I can't believe it's already Christmas break. Don't get me wrong, I am so thankful I have a job, but I am even more thankful for the break! :) Last week, a new special education teacher joined our team at our school. She will be sharing a room with me and Sledge. So, I have 1/3 of a classroom... Yeah, imagine 3 people teaching at the same time in the same room. But, I am really excited she is here. She will be helping me and Sledge. She is also young, so I have yet another opportunity to make a friend. My students are very excited about her being in our room.
School has been really busy. Thankfully. It made the weeks pass faster. In the 3 weeks, we took a very important math test and all my students did very well!! :)
Kids say the funniest things...here's a glimpse into my Wedneday. Wednesday morning, I was letting my 8:00 group have 5 free minutes. One of the boys wrote this on my board: "My best friends four every." I love it. I was sitting in a classroom, waiting on 2 girls to come back from the bathroom. The general ed teacher sent someone in the bathroom to get the girls. They came back to my group and asked if they were playing the bathroom. One of the girls replied with, "I got me a stopped-up bowel." It took everything in me to not die out laughing. She continued to repeat this saying because the other girls didn't know what bowel was. In the same group, we were discussing fishing. One girl said, "I am allergic to fish. When I eat it, my face gets swole up. Just swoles right up." Yet again, in the same group, the first girl talks about having "chicken pops." Don't you just love kids?!
Right now, I am sitting in the comfort of my mama's house. I came home today to find a plate of spaghetti and family friends around the table. What more could I ask for? During this break, I plan to spend my time very wisely. I am going to enjoy my family, friends, great dinners, the Ausley kids(YAY!!), shopping, sleeping in, home cooked food, and all the things Guntersville has to offer.

Life is Good

I still can't believe it.... we KILLED Florida. No denying that Alabama wasn't the best team on the field for that game. :) YAY!! I wish I was going to be traveling to Pasadena; unfortunately, I have 29 kiddos that would really miss me if I was gone a week. And I don't have that much vacation time.
Incase you didn't catch it, I now have 29 kids!! We had one student transfer this week. AH! I am excited about this new student because she seems to be on grade level. That means, hopefully she will test out of special education. I would really like to see that happen for a few of my students because I know they could be successful without me. What a joy it would be to see them succeed on their own.
Tomorrow I will be holding an important meeting. I am in charge of the meeting, and I don't really know how it will go. Send prayers my way as I use God to help me through it. :)
I have become obsessed with coupons and getting the best deal. I love saving money!! A co-worker told me I was crazy for thinking about it all the time, but now she is in on it too. It's so much fun. My favorite website is hip2save.com. This lady has a blog and posts all kinds of deals. For example, I ordered 2 magazines for a year subscription and only paid $10 for both. I suggest you look at it, and catch the fever!!
I am out the door to enjoy a great dinner with some great guys...

You are kidding

I HAVE THE INTERNET!!! Apparently, I can pick up the internet from a friendly neighbor. :) I will be investing in my own internet after the holidays, but until then...
Be looking for a new blog tomorrow. :) YAY!!

Perfect

Oh, man. I love my job. It's moments like this that make it all worth while...

Today it was rather chilly and rainy. My last group of the day came in and did their assignments quietly. I was working on some "important business" (aka an IEP) at my desk while they worked on elapsed time. Keep in mind, it's cold and rainy and my heat wasn't working today. All 3 boys have their coats on. As they are getting ready to leave, I notice that one of the boys has his coat on upside down, and he doesn't seemed bothered at all!! So, I say to him, "Sweetie, your jacket is on upside down. Let's fix it." He replies with, "No Ms. Cormack (he never gets my name right). It's PERFECT!!" I say, "Okay, whatever. Let's go to your room." I walk with him back to his room and show his teacher, who informs me that he has had his jacket on like this all day. :)

How in world could that be comfortable? Who knows what his thinking was, but it was a perfect fit. So, no matter how backwards you think something is, it's perfect for the person.

