josie + snow.

this one, she loves the cold and wet. silly dog. :)

first light.

and the winner is...

bekah!

congratulations, bekah! i'm sending you an email to see where i can send your note cards.

{to all the rest of you, i won't say that i didn't consider giving each of you one card since there actually ended up being enough to go around. but a promise is a promise. oooh, and katie, i would have included you if i'd seen your comment before i drew a name! i think i just missed you. :)}

a happy saturday to all.

giveaway reminder.

don't forget to head over to this post and comment for a chance to enjoy something special. :) i'll be picking a winner tonight at 10:00 pm. that's in 9 hours and 9 minutes, peeps. don't wait!

xoxo

begin celebration.

or, enter blog giveaway. :)

a few months ago i had 10 cards printed with some of my favorite photos. i have loved using these to write (mostly thank you) notes. in the spirit of friendship and giving (and general celebration, as previously mentioned), i wanted to share.

what is up for grabs: 5 professionally printed, 5x7", satin finish, blank greeting cards (the swirl that you see on the front of the cards is also printed in a turquoise-blue on the inside, but there is no message), as shown above. also, 5 corresponding envelopes.

to enter this giveaway, simply leave a comment on this post sharing something that you are celebrating today. please be sure to leave your email address if i do not already have it, so that i can contact the winner! comments will close the evening of saturday, 4 december, and a winner will be drawn then. best wishes to all. :)

let's recap.

1. i am alive.
2. following a quite logical progression, this means that there is life after practicum.
3. some of my college friends who are a semester or so behind me in the teaching program (and therefore have practicum coming up) may be interested in this fact. (ahem. understatement.)
4. since said friends do not read my blog, this is of absolutely no use to them.
5. let's get on to you all who do so kindly read my blog. ;)
6. i missed you.
7. seven is important. i can think of nothing worthy to say.
8. but you should know that, as someone told me yesterday, "emily is back!" then she looked at me and nodded again and smiled. "you're back."
9. i have my last two classes this afternoon/evening.
10. then only one test and one reflective paper are left to complete.
11. easy peasy. 
12. not like the hefty practicum portfolio i turned in yesterday morning.
13. i waved goodbye to the 2" thick binder after leaving it on my practicum supervisor's porch. 
14. and cried absolutely no tears.
15. do you know how to stay awake on the road at night?
16. i thought singing along to music was good.
17. but singing a capella is better.
18. especially when you are in the car by yourself.
19. i'm not sure i've ever sung quite that well before. 
20. it was fun.
21. sorry. that was random. back to the recap.
22. i can't believe i'm done! it feels anticlimactic. 
23. as in...going from dreading, to drowning, to done.
24. (no. that's just dramatic. i promise i'm not like this in person.)
25. anyway. 
26. rough transition.
27. i found myself wishing this morning that i had kept a better journal of the progression of practicum.
28. even just a recap for myself at the end of each week: this is what i did, this was the best thing, this was the worst thing, this is my goal for next week.
29. because i have very little recollection of when or how i went from observing/assisting in the classroom to full out teaching and involvement.
30. it's like it just happened. 
31. and i know that's not true.
32. but it did happen.
33. completely by God's grace.
34. i am so grateful.
35. and for student teaching, i will be sure to write those weekly notes.
36. because i want to remember.
37. this work that He is doing.
38. has done.
39. and the life that He lives, in me.
40. oh yes. i am alive. but it is not i who live.

p.s. once i get done celebrating over here by baking and sewing and crafting and...making my bed...i have a mini celebration for you all. with a present. stay tuned.