my unpoetic life: The Swing of Things

{disclaimer: this post is in backwards order, sorry for the helter skelter format!}

Lord have mercy, I've started student teaching. If you don't already know, I am currently entering my Senior year as an education major. What that means at my school is a whole Fall Semester of student teaching!

Wheeeeeeeee!!!!

I've been placed in a kindergarten classroom not too far outside of town, with a wonderful teacher and an equally as wonderful T.A.! I really could not have asked for a more perfect pair of teachers for me to teach under. We have 23 little nuggets in our classroom and they are all little balls of energy! It is going to be a challenging and wonderful semester. Something I've learned from my years at summer camp is that it really is a true joy to see the ways God has handcrafted each child to be so unique and precious as his creation.

all dressed and ready to go for my first open house ever!

Rewinding a bit, I actually got back to school last Monday and took the week in between to set up and settle into my apartment. This is the first year I'm living off campus - and it is lovely. Y'all. I can put nails in the wall. This means no more paying $8 to hang a picture with command strips. Darned things. In this transitional time, Craigslist and I have become very buddy buddy. I got a shabby little dresser, a cute little storage trunk, and a working microwave. I'm very proud of myself - this is so out of my character. I've also become the DIY queen. My sister Caroline (who came to help me move in) and I forged a headboard, painted table tops, strung up pictures in frames, sewed shams and bench cushions, painted a mirror, decorated with embroidery hoops, made a throw pillow, and the list goes on and on!! In short, I'm proud of myself and my little home. It's cozy and it's mine. The only thing that is missing now is a desk and some twinkle lights. Because you can never have enough twinkle lights.

the craigslist dresser - first day of move in

WOOOOO trunk and cushion - first day of move in

home sweet home!

Now rewind again to pre-move in. The family and I made our yearly trip down to Florida for a week of sunny nothingness. Unfortunately that turned into rainy nothingness. Granted, I like rain, but our Florida week is the one time of the year when I embrace the sun with open arms. So even though we didn't have the sunny days we had been hoping for, we still got quality family time, which is always dearly cherished by yours truly.