My family is awesome. Out of all the reasons I can find describing why they/we are awesome.....I think the one I've learned to be fondest of is the magnitude in which we LOVE things. My family doesn't just like things. And we really have a hard time even loving things. Oh no. It's a whole different deal. When we love things it's usually close to down right obsession.
When we find a good song.....it plays in our lives 25 times a day for two weeks straight. When we find a good tv show......it's all we talk about till it's over. When we meet cool people in our lives.....they are who we want to be around and talk about all the time. Etc.
Does that make us crazy? (k, don't answer that)
No, but really, that's a quality that I feel like my sister and I have learned from my mom that I love. (LOVE) It makes life so much more passionate and exciting. We aren't just partial lovers of all things good. We are intense and devout.
So in some ways I'm not surprised I broke down crying when I looked up jobs on Ogden School District's website and saw that they had a posting for the job I had last school year.
Oh my goodness, I LOVE those autistic kids! Not being able to go back next school year is SO sad for me! I grew to love them more than I have ever loved any other kids/students I've come in contact with. Geez, it was hard seeing that posting. Ha.
Sigh. But that's life, I suppose. Those kids taught me hundreds of little lessons about life that I would have never learned if I hadn't had that experience. I'm very glad I had that experience even though it is sad I can't go back.
I've been dealing with finding a job this whole summer, actually, but the hunt has become even more intense the past two weeks or so. It's been a little difficult because my school schedule is CRAZY this upcoming semester! I have morning and afternoon classes which leaves no room to find a good job, ha ha.
I've had some interviews and haven't heard back yet. Blaaaah. We shall see what happens. :)
I just keep telling myself that I'm so close to graduating and all of this part-time job working around school maddness will be done forevvvver.
In other news, Jeff and I went to Batman yesterday with my family! It was rather depressing....and I had to keep leaning over to ask Jeff what was happening (don't mock me, I'm smart in OTHER areas of life), but yeah, I can see why people love it so much! It was pretty awesome despite my lack of understanding.
Jeff and I had a funny conversation yesterday that I have to document it for my future posterity.......
Jeff and I fight about really ridiculous things sometimes. Ha ha! We were laughing throughout the majority of this "fight" so I guess it really isn't a fight.
In the end, I think Jeff won, but that's besides the point. I like to think my side of things has validity.
We went to Olive Garden just the two of us before seeing Batman yesterday and as we were eating Jeff randomly said: "It would be way fun to have twins."
Disclaimer: I'm NOT pregnant. We just talk about babies lots cause I like babies and Jeff is nice to talk about things I like.
I then proceeded to say: "I think the scariest part of it for me would be getting them mixed up."
Jeff: "I bet that has happened a lot before..."
Me: "Yeah, but I have a plan." (As if it's actually gonna happen, ha ha.)
Jeff: "What?"
Me: "Just paint their toe nails different colors!!"
Jeff: "No no no no no no!"
Me: "What?"
Jeff: "I am NOT painting my twins boys toe nails! They will wear different colored socks or outfits!"
Me: "Yeah, but socks come off easily. You want to chance getting them mixed up? It wouldn't have to be ALL their nails...just like one big toe or something. One green toe and one blue toe."
Jeff: "No. Never."
Me: "What on earth?! It's not that bad!"
So yeah...........the conversation went back and forth like that off and on for the next half hour or so. Ha ha ha, I still think it's a brilliant idea, but Jeff wouldn't ever allow it. He says we can do that if we have girl twins, which is good, I guess.
We really are never going to have twins, but I just thought it was a hilarious conversation! (and I'm documenting it so someday people will tell me I'm right and he's wrong :) )
Jeff and I have had a pretty fun summer! We went to St. George back in May with our friends to see Brian Regan. We went to Washington D.C. in June. Lots of little things this month with all three of our families: camping, cabin, Bear Lake, Real soccer, movies, holiday celebrations, and more!
I'm very grateful that I have Jeff and my family to talk to and go do fun things with. I have a ridiculously good life! I'm grateful that I can call my mom whenever about whatever for however long I want. I know lots of people who don't have that kind of relationship with their parents, so I'm glad I do.
I have the best support system ever. It's a strange time of life because I slowly see how in the next five or ten years I'll really be completely out of contact with most, if not all, of my friends. It's times like this though when I see how great my husband, mom, and sister are that make me know they are really the only friends I need. I'll always have extended family too, but it's good to know that my immediate family will always be my best friends.
I guess we will see what August brings! Hopefully a job.......definitely school is starting....and the ending an era of mowing. I will hopefully post again before school starts, but no promises. :)
Sunday, July 29, 2012
Wednesday, July 11, 2012
Cause When It Comes To You I'd Rather Have You By My Side...
July July July.....
Hooray for July! One of the biggest hoorays for July is.....only 29 more days of work! Ha ha!
Oh my goodness, this summer of work has been so interesting. Or rather, it hasn't been interesting at all which in turn makes it....interestingly awful. I feel like I need to write about this mostly to set the record straight in my own head. Usually writing helps me figure out what I'm feeling and lately I've been feeling like I need to write about how to I feel about mowing. I think I just said "feel" about five times in that sentence. Ok, maybe only three.
I LOVE mowing. If I didn't I wouldn't be on my fifth summer of it. Over the past couple of years I've met some of the best friends I'll ever have, which is wonderful. Along with that I've learned that even in weird situations like a grounds crew you can have lots of uncomfortable politics and what not which I think ultimately is the reason I chose to be a gang mower this year.
I've had such a love/hate relationship with gang mowing. It's really fun when the grass is long, for some strrrrrange reason I've fallen behind schedule, (this never happens) and I kind of need to hurry.
And yeah, being away from the politics is lovely. :)
However, I waste so much time. Ha ha ha. I actually work for probably half of time I'm actually at work.
Ok, so normally people would be like.....what on earth, Amber, you should be basking in gratitude for the fact that you're getting paid to do nothing!
Sure.....maybe......
I'm just not that kind of person though. I think I get that from my dad. My dad is an extremely hard worker and I think growing up I just watched him, wanted to be like that, and now I am.
The other thing that has been making me pray for school to start is the heat lately. Oh my goodness. The past four years being on the crew I handled the heat fine, I think. Yeah, it got hot, but when you're weedeating or edging you don't really notice. You're just sweating out all of the misery the heat brings. With gang mowing.............
It's quite the opposite. You just sit all day long and roast. You can't move around....you just bake in the heat. Ha.
Eeeeeeek. Needless to say I'm very glad this is my last year of mowing.
Next year will be interesting. I don't really know what will happen, but something good is bound to arise.
When I graduate I get to do six credits of "work experience". According to what they are telling me I get to be given a job by a professor and do it for two months. I'm really hoping I'll be able to convince my professor to get me a job as an early interventionalist.
There are lots of programs that deal with this kind of profession, but the one I want to get into is in Davis School District. They have a program where you can work with babies - birth to three years old - who have special needs. How cool would that be?? I think I would love that job. But.....we'll see what happens. I have no idea what kind of availability there is for that specific program.
I'm kind of hoping whatever "work experience" I'm given will be open enough to actually hiring me. Ultimately I want to own a preschool, but.............my apartment and stage in life aren't really condusive to that right now. Ha ha. I can't even imagine having ten or twelve 4-year olds running around my apartment. They wouldn't fit! My harps wouldn't stand a chance. I guess we have a big enough backyard..........? Ha. No.
