Okay, I know I am an inconsistent blogger, so here is another sporadic and informative blog about my life. Kendall and I have been keeping busy. I am directing The Wizard of Oz at my middle school right now. That has been fairly entertaining. This week I have this strange chest cold, which makes me sound like a man. That has made teaching interesting.

Kendall is auditioning for grad school next weekend. He is hoping to get accepted to a Masters of Fine Arts program. He’s applying to 35 schools, in I think 18 different states. We’ll be in Las Vegas on Friday, then we’re driving up to the Bay area Friday night and he’s auditioning in San Francisco on Saturday, and then finally I get to spend some time with my family on Sunday and Monday! I miss my family. My grandfather passed away yesterday, which has made me all the more homesick. I have the cutest nieces and nephews! In fact, here is a picture of the beautiful children!

DORITOS COMMERCIAL

So this weekend Kendall and I went to help a friend make a doritos commercial. He is entering it into the contest to get played at the superbowl. I want to share it with you!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V9wX-VABSdA&feature=channel

OK, so no New York picture yet because they are on Kendall's camera and apparently we don't have a chord to download the pictures on to the computer :( sad day! Anyways, I wanted to share this little video with you all. Kendall's students are into film, and might I add are very brilliant at it. Anywho, they entered a contest to create a Klondike commercial and they asked Kendall and I to star in the video. I'm pretty terrible in it, but I am posting it anyways. I think its cute! I don't know how to put it in my blog site, and i can't make it a link, so copy and paste!...you should watch it, its short.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a4oN6yXl2Wg

Start Spreading the News

Talk about spontaneity! Kendall and I have been wanting to plan a trip to New York. He is a huge Yankees fan, and of course this is their last season in the original stadium, so we knew it was now or never. On Tuesday, Kendall was looking around for good deals, and we found one...for today! Yes, we booked our flights on Wednesday to leave today for NYC. I am spending the day packing and doing laundry. I love being a teacher! I can just pick up and go to New York in the summer time without concern!

It was strange saying goodbye to my fifth graders. Teaching is harsh. You start the year with all of these new (very different, very weird) kids you don't know. You are stuck in a room with them for like 6 hours a day trying to get them to learn something (and not kill each other in the process). And all along, you fall in love with them (or not in some cases) and then, after 9 months (app 1,100 hours) you have to say goodbye. I cried like a little girl! How pathetic! Next year will be different. For those of you who do not know, I will be teaching 7th grade English, Creative Writing and Speech and Debate next year. It should be a new and exciting adventure for me! Plus I'll have like 80 kids instead of 20.

I need to pack for tonight! I'll take some pictures for you all!

Wait, I have a blog? Hi! Long time no write, huh? Well, let me fill you in on the joys of my life. I have been married now for almost 7 months, and loving every minute. Two of my best friends just got married this last weekend, Coop and Tiff and it is a strange feeling. My other bestie Kim is pregnant and about to be a mother, my friends lawson and laura are happy parents now, and I just spent a weekend catching up with the rest of my friends who are now married, pregnant, or parents and it makes me wonder, "When did I grow up?" All of a sudden, I am married, with a real job ( and real bills) and all of the people around me are in the same position. Growing up is a strange thing.

Kendall met me at CBU yesterday before my student teaching seminar. We were sitting in Wanda's and I was pointing out my "friends" I have made in my graduate program at CBU. His remark was, "they're old!" Unfortunately, they are only a few years my senior!

Next week is my last week of teaching the fifth grade (maybe ever, though I hope not). It is bitter sweet really. For those of you who don't know, this year has been an interesting growing experience for me. I have the crazy class, but I absolutely love them. It will be very sad to say goodbye to my first class...Oh the stories I could tell...maybe next blog. Anyways, I will be moving up to Junior high next year (i'll fit right in), teaching English, Creative Writing, and Speech and Debate. I could not be more excited for a change in leadership and I really respect my new Principal. As of now, Kendall and I will be staying in Riverside another year. I am really glad though. We just have come to the point where we are figuring out how to balance full time teaching jobs, my CBU work, being married and having friends still. The friends part has been refreshing. I love my girls. Anyways, hey, I updated my blog!! Call out the press!! I'm alive still! Maybe this can become a habit! Until next time...

marriage and things

I'm getting married in 54 hours. That's just crazy! My life has been hectic up until this point. My fifth graders are crazy and require the majority of my attention. My two classes I am in at CBU are like death...I would totally enjoy them if it wasn't for me having a life. I wish this weren't the case, but I am pretty sure I have to bring some homework with me on the honeymoon :( How lame am I? I may not get it done, but at least I can say that I tried.And today is my last day of parent-teacher conferences, which is such a relief. After I am done here at around 12:30, I plan to go home, scourge my apartment until it glistens, pack for my honeymoon, and go hang out with my wonderful family who is arriving today. All these things are happening so quickly! All I have to say is that I am getting an 85 minute massage tomorrow and I might be a totally different person afterwards!! Hooray for reasons to celebrate and relax! I hope you all have a lovely Thanksgiving! Next time you hear from me, I'll be Mrs. Meagan Lloyd!

