13

I was trying to hold off on this blog entry until next month when the title could be 12, but this morning I just needed a reminder. Thirteen is the number of months I have left of school. Next December, I should (key word) graduate! When I realized this two or three weeks ago, my heart was overjoyed. School has been a long road for me, those who know me can attest to that. It has drained me and changed me in many ways. But... 13 more months and I will have a piece of paper in my hand stating I can go and listen to people and help them place goals in their life to overcome their problems. Yay piece of paper!!
For now my biggest obstacle is finding an internship for next semester. I have to work evenings and the occasional weekend which will be awesome (not so much), but that's what has to happen. If any of you know an LPC who works evenings, let me know! I am still searching.
But, for now, I dream a lot. There are many statements that begin with, "When I finish school..." and here are just a few:

• My house will no longer be neglected, projects here I come.
• The bags under my eyes may disappear.
• Working out will be a time filled with music and fun, not lectures on my ipod or note cards tumbling from the treadmill.
• Weekends will be once again mine!!! This is probably the most amazing thing, no waking up at 7 on the weekend just to get a head start on homework.
• I can actually come up with some fun lesson plans on my own without stealing them from others.
• Chris and my mom won't have to constantly remind me that I can do this, hopefully conversations will be more joyful and not stress underlined.
• I won't have to spend big bucks on books that I loath, I can actually get books that are easy and enjoyable.
• I can become involved in church again, something I miss.
• My friends might actually see my face!!
• I won't have to answer the question, "What are you doing?" with the replies "Reading", "Writing a paper", "Listening to a lecture", "Driving to class", "Sitting in class", "In the library"!!!

These are just a few... I am proud of myself that I will be able to accomplish 60 hours of grad work in 2 and a half years, with an academic scholarship, while working a full time teaching job. Sometimes I really don't see why I am putting myself through it, but then that overachiever in me kicks in and I seem to get by. I know this is a pretty boring post, but extremely important to me. Thanks to all of my amazing friends and family who put up with the stress, tears, not being able to hang out, etc. and have continued to be there anytime I call. 13 more months!

Making Memories and Having Fun

So... I didn't get to blog last weekend, little behind. The past three weekends have been fun, fun. Lots of little things have been going on and a few big as well. Three weekends ago was Fall Fest at the Boschen household. This is for his dad's side of the family and I felt very privileged to be able to attend. There were TONS of new faces, lots of food, a homemade haunted house, and a guest that I was very excited to meet.

Last weekend was a wonderful three day weekend, wonderful. I was planning on going up to St. Louis to hang out with Chris for Halloween, but he was kind enough to come to Springfield on account of my stress level. I had the whole day Friday to do a little reading, cleaning, and relaxing before he got into town. We had a date night that night and it was delightful. Saturday was full of pumpkin pancakes, making a special day plate, handing out some candy, and watching Charlie Brown. Pretty sweet if you ask me!

This weekend, Chris and I headed to MU to see a game. I was very excited to go to MU with Chris. While I been there before, it was fun to be with him and have him tell me a few things about his old stomping grounds. It was a beautiful day and we had a lot of fun, despite the terrible game. Next time, we hope to have a bigger group so we can tailgate.

Next weekend is cake pop weekend extravaganza. I have to make quite a few cake pops for two parties and some sugar cookies. Somewhere in there, homework will creep its ugly head in as well. I keep telling myself, one more year...

A New Hobby

Danavee has motivated me to attempt to post every week, so I guess this is my new hobby... This past weekend was the long awaited "Eye"Ball. Basically, Chris's school puts on a dinner and dance every year for the fourth years. It was fun! I got to buy a new dress, dance, have some amazing chocolate cake, and last but not least have a great night out with Chris. It was also amazing to think about the fact that this time next year, Chris will be a fourth year and only have 6 more months left of school, YEAH!!! I cannot express how excited I am by that fact. Here is a picture from the night.

I also want to share some pictures of a few cute Halloween decorations I put up. I am excited to decorate for Christmas already! However, I do wish I was home a little more to enjoy it.

Wonderful Weekend (and Monday, too!)

About a month and a half ago, my dear friend Amy called me with the news that our friend Ashly's boyfriend requested our presence at her, "birthday weekend." It was a surprise and I quickly jumped at the opportunity. See, Ashly LOVES surprises and for as long as I have known her, it has been so much fun to surprise her because of that reason. To top that all off, I miss my two wondeful best friends from college and was so excited to spend the weekend with them.

So, our plane tickets were quickly bought and I started to question Amy on if this wasn't just a birthday weekend. Could it be a purposal weekend? She quickly dismissed this every time I brought it up, but later admits she thought the same thing. The big weekend came and our anxiety was sky high, but low and behold... our bestie Ashly is engaged!!! I couldn't be happier for her and was so excited that Chris thought to invite us down to share in such a big day. He did a great job and I am pumped for all the fun to come.

