O' Christmas Tree!

Richard and I were in North Carolina for Christmas this year. We've been so blessed to spend every Christmas together. We've missed one Thanksgiving, all birthdays but one each, all Valentine's Days, and all anniversaries. Richard found and decorated a Christmas tree before I got to NC. It's a real tree, by the way!

On Christmas, Richard and I slept in (haven't done that in a while on Christmas morning!), ate sticky buns (my Grandma's very yummy recipe), and opened presents. For dinner, Richard's buddy Ty came over and we had stuffed pork chops, Waldorf salad, rolls, and green beans. After dinner we went to the theater to see The Curious Case of Benjamin Button with Brad Pitt. It was a good movie, but after two and a half hours, we left because the movie was soooo long! We saw Madagascar 2 the next day and it was really good (and only 90 minutes!)

A few days after Christmas, we went to New Bern and spent the night at the Aerie Inn Bed and Breakfast. We took a horse drawn carriage to dinner and enjoyed a jacuzzi bubble bath afterwards! It was a great get away, even if it was only a few miles away.

I'm in NC until after New Year's and am just savoring the days! I'm doing laundry right now as Richard had to work today and tomorrow. I hope everyone had a great Christmas!

Dun Dun Dun....

It's finally here! Finals week. My last finals week! It's pretty anti-climatic, though. I only have one final to take. It's Macro-Economics, which doesn't seem hard, but it is hard when you take it from a professor that thinks wheat is measured in pounds (not bushels.)

Anyway, I'm leavin' town on Wednesday morning! My apartment is almost all cleaned out. Stuff is in boxes and tubs and bags. I'm excited... this means I'm one semester away from graduation!

It's my dad's birthday today, too. So Happy Birthday Daddy!

Finally Snowing!!!!

This picture is from the webcam on top of the Student Union building on campus. I'm SOOO excited it's finally snowing!!! Maybe now I'll get to test out my 4-wheel drive in my sweet new truck!

Favorite Class

(ASM 210- Fall 08: I'm on the very far right of this picture and my engine is the green one next to the orange one)

Today was the last small engines class of the semester and I'm kind of sad that it's over! It was my most favorite class so far in college. It's about the only hand-on skill that I'm actually naturally good at. It's pretty exciting! We rebuilt an engine earlier this semester and for the last three classes we've been doing troubleshooting.

The first time we did it, I got way too excited near the end because I was in the lead (it's kind of a race) and I forgot the blower-housing on my engine (that's the part with the pull rope.) So, I went to start my engine, and had nothing to pull... it was kind of embarrassing and everyone gave me a hard time.

So, the next week, I was determined to prove I was actually good at it and I ended up beating everyone. We had to find one problem with the ignition, one with compression, and one with carbureation in 60 minutes and then had another 30 minutes to start our engines. After 60 minutes, Jack (the best teacher, ever) just tells you what the "bugs" are and you have to fix them. I found all three "bugs" and started my engine in 50 minutes. Then today, we had to find 3-5 "bugs" in any area. I was the first one to find all the "bugs," but got my linkages all mixed up and didn't quite finish as quickly. I still beat the 90 minute total time limit, though.

To back up a little, I absolutely dreaded this class before school started. I was so nervous because I didn't feel like I learned anything in my high school small engines class. I think it kept me on my toes, though. I'm glad I took it (well, it was required to graduate, but anyway...).

2,781 miles

2,781 miles= the current distance between me and amazing husband.We actually talked about just grabbing some clothes, jumping in our trucks, and meeting in the middle this weekend. It was a lonely weekend. Tomorrow will be better- that's the way it always is. Tomorrow is always better because it's one more day closer to our next reunion. Nothing about our marriage is normal, except that we love each other unconditionally, unendingly, and undeniably... oh wait, that's not even quite normal in today's culture. A lot of my husband's Marines and their wives are fighting about little things. Money, babies, life, marriage... It makes Richard angry that they can't see the blessings in their lives. I'm so happy Richard is my husband and my best friend. I'll never be able to thank God enough for what he's given me in this man.

Inspired by Sara

So, today I saw a blog kept by one of my very good friends, Sara Vandenbos, and thought maybe I could try it, too. It's not that I'm all that exciting, but this is way more fun than creating lesson plans for student teaching :).

(Sara and her husband Paul at State FFA Convention in 2007)

Next week begins "dead week" at the University of Idaho. I don't have any exams this week and most professors are just reviewing all the super exciting things we learned this semester. I only have one final next week during finals week, so I'm not too stressed this semester.

Lately, my to-do lists look a lot different than they have in the past. For instance: license new truck, send Christmas cards, buy stocking stuffers, pack up apartment. The old to-do lists included a lot of: homework, study, turn in paper, study, go to club meeting, etc. I decided not to stress anymore this semester and it's actually working out pretty well ;). I should have decided to do that a long time ago.

For a basic overview of life at this point, I am just finishing my last semester in Moscow at the University of Idaho. Next semester I'll in be Castleford, ID (middle of no-where Twin Falls County) student teaching high school agriculture. I'll be living with my parents for the first time since I graduated high school. I'll come back up to Moscow for graduation May 16th. Richard finishes his active duty contract with the Marine Corps sometime between June and July and we'll finally get to start Phase 3. (Phase 1: Dating, Phase 2: Engaged & Married, living apart, Phase 3: Finally living together, Phase 4: Beautiful Kiddos!)

This is a pretty long first post so I'll leave more for later.