April Showers

It has been so rainy lately! Good thing I'm a sucker for cozy blankets, hot chai, and listening to the rain outside. :) Life is good lately...a little too busy for my liking, but still good. I sent out ten job applications with resumes in the last two weeks and waiting for some call backs has literally been torture! But, hopefully someone will see something in me and I will graduate with a job. Thats the plan...and I'm stickin to it. ;)

In other news, my birthday is in two weeks. 22 sounds older than 21 (which I like) but I will be teaching all day. I'm thinkin of bringing some cupcakes or treats for the kids so they can celebrate with me all day. Why not? They will probably love it even more than me right?

Birthday will include: Starbucks, purple outfit(s), cupcakes (funfetti), balloons, a good hair day {a girl can dream}, tacos, margaritas, dirty shirleys, hugs, and quite possibly a birthday crown. Oh gosh I literally can't wait!!!

Two months until I walk for graduation...and I already ordered my cap and gown!!

Hopefully you are following your dreams and living the life you dream for yourself everyday. Happiness is:
Tan lines
Birthday plans
A new dress
Shorts even when it's cold out
Rain
Warm chai
Peace and quiet
The Holiday
Feeling confident
Dreaming about my dream job
Laughing until my sides ache alongside my family
A's games
All things Disney
Boca de Beppo
Wine
Hot pink polish on my nails

Stay happy lovelies!

Busy days are just a faze....

Hello again happy bloggers! Wow time flies. I blame the lack of blogging on this being the shortest month ever. I have been having tons of fun as a new teacher. My students light up my life. Who knew 7 year olds could teach me more than I learned in college!?! I melt every morning when their smiling faces run through the door to help me with morning chores in our classroom. I love the way children don't ever need a morning "pick me up" like a quick cup of coffee. Instead, they are bright eyed and ready to learn. I am quickly learning how to catch on to their eagerness. I wake up every morning slightly groggy, but as soon as the learning begins, my attitude becomes extremely positive. God is so good, and he has blessed me with this amazing job. Despite the stress I'm feeling about the credential program and about jobs next year, I know I am blessed in so many incredible ways.

Life has a funny way of working itself out. Tonight I spent some time really looking at my scars. I have come so far since my accident in September. Right now it seems like a distant memory, but it has only been about five months since it all happened. I spend a lot of time thinking about it because the accident left me with these incredible scars. I am not embarrassed. Instead, I am intrigued. One moment in time can change everything. I had always heard that, as many of you may also realize, but I never took it to heart. Yet, it is indeed true. I love the scars on my hands. I look at them and think about how they protected my face from the hot coals. I look at my leg, and although it is not healed completely, I see exactly where it caught fire. It seems unreal to me at some points, but the scars are my reminders to feel thankful. Thankful for faith. Thankful for protection. Thankful for healing. Thankful for a beautiful life.

One of my students told me that he had a broken heart because his girlfriend of 2 days broke up with him. He is 7. He was so distraught until I gave him a green happy face sticker. Oh the rebound rate of young love is so perfect. I found that whole situation so funny. :) Gotta love all forms of love right?

Remember to feel thankful for life this month. Time is flying so quickly!! Enjoy the rest of this happy weekend pretties :)

As January comes to an end...

Well hello there! Again, as sad as it is to say, I sort of forgot to write. How is it already the end of January!? So many great things have come my way this month, so I am totally not complaining. Since I graduated, I have one more semester in the credential program, and then I will officially be done. However, our semester doesn't start until Monday, so I have had this whole month off to do so many fun things with the family. I am back at my own house now, but I left a little piece of my heart at my parents house. I love living on my own, but sometimes it's nice to have warm meals cooked for me in the evening and dogs to cuddle with on lazy days.
So far in 2010 I have....
*Become a substitute teacher {so fun!!}
*Become a full time student teacher {in 2nd grade}
*Ended burn treatment
*Written in my journal once a week
*Stressed out about money
*Set up a job interview {it's tomorrow!}
*Thought lots about my future
*Had lunch with my adorable grandparents
*Slept in a lot
*Had a brilliantly fun new years eve! {See picture}
*Loved every day

I think that is a pretty promising list. Especially because we have only had a month of 2010! Becoming a substitute teacher was high on the list because it was probably the most exciting thing, quickly followed by student teaching. I am loving my little 2nd graders. They have such brilliant minds and imaginations. I read them stories, play 4 square with them at recess, and watch little light bulbs go off in their heads when I work with them during math. I'm loving every minute spent with them, and I will fill you in with cute stories once I spend more time getting to know all their personalities. Teaching is exciting, but finishing up burn treatment was also such a highlight! I knew the end was near, but I guess I never thought it would come that quickly. For me, the process was long and brutal. The journey began in September, pain lasted through December, and then finally I am in little to almost no pain. The final day of treatment was a little bittersweet. I spent so much time with the doctors and nurses over the past five months, and they became my family. They were a safe haven for my nerves, and they saved my skin. Now I am left with their kindness imprinted forever on my heart :) {and a couple badass scars to prove this whole falling into a campfire actually did happen!} As I left, my doctor gave me final words of advice.
"Kait, stay away from campfires. Far away. Forever. Please!"
Such a wise man. Now only if I would have had this advice back in September...
I am now off to clean my house and enjoy my weekend! I promise to get better at blogging and staying connected to the world through this! Enjoy some cozy days this weekend pretties!
*Hugs*

