School Days...

I can't thank you all enough for your kind thoughts and prayers! You always have something encouraging or inspirational to share and you can't know how much it means to me.

School is going well...actually, it's going great! I am absolutely loving every small bit about it--I have been so entirely blessed by the whole experience.

I attend classes from ten a.m. to nine p.m. on Mondays and ten a.m. to four-thirty on Wednesdays. Mondays are a long day, but I'm so glad I was able to schedule all of my classes to fit in only two days. It saves so much on gas, and I know being away from my family for long periods over many days would be too depressing for me. So many people seem to think that it's silly and abnormal for families to be so close...but I really don't care! I've never really seemed to master that family-hating thing. *chuckle* We encourage each other in our small day to day life, and to be frank, I really haven't found anyone that is more fun to be around! ☺ It's been wonderful to have the right balance of school and home life--such a blessing to have both of my wishes fulfilled!

I'm taking 12 credits this semester. American History through the Civil War, Geology--which I love--English 131--another favorite for this long-winded writer ☺--Wellness, and Life Maps, which is a required, but extremely silly class. Supposedly, it provides freshman with all of the tools to succeed in college, but I think most everything we've covered would just take a little good, ole' common sense to figure out.

The only thing I've found to dislike so far is my writing teacher's affinity for happy little groups. Most everyone in the class was paired up in groups of four or more, but my group is one of only three. And you would figure...they are both boys. And I'm stuck with them for the entire semester. The one, blonde and thin, doesn't offer up anything except ridiculous remarks to the other boy (who just happens to be his best friend) that don't have anything to do with the work that we are supposed to be doing. The other boy thinks he is Mr. Wonderful and a fabulous writer, when he, simply and nicely put...isn't.

If we weren't being graded on the finished product it wouldn't be a problem...but we are, and Mr. Wonderful thinks his own work is so great that he won't use any of mine. As shy as I am, I became frustrated enough to speak up for myself...repeatedly, but when the paper was turned in to our instructor and read out loud, I realized he had cut out everything of mine except for one or two sentences that he mangled enough to completely change the meaning of.

I was so embarrassed that my name was linked to that story. It was simply awful and nothing really had come from me. It wouldn't be so terribly hard for me to accept it, but for the fact that this "class participation" is worth 5% of my grade. I know it doesn't sound like much, but every little bit is important to me when I work so hard to participate. I haven't gotten many quizzes or tests back yet, but those that I have, I've received the total amounts I could have.

*sigh* Maybe my teacher will let me switch groups? I doubt it. But is it really fair to have one member not participate and the other completely hog the work??

I've missed "talking" to you all so much! Thanks for letting me chat on and on...☺ I'll certainly be posting more over the next few days, so be sure to check back often! And...leave me a comment...or three! I always love to hear from you!

Love,
Emily