I'm the spider

I think I really am the spider.

I'm 87% over my sickness.

This has been a crappy weekend, for the record. I need a girls' night in with spa stuff going on and chick flicks!


ha, Shannon is calling! ha

Alphabet Soup!

So I've been watching AN Evening with Kevin Smith, it's almost 4 hours long. but I like love him now!!! But it's long and I have ADD and needed something to do during it, so here's a long survey stolen from Rodney's xanga which I started reading for today.




A
- Available: yes
- Age: 22, man I feel old...
- Annoyance: internet not working on laptop
- Apples or Bananas: both, but not green apples
- Addicted to Anything: not really
- AIM Name: i don't know
- Animal: penguin and dog
- Abortion: is murder
- Alcoholic: not me

B
- Birthday: May 29th
- Book: I love all good books! Especially the Bible
- Best Friend: Sarah King and Kt Rose
- Body Part on opposite sex: this is really specific, the corner or guys' eyes with they get wrinkles there from smiling. ha.
- Breakfast: egg whites cooked in extra virgin olive oil
- Best feeling in the world: being loved and laughing at something hilarious
- Blind or Deaf: blind
- Best Weather: sunny 65 with a breeze
- Been on Stage: yes
- Board Game: love a ton! boxers or briefs, apples to apples
- Book of the Bible: Psalms or Proverbs
- Blue Ray or DVD: dvd
- Bowl: I cleaned a bowl today at work
- Believe In Jesus: heck yes I do
- Believe in Magic: Johnson...
- Believe in Santa: Maria...
- Been Out of the Country...If So Where: yes, Canada, Panama, and Ecuador and really want to add to that list.

C
- Church: First Baptist of Norfolk
- Candy is: delicious
- Color(s): purple and brown
- Cell Phone: is broken...:(
- Camera: I wish I took more pictures!
- Chocolate/Vanilla: well it depends what for. Like I love vanilla ice cream but love chocolate brownies.
- Cook: I really like to cook, but I don't have a lot of space to cook
- Car: I like my car?
- Chinese/Mexican: I like both with restrictions
- Computer: very helpful indeed
- Cake or pie: cake, I don't really like pie
- Continent to Visit: Australia, Asia, Europe, and Africa
- Cheese: I love cheese

D
- Day or Night: I'm a night owl, but I do enjoy the day life as well
- Dogs or Cats: dogs! even though I like a cat
- Dance in the rain: heck yes!! Hopefully it will rain on my wedding day so I can dance in it and take awesome pictures!
- Dirtiest Job: Group home! cleaning people...
- Dangerous: I don't really live on the dangerous side of life much

E
- Eyes: Boring Brown
- Entertainment: I Love movies, concerts, shows, plays, music, and books
- Excited for anything: yeah pretty much, I get excited about a lot
- Everyone's got: a soul

F
- First thoughts waking up: Do I have time to sleep more?
- Favorite Movie: goodness, I have too many!
- Friends: I love my friends!
- First Boyfriend/Girlfriend: gosh, how embarrassing Tyler
- Flown in a Plane: yep
- Food: is good

G
- Greatest Fear: being alone forever
- Goals: get masters, travel, fall in love, keep and nurture friendships
- Graduation Year: 2004 and 2008
- Guns: water guns
- Gum: 5
- Grateful For: everything, even problems that arise
- Get along with your parents: yeah
- Good luck charm: myself

H
- Hair Color: Brown
- Have You Ever Played the game Have You Ever: I love it! Good way to get to know people
- Height: 5'8"
- Healthy: a healthy fat person I suppose, ha
- Happy: yes
- Homosexuality: not at all
- Holiday: Thanksgiving
- How Many Siblings: 3: Jane, Michael, and Jonathan
- How Many Kids: zero!!
- How do you want to die: in my sleep

I
- Ice Cream: cookie dough
- Internet Provider: Cox
- Intercourse: Pa is a great town to visit
- Instrument: viola and piano in private

J
- Jewelry: earrings is really it, not really my thing
- Jewish: no, but I love a Jewish man! Jesus
- Jump Out of a Plane or Off a Bridge: I guess I'd try both once, if someone else was paying
- Juggler: I juggle a lot of things, yes
- Job: special ed. teacher and I love it!!!

