I Don't Get to be a Teacher Yet

The school year starts soon around Seattle. I worked really hard at Cedarville to be able to become a teacher. I tried hard in all my classes and faced many curve balls thrown. I guess this summer I was thrown a really big curve ball that was completely out of my hands. Way back before graduation the education majors had to go to the secretary's office to fill out our application for our Ohio teaching license. Then the secretary was to get the applications signed by the head of the department before sending them in to the licensing office. We should have gotten our licenses by the middle of June. Instead I got a letter from the licensing office stating that my application was missing the signature from the head of the department from my University and that it would be on hold until a new application was sent in. So I filled out a new application ASAP and the CU Ed secretary said she got my application expedited. I did not recieve my license until just over a week ago (it had to go through CU which happened to be during the time the secretary also went on vacation for 10 days which delayed me getting it even more). For my WA license I also had to get a form filled out by the head of the department to send in with my application packet. I finally got that Thursday of last week. I didn't get it until I got home from camp Friday night, so as soon as I could I put together my application packet (which had been complete since beginning of June other then for the copy of my license and that form) and sent it off Saturday morning. I just read a confirmation online for my application which says that since its summer/fall it could take up to 12 weeks for my application to be processed!!! This is very discouraging and disappointing to me. I am having a really hard time being patient in this situation. I wanted nothing but to be able to start the school year with a class of my own and to have secured a job during the summer. Its hard when something you have worked towards for 4 years is put on hold even longer and it was totally out of your control.

Proposal Story

After JS, Ben and I were invited with all our friends back to our friend Anthony's apartment since curfew was extended. Ben and I were the first of our group to leave JS. On the drive back I noticed that we were definitely not heading to Cedarville but to Springfield, then I knew exactly where he was taking me.

Ever Since my sophomore year, when we were still just friends, Ben and I would go to Buck Creek Park to hang out, talk, and just get away from campus. Over time this had become a special place to us, it was also the place where we shared our first kiss.

However, on this night I was kind of being a brat. I hadn't seen many of my friends the entire semester being that I was in Australia. I wanted to take every opportunity to see them and visit with them. So I started making a big deal about only being at Buck Creek for a little bit because everyone else was at Anthony's and we would miss them if we took too long. He kept assuring me that we would get there when everyone was still there.

We pulled into the parking lot. I had taken my shoes off during the drive since they were hurting my feet at JS. They were strappy sandal-like things. While I was putting my sandals back on, Ben was in the trunk getting something out. When he came back around he had two candlesticks, a blanket and Dr. Pepper. We love Dr. Pepper! We walked out on the jetty, surrounded by water on three sides. As we were walking out, I was again being my bratty self, complaining that my shoes were still hurting my feet and that I had put one sandal on looser then the other. We laid out the blanket at the end of the jetty, tried lighting the candles (the wind kept blowing them out so we gave up), and opened the Dr. Peppers.

Ben said he wanted to come here one last time before I graduated since it was a special place to us. We reminisced about the last 3 years that we have known each other. After talking for a little bit Ben said "I got you something else," and then reached into his pocket. My reaction was like this "whaaaaaaaat..." and then he pulled out a ring box, got on one knee and asked me to marry him. I couldn't see the ring since it was dark and our candles wouldn't stay lit, but I said yes anyways :-) and then he cried.

As we left we called our families, friends from home and our camp director to tell them the news. We were able to get to Anthony's before everyone left and was able to share the news. Ben had only told our friend Tom and Anthony that he was going to ask me, so it was a pretty big surprise to everyone. I had no idea that it was coming. We talked about being married but never put a time frame on it, I had kind of expected the proposal to come later then it did. I am very excited to be marrying such an amazing and godly man.

In the past month....

Wow, its crazy that it has almost been a month since I left Australia (on the 15th in the states, on the 16th in Australia). It seems so long since I left Australia, and I miss it a lot. I think so much has happened since I came home. This is a little bit on how it went:

I got home on the 16th of April after a loooong trip home. Then I left again on the friday 18th to go back to Ohio. I stayed with my old roommate and friend, Elise the first night. It was good catching up with her. I missed her! and then got back to Cedarville that Saturday afternoon in time for the annual awards show, Elliv. Its hard to explain what Elliv is but its kind of like a mock-academy awards show. People go dressed in thier own themes and there are lots of entertainment including songs and skits. The following Monday I spent 11.5 hours in the library to start my interview portfolio and then another 5 hours the next day to complete it before my Exit interview that day. Later on Tuesday we had a Computer Services BBQ and I finally got a treasured CU padfolio. I started working again at CompServ on Wednesday. During the week I basically worked a lot and went out with friends at night.

On April 25th we had our Junior/Senior Banquet. It was a fun night, Ben flew in and we got all dressed up. The whole night was spent with friends. After JS we went to Buck Creek Park and reminisced about the past three years going from friendship to dating. He then proposed! Ask me for the Engagement Story sometime!!

