Can I go back yet?

Today I jumped over to my old blog and started looking at my posts from my time in Jerusalem. Oh, I just want to go back! I just want to do it again. Is that possible? I miss it so much. I can't even begin to explain to people why it is so amazing. I think it might be one of those things you just have to experience. If someone were to call me up right now and tell me I was going back, I think my heart would pop with joy! Don't get me wrong, I love waking up every morning and opening up my window to the sight of snow and ice as far as the eye can see, but it just doesn't have the same effect as waking up to the prayer call and the dome of the rock. Am I sounding like a spoiled brat yet? That's what I am going for.

JackPot!

For one of my classes I have to create a folder full of resources to give to families once I enter the work force. I have actually been pretty excited about the project because it is something I kind of already do on my own, and I can actually see the use of it. We have to pick one state we want to do it on and I have chosen Utah since that will be where I am doing my student teaching. I have been browsing around when ever I get done with my other homework but feel guilty that there isn't more to do (a very wierd side effect from several semesters of pure hell, to a relatively less stressful semester). I have printed out applications for WIC and found some other pretty unoriginal resources but couldn't seem to nail down any good programs or resources....until tonight. A whole book of Disablilty resources with all the information required for my project...SCORE! It is amazing! I know, I know, something very silly to get excited about, but really it will be an amazing resource to share with families. check it out! http://www.utahparentcenter.org/resources_book.htm

While I am being a nerd...I got myself mixed up in two organizations this week. One of Nathan's roommates is a program manager for the Special Olympics in Provo this summer. I was talking to him about it and he took down my email. He emailed me this week and told me he had been talking with his other managers and were wondering if I would help them out this summer. They want me to be over registration. Here we go again!
I made a new friend in one of my classes. She is 33, had 5 children, one of which is blind, and she is a single parent. She is starting an association on campus for non-traditional students. I don't quite fit into that catagory (I don't think) but she asked me to sign up anyway. Her exact words were "the church started with 6 people and I need six people to start my organization." I worte my name down and then we started talking about what she has already done to get it going and what she needs to do. She then asked if I would be interested in being over the division for students with special needs. umm...Yes! We will see if we can get this up, running, and helping students out before I leave this God forsaken place...JK. I guess my job will be to make sure we have opportunities to conenect students with special needs to the resources the University offers. Looks like I need to find out what the University offers...

Trailer Trash

The group of Jerusalem kids who went down for my roommates farewell in St. George

Trailer Trash: That is what I feel like right now. I never showered today because I have a two hour long PE class on Mondays and Wednesdays, and absolutely no time to come home and shower between classes on Monday. My toenails are in serious need of a new pain job. I have been sporting the old sweatshirt and jeans combo all day. Remember when school was fun?...Now that I think about it, not really. I don't ever remember enjoying school. I do remember having fun figuring out how to get around school. You know, tell Mr. Bickel I was going to find sparkles for our poetry project, then have the cowboy I made friends wiwth in the back of the classroom sneak me my backpack and never return. I think I did that three days in a row and my teacher never caught on. The other day in church some one encouraged us to think of the hymn "Have I done any good in the world today" each day and evaluate ourselves. Well, if slowing down at the crosswalk so pedestrians could cross even if I was running late to class counts, then yes, I have done some good in the world today. I promise, one of these days, I will be up to some good.

I applied for graduation today. Do you think it is about time? You know what would be a great graduation present? Put me on What Not to Wear. Just film me on days like today and I would be in like sin. Are you sick of hearing me complain yet? I am.

A day at my Dream Job

Today I was able to shadow a developmental specialist. I met her at her office in the morning, then we loaded up and head out to visit several families. The first little girl we visited was born premature and had been out of the Infant Toddler program because she was developing within the average range (sorry if this sounds like I am talking from a text book, but I jsut don't know any other way to say it). We gave her a full battery assessment to make sure everything was still good, and sure enough, she was right on track. The second home we visited was another full battery (by full battery I mean that you assess every area of development-self care, language, cognition, motor, ect.) to see if she qualified to be in the infant toddler program. Even though we were in a little trailer in cramped quarters, you could tell she was very much loved and had many fans. Our last stop was to a home of a little girl with no diagnoses but significan motor delays and vision problems. The mom forgot about the apointment but was luckily home. It wasn't long until I absolutley fell in love with this little girl. The developmental specialist I was shadowing had me work on turning pages with her. When we got to the end of one of her books, there was a mirror. I had her look in it and asked her who she saw. She said "Me!" I said, what do you see? She quickly resonded with "Pretty." She was exactly right. It seems like the little ones with the biggest challenges also see the greatest potential in themselves.

