An Answered Prayer

For many months people have asked me one question. I'm sure you can guess it. "What are you doing after college, Sarah?" I have told everyone who asks me this that I have absolutely no idea. Those who knew that I was majoring in Liberal Studies (aka Early Childhood Education) and who know my personality well, know that I have the hugest passion and dream of my career being a housewife and mother. I wrote a year ago about how a young teacher (unmarried) during my TAP experience squashed that idea and made me feel horrible about it. She told me that getting married before 25 was way too young and that I needed to accomplish my own goals and dreams and make something of myself before I surrendered my life to being stuck as a housewife who does not have an identity. Of course, I was completely shocked by this response and very angry and hurt that the world has come to think this way...that housewives and mothers are no longer needed or considered one of the most important jobs in the world....Although, that still hasn't changed my big dream or my attitude of its importance. Many of you know that I had had many bad experiences with the teaching assistant program that I was required to complete during my first year of teaching courses, which led me to decide that I was not meant to teach. This was all because of ONE single teacher who was rude to me, did not respect my desire and willingness to help and learn and do what she needed me to do in her classroom, which ended up leaving me a negative attitude towards teaching or anything to do with it. However, being that this is my last year of college, actually my last semester, I have been praying constantly about what I should be doing after I graduate but it had not been clear at all until just recently.
With all of the wedding planning and stress of my seven classes (22 hours) I have not been able to give myself time to notice was has been happening this semester or even time to breathe, relax, and do something for myself. Amidst all of the work that goes into graduating in 3 years, I have succeeded in losing myself because I have not had any time to care that I was no longer doing things to make myself happy, but things to follow a plan in graduating early. For some reason, these past couples of weeks I was made aware of something that I thought had already been decided---my teaching career. Let me fill you in: Every Thursday, I go to an elementary school to teach Physical Education to first graders (this is one of 4 schools I go to each week to teach) and boy, is that crazy! Two weeks ago, it was my turn to teach (out of my group members) PE to our 1st grade class and I had been dreading it for weeks not because I didn't want to do it, but because I get so nervous to have all attention on me and to speak in front of a large group. The morning I was supposed to teach, I woke up feeling as calm as I had ever felt in my life. I had been praying that I would do a great job and that I could do better than my group members had done. When I got to the school, I had successfully been able to get all of the equipment for my lesson plan, 21 name tags for the kids, and a confident and excited mood for being a teacher. This class of first graders is absolutely crazy, and you can see that by looking around the field outside and noticing the other first graders being obedient and quiet when asked to do so. Something was different about this day and I'm not sure why...maybe it was because I prayed. I began to explain my lesson to the kids who were unusually and surprisingly being quiet and listening extremely well as compared to my other group members lesson. I planned a Jumping lesson for them, which used animals to display different levels of jumping: low, medium, and high. I used stations with poly spots (rubber circles they jump on), dome cones, and regular orange cones to represent the different levels of jumping which were 1-low like a frog jumping on a lily pad, 2- like a kangaroo jumping over rocks, and 3- like a Deer jumping high over the bushes. The kids absolutely loved my lesson. They cooperated, listened, showed extreme enthusiasm and when at the end, I began to review what they had learned, they rememembered everything I had told them. I have never felt that confident and happy that I had achieved so much and truly felt like a good teacher. I didn't realize that throughout the semester, I had fallen in love with all of my different classes ranging from 1st grade to 6th grade. Even in my 2nd grade English class, I have kids drawing me pictures, squeezing me so tight with hugs every time I come and go, and begging me to stay. It wasn't until this past week that I had this sudden realization that maybe God had answered my prayer and tried to show me that I was and really am meant to be a teacher to young kids. I feel now that my major actually has been worthwhile and that my natural love and dream of being a wife and mother actually coincides with a possible career outside of the house. It's an amazing feeling and a realization and answer that I have been waiting for. I'm not sure how difficult it will be to make happen, with all of the testing and certification, but I know that this hasn't all happened for nothing.......

