Fall Semester update thus far...

Ok, so I promised an update...

I'm taking 11 credit hours this semester, and I'm not gonna lie, it's got me a little stressed! :)

Part of the stress is coming from the fact that I have to do a lot of hours volunteering in an elementary school, and I work full time, which means I have to take time away from work to go to schools. I HAVE to have my car paid off in full by the end of next summer, because I'm going to have to quit work, and do school/student teaching full time. That is if I get into the program, which starts me on a-whole-nother topic...

I had to pay $130 to take this test that I have to pass in order to even apply for the teaching program. I was tested in reading, writing, and math. It was a computer based test, so I already know that I passed the reading and math portions, but I'm still waiting to hear about the writing portion, because I had to write an essay, and that had to be sent off and graded. Writing has ALWAYS been a struggle for me, so I'm nervous! This test is one of the last things that I need in order to send in my application to the teaching program, so I REALLY hope I pass...if not though, I'll try again next month. I still can't believe I had to pay so much! That school is sucking me dry! (Another reason I need money!) During the test though, I couldn't have my purse or my cell phone or anything but me in the room. I even had to turn my pockets inside out, so that they could see I had nothing in them...it was like some form of prison, seriously! :)

I've just worked really hard these last couple of years, and although I enjoy the people I work with, I really hate my job, and I really can't wait until I can do something that I'm going to enjoy more. Don't get me wrong, I know that as a teacher I'll have rough days, I worked for a year as an aide in a 3rd grade classroom, so I've experienced it first hand...the thing is though, that the good days overshadow the bad ones. I still remember the kids that I worked with...I still wonder how they are and what they're up to now. I love working with kids, and I really believe that I can make a difference as a teacher. I really believe this is something I'm good at, and will get better at over time.

Now on to the social aspect of my life...drum roll please...I joined an LDS sorority! One of my friends at work has been telling me to join one for the past two years now, but I just never got around to it. So far I've really enjoyed myself, and I'm really excited to get to know the girls. It's exactly what I need to meet new people, and it helps me to step away from school and work and actually do something social. I'm pretty excited about it!

I spent A LOT of time with my family last weekend, which for those of you who know me well, is one of my all time FAVORITE things to do!!!

Absolutely crazy...my oldest niece got baptized on Saturday!! My oldest brother baptized her, which gives my and that beautiful 8 year old another special bond...my oldest brother also baptized me! Did you know that? It's not because my dad couldn't, but when I turned 8, Trav was a Priest, and therefore was able to baptize, so my dad let Trav baptize me. He also baptized Jami. Anyway, for any of you who know my older brother well, you can imagine how TERRIFIED I was! LOL! He threatened to hold me under, as I'm sure any good 16 year old brother would do to his 8 year old sister. I remember finally though, my dad pulled me aside and explained to me that he was going to be one of the witnesses who made sure I went all the way under, then he said, "Do you think I'm going to stand there, and let Travis hold you under?" Anyway, as I watched my nieces baptism, I totally cried! She's so beautiful, and strong, and smart, and sweet, and it just makes me SO happy to see her on the right path to continuing to follow in our Father's footsteps, and the path that will lead us to be an eternal family!

Because of this as well, I got to spend the weekend with my very pregnant older sister, who came down from Oregon for the baptism. It was a lot of fun to see her big belly! Travis and Ryan of course, wouldn't let her forget how big her belly is...they were watching a football game (surprise surprise) and Crystal came and sat down on a chair next to Ryan, and he leaned forward because he "couldn't see past Crystal's big belly!" Travis asked her if she would have been mad if he called her a "fatty fatty two by four"... Aw man, you gotta love having brothers! :)
I'm excited to get this semester underway, because I know the busier I get, the faster the semester will fly by, and before you know it...Christmas break...Spring Semester...Summer Vacation of NO SCHOOL FOR KELLI...Quit work...Student teaching...graduation in Spring 2011!!!!!!!

Well, I still have to pass the writing portion of the test, and the waiting is KILLING me! Wish me luck!

CELEBRATION!!!!

I finally finished with my first, and hopefully last summer semester! For those of you who may not know, you have less time in the summer semester, so they condense the work more so than they would during fall or spring. Man it was pretty intense! The summer has flown by, and now I get a two week break from school, then the fall semester starts up. I'm taking eleven credit hours, it was only supposed to be nine, but two of my classes have one credit hour practicums where I have to go into schools so many hours over the whole semester.
I was talking to my dad the other day, because I'm putting together my application for the teaching program at the U (you have to apply for the final two semesters, which include student teaching and all of that) and I realized that I only have FOUR SEMESTERS LEFT OF SCHOOL TOTAL!!!!!!! To get my Bachelor's degree anyway, who knows where I'll go from there, but four semesters? I got SO excited! There is an end in sight! I can't believe it! I am slightly worried though, because I won't be able to work during my last two semesters, so I'm not 100% sure how I'm going to live...I have to get my car paid off by then, save money to have during the time I'm not working, and I won't have health insurance. My mom asked me the other day how I was going to pay for my car insurance during the time I'm not working...I don't know mom, I haven't thought that far ahead! :(
I'm not going to let that dampen my spirits though!!! I'm so close, and all my hard work is finally starting to pay off! I'll just have to find a rich boy and marry him for his money before fall of next year! :) Ha ha!

This last weekend was the Young Single Adult Summit. It's a big thing where they get all the YSA's in the valley together up at the U of U institute building for a weekend of activities. They've done it the last couple of years, and I've gone to every one, and they are so much fun! Friday there is a Barbecue and entertainment, Saturday they have a keynote speaker in the morning, and then you go to four one hour classes of your choice, with lunch in between. They have a lot of classes to choose from, and you get to pick the ones that appeal to you most. Then Saturday night they have a carnival/dance, and Sunday they have a fireside where they usually get somebody big/famous to speak. The first year it was Sheri Dew, the next year was John Groberg, and last year was Steve Young.

