one more week. and already worn. out.

As you could probably guess from the topic I have had a busy last couple of days.

I got an email last week that I have New Teacher Orientation this weekend for Wilson County Schools. Well, might as well go up there and stay several days to get some stuff done right? There were so many things I was needing to do:

-Put down a deposit for NES (Nashville Electric Services, which charges me a whopping 180 bucks to begin services. GROSS)
-Put down my deposit for renters insurance and new car insurance

-Get to working in my new classroom.

I thought I could kill several birds with one stone so I decided to drive up there Tuesday, stay the night with my funny Nashville-ian friend Mary Beth for the week while I got some things done. Here is what's happened so far.

Tuesday Night:

I stopped in Dickson on the way to Nashville and had dinner with four of my favorite students from Perry County: Farrah, Nicole, Hunter and Ian. Words cannot describe how much I adore these kiddos! It felt very different going out to eat dinner with them as friends, since they're technically no longer my pupils. I kept remembering how they were when they came into my Art I class as sophomores and it just amazes me how much they have grown into such precious young adults. My advisor told me that you never forget your “first batch of kids”. I always thought she was just crazy, and a bit of a freak. Oh, how I was so wrong, and she was so right. When I hugged them goodbye for the last time, it made me realize how happy I am with the career path I chose for myself. I know I complain and nag all the time on here about my job but the truth it, I really, really do love it.

Wednesday:
Got up at the crack of dawn (ok, not really the CRACK of dawn, more like 7am) and went to NES and paid my Godly expensive deposit. That was painful but at least we get it back in a year.

Went to Cherry Creek to sign our lease, pay our pro-rated rent for the month of July AND my entire month's rent for August. So that's about $1,500 right there. WHOEVER told me that moving “is no big deal” deserves a nice long night with the back of my hand. But, nevertheless, I AM getting to finally move to my dream city. It's by far worth the price I've spent.

Went out to my new classroom at Mt Juliet Middle to decorate and go through my inventory. GOOD GRACIOUS THIS WOMAN LEFT ME WITH SO MANY GREAT ART SUPPLIES. She has left me paint, paper, origami paper, bookmaking supplies, a kiln, construction paper, and best but never least A CRAP LOAD OF PRINT MAKING SUPPLIES. (<-----------THISSSS) I spent pretty much the whole day there. From 10am – 7pm of nothing but organizing, planning and decorating. Here are just a few snapshots of what it looks like so far. I plan on doing so much more to it.

View when you first enter.

Another angle. The poles in the room are very weird. I didn't notice them much when I first saw the room but as I walk around and move about in my new room, I just feel like they're in the way and also so out of place. On the plus side. They do have outlet holes, so that will come in handy. Especially if the kids ever use hot glue guns.

View from the back of the room. Still got a lot of decorating on the walls (future mural ideas possibly?). Also notice how hardly NONE of the chairs match one another. How funny is that :)

My desk and curtains I hung up today! I knocked off the Pinterest craft of decorating an ugly desk with wrapping paper. It matches my curtains PERFECTLY!! :D I also love that desk beside mine in front of the window. I'm planning on making it one of my “isolation” tables.

View from another corner of the room. You can see my kick butt paint station from here.

Gloooooory, Glory, HALLELUUUUUJAH. I HAVE A SINK.

The printmaking supplies I stumbled across. Out of everything I found today, THIS is what I freaked out about the most.

A flipping KILN.

And of course, my teacher trade-mark. The “dark aluminous room”. When I was at PCHS, we were practicing still lives so I brought in three lamps for our light source so they could see shadows. After we finished our shading project, we liked the feel of the room so much, we kept the big lights off. Not sure if I will continue that with these middle schoolers, but it's always nice knowing I can go to this look whenever I like. I actually loooove it with the lights off.

And for some other snapshots around Nashville:

A brand new apartment complex in Bellevue that I absolutely love but will probably never be able to afford. No matter how many times I sell myself. :/

A big long-haired kitty I almost took home with me. Seriously people, take care of your pets. Especially if it's as cute as this one!!!

Move in day in a little over a week. I am counting down the days. Still. And be expecting a huge blog post about our moving experience. Hope it's better than worse.