Good Day at Work!

Well I feel bad since I have only blogged about my bad day at work and haven't blogged about any good days. That gives an unfair representation. There have been a lot more good days than bad days and the one day I told you all about was completely out of the ordinary (thank goodness!) So I'll tell you about one of my good days. It was a conversation with one of my students. I'll call him Ryan. This is how it went:
Ryan: I love cooking, it's awesome. This is my favorite class
Me: Well i'm glad! You should definitely take Culinary Arts II next year.
Ryan: Do you teach that class?
Me: No, another teacher teaches that class.
Ryan: Well if you aren't the teacher, I don't want to take that class. Do you teach any other classes?
Me: Yes, I teach nutrition but there really isn't cooking in that class. It's a lot of facts, information, and some experiments.
Ryan: Well your my favorite teacher, so if you're teaching it, I'll take it.
Me: Thanks Ryan!

Teachers definitely need to hear things like that every once in while!

SCARY DAY AT WORK!

I kind of figured it would happen one day. I hoped it wouldn't of course, but it did. It could have been much much worse but it was still pretty scary. I have a student in my class who I will call Nate (not real name). He is a freshman, he is failing every class, he always smells like pot, and he always wants to be at my desk talking to me. He comes to my desk at the strangest times. I'll be in the middle of a lesson and he will walk up and stand at my desk and wait for me to be done so he can talk. He would talk about the strangest things. Yesterday before the incident, he talked to me about being tired. He said his energy must have transferred to someone else in the class. He said it was a spiritual thing. He clearly had issues but I didn't know what they were. Then it happened. He snapped while the class was waiting for their breakfast to finish cooking. I don't even know what happened to make him snap. He told two of the girls in his lab group that he had arranged for the to get "jumped" after school. When two of my best behaved, nicest boys heard him they told him to back off. Then Nate started yelling that he was going to kill the two boys. I told him he needs to leave my class and cool off. He ignored me and yelled profanities at the two boys and two girls. I told him I was going to call security if he didn't go to the office right away. I tried to lead him out by gently grabbing his arm but he didn't want to go and I couldn't make him. I called security and convinced the two good boys to step outside. Then Nate freaked out that I called security. He yelled at me saying "how could you do that? It's gonna be like this, then?" He then told the class that he's been to juvi. and he isn't scared to go back. He said he shot someone and that he'll shoot the boys in my class. Security was no where in sight. I kept talking to him saying he could have told me about the problem, i've always listened to him. He said no one will ever understand him. He yelled that he's been abandoned and betrayed by everyone in his life. His dad left when he was three. He didn't know where his mom was. He asked me if I know how that feels...No I don't. My heart broke for him because I have no doubt that all that was true. Then He picked up a butcher knife from one of the kitchens and gripped it. PANICK!! Still no security. Before I could even form words he came to his senses and put it down. He shoved one of the ovens. Still no security. Yelled more profanities at the girls. Finally security came. He told security it was messed up that I called and it was unnecessary. Wow, finally he was out of my room and away from my students and the kitchen knives. I was shaking slightly but at least I didn't wet my pants! My students all told me I handled it well. Thanks guys! They told me they wanted to jump out the window when he grabbed the knife...me too! I really feel sad that he can't be in my class anymore. He clearly needs someone who can help him work through his emotional problems. I really hope he gets the help he needs, and I really, really hope he stays away from the two boys and two girls in my class. Needless to say, I was glad when the bell rang that day! Hopefully that will be my one and only scary incidence in class!

Excuse me, where do you think you're going?

When I first started working at Manzano High School I thought it was funny that everyone there was mistaking me for a student. I mean it's been almost 7 years since I was in high school. I'm 25 years old and to think that people are confusing me for a14-18 year old girl is kinda funny. I have teachers tell me to get to class when I leave my room during prep. period. I've had the school police ask me for my student I.D because they thought I was ditching. When I went to take my turn proctoring a test, the teacher who went before me asked what I needed (he thought I was a student taking the practice SAT). When office aides come into my class with a note for a student they look around the class for the teacher until they give up and ask one of my students who the teacher is. So it was funny for awhile but I was getting tired of explaining who I was to everyone. It was getting to be embarrassing. I've been wanting to do an A-line haircut for over a year now but everytime I went I got scared and changed my mind. Then everyone started doing it and I like being a little different. But I realized that an A-line might look a little more sophisticated and make me look a little older so I decided to take the plunge. I don't miss my long hair at all, especially since I never have time to do it anymore. I have to wake up around 5:30 now and I wasn't willing to wake up any earlier to curl my hair. Anyways here is a not so good picture (I need to teach my husband to take a good pic.) of my new hair do!

Living in New Mexico

I know it's been forever since I have blogged and I probably shouldn't be blogging now. I'm at school and my students are working on an assignment. Life has been pretty crazy the past three months but so far it's been going by pretty fast. Sometimes Ethan is at school from 8 am to 10pm. I hate those nights, especially since I now cannot sleep until he is home. Lame I know but it's true. I miss having Ethan's family around and having my family visit often. Being a first year teacher is about as hard as I figured it would be but the funny thing is that the actual teaching really isn't too difficult, it's dealing with all the district and school stuff that's been frustrating. But I have had a lot more good days than bad days and I think that's a pretty big blessing. Ethan is enjoying his classes (most of them) and working hard. Our poor puppy has been a little neglected - she got used to one of us being around for her since Ethan and I used to work different hours. Anyways, I'm going to be an aunt for the first time in December which i'm excited about, I just hope I'll be able to see the baby. I also wish I had time to make her some clothes before she comes but I'll just have to wait for the summer to sew. Anyways, here are some Thomas family pictures from right before Ethan and I moved.