This year all of the classes really seemed to hit home. They all helped teach me, and help me in some aspect. I REALLY enjoyed them! I think that overall this was my favorite year!
The speaker at the fireside this year was Jane Clayson Johnson she was a reporter for KSL, and went on to work for 48 hours, Good Morning America and such. She was completely wonderful, and I just wanted to share a few things she said that stood out to me...

She said that sometimes the path that we have mapped out for ourselves isn't always the one the Lord has planned for us, or may not be the safest way back to Him. We need to trust in the Lord, because it is a test of our faith. I'd never really thought of it that way before, I know that we need to trust in Him, even when it's difficult, but I never thought, "Oh, this is testing my faith." but it TOTALLY makes sense!
She talked about how we need to use our lives to fulfill God's purposes, we may not understand, but don't question it, allow him to guide and direct you. We cannot escape the influence that our lives have on others, so we need to be living in a way to influence them for good. She reminded us that we will experience sad and difficult times no matter how righteously we may be living, and that the gospel isn't insurance against hard times, it's a resource during them. I love that!
She told us to Come unto Christ, and how that really is such a simple request.

Alright, I'll stop with my novel, I just wanted to share some of the things she shared, because it was so wonderful!
I have some more summer pictures I want to put on here, but I seem to have misplaced the wire that connects my camera to my computer, so as soon as I can find it, I'll put up some more pictures! :)

My Room!

So, I recently moved back home, and as you can tell from the before pictures, my room had been through a beating! This room was painted for my brothers years ago, then Jami and I shared it for a while, then it was my room during my senior year of high school, which was 2004, so that tells you how long it has been. One of my best friends told me to live up being single, and as part of that, to paint my room any color I wanted. She told me that once you get married it isn't as easy anymore, because you have to take a husband into account at that point, so I decided to listen to her words of wisdom. For those of you who know me well, you know that green is my all time favorite color! Pink is a very close second. Based on those facts, I decided they were the colors I was going to paint my room. I asked my dad if I could paint it, and he said, "Yes." Then my mom said to him, "You know she wants to paint it hot pink and lime green, right?" My dad's response to her was, "I'm not the one who has to live in it!" :)

BEFORE:

DURING:

AFTER:

Don't forget Davey Baby! :)
My nephew was helping me paint my room, and he was using a mini roller, when he accidentally dropped it, and let me tell you that kid has a great imagination! He lookes at the paint splatter on the carpet (that is pictured above) and he said, "Kelli, it looks like a mad face!" I love the mad face on my carpet, and couldn't bring myself to cover it up with any furniture. :)

An update is here!!!

Wowsers time flies by so fast!!! It doesn't help when you work full time and go to school during the summer. Yep, that's what I'm doing this summer! Joy! I have, including this semester, 9 classes left before I can start the last two semesters of student teaching, and then graduation! If all goes well, then I will start that last school year in Fall of 2010, and graduate in Spring 2011. I jammed my summer with three classes (10 credit hours) because I want a free summer next year, to do whatever I want before I start my final year.
One of the classes that I took was about a week and a half ago, and the entire class was given in one week. I was in class from 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. for an entire week. I took the week off of work, and just focused on school. It was EXHAUSTING, but 3 credits worth of a class is now behind me! The teacher was amazing, and the people in my class were awesome, so it was worth it for me! I can't guarantee that everyone's teacher would be that good though! :)

So now I have a Special Education class two nights a week, and my Math class, also two nights a week, with about 6 weeks of school left for the summer...then a two week break...then Fall semester begins. School is now my middle name!

I have a few pictures I want to post. The first set are from Memorial Day weekend. This is a BIG holiday at the Searle home, and has been since the day I was born, and is one of my favorites! On Saturday, my parents, siblings, and Grandma Lever drive up to Kaysville to the cemetery where my Grandpa Lever is buried. Sunday we go to the cemetery where my dad's older sister, (who died at a young age) my Grandpa Searle, and now Grandma Searle, along with other relatives are buried. On Memorial Day, my family takes a long trip down to Delta, Utah. My Grandma and Grandpa Searle are both from Delta, so they each have family that is buried down there. Another of my dad's sisters is buried there, Great Granparents, Great Great Grandparents etc. Before my Grandpa Searle died we used to get a lot of my extended family to go, but as the years went on the numbers dwindled, until it was just my immediate family that would go. I honesly don't think I've ever spent Memorial Day in any place other than Delta. My dad is great at keeping up with this tradition, and Jami and I don't let him forget about it either. I love going! So here are some pictures from our Memorial Day weekend:

These are from Grandpa Lever's cemetery.

Cheeseballs...both of them!

Yes I am holding two four year olds. Why? Because if one gets something, then the other has to get it as well, so of course, Aunt Kelli complies, even though it is extremely difficult to hold them both!!

Now we're on to Delta. This is Jami and I in my cute car.

Notice my dad's patriotic shirt!

The next pictures are from a night that Cara, Jenny, and I were a little bored. Have you ever been bored with a camera? Well we went picture crazy!!! It was hard, because is was really dark when we were taking the pictures, so we'd take a picture, look at it, and then see that at least one of us had our eyes closed, so we'd have to take it again. This process repeated itself multiple times. Then Cara wisely asked, "What did we do before the world of digital camera's?" to which I replied, "Had bad pictures!" :) Anyway so here are a couple of our goofy shots:


This is Kelliangelo and Jenatello.

Jenny and I again. We jumped off the porch.

I really like this picture of Cara and Jenny modeling for Vogue!

Update coming soon!!

I promise to have an update within the week! I'll really try! :)