A Happy Note

I can't even begin to express how grateful I am to be home. Here are some reasons...
1. A FANTASTIC time with my friends for a birthday/Thanksgiving celebration.
2. Dance night with DJ Paul
3. Way TOO much food for Thanksgiving
4. GAP buy one get one free sweaters
5. Sleeping in late...
6. Staying in my pajamas all day...
7. Lunch--that does not include a PB & J
8. FAMILY!!!
9. Laughing with my mom
10. Birthday money from my fam.
11. ALABAMA FOOTBALL
12. Fires
13. Having my mama do my laundry :)
14. Seeing old friends
15. Cold weather

The list will continue to grow. Hope you are enjoying your family and friends this holiday season!!

NEWS FLASH!

I am happy to announce that I will be starting my Master's Degree in Summer 2010!!!!! As you know, this has been a true struggle for me. Knowing which way God wanted me to go was so unclear until I met with Sister Madeleine on Sunday afternoon. We discussed the pros and cons of a master's in Special Ed. She helped me see that it takes someone special to teach special ed and if I have it, I should use it. Now, I have to apply for graduate school, take the GRE (AHHH!!!), and figure out how to pay for it all. :)
Since I have decided I will be returning to school, I will not be pursuing a new car. :( I am sure my daddy is happy about that decision... There's no way I could afford both. Let's hope the A-ccord holds on.
What I am even more excited about is my week off for Thanksgiving. As I left school Friday afternoon, I thanked God for this break to refresh myself and prepare for the month of December, which will be full of challanges at school. This weekend, I traveled to Tuscaloosa to cheer on the TIDE :) Sunday, I visited with Sister Madeleine and drove back to Birmingham. This morning I woke up, cleaned my apartment and headed home. Tonight I will be going to watch sweet Luke Ausley play basketball, and watch the finale of Dancing with the Stars. Tomorrow I am going to spend my afternoon with Grace cooking for our Thanksgiving Reunion tomorrow night. I am so happy that I will be in the company of the best friends in the world tomorrow night. Wednesday I will be resting and start cooking for my family's Thanksgiving. Thursday I will be eating my heart out! And Friday, I will be shopping and watching the Bama trample over Auburn. ROLL TIDE! Saturday, I will be celebrating my 22 years on Earth. And Sunday, I will head back to Birmingham. What a great week I have planned!!
As I am sitting in the comfort of my mom's house, I pray that everyone feels as loved as I do when I enter Guntersville City limits and the door to my mama's house.

Whoa

Talk about knocking your socks off... This week has been the hardest week I have experienced yet. I can't really talk about it for privacy reasons, but just know that I have questioned why I ever wanted to teach. And more importantly, why God lead me to this school. But, at the end of the day, the answer is clear. This is my passion, and that is the reason I survived this week :)
I am really a grown-up. SCARY!! I received my first credit card bill in the mail. HA! Who woulda thought I would EVER use one? Well, I decided I need one to build some credit and not always to use my debit card. So, I paid for Millie's surgery on my card. From the day I used it, I have been stressing out because I wanted to pay it off immediately. The bill finally came in the mail yesterday, and I have already put my check in the mail to pay it off.
Friday I had the privilege of dress shopping with Cassie. As we started at David's Bridal, I never though she would find the dress that she wouldn't want to take off. She tried on 10 dresses, but found the one that will blow Mike's mind. :) AND she found our bridesmaid dresses. The bridesmaid dresses are cute, comfy, and affordable!! What more could we ask for?
Yesterday morning, I woke up, took a quick shower and ran to Brannan Honda to have my car checked out. I called my dad after they informed me it would be an hour or two. I was freaking out that I was going to be stuck there that long. To my surprise, I met the nicest car salesman who let me waste much of this morning and early afternoon. When he approached me, I quickly informed him I was in no position to buy a new car and I was waiting on my car to be fixed. He began carrying on a conversation with me. And he talked me into looking at cars. BUT, I talked him into letting me test drive a 08 Accord. Too bad I loved the car. I guess I'll just have to keep saving...
Family is a word that brings so many thoughts to my mind. When I think about my family, I often think about what it used to be. I had an amazing aunt that was larger than life and an inspiration. I had a 'grandfather' who took me under his wings and taught me to love baseball. I had 2 generous grandmothers who would stop their world to fix yours. I had parents who were married and acted like a team. Now-- I have none of that. But, I couldn't be more thankful for what I do have. So here's my list of things I am thankful for:
1. My God--He gives me hope and love.
2. My Family--although my family as dwindled down, I still have my mom, my dad, my brother, and Prissy.
3. My job--even though it's crazy and hard, I love it.
4. My friends--where in the world would I be without amazing friends who lift me to my feet?

