FINALLY!!!!!!

Well the day is finally here. I cannot believe tomorrow is April 1st... one of the biggest days I have had in the past 2 years. It marks the date that my FINAL GRADUATE SCHOOL PORTFOLIO IS DUE. However now since I am interning at the middle school on Fridays as well, it needs to be submitted online tonight. Here's what the final product looks like:

- 17 class reflection papers
- 17 class artifacts
- 6 LMU mission statement essays
- 1 title page
- 1 introduction
- 1 resume
- 1 personal mission statement

AND

- 21 pieces of clip art :)

I'm about to cry, scream, dance, jump, pass out... I really don't know! The emotions are tearing through me right now. I have never worked so long and so hard at anything. This tested my relationships, my health, and my sanity. I know graduate school is not supposed to be easy and trust me it wasn't. The idea of soon walking in graduation takes my breath away and makes my heart skip a beat. This is one of the biggest accomplishments, not to mention one of the greatest moments of my entire life thus far. I CANNOT WAIT!!! Thank you to everyone who has put up with me the last month.

I promise to be a better blogger now that I will have some free time.

I'm Still Here

I know, I know, it's been almost a week. My life has been nothing but COMPS COMPS COMPS! This final graduate school portfolio is a crazy, stressful, nightmare... but I am so close to being done. All I have to do is my final proof read and then submit it by Friday. HOOOOORAY!! I promise to be a better blogger once this is O-V-E-R! Wish me lots of luck. I sure need it right now. :)

Titleless Tuesday

I'm at a loss for a title today...

Well I'm back to being in a better mood. Hooray! Sorry for my venting before. Here's what has been going on since my last post: Sunday evening my sweet boyfriend came over and brought me groceries (OJ, yogurt, chocolate milk, etc.) to help make me feel better since I can't seem to completely shake this cold and then made a fabulous dinner of fresh tuna, rolls, rice, and veggies. He puts my cooking to shame half the time and makes it seem so easy... GRRRR on him! I am incredibly thankful for all he does and how happy he makes me. :)

Thank you baby... loooove you soooo much!

Yesterday was a normal Monday at the middle school... no funny stories worth noting, but as always I really enjoy being there and spending time with my friends, mentors, and kiddies. After, I went for a run on the beach; I am in total running mode! Thinking I may try and participate in the Long Beach 1/2 Marathon in October.

Oh and I'm totally obsessed with the new Britney Spears album "Femme Fatale" thanks to Keri. Reliving my high school days! If you know me really well, you know I can play songs on repeat for HOURS! I LOVE the song 'Trip To Your Heart' and played it over and over for my entire run.

Thanks Brit.

Then last night Kevin and I had a great dinner with my parents that my Daddy made. I was very spoiled 2 nights in a row with fantastic food. He made Thai chicken, rice, and salad from his garden. We discussed my upcoming graduation and party plans. I won't say all the details yet, but I am getting super excited! :)

Thank you Mommy and Daddy for being the best parents in the world.

I HOPE EVERYONE CAN COME!!!!!!!!
Remember May 8th...SAVE THE DATE!

Now it's time for me to go back to working. I actually get off early today (1pm instead of 3pm) which will give me time to run errands, workout, and then off to an evening of class where I get to give a presentation... wish me luck! OH and I have this Thursday AND Friday off... don't get all excited for me though. The 2 extra days are going to be spent writing my comp exam. My goal is to have it finished by Sunday, March 27th so that way I don't have to stress about completing it during the week. Due date= April 1st. SoOOOoOo close now!!! Two years of graduate school work comes down to these last 10 days. AH!

Happy Tuesday Everybody! <3 Amy

Restless Venting

Maybe it's because I'm sick, tired, and completely stressed out, but I feel so restless at the moment. Also, being hopped up on cold medicine and caffeine mixed with a lack of sleep, no wine these days, and major back pain, it's not helpful. I keep telling myself that it's mainly because I'm at the end of my graduate school experience and soon things will get better, but I'm just having a tough time. I think with all the interning, working, classes, and the comprehensive exam I'm just burnt out and lost all my drive. I love my little studio apartment don't get me wrong, it's been very good to me for the past year and 3 months, but I'm feeling claustrophobic because I'm here all the time now (in my free time that is). I have been cooped up all weekend, feeling sick and working on my comp reflections. Only time I got out was to take a run on the beach, which did me good but it was only for an hour. Otherwise, I just sit at my desk writing or on the couch watching TV. I feel like I'm being suffocated. Ever since I was 18 years old and left for college, I have pretty much moved every year or every two years, and when I moved back after college to my parents for awhile, I was traveling a lot... Chicago X 3, Connecticut, New York, Seattle, Indiana, road trips x 2 all over California, Texas, London, Paris, and Rome. Except for Vegas, I really haven't been anywhere in a long time now and my mind/body is craving to get the heck out of here for a bit. I am losing my sanity. I know I have to keep pushing through and stop this little pity party, but I get really down on myself because I have worked SO hard for 2 years now and I'm terrified after I'm done there will be no jobs. I kept a 4.0 the entire time, was accepted into 2 honor societies, and have made a good name for myself on campus through classes and work, but what if this was all for nothing??? I know I need to stop complaining because I have so much to be grateful for, but I just can't seem to shake this bum mood.

