School.....Again!

I started school... again! It is my last year at Franciscan University. I graduated May 2012 and I can do this.

I need to often remind myself that I can do this because my classes are not easy this semester and I think I might die from the amount of typing I will be doing... Or at least I will lose my fingertips.

Sounds fun right?

I am just ready to be finished. This is my 5th, yes 5th, year at Franciscan and I just feel defeated sometimes because I didn't graduate on time. Sometimes I wonder why I am doing this at all because my goal is not to teach, but to stay at home and raise my children. I believe God calls me to that. Sure, I want to teach, but I want to teach my children first, then children that are not mine. I feel in my heart that is what I am supposed to do with my life. If I have the choice, I will homeschool my children so I am often faced with... why are you in school? Why are you so in debt for an education you won't be using for awhile? And sometimes, I don't know that answer.

I am tired of hearing people say that being a SAHM is something that won't happen. Why? In a year if Andrew stays at this job and is no longer considered an extra, he can have overtime every and he will make a lot more money. Or, if he gets a firefighting job, he will be making more money. We know how to stretch a dollar and how to live on a budget. I will do so in order to stay home with my children because I believe it is so important.
I am tired of dreading having to tell people that I want to be a SAHM because somehow, in today's society, it is looked down upon. Somehow, in the span of the last few decades, a person's worth is judged by their income and job status rather than their character and the type of person they are. It is repulsive to me. Our children are our future and there is nothing wrong with wanting to stay home and raise those children.

I, thankfully, am at a school that a lot of women attend and were homeschooled and had SAHMs. They understand my feelings and share the same desires as I. We are receiving an education because of our love for learning and because it will better us as a human being.

I can do this. I have a year left and I will do good.

Or, lets hope I will!

Spring Semester of School

Wow, I feel so overwhelmed and busy right now! I am surprised I even remembered to blog about it!

Monday the 17th I began the 2011 spring semester of school. It is kind of bitter sweet because this was the semester I was supposed to be graduating from if I had not changed my major too late and tacked on an extra year! Bummer. I look at May 2011 and kind of get sad because I should be done, but I will instead graduate May 2012.

I like school, don't get me wrong. I LOVE my history courses which is why I love my history major. I love education, which I why I love my education courses, but I HATE being away from Caelyn. She is MY child; I don't want anyone else watching her but her parents and that can't happen while I am in school.

I am taking 6 courses, 17 credit hours, I am jammed pack. But, I am just trying to stay organized, stay on top of things and just hope my daughter doesn't get upset that she is without me for so long. I keep looking at it like, I have like 3 1/2months of it then I have my daughter to myself for basically May-August. Thats great. I have to just push forward to that. It will come and come soon, I know!

Busy Lately!

Lately, I have been really busy! I shouldn't even be blogging, I SHOULD be finishing my take home final for my education class that is due tomorrow at 11pm, but I am lazy.

Yesterday, I made a super yummy chicken fajitas. I adapted a recipe from Mommy Hates Cooking to fit what I had and it turned out delicious! Robert probably had 6 or 7 fajitas, so it is definitely yummy.
I didn't use any red peppers as they were just too expensive at Krogers, so I picked up a few green peppers since they were on sale and I used them yesterday and today, so it was worth it. You can use one or two, just depends if you like them a lot or not. I also didn't use the diced tomatoes with green chiles. I had a can of fire roasted tomatoes. Those were so great with it!

Today, I took my final exam at school for the semester, now as I said, I just need to finish my take home and turn it in online. Caelyn and I had the whole day together. I made some no bake cookies, but they didn't turn out as well because I used too much cocoa on accident. They aren't as good as my mothers - yet. They will be next time!
We took the baby to go see Santa Clause and had her photo taken. It was great! Her little Christmas dress is beautiful!

We got home kind of late and I went right to work in the kitchen whipping up some cajun chicken pasta from The Pioneer Woman. I love her recipes!
Once again, no red peppers here and no red onions, just regular old onions worked great. We used rotini instead of linguini as that is what Robert brought up from the pantry downstairs. Totally fine with me!
This recipe is so delicious and you can add or take away spice. Robert filled himself up to the point that all he wanted to do was sleep!
But, we made enough for his lunch tomorrow, speaking of which I am going to go cut up some slivers of green peppers with ranch to dip in for his lunch tomorrow!

I will leave you with some photos of Caelyn from this evening! The first was from later in the evening after dinner. The rest were from when we got home from getting her pictures taken, in her beautiful dress!

Coming To An End

Thursday is my last day of classes for the semester - Yippee! But, with the ending of classes comes finals - not so Yippee!

