When Love gives, it gives all; when it takes, it takes all. Its very taking is giving. --Mikhail Naimy
2007 started off with a bang and that was heading out to WV to see my brother and wife, T and R's house and to spend the holiday season and New Years with them. I got to hold my beautiful baby niece who was born in 2006, and fall in love. What a great way to kick off the year!
At the start of 2007, I was in a downer of a job, headed nowhere fast. I worked with SOME great people and learned an EXTREME amount in that one year. I learned a lot about myself, a lot about who I am as a professional, and who I never want to become. It's always true that you learn the most from the end of the spectrum type of jobs-either really, really good or a really, really bad. I had the really, really bad and took note of how I could improve my situation. As many of my closest said to me, "things happen for a reason" and maybe the reason I was in that job was to learn those things about myself, to make me more confident in who I am, and to meet some of my wonderful friends.
In June of 2007, I said goodbye to that job and said hello to the wonderful (horrible, frightening, long) world of job searching. It was a long summer of ups and downs, trying, questioning, and wondering if I would ever get that perfect job. At the end of the summer, I had been out, when I got a phone call from Andi asking if I had a job lined up yet. Of course, I didn't, so I said no and from there the story goes that the district that I now work in needed a SPED teacher, and I just happened to be the person for that job.
So, in August of 2007, I started what would become one of my favorite, most exhausting, and learning experiences to date. In 2007, I began working in the district that I immediately knew that was out there waiting for me and I waiting for it. I have great, great, GREAT people that I work with. I learn something every day of my life from other teachers, paras, my superiors, the parents, but mostly, my students. Wow, what a great way to end 2007; to know that in the opening of 2008, I'll be walking back into a school that makes me smiles, a school that I want to wake up each morning and be at, and can't wait to rush through my day, a place that makes me wonder where I would have been had this wonderful opportunity had not been there for me that day in August. I'm sitting here at the close of 2007, knowing that in 2008, I'll continue to do my best to fight through my first year, work my hardest to be the best that I can be, and to gain the confidence in who I am as a teacher.
If you have a talent, use it in every which way possible. Don't hoard it. Don't dole it out like a miser. Spend it lavishly, like a millionaire intent on going broke. --Brenda Francis.
In 2007, I also stated that "this would be the year, I would finish that Masters degree." Of course, at the close of 2007, I sit here with only licensures under my belt. I'm not proud that I haven't finished, but neither am I disappointed. With any type of work in this area, I'm busy, busy, busy at all times of the day and usually crash at night. I only hope that this summer, is the summer that I finish that paper and present it to the board so I can get that Master's degree.
In 2007, I also started something that once intimidated me immensely. Thanks to A, she and I started running our way through some miles. I ran in my very first race this past summer (a 5K), and haven't stopped the races since. Although, I'm not perfect at it, it shows me how I can control my body and perform as I want. It's a challenge every time I lace up those shoes. My mind is a powerful thing when it comes to talking me out of doing things and telling me that I will not be able to run, so it takes an even bigger force, my friend A, to get me into my running shoes and started. I'm not perfect at it by a long, long shot, but I am motivated to be better than I am now. Once I start, I usually am pretty decent at it. In 2008, I'm going to be an even better runner.
In the summer of 2007, I once again nannied for three beautiful, wonderful, fabulous little people. I am now called their "summer nanny" rather than their "all the time nanny." I'm okay with this title. I get to be with them during the summer time when we can run around everywhere, swim, and play outside all day. In 2007, I decided that at the end of my year in the schools, I needed to take that job again to be with the kiddos that I had barely seen all year long. We went to the pool almost daily and played outside just as much.
The best way to cheer yourself is to try to cheer someone else up. --Mark Twain
Also, in the summer of 2007, I was able to do a lot of traveling to see friends and loved ones. I got to drive home multiple times, fly across the country, and visit and see all my friends from all over. I also got to spend 4th of July in North Minnesota with A, N, and their family! It was a great summer of trips and vacations around the country.
In August of 2007, our house went through some change. Two of the previous roommates moved on to different apartments and J and myself decided that we would stay and find new roommies. Through our first experience with listing on Craigslist, we found two wonderfully suited new roommates. What we went through makes finding the random roommate situation less scary and I'm glad that in 2007, we took a leap of faith and took in two new roommates that have added laughter and fun to the household.
During the fall of 2007, another move happened...not for me, but for my brother, R, and A. They made the leap across country and landed only 40 minutes from my parents house. They have since changed houses (again) and have settled into the country lifestyle.
During the end of this year, T has also decided to get back into the harness horse business; a business my granddad and dad used to do with us every weekend of every summer. I hope he sticks with it and creates the summers that T and myself got to have growing up, for his kids.
In December of 2007, my wonderful niece turned ONE years old. What a crazy year of love and getting to know another human being right from the start. Of course, she took hold of our hearts and haven't let go yet. I, personally, do not plan on letting her forget how much I love her by getting in even more cuddles and lovin's in 2008.
In serving the best interests of children, we serve the best interests of all humanity. --Carol Bellamy
A lot has happened in 2007. Of course, more important events happened, that I failed to mention, many popping into my head now (weddings, friends, weddings, graduations, weddings...), but with all experiences, I'm thankful that I got to a part of the experiences.
"We need limitations and temptations to open our inner selves, dispel our ignorance, tear off disguises, throw down old idols, and destroy false standards. Only by such rude awakenings can we be led to dwell in a place where we are less cramped, less hindered by the ever-insistent External. Only then do we discover a new capacity and appreciation of goodness and beauty and truth." --Helen Keller
Of course, at the end of this year, just like every day of my life, every month, every year, I question if I could have done it differently. I look back at my life and wonder if I've made the right choices, said the right words, or made the right decisions. Some decisions this year have been hard for me to make, but every choice that I've made, I have no regrets.
To all, I hope that you each have a wonderful, joyous 2008.
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