Farewell to 2009....

Well the survey I took yesterday kinda sorta summed up my year.. in a way... but i wanted to do one more special farewell to 2009.

This year......I really dont have words to describe.... it started off to be what seemed like the WORST year of my life. I have a previous post that describes this point in my life pretty well. I broke up with my first boyfriend, I was beyond stressed with school and feeling SUPER intimidated about continuing on to do my student teaching, my grandma passed away (I took it much worse then I thought I would. I went a week that I cried at least once a day... and good HARD cry), and to top it all off my Dad was diagnosed with Oral Cancer.

By April of this year I thought my life was in shambles and I was pretty much miserable. I decided to take a job at the Day Care that i worked at the summer before (I hated it then... I think i was determined to make myself miserable) But it ended up being on of the best things i could have done. I LOVED working there. There were a bunch of new girls mostly my age and we all got pretty close! I actually enjoyed going to work because it was the only time in my life that i could forget about my worries and focus on something else.

All in all I really did have an awesome summer! Katelyn and I made a big trip to Seattle. I want to go back SSSOOO bad!!!! I also drove back to Milwaukee with my sister and her two kids. Three full days in a van packed full with a 5 year old a 2 year old and a pregnant lady.... Doesnt sound like much fun but believe me it WAS!! I will NEVER forget some of the memories we made on that trip!

Since the beginning of this year i knew, more than anything, i just really needed a BIG change in my life. I hated Idaho.( I still do) I had a lot of bad memories there. A lot of things that kind of haunted me if i was going to stay there. I knew that my life in Idaho wasn't going to go any where. I felt like I wouldnt get any where near the goals i wanted to accomplish if i stayed there.

In August I packed up all my junk and moved to Utah. I can HONESTLY say it is the BEST decision I have ever made! I had felt like I needed to be in Salt Lake ever since my friend got married here over a year before. I still don't really know why I need to be here but I know its what I need. I love it here! I love all the fun stuff there is to do, the friends i have made, the ward I am in and most of all the growth i have made as a person.

Also...something important to mention is my GRADUATION!!! I walked in Graduation in July so that I didnt have to go back to Rexburg when I was done. BUT i am now an official college grad!!! official official! Like my degree is posted by BYU-I and everything! My name was in the program this time! (It wasnt when i walked cuz i hadnt finished my student teaching)

2009... what seemed to be the worst year of my life turned out to be one of my favorite years of my life so far. It was HARD. There were very miserable times... but I think I have done the most maturing and learning i have ever done. I have grown closer to my Heavenly Father and allowed myself to trust him so much more. And realized how much he blesses you align your life to what he wants for you. Good-bye 2009!!! I will never forget you!!!

Random side note... when I realized today was New Years Eve I kinda panicked because in my brain its like the wonderful year is over... And everything is going to change tomorrow!!! Which is silly because it really is just another day...haha

bored...

WHAT WAS YOUR:
1. Last beverage: Hot Chocolate
2. Last phone call: Brad
3. Last text message: Berkley
4. Last song you listened to: Would you go with me - Josh Turner
5. Last time you cried: um... i dont remember....

HAVE YOU EVER:
6. Dated someone twice: nope
7. Been cheated on: nope
8. Kissed someone & regretted it: nope :)
9. Lost someone special: Yes
10. Been depressed: mildly...
11. Tripped on your own feet: hahaha more than most people

LIST THREE FAVORITE COLORS:
12. greenish blue
13. black
14. purple

THIS YEAR HAVE YOU: (2009)
15. Made a new friend: yup!
16. Fallen out of love: no....
17. Laughed until you cried: Yes! but thats not hard
18. Met someone who changed you: YES
19. Found out who your true friends were: um... kind of?
20. Found out someone was talking about you: no
21. Kissed anyone on your friend's list: Nope

MISCELLANEOUS:
22. How many people on your friends list do you know in real life: all of them
23. How many kids do you want? any where from three to five
24. Do you have any pets: nope
25. Do you want to change your name: No i like my name
26. What did you do for your last birthday: i went to work.. and skipped class and watched a movie with Tamara i think...
27. What time did you wake up today: noon! yes!
28. What were you doing at midnight last night: playing basketball
29. Name something you CANNOT wait for: warm weather!
30. Last time you saw your mother: day after Christmas
31. What is one thing you wish you could change about your life: how much money i make
32. What are you listening to right now: the TV
33. Have you ever talked to a person named Tom : Yup! quite a few times and quite a few Toms
34. What's getting on your nerves right now: nothin really...
35. Most visited webpage: Facebook
36. What’s your real name: Kelsey.....
37. Nicknames: Kels, Kelso, legs, mama legs,
38. Relationship Status: single as ever
39. Zodiac sign: Gemini
40. Male or female? um...what am i? which do i prefer? i am confused....
41. Primary School? Metcalf and Rivergold
42. Secondary School?: Coarsegold and Star Valley Junior high
43. High school/college?: Star Valley and Stevens High
44. Hair color: brown
45. Long or short: short
46. Height: 5'11"
47. Do you have a crush on someone? hmmm.....
48: What do you like about yourself? I think i am funny... :)
49. Piercings: ears once
50. Tattoos: nope
51. Righty or lefty: righty all the way

