They say a picture is worth a million words. Since my camera is usually broken and I wasn’t blessed with great photography skills I guess my way less than a million amount of words will have to do. And by the way, who are “they” anyways? They sure have a lot to say. So if you dare, pull up a chair (or couch, cushion, hammock or underwater seat) and stay a while.

It’s been over a month since I’ve posted. I should post more. I have plenty of time. But every time I begin a post I wonder “what do I say?” and have no good answer.

My life has been crazy and lame all at the same time.

1. Last week I went to Impact, a camp that my church puts on for our youth. We go to SC to a camp on the lake and have a blast. I was a counselor for the rising 9th grade girls with one of my dear friends Sarah. This was my fourth time being a counselor. It was a very refreshing time for me, as I really got to pour into the girls lives and see their hearts changed by God. The theme of the week was missions and our speaker, Finny Matthews, was from India. I was in heaven every time he spoke. He had an accent and he would tell soooo many stories about India. I would agree along and look at the people sitting next to me and smile real big. Some people thought he spoke for a long time but to me it went by so fast. I wanted him to keep speaking! About 35 kids came to know the Lord as their Saviour and many many more committed their lives to missions full time. It was amazing!

2. Now that I am back, I have nothing to do with my time. I don’t have a job. Don’t ask. It’s a frustrating time. I am e-mailing and doing everything I can whenever I see an opening. But there’s just not a lot out there and the money is not going very far. So I’m waiting. And waiting. And getting very bored in the process.

3. There isn’t even much babysitting out there too. One of my main prayers is that as God has already provided for me so far (a place to live for free and food to eat) that He would provide work each week. So far I have had no babysitting or anything this week. It’s quite frustrating.

4. I really really really want my own classroom. I go to the library and the bookstore and read teacher books and planning books and think of all of the things I would do in my classroom. I have ideas, people. Really good ones. I might just start planning for a classroom and hope that come August I actually have one!

That’s it, I can’t handle any more of this frustrating post. If you would like to offer me encouragement, go for it. If you would like to offer advice and point out what I should or should not be doing, please don’t. I’m really sick of it.

So I’m on this road trip. A weekend trip to see my friend Kira turned into a longer trip to see lots of people.

It’s been good. I like it. I’ve liked the change of pace. Except for when I called my parents today to let them know where I was and my dad answered and pretended to be the phone company saying “we’re sorry this number has been disconnected and there is no forwarding address”. It’s good to know that he misses me so much.

I did something fun today. Guess what it was?

No I didn’t ride a rollercoaster. Or a horse.

No I didn’t go dancing. All of my friends did that at home without me – I’m not bitter of course.

I went on a detour. An excursion.

When I left Kira this afternoon I told myself that road trips are about adventures. And that I needed to have one. To live and have fun by myself.

So I did.

I saw a sign on the highway for a Botanical Gardens. It sounded nice. I love the Arboretum at home and have been to the St. Louis Botanical Gardens as well. So off I went following the brown signs.

Except it took a bit longer than expected to get to this place. I was JUST about to turn around when I saw the entrance. Phew.

It was so nice to finally see that sign. I jumped for joy.

Doesn’t the building look very regal? I think I did a shocked “oh wow” as I walked up. I was expecting a rinky dink garden. I was not expecting this.

Of course I also wasn’t expecting to pay $10 just to see the place. I told myself it was an early birthday present and forked over the cash. I mean, I did not just drive out to the middle of nowhere to turn around without seeing the place.

So first I went into the Orchid Conservatory. I forgot the name of it so I just went and looked it up on their website. Aren’t I a smart one?

There were some pretty cool flowers.

I really liked these arches. They were awesome. I have no clue what kind of plants they are made of.

This leaf was large and very cool. It made me think of Kira and how she called a similar looking leaf in the DC arboretum good material for a skirt. She probably didn’t want me to share that. Ooops. There is a video on facebook about it though.

Hey look it’s a picture of me! It’s my foot! Nothing like rainbows to make the day even more enjoyable. I’m finally starting to break these suckers in.

I thought that this flower was pretty awesome. It was even more awesome when I remembered that my camera (as awful and crappy as it is) has a macro setting.

This statue was fun. It reminds me of my friend Taylor. I have no clue why it does, but it just does.

I really wanted to jump into this fountain. I resisted. Ok well actually when no one was looking I stuck my foot in. It felt great.

