Is it a lonely world?

I haven't written on this in about a month, and well, things are going okay I guess. School is going GREAT, but the rest of life... well, it's not. I guess if one wants to succeed in school they have to give up the rest of their life. At least that's the way things have seemed for me. I'm succeeding in school and striving to get everything done, and work my tail off, but as for my social life well, it's suffered as of late. There are no guys that I particularly like right now... well, none that I have a crush on at least, and I guess for the first time ever it just seems plain weird to me. I want so bad to just get away and spend time with family that truly some things just stink... I guess. I'm doing the one thing I know how to do, and that is to close myself off and not let people see my real emotions. Well, everyone outside of my family. I would just love to be with them right now, and school prevents me from that. My sister graduated a week ago with her Master's and thanks to technology I was able to watch it via the internet, but other than that it kinda sucks because I wanted to be there with everyone else. I'm so ecstatic that this coming week I will be skipping class for 2 days to go to my cousin's wedding and I can at least see part of my family, and then for the 4th I get to see my brothers... I dunno... things overall for me are just weird. I'm always wanting what I can't have, and then when I do get what I want I'm not satisfied. UGH! Plus, on top of all this crud I'm sick... I hate being sick, and most of the time I hate having the center of the world on me, but I just wish things were made easier. Yeah, I'm ranting and I'm being selfish too. I hate it when I act like this too. I just can't wait to finally be with family. I miss them more than anything else in this world.

Birthday Surprises and much more

THE UPDATE:

Well, to being my life as of late has been rather busy. I am constantly working on school and trying to either stay ahead or on top of all the different assignments that I am required to do. I am about to be finishing my 4th week of my second to last semester before I do my student teaching and finish college, and hopefully then have a career in teaching. As a brief update over the break between semesters I was able to look up my Praxis I scores... I got a 154 and the requirement for certification in Idaho is 143; in Utah 150; in Colorado 147; and in Louisiana 150. I was quite pleased that I was able to pass the requirement for all 4 of those states. However, when I came back to school I relaized that it would be a while before receiving my Literacy State Test Scores... 2 weeks went by and the 3rd week of school these scores came in. I went to go get mine hoping I had passed both of them, and to my disappointment I had not... I passed the Standard III test, but not the Standard II test. I am retaking it at the end of this semester. I had wanted to possibly take the Praxis II this semester so I wouldn't have to pay an extra registration fee, but I realized that for me it would probably be best if I only had to do one major test each semester. So, I registered for the Literacy test, and opted to wait on the Praxis II test. Well, things just keep getting interesting... last week I received an e-mail about applying for graduation... after last semester and applying for Student Teaching I knew I would soon be approaching the time when I would be able to apply for graduation as well. Well, it's finally here! I am excited to be finished in December and then to go out and do my student teaching after. Speaking of Student Teaching: today I go to get my picture taken that will be put on my letter of introduction that will then be sent to each area I applied to student teach. Amazing how things work... after today I will be submitting my letter of introduction and hopefully it won't be sent back to me *crosses fingers*, and after that is taken care of some time next week I will most likely go to the advising office in the Hinckley to get my VCC Verification of Course Completion! I am more than excited about this as well... this shows that I will have all of my courses done and out of the way before I student teach! It makes me very excited! I still can't believe I have gotten this far, and with little help... I have had my wonderful family supporting me the entire time, but the grades are all my own! I am achieving the different things I always dreamed of.

MY GORGEOUS INJURY:

I thought it best to also include a picture of what happened to my knee on the same day I got my Lit scores... over all it wasn't a fun day!

IN A PUBLIC PLACE:

Also, my picture was in a public place... TACO BELL... go figure!

ON INTERNATIONAL TELEVISION

I am not sure as to who all watched the CES broadcast on May 3rd, but it was here at BYU-Idaho and I had the opportunity to be part of that tv audience. I wasn't sure if I would actually be on television or not, but it turns out that I was. During the closing hymn and second verse it does a pan shot of where I am sitting and sure enough... it's me! What was best after this was that my brother called me, and then we called Jeane, David, Dad, Mom, and Kaite until we were all on the phone talking in all of our different locations. Family Reunion on the phone!

to view go to: www.byutv.org

and look under the archives for the May 3, 2009 CES Fireside with Elder Bednar!

A MOTHER'S DAY & BIRTHDAY!!!!

