This is it! (and technology)

Well, this is it! The beginning of my future career. I have been going to school for almost 3 years and now I am finally in my practicum. I've been excited and fearful at the same time. Not afraid of what some of you may think though. I have substitute taught for a few years now so I wasn't nervous to be in the classroom. I was afraid of what my life would be like and wondered how I could be away from my little boy for so long. (He was used to me only going to school for a few hours a day.) It is as hectic as I feared. My son has bravely endured the past two weeks thanks to many bribes of new toys. He started at a new day care and wouldn't take his coat or boots off the entire day. He also wouldn't eat or use their bathroom. It's hard to be brave for your child when you are a mom. When he cries, I cry inside. But, he finally did it! He took off his coat on Thursday and ate lunch. Progress!!! As for my practicum, it is going well. I would like to be busier but I am learning a lot and I love the middle school students. That age group cracks me up. Technology was insightful this morning. I am really excited to use uen.org and thankful Utah has so many resources for teachers. I loved how it provided a template and you just plug in the information. Lesson plans will be so much easier now. I plan to start using it right away. We are so lucky to be teaching in the age of advanced technology.

Teenage moments

I can only call my daughter a tween for a few more months because then she is officially a teenager. We have definitely experienced some real teenage moments though. This photo was taken Saturday at my sister-in-laws wedding. I was happy that she would still sit by me even though her cell phone got taken away that morning. Don't get me wrong, she's a great kid. That's why I expect so much out of her. She gets excellent grades and loves school but we were trying to teach her committment and she let her team down by skipping her basketball game.

I can't believe how quickly she has grown. I'm grateful for such a beautiful daughter that is wise beyond her years and often times smarter than her own mother. The other day I caught her giving her friend some words of wisdom. Most of her friends are boy crazy (as was I at that age) and I was so proud of her. Friend: "I'm sad. I love him and now I have to tell him I can't be friends with him." Madi: "Love?... We're in seventh grade. Love is a figment of your imagination." :) I know. She won't think like that forever. I just need to be grateful while she does. It's such a joy to watch her grow and experience life.