sickness and stress

Well, I have been sick for a whole week now. I have no voice at all. My sweet Granny called me just now and I was trying to talk to her but we kept getting mixed up because she couldn't hear what I was saying. I went to the doctor last Monday and have been on antibiotics for a week and have only gotten worse. Most likely, I got so sick because I did not have time to step back and rest. Between school, commuting, gas prices, work, sickness, and daily life, I have breached my stress limit. Isn't it sad that the high gas prices are a stress unto themselves? When you commute and make peanuts at a job which should pay more, filling the gas tank becomes nightmarish.

I have already missed two days of one class but I may be missing tomorrow because I think I need to go back to the doctor. I have to keep telling myself that I can only do what I can do. But I hate letting people down and I've done so well in school lately, I would really hate for a dumb cold to ruin everything. Not to mention that I feel bad about missing work. I missed last Monday because I had gone to the doctor and he said to stay home, then I missed Tuesday because I had to do an observation for school. I went Wed, Thur, and Fri, but Friday they sent me home because I couldn't talk. So I would really, really hate to miss anymore. Not to mention that my friend Summer is getting married next Saturday and I am missing work on Friday for that because I am her matron of honor. And I am just thankful that Steven and I do not have children yet because there would be absolutely no way I would be able to handle everything. Of course, I wouldn't be a full-time student, commuting two hours a day, and working if I had children.

I am just really ready for the summer to be over. I never, ever thought I would say that. Summer has always been so great because of church meetings and no school, going to the beach, going to the pool, visiting family, etc. Of course, as an adult those things change but this summer is just abnormally burdensome. We can't go to church meetings or the beach because of money and gas prices, and there is lots and lots of school since I had to go full time.

Ok, so that all sounds depressing but the truth is, I will be overjoyed when I don't have to commute every single day in my very hot, unairconditioned car. Not to mention how much better it will be on our budget. :)

I promise my next post will not be so downtrodden. Unless of course, something catastrophic happens like all my hair falls out. adieu!

Last FAFSA!

I just filled out my very last FAFSA! I didn't even think about how it was my last time until I was done. How exciting is that?! It's a small step to graduation, but a step none-the-less. Only 14 months to go!

Last night I talked to my friend Luke. I hadn't talked to him since spring break. I love him so much. We were very close in highschool but really became close just after. Talking to him is so great but it also makes me realize how different our lives have become. He is in Ohio (about to graduate! yay Luke!) and will be moving to New York to begin his career as an actor. I am in Texas (still) and in school (still). Don't get me wrong, I love my life. It's just interesting to reflect on how people's paths cross and separate during a lifetime. He'll always be a friend I can call and someone I'll keep in contact with my whole life, I hope. I feel a tinge of sadness when I think of how far apart we are these days.

I do love my life, I want to make that clear. But every year about this time when the outside temperature is reaching eleventy-million degrees, I think of how I don't know if I can live in Texas my whole life. At this point, my family is here and that is the main reason I would not want to move. Of course, school for both Steven and me is here, and that's another big reason we live in Texas. But gosh darnit! It is so hot!!!! It also doesn't help that I keep watching "Under the Tuscan Sun" and dreaming of living in Bramasole on the the Italian countryside. Of course, as an ardent patriot, I could only live permenantly in the United States. Perhaps when I am a quadrillionaire, I will have a house in Tuscany.

I actually am content to live where we are for a few years. Our plan is to stay until Steven graduates. We are both very excited because he will start at Blinn going part-time in the fall. He's waited a long time to go to school. It was very strange but fulfilling having to enter on the FAFSA that both members of our household will be going at least half-time to school next year. It makes me feel that we are on our way!

Done!

School is over! Woohoo!!!

No real news other than that. Tomorrow is my last day with the family I work for and I start my new job Monday at the daycare. This is hopefully the very last time I ever work at a daycare. I love children but I've been taking care of kids for over ten years! I really can't believe I'm old enough to actually stay that.

So three months with the kiddos at the dayschool and then no more "working" until I graduate. - That is: no more jobs until I graduate since next year I absolutely won't be able to. Methods, some remaining classes, and student teaching are definitely work enough!

My youngest cousin turned two years old! Where are all the babies? We need more babies!!!! (don't look at me though) :D

Winding down

I love that the semester is coming to an end. Of course, it is bitter sweet because I won't have my favorite class anymore. But the professor has asked that I stay in touch. She's been so helpful to me in my writing and supportive in general. Teachers like her are few and far between.

I am absolutely overjoyed that I never, ever have to see that English professor again. I am done with the class and know to avoid him. After all, I only have one more year of school left!!!! 14 months and I am done!!!!!

For now I have two more finals on Wednesday which kinda stinks. They are back to back and that only gives me a few minutes to refresh after the first one. The first one isn't going to be that bad. It's like any other test we have had in the class. My second one will be brutal beyond a shadow of a doubt. As everything has a silver lining - the good thing is, when it is over, I'm done. :) for two weeks.......

