thoughts on blogging

It's been several months since I've blogged. I've been hesitant to do it for several reasons. But after spending last weekend with my extended family, I have decided to do it again. I love having a written and photographic record of our lives - and this blog is my primary source of that. (I just don't take the time to scrapbook anymore.)

I've tried to post a few times this week, but just haven't been able to figure out how to start or what to write. The past several months have been extremely difficult for some very private reasons. It's nothing I'll talk about on here. But it has deeply affected me.

One of the things I have really tried to avoid with my blog is being fake. Because life is not all sunshine and roses (isn't that how that saying goes?). But I also don't think a blog should be a forum to whine and complain. If I am going to take the time to blog, I want it to be reflective of my reality - which is composed of good times, hard times, sometimes over-thinking/analyzing and a lot of gratitude. Because regardless of what is happening to me or around me, I have a whole lot to be grateful for.

But I don't want to share my thoughts with everyone and anyone. So I have decided to make my blog private. I will be keeping this blog address the way it is - all new posts will be at: andreatrow.blogspot.com.

going bonkers

While my parents were here in December we were able to get together several times. One night we all met at this great place called Going Bonkers. It is a giant indoor play place. There was something for everyone – from the toddlers to the 12 year old. The kids played for hours. So fun.

 

 

finished.

After 2 1/2 very challenging years, I have finally finished.
I am now a certified teacher in the state of Texas.

T minus 40 days...

...until GRADUATION!

I am exhausted and burned out.
But the end is near!

In fact, I can now fit everything I have to do before the end of the semester on one small page!

That is a great feeling.

the writer

I just had to document this moment.

Ethan looks like he is hard at work writing a research paper.

What he's actually doing is writing (well, typing) a story. It's not homework. He just loves to write stories.

As he was writing, he was trying to think of another word for whispering under your breath. And then he remembered that the word he was trying to think of was in a story they read in reading. So he got out his reading book to find the word. (The word was "muttered.")

Then he wanted another word for shy. So he went and got the thesaurus.

So this is how he is spending Sunday afternoon.

And I love it.

concert in the garden

Near the end of June we went to a concert by the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra the Botanic Gardens in Fort Worth. We had been several years before with my parents to a patriotic concert. This one, however, had a different theme. It was John Williams music – focusing on Star Wars and Harry Potter. Pretty much Ethan’s dream come true. We took a picnic and enjoyed the atmosphere while we waited for the sun to go down. Then the show began – including a laser show and fireworks.

The last time we went Ethan was pretty young and was TERRIFIED of the fireworks. I ended up having to leave with him because he was hysterical. This time, however, he was mesmerized. It was a great show. (Although next time I want to go to the patriotic one again. But then again, I’m not a Star Wars fan like the rest of my family…)

Notice all the Star Wars shirts? I even had one on. (Yes, I have my own Star Wars shirt. Ethan gave it to me for Mother’s Day.) The funny thing is that Ryan’s, Abby’s and Ethan’s all have Darth Vadar on them. Mine is Yoda saying, “Trust Me. A Jedi I am.” Pretty fitting, I’d say. It’s just too bad there’s no picture of me wearing it…

Oh. I went to camp, too…

Somehow in my review of summer, I forgot something pretty important. Whoops. Just goes to show how long the summer was – that didn’t even seem like summer!

The week right after school got out I had the opportunity to go to Girls Camp as the ward camp director. This year was Abby’s first year at camp. It was so fun getting to see her experience camp for the first time. She loved it. Although the lack of sleep definitely began to wear her down. It was also great to have a good friend (Nicole) there, too. Especially since we knew she was moving to Utah soon.

We were really roughing it. In our air-conditioned cabin. With hair straighteners.

Getting ready to head home late Friday night. She was one tired (yet totally wired) girl.

summer 2012

So today is the first day of fall. Hallelujah. This summer was brutal - and I am so thankful to be done with it and move on to fall. But there are some things about summer I want to remember:

* I want to remember the joy of spending so much time with my sisters and nieces. It was awesome. I am so thankful to have them near. Even though we haven't been able to see each other much since school started, there is just something about knowing they are within an hour of me.

One day right after school started Melissa, Katie, and I 

met at Ikea and spent the day together. So fun.

* I want to remember the great time we had with my parents visiting. It was so fun having our whole family together. We were able to have my mom stay with us for a few days and it was great. We really miss them.

* I want to remember Ethan's 9th birthday. For his birthday he wanted... you guess it!... LEGOS! Then he wanted chicken strips and a cookie monster from Cheddars.

* I want to remember how I survived (and conquered!) my hardest semester yet. I took 3 classes (which is the maximum you are allowed during the summer). And they were INTENSE. I read over 45 children's books and 2 textbooks. I took a 3 week chemistry course (which is normally 15 weeks). And it was brutal. I also completed over 25 hours of community service (as part of "service learning" assignments). Needless to say, by the end of summer I was WHOOPED. And tired. And burned out.

(a small sampling of the books I read...)

* I want to remember how responsible... and patient... and understanding... and helpful Abby and Ethan were. This summer was not a fun vacation for them. They spent a lot of time at home while I studied or went to class. But they were great. They helped pick up the slack at home and were generally happy.

* I want to remember our mini-vacation to Oklahoma. The weekend between my summer and fall semesters we drove north a few hours and just enjoyed some time away from home. We went to Turner Falls, explored outdoors, tried interesting restaurants, and played games in our hotel room.

[I'll work on getting those pictures up soon...]

6th grade graduation

 

Abby receiving her diploma

Abby with Mrs. Mann (she was one of those teachers who deeply impacted Abby)

The top picture was taken on the last day of kindergarten. (The boy with the toothless grin on the top picture left our school a couple years ago.) The bottom picture was taken on the last day of 6th grade. It’s amazing the difference 6 years makes.

And now… on to JUNIOR HIGH!