Another thing I wanted to talk about in this post was Jeff. Ewwwwwww....mushy, right? Ha. No, I don't think so.
Ever since my age of friends has been out of high school/gotten married etc. I have noticed that everybody is trying to outdo each other with how great their lives are. Ha ha. That's honestly probably just the time of life we are in, but it's kind of funny to watch sometimes.
A constant theme that I have seen is the comment that my friends make (I've probably made it too) about their husbands on Facebook. "Happy Birthday to the BEST husband ever!" "Happy Anniversary to Us! I have the BEST husband in the world!" Best best best. It's always best. And really, these girls aren't wrong.....they are actually right. However, even though they are right, they actually are wrong. :)
Their husbands aren't "the best", but they ARE "the best for them". :) Which really in the end means they are the best! (???)
I was talking to Jeff the other day about different couples that we experience in our lives and one thing that got brought up was the fact that sometimes people we know get kind of hyper focused on what is wrong with their spouse. In the end, they feel like they have to tell us about it, ha ha. We hear things like....I wish he/she was more like this....or....I wish they didn't do that....etc.
As Jeff and I were driving in the car I told him: "Ya know, I honestly have never thought anything like that about you. I've never been so annoyed that I've wanted you any different." .......and luckily he agreed and said he thought the same about me, ha ha.
Sure we've been frustrated with each other at random times.......we wouldn't be normal if that wasn't the case.......but nothing has ever annoyed me about him to the point where I dwell on it, want him to change, or tell people about it.
I consider myself extremely lucky for that fact. And I can truly say that Jeff really is the best.....for me. He knows exactly who I truly am. He knows how I'm feeling before I figure it out myself usually. I have an awesome husband! He will always be my better half for sure.
I think if I had a song playing in the background of my life this is what it would be.....
Keith Urban - Better Half
In fact this song played in the background at our wedding reception!
(I'm really hoping that link works! :) )
Hooray for July! One of the biggest hoorays for July is.....only 29 more days of work! Ha ha!
Oh my goodness, this summer of work has been so interesting. Or rather, it hasn't been interesting at all which in turn makes it....interestingly awful. I feel like I need to write about this mostly to set the record straight in my own head. Usually writing helps me figure out what I'm feeling and lately I've been feeling like I need to write about how to I feel about mowing. I think I just said "feel" about five times in that sentence. Ok, maybe only three.
I LOVE mowing. If I didn't I wouldn't be on my fifth summer of it. Over the past couple of years I've met some of the best friends I'll ever have, which is wonderful. Along with that I've learned that even in weird situations like a grounds crew you can have lots of uncomfortable politics and what not which I think ultimately is the reason I chose to be a gang mower this year.
I've had such a love/hate relationship with gang mowing. It's really fun when the grass is long, for some strrrrrange reason I've fallen behind schedule, (this never happens) and I kind of need to hurry.
And yeah, being away from the politics is lovely. :)
However, I waste so much time. Ha ha ha. I actually work for probably half of time I'm actually at work.
Ok, so normally people would be like.....what on earth, Amber, you should be basking in gratitude for the fact that you're getting paid to do nothing!
Sure.....maybe......
I'm just not that kind of person though. I think I get that from my dad. My dad is an extremely hard worker and I think growing up I just watched him, wanted to be like that, and now I am.
The other thing that has been making me pray for school to start is the heat lately. Oh my goodness. The past four years being on the crew I handled the heat fine, I think. Yeah, it got hot, but when you're weedeating or edging you don't really notice. You're just sweating out all of the misery the heat brings. With gang mowing.............
It's quite the opposite. You just sit all day long and roast. You can't move around....you just bake in the heat. Ha.
Eeeeeeek. Needless to say I'm very glad this is my last year of mowing.
Next year will be interesting. I don't really know what will happen, but something good is bound to arise.
When I graduate I get to do six credits of "work experience". According to what they are telling me I get to be given a job by a professor and do it for two months. I'm really hoping I'll be able to convince my professor to get me a job as an early interventionalist.
There are lots of programs that deal with this kind of profession, but the one I want to get into is in Davis School District. They have a program where you can work with babies - birth to three years old - who have special needs. How cool would that be?? I think I would love that job. But.....we'll see what happens. I have no idea what kind of availability there is for that specific program.
I'm kind of hoping whatever "work experience" I'm given will be open enough to actually hiring me. Ultimately I want to own a preschool, but.............my apartment and stage in life aren't really condusive to that right now. Ha ha. I can't even imagine having ten or twelve 4-year olds running around my apartment. They wouldn't fit! My harps wouldn't stand a chance. I guess we have a big enough backyard..........? Ha. No.
Another thing I wanted to talk about in this post was Jeff. Ewwwwwww....mushy, right? Ha. No, I don't think so.
Ever since my age of friends has been out of high school/gotten married etc. I have noticed that everybody is trying to outdo each other with how great their lives are. Ha ha. That's honestly probably just the time of life we are in, but it's kind of funny to watch sometimes.
A constant theme that I have seen is the comment that my friends make (I've probably made it too) about their husbands on Facebook. "Happy Birthday to the BEST husband ever!" "Happy Anniversary to Us! I have the BEST husband in the world!" Best best best. It's always best. And really, these girls aren't wrong.....they are actually right. However, even though they are right, they actually are wrong. :)
Their husbands aren't "the best", but they ARE "the best for them". :) Which really in the end means they are the best! (???)
I was talking to Jeff the other day about different couples that we experience in our lives and one thing that got brought up was the fact that sometimes people we know get kind of hyper focused on what is wrong with their spouse. In the end, they feel like they have to tell us about it, ha ha. We hear things like....I wish he/she was more like this....or....I wish they didn't do that....etc.
As Jeff and I were driving in the car I told him: "Ya know, I honestly have never thought anything like that about you. I've never been so annoyed that I've wanted you any different." .......and luckily he agreed and said he thought the same about me, ha ha.
Sure we've been frustrated with each other at random times.......we wouldn't be normal if that wasn't the case.......but nothing has ever annoyed me about him to the point where I dwell on it, want him to change, or tell people about it.
I consider myself extremely lucky for that fact. And I can truly say that Jeff really is the best.....for me. He knows exactly who I truly am. He knows how I'm feeling before I figure it out myself usually. I have an awesome husband! He will always be my better half for sure.
I think if I had a song playing in the background of my life this is what it would be.....
Keith Urban - Better Half
In fact this song played in the background at our wedding reception!
(I'm really hoping that link works! :) )
Monday, June 25, 2012
Freeeeeeeeeeeedom!!!
In more than one way.
I took today off of work to take my two final exams. It's a rather long story in which my professor was a little ridiculous, but I had to take them today because we went to DC last week!
I officially survived my first and only summer semester ever. Ha ha ha. It was kind of....brutal actually. I don't want to sound like a whimp, but oh my goodness, it was never ending work.
2 classes = 91 pages of papers written, 35 hours of lectures, 15 academic articles researched, 28 quizzes, & 7 tests. All in a month and half. Plus I was working full time.
But now I'm freeeeeeee!!! So free!
I learned a lot through it all too. I feel like I'm a lot better prepared to help messed up people. Ha. k, that sounds really bad.
