It's Christmas Eve

It has been quite a while since I've written anything. Sorry. Apparently it is much easier to keep this thing current when I have nothing to write about. Lately, so much has been happening that by the time I get home, the last thing I want to do is sit on my computer and think! Since today is Christmas Eve and I successful slept in this morning, I figure now would be the perfect time to recap the last two weeks.
I successfully completed my student teaching at NAU and all the required portfolios and assignments that went a long with that. I moved everything I own from Flagstaff to Seattle. I like to say, "everything I own" because I think it sounds impressive. But actually everything I own fit easily into a 4x8 uhaul trailor. Getting the trailor turned out to be the biggest challenge of the whole moving experience. No one seems to be moving to Flagstaff so they didn't have a trailor for me (even though I made my reservation over a week in advance!). I ended up having to drive to Sedona to pick up my trailor. And the uhaul guy wasn't there for an hour and a half so we (Leanna and I) had to wait. When I finally got the trailor to my house my roommate had to back it down our long driveway. Unfortunantly we had gotten a ton of snow, so this was not an easy endeavour. Once everything was loaded in the trailor and my bed was strapped into the back of my truck I was able to hit the road. The ride down was uneventful other then that I had to drive about 20mph slower then I would have without the trailor.

The next few days were spent seeing all my Tucson friends and organizing all my belongings. I was so busy packing, running around meeting with people, and getting everything done that I needed to get done that I didn't sleep very much for about four days. I think I ate two real meals over a period of 3 days. It was very bizarre.

Sophia and I arrived in Seattle last Sunday, no problem. Since then I have had two days of work at my mom's office, driven to Eastern Washington and back, seen several of my old friends, visited my high school, and had two fun nights out with my sister.

Yesterday was probably the most intersting day here yet. I got only about 6 hours of sleep (as oppossed to my usual 8) then went to Mars Hill church. It is a pretty cool church. After Sophia, JP, and I went and saw the new house our Dad bought and had dinner with him and some family friends. After dinner we (Sophia, JP, and I) took care of one last Christmas gift before heading to the U District to find our drunk cousin. They (cousin, her boyfriend, and his sisters) had gone to the Seahawks game earlier that day and even though it was already 6pm they were still drinking at a quick pace. We played darts and pool and goofed around. It was a lot of fun. Then a friend of mine from high school came too. We all had a pretty good time, I think. My cousin reached her max and everyone pretty much went there own ways. JP and Sophia are on better terms now and I got to catch up with my friend. All in all it was a good night. Since I'll be moving soon, that is the last time the three of us (Sophia, JP, and I) are going to get to go out and have fun like that together. It's sort of depressing when you think about it.

Now I am enjoying sitting in my living room watching my family run around and finish up their Christmas stuff. I need to get moving though. I need to buy a couple cards still and wrap a gift or two. Tonight I am having dinner with my family at 6pm. Then I have to visit my dad at his friends'. JP's flight leaves bright and early tomorrow morning so we are going to have to break tradition. Usually we open all our presents on Christmas morning. But this year we have to do it on Christmas Eve. The Eve vs. Christmas Day debate has been a heated one in my family for as long as I can remember. Which is the right day to open gifts on? My vote is for Christmas Day. But sometimes exceptions need to be mad. Tonight we are all going to the midnight service at church. It is one of my favorite services of the year and I love the tradition of it.

But now I think that it is time I get ready for the day. I will try to keep current. Especially since I am moving to Spain in exactly three weeks.

Quick thought though... why is it that I always make connections with people right before I leave?! It is a really annoying habit. In Flagstaff I was in school for 3.5 years with a friend and it wasn't until our last semester together that we finally started hanging out. And now here in Seattle, I've started to talk to an old friend, but I am leaving in three weeks. What is that about? I think it could be some sort of subconcious notion that it's safer to be friends with people if you have an out (like moving). I don't know what that stems from or how to stop it. I need to though. What I should do is be more receptive to the idea of spending time with and/or talking to that person more BEFORE I'm about to leave. It's frustrating.

Snow Days

Instead of substitute teaching yesterday and today I have been watching the snow fall. And it has snowed a ton. This has been the biggest snow storm in Flagstaff I have seen since my first winter here. I wish I were teaching, but I have enjoyed the break. I have packed some, though I have so much more to do! Today I updated my resume and worked on my portfolio.