So, as I start this week, I look forward to what God has in store for me this week. And, I only have one week before I am off for a WHOLE week of relaxation at home with my family. Not to mention that my birthday is approximately 13 days away!!!

I can't believe it.

So...you'll never believe where I just came from. The OTHER school. Yes, it's true. I went there. But, I didn't stay long enough for the blue and orange to get on me. :) Today is Grace's 22nd birthday. Kate, Jessica, and I made the 3 hour drive last night to eat dinner with Grace and her Auburn friends. The car ride was very entertaining. All 3 of us were sleepy and goofy. When we arrived at the German restaurant, we enjoyed a good laugh while we waited an hour for our food! The best part of the night was to come. We went to Grace's amazing castle house for the dessert portion of the night. There, we made caramel apples, ate dirt, and joined with more of Grace's Auburn friends to celebrate a wonderful person's birth. :) Jessica and I were the first to go to bed last night. I awoke this morning to the faces of 3 of my best friends. Grace fixed muffins for us before we left to come back to Tuscaloosa. Don't worry---before we left we gave Grace, her parents, Neal, and her friends a big ROLL TIDE!

The rest of my week has been great as well. It was an uneventful week. I am finally getting over the crud I had last week. And I got paid! :) Nothing beats pay day. Wednesday night dinner was fantastic. We enjoyed big, juicy hamburgers and caramel apples. How could I forget to mention that a very big event happened last weekend!! Cassie's engaged!!! :) I couldn't be happier for her...
I have officially declared fall as my favorite season. It doesn't get much better than Alabama football, beautiful leaves, cooler weather, and pumpkins.
Before I close this blog, I want to thank everyone for their support as I have been surviving through my first months as a grown up! :)

been WAY too long...

Sorry I haven't been updating my blog... it's hard to update when I am so busy :) No complaints though. Most days, I absolutely love my job and couldn't imagine anywhere else. I thank God that He sent me to Erwin. That's on most days--on the days where I get cussed out, hit, or disrespected, I do not love my job. I'll give you a quick recap.
Last week, I was trying to read with one of my boys when he attempted to slap me. Now, let me say that he has behavior problems and wasn't on any of his medicine. BUT--he still knows its wrong to slap someone. So, I had to write him up and sent him to the vice principal. He was suspended and a meeting with his mom was set up. She just didn't understand why we had to suspend him. What a world we live in.
Today I was helping a group of students with a test. Michael Jordan was in the group and he was playing with some money. I asked him 2 times to put it up, and he wouldn't, so I took it from him. Of course I was going to give it back to him, but he proceeded to stand up and YELL "mother****er" in front of all the other students!! I was so mad at him, but I had to act cool. I removed him from the situation where I could calm him down and talk to him. He is so impulsive.
Today, we had many visitors at the E. One of these visitors included the superintedent of Jefferson County Schools. The special ed people were there and came to watch me teach for about 5 minutes. I felt like I was back in school being observed. I think the lesson went well, and I was happy when they left. I wasn't fired today, so I must have done okay.
I have learned that these kids need so much, but will take so much more. I have learned to guard my heart, but give them everything I have. It's a tough world at the E, but I couldn't imagine being anywhere else. :)

Oh Goodness...

