Hug a Teacher.

"Five days a week, we teach your kids.
That means we educate your kids.
Play with your kids.
Discipline your kids.
Joke with your kids.
Console your kids.
Praise your kids.
Question your kids.
Beat our head against a wall about your kids.
Laugh with your kids.

Worry about your kids.
Keep an eye on your kids.
Learn about your kids.
Invest in your kids.
Protect your kids and yes, love your kids.

We would all take a bullet for your kids.

It’s nowhere in our job description.
It isn’t covered in the employee handbook.
It isn’t cited in our contracts.
But we would all do it.
So, yes, please hug your kids tonight, really, really tight.
But on Monday, if you see your kids’ teacher, please hug them too."

 

-Hill Taylor, paraprofessional from OK

Mastered.

Here I am, another Monday night spent in downtown Phoenix at ASU, waiting for the next class to start. Except for this is the last class. EVER. EVER. EVER. In approximately 90 minutes, my Master's in Education will be completed.

Hot Dog.

That's a pretty amazing feeling. Plus, my professor just told me (after my final presentation on my policy proposal regarding the frequency of standardized testing at my school) - "Elizabeth, that was your finest moment!"

My ISU undergraduate ceremony - Dec 2009

I am not walking for this graduation. There is no grand party celebrating the achievement. And perhaps most sad to my groupies, my streak of speaking at every graduation ceremony is officially broken. Good thing I have no groupies. But seriously, in my mind, this is the biggest one yet (but probably not the last).

Wish for your deepest desires, she said; when I asked if they'd come true, she said they always do, so you might as well get them out in the open while you're still young enough to correct any serious mistakes. (Brian Andreas, StoryPeople)

No joke.

January, February, and March oh my!

Obviously I am not so good at posting regularly. My apologies. Somehow, and I don't quite know how, but things have actually seemed more hectic than usual the past couple months. There has barely been a weekend where I haven't had some major responsibility to attend to and where Brad hasn't been working on Saturdays. But I'll stop making excuses and just catch you up on some highlights...

In January:

I moonlighted as a photographer again, and with the help of Lindsey, took family pictures for

a fellow 2nd grade teacher and her lovely family. My favorite part was editing - gah, back to my roots!

Brad and I went hiking. There are so many amazing hiking spots down here, we cannot wait to have more time to do it every weekend. Cleo came with us but Athena is wayyyy too slow to enjoy that, so she stayed at home.

In February:

Brad and I took a quick trip up to Flagstaff to meet up with some awesome friends driving through. It was also the first time we have seen snowfall since leaving Iowa - made me miss snow for all of 3 seconds. Along the drive, we stopped to check out Montezuma's Castle. Mislabeled as one of the Aztec ruler's dwellings, it is actually home to the pre-Columbian Sinagua people. Fascinating stuff, this five story "apartment complex."

A lot of my free time over the past couple months, including my spring week, I spent moonlighting as a graphic designer doing the invites for Lindsey's wedding. Well actually, moonlighting as an all-around wedding planner. As she repeatedly says, it's my wedding, she's just getting married. After the wedding, I'll be sure to post stuff but I don't want to ruin the surprise. Let's just say its going to be gorgeous and amazing and beautiful and all those things combined. And back in Iowa!

In March:

My parents came to visit. First visitors of the year and the weather was beautiful. Unfortunately, we were working most of the time they were here so we didn't do any new touring - just enjoyed the company.

I spent my week-long spring break in Vegas doing wedding and packing stuff culminating in a wine-tasting bridal shower...but only after I had forced all those around me to grade papers. After all these visits there over the past 1.5 years, I also finally did the whole "Vegas" experience. But you've heard the ads, what happened there - stays there.

You might be asking yourself what Brad was doing this whole time. Simply put: working. With the commute adding to the already long days, Brad puts in ample time at his branch. Things are going well and it's been great to see the growth Brad is a big part of!

Here's to the next 3 months!