looking forward to friday

As this week comes to a close I come to realize certain things about myself. Over the past few years I've grown more reclusive, and have found it suits me. There once was a time I would say, "Someday I'm going to go live in the mountains and be a hermit!" It seems this self-fulfilling prophecy has come to fruition! I live close to the Blue Ridge mountains, and have found that keeping pretty much to my immediate family, and a few friends holds happiness, whereas I used to surround myself with tons of people, and reveled in it. Age happens, and with it wisdom. Bitterness? Hardening against external forces? The Great Wall of Kirsten? Pain leads to learning. You get hurt and eventually you don't want to give in to the possibility of it happening again. Not to mention that having a family, a full-time job, college coursework, pets...who has time for much else? This is not to say I don't enjoy the company of the few friends I hold dear. Some are near in geography while others are only near in heart.

Something else I marvel at is my inability to hold phone conversations, at least as something enjoyable. I still have a few friends from past lives who call me, do I return the favor? Rarely. I can only hope they don't take it too incredibly personal. I just don't enjoy talking on the phone like I once did. The 'net is the best way to stay in touch with this chick!

My job threw me for a loop last week, prior to the start of school this week. There are probably about 12-15 assistants who work at the HS with me. Of them only a few hold permanent positions within the school. The rest of us, as made so evident last week, are indispensable in the positions we hold. Prior to Thursday I worked one on one with a girl who has cerebral palsy. I enjoyed working with her last year, even if sometimes it became frustrating. Even a saint would find frustration working with one person day after day! This time last week I found out I had been switched with another assistant into a classroom with special needs children ranging from severe emotional disturbance to mental retardation. Although I had no warning to the switcheroo I welcomed the change, still do, as I need more experience with a larger group of students, then I was getting before. It's taking some getting used to, especially being in one classroom all day, but I'm really enjoying it. We have twelve students, mostly boys. They're all great kids to work with. Sure there are bumps a long the way, but that's to be expected. Because my future ambitions include teaching special education this experience is invaluable. (7/31/08 Umm, nope, not doing that! Switched mid-year back to my original career ambition~nursing~start classes 8/26/08)

That brings me to the goals over the next year. Primarily this means graduating December 08 with my B.S. in Psychology. Because I have 5 courses to take, and four of them are prerequisites for one another it's going to take me four semesters to finish. Rest assured next year will be one with great satisfaction looming at it's end! (7/31/08~Down to 1, plus the one I'm finishing up August 15th!)

It will be a year of many milestones. Mine is just the cherry of the whole sundae that is the year 2008 for the Scannons of Virginia. BZ will turn 15 in March, and Big B will be retiring from the Air Force after nearly 21 years in (done~May, 08)!

I guess the best lesson learned in any life is that of gratefulness of what just is, the small things, and all that you hold dear in your heart. Inner peace and tranquility will remain themes for my life as I close out my thirties....which I still have a few years to go on that!