What a year it has been! It's always amazing to me to look back on a year that seems to fly by so quickly, and yet be able to see SO many things that have happened!
In the Spring of 2014 I kicked off my last semester of full-time student classes at UVU in the elementary education program. It was a great semester knowing that there was a light at the end of the tunnel and I found myself more relaxed that I had been the previous semesters. I completed my last semester of field work in an elementary school with WONDERFUL mentors who helped me so much. My field advisor came and watched me teach several times and asked me why I hadn't applied for an internship. It was definitely not in my plans...but she insisted that with my teaching background and where I was at that I should have applied. I took it with a grain of salt knowing that I couldn't go back and apply anyways and just planned on student teaching in the Fall. Well, my name ended up getting back to the person over internships at UVU and there was an intern who ended up dropping out or something and so a principal from a school in the area called me and set up an interview. I was freaking out just a little bit but I went in praying that if this was where I needed to be that it would all work out. Well the interview was fine, but I wasn't feeling very good about taking the position even if they offered it to me. The people I interviewed with were not the friendliest and I felt worried about whether or not I would fit in with this bunch. I left the interview praying they wouldn't offer it to me, knowing that they still had a few people they were interviewing. Prayers were answered and I was not offered the position. Such a relief!!! That was that! But a few weeks later I received a phone call from a woman at Canyon Crest Elementary. She left me a message telling me not to panic but she really wanted to meet with me about an internship position that had just opened up at her school. I met with her and she explained that they had two interns drop out of the position for various reasons and they were desperately in need of someone to fill it. They interviewed me and offered me the position. It felt right and I decided to take it. It was crazy how everything worked out. I really felt the Lord's hand in what had happened. I felt so happy with my choice to do student teaching in a place that I loved, but through circumstances unforeseen and with the help of Heavenly Father and people around me I was led to be a 5th grade teacher/intern at Canyon Crest Elementary. It has been such a blessing in my life! Some days are hard, but most days are wonderful and I love these kids. I know I have so much to learn to become a better teacher, but I am on the right path and the Lord is helping me as are people around me. I look back at that first prompting to go back to school and I know it was not my own thought. Heavenly Father sees things that we cannot and as we try our best every day to make good and wise choices, He will help lead us to where we need to be.
Along with those big events in the Spring, there were little moments of wonderful that happened. I took a trip to Arizona, visited the ice castles in Midway, went cross country skiing for the first time, had a night out with Dad and went curling at the Olympic Oval, went to see Peter Pan at the Hale with my Mom, went to the new aquarium in Draper, and celebrated my last day of classes with my cohort girls! I think little moments like this make life so great and the Spring was full of these little moments.
May marked the end of my job at Timpanogos High School teaching ASL. It was such a good experience and helped me learn so much. My students were ever patient as I tried to figure out how to be a good teacher. There were days that were really tough and filled with frustration with trying to figure out how to help motivate these teenagers to want to learn, but I feel so blessed that I got to work with these kids. High school is a totally different beast compared to elementary school, but I loved that I had the chance to do it and I met so many amazing people while I was there and the experience helped be become better prepared for my job now.
I also became an ordinance worker at the Provo Temple at the end of Spring Semester. It has been such a big blessing in my life! The temple has become such a big part of my life and I am so grateful for the Spirit and blessings that come when I go to the Temple as a worker and as a patron.
During the summer I worked at Sunroc in Springville. It was strange not working as an interpreter or a teacher, but I had a really good time watering and taking care of plants and meeting some new friends.
My sweet brother Michael got married in July. It's was hard to believe! I gained an amazing sister in law who I love dearly. She not only puts up with my silliness, but she joins in with me and laughs at my crazy comments. She welcomes me into their home and is always willing to meet up for a game night or a movie. I feel so lucky to have her in our family and I am so grateful that my brother found someone who he loves and who loves him so much!
This summer we also welcomed another sweet little spirit into our family. I didn't know if I could love another one of Annie and Tyler's kids as much as I love Halli (as mean as that sounds!!!!) but oh how I love this little one! She is so smiley and loving and I can't get enough of her! I never knew how much joy would come from being an aunt. I love these kids so much!
Fall brought lots of preparing for teaching! I started working at Canyon Crest in August. I took a short trip to Arizona with my best friend and loved getting away for a couple of days in the midst of all the beginning of school stress.
For Fall break my sister Maddy, Karen (my best friend), and I went to Disney World! The Food and Wine Festival was going on and was so much fun! Fish and chips from England were definitely a favorite!!!! The crowds were crazy all around which made the trip pretty difficult even though it was supposedly their "down season". We had a really good time even though we ran into a couple of hiccups along the way AND we missed our plane coming home from Denver. We ended up driving home from there. It was kind of a crazy trip but we had a good time just being together. :)
In December I helped welcome home my sweet friend and sister by heart Becca! After writing back and forth every week for 18 months she is finally home and we are all loving having her as our roommate again! Once Upon a Time marathons have begun at our house!
All of the germs from the kids finally caught up with me over the Christmas break and I was sick for full first week of the break. I missed most of the celebrations which was the biggest bummer. Several tears were shed over that. I was so sad. Luckily, I finally got better and was able to do some fun things this past week!
2014 was definitely an eventful year! Thank you to all of you who made my year a great one!!!
Love Always,
Megan
