New School...

After several interviews at various preschools around the area I finally accepted a position at a local preschool as a Pre-K 5 Teacher. I couldn't be more excited about this opportunity that's been given to me. This chance to finally spread my wings and built my experience. I absolutely love love working with kids and being able to experience life with them. Finally getting the chance to expand my experience is really important to me.
I will be in a classroom all to myself, no assistant here. I'm totally fine with that just means I really have to step up my game. I'll have a up to 15, 5 year olds in my care all to myself. Yikes that's a lot'a little ones. Thankfully my classroom is connected by a half wall with the Pre-K 4 classroom and the teacher in there seems to be really great and willing to help me with everything needed. It's always so hard starting over, having to learn new policies and procedures, meet new people, making friends, proving myself and getting the kiddo's to fall for me, learn to trust me and simply have fun with me.
The school is small, much smaller than were I came from at EDS. Its ran completely different as every school is but to come from such a awesome place I can't help but compare. I'm trying not to really I am but its so hard not to.
Another thing I'm having to learn to process and take in every day that I didn't before is "broken families." Believe it or not at the school I worked at before in Cola, there was not but maybe one or two broken families. And there was only two military families that went to the school. So I didn't work with military families or spend my days around children who's parents were away for various reason's. Now don't get me wrong I have worked with military families and their children in Hawaii. But I have never in my life worked with a group of kids that have come from so many broken families, parents that aren't in the picture at all. Children that live with grandparents or even foster care and other relatives. It breaks my heart, why on earth would anyone at all walk out on their child or not do everything in their power to provide a wonderful life for their children. Now don't get me wrong I come from a broken family myself so I am not at all down grading them but to have some of these kiddos tell me "I don't have a mommy," when we are talking about something in class just makes me so sad. I just want to scoop them up and take them home with me.
On the other hand there are a few ever so loving 5 year old's in my class that we refer to as "walking tornado's" and OMG I have to just walk away myself sometimes. I've had one child use multiple curse words in class, another push a chair across the room, kick and hit their friends. Of course they are kids, these things are going to happen but the language is were I drawl the line. Your out the door when you start talking like that.
I'm still learning the routine, the kids, the school, the management, my co-workers, who to talk to and who to watch what I say to as you have to deal with, with every job. It comes with time, time I've got and willing to spare. I'm giving it 100% and putting everything I have into it. My only hope is to leave a lasting impression on these families as I did with my last.
Change is hard, its never easy but I'm embracing it making the most of it!!! But I'd be lying like crazy if I said I didn't miss my EDS family so much. I'll be back, even if its just a visit for now and that's what keeps me going. :)

Oh and well since every girl loves a monogram and we all know I love everything monogrammed, I though I'd share these with yall!!! We have to wear scrubs Monday - Thursday (Friday is bluejeans and our school shirt day) and I'm not all about the prints and patterns on the scrubs so I went with solid colors and MONOGRAMMED them!!!! They turned out perfect and definitely jazzed them up a bit!!!! 

It's come to a end….

I can't believe our time on the Trail is officially over. Thinking back two years ago I never though this day would come and I couldn't wait for it to get here. Now I'm wishing just a little that we still had some time left. I absolutely love the school were I work and I've made some great friends through some of my parents. Its funny how all of my friends in Hawaii were / are Milispouse's and here in the South 90% of my friends were / are parents of kiddos I had in my class. I'll def. be sad to say good bye to them when the time comes. Although we are looking forward to the future and what's in store I can't help but wish we had more time in the South. I know the hubbs is more than ready to be done and get back to a line unit. He's done his fair share of training and he's ready to get back to what he enjoy's doing. He's been counting down faithfully for about the last 6 months. He's beyond done. Frankly I'm over the unit we are with. Its only the 2nd unit we've been with but they've been horrible. I fill sorry for anyone that has to go through 2-60th. 

I took his Hat Press that I got him for our Anniversary year before last and had the plate finished. They actually redid the entire plate for me and it turned out great. The Brown Round has officially been retired. 

We've had good day's and bad day's through our time on the Trail. It's to be expected, they are gone all the time and when they are home they are extremely drained and tired. Hanging the Hat the hubbs will finally be able to go out and enjoy his free time and that means we get more time together. 