FIRSTS :
52. First surgery: wisdom teeth
53. First piercing: ears...first and only
54. First best friend: Olivia Pogue
55. First sport you joined: Volleyball....
56. First vacation: Oregon coast on my fourth birthday
57. First scar: I dont remember
58. First pair of trainers: I dont remember

RIGHT NOW :
59. Eating: Nothin
60. Drinking: nothin
61. I'm about to: Fall asleep
62. Listening to: The TV
63. Waiting for: a text so i am not so bored

YOUR FUTURE :
64. Want kids? Yes! Some day!
65. Get Married? Yes! Some day!
66. Career: teacher

WHICH IS BETTER :
67. Lips or eyes: in a boy? EYES!! :) lips can be an added bonus though...
68. Hugs or kisses: dont know if i can choose
69. Shorter or taller: Taller
70. Older or Younger: Older
71. Romantic or spontaneous: spontaneous romance! :) im not usually a fan of the planned cheesy stuff...
72. Nice stomach or nice arms: My question for you is when is that an either--or? its usually both or neither....
73. Sensitive or loud: depends on the situation
74. Hook-up or relationship: relationship
75. Blond, brown, or redhead? i tend to like the blondies or light brown but it really doesnt matter

HAVE YOU EVER :
76. Kissed a stranger: nope
77. Been in a fist fight: Im a lover not a fighter. :)
78. Lost glasses/contacts: Never had either
79. Written a love note: mmm not a serious one... hahahaha
80. Broken someone's heart: I'm afraid so..
81. Been skydiving/other extreme sport: I want to try skydiving!!! that would be sweet!
82. Been arrested: nope
83. Turned someone down: guilty.... but you probably would have too!
84. Cried when someone died: yes...
85. Fallen for a friend? ........too many times i think.

DO YOU BELIEVE IN:
86. Yourself: most of the time
87. Miracles: YES
88. Love at first sight: no
89. Heaven: yes!
90. Santa Claus: No...
91. Kiss on the first date: No!!!!
92. Angels: yes!

ANSWER TRUTHFULLY:
94. Had more than 1 girlfriend/boyfriend at a time: nope... thats just wrong
95. Did you sing today? yup! :) i dont think i go a day without singing!
96. Ever cheated on somebody? Nope
97. If you could go back in time, how far would you go? hmm... some where cool and historical like Christs birth!
98. If you could pick a day from last year and relive it, what would it be? probably one of the days on my trips to Milwaukee! Or maybe a day that i was in Seattle
99. Are you afraid of falling in love? VERY
100. Have you missed somebody? i am almost always missing SOMEONE

Christmas?

I haven't necessarily been a scrooge this year but I haven't exactly been spreading the Christmas cheer. It just hasnt really connected with me and my brain that its Christmas so soon! Usually I have all these things telling me its Christmas and I have reason to be excited but this year its not really happening.

Before (even when I was a kid) I had winter break to look forward to. In college it was finishing all of my finals in order to go home and begin the Christmas festivities. I also always decorated my apt and my house in Rigby right after Thanksgiving. I didnt have ANY of that this year. No Finals... Not that I am complaining. I was too lazy to decorate at my parents house this year. My roommate decorated for Christmas before Thanksgiving.... So my brain just hasnt registered that Christmas is in a little less than two weeks. I am going home in like 4 days so hopefully once I am home it will start sinking in.

I think another reason my brain isn't regisitering it is because this year has gone so fast!!! Its been so crazy busy and so crazy good for the most part. My year as a whole is saved for another post... :) Merry Chirstmas my one lovely reader!

DASHBOARD!!!!!!!!!!

Yes you read correctly!!! Berkley and I went to see Dashboard confessional here in Salt Lake this weekend! It was SSSOOO awesome! Theres not much I can say other than it was awesome!!! We got these little shaker things that He passed out. We were pretty close to the front as well. I tried to upload a video but it was taking too long. I didnt have patience to wait for it today! HAHA Yay! I also went to Jon Schmidt. He was way cool as well! It was in Furniture Warehouse and we got to sit on couches while we listened to him! It was a fun weekend full of Berkley! I just love her! She is so great! We had too much fun together probably!

Cuz I know Heavenly Father loves me.

