My first trip was to Santa Fe, NM with OU for a paint-write course. New Mexico is labeled "The Land of Enchantment" and after visiting for one week, I completely agree with the state's tagline. The whole time I felt like I was in a different country, but a country where everyone speaks English. :) I was able to go with my two best friends from my master's program here, and the coursework was much more enjoyable with them present. The class was a new concept of creativity for me: painting and writing about my paintings. If anyone has ever been interested in painting or creative writing - if you have any artistic desire within you at all -I recommend you travel to Taos, NM and paint and write and enjoy the people and land. Beautiful.
My second trip was to Seattle for ten days to visit family and the college roomies. This trip was great, too. I was really happy to see my aunt and cousin, whom I was used to seeing so often during my college years in Seattle, but now I see only once or twice a year. I also loved seeing my grandparents, whom I have become much more sentimental towards, as I can see them aging and I know my moments with them are few and precious before they pass away. My parents were able to fly up for a weekend which made the trip all the more fun to all be together. Seeing old friends was great as well, and being in Seattle brought back more nostalgic feelings and memories than I anticipated. But overall, I know that Seattle was a great place to go to college, but I don't miss it in the sense that I wish I still lived there. I have concluded that I enjoy living in warmer climates - HOT climates, even. And I find myself much more accustomed to the slower, laid-back pace of the south, both here and in southern California.
So school has begun and I am officially in my second year of my master's program. It's crazy to think that by this time next year I will be teaching full time and (hopefully) have my master's in-hand. I never thought my life would turn out this way - graduate school never even passed through my mind when I was a child/teenager, even though my father finished his MBA when I was in the fifth grade and our entire family attended his graduation. And it's funny how school has become a sort of addiction for me. Both me and my two best friends in the program are not satisfied with our master's - we all want to go back for more. Jennifer and Erica know they want their PhD's, where I am still considering law school. I do not know why but I still feel so drawn to it - I feel I would be missing out if I didn't even attempt the application process. Jen and I know we both want to teach for a while (like 5 years or so) before we pursue another degree, whereas Erica is looking to apply to a PhD program in Denmark that begins next fall. I never saw myself as a PhD candidate, but perhaps I, too, will want to pursue a PhD in the future. Only time will tell.
Life in Norman is still going great - I really enjoy it here. Although I do still feel drawn to Austin, and I feel if I don't attempt to live and teach there I will always regret it. My plan is to get my certification for Oklahoma this year, then move down to Austin this summer, try to find a job, and see how I like it there. If I don't like it, then I can always move back here to Norman and teach (because my certification will be good for a few years). I feel I have to follow the dreams that lie within me - perhaps, as Dr. Himma told me last spring - I am being called to these desires I have deep within me. Only time and prayer will tell. But I look forward to whatever lies ahead, because in this journey of following God and growing closer to Him, I have yet to be disappointed.
