Why I will miss camp this summer...

1. I have been there for about 14 summers in a row
2. I love camp counseling!
3. It brings me out of my shell
4. It means I don't have to be fully grown up yet
5. It is something I am good at and can use my gifts for
6. I have developed relationships, good ones, over the past few summers

My handsom nephew Bradley. He will be finishing up third grade in the next few weeks and I will be in the same pod as him next year... his classroom will be right across the hall from me! He is such a smart boy. This year he told his mom that he wished I didn't go to school so far away. My family is so sweet!

This is my lovely niece Alyssa. She will be finishing Kindergarden in a couple of weeks. I am looking forward to being in the same school as her next year. She is such a sweet girl with a huge heart! My first year at school in South Dakota she wished upon a star that I would come home soon. How sweet is that?

Two Down and Three To Go

Three more tests and than the semester is done!

This is me with my sisters. I am so happy that I am able to move closer to them. Our friendship grows as we become older. They don't sit on me and do the typewritter on my chest anymore, instead we talk and laugh and have fun together. Dawn is in the shirt with lacing and Joy is the other one. Joy just graduated from MSU in Billings and Dawn is a Sophomore. They both have huge dreams and I know that they will be able to accomplish anything they put their minds to! 

This is my friend Danielle and one of our awesome professors. I love Lisa Sullivan! She is a first year professor at USF and is so amazing. I'm not even the only one that thinks that. She was named USF Faculty of the Year. It was so exciting! I am sad to be leaving her behind as she has been so much help to me this year in all that I have been through. An amazing women of God! 

I don't understand...

How to make my photos appear. I have downloaded Hello but can't make it work. Can anyone explain how to do it??

Sad!

I actually got myself out of bed and showered all by 6 am! I'm quite proud of myself. Unfortunatly I decided that I deserved a treat this morning and I went to this Sioux Falls coffee shop called Kaladi's. I always get a White Mocha with skim and it is always awesome... today is the exception though. It is awful! The worse part is that I didn't taste it until I was back to my apartment... where, by the way, I got a very good parking spot... so that is the good in my morning. My Christian Thought test is in 1 hour and I'm not ready... but that is okay... I still have an hour to cram bits of information into my brain.

My study habits...

Are just not very good. This is something that I have finally decided today as I begin my last finals week of my undergraduate education. I have a final at 8 am which I have not really studied for and I also have one at 3 pm tomorrow. My plan was to get the 8 am final studied for tonight and than study for my 3 pm final after I take my 8 am final. I now see that that is probably not the best plan as I haven't even started studying and I am about ready to sleep. Ugh... If only I would do what I tell myself to do after every finals week. To bad it is to late now!

I have 5 days left until graduation. I am so excited for what is ahead of me in my life. I have it all planned out up until December when I have to find something to really do with my life! God will provide though and I look forward to what He provides.

When it rains...

It Pours!

My heart is heavy.

My heart is so sad and heavy and bogged down. Last week I learned that the store in which I grew up in was being closed. The store is all that I have known in Roundup. We moved to Roundup the summer I was going into 3rd grade and this June was to be the 15th Anniversary. It is just so weird that I left a place that was like a second home and when I go home I can't go there anymore. My life there is just going to be so different. I am not really looking forward to it. Like I am so excited to be home and away from this place but it is going to really strange being home. The good thing I guess is that I am going to Seattle right away after I get home. It will be good to get away I am sure.

In other news... do any of you ever get something or someone on your mind and can't get them or it off? It seems that in the Spring I get this person in my thoughts and can't get them out. I am dwelling on my thoughts about this person and it is so annoying. I just want to know what is going on with my thoughts and I can't get an e-mail back... grrr... how frustrating!

Anyway... this is quite a sad and depressing post. Sorry!

I know that things will be better... it just takes time!

How many times...

can my seperate roomates mistake my freshly washed towel to be there own??

I can't believe...

that it is Friday already! Goodness time is flying by me. I suppose I better kick it into gear if I am going to get all my projects and assignments done in 2 weeks.

Reality Rant

Alright... you all know that I enjoy reality tv... but it is seriously getting on my nerves. I think it all so planned out and that the producers really just do whatever they want. I am mainly talking about Survivor and The Amazing Race. It just seems that it would really be easy for them to do what they want and I think they do. I do still enjoy watching the silly shows though!