I was born on Mother's Day of 1987-- 22 years ago, and this year I had the privilege of having my birthday on that exact day. I was excited for this because it meant I had the opportunity to go see my parents and spend the day with the woman who I appreciate most in my life, my mother. So, on May 8th I took the 4:30 shuttle down to Salt Lake City, Utah where my parents picked me up and took me home. The next day was very exciting, we woke up and went to IHOP for breakfast as upon my request for my birthday! Then, we went back home after buying a kite and walked across the street to the elementary school where my parents ward was having a kite flying/ picinic activity. However, the wind did not cooperate with us much so the kite flying wasn't as enjoyable as it could have been, but I still had fun running around and watching my parents do it as well. Afterwards we worked outside for a bit where Dad & I put back together our old picnic table. I had tons of fun using just regular hand tools, and the power drill. After we finished up with that and mom finished working on the garden we went to get my hair cut, and go shopping. While we were shopping I got 2 new pairs of shoes, and 2 new outifts for sunday! I was rather happy about this... then, I told mom that we had to get home so I could go out with Dad... Dad and I went to the mall in Layton so we could go to the Deseret book there to get mom's presents for the next day. Well, then we went home and all had a relaxing time with each other. The next day I woke up at 6:00 am... I was born at 6:10 so, I thought it appropriate... I knocked on my parents door with the cards from dad & I and the books we got mom in hand. Mom said, "you're early" to which dad replied, "she was 22 years ago as well." I then decided to tell mom, "I may have been early 22 years ago, but I'm tired now & going back to bed." And I did exactly that. Well, around 8ish my lovely sister's decided to give me a ring... they sang the following : "HAPPY HAPPY BIRTHDAY FRANCES DEAR, HAPPY DAYS WILL COME TO YOU ALL YEAR, IF I HAD ONE WISH THEN IT WOULD BE, A HAPPY HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU FROM ME." My crazy sisters... I love them! Well, then Katie had a crazy idea of singing "Mother Dear I Love You So..." to our mother. So, we called John & David and I put them all on speaker and we sang it... well, about halfway through I started laughing too hard to even think about finishing, and mom said that she was going to reach through the phone and slap all of them. It was rather amusing! Well, we then called Grandma Mayhoffer because she was trying to get a hold of the boys to thank them for the flowers they sent to her (they sent mom & I flowers too) :) She was very delighted to hear from all of us at the same time even though we were all in different locations. Well, then it was time to go to church, and that we did. In mom's Sunday School class she decided it best to tell of her experience 22 years ago! :) I love it! :) Hmm... overall it was a wonderful experience. On Monday I went to get a Utah state ID... probably going to get my license in August! Then it was back to Idaho... where I had surprises from my roommates waiting for me! I still can't believe this week is going by so fast... pretty soon I'll be done with everything! AHH! Well, I'm going to leave with pictures of the birthday... I hope everyone enjoys... (The pictures aren't in any certain order...)

A break from school

Well, last Thursday I ended a very successful semester. I say successful because with all the stress that this last semester carried I managed to get through it and pass all of my classes with a C+ or higher! And I also passed the Praxis I Content Knowledge exam! This week I have quite an adventurous break! Saturday we went to Park City to watch the sunset come up and well, in didn't work out quite as planned, but that's okay cause we still got cool pics of olympic things. Then Sunday we went to Music & The Spoken Word. I absolutely love Easter. I also helped mom make Schaume Torte! Yesterday we went shopping and I got new clothes!!!! Tomorrow I'm going to the Optometrist and then Saturday it's back to the burg to start a new semester! Let's hope all this hard work continues to pay off! Enjoy the pics.

The Big Stretch to the End...

Right now I'm just trying to work hard on school and finish. I thought I would give a little bit of time to my blog as I try to take a break from homework. 

This week my mom came up on Tuesday and Dad on Wednesday for my concert that night. I absolutely loved spending time with them. Mom went to both my Physical Science and my Literacy II class with me. I got to share with my mom some of the things I have been learning in my classes. That night Dad showed up, and I saw them both after my concert. (They hadn't been to a concert of mine since high school... Mom 4 years and Dad about 4 1/2). After the concert we went to G's Dairy for ice cream and such... it was extremely delicious, and I had fun spending time with my parents. The next morning I had my Literacy Practicum, but previously planned that after I got out I would have lunch with my parents. So, we went to Applebee's for lunch, and I got to tell them everything that was going on in my life and also catch up on my siblings lives. Well, after lunch we parted our seperate ways :(. However, I am going down for conference next weekend and I'm rather excited to see them again. 

So, I've also come to the realization recently that school kills people. I wish it wouldn't though. I have loads to do and only two weeks to finish it all in. I'm hoping I can get through it all and then relax. We'll see... I may not be the happiest person for a while... Let's hope things get better. 
On another side note I've also been channeling my "bubba" for a bit. He's been down and I seem to be getting that way too... Meh, oh well, I'll get over it. Also, I'm hoping to be hanging out with my friend, Rob, some time soon. Maybe that will cheer me up some too. We shall see. Anyways, here are some pics of my recent journeys. Enjoy.

with my dad in Logan

on the way back to Rexburg from Logan...

this was taken at the beginning of the semester, but it's me with my "bubba" Mike Brown.

HAPPY ST. PATTY'S DAY!

Today is the day of green! I love green! Not as much as I love blue or brown, but I am grateful there is a day we can all wear green. As many of you know I go to Adam's Elementary twice a week to assess students on literacy skills. I have been assessing Kindergarteners on Letter Names, but today we started assessing them on letter sounds. I am amazed as to how much those kids know... I love it. There is one little boy who every day I see him he reminds me of my nephew! This little boy reads at a 4th grade reading level... my nephew, is in 2nd grade and reads at a 6th grade reading level. I've only been in the school for a few weeks now and I love these kids. I'm excited to become a teacher and enjoy a whole classroom full of them. On another note, but still along the same lines... today when I walked into the classroom every student was wearing green. All the kids were coloring clovers and I was reminded of when I was about their age and the things my teachers did on St. Patrick's Day. My favorite St. Patrick's Day ever was in 1st grade with Ms. Blackwell. I remember we went out for recess and when we got back it looked like a Leperchaun attacked our room. There were little footprints everywhere! It was way cool! I'm going to love having the opportunity to do that with my students. I love this holiday! Don't forget Brown Day on the 19th!!!!! St. Joseph's Day!