That was the beginning of the weekend, followed by some shopping, MUCH needed naps (we only got 3 hours of sleep Friday night), a night of fun at Six Flags, sushi, and just some amazing catch up time. I love these two girls dearly. It is amazing how well you get to know someone through college. We lived together, studied together, ate together, worked out together, knew each other's families, and the list continues. I have been blessed with many great friends since college who I love dearly as well, but it still cracks me up how, after not seeing Ashly for two years, I show up at her house and we have the same blanket, shoes, and several other silly items. I hate that we all live so far apart, but love the fact that I know that 10 years from now we will be just as close as ever. Here are a few pictures from the weekend.

The happy couple!

Another fun, and corny, thing about the weekend was a milistone for Chris and I. This past week was the Mission's Conference at our church. I was so sad to miss it, this is my favorite week of the year at High Street. It is an amazing time to hear from missionaries we support and to be uplifted by their stories and offer up prayer for them. My favorite Mission's Conference, though, despite how many I attend in the future will always be last year. I remember like it was yesterday...
On the Saturday of the Mission's Conference we took the youth out to do random acts of kindness around Springfield followed by a fun time of talking with a few of the missionary families. We then took a few of the girl's back to Crystal's work (not sure what else to call it, haha) to carve pumpkins, one of the girls being Erin, Chris's little sister. I took Erin and I believe Jenny (forgive me if I am wrong) into town to get some Taco Bell and a Red Box and they were texting EACH OTHER in the car. This made me mad so I questioned them. Erin responded with, "We were just talking about how you should date my brother." I laughed it off, but secretly ran home and looked at his pictures on her facebook page and was quite impressed.
The next day, guess who is at church, Chris! I somehow sat beside him at church, I am not sure how that happend. I was so nervous the entire service. Afterwards, we were all standing around chatting, I am still totally nervous, and then Erin and Chris (and the rest of the fam) leave. I get a text message from Erin later that day saying she had fun news to tell me. Chris asked how old the girl was who stood beside him, Erin told him my age, and his response, "Good! I was hoping I wasn't attracted to an 18 year old."

And as I like to say, the rest is history. It took Erin tearing her ACL for me to facebook friend request him (I asked her if it would make her feel better). So, I willing tell people that Erin was the one who set us up. Pretty fun.
To top off my fun weekend, I got to go and see Natalie on Monday night! I just love her. She has been such a wonderful friend since high school, at times being my voice of reason or just providing a great model of what it is to be happy. Her house is VERY cute and her bulldog is just a sweetie. Thanks Nat for letting me come over! Sorry I didn't have a cookie, I was so excited to talk, chewing would have distracted me =)

Help Please (for the kids of course)

It's that time of year again, the Literature Festival. Every year we get to send two students for a day of fun at a Springfield campus. They will get to purchase books, get autographs, listen to a few authors speak, and most imporantly, have lunch at CiCi's.
Well, I have to decide who to send, that's where you come into play. I have narrowed my selection down to six students. I had them write me a letter explaining why they should go and would love to get your opinion. I have typed these exactly as I got them, for the full effect of course. I will be telling them tomorrow morning, so cast your vote quickly!
Student A:
Dear Miss Arnold,
I really hope that I can to to the Literature Festival. One of resons why I really want to go is because I love to write and I love to read! I also think I want MSU University to be my colleg it looks so cool and plus it has grat classes. So I want to go to MSU so I can meet Authers. And I really hope I can meet Henry Winkler I like Hank Zippzer I am reading A book about Hank Zippzer. It is Awsome! I really hope I can go to MSU because I love writeing and reading.
PS Please Pick Me!
Student B:
Dear Miss Arnold,
I think should go to th literature festival because I think if I got tips on my writeing I could be a better author. Also because I want to know how my favorite authour rights so well. Another thing I think I could learn is how they come up with such juicy deatails.
PS I think it would be awsome to learn how to write better books.
Student C:
Dear Miss Arnold,
I think that I should go to the literature festival because it would be a very great experience. It would make me a better writer. And it would get to know the authors books better. I have always wanted to go to a literature festival becuase my brother once got to go and he said it was a very great journey and now he is writing like a pro. Soon that will be me. I love writeing and sticking with one author. The author that I am sticking with right now is Dear Dumb Diary by Jim Benton. And I have always wanted to go to MSU it is my DREAM collage. And I want to check it out and see what it is like so when I am in collage I will know were to go. I am hopeing that I am the on that gets to go it would be a DREAM COME TRUE!
Student D:
Dear Miss Arnold,
The reason I think I should go is so I can become a book writer. I really want to meat a fames persen who can really inspier me. The reason I think I should go is because it will make me a better reader. Another reson I think I should go is I relly want to lern how to read so I can do better in reading.
Student E:
Dear Miss Arnold.,
I think I should get to go because I enjoy writing and I want to learn more about it. I also enjoy reading and when I grow up I want to write books for people who enjoy reading. I think it would be nice to get to meet authors and I have always wanted to meet authors. So that is why I think I should go. I think it will be really really fun.
Student F:
Dear Miss Aounld,
I think I shoes go to the Literature Festival because I all whosed wanted to wrte a book about Dr. Seuss but I never maat him and he is my favorite athor in the hole world. And I really want atrgrave. And my wrieing grade is lats gist say my wrieing grade is not as good as I want it to be and I don't have good idaes ether. And I've never got to go somewhere spashil in my live so far. And i'm acking you pelese can I go?

