Back to School!

I'm going to be starting grad school this fall and I'm so excited! My main excitement right now comes from the fact that I just put in my two weeks notice here at good old MHMR, but none the less I feel excited!

I'm going to be going to Texas State for my Masters in Secondary Education. Texas State's main campus is in San Marcos, but thankfully many of my classes can be taken online or at their Round Rock location. That means I won't have to drive to San Marcos for any classes this first semester, which will be really nice! I'm going to start off with the 12 hours my advisor recommended and if I stick with this pace I should be completely done (including student teaching) in two years! Not too shabby!

I'm really wanting to teach high school history, preferably US History and Government, but I'm sure I'll take whatever I can get! I honestly wouldn't mind teaching Jr. High either, I tend to get along with that age just great and will be certified to teach both, so we'll just see what happens! I decided to go ahead and get my Masters instead of just a certification because I think it will help me in finding a job and in advancement later if I decided I want to do other things in Education besides teach.

So, my last day at my job will be the 14th and then my first day of class will be the 26th. That gives me some time to try to get a non-stressful part time job somewhere. I'm hoping to get hired at a Starbucks since I've worked there before, they're normally great with working with your schedule, and on top of that I really liked it there!

As many of you may know I don't really have a reputation for being a great student; in high school and college I tended to not attend class or do my work. And I procrastinate. But, I am determined to do WAY better this go round. I have a goal in mind, I'm not there for social purposes at all, and I have the pressure of Adam! I think it will be like a whole new world for me!

summer time

It's summer and I love it! Well, except for the heat and the fact that I have to work instead of play, but there is something about summer that's wonderful!

It's been a long time since I've blogged, so here is a list of fun things that have happened since I last blogged!

~I turned 24! We ate at Cheescake Factory and Adam got me some TOMS shoes!

~I bought materials for and then Adam assembled a headboard for our bed (pictures to come when I've actually made the bed!).

~My Dad's best friend's daughter, Jenna, whom I haven't seen in 6 years, came and stayed with us for a few days while doing research at UT. It was so wonderful to see her and catch up, although we didn't take any pictures! I'm horrible about that!

~Alison and Crystal came into town with lots of other LCU people for a wedding and subsequent fun-filled weekend. It was so great to see lots of people from college and have good quality time with my besties. Again, no pictures. I'm sure Alison took some that I won't approve of the general public viewing because I didn't get to preview them and then retake them when I didn't like them.

~Adam and lots of friends/family have started playing indoor soccer. Few things on this planet make Adam more happy then playing soccer! It is pretty funny to watch as it doesn't appear our team has a chance of winning a game this season. Adam has yet to go to the hospital or get ejected from a game, so the season is going well thus far.

~Awesome party at Meredith's with good food, drink, family, and friends.

I will try to take some pics of the soccer game this week! Next blog will be fun things I'm looking forward too, mainly because I love to day dream!

We Made It!

That's what Adam kept saying this past weekend because one year ago from last Sunday we were doing this:

I honestly can't believe it's been a whole year! It's one of those weird time warps where it feels like it was a long time ago, yet it has flown by!

We went to San Antonio for the weekend to celebrate and we had a blast! We did all the touristy things like going to the Alamo:

and had Anniversary ("Mother's Day" for most everyone else) Brunch on the River Walk:

It has been a fabulous year and I can't wait for many more! I love you Adam!

weekends in pictures

Here are the pics of our last couple weekends! The first are from Easter; thanks for putting them on Facebook so I could creepily steal them Jenn! The second group are from this past weekend when we went to the lake with friends/family, it was a blast, with very intense karoake!

Family Picture

Bryna and I shopping!

Bryna and Harper's matching Easter dresses!

Bryna keeping warm with her mom's scarf

Sleeping Harper

At Salt Lick

Riding the train at Zilker

Adam and tiny Harper!

Lake House Weekend!
the view

the girls

let freedom ring!

Marta and Kara's duet

the dogs playing

telling Scott he needs to buy a lake house like this one day

the whole group!

mystery solved

RDM stands for Resiliency and Disease Management. We had a wonderful weekend with Adam's family in which we had a celebrity sighting of this man. You all must know how star struck I am.

More to come on all these things when I get some pictures from Rhonda and Jennifer and when I'm not at work.

ATX Livin'

Okay my blog title is a little lame, but I'm very tired and my creative juices aren't flowing well, not that they do that often anyways!