Are we surprised?...

hi friends

So, I decided since I like my friends, and my friends actually check my blog, I'd say hello. Lindsay asked where the lovely place pictured below is. Well, Lindsay, it is in Murrieta Ca. That's where my dearly beloved is from. Sorry Nor-Cal'ers, but the majority of my friends are down here. However I am leaving for Northern California in a week from today, to spend my last single summer at home. I am excited I suppose. It will be nice to live for free, and make money at the same time. I am going to miss my friends down here though.

For those who don't know, I got a job teaching 5th grade in the Fall. My wedding is in November. So, needless to say life is changing rapidly. 2 of my best friends are moving to far away places...Melissa to Chicago, Leslie to Kentucky...Niki, one of my other best friends is going to Africa for 4 months...and I am sad to say goodbye. Its all just another sign that we are changing and growing up.

we found a pretty place to get married. I will give you a little sneak peek at what is to come :)

Get this and other HP countdowns at LeakyNews.com

engaged

I'm engaged!! That's right folks, I'm gettin married! Kendall proposed Thursday night at the One Act Festival at CBU. I think it was pretty romantic, and pretty perfect for us. One of the directors had asked a group of us to "help introduce" their show. We had to all stand on stage acting like we were auditioning for a show, while they walked around, kicking us off stage one by one. What I did not know, was that he had arranged the whole thing. Before we were on stage Kendall showed a little slide show, explaining that he was about to propose...I obviously didn't see it then, but it was really cute. Anyways, then they started kicking people off, and then, when it was just down to me and this other guy, I was like, "what the heck?" Then, to my bewilderment, they left me on stage by myself...I was so confused, and really hoping someone would come and get me off the stage so I didn't have to just stand there awkwardly. Then, the audience started cheering like crazy and Kendall came out. He proposed on stage in front of like 200 people and it was amazing, and now I'm going to be married! I'm on cloud nine!!

If you want to watch a video of the proposal, it's on Kim's site. click on this: http://kimmysun.wordpress.com/

When God created man, it is my understanding that He did not allow Adam and Eve to sin so that they could learn from their mistakes; rather, God created man so that man could live in perfect, sinless existence with God. In this perfect co-existence, God, in His infinite (literally) Wisdom, did not require mistakes for man to learn...

A few months ago, a friend raised a pointed question. She asked if I regretted anything I have done, and whether I would change the past if I could. Then, today I came across a similar question in this book I have called "201 Great Questions." I thought about it a little bit and I thought I would share those thoughts with you. So many times you hear people say "NO!" to this question. They will rationalize that even though they made stupid mistakes, they learned such a valuable lesson, they became a better person. But let's take another look at this from a Biblical perspective. Does God like sin? NO. Does God give us freewill to choose our behavior? YES. Would God prefer us to get it right the first time? YES! Does God give us instructions, guidance and wisdom on how to make good decisions? YES, it's called the Bible! Now, that doesn't mean we always will get it right the first time, and yes, God has allowed, in His mercy, for us to be "refined", for us to change and become more and more like Him when we learn from our mistakes...But doesn't the Bible say how to become more like Him without all the mistakes?

SO my answer is yes, I have a ton of things I regret, and yes, if I could have the wisdom to do things differently, I would go back in time in a second and do a whole lot differently. For sanity's sake, I can't let myself dwell on that thought, however, because I can't go back...I must live with my mistakes. Did I learn from them, you bet I did! But, could I have learned the same things about God (and myself) without the mistakes, DEFINITELY! That's what I think about that question.

Concerts and Fish

Yesterday was Lindsey's birthday. and to pass her time, she took more pictures of herself on my computer. Because they are brilliant, I am including some.

Yesterday was also a Shane and Shane concert at CBU. I love Shane and Shane, as I know many others do. Last night was refreshing and wonderful. Its one thing to worship God with people you love, but even more amazing to do it next to the man you love. (we also had fun taking crazy pictures!)

Anyways, Shane Barnard and Shane Everret also support an organization called World Vision (www.worldvision.org). Please, check it out if you haven't before. Last night after the concert, Kendall and I got a child together. That's right, I officially have a black little baby like I have always wanted. Except, she's not actually a baby, she's 10 yrs. old. Her name is As Me, and she lives in Zimbabwe. It's also refreshing to be a part of something so much more important than the normal day to day "stuff", you know what I mean?
I was teaching fourth graders yesterday. During Bible class time, I read a story regarding fishermen and Jesus. Towards the end of the story, I read about the time Jesus told Simon (Peter) to go catch a fish, cut it open, and he would find money inside with which to pay a tax, After I read it, I thought, "hmm, that's strange." I couldn't, for the life of me, remember reading such a verse. So I looked it up, and lo and behold, it's in there. So I say, read Matthew 17:24-27. Now whenever I hear people say money doesn't grow on trees, I'll respond with, "yeah, but it comes out of fishes' mouths!!!"