My two classes were Family Relations and Adolescent Development and honestly the majority of the classes were on how to help messed up individuals/families/teens and/or on how to not become messed up. I wrote a lot of papers on domestic violence, abuse, eating disorders, media, dysfunctional families, drugs, gangs, etc.
Both of these classes were from the same professor. He was kind of hard to work with via the internet. I have an actual face to face class with him in the fall which I feel will be better? Who knows. He was just very strange in answering my questions....I would write him and say "What things do you want me to put on my title page?" then I would put a plethora or options cause we all know I can be long winded.....and his short reply would be: "Yes, put a title page." Ooooooy.
I'm hoping the face to face thing works out better.
I added up my totals on all my assignments/tests/everything and I SHOULD be getting A-'s in both classes. Knowing this professor I'll probably be getting B's though. Hooooooooray....ha. :)
Another reason this post is titled "freedom" is because, like I said, we went to Washington DC this last week! It was way fun!
Jeff and I pretty much spent two days in downtown DC going to all of the monuments and museums, a day at the temple, went to a Nationals game, and the rest of the time hanging out with Jeff's brother's family! Jeff's oldest brother lives back there with his wife and four kids. They are such a cute family!
Jeff's brother is an accountant so pretty much the whole trip we were talking about moving back there when Jeff graduates. I guess the four major accounting firms of......the nation....the world (something) are back there and so there are lots of good opportunities for accountants. I'm pretty sure Jeff is a lot more game for moving back there than I am, but I still think it would be fun!
It's defintely a lot different from Utah! All of the homes are either smaller or kind of older....cause its already been developed for a long time. In Utah there is TONS of growth still. I see it everyday at work as more and more gigantic homes go up in West Layton, Kaysville, Farmington etc.
Other than being away from my family I think that's the biggest draw back for me. Not that I want to live in a million dollar home, but I've always liked the more open farmy feel that Utah, especially when considering raising a family.
Who knows, we'll probably just stay in Utah for the rest of forever. It would be cool to live back there for five or so years though if it really did get Jeff some good experience.
Anyways, off of that tangent, back to our trip! I love how green it is back there. We would drive on the freeways and it was just trees everywhere! I love how the Washington DC Temple sticks out of trees on the freeway as you drive past it. That was such a pretty temple! It was HUGE! Like, we didn't really know where to go and what not. The floors were all so open and spacious and there were about eight of them, ha ha. Very big temple! Ever since my family went to Washington DC when I was younger I've always wanted to go through that temple. I even had a picture of it on my temple recommend cover for many years because it was always a dream of mine to go back and go through it. Dream accomplished.
Pretty much the whole time Jeff and I were at the monuments and museums we kept talking about how lucky we are that we live here in America and that there were so many brave people who fought for our freedom. Even in the Air and Space Museum we talked about how crazy it is that people could actually come up with inventions like they did. I can't even imagine inventing even the most basic planes that they had in there.
One of the most sobering, but coolest places that we went was the Holocaust Museum. It was so sad, but so amazing! I walked out of that museum with a large renewed gratitude for my country and religion. I'm grateful for all of the Americans who have fought for my freedom so I don't have to live under a dictatorship and be in fear like all of the Jews in pretty much all of Europe were back then.
It's also very comforting to know that I'm a child of God and all of the people who suffered from the Holocaust were children of God too. Nobody deserves to live through what they went through, but it's great to know that God is merciful and that we can live with Him again.
I feel so blessed to have the life that I do. Sometimes I get caught up in small annoyances or stupid little things that don't matter, but past all of that I have a wonderful life. I have a husband who takes care of me and would never let our family end up "messed up" like all of the situations I had to write my papers for, ha ha. That's one of the saddest parts about writing papers on domestic violence and things like that is I can't imagine being in that situation and it breaks my heart to research and learn things about people who deal with it all the time.
We really do have it good. Jeff recently got a new job at Goldenwest as an accountant and we feel very blessed about that! I don't really know much about accounting, but I guess the stuff he's going to be doing is like....stuff that a person with a degree should be doing? Ha ha.
Goldenwest is a smaller credit union so they hire students sometimes and train them to do things that normally you would need a degree for. It's going to be really good cause by the time he graduates with his masters he'll have lots of experience and be more marketable.
It's amazing how God gives us what might seem like little blessings along the way, but they all ultimately end up creating huge eternal blessings. I like looking back at my life and seeing where the little blessings have added up to big ones.
Well, I better go clean la casa before mi esposo gets home! I think we might celebrate my "Freeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeedom" tonight by reinacting our first date. Or we might just stay home and watch the Bachelorette. Oh the decisions I have to make in life.........
I'll probably be able to blog more now that I'm freeeeeeeeeee. We shall see..... :)
I took today off of work to take my two final exams. It's a rather long story in which my professor was a little ridiculous, but I had to take them today because we went to DC last week!
I officially survived my first and only summer semester ever. Ha ha ha. It was kind of....brutal actually. I don't want to sound like a whimp, but oh my goodness, it was never ending work.
2 classes = 91 pages of papers written, 35 hours of lectures, 15 academic articles researched, 28 quizzes, & 7 tests. All in a month and half. Plus I was working full time.
But now I'm freeeeeeee!!! So free!
I learned a lot through it all too. I feel like I'm a lot better prepared to help messed up people. Ha. k, that sounds really bad.
My two classes were Family Relations and Adolescent Development and honestly the majority of the classes were on how to help messed up individuals/families/teens and/or on how to not become messed up. I wrote a lot of papers on domestic violence, abuse, eating disorders, media, dysfunctional families, drugs, gangs, etc.
Both of these classes were from the same professor. He was kind of hard to work with via the internet. I have an actual face to face class with him in the fall which I feel will be better? Who knows. He was just very strange in answering my questions....I would write him and say "What things do you want me to put on my title page?" then I would put a plethora or options cause we all know I can be long winded.....and his short reply would be: "Yes, put a title page." Ooooooy.
I'm hoping the face to face thing works out better.
I added up my totals on all my assignments/tests/everything and I SHOULD be getting A-'s in both classes. Knowing this professor I'll probably be getting B's though. Hooooooooray....ha. :)
Another reason this post is titled "freedom" is because, like I said, we went to Washington DC this last week! It was way fun!
Jeff and I pretty much spent two days in downtown DC going to all of the monuments and museums, a day at the temple, went to a Nationals game, and the rest of the time hanging out with Jeff's brother's family! Jeff's oldest brother lives back there with his wife and four kids. They are such a cute family!
Jeff's brother is an accountant so pretty much the whole trip we were talking about moving back there when Jeff graduates. I guess the four major accounting firms of......the nation....the world (something) are back there and so there are lots of good opportunities for accountants. I'm pretty sure Jeff is a lot more game for moving back there than I am, but I still think it would be fun!
It's defintely a lot different from Utah! All of the homes are either smaller or kind of older....cause its already been developed for a long time. In Utah there is TONS of growth still. I see it everyday at work as more and more gigantic homes go up in West Layton, Kaysville, Farmington etc.
Other than being away from my family I think that's the biggest draw back for me. Not that I want to live in a million dollar home, but I've always liked the more open farmy feel that Utah, especially when considering raising a family.
Who knows, we'll probably just stay in Utah for the rest of forever. It would be cool to live back there for five or so years though if it really did get Jeff some good experience.
