Happy New Year!!!

Welcome to 2009, everyone! I trust y'all had a good NYE. I babysat 3 girls in Wright City. Only the oldest made it till midnight, but I did some sparklers with the younger girls before they went to bed. Then the oldest and I drank sparking grape juice to toast the new year. It was good fun (and good money, too).

I didn't do a recap of 2008, so here's a quick one:
*In January, I began my last semester of actual classes and registered to graduate in December. Not an exciting month that I can remember...
*In February, I turned 22. I took another trip to Louisiana to help with Rita clean up.
*March was an eventful month, and not completely in a "this is great!" way. J and I took a trip to Chicago where I auditioned for Gospel Dream, a Christian American idol. We had a great time and the audition process was amazing because we were all in a room worshiping and praising theLord. AMAZING!!! On the fourteenth, I was excited to mark our "-1" anniversary -- only one year until the Big Day. Unfortuantely, three days later, Jerome's cousin and roommate took his life. It was hard on all of us, especially with as much as we didn't see it coming. J moved out of his apartment and into the Lemmons' house, a family we go to church with who was kind enough to offer him their spare room.
*In April, I found out that I had passed my Praxis, a huge test I need to pass to student teach. I was way excited and I bought myself Enchanted on DVD. :-)
*May marked the end of my last semester of classes. Woo hoo! I also found my wedding dress -- by accident, in fact. But I love it and I can't wait to wear it on my wedding day (::cough:: in 69 days ::cough::). I also headed off for my last summer at camp. It was bitterrsweet because camp is always a place I love to go, but I hated that it was my last time.
*June was all camp. I watched my last group of babies graduate from CIT and they gave me ascrapbook which means the world to me. This was also bittersweet because I could only work with 2 of them; not being able to work with any more makes me sad 'cause I know that they will all be amazing counselors.
*July was also a lot more camp. Actually, this was my first 4th that I've been home for in about 7 years because of where the sessions always fell. I also got my student teaching assignment.
*In August, I tooka trip to Chicago with J and some camp friends and had a lot of fun. I wanted to audition for American Idol in KC, but I had to begin student teaching. :-(. I met my cooperrating teacher and immediately took a liking to her. She was crazy and seemed extremely passionate about her job (and over the semester proved me right!). Oh yeah, that was also the month of the amazing men's 4x200 relay in Beijing.
*In September, Hurricane Ike hit the Gulf Coast and sent a lot of rain our way, too. My main way home from school to the gym was flooded out. Yuck. We sent a crew back to Louisiana to help with the newest round of repairs that would need to be done. I found out through an e-mail that one of the places we worked on in February was literally annhilated. All that was left was the frame of the little mobile home. :-(
*October was an exciting wedding-filled month. The bridesmaids and I picked a dress. I ordered them and they came in three (!!!) weeks later. J and I also had our engagement session with our photographer and they turned out amazing!!!
*November was historical. Barack Obama was elected the first black president of the United States (of course, if you didn't know that, you're been living under a rock or something...). I am incredibly honored to have participated in this election. Jerome and I also found a place to live in St. Louis County, which knocked one thing off of our to-do list. I also got pulled into the Twilight obsession. My step brother also made it home from Afghanistan in one piece (thank GOD!!).
*December was a huge month. I finished student teaching, I graduated from college, and I moved in with J. I also started working at the local Christiam bookstore and I LOVE IT. Even though it was during the CHristmas season, I loved it. Everyone who works there is a lot of fun. I received a bass guitar from my uncle for Christmas, which pretty much blew all of my other gifts out of the water, lol.

Now, in 2009 there are a lot of things that are going to happen.

First and foremost, I'm getting married. THIS YEAR. It feels great to be able to say that. I can't wait to begin my life as Jerome's wife. :-) My bridal shower in on the 24th of this month and my bachelorette party is tentatively scheduled for Feb. 28.

Second, my stepbrother will be out of the Marines. Woo hoo!

Third, I will (Hopefully...) begin my REAL, big girl, grown up job. Of course, I have to find one, first. LOL.

Lastly, I will spend my first summer at home in over 10 years. Crazy.

I hope everyone enjoys their 2009 and stays tuned for my adventures this year!!