I'm a MASTER!

Briefer Update

Robin said the last one sounded depressing. Whatever. Here is the chipper version:

1) I am happily enjoying my singlehood. Girl Power!
2) I am IN LOVE with first grade. I dream it, I eat it, I sleep it.
3)There may not be any jobs for teachers right now, but that means I have the world wide open to me.
4) I graduate at the top of my class at SPU with my Masters in Teaching. You can call Master Amanda now.
5) That is all for the time being, but I hope all of you have a wonderful, puppy-filled-rainbow lovin' day.

Very Brief Update

1) I am single.
2) I teach first grade.
3) There are no jobs for teachers.
4) I graduate from my masters June 14.
5) That's all.

Valley of the Sun

I decided I must live in Arizona. For me, it is not so much a matter of "if" as "when." At least that is what I tell myself. See, Dave and I went to AZ to visit his family and play around for the weekend. It was prolly the best weekend ever. There was sun, oranges I picked off the tree in the driveway, really good salad (not kidding), sun, walking to church, sun, walking home from church, sun, and swimming outside in 80degrees in a river that was a frigid 55degrees under the SUN! I also got to sit outside studying Isaiah on a porch swing in the sun. We had so much fun. His family is amazing and so wonderful to be around. I got up Saturday morning to find Dave's mom, Kathy, grinding wheat and making wheat bread. The bread was SO good! Dave and I really did not want to leave and I about burst into tears at the airport because we were coming home.

Now I am home. I slid down the driveway today on a layer of snow and almost ended up in the neighbor's yard. That would never happen in AZ.

Dates

The following is a list of dates Dave and I have enjoyed:

1) Rock Climbing, Desert Fire, and Indiana Jones
2) Beauty and Beast at the Village Theater

3) Garden D'Lights in Bellevue

4) Fudge Making

5) Sledding
6) And lots of other things...

Messing with the Ecosystem

OK, OK, OK. It has been awhile. I get it, you are all upset. But I have a very good reason. See my weekends are no longer solo. :) What, you all say? I know, weird, huh. Anyway it all started before the snow.

I have moved back to the B8 ward and enjoying my time there. Everyone is friendly and very kind. As I am sitting in Sunday School waiting for class to start, I choose a random seat knowing some random people will sit down and I might have a chance to meet some friends. Well, a handsome guy with great shoes happens to sit next to me. He didn't have his scriptures so I tried to share but he kept looking on somebody else's. Hmph! Finally, class ends and I waste no time in striking up a conversation. His name is Dave and he's a dentist. Turns out we've met before AND he has been to my house. Ouch! Yeah, see I didn't remember him. Anyhoo, we keep talking but R.S. is about to start. Suddenly the conversation grew awkward because what happens next? Nothing. Nothing happened. Seriously. I was mildly annoyed. But then I had this super strong impulse/feeling I should ask him out. Unfortunately a visiting friend came and sat down immediately leaving me no exit. What is a girl to do?

I knew that if I let this one get away I would regret it. So, I tracked down his number from a mutual friend. Naturally, I rehearsed what I would say if I left a message or if I spoke to him directly. I was so nervous I could barely breathe. I got Dave's VM and left a very cool and collected message. Now I know how guys feel asking girls out. Yikes!

Well he called me back and said he was very interested in getting together. Here is where I knew he was made of gold. Even though I asked him out, he planned the whole date and paid for everything! We went rock climbing and had so much fun. Then we went to dinner at Desert Fire and both agreed that it was one of the most disgusting meals we had ever had! However, we talked forever. He would have carried on the conversation through oblivion but he noticed I was curled up in a ball freezing to death so we moved on. We ended up watching a movie at my house which means we ended up watching a movie with the family. Plus, Robin came home that night! He got quite a dose.

Basically, we have been together ever since and I shall spare you the schmoopy details unless you email me and ask for them directly.

SO, let this be a lesson to all girls and Mike Shin. Mess with the ecosystem. If the water is getting stagnant from lame boys, ruffle some feathers and get life moving.

Shout out to Cousin Kris

Hi Kris! Hope this brightens your day. Come for dinner soon. Love your guts.