Anyways, off of that tangent, back to our trip! I love how green it is back there. We would drive on the freeways and it was just trees everywhere! I love how the Washington DC Temple sticks out of trees on the freeway as you drive past it. That was such a pretty temple! It was HUGE! Like, we didn't really know where to go and what not. The floors were all so open and spacious and there were about eight of them, ha ha. Very big temple! Ever since my family went to Washington DC when I was younger I've always wanted to go through that temple. I even had a picture of it on my temple recommend cover for many years because it was always a dream of mine to go back and go through it. Dream accomplished.
Pretty much the whole time Jeff and I were at the monuments and museums we kept talking about how lucky we are that we live here in America and that there were so many brave people who fought for our freedom. Even in the Air and Space Museum we talked about how crazy it is that people could actually come up with inventions like they did. I can't even imagine inventing even the most basic planes that they had in there.
One of the most sobering, but coolest places that we went was the Holocaust Museum. It was so sad, but so amazing! I walked out of that museum with a large renewed gratitude for my country and religion. I'm grateful for all of the Americans who have fought for my freedom so I don't have to live under a dictatorship and be in fear like all of the Jews in pretty much all of Europe were back then.
It's also very comforting to know that I'm a child of God and all of the people who suffered from the Holocaust were children of God too. Nobody deserves to live through what they went through, but it's great to know that God is merciful and that we can live with Him again.
I feel so blessed to have the life that I do. Sometimes I get caught up in small annoyances or stupid little things that don't matter, but past all of that I have a wonderful life. I have a husband who takes care of me and would never let our family end up "messed up" like all of the situations I had to write my papers for, ha ha. That's one of the saddest parts about writing papers on domestic violence and things like that is I can't imagine being in that situation and it breaks my heart to research and learn things about people who deal with it all the time.
We really do have it good. Jeff recently got a new job at Goldenwest as an accountant and we feel very blessed about that! I don't really know much about accounting, but I guess the stuff he's going to be doing is like....stuff that a person with a degree should be doing? Ha ha.
Goldenwest is a smaller credit union so they hire students sometimes and train them to do things that normally you would need a degree for. It's going to be really good cause by the time he graduates with his masters he'll have lots of experience and be more marketable.
It's amazing how God gives us what might seem like little blessings along the way, but they all ultimately end up creating huge eternal blessings. I like looking back at my life and seeing where the little blessings have added up to big ones.
Well, I better go clean la casa before mi esposo gets home! I think we might celebrate my "Freeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeedom" tonight by reinacting our first date. Or we might just stay home and watch the Bachelorette. Oh the decisions I have to make in life.........
I'll probably be able to blog more now that I'm freeeeeeeeeee. We shall see..... :)
Thursday, May 31, 2012
Four Page Papers and Righteous People
I've gotten very good at four page papers.
I'm taking two online classes right now. They started about a month ago and I've already written about twenty pages worth of material in each.
Yeah......my professor really likes four page papers and so far I've written about ten of them. Ha ha.
One of the classes I have to write (I'm half way done) a five page research paper and the other one I have to write a sixteen page research paper.
Basically by the time I'm done with these two classes (in three weeks) I'll have written close to a hundred pages of shear awesomeness, ha ha.
The five page research paper is on pornography and how it affects marriage. The assignment was to write two pages supporting the issue and then two pages against it. Writing two pages supporting pornography was probably the hardest writing I've ever done/I lied the whole time/I felt very ridiculous, ha ha. Ugh. Such an awful thing.
My sixteen page paper is on bulimia and how it affects the individual person, their microsystem, mesosystem, exosystem, and macrosystem etc.
Translation? Basically there was a psychologist named Bronfrenbrenner (seriously) who made up an ecological model on a person's life. All of those "systems" are different parts of the person's life.......their personal self, their family, work, friends, school, community, culture, society as a greater whole, and ulitmately the world. If you want to understand what I'm talking about just google it, ha ha.
Anyways, I have to write sixteen pages for that and I'm actually pretty excited about it! Go figure.
This summer has been strrrrange. It doesn't feel like summer to me really. Probably because I'm still in school, but probably also because I'm doing a different job from what I've done the past four years.
Most days I'm just really really excited for the end of August to be here. Why did school have to get really fun and interesting right when I'm supposed to be graduating? Geez.....I wish I would have loved it this much my first three years.
I think another reason I'm excited for August is because I just want to get back to working with kids. Currently I work with...........nobody..........and although I'm fairly decent at entertaining myself over nothing I just want to teach kids and play with kids.
I'm not really sure where I'm going to be working during the school year, but I have a bunch of options I'm hoping will work out.
The main thing I wanted to write about is how incredibly awesome I think the Church is. I've been thinking about it a lot lately because in my two classes I'm learning all about people, relationships, and how to live life. I'm taking a family relations class and an adolescent development class.
It just proves that the gospel is true when you're listening to completely secular lectures from a professor and he says time after time that research shows we should be living our lives this way....or avoiding things another way.....or that if we do this our marriage will be a success.....if we do that our life will reach full potential or full happiness......
Every time he talks about these things it's always 100% lined up with what the Church teaches. I watched a lecture yesterday on marriage and cohabitation and there were some pretty startling statistics on how cohabitation isn't a healthy lifestyle. I might be wrong, but I think one statistic said that 80% of people who cohabitate won't end up working/even if they get married they will get divorced later on.
Then there are just so many other things that pertain to the Word of Wisdom, dating, child rearing, and marriage that line up exactly with what the Church teaches.
I'm very grateful that God created such a beautiful lifestyle for us to follow. I know it has brought me lots of happiness and the times when I've been least happy have been when I'm not following those guidelines.
Another awesome thing I've been thinking about is how generous church members are when it comes to volunteering their time.
We are going to our family cabin this weekend and I kept not wanting to call anbody to do my calling for me this Sunday. I HATE asking for help......I just feel really bad for some reason. I've never understood the kind of people that when they are told "If you need anything let us know" and they immediately start saying "Well, we really need this done and this and this and this...."
I'll just never be one of those people.
Tangent: When Jeff was in the hospital in January EVERYONE and their dog was like "Let us know if you need anything!"..............by about the third person (out of fifty) that said that I wanted to spout back......"k, I'm really never going to tell you what I need, but thanks anyways?" Ha ha.....
Anyways, Jeff finally convinced me that people like helping and it's not a big deal at all..... so I called the stake primary president who is in our ward (intimidating? Yeah.) and....she didn't answer. But when she returned my call she was SO nice and super enthusiastic about subbing for me.
I just love faithful latter-day saints who are so willing to help, Some people just have a talent of making you feel good that you're asking for help.
So to sum this up.....the Church is true. So very true.
"The Savior taught His disciples, 'For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it', I believe the Savior is telling us that unless we lose ourselves in service to others, there is little purpose to our own lives. Those who live only for themselves eventually shrivel up and figuratively lose their lives, while those who lose themselves in service to others grow and flourish—and in effect save their lives."
-President Thomas S. Monson
I'm taking two online classes right now. They started about a month ago and I've already written about twenty pages worth of material in each.
Yeah......my professor really likes four page papers and so far I've written about ten of them. Ha ha.
One of the classes I have to write (I'm half way done) a five page research paper and the other one I have to write a sixteen page research paper.
