blissful, busy week

this business of not working is AMAZING! i've spent this week working on various projects for class, but mostly hanging out with friends. i'm trying to cram in as much socialness as possible in these last few days, because i will miss these friends dearly. tonight's agenda includes dinner with the evelands; dear friends from my college days. and heck, it's a free meal! good times will be had by all, i'm certain. :o)

bittersweet departure

tonight was my last night of work at kohl's. I've been looking forward to this day for...well...a long time. finally, i don't have to drive clear to west Knoxville just to work a 5 hour shift. finally, i don't have to pick up after sloppy men who insist on trying jeans on and leaving them in heaps. finally, i don't have to argue with customers about sale prices. finally. however, as exhilarating as it is to not have to deal with the retail business, i have made some very wonderful acquaintances in the year that i've been there. i was somewhat overwhelmed this evening at the parting goodbyes and good lucks i received. i never dreamed so many of them would tear up and hug me farewell. i even had offers of places to stay if (or in their words, "when") i come back to visit knoxville. i realized that i really will miss that obnoxious store...or more precisely, i will miss those folks i have spent countless hours working along side. end of chapter.

it's official

well, folks...it's official. i am a 1st grade teacher at yost elementary school! i really can't believe i accepted a 1st grade position, due to my great love for the older grades. and even more than that, i can't believe they offered it to me to begin with! buuuuut....i'll take it. it's a fantastic school system and it's the elementary school i went to as a kid. not to mention the fact that my mom is the secretary! hahahahaha it's gonna be great. the first thing mom said when i told her about my new job is that she can't wait to help me decorate my room. too funny. so, here begins the next chapter of my life. and i'm ready for it. nervous as all get-out, but ready. after all, first graders are so dang cute. :o)

thanksgiving in june

it occurred to me today that i have an awful lot to be thankful for. i'm thankful that this last class of my college career is a fun one, and not at all difficult or mentally demanding. it's a great way to finish up a degree. i'm thankful for a tight-knit family who would drop everything and do anything for each other. i'm thankful for the graciousness of my parents to let me move home and live with them for free. i'm thankful for the honesty and sincerity and downright silliness of my friends. i'm thankful for laughter and chocolate and baseball and thunderstorms. so, here's to thanksgiving in june.

home to me

much of the love/hate relationship i have with my little hometown is the fact that i can't go anywhere without seeing someone i know. when my brother and sisters and i go into town, we make bets on how many people we'll run into that we know. of course, it's a scientific figure, based on the number of places we have to stop, how long we plan to be there, as well as the time of year and time of day. but it never fails; we ALWAYS see someone we know.

i had to laugh to myself when i ran into a 4th grade teacher i know the other day in kohl's. the next day, i grabbed a bite to eat at tropical smoothie and one of my 5th grade students came in with his father. the following day, a mom of one of my students came in to kohl's. and tonight i saw a 1st grade teacher i worked with. clearly, knoxville has become my hometown. i sure will miss it.