I got a WHAT!?!

A blog award!  I have seen other people give and receive these awards, but I've never before received one myself!  Meredith, over at in sock monkey slippers, picked me for the Versatile Blogger Award.  I am so excited, not to mention extremely flattered--Meredith has an amazing blog, and I absolutely love her baby food recipes!  I will definitely be using them when Bryan and I have a baby (relax folks, that's still a couple of years away).  Thanks so much Meredith!

In order to accept this award, the recipient must complete the following:

• Thank the person who gave them this award.
• Share 7 things about themself.
• Pass the award along to 15 or so bloggers who they have recently discovered and who they think are fantastic!

I definitely accept!  So, 7 things about me.  Here we go!

1. In high school, I discovered my love for the Spanish language, thanks to two amazing teachers--Sra. W and Sra. M.  My love for Spanish, and a couple of mission trips, led me to believe that I wanted to be a missionary after college--the house building kind, not the pamphlet-wielding kind.  To further that end, I decided to major in Spanish at Texas A&M.
2. I met my husband our first week at college (Howdy! week) in our Freshman dorm (Lechner Hall).  A month or so later we started dating and, with the exception of a year-long off-and-on period, we've been together ever since.  Due in part to our developing relationship, but mostly because of my changing and evolving faith, I began second-thinking the missionary thing.  Now, I'm glad I did.  As much I would love to help people, I would prefer to do it without the title of Christian Missionary attached.
3. I have a Masters of Education in Curriculum and Instruction.  I have this degree because December of my senior year in college I looked around and realized I would be graduated and in the "real world" in less than six months.  Having never done an internship, and still majoring in Spanish (now with a religious studies minor), I decided that that wasn't a pleasant prospect.  So, I started looking at graduate schools--only to realize that most of the application deadlines for the following Fall had already gone flying by!  Texas A&M was still accepting applications for their Online Masters of Education program--non-thesis option--so that's what I went with!
4. After two years of teaching, I realize I really love teaching--when I don't have a class size of 30.  I also really love working with my kiddos--when the don't expect me to do everything for them, refuse to take responsibility for their education and actions, and aren't throwing shit fits.  That said, I loathe the educational system and all the political bullshit that goes along with it.  Let's just say the cons WAY outweigh the pros.  I can't wait for the next three years to go by.  At that point, the government will forgive some of my student loans.  Not to mention, that's about when Bryan and I will probably be having a baby (I want a baby sooo badly!  The fever has struck!!!) and I'll get to quit teaching and become a stay-at-home mom.
5. Stay-at-home mom?!  If you would have told my high school and college selves that I would not only WANT to be a SAHM, but would be avidly anticipating it, they would have laughed at you.  HARD.  I used to think that that would be a waste of an education.  Now, after teaching for two years, I firmly believe that a good education (and I don't necessarily mean a college education here) should be a prerequisite to motherhood.
6. I have rheumatoid arthritis.  My meds still aren't working perfectly, but I do alright.  When I think about the future, sometimes I get really scared since RA is a progressive disease and I already have plenty of issues with it now.  But for the most part, I just treat it as something to journey with on a day-to-day basis.  It's more manageable that way.  I'm also super-stubborn in respect to my RA--I won't let it get me, or get me down!
7. I have lots of hobbies--just look at the sections under the hobby tab!  I LOVE to read.  Sci-Fi/Fantasy is my genre of choice, though I will own up to reading one Romance series (Brotherhood of the Black Dagger) and several young adult series.  My Wii is my friend, as are any good quest-type games (think Zelda!).  I'm learning to cook, love to bake, and have recently discovered a love for gardening and, yes, blogging! 

Since I'm still fairly new to the whole blogger community, I don't have 15 blogs to pass along the award to.  But I do have five fantastic ones!

The Nerd's Wife

A Rich Man's Family

The Accidental Baby Maker

Jayaycee Blog

Fresh Confessions of a Screwed Up Texan

I hope y'all enjoy these blogs as much as I have!  Thanks again Meredith!