Sauna

It is currently 82 degrees in my classroom. I am roasting and haven't even begun to teach yet for the day. I hope the kids enjoy my "glow" and I also hope that they all wore deodorant today (this can be a feat for some middle school kids).

California

Overall, California was an awesome trip. I didn't mind the lack of sleep or the fact that the weather was colder than it should have been. I was with great people, and that made a world of difference. We didn't get to explore near as much as we all hoped since we were held hostage in the University classes for 8-9 hours a day, but when we did go out, we had FUN!
Areas of attraction/highlights include: California State Univ. (why didn't I go there instead of Millersville?), Club Cantina HAHA, Venice Beach, Santa Monica (twice!), The Cheesecake Factory, a new tank top, awesome Mexican food, fireworks and unlimited wine in Downtown Disney, yummy sandwich shop (3 days in a row), my awesome roommates, Laurel and Josh, The HOT tub!!!, Hollywood, California Pizza Kitchen, In and Out Burger at midnight (complete with a milkshake), Rodeo Drive, Beverly Hills, our cute rental car, chocolate and brickle covered banana on Balboa Island, rock climbing on Laguna Beach, and a show at the West Coast theater.

I stayed later than my friends did, so I ended up going further south and staying with some family friends for a night in Lake Forest, which was also fun.

Of course, I cried when I left due to my post-event depression, and now that I am home, I was welcomed with STACKS of papers to grade, grades due for report cards at 8 AM tomorrow, a paper to write due on Easter for grad. school, and lots of laundry. Yeah, PA isn't as exciting. :) I told Corey I would like to quit working and travel the world.

Thanks, Anaheim University, for making me go to this conference. :) :) :) It was not as fun as Seoul, SK, but still a blast!

So here are just a few of the pics my friend and I took. I will just say that on this trip I discovered (or should I say, re-confirmed the fact that I am the least photogenic person EVER). Most of my pics are blurry, my eyes are shut, my hair is a mess, my smile is a wreck...so yeah, major BUMMER.

Giving a presentation during one of our sessions. Look how intense I get when I talk about researching written metalinguistic corrective feedback. Hottt.

My roommate, Laurel, who lives in Northern CA. Here we are in Hollywood.

Josh & I riding in the car on the way to Santa Monica.

The three amigos on Venice Beach.

Sunset on Venice Beach

We took our cheeseburgers and milkshakes back to the Marriott and ate them in bed at midnight. It felt so wrong, but it felt so right. ;-)

Views of Laguna Beach- absolutely stunning.

Happy Birthday, J.

Apparently, everything I had to do caused my immune system to go crazy, and I have been infected with what obviously is some sort of the plague....the week before I go away. If I have this sinus pressure on an airplane, I don't even want to think about it....
So this disease I have has until take-off at 12:30 tomorrow afternoon. It better hurry up.


Also....HAPPY 23rd BIRTHDAY to my new roommate and beautiful sister, Julie Lynne. We are 2 years, 2 months, 2 days, and 2 hours apart. I can't believe she is 23.
This is Julie 22 years ago with Nannie in Ocean City. So cute!!!
And today she is still cute! :) Love you, Lu-la-belle.

Crap on you, weather.

I am seriously GRUMPY about the weather. I am so tired of wearing a winter coat to work, and probably look ridiculous for doing so. But, when I get out the door and it is 27 degrees in SPRING, I will wear a winter coat.

The next three days forecast kills me- SNOW accumulation 1 inch and 100% chance of precipitation. :( The big moving day is Friday and I currently live up these treacherous stairs that are SO narrow, so I am not looking forward to having the guys I have bribed to come help me fall down the stairs with my queen size bed, desk, dresser, couch, etc. WHO EVER THOUGHT THAT I WOULD HAVE TO DEAL WITH SNOW ON A MOVE IN DAY OF APRIL 1? Grrr...

My glimmer of hope is that NEXT week I will be heading to sunny California, where the temps this week are in the 70s. PRAISE THE LORD! I can't wait.

And a note to self: NEVER try to balance working at school, Starting a VERY challenging grad. class (where the prof. thinks you can read 200 pages by Friday and post about it), MOVING, budgets and grades due at work, and lining up 5 days of Substitute lesson plans, all while trying to pack and get ready to go to the conference in CA. I am getting such stomach/panic issues that it is becoming a nightmare. Please pray I get everything done in these next 2 weeks!

