Nerviosa

November was supposed to be the beginning of my student teaching. However, as of today, I still don't have a placement. I do have a placement at the high school in a Spanish class for January-April though. The teacher for that class though is going on maternity leave and needed a long term sub. Last week, my cohort leader/teacher called me with the news that Summit High still hadn't found a long term sub and that she recommended me for the position. Most student teachers give up 50 hours a week easily, without pay and dedicate their lives and time to teaching. This opportunity would be amazing because not only would I be paid to student teach, but the classroom would essentially be mine from November to the end of the school year in June.

I was "nerviosa" because I haven't had an interview that meant so much to me and had so much on the line possibly ever. That interview for the position was today. I went in praying, knowing that God knew what will happen, and that God's will will prevail, but even so, I had butterflies, like I haven't had since competitive swimming! The interview went fairly well, it was mostly the vice principal and Katie the Spanish teacher I would take over for, telling me what the job would look like. Essentially, in November I would take over the class with 2 Spanish II classes and 2 Spanish III classes. I would be a real teacher in a matter of months!

I think overall it went well, except that one of the other Spanish teachers kind of drilled me and I hadn't had to speak Spanish on the spot like that since college...So, we will see in the coming weeks what will happen, but I know God has a plan and in His strength, I will rest.

Ben and Katie's Wedding!

The main reason we went down to California was for Ben and Katie's wedding. They got married on 08-08-08, so we went down a couple days before to hang out with them in Santa Cruz. We picked up a good friend from the air port who was a groomsman in the wedding as well as one of Evan's best men in our wedding! The rehearsal dinner was on the beach with a fire, hot dogs, and smores! The wedding was so beautiful and we loved it!

 

A collage of the wedding pictures!

 

Katie's Bachelorette

I wanted to blog about our most recent summer trip, which was to Cali for Ben and Katie's wedding. We were down for a week and half, and the first weekend we spent at their bachelor and bachelorette parties! For the guys, they went camping in the Tahoe area and were not prepared at all for the 10 mile, 2000ft. climb they endured! Most guys were in flip flops and ended their hour long trek exhausted and blistered. All they wanted was to not sleep on the hard ground, but to their avail, one of Ben's friends' time share was completely booked. So they ate at a snooty restaurant, and then enjoyed the rest of their time around a camp fire. Evan said they had a great time, despite the pain and exhaustion.

For Katie's bachelorette party we went to the Elephant Bar restaurant in Sacramento and had a great time. She was decked out in bachelorette decorations! Below are some fun pictures from the night!

 

 

 

 

One Year Anniversary

Yesterday was August 18, 2008, exactly one year after Evan and I got married. We didn't have the top tier of our cake to eat because I didn't think that it would taste very good a year later! However, we did get to sleep in for the first time in a long time. Evan woke me up and told me to close my eyes. When I opened them there was the cutest stuffed animal panda in front of me with a jewelry box tied to him. Inside the box was a beautiful white gold necklace with 1 diamond for our 1 year anniversary! I was so surprised and so happy! We got up and made a yummy breakfast with a frittata, home-made parfaits, and a Veuve Clicquot Champagne that we've been saving for a year to drink! It was thundering, smoky, rainy, hailing day in Bend, so we stayed inside, watched the Olympics and a movie for most of the day. For dinner, we got dressed up and went to Blacksmith, a great restaurant in Bend. We brought a 2002 Silver Oak Cabernet, for those who know, it is a very nice and expensive wine that we laid down to open on our 1 year anniversary! To sum it up, we had a great first year of marriage and can't wait for the next decades of marriage!
Here are some pictures from our day!

Back in Bend from Cali

Evan and I returned to Bend yesterday after a fun filled, eventful and exhausting vacation. It was a wonderful trip in that we got to see all of our friends, all of my family and celebrate Ben and Katie's wedding! The only downside was that we got very little sleep and saw so many people that we were in a different place almost every night it seemed. We had an amazing time, and I will post pictures and more details later.

Coffee, summer, tears and weddings

As I'm sitting on our couch this morning, in a quiet house, laundry spinning in the background, I realize how thankful I am that God provides us with these quiet moments. We are all such busy people, so it's nice to enjoy quiet moments, especially in the summer, with a hot cup of coffee :) My parents just left yesterday morning after staying with us for a week, and right before they arrived Ben and Katie were here for 4 days. So it's strange having a quiet, more empty house again. I am thankful that God provides us with little joys in life, that always remind me of His presence. I can't not sit here, enjoying the sun pouring through the window and not think of Him and His goodness. So for coffee filled summer mornings...I am thankful :)

I also realize how much I love weddings! After having one of my own, I also love going to weddings more so than planning them. A month before we got married last year, I totally was ready and understood why people hop to Vegas and elope; there is just so much stress in planning the wedding as the bride! However, now I can just sit back and enjoy celebrating my friends' weddings and bask in their joy! Evan and I have had the blessing of a big, tight-nit set of friends, that were in our wedding, and now we are in theirs. In January we "walked down the isle" again in Katelyn and Charles' wedding and now, a week from tomorrow on 08/08/08 we get to do the same celebrating Ben and Katie's wedding! I am so thankful that we have such amazing friends who want us to share in their happy day by being in their wedding. For good friends, I am so thankful!

Weddings are just the epitome of joyous occasions for me. I love the flowers, I love the anticipation of the bride walking down the isle, the look on her face and even better the look on the grooms face. (again this is more nerve racking when it is you walking down the isle and everyone's eyes and cameras are glued to you!) It is just so special and almost always makes me cry! I love it!

Lastly, a funny thing happened yesterday...I was actually even MORE emotional than normal and I have no idea why. I was at work, doing stock in the back of Ann Taylor, listening to a country station when Chuck Wicks' song "Stealing Cinderella" came on. I usually have tears in this song, but this time I just started crying uncontrollably...it's just such a sweet song. Than another new song came on by Crystal Shawanda called "You Can Let Go". She's singing about her Dad and different stages in her and his life and their sweet relationship/friendship. After those two songs back to back I literally had to run for kleenex because I was totally balling!! I guess sometimes you just need a good cry!

Here's a video of the "Stealing Cinderella" song. I couldn't upload the actual video, but this is still good!

Weekend Pictures

Elk farm and the Sisters Mountains
Hiking the beautiful Metolius River
Sunset over the Deschutes
Anthony's seafood restaurant on the Deschutes.


Just a few pictures from the week with my parents so far...I will update more later!