on being a grown-up

It's been one month since I graduated from college (and one month until I turn 22).

In some ways I feel like an adult (a "real" one) and in some ways I don't. Sometimes, when I was subbing, I felt professional and other times I felt like the students had pulled one over on me (and I didn't want to appear to the administration that I couldn't handle the students). Depending on who I'm around, I can feel like just a big kid or like an adult. You know, when you're in college, everyone treats you as an adult and gives you responsibilities and you are pretty much on your own for figuring out your day-to-day life. Then, when you come home, you've got a different routine and someone else is trying to make plans for you, or to dictate what needs to be done.

I've not been telling as many stories from my college days--it's almost like I've tucked away those memories in a box in the closet for a later date. But I guess I've got no one that will really appreciate them. Also, I'm not finding too many interesting stories any more--I miss random mealtime or eveningtime conversations with my friends.

On Saturday morning I took my PRAXIS II tests for getting my MD State Teaching Certification in math--math pedagogy and math content knowledge. I think I did slightly better than I was expecting in the pedagogy one (3 essays, 1 hour), but possibly a little worse in the content knowledge (50 multiple choice questions, 2 hours). You never know, though--I guessed on a LOT of my math comps and still passed those. I think/hope I passed my PRAXIS II tests so I don't have to pay more money and do them again--if there is a next time, I'll use actual study books rather than just the free PDF.

This past weekend I traveled to a church in PA to share about my trip(s) to Ukraine. I had a WONDERFUL time and stayed with some really WONDERFUL people (Ken, Diane, Scott, and Maggie). I always enjoy the ride on I-70 West, looking at the mountains, and once I got off the interstate, I was driving on hilly Pennsylvania roads. When I passed the road that I needed to eventually take, I decided to skip the next 3-4 steps that Google gave me and get directly onto the road (thinking it was a shorter way). Turned out I was on "roller coaster road", and that is definitely what it felt like. I went up or down, left or right, and sometimes both at the same time! I never knew which way the road was going to go as soon as I got to the top of a hill.

When I got to the house, I saw there were a bunch of cute little Jack Russell puppies!!! Scott and I sat and played with them for a while--they loved to lick and nibble at my toes and flipflops and fingers. One even fell asleep on my ankle. :)

I mostly sat and talked with Ken and Diane (and at one point, her parents) during and after dinner. Somewhere about 9 pm we decided to get ice cream and check out the showing of "Meet Me in St. Louis" on the courthouse lawn. Around 10:30pm, the movie still wasn't over (we got there after it had started), and Diane asked me, "Are you ready to go?" Sensing that she and Ken were ready, I replied with, "Are YOU ready to go?" :) Sure enough, they were done with sitting at a picnic table watching a movie that was longer than we thought, and I was fine with leaving.

The next morning, I met Maggie, who also had taken PRAXIS II testing for elementary school teaching. (Tiffany, who was a volunteer in Ukraine last year, also took hers this past weekend. Even though I'm no longer with my fellow ENC education majors, I can still find common ground with other present/future teachers!) That afternoon, before we left for the church picnic, she gave me a couple bags of clothes that she no longer needed/wanted--I've kept maybe 2/3 of them! A lot of it I can use for teaching--because it looks nice, and does not consist primarily of t-shirts, like my current wardrobe. :)


Books Currently Reading
Churched, by Matthew Paul Turner
What's Math Got to Do With It? Helping children learn to love their least favorite subject and why it's important for America, by Jo Boaler

Today I also picked up the movie "Speak" from the library; I remember reading the book by Laurie Halse Anderson when I was in middle/high school. It caught my attention because it had Kristen Stewart of Twilight-mania on the cover, and she looked every bit as bland and emotionless as she did in Twilight. (Honestly, I was glad to see Jacob come on the scene at the end of the movie, because he actually looked remotely PLEASANT!)