sorry.

so i started teaching in august. it has been a rollercoaster, a picnic, and a nightmare. but i love it.

i coached volleyball, which to be honest was the main reason i didn't post from the time i got the job until now. i was getting home at 8 or 9 everynight, going to bed, getting up and doing it all over again.

i have had my fall break. spent most of it in dallas...

...with nash.

got to see april too!

i had such a wonderful time. i miss nash the second i get on the plane. i knew that going to see him would just bring back memories and feelings... which i was afraid of... now that it's happened...?

i'm not so afraid.

by the way...

I GOT THE JOB!!!

6am

i woke up around 545 this morning to the sounds of my friend nicole packing. she stopped to have dinner and spend the night last night on her way from ohio to gulf shores; a friend of ours is getting married. since mom and dad got home from their trip yesterday, i decided not to go to the wedding. also because i leave for camp a week from today.

last night i was showing my parents my stairwell painting and i realized i really like it.
when i first finished it, i wasn't too crazy about it. now, i can't stop looking at it. there's something about it that draws me in. i love it. i'm finally proud of it.

on thursday i had 2 interviews scheduled, it turned in to 3.
my first interview was at 1030 in nashville @ the east literature magnet high school (the job i really want). i showed up early to the school, saw a girl walk out of the principal's office, he called me in (around 10:15), did the interview thing (not too sure how it went, could have been better). when i walked out (10:37) there was already another girl waiting. he told me he was interviewing a lot of people for the job and that he would let me know one way or the other by the 12th.

my second interview was in columbia with the head of hr for maury co. schools. just a screening to say whether i should even continue with the application process. when my interview was just ending he asked me what i was doing now, i told him going home, he told me that was incorrect. he sent me directly from there to talk to a principal in mt. pleasant @ the school for visual and performing arts (5-8). that interview (the 3rd) went very well, i think. he gave me a tour of the school, then the art room, he wants me to come back sometime this coming week and interview with his team of... i don't know what to call them. but if they like me i'm in.

such a dilemma. the principal at mt.pleasant asked if both jobs were offered to me, which would i take? and at first i really didn't know. i told him i would have to just take some time and pray and think about it. hopefully the job i want is the job i need.

my soul feels better...

i took better pictures of 'stairwell' this morning, much better. from an actual camera and not a cell phone.

stairwell

oil on canvas

18x36

this painting was extremely fun. i needed to create. i am noticing so much more a difference in myself when i am creating and when i am not. much more sane when i have time to actually do art.

click on the pictures for enlargements

thanks to 'mal' for the photo

happy scott rushton day.

i saw this on postsecret this morning and just had to share.

it's official

i'm applying to grad school.

summer

is warm.

the only update i really have is about daddy and i working on the motorcycle. got so much done in the 9 hours we were down there working today. we're getting down to little things like the battery, oil filter, gas tank, seat... "quick" stuff.

went to plaza with mom the other day- needed some paint. needed to paint. i hadn't been able to paint at all this past semester, it was awful. the most art i did was with the kids- and i needed another outlet. i was going insane, as irving stone wrote that i would. (see artist statement below)  so, i scrounged up some supplies, a canvas that had been taunting me since december, and a photo. i worked on it for about an hour last night and was in such a euphoric state that i did about half the painting. so far, i like it. i'm excited to see the completion.

also staring at a pile of other blank canvases, scenes of italy dance around my head... possibly france... germany... czech... switzerland... uk... ugh... i want to go back.

pictures of motorcycles and paintings to follow.

here's to you, matt walters.

don't know that this is the best way to spread the news, but matt walters died after a head on collision with an 18 wheeler.  

matt was a great friend, a hilarious and witty guy. 

probably would not have made it through my freshman year at HU without him. 

prayers and much love to the walters family. 

one of the coolest things in my life...

i got to hear president george w bush speak tonight. it was beyond amazing. he was warm, charming, witty and poignant. appropriately self-depricating, insightful and a joy to listen to. he was thoughtful, humorous, and graciously did not say any unkind things about current and past presidents who have said unkind things about him. 


a couple quotes from the night:
"If you can make $.50 an hour in Mexico and $5 an hour here, if you're any kind of parent, you're over the border."  on immigration


"Above the fireplace is a painting of George Washington. Who'd you expect... Rutherford B. Hayes?"  on the oval office




"The first plane was an accident, the second plane was an attack, the third plane was a declaration of war."  on 9/11


i am still in awe that i got to experience that man speak. it was such an amazing time. at the end we (the PACKED) benson sang the lord bless you, he cried. so did i.