May 3rd was graduation. My family had made it to Ohio on the night of April 30th. They drove out. We did a lot while they were there, we went out to eat at Colonials (a local Cedarville pizza place) and Bob Evans, went to Youngs Jersey Dairy, they met and hung out with Ben's family. It was a good time. Its crazy that graduation is over, school is over. Wow.

After leaving Ohio on May 4th we went to Washington D.C., New York City, Cooperstown - Baseball Hall of Fame, and Niagara Falls. We then drove 50+ hrs stright home. During the road trip I came down with something and still am recovering from it. Went to the doctor but he didnt really know what it could be. He gave me some medicine and some steroids. Hope I get better soon.

Here are some pictures of what I have shared about:

Ben and I Dressed Up At JS

The Family
The Graduating Seniors
My Freshman Year Roomie
Me, My Parents and Sisters and Brothers

The Swannys meet the Hoffmans

And the Road Trip Begins First Stop: Washington, D.C.
New York City at Night

We went to Ellis Island and The Statue of LibertyMy Favorite Stop: Cooperstown - Baseball Hall of Fame
AAGBL Uniforms - As Seen in My Favorite Movie: A League of Thier Own
My Family Rooting for the Home Team
Sitting in the Double Day Field Rooting for the Peaches
Niagara Falls
View from The Maid of the Mist

On my way...

First of all, I would like to ask you to pray for year 7 student Lusa. She was diagnosed this last weekend with Leukemia and has already started chemo.

I am leaving Australia in just a few hours. Reflecting on my time here I am so glad that I have had this oppurtunity. I am going to miss being here, I will miss my students, I will miss the teachers, especially my cooperating teachers (Bev and Val), I will miss my new friends here. Please keep me in your thoughts tomorrow as I spend the 24.5 hours traveling home. I will be home until Friday when I fly back to CU.

Goodbye Australia, I will miss you.

Camp Pictures!

Warning: Lots and lots of pics! I narrowed it down from nearly 1000 pictures to 46 (I think thats pretty good!)

During week 9 of the term Mrs. Moyle, Ms. Rebellato and I brought the 41 year 7 students to camp in the Grampians.

We left South Australia and entered Victoria
We stayed the week at Roses Gap Recreation Centre
The students enjoyed each other's company outside of school (and without uniforms!)
Lilly and Anne
Megan, India, Casey, Sienna and RileyUnique, Alannah, Megan, Emma, Carrie and RebeccaWe were able to leave the camp for a day and venture around the Grampians. The Grampians is a National Park containing some amazing sights!
(unfortunately it was a really foggy day!)
We had a couple short bush walks and one longer one to Venus Baths.
The girl's loved playing in the water and some even drank some
Libby, Anne and Kelly
It was hard fitting them all in one picture!
Back at the camp we got to experience some fun and new activities.
The Flying Fox
Nikita
Casey
Sienna
The Giant Swing: Students took turns being pulled 65 feet up into the air. They would then have to pull the cord on their own to be released. I don't have pictures of me on it, but I do have video of it that I will have to try getting posted. I was peer pressured into it!
Riley and Jaime geared up and ready to go
Amalia swinging in the air
We had turns on the different Low Ropes challenges.
Life Saver: In this one the students had to escape the sinking boat (the tire) and land on the raft (a plank of wood) without being eaten by the sharks (touching the ground)
Spider Web: The students had to get their team to the other side without getting caught in the web and eaten by the giant spider (touching the ropes)
Switcheroo: Students had to swap sides and end up in the opposite order without touching the ground.
One of the favorite activities was abseiling.
Kelly on her way down
Jaime
Unique made it to the bottom
The girls were challenged to build water and windproof huts.
Chloe, Casey, Riley and Jaime (their hut collapsed on them before we even got to test if it was waterproof, we dumped water on them anyways)
Emma and Unique (I think they would rather sleep in the boarding house then stay in their hut)
We went on a short bush walk to Beehive Falls
Aliscia, Emma, Jaime, India, Casie, Chloe and Charlotte
Canoing was another favorite activity.
Me and Laura (Ms. Rebellato) won the competition to collect the most colored balls
But not without filling our canoe with water
Each night the students journaled about the day's experiences. These journals are kept by the school and brought each year to camp to add on to.
We had nightly hot cocoa
On the last night of camp we let the girls bring their sleeping bags and watched a movie (10 Things I Hate About You, in memory of Australian Heath Ledger). They were absolutely and totally grossed out by the kissing scenes!
One night the girls used newspaper to create a legendary character
Riley
Before camp the students prepared skits to perform.
Old Man Bob (Miki) and Britney Spears (Chloe) were the hosts
The girls from the "Dumb blond" Skit
Carrie, Alannah, Megan and Rebecca
Britney Spears (Chloe), Paris Hilton (Jaime) and Jessica Simpson were contestants in a game show for Hollywood's dumb blond.
Emma, Unique and India did a dance Amalia, Emily, Edith and Nikita performed their rendition of Barbie Girl
Some Random Photos Taken At Camp