Granted, I went about things more than a little backwards where my education is concerned but I'm not a slacker with no ambitions...and I'm certainly not intending to abuse the system in any way. But none of that matters. This is a hard limit, completely black-and-white. There are no provisions in place for someone like me who actually does have a legitimate need to borrow the last little chunk of college money I need. There is no room for someone to fall into a gray area, exactly like the one in which I now find myself. Arghhhhhhh, all of this is SO utterly frustrating! <br /><br />I know I have to take my fair share of the responsibility for this SNAFU and I'm painfully aware of the fact that I'm the one who now has to suffer the consequences of my lack of awareness regarding my educational loans but still...this smacks pretty hard.<br /><br />So the long story short is that Michael and I now have to find some way to come up with the requisite ~ $6,000 that I need in order to finish up my last few classes at Eastern and complete my two semesters of Student Teaching. *sigh* I have NO idea what we're going to do and I'm pretty much stressed to the max. Suddenly there's a lovely little brick wall that has obtrusively asserted itself smack in the middle of my path. Ugh.<br /><br />I feel a little sick.<br /><br />That being said, I'm not about to let that brick wall stand in my way. I fully intend to either go over the damn thing or smash right through it. Either way, I <span style="font-weight: bold;">will</span> finish my degree. I'm currently investigating my options so that I can come up with a plan for how to get enough money. Wish me luck!<br /><br /><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54486/176/6AA11CB31CDB27B019F3BC888B32489C.png" style="border: medium none ; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;" /></a></div><br /></div></span>Melbahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16058896619253076094noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29542792.post-82091094877002998102010-04-18T21:31:00.005-04:002010-04-23T20:18:52.024-04:00Undergraduate Symposium & Student Teaching - Opportunities Abound!Well the wheels are beginning to turn a bit faster for me where school is concerned. I'm finally, finally just about done with my course work and ready for student teaching! This is my last mainstream semester (it's been a rough one) and then I have four (or hopefully only three if I get my waiver for speech) classes to take this spring/summer and I'm on my way to student teaching!<br /><br />I met with my cooperating teacher on Friday and she seems really nice. I'm going to be working with her from September-December of this year so I hope the relationship continues to go well. She teaches first grade in the district that was my first choice so I'm pretty happy about my placement. :) It's going to be a lot of hard, exhausting work for NO pay, which is pretty stressful but I hope it will also be a good experience that will lay the foundation for me to be a strong teacher when I finally get a job.<br /><br />Speaking of getting a job, I've potentially got another great thing to add to my resume! Last week, a professor asked me to stay after class to see her. Of course I was a tad nervous but it turned out to be a very good thing. Based on some of the work I've done this semester, she wants to nominate me, along with two other students, to take part in the <a href="http://www.emich.edu/symposium/description.php">undergraduate symposium at EMU</a>. I still have to gather some information and talk with the other two students to figure out exactly how this all works but I think being nominated is a pretty strong, positive statement. There are usually only 300 presentations per annual school year. With an approximated total student body of 23,000, I must be doing something right. :)<br /><br />It's so nice to finally be seeing some of my hard work beginning to pay off. For such a long time now I've been in school with a seemingly insurmountable pile of classes and requirements to wade through but now, almost out of nowhere, the end is in sight and is, I think, very much an attainable goal. How thrilling!