Let the Good Times Roll

So, it has been a week since I have officially been a resident in my new apt. The other day, my roommate Lindsey and I passed the time by playing with my new laptop computer. I have this fancy little contraption called "Photo Booth" which allows me to take the most ridiculous pictures. I thought I would share some with you!

WOW! So apparently I'm a lame-o and I never post on my blogs. How did I discover this? Well, I have currently switched locations and now reside with two of my very best friends in the world. Yes, these are the two best friends who studied in India the last semester of my college career! I love them. The point, however, is that they are blog ho's. In fact, I am almost sure they blog every day. Thus, I have decided to try and keep this up, as boring as my life can be sometimes. Ooh, distracted by my roommate...I'll be back!

End of show!

So the show ended this weekend. I had SO much fun, though I can't say I am not a bit happy to have a break now. After the show on Saturday night, we had a little fun before packing everything up...for instance, i put my prego suit on one last time... we took some pics just for fun!


























I am auditioning for another show today. Seussical. Should be fun if i get in i think. I guess I just like being crazy busy!
p.s. I am on the fifth HP book now. It just keeps getting better!
p.p.s. I have a lot of homework to do for the Credentialing program
p.p.p.s. I am very distracted
p.p.p.p.s. I hate that you just keep adding p's and never s's. It's silly!!
p.p.p.p.p.s. I love Thanksgiving and it is coming very soon!

So, this was opening weekend for the play The Diary of Anne Frank. It actually went very well. I was a little nervous, I'm not gonna lie. I think it's worth seeing. Here is a picture of us girls in our slips. Really, they are the only ones that you ever see in slips because they all change on stage. Mine is really a pregnant suit. That's right, I'm pregnant! (in the play, that is!!) Don't mind the bright pink belly and the nice boob pads...its all part of the effect. Don't worry, you don't see either when I actually have my costume on top! If you wanna come, tickets are on sale for $5 in CAB and we show Fri/Sat at 8pm and Sat at 2pm also! Hope to see you there!!!

So I have a new obsession, called Harry Potter. I am only in the third book currently, but have been completely sucked in. I'm a nerd. I have taken some quizzes lately and have determined that I would be in Hufflepuff, I would play Keeper in quiddich, if i were a teacher, I would be Flittwick, and I am most like Ginny...and that's not just because my boyfriend has a book crush on her either... look, I took two, and they both said Ginny. Wow, I have reached a new level of Nerd.
But on a lighter note, I have spent some quality time with my friends lately. I haven't seen Kim, or Melissa in like 2 years, but I'm working on it. I miss these people. Well, I have some homework for grad school to do...Disneyland tonight...i love having an annual pass!

celebrate independance

Happy 230th birthday USA! Yesterday was Independance day...one of my favorite holidays. and i must admit, yesterday was probably my favorite of all 4th of July celebrations I have had. It was a very relaxing day. I basically sucked it up at phase 10, but it was fun, nonetheless. I spent the day with some great people in a beautiful place. This is where we watched the fireworks. Needless to say, we had a fantastic view. That's Big Bear Lake for all of you non-so cal kids. Plus I got to be with some of my besties. This is me with my girls Sarah and Lindsey. I missed their beautiful faces, both of which have been to the Istanbul. It was really nice to share stories and talk about familiar loved places with them. *BESIKTAS!!*

Possibly one of the most eventful parts of the evening, other than getting my butt kicked in phase 10, was when Sarah decided to stand on the cooler and be the Statue of Liberty while the rest of us (about 30) decided to sing a patriotic medley at the top of our voices. It was quite humerous, I'm not gonna lie. All in all, a very good day. Only thing that would have made it perfect...DONDURMA....actually, there were a couple of other things too i suppose, but good day still. This is me procrastinating on filling out applications. I hate applications. I hate answering stupid questions. I hate being bored. I get to go try on my bridesmaid dress for janelle's wedding now. She gets married this saturday...out of control. and thus begins the weekends of weddings...for some reason, going to weddings always makes me not want to get married...aren't they supposed to do the opposite?!? Ok, well, back to procrastinating in some other way. Peace out.

So, since I have made so many friends from different parts of the world, I thought I would write a little blog about my daily life...kinda. Actually, I thought I would just put up a few pics about my surroundings. The first is my school. The second, my favorite part of campus and the third picture is Petunia, my car. This is me missing Northern California...kinda wishing I was going home sooner. Kinda wish I were back in Istanbul. Kinda don't know what I want.