Last Day of School & Our House

Well, I made it through the last day of school. It really wasn't too bad. We stayed busy and I just tried not to think about how much I'll miss my kids. They're growing up. It's crazy to think that in 9 years they'll be  graduating high school. I can't wait to see them then - then they'll really be all grown up.  I look forward to seeing them in the surprise moments next year - in walmart, maybe at the pool - those moments I will enjoy. And I will be back. Since Mr. Hall will be there, I will make it a point to come see these kids. Brandon's aunt (who is a teacher) was telling me that I'll never forget my first group of kids. I know that is true. They taught me so much and I will never forget any of them.
Really - I was doing great on the tears until my principal announced at our luncheon that I wouldn't be there next year and then I kinda had a goodbye moment with Sue. We didn't get to say everything because we were both about to cry but I just have to give a huge shout out to my mentor - Sue Walker. I really will miss spending my year with her. She went way above and beyond what she was asked to do as a mentor and I couldn't have imagined a better co-teacher. She helped me plan and prepare and we just shared our lives - from her selling her house and moving to us starting our new house and me getting a job. I know we will keep in touch and I am so glad that she'll get to stay at Blowing Rock next year. Thank you so much for loving me and taking care of me. I feel totally blessed for getting to share my first year with you. I'll be headed to BR for the last time Tuesday and then I'll be taking my first load to my new school.  I really am getting excited. My head's in it. I'm pinteresting 2nd grade stuff and looking forward to creating the perfect learning environment for my kids! I can't wait!

On to news about our house. It is really starting to GO UP!! I'm so excited. The block is now done and we cleaned out the back storage room (pictured below) so that we can pour the concrete in there soon. It still feels surreal. I don't know if it will be real to me until we're moving in. But it's still fun! We keep going to Lowes and just looking around and dreaming. I'm ready to start spending money!! (and saving money - I'm all about Craig's list and yard sales!) I've been picking out paint colors and making a list of all my summer DIY projects I'm going to do. It's going to be awesome. Here are a few pictures of the progress! Now that the block is done - dad says it's going to move fast. Walls are going to be going up VERY SOON :)

Day 1 of the Block: Tuesday, May 22 (Our Anniversary)

Day 2 of the Block: Wednesday, May 23

Day 4 of the Block: Friday, May 25 ALL DONE!

view from my parent's driveway - this will be looking at the front of the house - 2 garage doors on the left and our entry door on the right 

 this is storage space under the back half of the garage - it is now completely cleaned out and leveled which was a LOT of work my mom, dad, Brandon and I did on Friday night :)

and... this is a picture of basically what it will look like when it's done :)

One E-mail and A Lot of People Who Love Me

Well, if you haven't heard, I got a job for next year! I am so unbelievably excited and thankful. I truly thought I wouldn't know anything until July at best and here I am, with one day of school left and I have a job - a job that I know I will LOVE! This is how it happened...

On Tuesday afternoon, I was getting everything together to leave school and I thought to myself - "I need to e-mail the principal at Hardin Park" so I went ahead and sent her a short e-mail about what I had been doing the past year and asking for a chance at a job. I've been e-mailing all the principals so I wasn't really expecting that she'd know anything yet. Most had said they didn't know much yet or they would let me know if and when they had something available... BUT the next morning (Wednesday) I had an e-mail from her asking if I wanted an interview - of course I said yes!

So we set the interview date for NEXT Wednesday (yes, I did get the job before next Wednesday could come) About 20 minutes later, I received another e-mail asking if I could come by and meet the second grade team that afternoon. I agreed to come (even though I was presently dressed in pajamas for pajama day) and sent Brandon to get me some more professional clothes. I talked briefly to some teachers and the principal here at Blowing Rock (who have all been EXTREMELY supportive and wonderful) and I figured I would meet the teachers and have my interview next week and have a good chance at the job.

So, I went to meet the 2nd grade teachers at HP and really connected with them immediately. They are all so sweet and easy to talk to and I can tell I will love being on their team. I talked with them about the things they do at HP and how they like to plan together. I can already tell I will learn so much from them and grow as a teacher by being there. After chatting for a while, I left.