K
- Kids: I don't have any and I'm not to found of the pain of child birth( AT ALL!!), but I have a secert wish to adopt a baby from a Polish orphanage...ha I know weird-o
- Keeping a Secret: I'm pretty good unless I tell someone, ha! jk
- Kick boxing or Karate: neither or kick boxing?
- Known anyone Famous: nope
- Keep a journal: yea, online and a real one with real thoughts

L
- Love: I love a lot of people, not in love at the moment though
- Left anyone anywhere: umm I don't think so. Probably cos I have the secret fear of being left somewhere, so I make a point to remember everyone, even all my kids at school
- Love Story: Me and Jesus
- Lost Anything Forever: My favorite dress pants! a couple friendships
- Laughed so hard you cried: ha yes! often actually especially when you work at special ed.

M
- Milk: good in cereal
- Movies: I love watching new movies!!
- Miss Anyone: yeah a lot of people
- Mangoes or Kiwi: kiwi for sure!
- Movie Rentals: netflixs, I had a short affair with redbox but I kept forgetting to return them
- Motion Sickness: nope
- Millions or Billions: thousands
- McDonald’s, Wendy's or Burger King: Wendy's

N
- Number of Places Lived: 1. Shamokin 2. Beaver Falls 3. Norfolk
- Nuggets From: McDonald's
- Number: 5 or 6
- Neat or Messy: Somewhere in the middle
- Number of Pillows: 4

O
- Organ Donor: yes
- Ocean or Pool: ohh I guess a pool for swimming an ocean for relaxing
- Online Social Groups: facebook
- Organ, Piano or Keyboard: piano
- One Wish: I don't think it will come true...

P
- Perfume: Weird but, Celin Dion
- Pictures: I love pictures!
- Perfect Pizza: bbq sauce, chicken, pineapple, and cheese
- Public Bus: been there, disliked that
- Phone Number: I have one
- Political Views: Independent, really wish the US was more than a 2 party democracy, the way a true democracy could be. I know I get really intense though with politics, but I do...
- Perfect Date: doing something really fun! ha, going on an adventure
- Pepsi/Coke: dr.pepper

Q
- Questions: I love asking and answering them
- Quail: are birds, I'm not a bird person
- Quote: I have none published...ha
- Quiznos or a Local Sub Shop: local

R
- Reasons to Cry: a lot makes me cry, what I'm passionate about!!
- Run: only to chase my running kids
- Rode in a Train: yes! fun!! :D
- Restaurant: I love restaurants, ha.
- Radio Station: I have 10 programed in
- Rowboat or Canoe: canoe
- Roll your tongue in a circle: ok done....

S
- Smoker: heck no!
- Song: I enjoy a lot of songs
- Shoe Size: 11
- Strengths: I'm a good listener and I like to think teacher to the needy kids
- Store: I love thrift stores cos of the treasures!
- Sex: no thanks, once I wear a pretty dress
- Stole Anything: not from a store from a person yes
- Shot a Gun: yeah
- Swim: I love to swim. I love water.
- Salad Dressing: ranch
- Slept outside: yes, I love camping but have no one to really ever go with
- Skinny Dipped: ha nope, just in the bathtub
- Sing well: normal singing voice
- Sing in the Shower: yes and everywhere else
- Strawberries or Blueberries: both mixed in a smoothie...yummmmmm

T
- Tattoos: no way jose
- Total of Your Most Expensive Bill: $40,000 college loans
- Time For Bed: whenever I pass out
- TV Show: Dexter , The Office, NCIS
- Took the Subway: yes
- Troop, Boy Scouts or Brownies: I was in the YWCA, Shamokin's view of girl scouts
- Time Right Now: 10:37pm
- Thunderstorms: I love them!!

U
- Unpredictable: I don't think I am
- University: Geneva College
- Under the Weather: yes I am!
- Under Pressure: at work a little

V
- Video Game: Animal Crossing and Mystery Huntsville
- Vacation Spot: anywhere with people I love and enjoy
- Verizon, AT&T, or Something Else: at&t
- Virgin: yes i am
- Verse of the Bible: Jeremiah 29:11
- Version of the Bible: NIV and the Message
- Video Camera: nope

W
- Weakness: a lot of weaknesses
- Which one of your friends acts the most like you: I have no clue...tell me.
- Worst feeling: hurting someone you love or losing them
- Who Can Cheer You Up: kt, michael
- Where's Home: I don't know...
- Wanted to be a model: ha no
- Where do we go when we die: Where you choose to go
- Worst Weather: snow storm with ice

X
- X-Ray: I've gotten them before
- X-Box, Nintendo, or PlayStation: Wii
- X's: and O's
- Xtra Things to Say: My nose is running

Y
- Your Mom's Maiden Name: Reitz
- Year Right Now: 2009
- Your Favorite High School Trip: Florida and church trips

Z
- Zip Code: 23505
- Zoo Animal: penguins!!
- Zune or Ipod: Ipod

selfish

sometimes I can be really selfish. Like today when I read how the postal service is talking about ways to be responsible and save money, which would be to deliver mail 5 days a week, not 6. And I was like oh no, I usually get my 2nd Netflix movie on Saturday. I'm selfish.