I have been worrying so much lately about what to do with my life and what a failure I feel like at times, but here I am, fully capable, no real excuse to not succeed. I learned a great lesson from that rigid, little, uncoordinated, pretty girl today. I can't help but think about why Christ spent most of his time preaching with the sick, blind, leporous, deaf, DISABLED people. They teach lessons with greater power than the most accomplished, literate men on earth ever could. I did discover a fault of mine that might become a big obstacle later. I might love these kids a little too much. A good thing, but a dangerous thing for my own mental health. Can i just adopt them all?

Praise Heaven Above for Long Weekends

I am all for 3 day weekends every weekend. For Real. It isn't like we every really get a "day of rest" anyway. I am not too good at this college thing any more. Getting dressed up for the first day of school isn't as exciting as it used to be. I am not even sure I showered that day. Walking around all three floors of the library to find long lost friends doesn't make me feel as cool as it once did. I guess once you have crossed off the pyramids, Dome of the Rock, and Petra off of your "Things I haven't seen yet" list, the David O. McKay library can't give the kicks and giggles it once did. I am sure I will still act as immature as I ever did. You know... find the athletic books from the 70's, mark the page with a man wearing the shortest shorts, and slip it in a friends backpack. There is one thing that never gets old. Prank Calling. For our first ward FHE, all the girls went around to all of the boys apartments and got treats and got to know eachother. One of the apartments is full of brand new RM's. They gave us a little sheet a paper entitled "The Menu". No joke. It had their pictures, phone numbers, relationship status, ect. Oh that is just asking to be prank called. I let it sit on out kitchen table a couple of days until I couldn't stand it any more. So much fun.
Now about the long weekend. Nathan came up to visit me. It was so good to have him around here in Rexburg and throw him in with my friends. He is just so easy to be around I can't see how he wouldn't get along with every one. He lets me be the goof ball I am and even lets me try and embarass him...I don't think I have succeeded yet. He ended up locking his keys in his car and having to stay an extra day until we could get them out. He was a good sport and wandered around campus while I went to my classes. Luckily he only has one class on Tuesday and it was his New Testament class (and us Jerusalem kids like think we know it all when it comes to the Bible).
Well, the school week is back in swing and I am hating every minut of it. Just kidding. Just thinking about all the things I have to get done on top of school work stresses me out. I have to prepare for my Praxis exams (in order to be a liscensed teacher) and take them, put my portfolio together to present to the faculty board in order to graduate, get student teaching all lines up, and figure out what the heck I want to be when I grow up. As of right now, I am thinking about being a developmental specialist. I would work with infants and toddler in their home. I would be the lady that came over like the lady who did when Jamison was a baby. I get to so spend a whole day with a lady tomorrow, shadowing her, so we will see what I think after that. If any of you have any suggestions on what to do with my life, let me know. You guess is as good as mine

Just a few Pics

I wanted to quickly add some pictures from Christmas Break. It was so much fun to be home!

Asher Boy. Too cute for words

I was so excited to Meet Miquelyn. I forgot how quick and easy it is to fall in love with sweet little babies

Nathan and Dad jammin out. I am so glad Nathan came up to hang out with the fam for a few days. Even if I was a grump on this particular day

Harley, Caleb, and Noah. They are more like siblings than cousins

Back to School, to prove I'm no fool

Yuck. I am back in Rexburg, Idaho. This is my last semester (unless I fail something) and then it is off to student teaching and then the real world. Every semester I dread coming back up here but then I get here and am just fine. Heavenly messengers must have told the Big Guy just how much I was dreading it this semester because the weather has been not as harsh as the other winters I have been here. I still can't believe my college experience is almost done, and even though I should feel wiser and more mature than the day I drove into this little town, i still feel like the 18 year old girl who was wondering what the heck she was going to do with her life. Just when I feel like throwing in the towel and faking a life threatening disease (I am sure it is easier than it sounds) I am reminded just how much I love what I am doing.
It's moments like today when I went to go do a home visit for the Toddler lab I will be working in this semester. I have been excited to do the Toddler lab but a little bit nervous about how well I will do since I have been so used to working with preschool age children because of preschool last semester. As soon as one of the other teachers and I arrived at the home and met the toddler that will be in our lab, I realized just how much I love the toddler years! Getting down on the ground and playing silly games seemed so natural. I know I probably shouldn't but I already am in love with the little boy I went to visit. I loved getting to know the family and pretending I was a professional, even if I was crawling on the ground and stacking blocks. If I have a choice when I enter the work force, I want to work with toddlers. It is just a fun age! I am so excited to get to know the 13 little busy bodies that will be entering my classroom this semester.