<br /><br /><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54486/176/6AA11CB31CDB27B019F3BC888B32489C.png" style="border: medium none ; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;" /></a></div><br /></div></span>Melbahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16058896619253076094noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29542792.post-22951319813802800942010-02-10T07:44:00.006-05:002010-02-10T14:31:21.938-05:00School's out for......I so wish I could say "ever" like the song goes but school's only out for today. Yes, that's right, they still DO sometimes come to their senses and declare a SNOW DAY for adults!<br /><br />Waiting in my email this morning was this message:<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><blockquote><span style="border-bottom: 1px dashed rgb(0, 102, 204); background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 0%; cursor: pointer; -moz-background-clip: border; -moz-background-origin: padding; -moz-background-inline-policy: continuous;" class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1265804904_0">Eastern Michigan University</span> is closed due to weather on Feb. 10</blockquote></div><br />I'm doing a happy dance, even if it's only on the inside! I think I want to make a snow person today.<br /><br /><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54486/176/6AA11CB31CDB27B019F3BC888B32489C.png" style="border: medium none ; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;" /></a></div><br /></div></span>Melbahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16058896619253076094noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29542792.post-29500035366144902092010-02-04T15:01:00.009-05:002010-02-04T23:03:15.559-05:00Window ViewsLet's face it, wintertime in Michigan means I spend a lot of time indoors. This got me thinking about how much time I spend on the inside looking out--and about the views I see during that time. I decided to do a new photo series called, "Inside Looking Out" or "Views Through My Windows." I'm not sure about the title yet (any opinions?) but I can tell you this has made me look at windows and what I see through them a little differently.<br /><br />Following are the photos I've taken so far. They are intentionally left in their rough, unfinished state because I want this series to be as it was actually seen, no cropping or beautifying. Likewise, they are intentionally shot with my iPhone camera rather than my Nikon because I want the rough, real-life appearance. Enjoy!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYmX_z89Jf8-Ia_iarVbFE72-RCsrd7ZMoDUAZpwZT5nxGG6MCKrmUqd-YBU-SYCxVXDunY0t4zCkh5Btvg4gI5_NXWpufdHGH0MRtNDnNN0sYdlpDEDwtUxR72bOif45i_ajpmA/s1600-h/IMG_0130.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYmX_z89Jf8-Ia_iarVbFE72-RCsrd7ZMoDUAZpwZT5nxGG6MCKrmUqd-YBU-SYCxVXDunY0t4zCkh5Btvg4gI5_NXWpufdHGH0MRtNDnNN0sYdlpDEDwtUxR72bOif45i_ajpmA/s320/IMG_0130.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5434484515284872130" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpr9ReRlbShUUqMCbT2hgmsqKdkQj4d5PxCVxu6P0YM8CWvDO31MqqKnXaX05NLgCSJ0tlMkFsZd1LFUZUiWUMp1HIY8MkHjfCZ2y9jZLdRxdOb1m7Rqo3DKSN6VUHhu3R-xisOw/s1600-h/IMG_0058.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpr9ReRlbShUUqMCbT2hgmsqKdkQj4d5PxCVxu6P0YM8CWvDO31MqqKnXaX05NLgCSJ0tlMkFsZd1LFUZUiWUMp1HIY8MkHjfCZ2y9jZLdRxdOb1m7Rqo3DKSN6VUHhu3R-xisOw/s320/IMG_0058.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5434484507434350130" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmfqixWeipA2yrcx1m4IHMObvxMrMP_DWBDE_wPfQ9sB85lgRJefzePNQOUNcpizN0Dnc4qXT8t0IhdJenf7_KU9I8_md9CBMUuWuaGyWZqYzHTzhdcihzrpgH3seAk9Xj79GU9A/s1600-h/IMG_0044.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmfqixWeipA2yrcx1m4IHMObvxMrMP_DWBDE_wPfQ9sB85lgRJefzePNQOUNcpizN0Dnc4qXT8t0IhdJenf7_KU9I8_md9CBMUuWuaGyWZqYzHTzhdcihzrpgH3seAk9Xj79GU9A/s320/IMG_0044.