My meeting went really well today. I was shamefully embarrassed by how much my student's dad praised me for his daughter's great success this year. It made me really happy though, cos as teacher's sometimes you never hear anything from the parents, so it's nice to have one tell other people you're an awesome teacher! I don't even think they suspected I was a 1st year teacher. ha, take the LEA reps! jk.

I had a sub today who like came in the classroom crying. SO Awkward! But the last teacher she was with complained that she wasn't good enough and didn't step in enough. Man that makes me so mad. I have no clue how or why teacher's expect so much from new subs. If I was a sub and didn't know the kids I'd step back more, because with these kids if you don't know them well you could cause a big old mess. I guess overall I hate how teachers treat their teaching assistants like "their staff" or "the help." It makes me so mad, because they are just as important as me in the classroom. If it was just me there my classroom would be chaos! I know that which is why I love my aides so much and I tell them everyday and I show them that I appreciate them. It just bugs me when other teachers don't and then they wonder why their teaching assistants take off work so much and asked to moved next year, craziness I tell you. ok, that was a long tangent, but it bugs me and I see it so much! Breaks my heart a little, but I've always had a thing for the underdogs...

You know what makes my heart soar at school, besides my kids and classroom. The way the regular kids and teachers treat my kids. They really treat them like they're part of the school. My little chunky guy who waves to everyone, I love it so much when the middle school kids wave back. It just amazes me how many of the regular kids know my kid's names! This girl came up to my chunky kid at like and was like hey, how are you doing buddy, you being good? and my student can't talk but this middle school kid was carrying on a conversation with him and it made me what to cry cos it was so beautiful to see.


enough of that sloppiness. Some days I love my cat and then other times not. I love him when I hear him near the door purring when I first put my keys in my door. I also love that he'll follow me around my apartment until I pick him up and say hello. I hate the litterbox!! times ten and don't know how anyone in the world could ever get used to that mess! ha. yeah not my thing at all!! Ok, well I'm going to go call someone and then read. I got a new book, "Are you there Vodka? It's me Chelsea." It's supposed to be funny, but I'll be the judge of that. Oh, I watched My Best Friend's Girl tonight. had some funny moments and some I could do with out...

Tonight Ashley and I went to Friendly's and today while we were checking out they got a call and she put the phone down and went to get someone. I was like Ashely I'll give you one dollar if you press a bunch of buttons while that person's waiting on the line and she totally did! It was SOO funny cos this family was watching us the whole time!! That was my funny story of the night. They totally deserved it because we had horrible service. we had to ask the waitress for soda (after 20 minutes of not having it when we got there), for our sauces (which were supposed to come with the food) and for silverware! Plus she brought our appetizer out with our regular food, which took forever. My friend's chicken was hard on the outside and pink in the middle. AND it took 28 minutes to get our ice cream, all they had to do was scoop it out. BUT we got 1 free meal and 10% off of everything else, so that was good. I just won't be going back to the Friendly's every again though...


Big meeting tomorrow. still sick. I think I may need to spend another weekend at home trying to be less sick!! gosh oh gosh that rots!!

ok. For the record if I had a boyfriend I would NOT write silly things on his facebook wall (unless I was joking!!) like, "I am bursting with love for you." or "My heart was skipping beats when I thought of our love today at school." Gosh, I don't even know why it annoys me. Maybe cos I think relationships should be a little more private then that and those people do it more as a show. and I think telling someone you love love them is totally a private and serious thing! I mean I Love my friends and family BUT like a guy I would totally love in a different way. And when I was ready to say it I'd want each time I said it to be special NOT to be someone's live-feed on facebook. Gosh people are freaks! well, at least I hope it's people and not me.

Ok. One last thing. Why are there facebook groups saying how much Bush will be missed and what a great President he was? Seriously?? What do these people think? and why am I friends with any of them?? Sometimes I try to think that it doesn't really matter, but when you're that blind to how much harm someone has brought into a nation I just can't help but feel sad for you and not really want to speak to you or read annoying things you write. Just saying I try and only deleted 3 facebook friends because their annoying views...only 3, but there could be so many more....

what in the world

1. where the heck did January go??
2. Tomorrow I might just get my 1st grey hair!
3. I don't really like my cat that much today, more litter box on the floor
4. Still sick
5. Have a ton of stuff I need to finish for work before January's over!
6. I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed, I need to relax more

I want those apple bottom jeans, the boots with the fur...