Alone

Have you ever gone to a movie in the theater by yourself? I did it yesterday and it was so nice. I saw A lot Like Love and it was alright. Another movie with a predictable happy ending but happy endings make me happy so... yeah. But I was always scarred to go to the movies alone. I'm a nerd like that and will not go to things often if I have to go alone. This year I have become more able to do that though. I have studied at a coffee shop a few times and well that's about it. I have realized that I like to do a lot of things alone. I like to shop alone, and study alone, and watch movies alone. It is so much easier that doing it with friends. You only have you to worry about and if you are done doing whatever you are doing you can leave and not worry about weather your friend was ready to leave or not! Anyway... that's my first thought for the day. Hopefully more will come!

What a week it's been

This has been a long week and it still isn't over. I have to get through today. It is 6am and I am up to write a paper on the social implications of the gospel and look... i'm procrastinating. My Introduction to Christian Thought has really got me thinking about some things that I would like to write about. Maybe I will have time this weekend.

I have so much planned in the next 4 weeks that graduation and the end of school will be here way before I am ready. I have a few major papers and projects to do before I am done with school. My parents, and grandparents, along with my sister Dawn and her husband Marc are coming for my graduation and I have an open house in Sioux Falls on Saturday, than graduation is Sunday and we head home on Monday. My other open house, in Roundup, will be with my sister Joy. She graduates from MSU-B on the 7th. On the 26th I am flying to Seattle with my parents to visit family and we return on June 1st. Than on the 5th I head out for Idaho to spend a week preparing for my summer camp kids - I recently found out that I will be in charge so it is a bit frightening. I suppose all the excitement will make life interesting!

I really should get to my paper now. I have a quiz at 8am as well in Earth Science... Boring and horrible class!

Newness in the eyes

Well I ordered contacts for the first time on Tuesday. I got the call that they are in and I will get them on Saturday morning. I'm a bit nervous. They said it would be harder for me because one of my eyes will have a weighted lens. Goodness I hope it doesn't take me all day to get them in! I suppose it is a good thing that I am going in at 10am... I may just make the batchelorette party I plan to go to at 6:30 :)

I hate...

-Losing contact with awesome people
-Spending weekends alone
-Being soooo disorganized
-Questioning myself
-Not being able to spend time at camp this summer
-Growing up and having responsibility

What are some things you hate??

Don't Want to go to Class

I have what some may call senioritis at the moment. I didn't have my first class of the day and plan on skipping my second class. I have so much to do that I think I can skip and get caught up with the lecture. It's bad... I know but I guess it's just who I am. I have never had a problem with skipping class and some of my friends would never ever skip a class. Anyway... it's to work on a presentation for this afternoon.

Where have the Gilmore Girls gone?

I am so tired of reruns... when will the new ones return???????

Spring Break is over :(

Well I am back in Sioux Falls and my one... yes only one... break for the semester is over. My dad's surgery went well and I am feeling much better about that whole thing. What a scary thing to go through! I am really excited for the ending of this semester. I am ready to be finished. I made my graduation announcements yesterday so now need to get them all put together and sent off. I have to still make something to include in them telling about my open houses, yes that's houses. I will have one here and than a combined one in MT with my sister. I have so much to do before my time here is over for the year that I don't know if I will make it. I'm sure I will but goodness I am so busy. It's a good think I stopped working at the mall or else I probably would not make it out of Sioux Falls a sane women!

It's been a long time...

since I last posted. I am at home in MT now for a week which should be really nice. I am looking forward to the time to relax and just not be stressed about school for the moment. I do have some homework to work on and process but not much. My dad is having surgery on the 31st so it will be good to be home for that as well. I don't really want to go back to school right away after that but I suppose that I have to and don't really have a choice. We just had midterms at school so the semester is half over which is wonderful but it is also scary... the last part of Spring Semester seems to go way faster than any other time of the year and I have papers and projects and presentations to do for school and I have graduation plans to make! So much to do and I know it will end up being stressful decision making too! But I am glad that I am almost finished with school and am so happy that I will be home for Student Teaching next fall!

He spoke right to me...

I was in church yesterday and the pastor was praying and he said that someone needed to hear that Jesus loved them. Than he said something along the lines of you may have recieved some bad news but remember that Jesus loves you. I swear he was looking right at me.

