Update!

Life is pretty much awesome.

Family

I love being able to spend so much time with my whole family.  We are such a great team!!  It is a wonderful feeling and amazing blessing to know I can count on my mom, dad and brother for anything – anything!  We all support each other, challenge each other, and love to be together.  The fact that Bobby is growing up with four strong adults who love him more than anything is such a comfort for me.  When I think about where I would be if I did not have them, it makes my heart just overflow with gratitude to the Lord for blessing me in such a way.  They are my best friends.

And Bobby… well… my son is such a wonder to me.  Sometimes I am blown away that I have a son – that I am a mom!!  Not only that, but my son is AWESOME!  He is so stinkin’ smart, beautiful, funny, loving, and just a joy to have in my life.  I love him beyond what I thought I could ever love another person, and it just grows every day.  While I am ready and excited for the next phase in my life – marriage and more children – I am really, really grateful for this time to have him (mostly) all to myself.  Mommy and Bobby will always be best friends. <3

Vacation

The weather has been pretty lame lately here in Okinawa.  Lots of clouds and rain – boo!  Mom and I got spoiled the first few weeks we were here with daily trips to the beach.  Still, when we can we go for bike rides through the farm area and walks to the little shopping/restaurant complex down the road.  We have plans to explore some really cool places on the island… I cannot wait for pictures. :) 

School

I am in the final course of my Master’s program and could not be more excited.  For my final project I am designing a curriculum for non-traditional adult learners who have been away from academics for several years.  The course is online-based and will cover the following topics: an introduction to the virtual campus, learning styles and goal setting, effective electronic organization, foundations of APA style, college level writing skills, reading for a purpose, effective note taking, time management, test taking strategies, and collaborative learning.  It is so exciting to have an opportunity to demonstrate practical application of what I have learned in this program, and to showcase some of my ideas for online facilitators. 

Home

Since we have been here in Okinawa I have really enjoyed trying new things in the kitchen.  Whipping up some homemade goodness is really fun and rewarding.  It makes me even more excited to get back to Texas and play in our real-sized kitchen with all the culinary tools my mom has collected through the years.  Now I actually know what some of them are used for! Haha!  My most recent adventure was making my own Onigiri!  It was so easy and SO much fun!  I had to go get Tripp to join me because it was too much fun to have alone.  We equally enjoyed eating our creations. :)

Career

Now that I am near the end of my M.Ed, I am excited to be sending out job applications!  I am going for college faculty positions (especially online), and editing/proofreading jobs that are either freelance or with companies.  I’ve been working on making my resume great, drafting the best cover letters, and considering what I will include in my Teacher Philosophy statement.  I am also preparing to homeschool Bobby.  Of course, we already incorporate learning activities into his daily life, which is fun and exciting.  I am researching in an effort to wrap my mind around all the available resources and determine what might be the best direction for us.  I half-joke with my family that I will need to outsource for Math. Haha!   

All of this just so exciting!  Oh – there is one more thing…

As today is Veterans Day, I think this is a great time to say that I am planning to join the Air Force Reserve.  Even though I was raised in an Air Force family, I have recently found myself to be increasingly more appreciative of the work Military members do.  As I think about their impact and sacrifices, I feel it would be a wonderful way to honor them, our country, the military tradition in my family, and become part of something bigger than myself.  You never would have heard this from me even a year ago, but I want to be a part of the United States military. And you know what makes it even more exciting?  My brother is planning to join as well!!  We have been doing some research on the side and talking to our parents about our options, and we have a dream of going to Officer Training School together.  When I get back to Texas I am going to meet with a recruiter to figure everything out and see what steps I must take to make it happen.  It may not be within the next year, it might be in a couple months, I am not sure yet, and neither is Tripp.  We do know that we want to serve.  If it be God’s will, than it will happen.

So yeah, life rocks.  Glory be to God!