In times of great stress over choices, I've learned it helps to draw from paper scraps the choice...just words of wisdom. But if this all falls and crashes I'll have to retract those words of wisdom.

My best friend Sarah came to visit this weekend! It was lovely and a fun time. I really forgot how much I missed her! Just sitting around doing nothing, I missed that! I feel like now when I hang out with people we have to be doing something, and sometimes sitting is nice.

So I've been praying for a snow day but it's already 12:30 so I don't see one approaching...

This is going to be a busy week again...

I love these "..." ha.

Ok. I suppose I could post my random 20 facts, but that would take work and great skill, I have neither.

"I want those apple bottom jeans, the boots with the fur..." I had to get that out of my system! long story.

ok, I need to take my cat to the vet, now I'm becoming a bad cat owner. we still have a love HATE relationship. Only when she makes me mad.

I have bruises on my arm, long story, guess I thought I was less clumsy then I really am...

Ok, hopefully no school tomorrow!

Would you marry a pastor? My aide had a date with one Sunday. She wanted to end the relationship before it started. I always thought heck no to that question. But I was thinking about and I was like you know what I wouldn't mind it and I was being honest, ha. I'm sure I would make the worse pastor's wife in the history of pastor's wife, but I'd do it if I had to. I mean I always liked Ruth Graham much more than Billy Graham...

Oh my darling you must be a moving target just like me...

Woozers! I just finished reading Blue Like Jazz!! Holy moly I love that book and can't wait to read it again! I suggest it to everyone out there, it's an amazing read and an amazing book about spiritually! I heart it! and could read it again tomorrow, but I will wait and let it sink in, like you have to do with all good books. So now that I've read all the books I got for Christmas I'm on to my library books, which I went there today and got 2 new ones and had a lovely conversation with the librarian. I love recommending books to people, it vainly makes me feel smarter. ha.

Not much else has been going on. This week has been a crazy week of fellowship with people, which I love of course, but has been wearying me down, slowly but surely.

Reading through Jonah, yes I know it's only 4 chapters! But they carry quite a punch, plus I started going to a new Bible study with the pastor and he's talking about Jonah. He is truly the first pastor I went to regular that I could listen to talk about God forever. There are Christian speakers and authors I could listen to, but this is the 1st time its been a pastor. I feel like I won a prize or something, yes, I know that's dorky. Back to Jonah. It's just been so eye-opening reading through it and studying it.
All my life I have seen Jonah being swallowed by the fish as a punishment, but now reading through it I see it as a beautiful calculated rescue by God. If the fish hadn't come along, Jonah surely would have died in the waves. What a wonderful thought that God commanded and appointed a darn fish to save your life, how humbling! My pastor said something else that I thought was wise. He said, "When we run away from God's purpose, we're running away from Hid presence." I guess I never really thought of it like that. Things like that spoken into my life just give me peace of mind about following God down to Virginia. Guess I had to cos God never moves, I had no choice but to follow...

Enough blog deepness for one night... Tomorrow is a half day! But I have a meeting :(. It won't be bad I just like to and plan on getting lots of work done on half days, that's all. Then after work I'm meeting some other teachers for happy hour. I'm a little nervous because this is the 1st time they've invited me and they didn't ask any of my other secep friends...which has caused a little tension. Oh well. I told them where we were going and said if you wanna come just show up! :D Ok, well I need to go pack my lunch and start a new book! :D

Yes, I did stay up until 1am to finish the book I started reading at 9pm... I know, but bad habits are hard to break. :/

My neighbors are loud, I wish I was mean enough to call the po-po on them! :D

Cos I need to not think, here's a list.
Things I love:
deep conversations
tea
games
reading, duh
adventure
My relentless lover, Jesus :)



Tomorrow is going to be a blessed day, I feel it! I'm just so excited to go back to my church.

It breaks my heart to see you alone...

Well, it's been a nice week, getting back into the swing of things. Next week is going to be crazy. Just cos I have something going on each week night, plus some major work for work, and Sarah is coming all weekend. Which I am excited to see happen.


I went to Ashley and Chris' house this weekend. A FUN FUN FUN time, as usual! Their house is so warm and lovely, I love it! Makes me excited to have my own one day. When I came back cat benatar like sat on my lip for a hour straight just purring and loving on me. She definitely thought I abanded her! Yeah, tonight has been laid back, a hour of sitting and all. Kt and I are starting a contest and I am SO pumped!!