Until next time....<3

Getting Anxious......Counting down the days.

I love you not only for what you are, But for what I am when I am with you I love you not only for what you have made of yourself But for what you are making me I love you for the part of me that you bring out. I love you for passing over all my foolish and weak traits, That you can't help but see I love you for drawing out into the light my beauty, That no one else had looked quite far enough to din I love you.

The Oh So Incredible Heart Day

This weekend has been absolutely wonderful! No school Friday or Monday and Valentine's Day in between. I was sooo excited for the special evening Joey and I had planned for him to cook us dinner. When you see what he cooked, you'll be jealous. I have a mighty fine, talented, Italian chef for a fiance' and boy am I not complaining. HAH! The only problem is that I'm going to have to fight for the kitchen. Who seriously ever has that problem? So, for the amazing Valentine's Dinner menu, Joey prepared Scallop stuffed Filets with asparagus, red potatoes, and I helped out with purchasing my first bottle of wine. We decided we shouldn't spend a lot of money this Valentine's Day, since we have a lot to pay for in the next coming months. I didn't complain though...having a candlelit dinner at home with your fiance' is more special than going out to a restaurant and paying over a hundred dollars for something half the size. It was a very romantic night! Joey even recited a card to me, since he didn't get me one...haha. It was hilarious. He can't wait to grow old with me. After our amazing dinner we decided to go to Barney's Beanery, which is a restaurant/bar where we went for my 21st. This time was even more fun though..i'm not going to lie. Joey and I had a few drinks, played a game of pool, and he even sang Karaoke. HAHA! He sang "Sweet Caroline"....which was hilarious but sooo adorable. What a great Valentine's Day! Until next time....

Just a Rainy Friday...

I started off my day by deciding to surprise my roommates with a bit of breakfast. I cooked up some eggs, toast, coffee, and served some Raspberry Danish along with it. They woke up just in time for everything to be ready. It was a great way to start our four day weekend! After breakfast I got ready to go see a double feature at the close, cheap theater for $5...YAY! I had been waiting for weeks to go see Friday the 13th. It was almost like waking up on Christmas morning. Sad, I know...but that's how much I love horror flicks. The movie was really good, but it had a sad ending, which kind of disappointed me...but what horror movie doesn't have a sad ending. hah. One hting that really surprised me though was realizing how many parents bring their children who are clearly under ten years old, or even toddlers for crying out loud! What good parent would bring their CHILD to a rated R movie with nudity, sex, alcohol, cussing, and you name it!? UGGH! It just blows my mind! After Friday the 13th I ran straight over to the movie Coraline, which I had heard from Stephanie, was really good. It was such a neat movie! It had a really crazy story for an animated children's movie, but I found it quite entertaining. It's amazing what they come up with these days! Anywho...tomorrow is Valentine's Day and Joey is going to cook Filet's for us by Candlelight! I'm sooooo excited!!! Not sure what else is in store......hopefully flowers or something. hehe. THat's all for now.....

VeGaS Baby!

It's a little late, (January 29-Feb 1) but there's no way I could go without mentioning the last of my birthday, celebrating the BIG 21! Yes, the partying continued in Las Vegas! I was lucky enough to have my wonderful mother and sister fly and meet me there the week after my birthday. I was extremely excited because we were going to stay at the MGM, which is where I stayed on my first road trip out to California for school, but that was before I was 21. haha. So, you know Vegas can't really be fun until then. Anywho....the MGM Grand is a gorgeous, modern hotel that has everything you can possibly think of- restaurants, clubs, bars, casino, shows, and even a Lion habitat!!! That's my favorite part. I could watch them all day!