Now this week I recieved some of the worst news in my life so this was really touching to me. I don't really want to write about what that news is here but would ask for your prayers. I'm going through something scary but I think it is going to be okay. I'll let you know!

Prayer

" Lord, I don't know who he is. I don't know where he is or whether I've even met him. But I ask You to bless him and to protect him. I ask You to take care of him, provide for him, and keep him pure. Thank You Lord. Amen"

I don't know where this came from but think it is great.

Bummed

I am really bummed about something... I was chosen by some education faculty to be a mentor in the peer mentor program this spring. I was told tonight that I will not be an active member in the program at this moment because there are not enough mentees to go around. This really sucks because this is my last chance to participate in the program. It's not like I have another year in the education program. I'm finished... there is no more time. That's my disappointment of the day. Sorry to be so down.

Good things did happen today... like I know how I am getting all of my stupid credits done now! It's all covered and planned out. Yea... a little bit of stress is gone.

I've Decided In My "Old" Age That Roundup Is...

Not So Bad!

Okay so I was reading Tim's blog and heard the news that they (Tim and Nicole) are moving to MN, possibly. There was a comment from Becca saying that there move could be worse... moving to Roundup. Now I'm not "dissing" Becca's comment but I have recently decided that Roundup is not such a bad place. It is a place that seems to grow on me as I grow up. I love our church and all of the people in it. They are so warm and loving and I love going home to see them. They care about me and what I am doing with my life.

I love my family... they have grown on me too!

I love the school system... for the most part.

Its not such a long drive to go to Billings plus that gives you an excuse to get out of town. Living in a big city I never get out of town because everything I need is here. Which is not such a bad thing but it is nice to leave once in awhile. Maybe I will feel differently about Roundup when I live there again but I think that things are looking up for the town. I am so excited about the Youth Center that they are working on! Keep it in your prayers... I believe that God is going to do awesome things with it and I can't wait to see what they are!

Mary Kay

I just got done with a Mary Kay interview thing and am really considering signing up to be a consultant. I think it would be a wonderful opportunity but I am still apprehensive in doing it. I am sure that I would make profit which would be awesome but the idea is still scary. I guess the good thing is that you work at your own pace though. Maybe if I did this I could quit my job at the mall?? Hummm... that's an idea! Thinking and Praying...

The Stress

Becca asked me what I was stressed about so thought I would just write about it! I am trying to student teach in Roundup and there have been communication issues between USF and Roundup Central School. It is stressful because I really want and feel like I need to be home next year. I know that if it is supposed to happen that it will happen but I am not willing to give up quite yet. I just need prayer that everything will fall into place soon. Plus... I need a credit of science and that is not coming though very quickly either. Oh the stress... I just want to be finished with school! Why can't I finish without the added stressful things?

More Than Enough

God is "more than enough" for me... I really need to place that in my heart and beleive it and live by it!

I also learned at church today that "Things Break"... God can fix it but he will not always fix it... God is good! Very good sermon and a very awesome church. Today was my first visit to Crosswalk Community Church and I liked it a lot... I hope to return next week... work schedule permiting. I would really like to quit my job but I like it. I do want to go to church though and have Sundays be the tyipical Sunday again.

Something Oh So Sweet!

I was talking with my sister, Joy, tonight and she told me that Bradley, my nephew, said... "I wish Aunt Traci didn't go to school so far away." How sweet is that... tears in the eyes!

It's time to post something with meaning...

My posts are really quite boring. I need to start posting something that matters in life. But what really matters in life? What is there to write about??? My life is quite boring and because my life is boring I think that there is not much to say. All I do with my life is work and go to school.

I just realized that I am really not writing a post about anything that really matters in life. So lets see if I can go in a new direction tomorrow... or later perhaps.

Does anyone have any ideas on what you want to read about? Questions?

What to do with the check...

So Ross Point does a fundraiser every year around Christmas time. This year I decided that since the camp has changed my life so much that I would send a little something to add a little to the ministry of the camp. They send an envelope with the letter to send money back in and I recently got that envelope back because it could not be delivered. I don't know if I should try to send the money again or what. Is there a reason that I got it back? The address is correct... I don't understand.

