i just wanna dance... I practiced

the title you ask.... just a line from my fav. disney movie can anyone name it?

I've been inspired by my dear cousin Heather to do better on my blog. Thanks Heather.

Anyways life has been wonderful. Today I had the day off to work on my TWS (The dreaded Teacher Work Sample) and did I do any of it today...um NO! I did get a lot done tho. I went to BYU and took care of all the lameO fines and fees they tacked on my account. Then I came home just in time for lacrosse practice. Practice went well but not as well as I wish it did. It could've been so much better but dang I'll get them tomorrow. Then I came home to find my dad cooking Spaghetti and after eating we had scriptures and now I'm helping my little sister plan out her entire life. ;)
See what a productive day.
Another thing I did was I bought the Student Manual for Old Testament just for my own benefit. I'm excited to use it on my own to learn more about the OT. I mean ever since going to Jerusalem I've fallen in love with the Bible and can't learn enough about it. I've also come to better understand the OT and how it shows God's love.
Anyways I'm excited for my new book. Am I a nerd or what?

Savvy;)

Student teaching!!!!

OH MY HECK!!
Student teaching is way more work then anyone ever admits! But boy is it fun. I'm now fully in charge of the class, my teacher is gone the whole day. But it's so much work.
Today my kids just went crazy, so tomorrow we are going to have a class meeting and discuss who is in charge and what it means to be the teacher and student.
But it is very rewarding. today one of my students wore her older brother's cleats the whole day for no apparent reason.
It made me laugh

Happy Inaguration Day!

Today was a Teacher Work Day so we didn't have to teach today. All the BYU student teachers in Jordan District met for a seminar on teaching instead of going to our schools. We took time out of the seminar to watch the Inauguration events. What an amazing experience. I don't think I've ever seen one live. President Obama sure knows how to speak to people. As teachers we talked about how it is our job to honor the office of President even if we don't agree with what the office holder is doing. The job as President is such a hard job it deserves respect. I am excited for Obama's presidency. I have never really understood or cared for politics but as I move into the big real world as an adult I think I need to change my thinking and get involved and educated on what is going on in Washington. This is my country after all.

PS if you want a silly children's book to read about the job of the president read THE KID WHO BECAME PRESIDENT. It is hilarious and my students all love it.

some pictures

Jerusalem Christmas Party.
(Lauren, Me, Tanner)
Bachelorette Party for Ana Maria
My Birthday Dinner
A Hard Day's Work

New Year....New Life?

Happy New Year-yo!

So I am starting 2009 off right. I got a great job and I've started Student Teaching.
My new job is wonderful. I really love it. I am the activities' director at a nearby assisted living home. I basically just play dominoes, BINGO, and do nails all the while making sure my residents don't kill each other. They sure get heated up over their games. If you don't do it right they let you know and if anyone goes out of turn or covers the wrong number it can be detrimental to one's health. My first day was very scary. I've never been around the Elderly (and my residents are very Elderly) besides my Great Grandma Marie (who was gone before I really got to know her and she scared me when I was younger). Anyways my first day there I asked Virginia if I could do her nails and Virgina looks as pale as a ghost and isn't able to communicate verbally. She mumbled something then swore at me. After just a couple days I am now very confident about my ability to plan fun activities for these wonderful people. It makes me terribly sad to think of them as babies but that is really what they are capable of. During those brief moments when they are present they are full of amazing stories about their lives' and the world they grew up in. Those moments are incredible but also short-lived. I am overjoyed with the opportunity to spend time with these people who are so close to heaven's gates. Also they are pretty funny in the things they do and say.

Another big deal that happened today was I started my student teaching. I will be working in 4th grade which will be nice since that is also the grade my dad teaches. I just started today so I don't quite know all my students or what is expected on me. But I am so excited to start teaching next year. This is the final stage before real life begins and I'm ready to jump into it.

2009 will certainly be interesting!

Savvy;)

Christmas Party to end all Parties

So my ward by far has the best ward Christmas parties ever!
This year was a Whoville themed night of fun and laughter. The ward members all, or a lot, dressed up in Whoville attire and there was also a wonderful reenactment of The Grinch Who Stole Christmas. It was spectacular seeing how no one remembered their lines, the Grinch wore UofU colors while Max, his faithful dog, wore BYU blue. Kids running around screaming, food all over the place, the Grinch huffing and puffing as he ran around on stage add them all together and you have the BEST ward Christmas party ever!

Come what may and love it

My Mom's Neck Bag
Matching $100 socks and wrist bands form the hospital.
Close up on Mother Daughter bracelets !


In my last blog I talked about finding joy in the journey. That was a cover up. I actually had written out a big long post but then chickened out and revised it to that. (But that is still my motto.)

Last Sunday I had the best Relief Society lesson ever (and it wasn't just cuz my mom was teaching...well partly). The lesson was on Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin's talk "Come What May and Love It"
I personally think it was one of my favorite talks of the Conference, but you don't need to take my word on it check it out yourselves at...

http://www.lds.org/conference/talk/display/0,5232,23-1-947-9,00.html

Anyways I got distracted by my reading rainbow quoting, back to the meat of this post.

The lesson was a normal lesson but I knew what was coming. On the last section of the talk it talked about putting your trust in the Lord. This is where my mom announced to the R.S. of our ward that she has been diagnosed with cancer.

Last week my mom went into the doctor to have them look at a lump on her throat. She was then diagnosed with cancer but they weren't sure of the source of the cancer so we were keeping it under wraps until we knew a bit more information. But the timing of the lesson was just too perfect and we'd rather be the ones to tell people then have them find out from the gossip chain.

Well the lesson finished early and we spent the last 5 minutes just receiving hugs and well wishes. I'm not a big crier or a hugger but the sisters' love was just too overwhelming not to hug and bust into tears.

This is going to be a hard thing on my family but we've been surrounded by so much support that I think we'll be just fine. My grandma had Breast Cancer several years ago and that was hard but she's doing just fine now. I'm beginning to see how God has a plan bigger then we'd ever dream of. During the time my Grandma was diagnosed up until she was cancer free I grew a lot and my testimony was forever changed. I'm not saying I'm glad my grandma got cancer but I am glad that I was able to have that period of growth so that I feel more prepared spiritually going into this next trial.

My mom had a PET scan last week and the results came back as having no results. They found cancerous growths on her left side of her neck and also a small spot on her right lung. That is very uncommon, since cancer usually stays on one side. The doctors were unable to pinpoint the source of the cancer so its still just a big mystery. Next Thursday I will be taking her into the doctor for 2 more different scans that will hopefully give us results.

Today my mom had surgery to remove the lump on her throat and so now we have matching wrist bands and socks! She's doing just fine, she's on my pain killers and just as crazy as I was.


I don't know what the future will hold for my family but right now I'm feeling very calm about the whole thing. I don't know if thats just because she's still active with all her hair or what but I'm taking that as a good sign. Like I said in my other post I am determined to find joy in this journey. I'm planning on following Elder Wirthlin's advice "COME WHAT MAY AND LOVE IT"

Savvy;)