I just want to express my gratitude to my Heavenly Father in every possible way that I can. He has really blessed me SO much lately. MUCH MUCH MUCH more then I could ever deserve. It seems like just when I think I am gonna have to patient and worry he blesses me with what I need. I am especially grateful because I know it is rare to get what you want right when you want it. I dont mean to sound prideful. Its actually very humbling. I have been learning so much about trusting Him. Ever since I moved here it has just kind of been complete blindness and I have been trying really hard to let Him guide me. Things have turned out awesome so far! I feel like I really have a purpose for being in Salt Lake ( i have felt that i needed to be here for over a year and everything that has happened since being here is just confirming that.) I am getting a HUGE lesson in aligning my will with the Fathers. I am in no way perfect at it but I have definitely learned a lot and hopefully I will find out what my purpose in Salt Lake is. So this is just another way that I have been thanking Him for all of the amazing wonderful things that he has helped me with and given me. I have NO doubt in my mind whatsoever that my Heavenly Father loves me and he is watching out for me. He has a plan just for me and I am trying my hardest to follow that plan.

Yeah... im pretty cool...

I am an official college grad!!! BOO YEAH! I have a bachelors degree! WEIRD! it hasnt had time to sink in so it doesnt feel quite real. Oh but it most definitely is!!! THANK GOODNESS!!!! Time has flown! I am so excited to start work at my new job and get settled in to my life officially in Utah. It still hasnt sunk in that im staying in Utah either...even though that was the plan all along. I think i am just so used to moving that its what i expected. haha any way.... YAY! IM DONE! now i get to be a grown up.....

At the peak of random ramblings...

This very well maybe be the most random post ever...but no one really reads this any way...

First.....Shout out to my one true and faithful blog reader Mrs. Valerie Stewart! Thanks Val! Love ya! Miss ya! you make me realize maybe people actually care about what random thoughts go through my head...

Second..... I will be a college graduate in approximately 5 days or about 120 hours or about 7200 minutes... time has FLOWN by and i cant even believe that i am almost done. It feels good to think i may never have to do homework again...only thats a lie because teachers are always taking classes to stay certified or get paid more etc etc... And in a way it kinda sucks because i think i have realized that i cant be a teacher. I love teaching and its what i want to do....but teaching takes over your life. I know that it will get better the longer i teach but i just don't want a job that i have to take home with me. I want to stop working when i punch out and leave. I have a job as an aide which really is what i would like to do. i LOVE working with small groups or even one on one with students. I just wish it paid as well as teachers.... i would totally stay doing that the rest of my life. I think i am going to really enjoy my new job.

Third... I hate dating... i hate it with a passion. Pretty much the only reason i do it is because i know i am supposed to and i know if i dont i will never get married. But that doesnt change anything. i still hate it. I havent been on a date in a long time that i have thought "oh my gosh that was so fun i hope he asks me out again" I honestly havent been REALLY attracted (my attraction stays for more than a week) in like 9 months. Dating is just lame to to me..... i would so much rather go on a date with someone that i have gotten to know already and that i can be more myself with. I have probably just gotten bitter and cynical....but i really dont care if i have a date or not... it used to crush me and now when im on a date the whole time im thinking....i would rather be out with my friends. So i have a bad attitude.....yet another reason its gonna be a LONG time before i get married.

Fourth..... I need to find an apt. I havent ever really hunted before i have just said this one ready go. but this time we are actually looking around. and honestly in salt lake there are SSSOOO many options. Its overwhelming. Im sick of looking i just want to be done now.

Fifth.... Im really excited to go home for Thanksgiving. I have been missing my mom and dad lately. I cant say homesick because Rigby isnt home to me. But i am excited to go and be with my family. The Fall season is definitely my favorite time of the year! From like Halloween to Christmas. It rocks my world.

Sixth.... I hate snow. It snowed today.... a lot...... and i shut myself in my apt all day so i wouldnt have to think about it. I live in the basement and cant see it unless i really look hard so i could live in my own delusional world. But then i remember i had a date tonight and i was supposed to meet and my friends apt... so i had to trudge out side and scrape the six inches of snow and inch of ice off my car.... my hands were numb. I am so not looking forward to this winter.

Listen to me being Debbie downer. hahaha just remember my happy point. I graduate in 5 days! woot!

Seventh..... on a much happier note.... I went to the Utah symphony and they did Bravo Broadway... I! LOVED! IT! it was SSOOO awesome! they had three of broadways stars come and sing the songs while the Utah symphony played them. There were a few times i caught myself with my mouth just hanging open. The tenor was like all that is good and holy in the world. I was in love with him just because of his voice.... It seriously like put me in a trance....he gave me chills.... i dont know what it is about tenor voices but it just fills me with this love.... while i was listening to him it mad me think there is nothing wrong in the world.... his voice cannot even be described in words. My favorite thing i have done in Utah so far! BY FAR!

