I'm Done!!!

About 14 months ago I started a masters program through National University (located in San Diego, CA). It was a Masters in Education. Each class was a month long, jammed packed but flew by quickly. Our "capstone" or thesis project was to write the National Board Certified Teacher portfolio. (Teachers who do this don't have to re-certify for 10 years and in Utah get an extra $1000 a year for 10 years) I'm not able to submit my portfolio because I haven't been teaching the required amount of time. For this portfolio we had to video tape ourselves teaching, discuss how we assess our students, with specific examples of two students, and discuss how we work with parents, the community, continued learning, and our leadership opportunities. Last night at 6:30pm I turned in my portfolio!!! It's over, I'm finished, it's completed!!! I can't believe it. There was a time when it was questionable whether or not I'd finish a BS. There are multiple reasons I decided to do this program, it was fast, I was single when it started, and I get paid more (about $200 more a month!). It's been just about the only thing on my mind...what will I do now? Here's a list of things I've missed the last 14 months and can now "get back into:"
-sewing
-reading for fun (if you've read anything really great lately let me know)
-exercising (it's happened a bit on and off)
-getting into one or two TV shows (probably LOST and Bones or AI)
-teaching my classes at school
-leading the ward choir
-staying in touch with long lost friends
-etc, etc, etc

The official graduation is May 1st but I'm celebrating now. You're all welcome to celebrate with me. Oh and please call me "Master Lynette" :)

Spring Fever

Well, after reading Mark's post, I am definitely wanting to get out and get doing some spring activities. I wish I could stay in Utah this spring/summer so that I could continue to play softball, go biking, and enjoy the Utah mountains, oh well, can't have everything I guess. I will just have to learn how to enjoy the beautiful Gulf Coast. :) I want to go mountain biking but at the same time, I still want to go skiing. This must be the problem with spring in Northern Utah. I recently came back from New Mexico for my Nerd Squad Competition (Chemical Engineering Car Competition) and the weather down there was beautiful. No snow and a mountain near by to go biking. Side Note: We did win the competition so we will be headed to Philadelphia this coming November. (BYU came in second).

Anyway, I will tentatively be headed up the mountain this weekend to go skiing to get what will most likely be the last ski trip of the season. Well in my indecisiveness I will have to just figure out what I want, Spring Skiing or Spring Biking!

7th Graders and Sewing

Most of you know that I teach the cooking and sewing classes at a regular Jr. High. Well these last two days have been out-of-the-ordinary exciting (sewing with 7th graders is always exciting). On Monday I had a 7th grader put a sewing machine needle through his finger. It wasn't your normal "needle through the finger" either, it was one of the worst I've had. When the girl sitting next to him called me over I had to cut his finger away from the machine, there were two (2) strings going all the way through! (Bytheway, the needle went through his finger nail, it always goes through the side of the nail, not the nail itself) So a few of the girls were freaking out so I had this young man go into the other room to clean it out and get a band aid. Well, when I went into the other room to see how he was he was just sitting there staring at his finger. As I got closer I noticed that the threads were still there. He couldn't bring himself to pull them out so I had to. (It's a good thing I have a strong stomach) I kinda felt like a doctor taking out stitches, it was kinda fun. Anyway, we got him all cleaned up and back to sewing, which he wasn't to excited about. Then today a couple students in another class were talking about it and then all of the sudden this kid walks up to me holding his finger with blood all over it. I was a bit shocked but sent him in the other room to clean it off and get a band aid. It was kinda like deja vo (sp?). Again, as I went in he was just sitting there. I didn't think his wound was that bad, it didn't go all the way through his finger, but as he took off the paper towel I noticed the needle still embedded in his fingernail! I asked him if he could pull it out and he tried but then said he couldn't. So once again, it's a good thing I don't faint at the sight of blood b/c I had to take tweezers to it to remove it. He was in pain and I asked him if he was going to pass out but he said he wasn't. Good news. This group of 7th graders have been so careful, they are only with me until Friday. Why all the trauma now? Just to put your nerves at ease, I located these boys later in the day and they were still alive with their fingers still attached! Happy endings are my favorite!