45 minutes later, on my way home with Brandon, I recieved an e-mail from Ms. Smalling asking me if I would like to transfer and join the HP 2nd grade team. I don't know if you know how big of a deal this is - but I thought I would be waiting all summer and applying and interviewing - but NO - I had a job in less than 24 hours by the awesome power of God and I don't have to wait all summer or stress over an interview or anything. I just get to start studying 2nd grade stuff and plan for my classroom and the awesome kids I will get to meet in the Fall. God is so good.

I'm just beyond thankful that one little e-mail and a lot of people who love me can turn things around and relieve so much stress in one day. I know I owe so much to the people around me who have sent e-mails and made phone calls for me and just supported and encouraged me every step of the way. I am definitely going to miss Blowing Rock and all the people here - but I know God is taking me in this direction for a reason and I'm looking forward to what I'm going to learn in this next chapter. And I'm looking forward to being in MY classroom (not someone else's) and being able to be secure in that.

Gosh - God is SO good. Can't you tell that the Halls are BLESSED. We have so much to look forward to. Thankful. That's all. Just SO thankful.

EOG's and Emotions

     This week has been a little emotional. In good ways and in sad ways.  This week my precious, wonderful third graders took their first EOGs. They have worked hard all year - and some have struggled - and it came down to putting what they know to the test.  I know it's not all about the test - nor should it be - but it's still a big deal. It's a big deal to the kids, to their parents, and to me.  They began by filling out background information Monday. Then they began the LONG mornings of testing with reading on Tuesday, math with a calculator Wednesday, and math without a calculator Thursday. Being a new teacher, I didn't really know what to expect with the results.  I had glanced around as my students took the tests and felt that they had been well prepared for the content.  On Thursday afternoon, I told my kids that I was so proud of them (They earned a total of 15 jewels in our Jewel Jar just from the EOGs) and how I knew they had worked their hardest. I told them not to expect their scores too soon. I thought they wouldn't get them until the report was sent home with report cards on the last day and that I would only be notifying the kids who hadn't passed. I told them that if they hadn't passed, that it was OK. It doesn't mean that they're not as smart. We talked about how we were like a family and how we would support each other if some students didn't pass. I also told them that it really never happened that everyone in the whole class passes. I just wanted them to be prepared. I wanted to prepare myself.  My kids are all so awesome and especially with the pressure from their parents and peers on their first EOG - I just wanted them to understand it was OK.
       Literally, just as we're finishing this conversation and moving on to finishing up an art project and spending the afternoon outside, I get a knock on my door. My principal asks to see me in the hall. I excuse myself and Mr. Sukow asks me "How many do you think will need to retake?" I was flustered and said "Do you mean how many students? Or how many tests? or what?" He said "Just a number - what do you think?" I thought for a moment before responding with "6." I didn't know what to say. I wanted to expect the best but I also know how reading was a struggle for a few and math was a struggle for another few and another few I just didn't know if test taking was their forte.  Mr. Sukow just grinned from ear to ear and said "No- you had 100% passing!" I just said "Really?" and then "I might cry." He hugged me and told me how proud he was and I just stood in shock. I mean - maybe it's not that big of a deal - but no, it really IS a big deal. My kids are AWESOME. They worked hard and it paid off. As he walked away I said "Can I tell them?" and he said "No, not yet." So then I stood there thinking - how in the world do I walk back in there? I just told them there is no way they all passed and now they did and all I want to do is go dance for joy and love on all of them. So instead, I quietly walked in, thanked them for waiting and we proceeded to go outside.
      Luckily I was able to talk to a few other teachers about it.  I almost started crying all over again when talking to Martha. I think this whole thing just reminded me of how much I love my kids. I love them like they are all mine and I am so proud of them.  I think that's when all the emotion really got started. Since then, every time I remember that there is only 9 1/2 days in this school year and that I don't know where I'll be in the county next year, I just start to get really emotional. I wish more than ANYTHING that I could just go to 4th grade with these kids. I know that's not how it works and I'm thankful that they will all have one of my best friends as a teacher next year... but I'm just still so sad. It went by too fast and maybe I took some days for granted.  We really are a family in my room.  We love each other and encourage each other and support each other.  I have the sweetest girls of all time - who don't leave each other out but take the time to get to know each other. My boys are fun and athletic but still work really hard when it comes down to it.  I know I have about 30 years of teaching left in me - but this group is going to be hard to beat.
      The next day I got to tell them all their scores.  It was so exciting for Mr. Sukow to walk in and tell them that they ALL passed. When talking about it - they all said that they were scared they would have to retake it.  I'm just so excited for them. I'm excited that they get to celebrate with each other and their parents and I'm excited that this week we will all be together - with no one having to sit through that long test again.
      On Friday evening my emotions got stirred one more time at the Going Away Dinner for Anna Wilcox.  We all went around and said what Anna meant to us and I knew I wasn't going to make it when I cried over almost everyone else's speeches.  I looked at Kate next to me and said "it's just one of  those days where everything's going to make me cry" When it came my turn - I did pretty good until the very end. Anna is one of the most wonderful people I know.  I don't know if I will realize how much I'm going to miss her until I don't see her three or four times a week like I'm used to.  She loves people and enjoys life.  She makes people laugh and makes light of situations that could get tight.  She encourages those around her and is not afraid to ask questions and just be real with people. I have learned so much from her over the past four years. I always want to stand next to her in case something funny happens or I don't know my part. She is an AMAZING and anointed worshipper.  She is going to bless people in Durham like crazy.  I am sad for me but I know and believe that she is doing what God is calling her to do. I know it can't be easy to leave all these people who love her but I am encouraged that she would do the tough thing and follow God's leading.
     At the end of my speech - where I said most of these things to Anna - I just start crying hard. I knew it was coming but it's just been waiting for a moment. Sweet Kate just loved on me and helped distract me from the silliness of it all.  She asked me first "Is everything ok?" knowing that I shouldn't be crying like this right now.  And of course - everything is great. It really is. We are building a house and everything is going smoothly.  We are approaching summer and I can't wait to enjoy time doing art projects and finding out what I'm going to be doing next year.  I am blessed with health and life and all my kids passed their EOGs - remember?? I guess sometimes you just need a cry. And that's ok. :)

