Well Hello There, Blog!

I know it's been a long time *9 months* since the last blog, and it is time for a recap of said 9 months:

We had a great time in Pittsburgh!

• The Penguins won the Stanley Cup! We were able to get tickets and witness it in person. It was a great experience, except that my camera died at the end of the game, which means no photos of the actual stanley cup.
• On our way to see the game we stopped to visit with my family, Aunt Judy and Aunt Penny. It was really great to spend some time with them.
• It was wonderful to meet Hugh's family. They are lovely, kind, welcoming people. We had a family bbq while I was there, and my nervousness dissolved immediately.
  
• We were able to do and see some neat stuff while I was there, including: going to the musical "Swing," meeting Hugh's friends for dinners, seeing a play, eating Rita's (frozen custard meets Italian ice =amazing), watching season three of "Big Love," going to the Strip Market on a Saturday morning, making Phil a Father's Day Lasagna, and spending lots of quality time together.

The great city of Pittsburgh

I arrived in Pittsburgh, PA yesterday to stay with Hugh and his parents for two weeks. Traveling is always an interesting experience, and other than 1 delayed bag and some confusion in the Denver airport, all went smoothly. I was thankful to have over two hours of reading time while on the plane! I am almost done with my book, Three Cups of Tea, about a man building schools in Pakistan.
Last night I watched the Penguins win game 6 of the Stanley Cup playoffs from the comforts of the Gallaghers lovely home. I wore my new Penguins shirt in support, and I am excited to have the opportunity to wear it again on Friday. Possibly in Detroit at game 7!
Pittsburgh is really beautiful...having lived in Tucson and Denver, the lush green hills are a novelty for my desert accustomed eyes.

Happy Birthday, Mason Joseph!

It's hard to believe that it's been one year since Tracy and Justin welcomed Mason Joseph Huff into their family. I absolutely adore my nephew and I'm glad I was able to be there for his birth day and his first birthday.

Congratulations class of 2009!

Graduation is a time to put on a cap and gown and celebrate the winding road the led us to an end. At this crossroad, we remember the journey that is ending, and we prepare to embark on the journey that is beginning. When I graduated from high school, I was preparing to move into a dorm and study to become a professional flutist. When I graduated from college I was preparing for a job as a family and consumer sciences teacher. As a teacher, each graduation is a time to be honored for your contribution to the academic development of the graduates. Tonight, as I watch students that I have had walk across the stage, I am proud of them and excited for them to begin the next stage of their lives. As I reflect on experiences I've had after my respective graduations, I hope for them to have the courage to face the unknowns of their life without fear. I sometimes feel unable to move ahead because I am overwhelmed with fear of the unknown. The truth? If I had known what was going to happen to me in the future, many times I would have been too afraid to move ahead. Having to face each day not knowing what is going to happen is a way for God to encourage us to trust and live boldly. This allows us to fully experience the joys and sorrows that are inevitable; to embrace our lives as they are and continue to grow and change. As I have watched my students grow and change, I know that I have only seen the beginning. Congratulations, class of 2009-may you face the future with warm courage and high hope.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=42E2fAWM6rA

"love is friendship on fire"

Thankful Thursday

Things I am thankful for this Thursday:

*a boyfriend who makes me soup and special salads and biscuits and then cleans up the mess after!
*Colleagues who are passionate about making a difference in kids lives.
*Waking up before my alarm ready to go.
*How inexpensive russet potatoes are.
*My sister! Who is coming to visit me tomorrow!

Which leads me to "things I will soon be thankful for:"
*my sister
*leo's mexican food
*yoga
* a massage
*anthropologie
*art museum on the first sunday of the month.