Tomorrow, I meet with my university professors to turn in my portfolio and get all cleared. It will be nice to be done with it all.

I really hope the snow lets up. It is supposed to stop by 6pm tonight. I am supposed to drive to Tucson on Thursday with a uhaul trailor behind my truck but if the roads are bad, I'll have to wait. I don't want to wait. I want my adventure to start!

I bit the bullet and bought my ticket last week. I'm officially going to Spain. I'm pretty sure I won't see much snow while I'm there (besides when we go to the mountain villa) so I'm glad I got to see it here.

I really should get back to my portfolio and packing. Erg. Packing. I've done it SO many times you would think I would a speedy pro by now. But this time it's different. What will I want/need in Spain? What will I want to leave in Seattle before I go? What do I want to keep in Tucson? What do I want to get rid of all together? Grr.

Jitters

I've got major jitters right now. As I type, I am waiting for the airline rep to call me back so I can confirm my flight. I am flying to Spain! I am really doing it. I bought (with a voucher) my first ticket, from Seattle to Chicago already. Now I am waiting to buy the one from Chicago to Madrid. I really can't believe I'm doing this. I'm moving to Spain. I am so excited!

So here is the plan.
-Complete last day of student teaching tomorrow.
-Substitute teach Mon, Tues, Wed.
-Meet with university supervisor to get my student teaching work all checked off Wed.
-Pick up U-Haul and move all my things to Tucson Thurs.
-Fly to Seattle Sun.
-Dentist and pick up brother from airport Mon.
-Work Tues, Wed.
-Go to E. Washington Thurs, Fri.
-Work through Jan. 4th.
-Fly to Chicago on Jan. 14th.
-Land in Madrid on Jan. 15th.

Woohoo! I'm moving to Spain! I don't even have words right now. I am so overwhelmed with it all. It is so awesome. I have wanted to travel for so long and now after all these years, here it is! I am really doing it.

Get Ready, Get Set

Are you ready to hear my plan? Good because I can't wait to tell you! I am so excited, I will tell anyone and everyone who will listen! Ok, hear it goes.

Today is Sunday December 2, 2007. I will be completing my last week of student teaching starting tomorrow. On Friday I will be all done with student teaching! This is both exciting and saddening. Student teaching has been such an amazing experiance. I have learned so much about myself as a teacher and about students. I know now that I LOVE teaching. I love it! I can't wait to have my very own school and students. I am confidant that I will make a good teacher one day... But for now... I have other things to do.

On Monday December 10th, 11th, and 12th I am going to be a Substitute Teacher. That's right boys and girls, I'm going to get paid to teach! No more being a volunteer. Actually, that isn't accurate. For the past 16 weeks I haven't been a volunteer, I had to pay to be a teacher. Crazy student teaching. But no more. I will get valuable teaching experience as a substitute to put on my resume.

Then on the 12th I have my final meeting with my supervisor. After she looks over my notebook and sees that I have everything in order I will be signed off and good to go. She will submit my paperwork and I will get my diploma and teaching certificate. Not right that day... but soon enough.

Then on the 13th I am going to load up everything I own and move it all down to Tucson. I am going to give it all to my brother. And by give I mean leave at his house rather then pay storage fees. =)

On Sunday December 16th, after moving all my worldly possessions and visiting as many friends and family as I can, my sister and I will board a plane bound for Seattle. My brother will join us on Monday. My mom bought us all plane tickets so that we could spend Christmas with her in Seattle.

I may or may not work at my mom's office for a few weeks. If I don't I will find some other work to do. Someday I'll learn how to take a vacation... but I don't think now is the time.

Early in January (I haven't picked a day yet, but sometime between the 5th and the 20th) I will be flying to Madrid, Spain. I am going to live in Spain for at LEAST seven months!!! I am going to be an au pair for an awesome family. They are a mom, dad, 12 year old son, and 10 year old triplets (two girls and one boy). I am going to live with them, help them with homework, hang out with them, and speak to them in English. I am also going to have time to take Spanish courses and travel. I am so excited!

After my seven months are up, I have no clue what I will do. It will be any number of things. I could stay in Spain longer and continue to be an au pair, move back to the states and become a teacher, or whatever else. I am not worrying about that right now though. Right now I am focusing on the 100's of things I need to get and do before I MOVE TO SPAIN!