Summer Lovin'

...had me a blast!

That was lame. I apologize. I can't believe I haven't posted anything since MAY! My god. Sadly, the summer is coming to an end and fall (and my final) semester, of classes at least, starts on August 23rd. I'm looking forward to getting back to school and into the groove of class, seeing my friends, work, student teaching, etc but I would LOVE another three week summer vacation.

Our summer was fairly low key. I was able to work at my full time job this summer with Champion's club and I really enjoyed that. This summer I was able to network with a lot of case workers that had worked in metro area districts prior to becoming case workers not to mention I was able to pick the brain of a few special ed teachers in the NKC school district. I don't know why, but every time I had conversation with those ladies I felt positive about getting a teaching job in the spring. I was also able to stay working part time at Gymboree play and music. I love that job simply because of how different it is than Champion's Club. I'm able to play with 6 month old babies up to four year pre-k kids. Each time I went to work there I dove a little deeper into, what I thought, was a lost imagination :)

On top of the two jobs this summer I took one simple summer class: Community Immersion. It was a class that is designed to get us out in the metro area to see the diversity in Kansas City. We visited a juvenille detention center, an Orthodox Christian Church, and the Salvation Army kid's homeless shelter just to name a few. I would like to say that the Salvation Army and the detention center were 'eye opening' experiences but deep down inside I was kidding myself to believe that kids were not going through experiences such as the kids at those organizations. It did, however, solidify the fact that my empathy and patience for children far exceeds my patience for adults.

"If kids come to us from strong, healthy functioning families, it makes our job easier. If they do not come to us from strong, healthy functioning families, it makes our job more important."
-Barbara Color

Of course our summer wouldn't be complete without a few weddings and road trips home. We enjoyed heading back to West Point for a wedding of a high school/college friend of Deren's. It was a beautiful wedding and as always, fun to hang out with friends we hadn't (or even had) seen in a while :) This summer still holds many more road trips. Next weekend we're heading to West Point again for the annual Sweet Corn Festival. When I first started dating Deren I thought, 'oh dear god what I have I gotten myself into?! A SWEET CORN FESTIVAL?!' But, I must admit I enjoy the festivities of this small town Iowa tradition. We're hoping to squeeze in our one and ONLY camping trip of the summer on August 21st with some friends. This time we're planning a trip to Smithville Lake right here in the Kansas City area - basically for something new. Of course, that is if Deren books the dang thing. {Deren if you're reading this book the site homie!}

We're also heading back to Woodbury for a wedding of my brother's friend. They're getting married at the historical center in St. Paul. It should be a beautiful wedding and I always look forward to seeing my brother's friends. It might seem odd, but when I see those guys it's sort of like I'm hanging out with Eric again. We're also looking forward to my brother's memorial golf tournament on October 2 this year - another chance to hang out with all of his friends and remember the awesome life of my awesome brother. Last but not least, just to keep October fun, my college friend, Lindsay is getting married and we have some celebrating and bachelorette partying to do on October 9 before her wedding on October 30. As you can see August and October are busy busy!