New Year = New Beginning

Hello Friends! Happy 2012 :) 

Oh gosh, it's been one week since I have last posted. It seems like a lifetime.
Okay, slight exaggeration, but it feels like forever.

...So what have I been doing?

drum roll please....
I am officially done applying for graduate school! Whooooo. (insert scream here).
Applications to the University and the districts are all complete! Now it's a waiting game.

The grad school opportunity I applied for would pay for my masters degree AND I would finish in fourteen months. Totally awesome, right? So pretty much, 14 months of work and hell for one FREE, awesome degree! I will totally take the bait and go to school to increase my future pay if someone else is willing to pay for it! Who wouldn't?!

Double bonus. Yesterday, I got my first call and I am in the process of finding a time to go interview! I couldn't be more excited (and absolutely nervous as heck) to begin my future!

This is actually rather anti-climatic.
It has been 60 degrees in Nebraska! In January!
Crazy...
Via

Before I start my last semester of my student teaching and dive into the interviews, I must enjoy this one last weekend of my holiday break! G'night friends and enjoy your weekend!

What are your future plans? Anything exciting thus far in 2012?

xoxo
erinj0.

Recap of [2011]

January

The start of my final semester of classes. Student teaching interview. 
Continuing to work with my cardiac-electrophysiogist.
Researching the power of a healthy diet and it's effects on the body.
   

via

February

Grandma turns 90! 

We had a big open house for her and all of her friends :)

**she has more friends than I do!**

Starting undergoing chiropractic care.

March 

Mom's birthday!

POTS Symptoms were running rather high :/

Spent hours and hours in sped classes learning how to administer the WRAT assessment.

(one long and lengthy comprehension test!)

One out of the many pages...
we scanned them as we had to practice administering this test on many a friends ;)
Extra copies just in case we needed a new sheet for mess ups!

April

Blizzard in mid April! Crazy!

POTS symptoms controlling my life :/ Not a fun month.

Countdown until geneticist appointment.

May

BUSY MONTH!!! THINGS START TO LOOK UP :)

Revelation of our family history and nationality -- received grandpa's old adoption papers.

Letter official: Fall Student Teaching Placement

Start my coupon craze!

Osama-Bin-Laden is dead!

Monday mom nights: The Bachelorette starts!

Here is a snippet of my grandpa's adoption summary.
He was brought to the agency is a suitcase!

June

Omaha/Iowa flooding worsens.

Chauffeuring Grandma and funny stories develop!

Pinterest became highly-addictive!

 Famous information about our family!!!

 July
Geneticist appointment is here! I have an amazing genetic counselor and specialist.
...after 6+ months of waiting
Official EDS (Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome) diagnosis is revealed.
Click here for more information regarding EDS!

August

Student teaching in 1st grade begins! 

Funny stories of past students!

via

September

I turn twenty-three and received adorable gifts from the kiddos.

Husker football season is here!

How sweet is this?

Her and her mom baked the whole class homemade carrot-cake cupcakes :)
She was SO proud.

October

Fall Break is here!
Halloween parties in first grade.
A much needed rest and catch up picking pumpkins :)
Blog break for awhile and more awesome pictures from my lovely kiddos.

Acres and acres FULL of millions of pumpkins!

Mad skills for first grade! (especially the beginning of first grade!)

November

 Assessment presentation - Mom saves the day! Story here

(a.k.a. the big kicker for assessing your knowledge of teaching and assessment)

12-14 minutes. NO going over. 

You were graded on: confidence, oral presentation skills, knowledge of content, and more specific target areas.

CRAZY nervous.

Lesson for my project! 

Pictures were incorporated during my presentation

Introducing domino's to teach addition!

part-part-whole concept using manipulatives

Differentiation & Formative Assessment :)

Summative Assessment

December

Fall Elementary Education student teaching comes to an end :/ 

Bittersweet.. 

Spring 2012 special education placement received: Middle School. I have mixed emotions.

Currently: Applying for grad school & employment for August 2012!

What a year it has been. 

Primarily, it has been full of doctors appointments/health and teaching! 

I'm so proud of everything I was able to accomplish and am anxiously awaiting an even more busy 2012 year! SO much to look forward to :)

My blog has grown so much and amazing friendships have emerged.

I'm hoping these relationships continue throughout 2012 and beyond 

♥

Best wishes for a new year, friends!

See you in 2012.

xoxo

erinj0.

::2011::

Happy New Year : ) 

The time has come... it's a new year, with new possibilities.
This past year has been full of memories and life changing events that I will never forget. 

  
   In 2010...

*I became an alumni of Zeta Delta

*I became VP of SCEC (Student Council for Exceptional Children)

*I was diagnosed with Dysautonomia/POTS

*The last year of Roosenblatt Stadium!

*Moved into my amazing 1 bedroom apartment

*Conquered my fear of dentists at the begining of the year & got my wisdom teeth removed (which unfortunately lead me POTS) Sad how that works : /

*After loosing my job, seven months later I got a new job at a call center where I can sit. Not the best job but it's all I can do right now

*Taught my first lessons during some of my practicums

*And I wouldn't have made it through the hardest part of this year without the help and support of my amazing mother whom I love more than anything. 

   In 2011...

*I will begin student teaching! (Let's hope my health holds up!)

*It will mark the last year of undergraduate classes at UNO

*Right now, my only goal is to successfully complete my first semester of student teaching! I've learned it's only appropriate to hope and accomplish one thing at a time

*Also- this year I am going to make an appoint to rely on my faith to get my through

Although this year towards the end was one of the most difficult times that I have had thus far in my life, I will only grow from all the experiences. POTS/Dysautonomia sucked a lot of things from me, but I believe that if you just try to stay positive and with the right therapies/medication and will, sometimes you can push yourself enough to enjoy little things that you like.

I lost my job - the job that I absolutely loved from being in the hospital and home bound for 4 months. I lost some friends for awhile, missed out on experiences and much more. However, when you are down looking out into life, you realize what is important in life. You start not taking the special simple things for granted and see the purpose in life. I believe that this illness has taught me a lot and will continue to only make me a stronger person.

I hope everyone has a happy/blessed 2011 year

xoxo
erinj0