A new beginning… November 15, 2009

So I know I have been MIA for a while now.  The last update wasn’t my happiest and it’s been a whirlwind since May. It was an interesting post-college summer.

The Job Search: Trying to find a job was difficult.  I sent out ten applications and never got a reply! I wanted to watch that movie Post-Grad because I felt I could relate.  I ended up putting in my application twice in Elizabeth.  The second time, I actually got a response! It was tense for a couple of days.  I was trying to get all my paperwork in and trying to make the deadline of the board meeting.  I ended up missing it.  My heart and spirit was crushed, but they ended up calling an emergency meeting in which I passed and became an official teacher.

Unemployment: I ended up getting unemployment and had a work free summer.  No job and just time for me.  It was restful.  It caused me to have to stop moving and I went a little crazy. I had been non-stop from the first day I stepped on my college campus.  I worked as well as taking 6 classes at a time. I never had a break, so unemployment was my rest.  Of course, it ran out before I got my job!  It caused some stress, but I don’t think I was ever as financially stable as I had been (until now of course) when I was on unemployment.

My First Job: I am a 7th grade Language Arts teacher now and I love it! It’s been very interesting.  The first marking period ends on Tuesday and it’s been a full, fun time.  Halfway through the marking period, I also became a 6th grade Language Arts teacher. I am doing double duty now. I am also teaching after school. It’s a little crazy and stressful, but I am getting into the flow of it.

The Love of my Life: This October 8th made 4 wonderful years with my boyfriend Phil.  Four days before our anniversary, we went to see Blink-182!  They are our favorite band and probably the band that we thought we would never see.  When they reunited, we definitely knew we had to see them. We went to Madison Square Garden and sat in the Floor Section.  I was so happy and thought that nothing could have made that night any better.  Boy, was I wrong.  We got home and Phil said he wanted to give me my anniversary gift.  On my porch, Phil asked me to marry him.  Of course, I said yes!  He is now my fiance and we are planning on getting married on May 8th.

The Wedding Countdown: According to the countdown, we have 174 days until we become man and wife. I am excited.  I have my dress.  The bridesmaids have their dresses. We booked the reception site.  We have the church.  We have the pastor.  DJ: check.  Cake: check. I haven’t completed my list of things to do, but I hopefully will get everything done by May 8th.  I got my days off for a short but sweet honeymoon.  I am trying to stay calm and not stress to much.

Life is good.  I can’t complain.  I told Phil after the shock had set in from being engaged, “I am getting everything I have ever prayed for.”  I cried and am so very thankful. I could cry at this very moment.  After the hard years and the hard times when I didn’t think things would get better, I am standing triumphant and successful.

The Catch-Up Blurb February 28, 2008

Sorry my friends!!!!

Life has been quite crazy.  I tried to blog my story on Monday, but it didn’t work for some odd reason.  So I’m blogging in between classes, so you do not think that I have completely abandoned you.

One of the major things I want to write about is what happened on February 9th…

February 9th is going to go down in our church history, I am afraid to state.  That Saturday was when we held the 11th annual Christ Fellowship Ski Trip.  This was to be my first year.  My boyfriend is an avid skier and has been skiing for awhile, so I felt that I had to attempt it.  He is very active and athletic, which I am not.  While he is jumping and flipping off, onto, or through walls, I would be quite comfy on a couch with a great book. 

So i went.  I was tired, but looking forward to some fun and falls.  We approached the first hill and I just kind of went for it.  No lesson.  No tips and no tricks.  Just went down the hill.  I didn’t kill myself, but I fell.  Spent ten to twenty minutes trying to get up.  Wasn’t discouraged, but was mighty proud of myself.  Phil then gave me some help about what to do.  Went down again and can’t remember exactly, but I’m sure I fell.  I did fall quite a few times.

Let’s fast forward just a little.  We had gone down once and were now on our second attempt down the hill.  I thought I was getting better, but have since heard that I was still doing pretty awful.  We were stopping at a bend and as I tried to stop, I fell.  Big surprise…not.  Yet, this fall was different.  As I fell, I felt my right leg twist.  Jabs of mind numbing pain went through my knee.  Oh, it hurt.  I had to get brought down and then make a trip to the ER.  It wasn’t fun at all.  AT ALL.  I hated it. I won’t continue on the rest of the horribleness, but will just say that I had sprained my knee and was unable to do anything for myself.

Update:  I’m about 80% better now.  I was very giddy last week when I was actually able to go up the stairs in a some what normal fashion.  Now I am the master of up and down.  Still can’t bend it like the left kneee, but my right knee has made significant progress.

So that has been the past couple of weeks for me.  I will update the story soon.  I have been receiving feedback and I will continue onward.