It's a dog fight...

This is our dog Zoe and the upstairs neighbor's dog ellie. They have basically been best friends ever since we moved in last summer. They love wrestling with each other. They would go for hours if we didn't stop them. Me and Courtney (Ellie's mom) have been talking about how sad they will both be when we move away for law school in a few months. Zoe will be friendless without Ellie and Ethan's parents' dogs who we go see every Sunday at least. Anyway here is some video of one of the many dog fights we see!

Huntington/Thomas Family Pictures

This is taken in our backyard. I think it's so pretty back there!


AWWW!! How cute is our little Zoey?!


Does black and white make our family look more sophisticated? I think so!


The whole clan in the family room with the Christmas tree as our backdrop. Love it



When we were all home for Christmas my mom had my talented cousin Jenni come and do some family pictures for us. Me and Ethan were even able to have our own family portrait taken with our dog Zoey!

A Vegas Wedding

My husband, my mother-in-law Mona, and me about to go to dinner with all of Mona's extended family.


This picture was taken right before the wedding. If you look closely, you can see the faces of Courtney and Jackie between mine and Ethan's heads! Just like them trying to be the center of attention!!


This is Me, my sister-in-law Courtney, and her friend Jackie


The bride and groom had a creative idea for their sign in book. They had all these props on a table and a boy was waiting there with a polaroid camera. The guests were told to use the props and have their picture taken. Then they gave you the picture and we glued it in the book and signed the page! Mona on the far right looks the best!


Last weekend, one of Ethan's cousins got married in Las Vegas. It wasn't how most people would imagine a Vegas wedding though. It was NOT on the strip and the officiator was NOT an Elvis impersonator (although that would have been cool). The wedding actually took place at the Charleston Lodge way up in the mountains. In fact it was snowing there when we arrived. Needless to say, it was not what most of the guests imagined Las Vegas would be like. Being from Vegas, I tried to warn my husband and his family that this place was far away from the city and we would be surrounded by mountains in the cold. The hotel was a little bit eerie. They used dead stuffed bears and dears as decorations (if you know me at all you know i HATE that type of stuff) and the place was pretty dark. They had old fashion piano music playing and it kinda looked like a setting for a horror movie. But regardless we had some good times with my husband's family. Here are some pics

Thomas Family Picture

This picture was taken over Thanksgiving weekend and yes I am just now getting it posted but what can you do right? My sister in law, Courtney is experiencing college life as a Freshman at UVU. I don't know if i'd say she's enjoying it but she has had some fun times and made some good friends (I know that because we work together at Allyse's Bridal and she has made friends with all the cute, fun girls there). Court is definately full of life and I think she's enjoyed having a sister for the first time in her life just as i've enjoyed having a second sister. My brother in law Chase is still working his way up at Wells Fargo and he is enjoying living with all his buddies in a house near the U of U. He has a new girlfriend so instead of leaving right after dinner on Sunday he has actually been staying around with Jessica and hanging out with the family. We are loving it. Mona is still enjoying her work and I enjoy teasing her about how she puts in way more hours than secondary education teachers. She doesn't get home until between 5 and 6 everyday but when I was student teaching at the junior high and high school I noticed all the teachers left half an hour after the bell rang. Kelly got a new job and is enjoying it so far. He is still the "dog whisperer" in the family. Whenever he's around all the dogs want to be around him. Hey when you've got it, you've got it right?!

Four and Counting!

Well it's been an exciting few weeks for us. Ethan has been accepted into four law schools so far and we are waiting to hear back from a couple more. So far he has been offered a spot at St. Thomas (our first choice due to the full tuition scholarship), Drake University, Gonzaga University, and Thomas Jefferson School of Law. Getting the scholarship at St. Thomas has kind of taken the excitement out of getting accepted at these other schools because we know that we can't turn down that kind of offer but it's still nice to know that several schools are intersted in my husband. Gonzaga was at the top of our list besides University of Utah and UNLV because of it's beautiful campus, decent weather, outdoor activities, and low cost of living (from what we heard) but we are getting excited about the prospect of living in Minneapolis. It's nice to know that we will have family there (at least for 1 year) while my brother Calder finishes his last year of law school and his wife Ivy works towards her degree in Engineering.

We're Moving to Minneapolis...We think!

Well it's official, Ethan got into law school! The school is St. Thomas and it is in Minneapolis. The first letter Ethan got was a rejection and he was so worried he wasn't going to get into to any of the schools he applied to. He is usually really calm and doesn't get stressed out easily but I noticed a change in his disposition after that first letter. He was definately worried so when we got accepted he was so happy. It was on a Monday and we had both just finished work. He opened the letter as I was looking for seasoning for the steak he was going to cook for dinner. He read the first line aloud and we started celebrating right after hearing the words "congratulations, you have been accepted..." We probably celebrated for a good 10-15 minutes before going back and actually reading the whole letter. Then came the shocking part...St. Thomas offered him a full tuition 3 year scholarship!!! We were literally in shock! We proabably re-read it 10 times just to make sure those words were still on the page. The boy who was worried he wouldn't get into a single law school just got a full tuition scholarship! I was so proud! We called his parents and then my parents who were all so excited for us (although I think Mona was secretly sad because she really doesn't want us to leave Utah). Last we called my brother who is also going to law school in Minneapolis at a different school. He was the one that convinced Ethan to apply to St. Thomas. Finally after all the calls Ethan said there was no way he was cooking tonight so we went out to celebrate the amazing news. What a great day!