I am getting nervous.
You see, my grades are all over the board this semester.
My education class is an A - I loved the class and it was taught wonderfully.
My economic class, well, I will be lucky to pull a D out. I, in all of my years of school, have never prayed for a D, but that is what I am doing right now. A D will allow me to pass! I just honestly am not good a math, or anything that has any kind of numbers in it. I just can't wrap my head around them. Plus, my teacher is not the best teacher. I don't like that assignments are due online all of the time. We are using an online program and the first half of the semester we were just left on our own to do the assignments before we got to class, then he taught us. Well then he changed it so he taught the lesson, we did the assignment, then the next class we reviewed. I would have preferrred them due after we reviewed. Oh well, I can't be the best at all classes, right?
My two history courses - I will probably pull a B in the European history class and hopefully a B or C in my Russian history class, depends on the grade of the paper we had to write that took me forever to write!
My anthropology class.. well.. maybe a D or C, depends on how well I do on the final and my last take home final.

I just hate school and my classes this semester were terrible. Next semester will hopefully be better. I did nothing different this semester - I take great notes, I pay attention in class (90% of the time! Sometimes I doze.. but come on, I am a tired college student plus a momma!), sometimes I really attribute my grades to the teacher. My teacher for anthropology is the #1 worse teacher I have ever had. EVER. I can't believe he still has a job. He doesn't even teach!

Ah well, I will live.
When I stress about grades, I just center myself and remind myself... While grades matter, in 10 years, this class will not mean anything. What will matter is my family.

I am trying to focus on my family.
Caelyn is sick, so this makes it even harder. Trying to study and such with a sick kiddo is tough. They need to teach one how to do that in school! Who need all of this stupid economics crap? I want a class that teaches me things that matter - like how to cook a good piece of chicken, and how to deglaze with wine! I want a class that teaches me to knit. Oh, how about one that teaches how to do laundry? I like to separate mine, do you?
Seriously - in the game that is life - the quantity of money supply in the Real GDP really doesn't mean crap.
I needed that off of my chest!

I am going to go scream in my pillow and imagine I am beating up all of the bullies that are economics.

Corporal Punishment In Schools

Until I saw a post on Diaperswappers.com, I had no idea that states still allowed this (and I am studying to become a teacher so you would think I would know, but I guess not!).

Here is a link with the list of states saying whether or not it is legal:

http://school.familyeducation.com/classroom-discipline/resource/38377.html

I really want to know your opinion on this.

My opinion? I plan on homeschooling anyway. Ohio, apparently it is legal.. but we want to move to Alaska anyway where it is illegal (go Alaska!). But i know the public schools that I attend never did corporal punishments and still don't but the fact that they are allowed to makes me sooo angry!

I don't believe in spanking a child, that is just my opinion personal opinion, so I definitely do not want some stupid teacher paddling my child! I'll take that paddle and shove it up their ass. My blood begins to boil when it comes to protecting my baby!

I don't think that it should be legal. There are non-violent way to punish a child and to work through issues.

Now that I have stated my opinion, I would LOVE to know yours!? Do you agree with me? Or disagree?

Update: Praxis 1

Well.... I'm pretty positive that I passed the reading and mathematics part of the Praxis. I will get my writing grade back in 2-3 weeks. The only reason I am not 100% positive is because every state has different score requirements and I think the requirement for Ohio is 172. I got higher than 172 on both... barely for the math! My math was 177 haha. I hope that is the requirement score. My friend said that was the score that is required to pass with!
I hope so!

Praxis 1

Well, today is the day - the day I take my Praxis 1. This test allows me to officially be a part of the education program at Fransican University, the school I attend. Man am I nervous.

If I don't pass it, I can take it again, but I SHOULD be able to pass it. This is the basic one - reading, writing, and math. The problem? I SUCK AT MATH. I haven't done math, any math, since my senior year in high school. I graduated in 2007. Folks, thats a long time to go without math and then be expected to remember all equations for all geometric figures.

Come on, give me history! I am petrified to fail this test.

Its not cheap to take this test either, so I definitely don't want to fail it. I don't want to have to admit that I fail it. Boy, I'm scared.

Plus, I can't use a calculator. Lets be real for a moment - in real life, if I have any math problem to do, I use a calculator. I can't do it in my head and I don't know many people that can multiple 249 x 154 in their head.. at least I can't. So, why can't I show you that I am fabulous with a calculator?!

In my head, all I think that this test determines my fate. Realistically, it doesn't. I can retake it or the part I don't pass. But, I just don't want to have to do that. I have two years left of college - I have already been in college for 3 ( including the semester I currently am in).

I will let you all know how I do.. I'm taking a computer based on, so I will know if I pass the reading and math part immediately. God help me.