Gaurdian Angel

It's been almost a year, and I think about her everyday. I miss her everyday. I move on a bit more everyday. This week I realized she's watching over me. Every time I would get down about teaching, I would hear, "Maybe you should try switching grades. Go down to a younger grade. You had a rough time with second grade, but at the school you're at, maybe it wouldn't be bad to try third or first." "Mom! I don't like the little ones. There's too much crying." At the end of the school year last year when I found out I was being moved to first grade, I thought my world was over in Vegas, and went back to my apartment to search for jobs back in Wisconsin. I asked someone to write a letter of recommendation for me to update credential files. All summer I dreaded coming back to Vegas. I dragged my feet about going back to school. Well, this week was my first week of school. I was really nervous, almost more than the students. It turns out that I like teaching the little guys (and gals). I know it's only the first week, and we're in the honeymoon stage, but it seems like a better fit for me. They like to do well for the teachers, and they do what you ask (most of them anyway). AND...I don't have as much grading in this grade. It's a lot easier for me to get done. By the end of the day on Friday, it seemed like I could hear her say, "I told you." I guess she did sometimes know what she was talking about. This year is going to be much better than the previous years. It's weird though since some of friends aren't at my school anymore, the ones that I was used to seeing everyday or going to happy hour with each Friday. I'll adjust.

Summer

This summer has gone by FAR too fast. I don't like that feeling. It feels like just the other day I was packing up to come home for the summer. I've been spending today thinking about where the time has gone. First week home: Milwaukee and Rhythm and Booms. Second week: bumming around Madison. Third Week: Green Bay. Fourth Week: Washington DC. Fifth Week: DC and recuperating from DC. Sixth week: Green Bay, dinner with friends, State Fair, Gary Coleman, Mustard Day. I can't believe I've been home for only 6 weeks! It feels like I've been here forever, and then some days it feels like I've only been here for a short amount of time.
I'll start out by saying this has been a great summer. I've gotten to see just about everyone I've wanted to see, and some more than I thought I was going to see. I got to see almost anyone in Green Bay. I was able to spend a whole week up there. I think that's the longest I've spent up there since I graduated from SNC. I helped a friend move into her new house, and was able to spend a bunch of time with her. It seems like she's always working when I come up to visit. It was nice to be able to spend time with her. I got to spend time with my friend and godson. He's getting SO big. I wish I were here so I could see them more often. I stayed with Adam, and made him leave his apartment when he hadn't left all day, as well as other things that got him away from school work. It was kind of like being back at SNC. I did help out when I read over his papers. So I wasn't a total distraction. And I got to see two friends that I'm not always able to see up there. I was able to meet them in Oshkosh too. I love the fact that we can just talk for hours about so many things when we all get together. I was glad that I was able to get back up there for 2 more days near the end of my trip. Being back up there made me realize how much I really miss being up there. I really hope that there are job openings up there soon!
Washington DC was fun. I saw many things, and still didn't see EVERYTHING out there. I did get to see Dan, and that was awesome. I miss hanging out with Dan. He's always a good person to chillax with. I think my dad, sister, and I were tired of each other after 9 days in DC. But we all had a good time.
I've done so many "down home" things this summer here in the Madison area. The baseball games where I met Beaver from "Leave it to Beaver" and Gary Coleman. Going to the National Mustard Day celebration in Mount Horeb with my sisters and Adam. State Fair in Milwaukee. These are things I can't find in Vegas. Oh well. Some day I'll get back here to good ol' Wisconsin.