Yup, summer school begins. But I am almost positive it won't be too bad. Summer I is two education classes so not a lot of reading, just mainly hands on activities. Summer II is an online class and a history class. Online classes are almost always better. I do know the down side to this particular class is that the professor requires something every day. It's technical writing, not entirely exciting, but still....I think it will be fine. And it is only 4 weeks long - almost anything can be endured for 4 weeks. almost....

Well, that's all I have time for now. I have a study group I need to attend in a few minutes. This means poor Steven is left fixing dinner tonight. I prepared the meatloaf, ready to go in the oven and left detailed instructions on how to make the rice and green beans. I think he should be fine!!! He's a smart guy.

one more day.....

Well, there is only one more class day after today. How excited am I? I would be more excited if I didn't have 2 essays (both 6 pages) and a project (very major) to do before finals begin next week. But hopefully after Wednesday I will only have to worry about finals and no more papers before summer school starts. And actually, I won't have any papers in the first summer session because I am taking two education classes that are mainly tests and small projects. At least that's what I'm hoping.

I got some exciting news last week. I am not bragging but, I got a writing award! It's called excellence in writing. There will be a ceremony tomorrow and my work will be displayed with other student winners and faculty. I've never won an award for writing and haven't won anything in college at all. Except of course, my education but that doesn't count because I pay for that. :)

I'm trying to figure out what church meetings Steven and I can go to this summer. We didn't attend any last summer. Finances didn't permit and our family was going through a great deal of things. The issue is now, I'm just not as aware of them now as I used to be.

I would like to ask for some prayers for my Granny. She is suffering from shingles. I don't know much about this except that it's the chicken pox virus in adults and it's incredibly painful. She's so sweet and carries a great deal of burden already. Please pray for her speedy recovery.

Well, it's off to class for now....but for the second to last time. woohoo!!! I've made it to the end of the semester....almost!

Six more days!

Only six more class days after today!!! Steven would say that means there are seven but since today is half over, I round down. Six sounds so much better that seven. Of course that means I have a lot of work to cover in two weeks. But, there is light at the end of this tunnel. Hallelujah!!!

I haven't made an American Idol post in a while so here's my update: There is a lot of talent this year and I am very excited about the guest judges they've had so far. Although, I don't really like Mariah Carey so I should say, I was very excited to see Dolly Parton and Sir Andrew Lloyd Weber as guest hosts. :) My favorites are still Brooke White, David Archuleta and Jason Castro. I felt so sorry for Brooke on last night's performance. She had to stop and start her song over which might put her out of the contest. It's so late in the game to be making big mistakes like that. I'm afraid that if I ever did try out and miraculously made it into the finals, I would do exactly what she did. She seems like a really sweet person, it's so sad that it may cause her to be let go. I think Jason may be in the bottom as well this week. Musical theater is obviously not his forte but he did sing really well as always. And of course, young David is an exceptional singer.

I will state publicly that I do not agree with fans of David Cook. There is just something about him I don't like. It's in his smile and his eyes when he performs. It makes him seem arrogant. But also, I just haven't liked what he's done with his songs. For some reason the judges love it. I just don't know. But there's my Idol coverage for this week. :)

I don't know what has been wrong with me these past two weeks but I've been exhausted every single day. I am so stinkin' tired. And it doesn't seem that I've had a lot of extra work. Most likely it's that I have been having so much all semester that it's just wearing me down. I'm ready for a break, even if it's just two weeks. The down side is that when school ends, I might be working two jobs for those two weeks. I told my current boss that I will be trying to start a new job when school ends but I don't know how much is willing to find someone else for those few weeks. She says she understands that I have to secure a job for the summer since they won't need someone. I hope so. Working for both jobs would be hard, especially since that's supposed to be a break. I just have a problem saying no. sigh.....

On the positive - 6 more school days!

Seven more class days.....

I am wishing the semester were over. The end of the semester is always so hard. I find myself wishing for it to end and can't seem to find the desire to keep going. It feels like end of the semester burn-out. I don't think I'm alone in this because the parking lot appears a little less full each day. I think people begin missing towards the end of the semester because it just becomes so difficult to keep up the intensity. I will be so very glad when I graduate. 14 more months, Lord willing.....

We had a really good weekend with the family for Daddy's birthday. We held his party a week early so that my oldest sister could attend. It was good to be with everyone, although, Steven and I both woke up tired today because of the weekend with the family. But we are so glad we were able to celebrate Daddy's birthday. Mama barbecued chicken the way Grandaddy used to make it. It took everyone back to past days of family fun and we spent some time reminiscing.

There really isn't much to report since all I've been doing is studying, writing, working and attending class. I think another reason it becomes hard to keep going is the monotony of it all and the overwhelming amount of work there is still left to day at the end of the day. sigh.... I'll try in my next post not to be so depressing!