Let the voting begin! Oh just for fun, here are two other sweet letters, these students already get to go so that is why they are not listed above.

Dear Ms. Arnold,
I believe that I should get to go to the Springfield Literature arts festival on the account of several reasons. First, writing and drawing has been my pride and joy since the time I could hold a pencil. Second, my most beloved author and illustrator, Brad Sneed (the man who retold and illustrated the marvelous collection, Aesops Fables) is said to be there. And for the prime reason, the most beloved part there is to be, being able to read and enjoy a beautiful story with someone I was able to actually see and talk to would be my life long inspiration.

Dear Miss Arnold,
I diserve to go to the Literature Festival because I have always loved to write. In third grade I wrote three stories and who knows how many poems. In my free time I read to get ideas, think about what to write, or writing.
I also diserve to go because I have always wanted to meet Mary Osborne. I read her books when I was three. she might be there.
I want to go to be able to tell my brother (that's in the army) all about it I just want to make him proud.
Some kids say they want to go, some kids don't want to go. But I actually want to go to find out how to write.
PS Please!

Waiting Game

The past two weeks have been rough for several reasons and tonight was my breaking point, so what did I do?? I curled up with a good book. What book might you ask? Dr. Seuss of course! Believe it or not, with the overwhelming, craziness of the past year or so sometimes I just have to read the wise words of "Oh the Places You'll Go!" from time to time. I know, silly, and while I know there are much more inspirational things I should be reading, sometimes I just need the reminder in a childlike way that:

You can get so confused
that you'll start into race
down long-wiggled roads in a break necking pace
and grind on for miles across weirdish wild space,
headed, I fear, towards a most useless space
The Waiting Place...
for people just waiting.
Waiting for a train to go,
or a bus to come, or a plane to go
or the phone to ring, or the snow to snow
or waiting for a Yes or No
or waiting for your hair to grow
Everyone is just waiting.
Waiting for the fish to bite
or waiting for the wind to fly a kite
or waiting around for a Friday night
or waiting, perhaps, for their Uncle Jake
or a pot to boil, or a better break
or a string of pearls, or a pair of pants
or a wig of curls, or another chance.
Everyone is just waiting.
No!
That's not you!
Somehow you'll escape
all that waiting and staying.
You'll find the bright places
where Boom Bands are playing!

And so on and so forth... I feel stuck in the waiting game right now. But, there is that light of figuring out my way and not waiting anymore, all a matter of perspective. So, here's to not waiting and being content. Hopefully, this time it will stick =)

Good Bye Summer

Summer is officially over for me. I started back with my kids this past week and so begins my fourth year of teaching (hard to believe). The kids are VERY sweet and I am really thinking it will be a great class. They all give me hugs and greet me with hellos every morning. I really need to start keeping a list of the funny things they say, I have laughed several times already.

The summer was great, as it always is. This summer went by WAY too fast, however. I looked at my list from the last post and was unable to get a few of the items done, but that's ok. One great thing about the summer was I was able to spend every weekend with Chris. I know that is sappy, but for those of you who have ever had a long distance relationship, that is a big deal. We had lots of fun and I am sad to have school start simply for the busy schedule that waits for both of us, but at least this is his last year of actual classes! Yeah Chris! Next year will be rounds (I guess that is what it is called) so we will await to find out where he will end up, I know what I would prefer...

I am trying my hand at this whole optimistic business so, here is my list of what I am looking forward to in the months to come:

• Fall wardrobe, probably my favorite of the year
• Football games, hopefully two or three MU games
• The Eye Ball
• Carving pumpkins with the girls again
• Not having to mow the yard
• Starting classes (slight sarcasm, but again, trying to be optimistic)
• Hitting some auctions or flea markets with Danavee and whoever else
• Small groups
• Labor Day with my family
• Kharis and Katie coming to visit for several days at a time
• Baking party with Nat, we WILL do this lady
• Getting caught up on LOST
• Windows open and no air
• Buying new boots, I have my eye on a pair, or two, or three...
• Finishing my P90X workout (76 more days)
• Getting to know I44 REALLY well

Happy Back to School everyone!