On a completely different note... I am watching the LA Marathon right now. All of those runners are amazing and I wish them all the absolute best. However, I feel sooo bad because it's pouring rain here! Go figure the ONE day it rains! Watching everyone is very inspiring and one of my goals (after graduation of course) is to start training and run the Long Beach 1/2 marathon (in October) and SOMEDAY run the LA Marathon... now that would be an accomplishment.

Happy St. Patty's Day

Happy St. Patrick's Day Everyone!

A little green spirit

So this is what my tuition money goes toward...

Anyway, I had a very nice St. Patrick's Day this year. I got to eat my very first corned beef and cabbage meal at Kevin's house! His parents made a wonderful dinner and we ate/drank with some of his family and neighbors. It was delish! I'm ready to have it again. :)

After a lovely dinner, we went over to our friends' apartment for a little more St. Patty's Day fun.

Even though it was a pretty low key holiday this year (I have a cold and we all had to work today) it was a good time.

On a different note... I CANNOT BELIEVE TODAY IS MY LAST DAY OF WORK! I've worked at LMU in the School of Education, Office of the Dean, for almost a year now and I'm definitely sad to leave. However, with all of my interning hours and school work, I just could not fit it all in. Not enough hours in the day, let me tell you! Here was my sweet goodbye present from Keri

She knows about my love/addiction to sugar free Red Bull all too well.

Even though today is bittersweet, I am grateful for the time I worked here and have made some good friends. I will definitely visit and keep in touch. But now it's time to FULLY concentrate on finishing my comp exam and put everything I have into my internships and final classes.

Best Quote of the Day

Thanks to one of my 7th grade boys, I had a really good laugh yesterday (as did a lot of other people when I shared it on Facebook and TONS of people liked/commented). It went like this:

My student asks me if I'm married and I respond no. He says, "Man Miss S you better start goin to the clubs and begin lookin for a husband, you're gettin kinda old. You should try Arena Friday night."

It was soooo hard to keep a straight face! If you don't know, Arena is a night club in Hollywood.

http://www.arenanightclub.com/

Thanks for the laugh! I love middle school :)

ABCs of Me

Apparently this has been going around the blogger world today and since I'm not wanting to do my work at the moment, I thought "aw may as well....."

A. Age: 27... when did that happen?!

B. Bed size: Full

C. Chore you dislike: I HATE LAUNDRY

D. Dogs: Ellie (she lives with my parents)

E. Essential start to your day: Wash face, make bed, *coffee*

F. Favorite color: Purple

G. Gold or silver: Silver

H. Height: 5'1"(and I'm being generous)

I. Instruments you play(ed): Piano and guitar

J. Job title: Graduate Assistant in the School of Education, Office of the Dean, AND Full-Time Graduate Student

K. Kids: None of my own (for now), but I have 900 at the middle school and 3000 at the high school :)

L. Live: Cali

M. Mom’s name: Momma

N. Nicknames: Emmie (by my daddy) and Sukey (by my uncky)

O. Overnight hospital stays: 3 nights back in 2006

P. Pet peeves: I have tons because I'm neurotic

Q. Quote from a movie: "Life moves pretty fast, if you don't stop to look around once in awhile, you could miss it" Ferris Bueller's Day Off

R. Rule You've Never Broken: MMMMMmmmMm Rules are meant to be broken? Or ok just bent???

S. Siblings: Nope

T. Time you wake up: Early

U. Underwear: None of your business

V. Vegetables you don’t like: Cooked carrots

W. What makes you run late: Traffic

X. X-rays you’ve had: Hair-line fracture in my foot, and lots of back and neck (car accident)

Y. Yummy food you make: I think most of my dinners are pretty good and I like to bake (when time permits)

Z. Zoo animal favorites: Um... I can't even remember being at a zoo. But I like the white tigers and dolphins in Vegas

Ok I promise that's enough about me and I'm totally done procrastinating now!!!