Wow, it's been awhile.
A lot has happened in the past 2 months, the biggest thing being that we are now officially homeowners! Back in July, Robbie's cousin Jennifer was talking to Dave about how they were going to put their house on the market because they're building a new one. Dave told her we were looking for a house to buy, so we set up a time to go take a look and talk. Everything was perfect...the house was (& is) really nice, recently re-modeled, and right in our price range! And it was so nice and pain-free working with Jennifer & Don on all the things you have to do when buying/selling real estate. Robbie has also been great; we didn't use a real estate agent, so he did everything that one would normally do...setting up the loan and its terms with the bank, filling out and submitting contracts, picking a title company and closing escrow, and making about a million phone calls to get everything done in time for us to get the $8000 tax credit as first-time home buyers!
We won't move in for another month or so (Jennifer & Don's new house won't be finished until then, so they're paying our first house payment for us!), but we're busy packing up our stuff and getting everything ready. We're also enjoying shopping for furniture and home decor...we've found some great things! One thing I just bought today is this, which we're going to have spell out our last name.
In other news, Robbie & I are still busy with work/school. Things have finally settled down for me so I don't feel like I'm drowning; I feel like I've finally gotten my head above water! Robbie has his big QE (qualifying exam) coming up in December, so he'll be preparing for that in the upcoming weeks. He's nervous, but I know he'll do great!
Happy Halloween!! I promise we'll update more frequently...
10.31.2009
8.29.2009
back to work
Well, I've been back at work now for 2 weeks. On one hand, it's easy because this is my 3rd year teaching 7th & 8th grade, so I don't have to think too much about what I'm doing anymore. On the other hand, I also have to teach 6th grade this year, and even though one might not think that it would be that hard to learn curriculum & plan lessons for just one additional class, it definitely is. I am just exhausted at the end of the day, and I'm not the only one - all of our upper grade teachers are feeling the same. The past 2 weeks have felt like 2 months. I can only hope that it gets easier as the year progresses.
On a lighter note, Robbie & I had a busy summer vacation. It was hard to be here at my house without Sam, so we took lots of trips on the weekends when Robbie didn't have to work in Davis. After our trip to Jamaica in June, we went to Tahoe, Monterey, Napa (for our first anniversary), & Palo Alto for Megan & Brian's wedding. We also went back to Tahoe last weekend for the Shakespeare Festival at Sand Harbor Park, & it was so great.
On a lighter note, Robbie & I had a busy summer vacation. It was hard to be here at my house without Sam, so we took lots of trips on the weekends when Robbie didn't have to work in Davis. After our trip to Jamaica in June, we went to Tahoe, Monterey, Napa (for our first anniversary), & Palo Alto for Megan & Brian's wedding. We also went back to Tahoe last weekend for the Shakespeare Festival at Sand Harbor Park, & it was so great.
7.01.2009
grief
For those of you who don't know, my dog Sam passed away June 22nd around 2:30am. He had been feeling fine on Sunday morning, but started acting funny in the afternoon. We all thought it was something he ate, and after awhile, he seemed to be feeling better. I went into my parents' room around midnight to check on him & say goodnight, and just a few hours later, was awoken by my mom to let me know he was gone. To say I was shocked is an extreme understatement. To say I was, and am still heartbroken is an even bigger one.
We weren't sure what had happened, but after talking to the vet (on Monday morning when we took him out to be cremated, and then again this afternoon) we know that he most likely suffered a heart attack sometime on Sunday, which led to heart and kidney failure. The vet assured us that even if we had taken Sam to a vet, they wouldn't have been able to do anything other than putting him to sleep. The only comfort we can take is that it was fast, painless, and peaceful (he was asleep on my parents' bed), so he didn't suffer.