Sometimes I wonder what in the world I get myself into. First of all, as you know, I love school spirit. I love the sense of belonging kids (big kids, too :)) feel when they are active. So, I volunteered to be a Beta Club sponsor!! There are 3 other ladies who are sponsors as well. We had a meeting on Wednesday afternoon. Usually I leave school by 2:50, but not on Wednesday. When I finally pulled out of the parking lot, it was 4:30!! In the meeting, I learned a lot about Beta club...and what I would be doing. Next Saturday morning, the Beta Club will be volunteering at the Susan G. Komen walk. The week of homecoming at Erwin High School, we will be participating in different events each day. For instance, Monday is camo day (in honor of our principal who hunts), Tuesday is Tacky day, Wednesday is 80's day, Thursday is Twin Day, and Friday is spirit day! Friday after school, we are hosting a tailgating party in the grassy area at our school. After the tailgate, we will be attending the Erwin High School football game!! I am so excited... :) On Halloween, which is also Grace's birthday, I will be walking in the Magic City Classic Parade. In case you don't know, this parade is before the Alabama State and Alabama A&M game...it would be like a parade for the Alabama/Auburn game. Beta Club is going to have me busy!!
Obviously I am excited about this! And I had a great week. Tuesday night Cassie and I met for dinner and discussed our students. Man, I can't believe we are real teachers. Wednesday night, after the meeting, I went to the boys' house for homemade pizza. That may have been my favorite meal yet! Thursday I bought my first big-girl purchase. A new camera!!!! I am going to try it out later this afternoon. Friday at school was uneventful, but I got a lot of work done. I am in the process of writing my first IEP. It's not as hard as I thought it would be, but I could Dr. Rock's advice. Friday night I went to Fultondale to eat with Cassie and her friends from Tuscaloosa. It's great hanging out with great girls. I haven't laughed that much in a long time. Thanks for letting me be a part of your friend time!!! When I got back to my apartment, I had a surprise waiting for...GRACE! She spent the night with me because right now she is taking the GRE. Later we are getting lunch and she is heading to Guntersville.
What a great week it has been... :)

Too Long...

I haven't posted for so long!! It has been a crazy 2 weeks...
I'll catch you up on the things going on. First of all, I went to Tuscaloosa last weekend. Oh, how I miss that place, and my wonderful friends. It was so hard to leave it! There's no place like Tuscaloosa...
So, on Monday, I was a little sad about being back at school and Birmingham. Monday was an insanely busy day. I had a low tire, 2 meetings, a SLOW computer, and a headache. After school I raced to the tire place, only to hear that the pressure in all my tires were low. How does that happen?! Then, I worked on lesson plans and got caught up from not doing school work last weekend. Tuesday was a much better day. I saw all my students and able to get a lot done. Wednesday I had a data meeting from 8-11!! It was SOOO long. When I returned to my room, I discovered that a 4th grader had stolen my fake $20 bills. Haha. I guess he didn't realize they were fake. The money was recovered. :) Friday I was able to catch up on a lot of paper work. We also had a pep rally Friday afternoon. The high school band, cheerlearders, football team, danceline, and color guard came to our courtyard and put on a show. It was great to see the kids so excited...not to mention that I LOVED it! School spirit is great.
Friday, I left school and raced to Tuscaloosa. What a great night I had. I met up with Kate and we went to the cave to watch UA vs UGA volleyball. On our way, we saw Nick Saban himself!!! He, and the entire football team, crossed the street right in front of us. You can only imagine how excited we were. Nick was being escorted by 2 state troopers. It was a sight to see. Then, we finally got in the volleyball game and got to watch Simone in action! What a great player she is. Mary and Jessica met us at the game to watch the former Wildcat star play. :) After the game, we were able to visit with Simone for a few minutes before going to eat at Mellow Mushroom. YUMMY! After dinner, I came back to Trussville and crashed.
Yesterday was Kaitlyn's birthday party. I can't believe that little girl is 2!! Where has the time gone?! Prissy had a ton of food, a huge cake, and lots of people there. It was fun to watch Kaitlyn interact with all the kids there. She has quite a personality!
Today started off crazy. Millie, the prettiest cat in all the world, has tapeworms!! I took her to the vet this morning, and she got a shot! I was worried, but the vet said she should be back to normal in 48 hours. The rest of my day will be spent relaxing...