Chris Tomlin

So, Friday night's concert in Hershey was unbelievable. Probably the best concert I have ever been to! I love this pic I took!! We were in the 2nd row and I was so close to Chris Tomlin, who by the way, has a gorgeous dimple. They played a great set and he sang with Christy Nockles who is an amazing vocalist. I am so glad we went. It was a hit of a Christmas present for my parents and Corey. Corey enjoyed it way more than he probably thought he would. I also ran into my Aunt Karen and Uncle Bruce after the show, which was cool.
The speaker, Louie Giglio, is very captivating and his message was mind blowing. I wish I could explain it in words but I can't.
And now for the craziness of the next few weeks: moving, traveling, studying...bring it on!

Happy Spring!

It's Official!

I was having the worst Sunday Pm/Monday Am ever- I got to school after a 2 hr. trip in the torrential downpours and discovered that my keys to my apt. were not with me. The next morning I had a meeting at 7:00. Went out to my car at 6:45 (more than enough time to drive to school) and discovered that my car battery died. After trying to start it for several minutes, I ran up to my apt. and grabbed a winter coat and walked. It was the windiest day and the roads were so icy! Got to school about 5 min late for my meeting and they locked the doors and wouldn't let me in. I have to "make up" the meeting tomorrow at 7:15. ARE YOU SERIOUS people? Then, in the afternoon I heard a huge crash while I was making food in my apt. to find that something exploded outside and I lost all power/electricity/internet, etc. I almost gave up and just went to bed.
BUT....Here comes the happy part!!!

My sister and I were rejected from the first house we saw because they found a couple that had beat us to the credit report or whatever. So we were kind of bummed. We looked at another place on Saturday morning- MUCH NICER. A sweet Christian couple rents out an entire house (3 bedrooms, beautiful hardwood floors, antique but with renovated windows) that is their estate from his parents. We met with the man and he said he would contact our references on Monday (yesterday) and get back to us between Wed. and Fri. Just as I was getting my car jumped at 8:00 last night by my awesome neighbor, my phone rings and it was John telling us they want Julie and I to rent the house!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! God knew I needed that news last night! So just 7 days ago, I thought I would be homeless or have some crappy options, but now I am ecstatic. Just 3 weeks until moving day!!!

The place is super nice and although it is more money than I pay now, Julie will be contributing. We can't wait to be roommates and set up a place together. Plus, I still only have a 2 min. commute to work. :)
Praise God for his faithfulness!!

Spring Changes

I officially stink at keeping up with writing in this thing. I seem to only do it when I need to be writing a paper for grad. school.

I feel as though this spring will be magnificent!! Many new things and things to look forward to.
Many things also still up in the air...so it is a bit stressful.

One thing that IS definite, being that I bought my airplane tickets today, is that I will be heading out to California State University next month! So excited!!! This will be for graduate work but I am still really excited to meet up with my professors and classmates. AND to see California --since I have never been before.

Other changes- I told my landlord I will be out of here by April 1. Where am I going? Don't know. This is why things are in the air still. Many things have unfolded the last few days, and now I am looking for a new place with a prettttttyyyyy cooool roommate- Julie Palmer. :) Yup, my sister! Hurrah! I hate living alone. I need socialization!! I am filling out apps for places now and I hope it goes through because otherwise I will be homeless as of April 1.

And, in 2 weeks, I will be 60% finished with my Master's degree. This is kicking my butt, and I can't wait to be finished! (Just 4 more classes to take!!!! And I will take them all in 2011)

Also, in less than 3 months, my boyfriend will have graduated from law school. YAYAYAYAYAY! He has worked so incredibly hard and will graduate within the top 10 or 15 % of his class! :) So proud of him. Now, we need to keep praying that a job opportunity opens up for him. He has been so worried about that and I know God has a plan!

So, being March 1, I am looking ahead to spring. Daylight Savings is less than 2 weeks away and even though I hate losing an hour, I love that it stays light out longer. I took a nice walk outside today to breathe in the fresh air.

Happy March, everyone!!!!! :) :) :)