It was a fantastic day.

There is the one and only picture of me from the excursion.

The end.

More is coming. The fun keeps on rolling in. So get ready for more roadtrip confessions.

What a busy busy month May has been. I can’t believe it’s almost over. Let’s look at a bit of my timeline here:

May 6: Last day of student teaching. Received the most heartwarming and sweet notes from the second graders. Left school with armloads of nostalgia.

May 9: Graduated from college. No tripping across the stage. Shortest graduation of all of the colleges (yes!) and good barbecue with friends and family.

May 24: My brother got married. It was quite a lovely event. I walked down the aisle without tripping, though I did want to rip my heels off. I will never wear heels again. Never. Well at least never for a wedding. The ceremony was beautiful though I did not cry. The smile on my brother’s face was precious. We danced and boogied at the reception and ate what most people deemed to be the best wedding food EVER. It was. There are leftovers in our fridge to prove it. Oh and I gave a toast at the Rehearsal Dinner. I had it all planned and typed out. I practiced it in the car with the best friend. But of course when I got up there, I did NOT read what the paper said. I said heartfelt and funny things and I think it went okay. Brother even gave me a hug afterwards. Oh and this having a sister thing? I really like it!

What else have I been up to? Well I do get to sleep in on most days which is divine. And I’ve spent lots of time blog reading and surfing the net. Oh and yeah that thing called job hunting. I’ve done a bit of that. (I don’t want to talk about it, it’s such a bleak and depressing time to be looking for a job).

Best of all I’ve just enjoyed spending uninterrupted time with my family and my friends. Watching TV and movies (Saw Shopaholic and Night at the Museum 2). Enjoying lazy Sunday afternoons. Camping. Yes Camping. My bests and I camped on Tuesday night. Ok so we slept in a really nice camper with airconditioning and a queen sized bed. But there was nature. We had a fire and roasted marshemellows and talked and….

and then watched Madea’s Family Reunion on a laptop in said air-conditioned camper. Ok, we’re city girls after all. But yesterday we did go tanning/swimming and it was marvelous! I even got in the water which was actually warm. There was pretty much no one at the lake beach or on the water so it was calm, serene and alltogether awesome.

Which leaves me with now. The future. My future. Duh duh DUH! (I feel that the dramatic music adds something.) Yesterday through the most bizarre series of phone calls and God-happenings a roadtrip was derived. Yay a road trip! It’s been a while since I’ve really been on a road trip that doesn’t involve driving to school and back home.

Tomorrow my fun roadtripaganza begins. First I will drive 3 hours to another fun city to see my friend Kira, who just got back from the World Race a couple weeks ago. I cannot wait. We are going to talk, talk, eat ice cream, watch movies, and just have a blast. What’s crazy is that in our phone conversation yesterday I realized that tomorrow, Friday will be exactly one year since we saw each other last! How funny is that!

Then on Sunday I will make another two hour drive to a city in SC where my Aunt and Uncle live. I’ve seen them a lot lately – for my graduation and the brother’s wedding and each time they’ve bugged me and told me that I need to come visit. So here I come! I’ll also get to go visit my Grandma at her nursing home. And did I mention that my Uncle has a hot tub? Heaven!!!

After the family visit I still get to hopefully see two really awesome people. Jaimee, one of my most dear and best friends from my trip to India, is hopefully going to be visiting SC with her friend to see her friend’s brother. Jennifer lives near Clemson and also went to India with us and is probably one of the reasons that I am so sarcastic. Seriously. So we will hopefully reunite for a couple days to be crazy and silly and laugh really hard.

And then on Wednesday, which just so happens to be my birthday, I will drive home. I’ll probably belt out some awesome songs at the top of my lungs as I drive.

You must watch this. It’s so incredibly awesome and the story at the end is even more precious.

I am a college graduate!!!

In. Two. Days. I. Will. Graduate.

From. College.

How good it feels to say that! I still don’t really believe it. I mean yes I know that later today I know I will get into my car and drive back up to school to begin the festivities with my friends, but seriously, me graduating from college? Get outta town! Ok, well then I’ll get out of town.

So I am graduating from college. On Saturday I will be the proud owner of a Bachelors of Science in Elementary Education. A degree- I will have a degree!!! I think I forgot about the whole degree thing many times during college. I mean college was always part of my plan and my parent’s plan for my life so going to college wasn’t an odd or weird thing. It’s what was supposed to happen. But I think I forgot about the whole, when you graduate you get a degree thing. Until now. Bring on the degree baby!