If you've never had, loved, and lost a pet then it can be hard to understand why I'm so devastated. Yet even though I've had to go through this grieving process many times before, it's different this time. Sam was an amazingly special dog, one I'd raised, trained, taken care of, and loved since I was 12 years old. He had a great personality, was extremely friendly and loving, and was very smart. And even though he was 12 1/2, we all expected to have at least a few more years with him. It's still hard for me to believe he's gone - that I'll never be greeted by his smiling face and wagging tail when I get home from work, that I won't be able to go swimming with him this summer and have to chase him around the backyard to dry him off, that I'll never hear his happy bark when asked if he wants popcorn (his favorite treat), that I'll never have the silent comfort of him sitting by me on the couch with his big head in my lap. I've spent the past few days going back and forth between states of disbelief, numbness, and extreme sadness. I know that it will get better in time, but I also know that I will never stop missing or loving the best dog in the world, my Sam.
We weren't sure what had happened, but after talking to the vet (on Monday morning when we took him out to be cremated, and then again this afternoon) we know that he most likely suffered a heart attack sometime on Sunday, which led to heart and kidney failure. The vet assured us that even if we had taken Sam to a vet, they wouldn't have been able to do anything other than putting him to sleep. The only comfort we can take is that it was fast, painless, and peaceful (he was asleep on my parents' bed), so he didn't suffer.
If you've never had, loved, and lost a pet then it can be hard to understand why I'm so devastated. Yet even though I've had to go through this grieving process many times before, it's different this time. Sam was an amazingly special dog, one I'd raised, trained, taken care of, and loved since I was 12 years old. He had a great personality, was extremely friendly and loving, and was very smart. And even though he was 12 1/2, we all expected to have at least a few more years with him. It's still hard for me to believe he's gone - that I'll never be greeted by his smiling face and wagging tail when I get home from work, that I won't be able to go swimming with him this summer and have to chase him around the backyard to dry him off, that I'll never hear his happy bark when asked if he wants popcorn (his favorite treat), that I'll never have the silent comfort of him sitting by me on the couch with his big head in my lap. I've spent the past few days going back and forth between states of disbelief, numbness, and extreme sadness. I know that it will get better in time, but I also know that I will never stop missing or loving the best dog in the world, my Sam.
5.17.2009
almost there
It's been too long since an update, but things have been hectic!
I have 3 weeks of school left...3 weeks which feel like 3 months, as far as I'm concerned. My 8th graders are driving me nuts because they're pretty much checked out from school and don't think that they have to follow school rules or do their homework or you know, pay attention in class.
Robbie is finished with school the week after I am, and I know he's looking forward for this quarter to be over since for the rest of his time in the PhD program, he won't have to take classes! Then a few days after he finishes up, we leave for Jamaica! We were going to Mexico, but then the whole swine flu outbreak happened, so we changed our plans...
Our 25th birthdays are within 3 weeks of each other, so instead of buying each other a bunch of little presents, we bought ourselves a Canon Digital Rebel Xsi. It's very fancy, and we're still learning how to use it! But it does take awesome pictures.
Well sorry for the disjointedness (it's a word, right?) of this post - I promise to update more regularly after school is OVER. We can't wait for summer.
I have 3 weeks of school left...3 weeks which feel like 3 months, as far as I'm concerned. My 8th graders are driving me nuts because they're pretty much checked out from school and don't think that they have to follow school rules or do their homework or you know, pay attention in class.
Robbie is finished with school the week after I am, and I know he's looking forward for this quarter to be over since for the rest of his time in the PhD program, he won't have to take classes! Then a few days after he finishes up, we leave for Jamaica! We were going to Mexico, but then the whole swine flu outbreak happened, so we changed our plans...
Our 25th birthdays are within 3 weeks of each other, so instead of buying each other a bunch of little presents, we bought ourselves a Canon Digital Rebel Xsi. It's very fancy, and we're still learning how to use it! But it does take awesome pictures.
Well sorry for the disjointedness (it's a word, right?) of this post - I promise to update more regularly after school is OVER. We can't wait for summer.
