Thoughts on Recent Events

Thoughts on being a Teacher

So as many of you know, I'm in Practicum right now.  (For those of you who don't know what this is, it's where we are assigned a school and a class and then spend 4 weeks basically being a student teacher.  You are with the class for the full school day to help, observe, teach lessons, and be observed by BYU facilitators on your lesson teaching).  This Monday will be the start of the last week of Practicum.  As hard, intense, scary, and relatively short-lived as it was, I'm already gonna miss my little first graders.  It's been a good experience to see how things done and evaluate areas where I personally need to improve before running a class entirely on my own.  

(First day of school photo: Not sure if we could be any more cheesy--Can you tell how uptight and nervous I was??)

It's really easy to doubt yourself and your abilities, be overly critical, and compare yourself to others.  It's easy to psych yourself out and think that you're not quite as good of a teacher as everyone else will be.  But the only way to put yourself to the test and grow, is to go out there and do it.  Before practicum, I felt pretty inadequate and like pretty much everyone else in my major was better suited for this job.  But every day that I'm there, I surprise myself at how smoothly things go, how quickly I'm able to assess situations, and how naturally it all comes to me.  My facilitators and cooperating teacher, have been incredibly impressed with how well I'm doing--what a blessing.  Sometimes you just need someone to honestly assess your work, give you feedback and encouragement.  I guess I'm in the right major after all :)  As fun as practicum has been, I'll be happy when it's over!

This semesters practicum has been pretty hard on me with being in my first trimester, having 3 other classes to attend that continue on through Practicum, teaching first grade, having to drive to Riverton every day (45-50 min away), and having it be the first time teaching.  Next semester should be better:  I'll still be pregnant, but I won't have classes during Practicum.  I'll be teaching some grade between 3rd-6th and I'll be teaching in Provo.  Hallelujah! It will be my last semester of classes, and my last practicum at  BYU.  After winter semester, the only thing left is Student teaching for 3 months.  Yay!

Thoughts on Halloween

I'm not normally one to get in on the Halloween festivities, but this year was a little different.   We were required to dress up for school (School meaning my first grade class, not BYU!), so thankfully I had a kid friendly costume tucked away in the closet somewhere.  Let me tell you... my giraffe costume was a HUGE hit with the first graders :)  It was especially a hit with all of the little kids watching the Halloween parade--pretty funny!

A little excited for the classroom Halloween parties!

Halloween in the classroom was exhausting but fun.

I also don't think I've carved a pumpkin since the last Halloween that I was at home for.  If I have between now and then, it sure wasn't very memorable.  I also realized that carving pumpkins is the one thing that I LOVE about Halloween--which would explain why I've become rather bitter towards it over the last few years.  The second I smelled a pumpkin, I was in love again.  Jim, on the other hand, has never carved a pumpkin in his life (at least not that he remembers).  So this year--I convinced him that it would be so much fun and taught him the ways.

Carving pumpkins is an awesome family home evening activity.  Coincidentally, we had our first ultrasound appointment earlier Monday afternoon.  We thought it would be really fun to announce the pregnancy via pumpkins! Jimmie was not really a fan of pulling the guts out of the inside and that's my favorite part! So since I'm not very strong--but I'm artsy and brave, I landed the job of drawing where to cut on the pumpkin, and cleaning out the insides while Jim did the hard part of making the actual cuts.  Next year--we're investing in better knives.  Ours didn't quite cut it... (PUN intended!)

But eventually, they turned out alright in the end!

Thoughts on being Pregnant

Before I talk about my personal thoughts, I'll update you on things so far.  We found out that I'm pregnant sometime in mid September.  To put things in perspective, today I am 10 weeks and 2 days along.  The due date is June 6, 2013.  When I had to have my surgery--it was exactly 1 week after we found out I was pregnant.  This is why we thought it'd be a good idea to go to the doctors--to check on the baby.  I'd had crazy abdominal pains so we did an ultrasound to test for ectopic pregnancy vs. appendicitis.  I'd never been so happy to determine that it was appendicitis.  At that point, the baby was so small, we couldn't see anything but the yolk sac on the screen but we were able to determine it was in the right spot! The surgery should not have affected the pregnancy and as far as we can tell--it hasn't.  Things with the surgery went smoothly, and I've recovered wonderfully.  Because of the surgery though, we were extra nervous to go to our first ultrasound and make sure everything was still okay.  On October 29, we got to see that little blob on the screen for the first time and see the heartbeat just fine.  After the doctor showed us the heartbeat, Jimmie thought he saw another one on the screen.  The doctor took about 5 minutes to look from other angles, because it did, in fact, look like a second heart beat.  I nearly died....TWINS?!  But, after a few minutes, she was able to determine that there was only 1 heart beat, and it was beating strong.  The baby measured exactly where it should be so the due date remains unchanged.  

Questions and Answers for those who have been asking:

Do you want a boy or a girl?

Honestly, I don't care too much.  But given a choice, I'd pick girl.  Jim, of course, would like a boy.  I guess one of us will be right :)

How have you been feeling?

I struggled significantly after my surgery because that's when my "morning"(aka all day) sickness started.  For a few days I couldn't keep anything down and it was NOT fun.  Thankfully I got some medicine from the doctor (Zofran) for nausea/vomiting that has helped tremendously!  Other than nausea here and there, I'm mostly just exhausted all the time.  Especially teaching, I will come home, nap for 1-3 hours, get up and get stuff done/make dinner, than be back in bed by 8:30.  On days that I don't nap, I'm struggling to stay awake by 7.  Pretty pathetic, but that's okay :)  I've always needed a lot of rest.  The only other thing is that I don't have much of an appetite and most things disagree with my body.

