Monthly Archives: June 2012

When I come home.

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I know I am home when three laptops cannot be on the same internet connection at my parent’s house at the same time/even when I am the only one on I have to wait five minutes for a page to load (slight exaggeration, slight).

I can/have to drive everywhere, and end up wishing for the subway after three days.

I am weirded out by “small-town” talk at the grocery store.

I eat a home-cooked meal every single night. sigh… (I may have had steak three times my first week home, whahaha).

I eat Chinese food, American/Chinese food!

The beach is only an hour away, and the pool is in my backyard.

I am in weddings.

I get woken up at 6:55 a.m. by my niece and nephew. I have never loved not sleeping in until now.

I er, Jordan makes pizza.

I listen to the radio.

I miss rice.

I miss walking.

I buy teaching supplies. Can’t WAIT to get my stapler.

I laugh until I cry talking about “No pants Noah” and “No top Travis”.

I create memories to hold me over until next summer with my friends and family (though it never does “hold me over”), and I love every second of it.

I enjoy life to the fullest, just as I do in Korea, when I come home…^^

The Bump

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There was no hesitation at all when Stef asked me to take maternity pictures of her and her baby bump (oh, and with Joe too— I guess^^)… Most of you know that I started taking my hobby of snapping pictures more seriously once I invested in a DSLR. It took me a long time, but I finally started calling myself a photographer. And the more you practice and work at something, the better you get. I am pretty proud of these pictures…

Plus, spending a day taking shots of two of my best friends since college was an absolute blast. Here is a sneak peek of our photo shoot, these are some of my favorite shots…

   

Stef’s favorite:

My friends’ are goofballs (I may have suggested this pose^^):

Joe had to get a few shots in of his own, this is just one of those:

  

and my personal favorite:

A House Full of Flowers

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Roses and Peonies. Blue mason jars. The smell, and the soft, clear-see through- blue vases  are interrupting every corner of my parents house. My sister got married this weekend!!! All week the weather forecast crept up from 85 degree afternoons, to 91˚… then 92˚.

Needless to say, when the dress rehearsal started at 6 p.m. and the sun beat the back of our legs and neck (with a temperature of only 85˚)… the bridal party was excited at the prospect of a “short and sweet” wedding ceremony the next day, as requested by the groom, especially since the actual wedding would be two hours earlier, at 4 p.m.

one of the flower girls was my niece, izabelle^^

The day arrived with a cloudy overcast and a heavy wind. The sun danced through the clouds throughout the morning, and the afternoon kissed us with beautiful cloud coverage and a much calmer breeze (with a few gusts of splendid wind). The bridesmaids tossed aside our little pink fans, and instead worried slightly about giving the friends and family in attendance a little more of a show than they bargained for. But no need to worry, our dresses all stayed in place.

the bride just after putting on her dress… absolutely stunning!

The ceremony was indeed, short— but incredibly sweet, with a beautiful song performed by our sister-in-law after the touching message. And as you have probably figured out, the weather was amazing! Afterwards the bridal party hopped on our wagon-pulled-by-giant-red-tractor and took a hay ride to our designated photo shoot spot (my sister married a dentist/family farmer, what can I say???).

the cake was delicious, and pink!

The reception included a favor of pink taffy (I did NOT go around and gather up all the forgotten favor bags and stuff them in a bag for later— I totally did NOT do that) as well as a gradient layered pink cake (pictured above!). Roses and peonies were set at each table, held in place by blue mason jars (hence the first paragraph). The bride was gorgeous, and the groom seemed to be bursting at the seams with happiness (as every wedding should show!). Each of the three brothers of the groom gave witty, short, and touching toasts, and then my little sis (maid of honor) showed them up with a sweeping finish to the toasts (I may be biased), and had everyone chuckling and wiping tears from their eyes.

After the couple had their first dance to “Makin’ Plans” by Miranda Lambert, my dad surprised most of the nine children by showing off the dance lessons he had been taking with mom oer the past several months and effortlessly swept his daughter around the dance floor for their father-daughter danced, joined in later by the groom and his mother.