My student teaching wrapped up wonderfully. Yesterday was my last day. They had a “suprise” party for me in the afternoon. I say “surpise” in quotes because do you know how hard it is for 7 and 8 year olds to keep a secret? Yeah, it’s not the easiest thing. They spilled the beans. Multiple times. Each time I just pretended not to hear.

So my cooperating teacher announced in the afternoon that we were going to have a little celebration for me. She had each of the kids come up and give me the cards they were supposed to make at home or a hug. I love hugs.

They wrote the cutest little things in their cards. Here is a sampling:

“I hope you have fun at your new job. You was a nice teacher. Love you.”

“Thanks for being the best teacher. I will miss you. I will miss you. I will miss you.”

“Dear Ms. R. I do not want you to leave. I will miss you so much.”

“Dear Ms. R. Thank you being the best assistant (they got student teaching/assistant confused all the time) teacher ever. p.s. I hope you have a class when you leave.”

“You are funny, nice, proactive (big word for a second grader!) and you always had lots of patience (so not true!). Congratulations for graduating college. We will all miss you a lot! (a lot was underlined three times)

“Dear Ms. R. Thank you for teaching us. I liked when you teached us frackshens (fractions, and my teacher’s heart skipped a beat – I actually taught them something! woo hoo!!!) I will really miss you. I hope you come to my school next year.”

“Ms. R Please don’t leave. If you leave, I’ll miss you.”

Got any tears yet? Those kids are the SWEETEST children ever. I love them.

They also gave me some books for my classroom and some classroom supplies. I love these things as they are so practical and useful. And when I use them in my own classroom hopefully someday soon I will be able to remember the awesome kids that gave them to me.

So all in all I was sad to leave yesterday. But still excited. And feeling a sense of accomplishment.

I know that at this point, all of you dear readers are going to ask the question.

“What is next for you?” “Do you have a job yet?”

1. I don’t know.

2. I have no job.

Phew. Okay, that’s off my chest.

No seriously I really have no clue what I am doing. I want to be a teacher. I want my own classroom and to teach little boogers all day.

But, in case you haven’t heard, the economy is REALLY bad right now. Bad to the point that teachers were I live are receiving a pay cut and teachers on terminating contracts (including some of my first year teacher friends) are not guaranteed jobs for next year.

So I’m looking. I’m e-mailing my resume whenever I see an opening. And I’m waiting. Just about most of the places I am interested in are on a hiring freeze so they can’t hire anyone anyways until July at the earliest.

And I’m doing a lot of praying. And a lot of thanking God. Because it could be a lot worse. I have a place to live for free and I have food to eat. I won’t be homeless and I won’t starve.

The only plans I have are that for the summer I will try to get as many babysitting jobs as possible so that I can save up.

That’s my story and I’m sticking to it.

It’s something unpredictable, but in the end is right.

I hope you had the time of your life.

- Green Day

That song echoes through my mind as I am blown away by how quickly time goes by. In 4 days I am graduating from college! And the title of this post is true: I had the time of my life. As I look back on the past four years I can’t help but see how blessed I have been.

I thought back on that today as my friend Chelsey and I talked on the phone. Chelsey was one of the very first people I met at school. I had a retreat for my scholarship program right after I moved in to my dorm. I got on a bus not knowing anyone and just wishing that I could go back to my dorm room.

I remember sitting on that bus and having one great fear: that I would sit alone and stare out the window. I really did not want to begin the journey of college without a friend.

Then came Chelsey. She walked up to my row and asked if she could sit next to me. I said yes and the conversation began. We both talked and realized that we actually had a lot in common – namely the fact that we both love Jesus. After that a great friendship began. This girl is amazing. We’ve shared some fun classes, trips, and late night craziness involving tunnel painting. As the years went on, our friendship grew and I got to see more and more of this godly girl and her heart for the Lord.

Last semester Chelsey and I had Tuesday night time. Every Tuesday one of us would cook dinner and then we would sit around talking for hours. Literally for hours. We talked about boys and school and our hopes and laughed like middle schoolers at times. The dinners may not have always been gourmet but the friendship was high class. I will always cherish those Tuesday nights.