Are you having any cravings?

Uhh, sort of?  For the most part no--I mostly have food aversions, where I really don't want anything. Most foods I normally LOVE I just take a big pass on.  And what sounds good, changes so quickly.  If something sounds good that we don't have, it makes no sense to go to the store to get it, because by the time Jimmie gets back, I don't want it anymore.  There have been a few times though where I crave things that I don't even really like.  For example: Salad, veggies and fruits that I hate, and most recently ketchup.  Don't get me wrong... I like ketchup, but I could take it or leave it.  Recently I've been finding things to eat, just so that I can eat the ketchup.  How very...odd.  Overall though,  I just try and eat little things here and there throughout the day, as I get an appetite for them.  

When will you know the gender/Are you finding out?

 YES we want to know the gender ASAP!! It depends for everyone when they can determine gender.  Normally, its between 16-20 weeks.  For us, we're hoping it will be around 15-16 weeks because we will have an appointment around then.  Crossing our fingers that we'll find out just before we come home for Christmas.  One can hope!

What are you going to do about school/when do you finish?

I will graduate December 2013.  I will be finished with all of my classes in April 2013, well before the baby arrives.  The tricky thing is the student teaching that I need to complete from the end of August-December.  Yes, I'll be in the schools full time for 4 months, we know.  We're not entirely sure how we'll work that out, but most likely we'll be needing a lot of help from friends and family close by.  We're still figuring some things out and have some different options to consider.  After I graduate in December, we are hopeful that some time after that, we will head back to New Jersey.  That's our ultimate goal.  We miss it back there!

Thoughts on being a MOM 

As many of you all have I'm sure experienced for yourself, there is a huge crazy flood of emotions that happens within a few seconds of finding this out for the first time.  Incredibly excited, hopeful, and happy enough to make you cry.  Of course once that dies off in a little while, there's the realization that this is REAL.  There comes the questions, the concerns, the inadequacies, and for me, a little bit of sheer panic of realizing that I've got 9 months to learn everything there is to learn and embrace the huge amount of life changing responsibility that comes with having a little baby of your own.  Jimmie, of course, was/is THRILLED beyond measure and has been incredibly helpful and supportive through all of this.  (It's kind of funny actually.  Maybe a little TOO protective of me and over the top with the, "No let me get that for you," or "You don't need to be doing that.  You go lay down, I'll take care of it".  But hey, I'll take the pampering :)  )

With practicum and everything that I've been doing, I've realized that you can prepare (and should) for what's coming as much as you can.  But no matter how much you go over everything in your mind, how many articles you read, how many items and paperwork you have in place, nothing will ever quite prepare you.  The best way to learn and to grow--is to do it.  And that's what being a mother is all about.  I'm well aware that I won't be perfect all the time, we'll mess things up, things won't always go as planned, and at some points, may feel like a complete failure.  But as long as we do our best and give this little one our love, I am confident, that I will be a great Mom, and Jim, a wonderful Dad.  I'm confident because I have been so blessed in my life.  

I am so blessed to have been raised in a loving home, with parents who have always showed me how to be wonder parents through their daily example.  Things weren't always perfect, but I always knew and still do, how much they love me and do everything in their power for me.  I am blessed to have been raised with correct principles and morals being taught and lived every day in our home.  We are blessed with the knowledge of the truthfulness of the gospel.  The knowledge of eternal families and the Plan of Salvation.  The knowledge and guidance from scriptures of old and modern day revelation through Prophets.  The knowledge and use of Priesthood power and guidance in the home.  The knowledge that wherever we go, we will find loving and supportive friends, through programs such as Relief Society, Priesthood, Primary with thing like Visiting and Home Teaching.  The knowledge of the strength and guidance that all these teachings bring and the freedom to share them with everyone.  With all things, though we may feel inadequate at times--we put our trust in the Lord and pray.  As President Thomas S. Monson has said, "Our future is as bright as our faith".  

Thoughts on the Weather

Though I know we don't have much to complain about over here in Utah, seeing as the entire East Coast (specifically NJ) has been taking a beating this last month.  I had some good pictures though so I thought I'd share.  This week, for the most part has been sunny, 60-70 degree weather. Friday hits and it's just raining when I leave for practicum.  However, as we are driving north to practicum, it's always MUCH colder up there than down here.  Snow began to fall accumulate quickly.  Pretty soon, we were in the middle of a full on snow storm.  This Friday was different too because our school was closed (not because of snow but just because of regular closing).  Because we didn't have school, we had to go from school to school to do observations, have presentations etc.  Needless to say--there was a lot of in and out of the car and I had no coat and fabric flats on.  By the time we were headed to our car to go home, my shoes were so soaked and slippery, it was just as cold to take off my shoes and walk through 2-3 inches of snow than it was to carefully tip toe through in my soaking wet shoes.  All I can say is: Those poor pioneers.  Of course, as we drive back to Provo, the storm has been moving south.  We left Jordan area just as the storm was finishing up and moving our way.  Then we got hit with it down here.  So I got to endure this lovely snow storm (blizzard type) twice in one day.  Ohhhh yeah!

As cold, wet, and miserable as we were, there's something so magical about snow this time of year that makes everything okay :) And yesterday was one of my favorite days in a long time!  Here are some snapshots.

(Our house on a sunny fall day on Thursday)

(Friday--Driving around in Riverton and Jordan)

(Saturday morning--The snow had broken a giant tree branch off (not shown) and ripped the power lines right off of the house!  Thankfully--not our power lines!)

 (Saturday @ noon, snow was melting, but still very pretty)

(Saturday @ noon, panoramic shot from our garage)