My Computer Is Sick... :(

I have to send my computer away to get fixed. I don't know how I am going to live 2 weeks without it. Oh the attachment I have made with it. I will miss my friend.

Interesting Stats

From: the naked soul by Tim Alan Gardner...
" At the opposite end of the spectrum from those who don't like themselves are the people who think way too highly of themselves. Several years ago U.S. News and World Report published the results of a poll that asked Americans which celebrities and public figures they thought were 'most likely to go to heaven.' Here are some of the names that made the list, followed by the percentage of folks who thought these people would 'likely' get past the Pearly Gates:
Mother Teresa - 79%
Oprah Winfrey - 66%
Michael Jordan - 65%
Colin Powell - 61%
Hillary Clinton - 55%
Al Gore - 55%
Bill Clinton - 52%
Pat Robertson - 47%
Newt Gingrich - 40%
Dennis Rodman - 28%
O.J. Simpson - 19%"

I thought it was intersting.

PINK!

Oh my goodness... how excited am I that there is a pink option for my blog now? I have turned into such a pink freak that I scare myself. But I do love pink!

My Portfolio

I have been so worried about my teaching portfolio lately. I was worried that I didn't do it correctly or put enough thought into it. Well I probably didn't put enough thought into it because I procrastinated WAY to much. I got an e-mail from a professor today though that took a bit of my anxiety away. She said "You really worked to impress. Nice Job." it made me feel soooo good about the work that I did put in. I think I worked the hardest on the formatting of the website. I like it anyway. Feel free to check it out if you want. www.usiouxfalls.edu/~memertens. Comments are appreciated as well. Do you agree with my standpoint on say Standardized Testing or any other point I made in the work??

Gilmore Girls

I just finished watching the Gilmore Girls with my roomate and we disagree on something. For any of you that watch it you know the love "dilemas" that Lorili faces. Bear with me on the spelling. I believe that she will end up with Luke and that Luke is wonderful for her. My roomate believes that Christopher is the best for her. Her reasoning is that he is Rory's father. I think that is a silly reason for someone to be with someone else after all the years they have not been together. Any other insite out there?

What does it mean?

What does it mean when you can't fall asleep? I often am up til 3 am because I can't sleep. Its not that I'm not tired though. My mind is full of thoughts and I pray for a bit but still here I am 2am awake when I want to sleep. When my mind is thinking this late at night it is usually about my future which I don't really want to be thinking about. I make up my life in my head... what's wrong with me?

Traci's Reality addiction

Well since others are fessing up to this addiction I will as well...Come to think of it, it probably is not really an addiction for the others. I am seriously sick! I get frustrated or sad or whatever if I miss a week of any particular reality show. No joke! There are so many of them that I like as well. I like them because they don't seem to be focused on pre-marital sex and other immoral things like that. Here are the shows that I love and my take on them.

The Amazing Race: I wish that Jon and Kris would have won. They deserved it. They were the only couple that I didn't hear demeaning things spoken to eachother. I'm excited that a new one is starting up in 3 weeks. I like seeing the parts of the world that I probably won't see otherwise. Oh... and did you see the advertisment for Dr. Phil primetime? Jon and Victoria getting the oh so needed help!

The Batchelorette: Why much I love this show so much? Seriously. Last year, during Meridith's show, I actually bought a VCR so that I wouldn't miss the show one day. Sick... at least I can admit it I suppose.

American Idol: I just can't stop watching the show. I don't really enjoy the beginning weeks when people who can't sing a note think they can but it is getting good now. Sometimes I laugh and sometimes I cry. See I told you I was sick.

The Apprentice: I watch this one just to laugh. People are so silly.

Survivor: It's fun... new one starting soon. The last one was disipointing though. I didn't like the people that ended up in the end.

In all these shows I think that I could do them. Well not all of them but wouldn't it be fun? My dream for the Batchelorette - a girl who has morals... no kissing... oh it would be so wholesome.

Anyway... I must end this rambling of a post. Now is anyone as addicted to this as I am? I can't be alone in the world can I?

The End is in Sight

I am feeling much better today. I only have a few more things to write for my teaching portfolio and it is due by 5pm tomorrow which gives me plenty of time. I am looking forward to the preliminary process ending. Than all I will have are revisions if I need to revise anything. Other than that school is going really well. I feel as if I am going to learn a lot this semester. I am learning a lot about science which will be good as well! Thanks for all the prayers.