The End....

OVERWHELMING JOY AND GRATITUDE!

I HAVE A JOB!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! My school offered me a job today!!!!! I am so excited that I get to stay with my kids!! Plus this is a great way to get my foot in the door!!! I feel SO SO SO SO SO SO blessed!!! i cant even describe in words......

Bittersweet!!!

So.... I only have two and a half weeks of teaching!!!!!! This is my last full week of teaching! Starting next week I start handing the classroom back! Its gone so fast! There have been so many times that I thought I was going to die! And still others that I thought all was well and things were going great! I had my last observation from my supervisor today! I got all fours but one... and it was a 3 plus.. for what i thought was kind of a silly reason.....but i will take what i can get i guess. I am very excited to be done student teaching and not have to worry about getting my degree... but i am going to miss these kids SO much!! For some reason it really hit me today how much I have seen them grow just in the short time i have been with them. I love each one of my kids so much! I feel so proud of them! I just want the very best for them! Its kind of ridiculous how crazy I am about them. But at the same time how much they drive me crazy! HAHA Like i said...its bittersweet that its the end.

I really CANT believe that this means i have a bachelors degree!!!! I will have an official diploma in like 17 days! well...it probably wont be in my hand by then...but you know what i mean! I dont feel old enough to be a college grad! It feels good though! I actually feel like i accomplished something unlike my high school graduation... Hooray for jumping a life hurtle!

More Kid Funnies

Here are some of my most recent funny stories.

Today a little boy raised his hand and showed me a picture of a Jazz game that was in a book about the Jazz. Our conversation went as follows...

Hunter: LOOK!!! Miss H!!! There I am!
Me: Really?
Hunter: YEAH! and my grandma and grandpa! and theres Roby over there!
Me: Um...Hunter are you sure? What year were you born?
Hunter: 1999, Why?
Me: This pictures says it was taken in 1996....
Hunter: oh....

Then all the kids started joking and saying they were born in 1996, 1993, or even 1990! (They said 1990 like NO WAY THATS SO OLD!) Then one little boy piped up and said "OH YEAH? I was born in 1987! HAHAHAHAHAHAHA" all the kids are laughing... and then i said Hey... I really was born in 1987!

They all froze. Jaws on the floor. Eyes wide....

Then one little boys goes "HOLY COW! Are you like 80?!?!?!?!?!"
I made them all do the subtraction (2009-1987) on a piece of paper to see how "old" I really am.


Another one....not quite as funny... I have my students write sentences using out vocabulary words and one of our vocabulary words was plunged, like he plunged off the cliff into the water below. I tried so hard to steer away from any other meaning of plunged and make sure they understood it meant falling.... I had the students pick 4 of our vocab words and write a sentence using them. I was checking their work at the end of the day and one little boy wrote "I plunged the toilet." I just thought it was funny.....

Another vocab word was vast... A little girl wrote "I have something vast in my pants"... I dont want to know.....

One little boy always writes "Miss H is cool" or "Miss H is nice" or any variation of that ALL over his papers that he hands in...This kid is already trying to butter me up...

Yesterday we were lined up next to the bathrooms waiting for students still in there. We were on our way to lunch and i always make them be really quiet because there are other kids still in class. Well all of the sudden someone in the boys bathroom burps...but this was like the loudest burp in the history of the world i swear! NOT to mention the echoing from the bathroom. I just kinda gave the kids lined up in the hall a look and then they all burst out laughing. Here I am trying to keep my composure and tell them its not appropriate to laugh at something like that and the kid that did it comes practically rolling out of the bathroom laughing his head off.... I tried everything in my power to stay composed and not laugh... i bit my lip, i turned around, i tried to think of something else....but then i couldn't take it! I burst out laughing too....It was HILARIOUS! and all the kids laughing about it made it even funnier! I was probably laughing the hardest out of any one... One of the guys that does in school suspension walked past and just looked at us really weird while me and 26 ten year olds are laughing our guts out.

I was walking down the hall by myself to lunch and this random little boy came up to me and said "Hi Miss H!!!" I was surprised but said Hi back. Then he said "Do you know who I am?" and i said "well.... no actually I don't... whats your name?" and he said "Its Tony! Remember? You hit me with the door! Oh! and my sister is your class..." I had no idea who this kids was...but apparently i hit him with the door... hahahahaha I felt really guilty that i didnt remember hitting him with the door or remember who he was...

I love my job most days! Its pretty great to work with these adorable kids. I love their perspective on life and friends and school. They help me keep my focus and remember what is important in life.