3.29.2009
freedom
Well, I filed my Master's last weekend! I am officially done with school - what a great feeling! I celebrated (a little too much) with Mexican food, champagne and a movie with Robbie & Lauren, and was feeling good until I started to get dizzy, which made me nauseous, which made me throw up. Guess I won't be drinking 3 bottles of champagne within a 2-hour period again anytime soon.
Robbie finished up his winter quarter finals last week, so we have been enjoying some free time, as well as house-hunting. Now that we know I have a job next year, we can finally devote some serious attention to buying a house. We'd be crazy not to in this market!
Only one more week until my spring break - I'm really looking forward to it!
Robbie finished up his winter quarter finals last week, so we have been enjoying some free time, as well as house-hunting. Now that we know I have a job next year, we can finally devote some serious attention to buying a house. We'd be crazy not to in this market!
Only one more week until my spring break - I'm really looking forward to it!
3.13.2009
pink friday
Good news - no pink slip for Jessica! Looks like I'll be employed for another year, at least.
On a more serious note, teachers across California were asked to wear pink today to support teachers who are being laid off and to protest the cuts made to education by the state budget. Almost all of the teachers at my school (except a few of the guys) wore pink today, and so did a lot of the students! Without being asked! It was really heartwarming - I was talking to a few of my 8th graders yesterday, and they said that they wanted to show their support, because they didn't think it was fair that schools were losing money and teachers. I just wish that people in charge would pay more attention to things like that.
On a more serious note, teachers across California were asked to wear pink today to support teachers who are being laid off and to protest the cuts made to education by the state budget. Almost all of the teachers at my school (except a few of the guys) wore pink today, and so did a lot of the students! Without being asked! It was really heartwarming - I was talking to a few of my 8th graders yesterday, and they said that they wanted to show their support, because they didn't think it was fair that schools were losing money and teachers. I just wish that people in charge would pay more attention to things like that.
3.02.2009
home stretch
In 3 weeks, I'll have my Master's. I can't believe I'm almost done!!
On Saturday, I presented my research to my MA Committee at the UCD Symposium. I was really nervous on Friday (so nervous I made myself sick, actually) but surprisingly calm on Saturday morning. I was the last to present, but did a pretty good job. I covered all the things I wanted to cover, and had NO questions or recommendations from Pauline & Steve, which was a relief, to say the least. In fact, Steve told me that he knew the people who wrote one of my sources, and that he was going to mention my research to them the next time he saw them because my intervention was so rich & thorough. I was just like....seriously?!? So now I just have to fix any last minute revisions, print out a few copies, check margins & formatting (bleh), and then file on the 21st. Then I'm (somewhat) free!
In other news, Robbie & I picked up our wedding video yesterday from Jensen Wedding Films. It is - in a word - amazing. He did such a good job on the whole video, plus the "retrospective" (a 4 minute music video type thing). I can't stop watching it! I even love Robbie's & my awkward, embarrassing dancing, & I'm sure someday our kids will love to watch it & make fun of us! That's what parents are for, right - to be mocked?
On Saturday, I presented my research to my MA Committee at the UCD Symposium. I was really nervous on Friday (so nervous I made myself sick, actually) but surprisingly calm on Saturday morning. I was the last to present, but did a pretty good job. I covered all the things I wanted to cover, and had NO questions or recommendations from Pauline & Steve, which was a relief, to say the least. In fact, Steve told me that he knew the people who wrote one of my sources, and that he was going to mention my research to them the next time he saw them because my intervention was so rich & thorough. I was just like....seriously?!? So now I just have to fix any last minute revisions, print out a few copies, check margins & formatting (bleh), and then file on the 21st. Then I'm (somewhat) free!
In other news, Robbie & I picked up our wedding video yesterday from Jensen Wedding Films. It is - in a word - amazing. He did such a good job on the whole video, plus the "retrospective" (a 4 minute music video type thing). I can't stop watching it! I even love Robbie's & my awkward, embarrassing dancing, & I'm sure someday our kids will love to watch it & make fun of us! That's what parents are for, right - to be mocked?
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