Ms Amy

I finally have summer plans! Tuesday I was offered a job in Oxford at First Baptist Church Weekday. This is the church's preschool/daycare program. I had originally applied for a job as a "helper" in one of the classrooms, however, I was offered a much better deal!

I interviewed with them about two weeks ago. I hadn't heard anything back, so I assumed they weren't going to hire me. But Tuesday afternoon the phone rang! The director informed me that they were going to hire another lead teacher for their program, and asked if I would be interested. Of course I said yes!

I have never been a lead teacher before, but I am very excited about this summer. I will be working Monday- Friday from 8-5. I was given the classroom with the older children (2nd- 5th grade). There is also an autistic child in my class. I am grateful to have that opportunity to work with a child on the spectrum. This summer is going to be a lot of work, a lot of planning, and a lot of fun. I have a great assistant/co teacher Holly and I think we will work well together!

We are meeting Sunday to completely re-do our classroom and make it "ours". Our first day with the kiddos is Wednesday. Yay for summer plans! Yay for plans in my favorite town! Yay for $$$!

love, amy

To dance is to dream with your feet...

Tonight I went to the New Albany School of Ballet's end of the year recital. This is the school where I used to take/teach ballet. It is so great going back and seeing all of the little ones that I used to teach... They have grown and turned into quite the ballerinas!

I also enjoyed seeing some of the girls that I used to dance with. There aren't many left there, but I love watching the ones that are still dancing! It brings back such wonderful memories of some of the happiest times in my life.

This is a picture with my favorite student Mollie. We still keep in touch and Ms Amy is SO proud of her! She is an extremely talented dancer, and I can't wait to see her en pointe next year!

It's funny though how I have changed over the past few years. Tonight I had no desire to be up on the stage dancing. My days of performing are over, and I am very much okay with that. However, I was completely overwhelemd by a desire to be one of the cute little moms backstage. I long for the day when I will be backstage with my own tiny daughter, fixing her bun, fluffing her tutu, helping her put on her slippers, and telling her how proud mommy and daddy are of her. I can't wait to share my love for dancing with my daughter. I hope it will be something we will bond over and she will grow to have a passion for as well.

I've always believed that I was born to be a mother. If I never work a day in my life as a speech pathologist, but I have children...my life will be complete. I know that children are MANY MANY years down the road for me, but I can't help but dream about it now. The desire within my heart is so strong, and nights like tonight so vividly bring it to surface.

And this is for my boyfriend:

I just can't seem to stay away...

Oxford. I just can't seem to stay away. Funny how I had to graduate to realize that I do infact love this place. This is the place where I have made the best, most important decisions of my life. I have learned so much about myself here. I really grew into an adult here. Oxford. Ole Miss. It's who I am and who I always will be. It'll always be "home," and I'll always be part of that family. I have two more years as a student of the University of Mississippi, and I intend to fully embrace it.

That being said, I finally got one of my die hard, maroon and white fight fight fight, Mississippi State friends to come and share my Oxford with me. We had a wonderful day on campus and downtown. Beautiful weather, great conversations, and of course good food!

Claire is leaving in a few days to spend the summer in the Philippines, and this was our farewell get together. I will miss her, but I am so excited for her! What a great adventure! I know I will be praying for her, and I ask that you all do as well!

As always, here are some pictures from the day:

Special thanks to my AMAZING friend Aaron Mize for teaching me how to sneak onto the field at any time...

Aaron, Will and I came here the summer before I started undergrad at Ole Miss, and I took a picture like this... I thought I should take another before I start graduate school!

I love my Claire!

Graduation!

Saturday was a whirlwind of emotions. I was so excited to graduate and be DONE with undergrad. It was a tough few years, and I am so glad that I never have to take another spanish, political science or really any other pointless class again. From now on, all of my classes will be directly related to speech pathology, and I am so excited about that!

I am so fortunate to be continuing my education with most of my friends. We all got accepted into the program at Ole Miss, so there were really no hard goodbyes on Saturday. It was more like "Bye! See you in three months!" It is so comforting to know that we will all tackle the next two years together. We are all scared out of our minds, but we will have eachother!

I was also overwhelmed by the love and support I was shown Saturday. I am so blessed to be part of an amazing family who showed up to support me. I could not have made it through the past four years without them, and I know I am going to need them even MORE during my grad school years. Also, Evan and his parents came to my graduation. They were so sweet to come!

After the ceremony in Oxford, we had reservations in Tupelo at Park Heights. We knew Oxford would be COVERED, so Tupelo was a great idea. This was my first time to eat at Park Heights, and I can assure you that it did not disappoint.

We also jointly celebrated my grandfather's birthday. His birthday is today! I seriously have the world's best grandfather, who means so much to me!

Here are some pictures from Saturday:

Spray tans and festivals...

Thursday I met my friend Hannah in Memphis, and we had a lot of fun! I met her at her house and we went to a salon and got spray tans. Not the cold, gross, walk-in-a-booth-and-stand-there-while-some-machine-violently-blows-orange-paint-on-you kind. The all natural, done by a trained professional, beautifully perfect kind. In five minutes I looked like I had spent a week at the beach. I am in love with these spray tans. Now only to find a place in Oxford that does them...

We also went shopping. Hannah needed a dress to wear to a wedding, and I NEEDED a graduation dress. (I've worked hard these four years, right? I think I deserve a new pretty dress.)

It was also the week of Hannah's son's 2nd birthday! I enjoyed spending time with John Mark and brought him some books as a gift. Through my speech path classes, I have learned the importance of early/often exposure to books for toddlers. It helps so much with all of their language acquisition and cognition. It really does make a difference down the road! Parents...read to your children. Every day. Every night. Read.

Here is a picture of John Mark with his books. I love the lighting of this picture. Don't you?

Today (Saturday) we went to Columbus to see the brother and watched him "work." It was the weekend of the Market Street Festival, and Will and Maddie (the weekend meteorologist for WCBI) introduced bands and did live weather forecasts from the festival. It was a great day overall!

Graduation is one WEEK from today!

Love, Amy

As we close this chapter...

This past weekend was Will's graduation from MSU! Our whole family traveled to Starkville for the ceremony, and then we all went to Columbus to see Will's super awesome new loft and the TV station. We had a great time and are all so proud of him. I loved sharing this day with my brother. We have completed so many chapters of our lives together, and I couldn't imagine being anywhere else the day he graduated college. I'm also very excited that he will get to share my day with me next weekend! There is nothing like having a best friend to share these experiences with.

Will graduated Saturday and began full time work on Monday. How lucky is he! He is the morning meteorologist for WCBI. And the best meteorologist EVER, if you ask me.

I love you, William Reed!

Wednesday was the end of a chapter for me as well. It was my last day of work at Lafayette Elementary. I have been working there for two years as a literacy tutor. I worked with a wonderful teacher, Mrs Dana Zuniga and her kindergarteners and first graders. I completely fell in love with all of them, and it was so hard to leave.

Today they surprised me with my favorite lunch from Newks and I got to eat in the cafeteria with them. They also gave me a sweet card and a Willow Tree Angel. The Willow Tree Angel is the "Love for Learning" angel and is perfect! I will treasure it forever and ALWAYS remember what a great experience I had at LES. I loved my job. Truly LOVED it. I hope to go back and visit Mrs Zuniga in the fall.

Each and everyone of the children taught me so much. I enjoyed their personalities, their unconditional love, and the challenges they all brought.

Below is a picture of me with my class from this year.

Love,

Amy