Basically by the time I'm done with these two classes (in three weeks) I'll have written close to a hundred pages of shear awesomeness, ha ha.
The five page research paper is on pornography and how it affects marriage. The assignment was to write two pages supporting the issue and then two pages against it. Writing two pages supporting pornography was probably the hardest writing I've ever done/I lied the whole time/I felt very ridiculous, ha ha. Ugh. Such an awful thing.
My sixteen page paper is on bulimia and how it affects the individual person, their microsystem, mesosystem, exosystem, and macrosystem etc.
Translation? Basically there was a psychologist named Bronfrenbrenner (seriously) who made up an ecological model on a person's life. All of those "systems" are different parts of the person's life.......their personal self, their family, work, friends, school, community, culture, society as a greater whole, and ulitmately the world. If you want to understand what I'm talking about just google it, ha ha.
Anyways, I have to write sixteen pages for that and I'm actually pretty excited about it! Go figure.
This summer has been strrrrange. It doesn't feel like summer to me really. Probably because I'm still in school, but probably also because I'm doing a different job from what I've done the past four years.
Most days I'm just really really excited for the end of August to be here. Why did school have to get really fun and interesting right when I'm supposed to be graduating? Geez.....I wish I would have loved it this much my first three years.
I think another reason I'm excited for August is because I just want to get back to working with kids. Currently I work with...........nobody..........and although I'm fairly decent at entertaining myself over nothing I just want to teach kids and play with kids.
I'm not really sure where I'm going to be working during the school year, but I have a bunch of options I'm hoping will work out.
The main thing I wanted to write about is how incredibly awesome I think the Church is. I've been thinking about it a lot lately because in my two classes I'm learning all about people, relationships, and how to live life. I'm taking a family relations class and an adolescent development class.
It just proves that the gospel is true when you're listening to completely secular lectures from a professor and he says time after time that research shows we should be living our lives this way....or avoiding things another way.....or that if we do this our marriage will be a success.....if we do that our life will reach full potential or full happiness......
Every time he talks about these things it's always 100% lined up with what the Church teaches. I watched a lecture yesterday on marriage and cohabitation and there were some pretty startling statistics on how cohabitation isn't a healthy lifestyle. I might be wrong, but I think one statistic said that 80% of people who cohabitate won't end up working/even if they get married they will get divorced later on.
Then there are just so many other things that pertain to the Word of Wisdom, dating, child rearing, and marriage that line up exactly with what the Church teaches.
I'm very grateful that God created such a beautiful lifestyle for us to follow. I know it has brought me lots of happiness and the times when I've been least happy have been when I'm not following those guidelines.
Another awesome thing I've been thinking about is how generous church members are when it comes to volunteering their time.
We are going to our family cabin this weekend and I kept not wanting to call anbody to do my calling for me this Sunday. I HATE asking for help......I just feel really bad for some reason. I've never understood the kind of people that when they are told "If you need anything let us know" and they immediately start saying "Well, we really need this done and this and this and this...."
I'll just never be one of those people.
Tangent: When Jeff was in the hospital in January EVERYONE and their dog was like "Let us know if you need anything!"..............by about the third person (out of fifty) that said that I wanted to spout back......"k, I'm really never going to tell you what I need, but thanks anyways?" Ha ha.....
Anyways, Jeff finally convinced me that people like helping and it's not a big deal at all..... so I called the stake primary president who is in our ward (intimidating? Yeah.) and....she didn't answer. But when she returned my call she was SO nice and super enthusiastic about subbing for me.
I just love faithful latter-day saints who are so willing to help, Some people just have a talent of making you feel good that you're asking for help.
So to sum this up.....the Church is true. So very true.
"The Savior taught His disciples, 'For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it', I believe the Savior is telling us that unless we lose ourselves in service to others, there is little purpose to our own lives. Those who live only for themselves eventually shrivel up and figuratively lose their lives, while those who lose themselves in service to others grow and flourish—and in effect save their lives."
-President Thomas S. Monson
Thursday, May 17, 2012
Mowing Children
Oooooh my goodness I've been wanting to post so bad. AHHH! I've had so much homework it's been unreal. I just finished my last quiz for the week though so I'm allowing myself to blog.
I am seriously a very blessed individual. I don't know what I did to deserve Jeff's love, but it's pretty great! I've been having a......I wouldn't say "hard".....but lame (is lame an ok word?) couple of weeks?
One of the defining reasons being that I'm still sick. I don't think I'll ever not not be sick again! It's made me really wish I was pregnant cause then I could at least not be bitter about being sick constantly, ha ha. Oy....
At first (3 months ago) I thought it was just the fact that I work with little kids....and that MIGHT still be the reason, but I've just had a strange cold/drainage of power for quite awhile. I've gotten to the point where I'm just living with it and don't notice it as I'm runnin through life!
I came home today to the house completely clean, flowers on my bed, and a note from my husband when I got home from work. He knows I've been having a "lame" time lately and everything that he did just reduced me to tears.
I felt kinda strange crying over flowers and a clean house, but sometimes it really is the little things that put you over the edge.
My husband is the best. He always listens to me when I think somebody is ridiculous or when I'm complaining about being weak and sick. He is far too cool. I'm so happy he's in my life.
Another reason my life has been kind of....lame....is.....
I'm working two jobs right now and it's just.....blissful. *sarcasm*
I'm going to be super glad when June rolls around. C'mon June! The main reason being schoooooool will be out....for the summer! (read to the tune of the song)
Oh my goodness gracious.........I LOVE children, holy cow I love children! The past month though I've felt like.....the Hulk....or Jekyll and Hyde....because....oh my......when I'm on my mower I HATE children. (ha ha ha........I'm laughing to myself....all alone in my apartment........I must be going insane)
Why? Why do little boys have to run out ten feet in front of me and wave their arms crazy like almost in a: "Please, just kill me....I want you to ram your mower into me, yes....I'm only 7 years old, but I feel as though life isn't worth living anymore."
Why children? Why?
When I have children I am going to sit them down and lecture them on people that are ok to bug and those who aren't. My dear future children, lawn mowers are not ok to chase. They are not ok to get remotely close to. It's just not ok, guys.
Another interesting thing to note about my mower job is the way people react to me. I'm on a huge mower....like.....tractor size.....so lots of people give me a very odd looking deer in the headlights look as I pass by.
I often wave at little children (little children playing near their homes or at a park.....the children at the schools I'm mowing only get angry waves) and they look completely shocked and start yelling for their mom in an excited fashion. However, by the time their mom comes outside I'm long gone.
The most interesting response to my existence is old men. Ha! Without fail I'll past an old couple walking together and the woman will wave and smile almost in a "you go girl" fashion, but the man will almost always give a degrading smirk or shake of the head.
I'm taking a Family Relations class this summer and it's kind of cool looking at how the views of gender have changed over time. Back when the grandma and grandpas of today were young a woman would have never had the job I have right now.
In other news, my pre-school job ends on Tuesday. Tuesday is graduation actually.....so technically the last day I'll see the majority of the kids will be Monday. I'm honestly just blocking out the fact that I'm never going to see these kids again. Cause everytime I even think about it for a minute I start crying. ..........like now.
Sigh.