And I LOVE it!

This week has been a very crazy week, but the good news is, I LOVE IT! I couldn't imagine a better place for me to be right now. I love my kids, the teachers I work with, and the administrators. I started my schedule on Monday morning at 8:00. My favorite groups of the day are my 11:00-11:30 reading group and my last math group of the day. My 11:00 group contains two non-readers and one struggling reader. The non-readers have shown improvements already!! They have read 2 decodable texts. The words consist of -am and -at words...for example, The bat sat on the mat. The cat sat on the mat...etc. I couldn't be more excited about their progress. My math group is 5 boys! They are so funny and sweet. Everyday is a new adventure. Michael Jordan, from my earlier blog, is in this group. This week we have been working on place value. I will cover this for about another week with my groups before I move on.

When I first did my assessments on my kids, I was freaking out because I had 6 non-readers. But as I have started working with them, I have become more confident. Yesterday we had a 3 hour meeting with our special ed coordinator from the Board of Education. She wanted us to report our data and talk about the grouping of our children. When she heard my numbers, she became worried. Thankfully she is going to be sending me help 5 days a week to work with my 6 non-readers!! :) I am sad that I won't be working as closely with them, but I am excited they will be getting more specific and strategic intervention.

I love my job and look forward to a fantastic year full of learning...my kids learning and me learning the ends and outs of special education!

My Purpose

This is a really short blog, but I found the reason why God sent me to Erwin. For confidentiality purposes, I can't say his name. I will refer to him as Michael Jordan. :) He has extreme behavior, but tries so hard. I met with him today and something about him just melts my heart. It's my goal to get his behavior under control so he can learn more and better in the classroom.
When I went to pick him and 2 other boys up today from their classroom, he walked beside me and talked to me during the walk to my classroom. When I was taking him back to his classroom, he put his arm around my shoulder and said, "Miss Mack, we are going to have a great year." He was so matter-of-fact. At that moment, I knew. This was the kid that I was going to have the greatest impact on. I told him we were going to have a great year and he was going to learn so much stuff. I can't wait!!
My schedule is all complete...finally!! I am teaching reading from 8-11:30, with an hour break from 10-11. Then I teach social skills from 12-12:30 and math from 12:30-2:30! (The kids leave at 2:35.) I have a packed day, but I can't wait to get started. Monday will be my first full day of teaching and students. :)

Whoa!!

What a week it has been...
All week I have been assessing my students to see their individual levels. I started with reading on Tuesday. As the week progressed, I started going into the classrooms and observing my students. By Friday, I knew each of my 27 students and their names!! This is quite an accomplishment because I am terrible with names. I also started their math assessments on Friday. It's funny to take a guess at where the kids are, then test them because you find out that often your guess is WAY off.
Friday was a bit of a struggling day for me. I received a file on a student and looked at his IEP. My heart immediately dropped. This child has 8 reading goals, and from his IEP I thought he was reading on grade level. I began testing him and found at he was actually reading on a pre-primer grade level...which is pre-kindergarten!!! And the goals in the IEP say that I have to have him reading 3rd grade material by the end of the 3rd grade... I just wonder what he has been doing in school for the last 3 years?!?!!? The other students IEP are not written perfectly either, but this was the farthest stretch. I began to have a break-down. I just felt overwhelmed and discouraged. I know that my education was great and I am prepared, but I feel like I am not prepared to teach all the kids. Its a scary feeling. Mr. Sledge, my roommate, gave me this piece of advice. "Your goal is not perform miracles, just make a difference." What a great thing to hear, now that I am calm. :)
I also have some really great news. I heard that when I return to school to begin working on my masters, if I am still working at a Title I school, I will receive money from the government to help pay for my school!!
I had a great realization Friday during school. These students need SO much love and you can't touch them. Yet, I had didn't need any love at school and I got it. Isn't that backwards? When one of my students recognized me when I walked in their class, I wanted to give him a hug and ask how his day was going. Instead I said hello and asked how his day was going. It's so sad. It made me want a huge Luke Ausley hug. :)

This Week

Sorry I have fallen behind on the blog. Not having the internet at my apartment is really inconvenient. So, I am going to update the blog all in one sitting...