Another year has come and gone

Can you believe it is already almost 2010? I remember starting college saying "I will graduate in 2010...that sounds so weird!" And now, here it is! The year of new beginnings and exciting finishings. 2009 has been such a bumpy year. I am ready for a change of pace, and 2010 is exactly what I need!
Tonight was another family night. We had a delicious vegan meal, and it was such a joyous night. The room was filled with laughter and fun, and I couldn't have asked for better company. This is exactly how I want to be spending my last week of 2009!
I got new boots today. That is such a side tangent, but isn't it funny how a great pair of new shoes can totally change your whole day into nothing but smiles? Jeez I'm a total girl. ;)
2010: I will try to be less of a control freak. I will live in each moment and enjoy more of the beauty that each day brings. I will take more time to be with family. I will get a job. I will pick up some positive habits {running and going to bed at a reasonable hour} and I will drop some negative habits {eating way past my bedtime and spending money I don't have}.
It is going to be a beautiful and eventful year! I can feel it :)
Peace and Blessings for a happy 2010 everyone!

Christmas Eve...

I LOVE Christmas Eve! I think I sometimes enjoy it more than Christmas day. There are so many beautiful memories linked to Christmas Eve that will always stick with me, and I still get that giddy feeling when crawling into bed this night. There is something about the day that is incredibly magical and wonderous. We went to church as a family, like we do every year, and mass was just lovely. It reminds us all of the true reason we celebrate. It is humbling, really, to hear the hum of silent night within the decorated church. The warmth that the church is filled with is so different than any other day. We came home to open some snazzy new pajamas, another delightful tradition!
Tonight, I am thankful for my family. I feel really blessed this holiday season. My family has been so strong and supportive for me, especially this past year, and they are always a soft place to land when life is too bumpy to handle on my own. I am blessed to be falling asleep in a warm home. I am blessed to be able to wake up tomorrow to fancy gifts wrapped and tucked under the tree. Tonight, look around. What are your blessings? Count them :)
I look forward to a morning filled with gifts and smiles. Dad puts on a Santa hat and passes out our gifts, and for the entire morning, we are all 5 years old again {just as it should be}. We will then make our way to Gramma and Grampa's house to exchange more gifts, laughs, and memories of Christmas past. How beautiful the day will be. I am bursting with excitement and anticipation!
Have a blessed, merry, and happy Christmas! Please let your heart be filled with childlike wonder and warmth! <3

So I used to be a college girl...

I am officially graduated! That sounds so incredibly weird to me, but I do indeed have my bachelors degree in Liberal Studies. Monday was my first and last final, and I literally skipped out of the classroom. I felt incredibly giddy! I think it was a combo of being done with my bachelors and the Christmas spirit. So, I am now an alumni...am I even old enough to call myself an alumni? So strange, but still kind of cool. ;)
I now will spend the spring finishing up my teaching credential. I have been slowly working on this credential for about two years, and I am excited to finally have time to just focus on that! Full time studnet teaching will keep me completely busy, but hopefully in the end of it all, I will have myself a happy little job that will eventually begin my happy {big} carreer. Teaching bring a joy to my life that I cannot even begin to explain. You know that feeling of constant wonder and amazement in learning new things? I get to experience that everyday :) So thrilling, so moving, so incredibly perfect!
Saturday I head to my parents house to spend some time with the family for winter break! I get six weeks off from school, and I am ready to get more into the Christmas spirit! I love the traditions that take place in our home the week before Christmas, and there really is no other feeling like being home for the holidays. :) I do, however, still have to do some crazy last minute Christmas shopping! The picture above is my sister and I at Christmas time at some point in high school. So long ago, but still one of my favorite pictures. Christmas brings out the happiness in everyone. :)
I'm happy to be back to blogging. My burns are healing up nicely. I even got a really pretty pink glove to wear on my hand. So fancy ;) Expect more updates now that I am on break!
Hope you are staying warm with cups of hot chocolate, tea, and apple cider!

Weekend Love...Forever

I'm back! I sorta kinda got distracted and haven't posted in awhile..sorry about that! Or maybe it's the fact that I can't completely use my hands yet. Either way, I'm back this morning and it feels great. Those pretties in the picture are some of the most amazing individuals you will ever meet. Just had to share that...oh life would be so glum without best friends! These past few weeks have truly been inspiring. I took time off of school to heal, and it has been almost like a dream. Not in the sense that this is an ideal situation(I assure you it isn't) but that I have learned more about life in these past three weeks than I feel I ever have in school or work. Life here on earth is short, very short. It is scary to think that so many people spend so much time living in fear and stress and heartbreak when the world is giving us every opportunity to be completely happy. I believe that happiness is seriously and painfully simple. It is never and will never be complicated. Find it. Find what makes you happy and live through it. I feel as if these fresh autumn days hold so much possibility for greatness..it truly excites me :)
This week I plan on heading back to school for a few classes...with my sweet new compression glove on. Pretty fancy if I do say so myself ;)
Have a beautiful weekend lovelies!
Over the past few weeks, happiness has been...
Cobblestone streets in the fall
Teachers who truly care
Summer memories
Chilled cheesecake after a morning of tears
Feeling brave
Belly laughs
The feeling I get when I know rain is coming so soon
Noticing my parents are still madly in love after twenty-five years
Thinking about how I want to decorate for the holidays
Falling asleep in the car
Stepping through the door of home after some time away
My bed
Warm Chai on a chilly morning