It's just hard saying goodbye to little people that you've seen grow so much over a year. The rapid development of little kids is amazing! It's just unreal to me that I'm going to have to just...say goodbye to ten little kids who don't understand that they are never going to see me again. I can't say anything to them because they just don't get it.
I need to not get so attached.
It's defintely been a very beneficial job. I've had to deal with awful behaviors, manage all kinds of bodily fluids, give nuturing and socialization to socially behind kids, help with motor skills that we take for granted, and best of all played like crazy and at times had five kids chasing me or hanging on me for attention. I'm going to miss it. It really was a great job to prepare me for motherhood, I think.
I know, I know......nothing can prepare me for motherhood other than actually experiencing it.
I feel like I see people post flowery pictures with sayings like that on Facebook multiple times a day, ha ha. :)
Weeeeell, I have two tests this weekend that I best be off to studying for.
I am seriously a very blessed individual. I don't know what I did to deserve Jeff's love, but it's pretty great! I've been having a......I wouldn't say "hard".....but lame (is lame an ok word?) couple of weeks?
One of the defining reasons being that I'm still sick. I don't think I'll ever not not be sick again! It's made me really wish I was pregnant cause then I could at least not be bitter about being sick constantly, ha ha. Oy....
At first (3 months ago) I thought it was just the fact that I work with little kids....and that MIGHT still be the reason, but I've just had a strange cold/drainage of power for quite awhile. I've gotten to the point where I'm just living with it and don't notice it as I'm runnin through life!
I came home today to the house completely clean, flowers on my bed, and a note from my husband when I got home from work. He knows I've been having a "lame" time lately and everything that he did just reduced me to tears.
I felt kinda strange crying over flowers and a clean house, but sometimes it really is the little things that put you over the edge.
My husband is the best. He always listens to me when I think somebody is ridiculous or when I'm complaining about being weak and sick. He is far too cool. I'm so happy he's in my life.
Another reason my life has been kind of....lame....is.....
I'm working two jobs right now and it's just.....blissful. *sarcasm*
I'm going to be super glad when June rolls around. C'mon June! The main reason being schoooooool will be out....for the summer! (read to the tune of the song)
Oh my goodness gracious.........I LOVE children, holy cow I love children! The past month though I've felt like.....the Hulk....or Jekyll and Hyde....because....oh my......when I'm on my mower I HATE children. (ha ha ha........I'm laughing to myself....all alone in my apartment........I must be going insane)
Why? Why do little boys have to run out ten feet in front of me and wave their arms crazy like almost in a: "Please, just kill me....I want you to ram your mower into me, yes....I'm only 7 years old, but I feel as though life isn't worth living anymore."
Why children? Why?
When I have children I am going to sit them down and lecture them on people that are ok to bug and those who aren't. My dear future children, lawn mowers are not ok to chase. They are not ok to get remotely close to. It's just not ok, guys.
Another interesting thing to note about my mower job is the way people react to me. I'm on a huge mower....like.....tractor size.....so lots of people give me a very odd looking deer in the headlights look as I pass by.
I often wave at little children (little children playing near their homes or at a park.....the children at the schools I'm mowing only get angry waves) and they look completely shocked and start yelling for their mom in an excited fashion. However, by the time their mom comes outside I'm long gone.
The most interesting response to my existence is old men. Ha! Without fail I'll past an old couple walking together and the woman will wave and smile almost in a "you go girl" fashion, but the man will almost always give a degrading smirk or shake of the head.
I'm taking a Family Relations class this summer and it's kind of cool looking at how the views of gender have changed over time. Back when the grandma and grandpas of today were young a woman would have never had the job I have right now.
In other news, my pre-school job ends on Tuesday. Tuesday is graduation actually.....so technically the last day I'll see the majority of the kids will be Monday. I'm honestly just blocking out the fact that I'm never going to see these kids again. Cause everytime I even think about it for a minute I start crying. ..........like now.
Sigh.
It's just hard saying goodbye to little people that you've seen grow so much over a year. The rapid development of little kids is amazing! It's just unreal to me that I'm going to have to just...say goodbye to ten little kids who don't understand that they are never going to see me again. I can't say anything to them because they just don't get it.
I need to not get so attached.
It's defintely been a very beneficial job. I've had to deal with awful behaviors, manage all kinds of bodily fluids, give nuturing and socialization to socially behind kids, help with motor skills that we take for granted, and best of all played like crazy and at times had five kids chasing me or hanging on me for attention. I'm going to miss it. It really was a great job to prepare me for motherhood, I think.
I know, I know......nothing can prepare me for motherhood other than actually experiencing it.
I feel like I see people post flowery pictures with sayings like that on Facebook multiple times a day, ha ha. :)
Weeeeell, I have two tests this weekend that I best be off to studying for.
Wednesday, April 25, 2012
Women of God
WHOA! Blogger changed their website setup on me.....I already didn't know how to do anything on here.....now a change? Oy! Oh well, I'm tech savvy, right? :)
Right.
I usually start out blogging without much to say and then something magically happens and I write more than anyone wants to read, ha ha. Jk....I'm sure people love my run-on sentenced, drawn out logic. Cause I sure do! :-/
Nothing much to update....... other than, we got our grades for the semester! I'd say we did remarkably well for Jeff almost dying this semester and the fact that I just hate spring semesters in general. They drag it seems... I got four A's and a C-! Wooooo!!! Ha ha ha ha.....so funny. We truly do get what we put into things. All of my A's were classes where I learned a LOT. I know the knowledge I learned from those classes will benefit me as a teacher, caregiver, mother, and professional.
............the C- was math. Annnnnd if you read my post a couple times ago about my math situation you'll know that I didn't really have my heart in that class. I didn't need the information so I guess I just.....got what I put into it. It's all good though.....in the long run my grades don't matter as much as most people going out into the workforce. Jeff and I were talking about that....how my grades don't matter as much, but his do.
I plan to own my own business..........so my employer (myself) isn't really going to care if I got a C- in math, ha ha. Jeff on the other hand......his grades kinda count. Lucky for him he always gets A's in his accounting classes which is delightful cause that's what he's majoring in!
I was looking up quotes by Sister Hinckley the other day cause I just adore her and I ran across one that stuck out to me very strongly. I think the reason it struck me so hard is because I've been feeling this way for quite a while now, but I didn't really know how to put it into words. Sister Hinckley said it so simply......yet so perfectly.
“Everything you are learning is preparing you for something else.” ― Marjorie Pay Hinckley
Very straighforward, right? Kind of a no brainer it sounds like at first, but it made me smile and think about my life a little more critically. I truly believe that everything we experience is teaching us something we need to know for the future. Good or bad.
I fully admit that my role/goal in life is to be a stay at home mom and raise a family. I want that for myself, my husband wants it, God wants it.... However, along the way I'm getting a bachelor's degree because I love learning. I feel like my field of study will help me be a good mom. And the practical reason....if I needed to work outside of the home I could find a job comperable to the salary of an elementary school teacher to help my family with the degree I'm getting.
Now why does any of that matter with that quote? Because that quote brings me peace that the knowledge I'm gaining now will help me later in life.... which in turn means that my path in life should be one of learning and growing. I've pondered this a lot as I've been taking education classes these past four years. Education is interesting because it encompasses so many things.....psychology, linguistics, sociology.... (to name a few)
I'm grateful that I've had the opportunity to learn about these things because like Sister Hinckley I know I will need to know it later in life. I love that we have such wonderful women in the Church to look up to and learn from. Julie B. Beck..... Elaine S. Dalton.... Camilla Eyring Kimball.... are some of my favorite women in the Church to quote along with Sister Hinckley. I just feel like if I take all of the advantages that I can now to become educated I'll be able to do hopefully half as much good as these great women have.
