Another Triple A!!!

Yup, I got 3 more A's in graduate school. My semester finished last week and final grades are out today. I am so happy to be doing so well in my graduate classes. It has been challenging to balance all the things in my life and doing well at school is definitely a nice reward for all the stress and hard work. In other exciting news I will be doing my Practicum or student teaching this Spring. Because I am already a full time teacher I can use that as my Practicum. I will just teach as I already do but now a person from the University will come observe me 3 or 4 times and I will have to prepare an extensive electronic portfolio. Once my Practicum is out of the way I only have 4 classes left til I graduate with my Masters. I plan on taking those 4 classes this summer. So YAYAYAYAY for me I will have my Masters and be done with school this Summer!!!!! HOOORAAAYYYY!!!!!!!!! The idea that I will be done with school before the new school year starts is THRILLING! I can not even tell you how much more I will be able to do at work when I don't have to run to class 3 nights a week! Plus I will have so much more time to relax with Evie which will be a VERY welcome change!

This week is the last week of work for me before we all break for 2 full weeks!! God, I love being a teacher!!!!! I plan to relax and spend time with friends and family and thoroughly take advantage of my break from grad school and work! Whoo HOO!! =)

In other news, I am happy to say that my final divorce hearing is January 8, 2009. If we have no issues between now and then I will be a divorced (free!) woman in January '09! YAY! I am very happy to be closing this chapter of my life and moving forward.

Evie is cute as ever and continues to delight and amaze me at every turn. She is getting very good with using the potty but only when we are not at home. I don't know if that is a normal thing for toddlers. She uses the potty a lot when we are out but then won't even ask or say she wants to go when I ask at home. Strange, but ultimately she will use the potty at home too.

In family news I am EAGERLY awaiting the return of BigBro and DocRom to the States!!! I super duper mega-ly hope they will come back to ATL but if they don't I will just be glad that they are not in a foreign country thousands of miles away!! I miss them SOOOOO much!!!! I can NOT wait to be with them and hug them and talk and laugh and connect!!!

Also, TwinBro is engaged!!! Congrats to him!!! He is with a very cool lady and I wish them the best!! =)

Recent Evie Pics

These are always a hit! Here is Evie being her amazing self. I got her a new winter hat, I think she looks just adorable! =)

Evie Singing Twinkle Twinkle!

Cutest thing EVA!!!!!!!!

Church Outfit

I am teaching Sunday school at my church now. It is really cool. I go to the Unitarian Universalist Church. Last week we taught the difference between facts and judgements. It was neat to be teaching kids about kindness and not judging other people. I'm not sure what I will be teaching today but I am sure it will be cool =)

Evie is too young for actual lessons in her class. They play with toys and do crafts in the 2 year old room. She loves it! =)

Evie Update: 2 Year Check Up, Potty Training, Vaccines

Yesterday was a really big day for Evie. She got her first vaccinations ever at her 2 yr old check up. Ben and I decided to delay vaccinating her until we felt she was old enough and actually needed to be vaccinated. Well she is going to school this year and because she will be exposed to so many new germs and kids we felt it was the right choice to start vaccinating her. She got 6 shots yesterday in her thighs, the total number of vaccines was 9. I was extremely nervous about how her body would handle the shots. She is completely fine so far (knock on wood). She is a little more tired and crabby than normal but otherwise she is doing great! I have been checking her temperature every few hours to make sure she doesn't have a fever.

At our appointment Evie's pediatrician talked to us about potty training. I have had Evie in Pull-Up diapers for months now and she has a potty seat at my house and at Ben's house. We each work with her to sit on the potty and in general to be comfortable with the potty. So today I got her a step stool to get on the potty by herself. I also started working with her to pull her pants and shorts up and down herself. Hopefully soon she will make the choice to pee and poop in the potty instead of her pants. =)



Other than all that she is talking up a storm! Sonya, our daycare lady, says Evie talks all the time and she is very excited. I am so happy at how much she has grown up in the last few months. A friend of mine recently gave me a small table and chairs set, a spinny thing for evie to sit on, 2 huge bags of clothes, and a huge box of books. I am thrilled because Evie loves all the books and the table and chairs and the spinny thing. And she looks ADORABLE in her new clothes! Yay for good friends!! =)





And in me news I start working tomorrow. I go to new teacher orientation tomorrow and Friday and Monday. I am very very excited and a little nervous. I can't believe I will be in charge of thirty 2nd graders in less than 2 weeks!!! Here is what I am gonna wear to my first day of orientation. What do ya think? Sorry the pic is so dark.