I absolutely hated the Brown Round when he first got it, I though it was the ugliest thing ever…….

 But it grew on me and now I absolutely love it. I have to say its quite sexy. I mean just look at it, he's rocking it for sure. I'll miss the stories he comes home and tell's about his day and smoking the PVT's. I'll miss being able to go out to the trainings and watching him train PVT's. I'll miss our CQ night dinners. I'll miss some parts of it I'm sure and so will he, even if he doesn't admit it. But I can't wait for what's ahead of us. Lots of changes and many more memories to be made. 

Two Years done!!! 

It's only a 2 year assignment with the option to extend a 3rd year, but we only did the 2 years. 

 Graduation Day March 22, 2012 & Last Day March 31, 2014 

My New Do

I've been itching for a change for a while now and finally broke down and got my hair cut. 

My ends were looking really bad. Splitting at the bottoms and broken. 

I absolutely LOVE my long hair and didn't want to cut to much off but I was wanting a noticeable change. 

Options, Decisions, Choices what to do??

Before...

(the lighting in the lower, right picture is horrible, my hair is NOT red)

After.....

Before and After front view. 

I ended up getting 2 1/2 inches cut off the length, I had some more longer layers added in and long side bangs. All in all I'm really happy and pleased with it. 

I knew if I went much shorter or different than I'm used to I'd hate it after a couple days. My hair grows so slow and I'm way to impatient to wait for it to grow back out. I used to cut my hair really short years ago and wasn't a fan of longer hair but now I love it. 

It definitely looks much healthier, feels lighter and I'm really happy with it. 

The Wobble WHAT ?!?!?

"Extraordinary People do Extraordinary Things!!!

James our zumba instructor kept saying this during class & it really stuck with me!!!

DAY 100

I totally wasn't feeling it this morning when the alarm went off at 7am. I wanted to sleep in and be super lazy, but I reminded myself that I made a commitment. I had to be at the AC Jackson Wellness Center by 8:30 for the 5K Memorial walk / run they were doing. I wrote about how I signed up for it earlier last week after Zumba, you can read about it here. 

I sucked it up, got my booty out of bed and got ready shortly later was out the door. There was a 50% chance of rain today and the event was set to go on rain or shine. As I headed off post it wasn't raining but sure enough as soon as I got out the gate it started pouring. Blah really I wasn't wanting to do this in  the rain but I guess I didn't have much of a choice. 

Thankfully when I pulled up and parked the rain had stopped. 

We all gathered in the gym were the different pastors said a few words, we did a bit of stretching and then we headed outside to get the show started. This was the 2nd time the church has put this event on. Last year they had 300 people & this year they were expecting 800 people but were hoping for a 1000+ people and I think they surpassed that goal. 

This is Theresa & I before the event started, my co-worker / zumba partner in crime :) We make a great time busting it out in the center of the dance floor during Zumba. 

I was so glad that the rain stayed away for the walk / run I walked out of the house with out a rain coat so that would have sucked. I started off walking because there was so many people there was no way to get around but once the crowd slowed down and cleared out I was on my way. I ran pretty much the whole way and felt great doing it. As I ran pass walkers they would say the kindest words that motivated me that much more. 

After the run was over we all gathered back in the gym (well those that wanted to stay) and James our Zumba instructor did a low impact mini class. This gave people the opportunity to see what zumba was all about at a more moderate pace. The gym was full I think about half the people ended up staying to try it out, but that only made it more exciting and fun. 

Before we started J turned on a song and everyone jumped up and starting dancing. One girl standing next to me yelled its the Wobble. WHAT????? I have never heard of the wobble dance but it was really catchy and fun. I opted to stand to the side and watch because I didn't want to make a fool of myself. I did snap a short video clip of them dancing. The girl in the orange & the girl in all black behind the girl in red are the two girls I work with both super sweet ladies. 

I ended up having a really good time and a fantastic work out. I was definitely glad that I dragged my butt outta bed and went. I'm looking forward to the Health & Fitness class that is going on next Saturday!!!!