Here are some more quotes from Sister Hinckley that I liked :) -----
(This one I've loved for many years, the rest were new to me)
“The only way to get through life is to laugh your way through it. You either have to laugh or cry. I prefer to laugh. Crying gives me a headache.”
“I don't want to drive up to the pearly gates in a shiny sports car, wearing beautifully, tailored clothes, my hair expertly coiffed, and with long, perfectly manicured fingernails. I want to drive up in a station wagon that has mud on the wheels from taking kids to scout camp. I want to be there with a smudge of peanut butter on my shirt from making sandwiches for a sick neighbors children. I want to be there with a little dirt under my fingernails from helping to weed someone's garden. I want to be there with children's sticky kisses on my cheeks and the tears of a friend on my shoulder. I want the Lord to know I was really here and that I really lived.”
“Think about your particular assignment at this time in your life. It may be to get an education, it may be to rear children, it may be to be a grandparent, it may be to care for an relieve the suffering of someone you love, it may be to do a job in the most excellent way possible, it may be to support someone who has a difficult assignment of their own. Our assignments are varied and they change from time to time. Don't take them lightly. Give them your full heart and energy. Do them with enthusiasm. Do whatever you have to do this week with your whole heart and soul. To do less than this will leave you with an empty feeling.”
“The trick is to enjoy life. Don't wish away your days, waiting for better ones ahead.”
Right.
I usually start out blogging without much to say and then something magically happens and I write more than anyone wants to read, ha ha. Jk....I'm sure people love my run-on sentenced, drawn out logic. Cause I sure do! :-/
Nothing much to update....... other than, we got our grades for the semester! I'd say we did remarkably well for Jeff almost dying this semester and the fact that I just hate spring semesters in general. They drag it seems... I got four A's and a C-! Wooooo!!! Ha ha ha ha.....so funny. We truly do get what we put into things. All of my A's were classes where I learned a LOT. I know the knowledge I learned from those classes will benefit me as a teacher, caregiver, mother, and professional.
............the C- was math. Annnnnd if you read my post a couple times ago about my math situation you'll know that I didn't really have my heart in that class. I didn't need the information so I guess I just.....got what I put into it. It's all good though.....in the long run my grades don't matter as much as most people going out into the workforce. Jeff and I were talking about that....how my grades don't matter as much, but his do.
I plan to own my own business..........so my employer (myself) isn't really going to care if I got a C- in math, ha ha. Jeff on the other hand......his grades kinda count. Lucky for him he always gets A's in his accounting classes which is delightful cause that's what he's majoring in!
I was looking up quotes by Sister Hinckley the other day cause I just adore her and I ran across one that stuck out to me very strongly. I think the reason it struck me so hard is because I've been feeling this way for quite a while now, but I didn't really know how to put it into words. Sister Hinckley said it so simply......yet so perfectly.
“Everything you are learning is preparing you for something else.” ― Marjorie Pay Hinckley
Very straighforward, right? Kind of a no brainer it sounds like at first, but it made me smile and think about my life a little more critically. I truly believe that everything we experience is teaching us something we need to know for the future. Good or bad.
I fully admit that my role/goal in life is to be a stay at home mom and raise a family. I want that for myself, my husband wants it, God wants it.... However, along the way I'm getting a bachelor's degree because I love learning. I feel like my field of study will help me be a good mom. And the practical reason....if I needed to work outside of the home I could find a job comperable to the salary of an elementary school teacher to help my family with the degree I'm getting.
Now why does any of that matter with that quote? Because that quote brings me peace that the knowledge I'm gaining now will help me later in life.... which in turn means that my path in life should be one of learning and growing. I've pondered this a lot as I've been taking education classes these past four years. Education is interesting because it encompasses so many things.....psychology, linguistics, sociology.... (to name a few)
I'm grateful that I've had the opportunity to learn about these things because like Sister Hinckley I know I will need to know it later in life. I love that we have such wonderful women in the Church to look up to and learn from. Julie B. Beck..... Elaine S. Dalton.... Camilla Eyring Kimball.... are some of my favorite women in the Church to quote along with Sister Hinckley. I just feel like if I take all of the advantages that I can now to become educated I'll be able to do hopefully half as much good as these great women have.
Here are some more quotes from Sister Hinckley that I liked :) -----
(This one I've loved for many years, the rest were new to me)
“The only way to get through life is to laugh your way through it. You either have to laugh or cry. I prefer to laugh. Crying gives me a headache.”
“I don't want to drive up to the pearly gates in a shiny sports car, wearing beautifully, tailored clothes, my hair expertly coiffed, and with long, perfectly manicured fingernails. I want to drive up in a station wagon that has mud on the wheels from taking kids to scout camp. I want to be there with a smudge of peanut butter on my shirt from making sandwiches for a sick neighbors children. I want to be there with a little dirt under my fingernails from helping to weed someone's garden. I want to be there with children's sticky kisses on my cheeks and the tears of a friend on my shoulder. I want the Lord to know I was really here and that I really lived.”
“Think about your particular assignment at this time in your life. It may be to get an education, it may be to rear children, it may be to be a grandparent, it may be to care for an relieve the suffering of someone you love, it may be to do a job in the most excellent way possible, it may be to support someone who has a difficult assignment of their own. Our assignments are varied and they change from time to time. Don't take them lightly. Give them your full heart and energy. Do them with enthusiasm. Do whatever you have to do this week with your whole heart and soul. To do less than this will leave you with an empty feeling.”
“The trick is to enjoy life. Don't wish away your days, waiting for better ones ahead.”
Wednesday, April 18, 2012
Never Again
Everyone lacks patience, right?
Yep.
I've learned a couple things from my jobs (yes, jobS) this week that made me think to myself...."I will never ever do that again..."
First of all, on a light-ish note I started my summer job today! Woooo!! Mowing for a living is how I've....lived ever since I became an adult. Ha ha...I know, I'm so cool. This is my fifth year mowing, but it's my first year mowing fields.
Oh my goodness it was nerve racking! The whole mowing the field part was totally fine. Got it down, no problem, whatever....
Driving the mower on the ROAD.....holy freak out.
You know when you're driving and the annoying SLOW tractor is driving in front of you and you can't pass them and you want to honk at them because they are ruining your life???
Today I was that "tractor" (mower) and I think I ruined several peoples lives, ha ha. Sigh. This brings me to the point where I say....I'll never again get mad at slow tractors. Once you actually become the person who ruins lives I think it's easier to be more patient when your life is being ruined.
Also, my mower was kind of on the frits today. I was mowing in Kaysville and our shop is in Clearfield (15 minute drive)....the mechanic had to come out from the shop and fix my mower three times today. I felt so bad. There really wasn't anything I could do though...the engine was just being ridiculous. So since my mower was a little sick it went extra slow on the road. ......people got angry. Ha ha.
Anyways, never again. On to the other thing I learned this week!