I didn’t get the chance to take a whole lot of pictures, since there was need for video clips to capture the night, and because I was in the wedding I had to enlist the help of my youngest brother to get walking down the aisle/ceremony moments (I am in the process of putting the clips together now— it’s not too bad considering I wasn’t available for many precious moments). But I did get some pictures, spread throughout this post.

It was an amazing start to my summer at home, I am so excited for my sister and her new husband, and for the other four weddings I get to go to this summer!!!

Here are a few more pictures..(me with my flowers, me and the bride, me and my siblings— hey, it’s my blog— I choose the pictures!!! ^^)…

Right before this picture (above) was taken there are a couple of laughing shots, as our sister-in-law called herself the “Blind Side” sister… you know, the big black man in the family photo. Don’t let her blond hair fool you though, she has been a sister in the Welton clan for over a decade!

I shall leave you with a picture of the original Welton Family, my parents and the nine children they birthed. (First time we have all been together long enough for a picture to be taken in four years!)

Why it’s Worth it.

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Friday was the last day of school. And as most of you know, this meant my last day of work at my first full-time teaching job. My students from last year (who now have just graduated from 3rd grade!) knew that I was leaving the school, and once they got over their HUGE disappointment (obvi) they started to ask me random odd questions as the school year was coming to an end. “Chocolate or cheese, Ms. Welton? Do you like chocolate or cheese?” “Do you like sky blue?” “Are you free after school on Friday for a little bit?” Hmmmm… I was starting to get suspicious.

Then, as soon as I waved my final farewell to my second graders (after showing them this video that I am extremely proud of, I don’t normally put anything of my students up here as far as pictures and such— but they did sign a form, and this is SO SO SO GOOD) one of  my precious student from last year grabbed me and dragged me to the bathroom, telling me she had a secret to tell me and it was so secret we had to go to the bathroom (now I know where all the girls share their secrets)… She sat me down on a toilet seat and began to ask me what my e-mail address was, then she spelled it out, very s-l-o-w-l-y, even the “dot-g-m-a-i-l-dot-c-o-m”… it was hilarious. After she ran out of things to distract me with she said, “Oh– Ms. Welton you shouldn’t go to your classroom.” “Why is that?” “Uh… because there is a bomb! Ms. S put it there… no Ms. L (my grade teaching partner)”, “Ms. L, my partner in crime, put a bomb in my classroom?”

Just then there is a gasp and a laugh as Ms. L herself comes into the bathroom, “are you guys in a stall?” “Uh…yeah. Hey, Ms. L— did you put a bomb in my classroom?” “No way, come to your classroom and see for yourself.”

Ms. L and my student lead me to my classroom. I open the door and the first thing I see is a ton of balloons taped to my smartboard.  A cheesecake is on the table and there is… no one…? All of the sudden girls are jumping out from under my desk and the corner behind the bookshelf yelling, “Surprise!”

It had been so hectic when I said goodbye to my students earlier that I had no time to shed any tears. But once three of my girls from last year handed me a book they made full of pictures and letters to me, the tears flew steadily.

This is why I teach.

Slice of Life is hosted by The Two Writing Teachers every Tuesday!

Calm

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Waiting for the calm in the storm. That is what I am doing.

Today, I have my last small group. Tomorrow I give my final presentation on my project document (thesis) for grad school. Saturday I work my last day at my first international school and pack up my apartment. Sunday I graduate with my masters. Monday I move apartments and pack for the States. Tuesday, I fly home.

Next Tuesday, I fly home.

June 16th is my sister’s wedding. I head to Chicago June 30th, and to New York on July 11th (for wedding #2 of the summer). Weddings 3, 4, and 5 take place June 21st, 28th, and August 3rd. I get to be a bridesmaid in #1, and #5!

August 9th, I come back to Korea and start teaching at a new international school.

Forget the calm, I love this storm.

A little bit of what I have been up to through pictures:

Saying goodbye to Han Wool for the summer, while Jee Young has a tearful goodbye with Hye Yun (as she is moving to Singapore!)

WICKED!!! After waiting for seven years, it only seems right that they would bring an English-speaking cast (from Australia, they were amazing) all the way to Korea for me. TOTALLY WORTH THE WAIT. I want to see it again.

I miss my smartphone.

Last week of school includes field day! I have never been more tired…

Until I write again… love the storm you’re in!