Blurbs on the past week November 27, 2007

*11/20-Last day of classes and work before Thanksgiving. Didn’t pay much attention to school. Work was an easy 5 hours since I was still in training at the new center. Spent time on the computer doing a online orientation which kept loosing my work causing me to frantically try to catch up. Then I went to lunch with my “buddy” from work, which was much better than my last buddy lunch from the last center. For one, we actually ate food (Chinese Buffet in Five Points). Two, there was no awkward, “So where did you go to school?” and all those stupid getting to know you interview like questions. It was very casual even if I didn’t talk to much because of there was actually 2 other people. I got to know more people at work. It was good. I spent the rest of the night on the computer finishing an online class project, which was probably the most school I did all day.

*11/21-Woke up to the phone ringing and Phil saying, “We are going to be late.” Turns out my mom decided not to wake me up, even though she said she would, so I could get ready to go hiking with Kevin and Phil. I had to hurry out of bed, get ready, and then drive to school 12 to meet up with the guys. We ended up going to this new place that Kevin hadn’t even been to yet called Dingman’s Ferry. It has now earned the name “Broke Neck Mountain” for the fact that if you fall climbing up the side of the first obstacle (a waterfall), you will break your neck and therefore die. It caused me to get out of my comfort zone and challenged me. Phil has some embarrassing video of me during the first obstacle and will not delete it. It is not me at my finest. Later, Phil and I went to see “No Country for Old Men”. Great movie and you should go see it.

*11/22-Woke up to the realization that I had not emailed one assignment in for my teaching class. Went downstairs and helped make baked ziti. Had a Thanksgiving dinner with my family. Took a nap and then went to my aunt’s house to have another Thanksgiving dinner. Afterwards, went to Phil’s house to visit with his family minus anymore food. Played Pictionary and then went home and to bed with a couple extra pounds.

*11/23-The start of a long and emotionally exhausting weekend. Wake up and find out that my dad is in more pain than he had been in for the past coupe of days. He has not eaten, but vomited repeatedly. He’s in a cold sweat. Basically, he was not good. Yet, (this will be the start of a slight rant) he refused to go to the doctor/hospital. Why do guys always insist that they are okay, when they are not? Why can’t they visit a doctor? Why do they not acknowledge that they a) human and b)mortal?(end of rant) Finally, after I go online and scare him with a little webmd knowledge, we call an ambulance and proceed to the emergency room. We get there at about 1 pm and after 8 hours of testing and (mostly) waiting, the surgeon says they are going in to remove his appendix. Most of the day it was my dad and me. Mom had to work and there was no way my sister’s were staying in the hospital for that long. I was drained by 9:40 when they rolled him into the operating room. Plus added emotional strain, I just wanted to pass out. Doctor comes out and says my dad had to be lying because his appendix had already burst which meant he had to be in pain for at least 10 days. Good job dad! Saw dad get situated in a room and then hit the sack.

*11/24-Visited dad in the morning for a couple of hours. Then proceeded to stay home and lounge the day away. I was in a funk. I was not the normal Samantha. I found out today how truly awesome my friends are in trying to include me and how much my church family cares for me. Though I didn’t leave the house, the invitation was enough to brighten my day a tad bit.

*11/25- Went to church. Was on the way to visit dad, when my mom decided to inform me that he was coming home and that I had to pick him up. This meant a little more pressure on me and I turned into frantic Samantha once again. Got dad home and got his medicine. Afterwards, I got some fellowship time with my church peeps. We got together to go see Rob Bell in NYC. He was great. It was a little lengthy, but it was awesome. I love the last thought when he was talking about the bishop asking the woman about her visions of Jesus. The bishop had asked the woman to ask Jesus what his last confession was and when the woman asked Jesus he said, “I don’t remember”. That was a WOW moment.

*11/26-First day back to the grind. I was so tired and hated waking up to my mom asking me if I was going to school because that meant that my alarm had not gone off and I was late. Went to my first class and did nothing, but I got back my lesson plan and got an A. I was very happy and I felt that I may actually be doing well in school. Took a nap between classes. Went to my Shakespeare class and found out I got a C-/D+ on my last paper. Was then returned back to the planet earth and rushed to work. I LOVE the new center. I’m not working in the infant component and get to be with the babies. I love it. After work, I went to pick up Leopard. I was so happy because it is beautiful.

*11/27-Today is alright. Had my first class, which I was late for. Did absolutely nothing. I’m probably not going to do much in the next class, but I’m beginning to feel the end of the semester crunch. I have to go to work later, but that’s fine.

That’s been my week. Whew!

WOOT WOOT!!! November 16, 2007

Got my transfer. I start Monday. WOOT WOOT!!!!!