Anyways...we've been in Austin for a little over three weeks and its been so wonderful! That probably has lot to do with the fact that I wasn't working for those three weeks, but none the less its been great!

We've gotten to do lots of fun things since we've been here, and a lot of them happened just this past weekend! On Friday we went with Jared, Kyle, and Chad to the Off-Centered Film Festival at Alamo Drafthouse for the Dogfish Head beer and cheese tasting and it was a blast. I now have a new favorite beer, Dogfish's Midas Touch; it was delicious. The owner of Dogfish was there and explained about everything we tasted and where the ideas came from and it was very interesting.

Then on Saturday Adam had a Senior Retreat for the Home's Seniors and I got to meet them downtown at Freddie's Place for dinner and then stay at the hotel with him. It was fun to meet some of Adam's co-workers and Freddie's is a very authentic Austin place, with live music and dogs. Yes, everyone brings their dogs, and some nights they have dog trick contests. I don't think Adam was a fan of the loud music or the dogs being so near his food, he's very picky about his eating environment!

Then on Sunday night we went to Stubb's for some delicious bbq and to see one of Adam's favorite musicians William Fitzsimmons. He really was incredible live, he maybe even sounded better live then recorded. It was so much fun and I of course like him now more that I've heard him live, I always do. If you haven't listened to his stuff you should, its a little depressing, but its beautiful, and his latest album was iTune's Best Folk Album of 2008.

Last night we got to eat dinner with our great friend Marina who we haven't seen in over two years! She is an admissions counselor for a university in North Carolina and was in town recruiting and thus we got to meet up with her. We ate at the restaurant that is in the building that the Real World Austin house was in and it was very disappointing because the food wasn't that great and no where did it indicate what the building was previously. It was so great to see Marina and catch up though. We can't wait to visit her and her husband Matt for World Cup 2010. They both have an obsession, along with Adam, so we're going to go visit them then, and I will take lots of books.

I also started my job today. I'm working for MHMR as the RDM Care Coordinator. As soon as I know what that means I will let you know. I'm not joking, I really have no clue what RDM stands for or what I'll be doing, but I'm sure I'll figure it out soon! Adam's job is going well, but is very stressful, its a good thing that he really does love it! I'll have to do a post about our jobs once I figure out what mine is!

Adam's family is coming to visit us this weekend for Easter and I'm so excited! I'm excited for them to see our home, and do fun Austin things, and FINALLY meet our newest niece Harper! I will try and take pictures to make my post about their trip more fun and less wordy!

Austin here we come!

We are moving to Austin on Saturday! Most of you already know this I realize, but it's fun to write it on my blog, because I LOVE Austin.

Adam accepted a job as the Program Director of the Presbyterian Children's home there and so we will be moving on this Saturday and he will be starting the following Monday! He is a crazy man. This is such a great job for Adam, its right up his alley, and I know he's excited to be working with kids again.

I am so so excited to be near all my family, especially with 2 new nieces on the way! We have a great new apartment with a guest room and so any of you are welcome to come visit at any time, in fact please do! I'm also excited to be moving somewhere that I'm already familiar with, like I know how to get places and already know the radio stations! Yet, at the same time we will be living in a different area than I went to high school in, so there are still new things and places for us to explore together! I think its going to be a great change for us!

I am sad to be leaving Dallas though because some of my very best friends live here. I have loved being able to see Crystal and Jen each at least once a week, and even though I haven't gotten to see Liz as much since we moved further away from each other, I have loved the times I did get to see her and it's been nice just having that option! It will be hard to not have them so near and easily accessible.

Also, we have both been very fortunate to work for great agencies here in Dallas. Although Adam is very excited about his new job, he is also sad to be leaving Central Dallas Ministries. He really has loved/admired CDM for years before working there and that has only been enhanced by his time there. I know they really have loved him as well and are sad to be losing him. I have also loved my job at Big Brothers Big Sisters. It has become a little monotonous the past few months, but I have really enjoyed the agency and have loved my team and the friends I've made. It was honestly the best job I could have asked for to be my first job out of school, I have had great room for growth and lots of encouragement that really has made me a much more confident, and thus more capable, employee. We have both been very blessed by our jobs here.

Pray for me as I look for a new job in Austin! Its not the best time to be looking for jobs right now, especially in the non-profit world, but I know it will work out! I have applied for a couple of jobs that I'm excited about and at the very least I can start substitute teaching, I guess!

My next post will be as a proud resident of Austin, I am SO excited, I just love the city so much!