Yesterday we went to "the farm" at my pre-school job. Yay! My head teacher didn't want to go in the first place cause our kids are so......CRAZY! But we ended up going anyways and it was super fun! Stressful? Yes. But that's what you get when you're in charge of a bunch of autistic kids around large farm animals. One of our little girls got into the horse pen (for approx 3 seconds before my coworker snatched her). Ha ha ha! She wasn't my responsibility though....so no big.... :)
I was in charge of two of our little boys. One is the most high functioning in the class, he's super cute, independent, smart, he cries sometimes (but really....who doesn't cry?) however, he's usually calm. The OTHER kid I was in the charge of is our hardest, wildest, severest, hyper crazy yet total stud student. I love him SO much, but oh man.....
Ha ha ha ha!
I always get put with him when we go places because (don't think I'm vain) he loves me. He kisses me several times a day (generally on my arm) and listens to me/is the most calm with me. Not calm...just the MOST calm.
He's so funny, the whole bus ride to the farm he was freaking out and pointing at everything he saw. He got super upset if I wasn't paying attention to him....
"Daddy daddy....MOMMY! A do dooooo!!!! The water!!!!" Just imagine that nonstop for a 15 minute bus ride. Ha ha ha, I love him so much.
Needless to say he went crazy once we got to the farm. He LOVED all of the animals. I couldn't keep up with him he ran from animal to animal (they had a petting zoo type thing set up) and wanted to hold everything, pet everything, scream and talk ("A woh do do! Ah a cha duh uh?") to everything....
Well, there was a tub full of hamsters that they were letting the kids touch and hold. This was his FAVORITE part. However, every time I would attempt to let him hold a hamster he would SQWEEZE the heck out of it....basically the hamster was going to die. So I couldn't let him hold them.
Our pre-school IS a special education pre-school, however, there is ONE class of "normal" kids. The normal kids came on this field trip with us and.....so did a lot of their parents.
For a split second I didn't notice that my little student had grabbed a hamster and was holding it tight upside-down. I instantly reached over and told him no, but while I did so I got the BIGGEST glare from a mother of one of the "normal" kids. She just kept staring at me after that in a huge ridiculing kind of way and it really made me sad.
I guess the moral of the story is....I will never ever look at the parent/caregiver of a handicap child like that. Never again.
I've never really had that problem in the first place, but I know it's a big problem for a lot of parents with special needs children.
I think the main reason I've never had this problem is I've been around and worked with special needs people for the majority of my life. Whenever I see a struggling mother with a handicap child at the store I make sure to smile at both the mom and child.
Working with my little autistic students for 2 1/2 hours a day is tiring enough, I can't imagine parents who do it all day and night long.
I understand that many people don't have the same feelings I have about special needs people. I also know that many people think they are annoying and their parents should be able to keep them in complete control. It just makes me sad that I can't educate more people into patience and understanding.
I'm grateful that God has blessed me with many opportunities to work with disabled people. They are such wonderful people and are beautiful children of God.
"Face trouble with courage, disappointment with cheerfulness, and triumph with humility."
-President Thomas S. Monson
Yep.
I've learned a couple things from my jobs (yes, jobS) this week that made me think to myself...."I will never ever do that again..."
First of all, on a light-ish note I started my summer job today! Woooo!! Mowing for a living is how I've....lived ever since I became an adult. Ha ha...I know, I'm so cool. This is my fifth year mowing, but it's my first year mowing fields.
Oh my goodness it was nerve racking! The whole mowing the field part was totally fine. Got it down, no problem, whatever....
Driving the mower on the ROAD.....holy freak out.
You know when you're driving and the annoying SLOW tractor is driving in front of you and you can't pass them and you want to honk at them because they are ruining your life???
Today I was that "tractor" (mower) and I think I ruined several peoples lives, ha ha. Sigh. This brings me to the point where I say....I'll never again get mad at slow tractors. Once you actually become the person who ruins lives I think it's easier to be more patient when your life is being ruined.
Also, my mower was kind of on the frits today. I was mowing in Kaysville and our shop is in Clearfield (15 minute drive)....the mechanic had to come out from the shop and fix my mower three times today. I felt so bad. There really wasn't anything I could do though...the engine was just being ridiculous. So since my mower was a little sick it went extra slow on the road. ......people got angry. Ha ha.
Anyways, never again. On to the other thing I learned this week!
Yesterday we went to "the farm" at my pre-school job. Yay! My head teacher didn't want to go in the first place cause our kids are so......CRAZY! But we ended up going anyways and it was super fun! Stressful? Yes. But that's what you get when you're in charge of a bunch of autistic kids around large farm animals. One of our little girls got into the horse pen (for approx 3 seconds before my coworker snatched her). Ha ha ha! She wasn't my responsibility though....so no big.... :)
I was in charge of two of our little boys. One is the most high functioning in the class, he's super cute, independent, smart, he cries sometimes (but really....who doesn't cry?) however, he's usually calm. The OTHER kid I was in the charge of is our hardest, wildest, severest, hyper crazy yet total stud student. I love him SO much, but oh man.....
Ha ha ha ha!
I always get put with him when we go places because (don't think I'm vain) he loves me. He kisses me several times a day (generally on my arm) and listens to me/is the most calm with me. Not calm...just the MOST calm.
He's so funny, the whole bus ride to the farm he was freaking out and pointing at everything he saw. He got super upset if I wasn't paying attention to him....
"Daddy daddy....MOMMY! A do dooooo!!!! The water!!!!" Just imagine that nonstop for a 15 minute bus ride. Ha ha ha, I love him so much.
Needless to say he went crazy once we got to the farm. He LOVED all of the animals. I couldn't keep up with him he ran from animal to animal (they had a petting zoo type thing set up) and wanted to hold everything, pet everything, scream and talk ("A woh do do! Ah a cha duh uh?") to everything....
Well, there was a tub full of hamsters that they were letting the kids touch and hold. This was his FAVORITE part. However, every time I would attempt to let him hold a hamster he would SQWEEZE the heck out of it....basically the hamster was going to die. So I couldn't let him hold them.
Our pre-school IS a special education pre-school, however, there is ONE class of "normal" kids. The normal kids came on this field trip with us and.....so did a lot of their parents.
For a split second I didn't notice that my little student had grabbed a hamster and was holding it tight upside-down. I instantly reached over and told him no, but while I did so I got the BIGGEST glare from a mother of one of the "normal" kids. She just kept staring at me after that in a huge ridiculing kind of way and it really made me sad.
I guess the moral of the story is....I will never ever look at the parent/caregiver of a handicap child like that. Never again.
I've never really had that problem in the first place, but I know it's a big problem for a lot of parents with special needs children.
I think the main reason I've never had this problem is I've been around and worked with special needs people for the majority of my life. Whenever I see a struggling mother with a handicap child at the store I make sure to smile at both the mom and child.
Working with my little autistic students for 2 1/2 hours a day is tiring enough, I can't imagine parents who do it all day and night long.
I understand that many people don't have the same feelings I have about special needs people. I also know that many people think they are annoying and their parents should be able to keep them in complete control. It just makes me sad that I can't educate more people into patience and understanding.
I'm grateful that God has blessed me with many opportunities to work with disabled people. They are such wonderful people and are beautiful children of God.
"Face trouble with courage, disappointment with cheerfulness, and triumph with humility."
-President Thomas S. Monson
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