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5434484502720152114" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNTT1NNRXpCzBBJMvwedSFAHIo7MDnBBYYK1Ka8Q7shzK8GpxIWc6umlSf2jfL4KKCh579q_z8Ey7xJRCFVXPWdKw7W11Pr6d0iwgY7_AU6ifgl0ayF3pNR7yl5_JHfVKAtJOUJg/s1600-h/IMG_0040.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNTT1NNRXpCzBBJMvwedSFAHIo7MDnBBYYK1Ka8Q7shzK8GpxIWc6umlSf2jfL4KKCh579q_z8Ey7xJRCFVXPWdKw7W11Pr6d0iwgY7_AU6ifgl0ayF3pNR7yl5_JHfVKAtJOUJg/s320/IMG_0040.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5434484491640877490" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP3gKKKYKoG9kJy-37aP_0heFq2A1NzHRh8iYz_2_GLkIaXqT8E-6rgbfHu2UO9lf-tRugQPPGDkJVCP6nBF8huTXoz8Lev_k5Jcx19NSHVo5PYgT36NI6BwB4kJc7LTFtDjcC2w/s1600-h/IMG_0196.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP3gKKKYKoG9kJy-37aP_0heFq2A1NzHRh8iYz_2_GLkIaXqT8E-6rgbfHu2UO9lf-tRugQPPGDkJVCP6nBF8huTXoz8Lev_k5Jcx19NSHVo5PYgT36NI6BwB4kJc7LTFtDjcC2w/s320/IMG_0196.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5434484195784156962" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ7Z7u7Ccw0t0Qt_yIUTsxgfp1D31l0N63AX6FkKh3OqCeoBhYm95rWgO4ZFSb-d6IwrqJjpfIz5VJ2Zqd2u-wWlIXY_bfsY_-B35cxNuybfKa1r_IzGhOANsDUBCMjW7kSbn7bg/s1600-h/IMG_0194.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; 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display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvJBnhJyUpCd3Y0EymoMKl1ydanHm2i8W1iXzigJ7I_rAyemnlIQvG4tdpr_47YN1nf_fKMUGLe-bQ8Fw2up8fOXcDQeuFmRltkZ11oqHLmJm0d8gqgSCtDUaJ-WUp4BIyKtcvEw/s320/IMG_0201.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5434484906750662386" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzSaq1-wHLUxn8T0qrwAM3cheCbvNH3IbWN0Hk_aPLns9UbCsTOiALulqsHP-KgRIZ8BA6z8oJEnyQDvh1ZLDrVh1yWkz_J7A9hyzvRYPBg5Qb3tteBrNhINfaeEy0XEgfXF-h3Q/s1600-h/IMG_0198.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzSaq1-wHLUxn8T0qrwAM3cheCbvNH3IbWN0Hk_aPLns9UbCsTOiALulqsHP-KgRIZ8BA6z8oJEnyQDvh1ZLDrVh1yWkz_J7A9hyzvRYPBg5Qb3tteBrNhINfaeEy0XEgfXF-h3Q/s320/IMG_0198.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5434484886360167890" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54486/176/6AA11CB31CDB27B019F3BC888B32489C.png" style="border: medium none ; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;" /></a><br /></div><br /></div></span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEnx_Bq0TZQycWpJqeHbEG3JAATaarUkV_dZboKFJiLLKnQ-MtCQtEbg_QKUUYo81nJYAGNOcx2XYBah4-8Y6S0YDfrxjfAIv8vwVN6EU2JFft9wZ_uNSi2fgfjSW21oLDBzQnJQ/s1600-h/IMG_0040.jpg"></a>Melbahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16058896619253076094noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29542792.post-2909672195562566582010-01-22T22:41:00.010-05:002010-01-28T15:20:52.398-05:00The Grapes had Other Ideas......whew! Today has been a busy day of running around, shopping, and playing with my son. We had a lot of errands to do, which is never all that much fun when you're dragging an eight-month-old around from store to store. Now Charlie is a dream baby (and I'm not just saying that!) but even so, he does have his limits, as does his mommy! Both of us actually fared extremely well, the day was just hectic.<br /><br />Picture this:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD_TLcrEH-k_ItFW3JeJYQCat7NExtUkaaP8qAjsI17EnY0eJ2HHaJp0V38g1rRZnzeGO_0rpCucSBk9Hhe32JyczHui8UBn6Py5haA2Tjp60JxN7A045ZOneO0Hjggbw6JkN5XA/s1600-h/IMG_0157.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD_TLcrEH-k_ItFW3JeJYQCat7NExtUkaaP8qAjsI17EnY0eJ2HHaJp0V38g1rRZnzeGO_0rpCucSBk9Hhe32JyczHui8UBn6Py5haA2Tjp60JxN7A045ZOneO0Hjggbw6JkN5XA/s320/IMG_0157.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5431884304353626258" border="0" /></a>One S.am's C.lub cart full to the brim with $350.00 worth of household necessities and food, one S.am's C.lub cart filled to capacity with a car seat bound baby and his diaper bag and one mommy pushing/pulling both carts across the crowded parking lot, opposing the frigid winds toward the car. Do you need a nap yet because I certainly do! And of course it's only at times like this when Murphy's Law comes into effect. So there I was, loading the groceries into the trunk. I picked up the large plastic container of grapes and the lid came off, spilling grapes all over the other groceries, on the ground, and at the bottom of the cart. Definitely a frustrating moment and a nuisance to clean up, but not the end of the world, right?