Tonight I finished a book! I love doing that and there was a verse at the end of it, James 1:2-4 and I read it and then read the whole book of James (yes, I know it's short). I just sometimes forget how encouraging James is to read, I must admit it's been a while since I've read all of James and I encouraged soaking it up :) With that wonderful thought I'm off to a bubble bath and to start reading On a Whim! yes, I love to read and like I said busy week next week, so I know less reading...

bob and weave

Some days you just have to admit defeat, lie in bed, and cry... oh well, joy comes in the morning!

inner city pressure.

hey you're part of it!! So I thought I'd do a real new year post. Happy New Year! I have high hopes for this new year and pray our country gets itself together. I have some resolutions. like: start grad school, cook a real meal 2xs a week, save more money, stay organized with my personal paperwork, and open my apartment more to people. So there you go internet folks, my goals. Keep me accountable! So I have a kitty now! Cat Benatar, she's really nice and calm and I enjoy her! She likes to eat a lot though ha, I guess we can be fatties together! She is cute though, life time goal of teaching her how to use the bathroom! Yea, not much else to update on though. School starts up tomorrow. Well I need to go make some lunch.

traditions!

.) Where did you ring in 2008? In Florida, in a van I believe we were driving then, ha.

2.) What was your status by Valentine's Day? alive and single, ha.

3.) Were you in school (anytime this year)? Finished up college, started teaching in a school

4.) How did you earn your keep? group home and teaching

5.) Did you have to go to the hospital? No, I hate going to hospitals...

6.) Did you encounter the police? umm, nope. firefighters...ha

7.) Where did you go on vacation? I guess no where really. I went to Virginia a lot because I eventually moved there, but no real vactions.

8.) What did you purchase that was over $500? apartment? ha, just my rent and school loans... oh I bought new breaks and other junk for my car over $500 all together.

9.) Did you know anybody who got married? Erika and Nate. Hilary and Adam. Kristen.

10.) Do you know anybody who passed away? yeah

11.) Have you run into anybody you graduated high school with? Yeah, not in Virginia (besides Ashley) but when I'm home I do everywhere, a small town.

12.) Did you move anywhere? Norfolk, Virginia.

13.) What sporting events did you go to? Jonnie's soccer games.

14.) What concerts did you go to? Wow, I don't think I went to any this year, well probaly some at college, definitely. I don't think any this summer.

15.) Are you registered to vote? heck yes! Yah Obama!

16.) If so, did you do your patriotic duty on Nov. 4th? Yes I did I waited in line for like 4 hours! The joys of big city living.

17.) Where do you live now?Norfolk, VA

18.) Describe your birthday. umm, I don't remember I suppose it was fun. I think Sarah came to celebrate it with me

19.) What's the one thing you thought you would never do but did in 2008?Finish college, get a job I love, MOVE TO VIRGINIA!

20.) What is one thing you regretted this year? Not being more out going...yeah that's kinda it. Maybe savoring college life more.

21.) What's something you learned about yourself? I'm capable of taking care of myself, I learned a lot this year...not all I'd like to share.

22.) Any new additions to your family? Cat Benatar, I just got the cat, but I guess I got it in 2009, not 2008.

23.) What was your best month? December was amazing, but May held new experiences, options, and adventures!

24.) What from pop culture will you remember 2008 by? To much!

25.) How would you rate this year with a scale from 1 (shitty) to 10 (excellent)? 9.8

Happy New Year!

Well I had a nice New Year! At the moment I have 3 solid resolutions and I've already accomplished one, ha. Well my dear friend Kt helped with that one. Yeah, this break has felt like 2 months long in a good way though. Which means I've done SO much each day I can't believe it's only been 2 weeks! So nuts. The rest of my plans this week includes picking up my new best friend, lunch with Abbie, dinner at the social club, and trying to cram all the stuff I have in my car... I am really nervous about that last part!! REAL nervous, I'm a good packer, but not THAT good. Well now I have to head back to Elma's house to pick up some stuff. Plus get a shower and take a nap! So happy 2009, I think it's gonna be an awesome year. I feel like I'm at a really wonderful place right now in my life. Just so many blessings shower over me each day! I'm really happy and proud of the choices I made in 2008 and I hope 2009 is just as wonderful. So I think I may take a cue from the wonderful Donald Miller and map out some things. Ok I'm off to some things. Much love.