Wow, this first week of freedom sure has held much business and many surprises. First of all, my best friend, Theresa, got engaged a week ago yesterday! She's in Canada right now, visiting her boyfriend, or should I say fiance, David. As soon as she gets back, we'll start wedding shopping, since I will be leaving soon. I am so excited for her, and, on a more selfish level, by the time my wedding rolls around, all of my friends will have been married, so we should be pro's at all this:)

I have also been getting a lot of things for my apartment, and I'm getting really excited. The school hired another single teacher to probably teaching kindergarten, so I am really excited about that. Sorry this isn't the most exciting post in the world... I don't lead the most exciting life, but a very full one.

Just a quick note to all my loyal readers (of which there are three that I know of- big following) that today is the day. Today is the first day of the rest of my life. For the first time in 18 years, I am DONE with school. My last final was taken yesterday, and tonight, I walk across the stage and receive my diploma. There will be more about this later- I am having an open house here tonight after the ceremony, so we are still catching up on last minute cleaning and prep.

Graduation is coming!!!

I know the old saying is: "Don't count the days, make the days count," but just in case you are counting, only SEVEN days til graduation!!!

Oh, yumminess!!!!! We just got back from going out to a huge meal at a restaurant called Claim Jumpers. As my friend Nicole said, it is definitely a "guy's restaurant". The portions are monstrous, which is great when I'm trying to slim down a bit before graduation, but sometimes we just have to make sacrifices... We had a really fun table, Jim, Liz, Nicole, Michelle,Kiandy, Kelly Hitt, Joe and I. We were very good- we all agreed on the same appetizers and desserts. We started of with strawberry lemonades, followed by our two appetizers which were cheesy potato cakes and spinach artichoke dip. Very yummy! Nicole and I split an entree, which was half a slab of ribs and half a chicken. It was enormous, as you can see. Then- the desserts. We got a slice of chocolate seven-layer cake which was probably over a foot long, and an "I d-eclair", and enormous e-clair that was a little more gross than good, it was so sweet. It was a very fun day, ended by Nicole's hilarious Helen Keller jokes on the bus ride home. Nothing like dinner and a show.

Go Cubs, Go

Wow, what an incredibly busy day today, but what a fun one! A whole bus of probably 40 of us college students went to Chicago today, on our annual Volleyball Marathon Cubs outing. We started with the most important thing- food. Riccabini's is sooo good!- except that just stepping into the place makes you gain a pound or two. Anyways, after that we went to the Cubs game, where they proceeded to be annihilated by the San Fransisco Giants (when I heard it was the Giants, I immediately thought New York. Luckily I didn't voice my thoughts aloud, and show my true ignorance of anything sports). In the first inning, the Giants hit a 3 run homer, and it all went down hill for the Cubs from there. It was a pretty uneventful game, except that I sat by Mary and Michelle, and we were laughing and being silly the entire game. I guess in situations like that, you have to make fun for yourself. I was very disappointed that we didn't get to hear the "Go Cubs, Go" - but since they lost.... After the game was over, we walked A MILE AND A HALF (that's right) to the oldest frozen custard shop in Chicago- Scooters. The wait was definitely worth it, and I of course got chocolate- "Chocolate Yum Yum"- and let me tell you, it WAS yummy. It was a very enjoyable day, and, to top it off, I think I got a little sun, to boot.

Tomorrow, I am looking forward to spending more time with my friends. We were originally scheduled to have our annual "end of the year activity" at Starved Rock State Park (which I have heard is beautiful- but the name does nothing for the imagination. I picture desert, cactus, and sagebrush blowing in the wind- in Indiana, of course). However, since the park was flooded (so apparently there is water somewhere around) we are going to Indianapolis, which I am very excited about. I have gone to Chicago so many times, but really never to our state's capitol. The only time I have ever been downtown in Indianapolis is for Advanced America meetings, and for a rally against gay rights- which was a unique experience. I am really looking forward to it, and to hanging out with Nicole, Brooke and Paul, and possibly Michelle. I'm sure we will have a really good time.

My family

and friends

Live Each Day To Its Fullest

Starting a blog is a rather scary thing. I feel like the world is watching me, hanging on every word I say or type, to be more accurate, even though no one even knows that I have started this blog yet. I began this as a way to communicate my thoughts and feelings to the ones I love, to share my daily experiences, and sometimes even vent my anger or frustration- so bear with me. There is always that hesitation, whether when starting a diary, or opening a series of letters, when I wonder "What do I start with? How can I open this to let my readers feel the things I'm feeling?" Looking over my twenty-two years of existence, there are a multitude of things I could write about. I have amazing parents, fantastic friends, a caring church family, and an adorable overweight cat. My life has overflowed with happiness and love. All of this I attribute to God- He has provided so much for me- much more than I could imagine or deserve. The Lord provided a teaching position for me in a great church, and has worked out the details in astounding ways. My life is abounding with joy. They say that laughter keeps the heart strong and the body young. If this is the case, I'll be going strong long past when I'm 100, although Alzheimer's runs in our family so I probably won't know it.
I will be graduating from college in TEN days, with my bachelor's degree in Elementary Education. Whoda thunk it- after, let's see, after EIGHTEEN years of school, I'll finally be done. Then, what did I do, but become a teacher. But seriously I am exactly where I know that God wants for me to be. I clearly felt Him lead me to become an elementary teacher (which is good, because I am so bad at Math and spelling that they would never have let me be a high school teacher). My life has truly been a blessed one, and I pray that it continues to be so. Now that I am becoming a teacher myself, I would like to try to apply the motto to my life "Live each day to its fullest".