There is no place like home. Man is that true! After spending the weekend at home with my wonderful mom and brother, it was hard to come back to Trussville. There are so many great things about Guntersville that I am now realizing. For instance, I LOVE FBC Guntersville. I love seeing everyone and the way the church feels. I love the people and the messages. I also love Tin Top. :) It's nice to be somewhere where everyone knows your name and your story...didn't think I would ever say that!!
Tuesday was an exciting day. I didn't have to be at work until 12. I came to the library to blog, but the internet was down. So, I went to work and didn't do much until 5. The parents came for a meet and greet. I didn't have any parents come to my room so I walked around the campus and showed where classes were. It was raining, hot, and humid. My hair, which was straight when I left for work, was curly when I left school at 7. I met Cassie for dinner at 7:30. I really wish we were at the same school.
Wednesday morning came WAY too early. I had to be at school at 7 for bus duty. That means I had to wake up at 5:30...not a good thing. Millie was so confused because I have never been up that early. My job was to stand in the lunch room and keep everyone quiet. Those 5th and 6th graders are my size!!! I must admit it's kinda intimidating. I sat in my room all day and attempted to find something to do. Still nothing... BUT, Wednesday night I was in for a treat. Neal invited me over for dinner. Grace was in town and they cooked. I contributed blueberry cobbler. We had such a good time. Neal even showed off some dance moves. :) Grace and I called it an early night. I think I was finally able to fall asleep around 11...
Thursday morning came just as early. At 5:30, I jumped out of bed and began to get ready. Off for school at 6:40. Bus duty is really not my friend. I was productive at work!! I made my schedule...that was a major task. It's hard to figure out how to see everyone when all my students are on such different levels! But, I think I had success in creating a great schedule. Thursday after school I spent some time with Millie. We napped and ate watermelon.
It's finally FRIDAY! I felt rested this morning and had a much better attitude about bus duty. I noticed a lot this morning... the girls at my school have such an attitude. It hurts my heart to see them have such a sour outlook. I wish they felt self-worth. Mr. Sledge and I spent the day laughing at everything!! I am so glad I am sharing a room with him. He makes the time pass and always is friendly. As we are getting ready to leave for the day, a 6th grade teacher walks in and tell us there has been a fight at school. Two 4th graders were in a little scuffle.
Throughout the week, I have seen how different schools can be. Teachers can make such a difference, but children make the school.
It's been a long week, but a great week! I can't wait to start serving my students next week!!
Today, I ask that you pray for the girls at this school. I want them to feel self worth. I want to be a positive example in their lives. I also pray that God shows me how to reach these girls who want to be loved.

Thank goodness it's over...

My first two official days have been amazing. :) I love the people I am working with. So far, I have made two new friends. These women seem to be very supporting and are also new at Erwin.
Yesterday we were in meetings ALL day. Nothing exciting happened in the meetings. The staff at Erwin made AYP, if you don't know what that it is, it's a great thing. They are all so happy. I am glad to see the after effects of hard work towards meeting goals. During lunch with my new friends, I shared some things I learned at UA about behavior management. They were excited about the ideas I had and are using them in their classroom. They are also sharing this idea with other teachers. I am happy to see a more positive approach to discipline spread!
Today was a very LONG and tiring day. I did absolutely nothing all day. We have to be there at 7:45 for the work days. So from 7:45 to 11:15 I sat at my desk and tried to look busy. Didn't work too well. The guy I share a room with, Mr. Sledge, finally asked me if I have found anything to do yet. I decided that was a good time to leave for lunch. Haha. Taco Bell was where Jamie and I dined for lunch. We took a stroll through Fred's and I discovered Fred's has great things. Lots and lots of things. So, I went back to school and visited Center Point Elementary, the primary school for Erwin. The 3rd grade teachers from Erwin and the 2nd grade teachers from Center Point met to discuss students. I am glad I attended this meeting. I got some heads up on some of the rowdy kids I will be having. When I returned back to school, I had 25 files sitting on my desk...IEPs!! :) By this time, I was ready to leave school for the day, so I left the IEPs for Monday.
This weekend I am in Guntersville to relax and enjoy great friends. I raced home after work to pack the last minute things and then Millie and I hit the road. I have just enjoyed dinner with my mom and brother...my grandmother's chicken pot pie. It was a perfect ending to a fantastic week.