All Grown Up

It has begun! We started building our house on Friday, May 4th, 2012 and we're looking at moving into our home in the next three to six months (hoping for three!)

Here's how it happened:
     It was a long process to get to our closing on Thursday. It all started last fall as we started to get our finances in order. We were blessed to receive bonuses from our job that allowed us to pay off some debt we had accrued and we were working hard at staying within our budget and saving money.  By the beginning of the year we were showing my dad house plans and seeing what he thought. We finally picked out a garage apartment plan that would allow us to build a place that we could live in for a few years and eventually rent out when we build the "main house." I feel like we've been talking about this garage we're going to build for forever and it seems surreal that we are actually getting this done! Anyways, beginning in February or March we started talking to banks to see what all had to be done before we could apply for loans. We found that our land needed to be perked (to see if the land was even suitable for a house) and we needed to get plans drawn and contracts written.  A couple things on this list seemed to take FOREVER. We waited and waited only to hear back that our land may not be able to have a traditional septic system which would've cost a lot more money.  After more waiting and a couple more "tests" they told us we were good to go and we could get a traditional system! #thankful
     We finally set off to meet with our first bank.  Everything seemed to be looking great as we filled out information and got all the paperwork together but after weeks of being postponed and asked to get "one more thing" they finally told us they couldn't help us. It was frustrating and disheartening.  We were told to try High Country Bank. I strongly recommend them as they were personable and honest from the get-go. They told us they would love to give us a loan but that it really depended on how it appraised. So once again we paid some money (this time for an appraisal) and waited.  This waiting came at an ok time for me because I was off to Florida with some friends for Spring Break and we heard back in about a week that our house appraised very well and we were good to go on the loan! I was a little fearful that we'd get down to the day of signing and they would say "actually we can't help you" but thankfully all went smoothly from there. We were told we needed to pick a lawyer for closing and get Builder's Risk Insurance and we would be good to go.  We set our closing date for May 3rd and waited another week and a half for that day to get here! Finally on May 3rd we met for a short meeting of signing some papers and voila - we now have the money we need to build our home!! Pretty awesome.

at our closing on May 3rd

      The best part is that we've already started work. I feel as though the waiting periods are over and we can finally get a move on.  I know there will be some waiting - but we're already seeing progress and I feel that from now on there will always be something we can be doing! Here are a few pics of the land before and after Day 1! So far the footers have been dug and we have started putting in the steel. We're hoping to get our building permit tomorrow so that the footers can be inspected and we can pour the concrete on Wednesday. Then hopefully the rock mason can come at the beginning of next week! Pretty exciting stuff!! I'll keep you posted.