Emani's Birthday Party

Evie and I went to our friend Emani's 2 year birthday party this past weekend. It was a total BLAST!! Here are some pics for your enjoyment. Videos to follow in separate posts =)

Moving to the Cottage

Today I am moving Evie and I into the cottage. I am excited about her and I having our own little club house =) So I will post pics of her and I in our new place in a few days. A big fat special thanks to Grammy and Gramper for letting us rent the cottage. Even though I got them both sick with a sinus cold/infection they are helping me get moved and that is worthy of a medal or something!

Evie and Me and Evie and Gramper

Evie's Birthday Presents!

Evie got a microphone to sing in, a cash register, a picnic set with basket, and two dresses for her birthday. She is wearing one of the dresses in these pics. She had a wonderful birthday. She went to the park and a jumping place with her Daddy and then she had dinner with me and her Grammy and Gramper and opened presents with us too. All in all she had a great 2nd birthday =)

Happy 2 year Birthday Evelyn!!!

Two years ago today you came into our side of this world. I wanted you so much! I could not wait to meet you and hold you in my arms. And you made your entrance into our world so easily. My birth with you was everything I could have hoped for and more. Having you at home with your Dad and my parents and Heather and Christine was exactly what I wanted and needed. There was more love in that house that day then I have ever felt before. You bring so much love and light into my life and into everyone's life you encounter. You could light up the state of Georgia with your smile and your laugh. You are truly a gift to me and your Dad. He and I may not have succeeded at marriage but we definitely succeeded at making and raising the smartest, sweetest, funniest, and silliest child ever. And you are the greatest gift that your grandparents and great grandparents have ever received. Your Grammy and Gramper love you more than anything in this world, anything. They tell me all the time how much they love you and how incredible you are to them. Your Nana never fails to mention how amazing you are when she calls me. Your Mimi and Grandpop feel the same way too. And your Gigi and George and Great Grandma Evelyn and Oma love you to pieces too! And your Uncles Paul and Stan and Aunts Karen and Vanessa all love you tons as well! You won't know for many many more years how amazing your existence is to us and what an amazing and wonderful impact you have had on all of us but that is okay. For now just know that when I rock you and bathe you and kiss you and chase you and tickle you I am in heaven. And the same goes for your Dad I am sure and your Grandparents and your Aunts and Uncles. We all love you so much!!

Happy Birthday Evie! =)

Changes...

Hey all,

Big changes are taking place in my life right now. To start I am moving into my parents cottage on the farm for the next 6 months with Evie. After 6 months I will either have enough money saved to get my own place in Grovetown or I will stay in the cottage for another 6 months. Ben filed for divorce and surprised me, he is trying to take custodial parent from me. When we first separated we agreed that I would be the custodial parent (the parent that has the final say on all issues and receives child support). As a result I am changing my plans so that I can get custodial parent. Ben and I will be going to court in September. I have a job interview set up with a local elementary school for next week which I feel very confident about. I already know the principal and teachers at the school. So I will be teaching full time and going to grad school full time starting in August. Life will be busy!

Evie is handling the changes really well. And tomorrow she will be 2 yrs old, holy cow! Sometimes it seems like she is 2 going on 12 but then other times she comes up to me and says "baby". When she says that to me it means she wants me to rock her like a baby in my arms and sing rock a by baby to her. It is so wonderful for me, I don't know if she realizes how happy it makes me to rock her. She is amazing, so so so perfect! She truly means everything to me and there isn't anyone or anything in this world that I would let come between me and her, ever.

Beach Pics

Evie and company at the aquarium and the pool and the beach =)