Today, I am asking for prayers that God leads me to the places where I can find resources for my students. I know only He can prepare me to teach these students what they need to know. I also pray that God continues to do great things at Erwin.

Excited!!

Sorry I haven't updated this since Monday. My intentions are to blog everyday, but since I don't have internet yet at my apartment, I am having to come to the public library.
On Tuesday, I went to Erwin just to drop some stuff off, and found out that I was supposed to be going to meetings all summer. I had no idea. I also found out about a meeting that I had to attend yesterday (Wednesday). Needless to say, I was not a happy camper about missing all the other meetings. I felt so out the loop, and even more down about the job than I was before. Tuesday night, Calla and Grace came over for brownies and strawberries to celebrate Calla's birthday. We had a great visit, and I stayed up WAY too late.
Wednesday morning came, and I was not looking forward to going to school. When I got there, I immediately ran into a mentor teacher who showed me where to go. Once in the room, I realized how lucky I am to be at this school. There are 7 new teachers, including me. That's quite a few new and happy faces at this school. The other teachers in the meeting were the mentors. Each grade level has a mentor, and then special ed has a mentor. All the new teachers introduced themselves. I am by far the youngest teacher at the school...a little scary. There are other brand new teachers as well. Everyone seemed so excited and ready to get started. All my butterflies flew out by the end of the meeting, and now I can't wait to get started as well.
This how I know I am supposed to be at Erwin---I was getting ready to leave the school yesterday, and I stopped by to tell the lead mentor I was leaving. We began talking a little about my personal life, like I am only 21 and graduated in 3 years. Right before I walked out of the door, she stopped what she was doing, and turned to look me in the eyes. Mrs. Melvin told me how happy she was that I was at Erwin. She said she was excited to see happy and excited new people and she knew I could make a difference. This is just the encouragement I have been needing! What a relief I felt. God does answer prayers!!!
So, now I am ready to talk about today. It's my last day of summer!! I slept in this morning. I am waiting on Cassie and her friends to decide where we are eating lunch and then I am off to enjoy my last day of no responsibilities! :) YAY!
I ask that you pray for me tomorrow as I sit through all the meetings and find out what my duties will be this year! I pray for strength and this feeling of excitement to last.
Stay tuned for tomorrow's update...

Brand Spankin' New

Hello World!! I decided to start a blog since I am now in the real world. Scary thought, huh? On here, I am going to blog about my experiences as a first year teacher, recent graduate (with my friends still in school), and finally on my own. This is the time I have been wishing for all my life and now that it's here, I am scared. Why did I decide to graduate in 3 years?! I feel as if I should be going back to The University and enjoying the slow start of classes and days at the pool with my friends. But, in 4 short days, I will go to Erwin Elementary as the 3rd grade Special Ed teacher. I am so excited about the opportunity God has given me. I have a chance to serve children...how exciting!!

I moved to Trussville a week ago today. I am enjoying living here, but I do not like living by myself. I have been spending a lot of time on the phone to anyone who will talk, visiting Cassie, and putting the final touches on my apartment. Two days this week I visited Erwin Elementary. I found my room in a complete disaster. Thanks to Cassie, we moved a lot of stuff around on my side of the classroom. Once we did that, I was able to start putting my stuff in order and getting my room to looking like a classroom should.

I must tell yall about my new little girl, Millie. I have never loved an animal as much as I love her. She is adorable and lovable. I am so thankful I have her. She occupies much of my down time. She currently has a few tricks. Millie can do a very good Michael Jackson impression, jump as high as Simone, and give a high five. I have a very smart kitten.