Care-iculum.

It's been an awesome year at Mapleton Junior High. I loved it. I learned so much. I grew. I had a great time. I met some amazing people (adults and otherwise).

As I look back on our year, past the lessons about Islam, WWII, Apartheid, Communism and Immigration, I've found that what I REALLY want them to know was never listed in my state core curriculum.

• Everyone is worth listening to, and we're all a team. 
• You are responsible and are going to be held accountable for everything in your life. Don't drop that ball. You can't cop out.
• The Office is the greatest television show ever made. 
• Clean up after yourselves!
• Self-evaluate. Constantly ask yourself "Why?" "Why am I doing this?" "Why are they doing that?" and really think about the answers. Be aware of what you are doing and why.
• To my girls - Gossip sucks and you can't control what people say about you. But the way you live will give them things to talk about, good or bad. 
• To my boys - SWAG = douchebag.

But the biggest thing I want them to walk away with?

You control your life. You determine your happiness. You build your future.

So stop whining. Stop blaming. Stop giving up on hard things. Stop competing with everyone around you.

Start trying. Start thinking. Start living. Start loving. Start choosing.

Ultimately, I want you to care. About your future. About your present. About your brain. About your heart. About your reputation. About your morals. About your family. About your relationships. About who you are and who you want to be. 

In this society that says it's cool to be apathetic and nonchalant, where you can protect your pride by not trying, I wish you could see how much I believe in you. I wish you could see the amazing things that lie ahead of you if you just have the courage to reach out and try for them. I want you to enjoy the endless benefits that come from standing up and deciding that YOU are going to be happy, no matter what.

I want the best for you. I love you and I'll miss you. Thanks for an amazing year. I wish you many, many more.

Always,



Mrs. Holdaway

Ch-ch-ch-ch-Changes!

After Jeanette tweeted obscurely about new life changes, Katie and I got on her case about writing a blog post to update us all on her exciting summer plans. At school and following graduation, I've been getting a lot of questions as well. Our lives have changed dramatically in the past month, so I suppose an update is in order.

I have been interning at Mapleton Junior High as a 9th grade World Civ/Geography teacher for this entire school year. For those of you who aren't familiar with the Education program, basically this means I'm a slave. I have my own room and teach my own stuff  (read: not a student teacher), have to attend a million more meetings and work on two different portfolios, all while getting paid half salary. And the sickest thing about it? I still loved it. :) However, what is less than lovable is that I am not guaranteed a job. Our school lost 3 FTEs and a Geography teacher from another school in the district put in to transfer here. They couldn't hire me. It's been a pretty stressful few months looking for jobs and really just grasping at straws. I used up the remainder of my few personal days to drive all over the state for interviews, checked websites constantly, pulled my hair out....

Finally, I was offered a job at Sunset Ridge Middle School! They are a pretty new school, and they are doing some amazing things. They are a National School-to-Watch, which I think is super cool. I'm really excited to be a part of it. I'll be teaching half 9th Grade Geography and half 8th Grade US History.

In case you haven't already googled it, Sunset Ridge is in West Jordan. Clear the freak out in West Jordan. Like against the copper mine. Like the edge of civilization. It's 70 minutes from where we live right now - hence we have started looking for housing in the Salt Lake Valley!

Conveniently, although scary at the time, The Beard's branch of Online Image in Orem shut down the day after we heard about my new job. They offered him a job at their Murray branch once they move into a new office building with enough space in June. He decided he didn't want to wait around for that job, so he started applying for other jobs. He was offered several and finally settled on Larry H. Miller Dodge/Lincoln in Provo! We're pretty excited about him as a car salesman, especially because he doesn't have to be obnoxious or pushy or deal with the finances at all. He just gets to ride around with people in new cars and make friends. Any of you who know The Beard know how great he'll be at that. :) Also, we're both in the market for new cars... so it couldn't come at a better time!

So my school year ends on Friday, we'll move up to Salt Lake somewhere (any ideas people? We're already liking Daybreak a lot) and The Beard will be able to transfer to one of the 40+ dealerships up north. I'm hopefully going to get a puppy next week when I'm officially free. How cute is that little guy? To think I could have my own... I get to excited just thinking about it. It's working out pretty well.

It will be weird to leave the Valley. It will be sad that I can't just drop in after school to visit my Blade. And family... I guess. :) It will be weird to move somewhere and know no one in the neighborhood. It's weird that  we're actual adults and our lives are changing. This could be a permanent Salt Lake life for us.

But we're so excited! The crazy and rapid turn of events actually relieved us because we can see the Lord's hand in all of it. We're so grateful to still be within an hour of our families, have good jobs and of course, each other! As long as I have The Beard... life is wonderful!