10 things I've learned Since Moving To Arizona

You guys. I did it. I've moved! Okay, so really I've been here for about a month already, but I've been so busy molding the young and artistic minds of 7th and 8th graders, that I've hardly had time to blog at all! If you read this post, you remember that I've been placed in the Mesa School District for my student teaching assignment at the 7th and 8th grade level. Awesome? Yes... though things about this whole experience do have their up sides and down sides.

1. Upside numero uno- I get to live with family. Really, It's my husband aunt and her family, but the longer I'm here, the more I have to remind myself that their children are not really my children, and Ryan's aunt is my aunt (in law), not my sister in law! It's funny because there's really only a 5 year difference between us, so we get along great! And just look at these girls:

Halley (6), Coralee (3), Aidalyn (10 mo.) and I have the best of times. We like to dance, play dress up and beauty shop, have photo shoots, and drive mom crazy. 

The only downside is that I live about an hours drive away from my school! That, in addition to an 9 hour school day makes for a big, napless, adult kind of day. Fortunately, a few good audio based books and scriptures make it quite a nice little break. Good thing gas only a $1.25/gallon! .... oh wait. It's not.

2. Need I even mention the whether? They say Arizona is hot, but forgot to mention HELL is cooler than this place! The sun isn't hot, the very AIR is hot! Never have I ever lived in a place where I intentionally turn the faucet to it's coldest setting to take a shower! You will get used to it, they said! Just stay inside, they said! Last week was exceptionally cool at a plummeting 96 degrees. This is no joke. 

Most importantly, I've learned that apparently you CANNOT leave the following items in a hot car:

-Chocolate

-Make up

-Plastic ANYTHING

-Gummy Candy

-Acrylic Nail Supplies

-Apples (unless you leave it sprinkled with butter, brown sugar, and a cobbler crumble on top!)

-And Children.

(Just kidding about the children. I mean, Yes, don't leave them in cars; no, I don't know that from experience.)

 I'm actually proud of how innovative and ghetto this is! Momma needed her crackolate.

Contrary to popular belief, it does rain here!  But when it rains, it pours! It's really not rain at all; its a monsoon. This is the soccer field. Case closed.

3. Kids are funny. I teach 7th and 8th grade daily, and rotate 4th, 5th, and 6th for one hour every day. Because of this, I've learned that A. I can wait to have children of my own. Like, maybe when I'm 30. And if someone switches my birth control with tic tacs without telling me. And B. You have to have a sense of humor if you think you want to be a teacher. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE teaching, but if I didn't remind myself 12 times a day that kids are soooo funny... I just don't know :)

It's images like the one below that... well.... you get the idea. Funny. 

4. I learned that being poor is the worst. Shocker right?! I don't know how people do it long term. Ok, Obviously no one chooses that, but there are times where you find yourself scraping by until the next opportunity arrives, and that blows! Let's say hypothetically you are moving, and both you and your husband leave your jobs, and still only have one car due to repairs. Now say, hypothetically, that your one running car needs a sudden $600 repair, and then you must pay for a 3 days travel of gas, and your electricity bills come knocking at your door, with the phone bill, and rent, and prior car expenses and next thing you know you have $7.09 to your name and are paying for gas in change. Hypothetically, that would be the worst. However, for us, the end was in sight. I started teaching 2 weeks before Ryan, except only he is being paid. Even so, we knew that once he got his first pay check, we would be OK. It was humbling and I was so grateful for how blessed we were and still are. I was really starting to relate to Will Smith in The Pursuit of Happiness. But man, I've learned that I never want to be that poor again!!! 

5. Arizona has wonderful whether in the winter, this I know, but dang. This is not the Northwest that I am used to. This desert is toe-up. 

I left my husband in California for this?

I need grass in the yard, white picket fences, and lilac trees. Arizona does however have the LARGEST beverages I have ever seen, for under a dollar.

Here's to proudly looking white trash for the small price of refreshment, yo!

6. Just when you think your've seen it all, you're wrong! I've heard that AZ had bugs, and, ya know, that's cool and whatever. Thankfully, Ryan's aunt's house has been sprayed so I had yet to see anything too scarring... until I went to get gas at 10:00 pm. I found where all the bugs (if you can even call them that!) are partying. 

I have seen things that cannot be unseen. Never before have I felt so much that Will Smith in Men In Black. I kept my cool, but mark my words, the first time a scorpion charges at me, imma unleash crazy like aint nobody seen!

7. Apparently I relate a lot of my life to Will Smith movies. Here's to hoping I never feel the need to commit suicide and donate my organs in order to clear my conscience of killing 7 people in a car accident. Or finding myself as the last surviving member of the human race after a plague. Or becoming a temperamental superhero ... or saving the world from aliens on multiple accounts. I do think I could be a stellar match maker, and dating coach ;) Man, that dude has quite the track record.

8. Everything sounds like so much more fun when you add the word "Fairy" to the beginning of it. Who wants to take a fairy bath!? Fairy carrot sticks anyone? It's fairy bedtime! Yea, let's raise a glass to little girls.

9. I am an internet window shop-oholic. Is that even a thing? It means I like to shop online, but don't actually buy anything. I just have a million shopping carts chalked full of random stuff :) Maybe it was due to my recent constraint of not being able to purchase anything, but I dig it. It's like eating cake without the calories... right? or the cake for that matter. Anywho I've got my pinterest wish list for Christmas, my amazon account, Simons Jeans shopping cart.... need I say more?

10. I really love my husband. We try to see each other every other week since he is in California for an internship and I am here, but man, there is never enough time. I cry like a baby with every goodbye, and miss him like crazy in between. Long distance when dating is hard; long distance while married is harder. I have a limitless amount of respect and empathy for army wives. 

He's my dream boat!

There is still so much Arizona has yet to teach my naive mind, but I think all this can hold us over for now :)

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