kristin’s blog

I haven’t updated my blog in the last couple of weeks for a couple of reasons. I’ve been crazy busy with both my mother’s (April 26th) and father’s (May 4th) birthdays, a couple of evening ceremonies related to North High School, my graduation from Creighton (May 10th), and Mother’s Day (today). The next two weeks are probably going to be just as busy as the school year (North High) comes to an end and hopefully all 50 seniors that I have in my charge will walk across that stage on May 23rd. I still have about 5 students who are borderline. Since I haven’t had an internet connection to the computer that has my photos on it, I wasn’t too motivated to post anything. Well, thanks to my brilliant and loving husband, the computer is back online! Yay! Here are a few images from the last couple of weeks that stand out for me…

Madeleine has really enjoyed playing out in the yard. She likes to take the landscaping rocks from the side of the house and throw them into the bushes. I’m not sure why. My guess is that she thinks that’s where they go!

The grass is so green! I love this photo of the house with all of the flowering trees around it.

Cinco de Mayo was a lot of fun. Food, music, dancing, rides, food!!! The pupusos revueltos were awesome!

Madeleine, the graduate. We’re so proud!

This is Christy and I at our graduation reception at Creighton. The two buildings behind us are where our professors’ offices were and where most of our classes were held. The reception was option. There was an open bar (free beer and wine), appetizers, cheeses and fruit, brisket or turkey sandwiches, and a dessert table. Now I know where all of my tuition money has gone all of these years!!! But seriously, it was really nice.

Creighton’s graduation was held at the Qwest Center. I’m one of the yellow blogs towards the lower right. During the ceremony I kept trying to scan the crowd to find my family. Finally, after noticing that most of the graduates were mostly talking or texting someone, I decided to check my phone. Adam had texted me telling me where they were sitting. My parents, my parents-in-law David and Claudia, my sister Stacey, my sister-in-law Becca, my niece Becca, my nephew Zachary, Adam, and Madeleine were all in the crowd cheering when I walked across the stage! My friend, Christy, was sitting right in front of me. It was nice to be able to chat a bit and wave a few times up at my family to break up the over 2 hour ceremony!!!

Here I am, the happy graduate. I now have a Master’s of Science in Counseling. Yay!

The gown was pretty interesting. There were wingy things hanging from the sleeves. I think the hood was pretty cool!

After uploading all of these photos, I realize that I didn’t take any photos on my parents’ birthdays or on Mother’s Day. With all of the events going on, I suppose I don’t have to document everything in photos.  It would have been nice though.  I hope to go back to posting at least once a week so I don’t get so far behind again!

I came home from the garden store to see this spectacle.  Adam decided to try the potty chair after Madeleine woke up from her nap.  She did it!  She actually went pee pee in the potty!

We paid a visit to the lovely Lauritzen Gardens last Sunday. The crocuses and the daffodils are the only bulbs in flower. They have done some nice plantings of cold weather flowers, such as pansies (not shown).

After inheriting a disorganized and extremely cluttered office, packed with every conceivable contraption, Adam’s workload has made it nigh impossible to even take 5 minutes to start sifting through the sprawl.   I spent a day and a half of my spring break to make life at the office for Adam a little less stressful.  It was a lot of fun and just look at the beautifully labeled boxes, computers, and organized shelves.  I really wish I had a “before” photo.  Believe me, this is soooo much better!

I love you, Adam!!!

Once upon a time, three friends were needing a place to call home. They decided to create a home together, for at least a while. Little did they know that the home they were to create would forever be held in memory as legendary. Many lives would converge on this threshold, forging relationships to last a lifetime. Never perfect, there was always a drama unfolding, an existential crisis at hand, or a simple misunderstanding recently righted. Despite, and some may say because of, the disharmony, the friendships in this house grew very strong. This phenomenon was not limited to the original inhabitants of this dwelling. Many others frequented this home, each adding his or her own unique character to the mix. The home would eventually become lovingly known as “The East Wing” (such as the east wing of a psychiatric ward, where we jokingly declared we belonged from time to time).

I recently created a facebook group called The East Wing and invited all of my friends who had ever lived, visited, or partied there. For me, it was very exciting to try to create a place where members of the East Wing can all return. We all live in different places and our lives have all taken us to bigger and better things. The friends that I had while living in the East Wing are still among the closest that I have ever had and probably ever will have.

It’s true.  Madeleine is obsessed with watching Elmo on TV.  She demands Elmo when she comes home from daycare, while eating dinner, before bedtime, and even times in between.

Here she is consoling herself with a bottle after being told that she could not watch Elmo.  Her stuffed companion proved to be a reluctantly acceptable alternative to the TV show.