So today, Chelsey and I are talking about graduation and how excited we are. We started reminiscing about that day on the bus. Chelsey made a comment that at the time she thought that I was this really cool girl who such a world traveler. Hah! I laughed and then shared how incredibly nervous I was on that day. The conversation continued and drifted to God’s provision. We both feel that God really provided great, godly friends for us in college. People to share life with not only during the college years but for a long time.

I mean, yeah the classes were sometimes exciting and the football games were cool too but really the best part of college for me was the people. People who cared, people who I laughed with, cried with, stayed up way too late with. Friends that encouraged me on. All of my favorite college moments include people.

So tonight, I’m thankful for the people that made the last four years so fabulous! Because of them, I had the time of my life!

Here it goes folks. Another rediculous list.

1. Today I got three flowers from my kids. All pink and from an azalea bush outside near the playground. It was so sweet. Made me smile. I put them on my desk. Well until they were all gone and I decided I’d rather not have pollen all over my desk.

2. At the end of the day if we have had a great day I play the song “Breaking Free” from High School Musical. The kids love it. They dance. They sing. Sometimes I dance with them. They think that’s the funniest.

3. Tonight I went to Borders. I shouldn’t have gone. I knew from my e-mail that they were having a CD/DVD sale. I told myself I was just going to browse, to do something fun. I came out with two CDs. Ooops. But they were 50% off. That’s a big deal. I got Ella Fitzgerald Love Songs and some Irish Music. Random but good. Ella is good. Mellow, relaxing, classic. Love me some Ella. And the Irish Music? Well Rooms is in Ireland and I’m jealous. So I bought an Irish CD. Maybe if I play it and close my eyes, it’ll be like I’m there with her. Maybe. But probably not.

4. My brother is getting married in exactly one month. I can’t wait!!!

5. I wanted to buy a CD that was titled something like “Indian Love Songs”. Hah! That would have been a good one!

6. Allergies are irritating. I think mine just started kicking in today. Boo.

7. My dog is so cute. I love her. She greets me and wags her tail when I get home.

8. American Idol is very addicting this year. I like so many of them. It was sad when Anoop left but I’m ok with it. My Dad was really sad. He is so into it. He has me to blame for that.

9. Have I mentioned the second graders are the cutest?

* Last week’s trip to the beach was amazing. I felt like I was on vacation. Not just like I was off of school but like I truly was away on a vacation where I didn’t have to worry about anything. Vacation has a good feeling to me, the air smells better, the days are full of more sunshine and the time is all a gift.

* While at the beach I discovered some great bookstores and got a ton of children’s books for dirt cheap – yeah!!!!

* I also rode on a motorcycle. I know. That’s not typically me. I usually am not a motorcycle kind of girl, though I did ride on one in India. I think it was that vacation air. It aroused a free spirited, wild, go with the flow kind of girl that is often unseen. It was fun. I held on for dear life and prayed as we rode but it was fun. Really fun. Freeing fun.

* I felt the sand in between my toes. For like 1 minute. Then I got cold and put my shoes back on.

* This week has been good. Unfortunately my throat has been scratchy all day and is now starting to hurt some. And I just finished that antibiotic yesterday. The illnesses keep coming. Go away sickness!

* I’m officially addicted to American Idol. I officially have gotten my parents addicted to American Idol. Last night was girl’s night/accountability time and I didn’t get home till about 9. When I walked in the door the parents were sitting there watching the end of American Idol. They watched the entire show without me there to make them! It was a proud moment to see that I have raised them so well.

* My feelings on who is good on American Idol vary. I really like just about everyone who is left. Well except for Lil. I’m not a big Lil fan. Everyone else in my humble opinion is wonderful! I love them all. I don’t want them to leave. I’m SO glad that the judges saved Matt tonight. I think he’s incredible. I would buy his CD if he had one. I secretly want him to be the underdog who rises up to show the rest up. That would make me incredibly happy. But Anoop is good too. And he’s Indian. I really like Indian people. And Kris is great. So is Danny. My best friend is in love with Danny. The other day when we were at the drugstore she saw a guy in the parking lot and told me that he looked exactly like Danny. It was funny. And of course Adam is amazing. He’s beyond wonderful. My dad likes him best. I still like Matt. Ohhh I don’t know who to like the most. I’m such a teacher.

* I really should go to bed now. It’s late. I’m tired. Goodnight.