Jared

Kelsey

Evan

Hillary

Michael and Cale

Michael and Chelsea

Katherine

Dylan

Jeffrey Carter

Damon

Tommie

Maurah

Chelsea and Elizabeth

Chelsea

Lucas and Gabs

So Blessed By 2010

Today I sit and wonder why I have been so blessed

To have been your teacher

To have been part of your life

To have you as a student

And to have you as such a big part of mine.

Some of you wanted to be in my class this year

even though we both know you could have gotten away

with much Less!

In someone else’s class.

You chose to be in here and I am humbled and honored by that.

Some of you prayed you wouldn’t have me

(either again or for the first time)

But you stuck it out and have hopefully grown from it.

I know I have grown

from getting to know you.

Maybe I have been able to help just a little bit

To write more eloquently or to Read more in depth.

Or maybe I’ve been able to help just a little bit

Through some trial in your life -

Maybe something I didn’t even know about

(Maybe something I did).

You have helped me through so much, too!

So much that you don’t know

(And some of it you do).

You loved Philosophy Fridays?

Well, so did I! They were such a highlight!

And blogging and class discussions

And random talks and free-writing.

I loved it all – I hope you loved some of it, too.

And I loved it all because I love you all.

You have made my last years so special

And I know I am a better person for having known you.

You have blessed me so much and

I am grateful to have had such a beautiful opportunity

The opportunity to have been your teacher and your friend.

I love you and I will miss you!

Class of 2010!

DC, here we come!

Let's home the city is ready for this group we're bringing from Owensboro, Kentucky! I have spent more time making sure I have all the music I want on my iPod than I have packing clothes. In fact, I think I have my toothbrush and deodorant... Yep, got it! Rainboots - check. A novel - check (Invisible Monsters, actually - finally, right Nathan!?). Pajamas - check. But most importantly has been the music. A little KT Tunstall; a little Ingrid Michaelson; a whole lot of Sarah Bareilles and John Mayer.

I find that pre-blogging (that is, before anything just happens) just makes me sound spastic and anxious - I'm really not nervous; I'm just ready to get on the road already. I usually start my roadtrips before the sun is up, so waiting until this evening is driving me crazy! I expect to have lots to write about this week and many pictures to include. So, here we come! Me, chaperoning 8 rooms for 17 and 18 year old girls and Gary Edmonson and Chip Carpenter chaperoning 5 rooms of boys...that math seems a bit screwy to me...But, here we come!

Seeping Panic

Oh, so stressed I am as I sit in the faculty lounge at WKU today just before my oral exam. I haven't slept this week. My stomach is in knots. My bones ache. I try to tell myself that I know this and I know that I do. I try to tell myself that it's just like an interview of sorts - and, I do well at interviews usually. I try to tell myself that these professors are on my side - they like me and I respect them. I try to tell myself all of this and I suppose I know all of this. Yet, here I sit about to vomit on my lap and leave this building as panic is seeping through my every vein. I know that this too shall pass and that this will all be over and I know that too many before me have sat through this. I know! I know! Still, ahhhhhhh! I just want to pass with distinction. I don't want them to ask me anything that I don't know well and about which I can't give deep insight. So, here I go! I'm sure I'll blog how it all goes!

Blog About It

I think I'll write a book much like Ralph Fletcher's A Writer's Notebook about the benefits of blogging. I know that many of you don't like it or you feel that it's a "girly" thing to do, but the more I read your blogs the more I see you growing and maturing in your writing. I'm so excited to see those changes and I think it's because you're writing about topics that are your thoughts and things you genuinely care about. I know that sometimes you feel you're writing about the same things or that you don't know where to start, but I find that once you do start you typically have good things to say. About the 10 Blogs Per Month: I know that's a lot. But, once again, I find that if you write at least ten times in a month, you'll find good things to say and you'll get past the surface to a deeper level of self-exploration. I'm glad you're all blogging :) And when you have problems, exciting moments, scary days, heartbreaks, annoying situations - I'll continue saying those words you love to hear, "You should BLOG ABOUT IT!"