Throughout the trip, we were able to see two shows, one which was AMAZING- Wayne Brady....soooooo good! He did a bit of everything- improv, dancing, and singing! The second show we saw the next night was awful. We went to see one of the Cirque De Soleil shows, and this particular one was soooo boring. I almost fell asleep! We also were able to eat at some delicious restaurants, play some slots in the casino (I won $87!!), get some drinks in the lounge, shop a bit, go see the movie The Uninvited (my choice hehe), and just enjoy the wonderful city! It was such a wonderful trip- I didn't want to leave to go back to school, but hey- I have hardly 3 months left before graduation! Thanks so much for such an amazing trip and birthday present, Meemsie & Father!!

The Best 21st Bday In the World!!

I just recently turned the big 21 and still cannot get over how amazing it was, thanks to my wonderful fiancee' Joey, and all of my friends. I started out the day before my birthday by finding out something I wasn't supposed to know. I found out that I would be riding (for the first time ever) in a limo on the night of my birthday to Barney's Beanery. Joey was very upset that the surprised was ruined, but I tried to cheer him up and say that it only meant more to me now and that I soooo excited. After that, we decided, or I should say, I suggested that we go see a movie- and of course it would be a scary one. Joey actually agreed to go see My Bloody Valentine with me and I was not disappointed, even considering how rediculously hilarious the movie was. You know a horror movie is bad when it makes you laugh.

After the movie was over, there were only a few hours to kill before it turned 12am- my birthday. Joey said he wanted to take me out to get my first drink, which got me really excited for the weekend ahead. I ordered a Cosmopolitan, which is deliciously yummy! Strangely, the bar/restaurant we went to closed on a Friday night at 1230. I thought that was lame. But anywho.....I came home and relaxed a bit before I headed to bed. I woke up at 8 am for some unknown reason and wondered why I heard my roommates awake, but I didn't think anything of it and of course, decided to go back to sleep. I woke up at about 10 to the smell of a wonderful breakfast that my roomies had made just for me. It was the start of a wonderful day.

I got all dressed up in a cute blue, ruffled, dressy top from Target (my fave store in the world), and some jeans and boots. My amazing best friend Sam, who is now on her way to Jordan to study abroad, (I know....crazy....and I'm going to miss her too much!), took me to get an amazing spa pedicure and to lunch at the Corner Bakery....yummm delicious! After that, we decided that we had some time to kill before we'd get ready for my party, so we went to Target. We ended up killing about an hour and coming home about 2 hours before time to leave. I was so excited that I wanted to get ready asap, and put on my new red dress (I've never worn red- weird. =P).

The minutes actually passed quickly and it was time to meet everyone at the limo. Joey told me he had gotten a call from the limo driver and he had told him he was being upgraded, but I still didn't know what to expect. After waiting a few minutes, all of the sudden, a beautiful, black Hummer Limo pulled in. I seriously freaked out. I mean, I've never been in a limo, but to ride for the first time in a HUMMER limo!? WOah. Yeah, I have the best Fiancee' ever! We arrived at Barney's Beanery and enjoyed some drinks and food. Then, we decided to go to a second place called Wakano's. It was such an amazing night. I'm so thankful to Joey and to my friends- they made my birthday so amazing.

Yay for being 21!!!

My Last Semester of College

It is now the year 2009, finally, and I have so many things to look forward to. First, I must mention that the save the dates have been sent out and the wedding invitations ordered. The wedding between the love of my life and I, Joey, is now in 5 months 2 weeks and 5 days away! I am beyond excited...more like ecstatic times a billion. Then, although I am leaving this Sunday to go back for my last semester of college (BLAH), only 2 weeks after I get back I get to celebrate my 21st birthday. And, where am I celebrating, you might ask? VEGAS!!! Yes, you heard me, VEGAS! I get to celebrate a lot during January- with my friends here at home, then at school with Joey and my friends there, and then my trip to Vegas! Talk about a grrreat birthday! But then....there's February and March, and then in April I come home for spring break, and it's the last of the wedding touches and appointments! (hopefully some showers too..) I cannot wait to graduate and then marry the love of my life, go to Cancun for our honeymoon, and then build our home and family together. AHhhhh life is good!

Until next time...<3
SaRaH