<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM3ALqxdowi9WkSgRgGBqTaY2Q75e-zaIg3lN0yyDp7rJcrZKxMrrGadK7gXQkHwBHP0ob9x06CdztIEOWB_vZ19-U12sJLbWaX1DyGUh1c_jUNRgFGUWxHwgLFsOyifZtE0FL9Q/s1600-h/IMG_0162.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM3ALqxdowi9WkSgRgGBqTaY2Q75e-zaIg3lN0yyDp7rJcrZKxMrrGadK7gXQkHwBHP0ob9x06CdztIEOWB_vZ19-U12sJLbWaX1DyGUh1c_jUNRgFGUWxHwgLFsOyifZtE0FL9Q/s320/IMG_0162.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5431885347282473730" border="0" /></a>Well then when I got home and finally had a chance to unload the car--well after 9:00, the grapes decided to jump ship once again, this time landing face down in a clump on our snow-covered driveway.I know it's hard to see the detail in this photo but man, grapes were everywhere! At that point I began to wonder if the cosmic universe was trying to tell me not to eat these grapes or something. If so, I decided not to heed the warning, cleaned up the grapes once again and brought them in for a soak in the sink. I had a hand full a few minutes ago and they were pretty good - I guess my frustration paid off in the end...<br /><br />What a day!<br /><br /><br /><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54486/176/6AA11CB31CDB27B019F3BC888B32489C.png" style="border: medium none ; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;" /></a></div><br /></div></span>Melbahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16058896619253076094noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29542792.post-63915700237891880712009-12-21T19:34:00.006-05:002010-01-24T22:46:59.816-05:00RegenerationAhhhhh, can you hear that? It's the sound of me breathing a <span style="font-style: italic;">tremendous</span> sigh of relief! I have finally finished my fall, 2009 semester and honestly, I could not be happier! Most of the semester I felt like a rickety old train barreling down the track at breakneck speed. A couple of times I honestly thought I was going to derail and lose it all, but I managed to get to the survival station at last!<br /><br />This semester would have been hard even without my new status as "mommy." The classes were overwhelming and project intensive. I had a lot of work in every class, plus exams in most of them too. Some weeks it just seemed like the workload was more than one person could reasonably handle. Add to that the fact that my priorities and obligations have changed drastically now that I'm a mom and you can see why I've been overwhelmed. There is no way I'm looking back at this important time of my life (and my son's life) ten years from now and realizing I missed his infancy and major milestones because of school.<br /><br />Of course, what that means is that school is no longer at the top of my priority list, which is definitely a big shift for me. All in all it worked out fine. I still ended up with one A and four A minuses, which is better than I expected. Things still get done, they just get done in much more randomly fragmented chunks. While 2009 did not showcase the best of my best work throughout my college career...it was still not that bad. Man I'm glad to be done!<br /><br />Now only one more big semester and two spring/summer classes and it will be student teaching time for me! I have a lot of mixed feelings about that, but definitely will be saving them for another post... <br /><br /><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54486/176/6AA11CB31CDB27B019F3BC888B32489C.png" style="border: medium none ; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;" /></a></div><br /></div></span>Melbahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16058896619253076094noreply@blogger.com0