One Sweet Whirled

Well at the moment I am super stressed out! I am so sick of technology it is annoying. I have been working on my teaching portfolio for a vast majority of my freetime and I am so sick of it! I can't get it to work right and my wonderful friend Jan told me to walk away from it so I did and drove to Starbucks but it was closed :( So instead I got some Ben and Jerry's called Dave Matthews Band One Sweet Whirled and it seems to be hitting the spot. I would appriciate any prayers though for the next day and a half... So much to do and yet so little time!

Spring Semester

Well I had my first class for Spring Semester today. I think it should be alright. Tomorrow I have 3 other classes and I am excited yet a little timid about them. I am hoping that I will be able to crack down on myself and not procrastinate as much as normal. Gotta make the last semester count right? I had to spend almost $200 for books for 1 class... yes 1 class! Incredible. I was more than shocked and annoyed. I don't know what I would have done if I was a science major. I am really excited for this semester. The next few weeks will be challenging but that is okay. I'm up for a challenge and being busy is something that I think I need. I have to get my student teaching portfolio done soon, it's due a week from today, and I have lots left to do sadly. It's my procrastinating I tell you.

Life Update

I have a new development in my quest for a summer job. I may have the opportunity to work at The Cottage(www.thecottagechildcare.com) in Post Falls, ID. I would be working with the school age day camp there. My aunt and uncle own the center and my cousin and his wife work there as well. I am excited for this possible opportunity that would alow me to take my classes, enjoy a wonderful church (www.northcountrychapel.com), and work with kids!

On-line Dating

I'm just wondering what some of you think of on-line dating. Is it wrong? I'm not saying that I desire to do it but am just wondering what some of your Christian perspective is on it.

What to do this summer.

I am really stuck at what to do for the summer. I have camp counseled for the past 6 or 7 summers and just don't believe that I am supposed to this summer. The past 3 summers I spent camp counseling the whole time summer. I am at a loss for a job though. I am pretty sure that I would like to be in Montana for the summer but where do I live? I also have to take two classes online while I do my summer job. There are not jobs in Roundup and I don't want to drive to Billings everyday either. I just don't know what a person does for a summer job. I am at the point that I feel like I need a "real" job but than I have to quit and start school in the fall again. Hum... Any ideas? I want to be a grown up but how do you do that? I'm at a loss!

Why do I only have girl friends?

Here is a thought steming from my Frustrating Love rant... I only hang out with girls. I'm not kidding... I never, NEVER spend time with people of the opposite sex. Is this healthy? Don't get me wrong, I do have friends that are guys but none of them happen to live in Sioux Falls. I only talk with them on IM. It's not that I don't want to hang out with guys I just don't have the opportunity. Maybe I am just to much of a hermit? Who knows! Back to Frustrating Love... I just recieved word that another one of my friends was engaged last night... seriously folks that makes 3 for the year so far and it's only January! Ugh!

I Can Save Your Life

Well folks... its official... if you are choking or you have no pulse or can't breathe... I can save you. Give me a call if you need my services.

Frustrating Love

I am so frustrated with the whole opposite gender relationship issue. It is frustrating because I am surrounded by newly married or engaged couples and those dating seriously. All 3 of my roomates are in those lovey dovey stages of their relationships and it drives me crazy! [ I just want to add in here that it drives me crazy because I am lonley not because their relationships are bad or I don't like that they are happy] I wonder when I will get to be in that stage of life. I am so lonely at the moment not having a special someone to share my spare time with. It seems like all I do is work and watch the so addicting reality tv. I am looking forward to starting Spring semester. Maybe that will keep me busy enough to not notice the relationships around me? That is probably not a good thing either though. Hum... and Traci sits wondering where this is going and decides that it is time to stop writing.

Cucumber Melon

I have been pondering a very odd thing latley... whoever thought that cucumber would make a good scent for body products? I personally dislike the smell of cucumber/cucumber melon products. How about you?

Welcome!

Hello and welcome to my blog!

This is new to me but it looked fun so I thought I would try it out. I have some friends who have blogs and thought it looked interesting and decided to check into it and here I am. Who knows what will become of this but its fun right?

Please bear with me as I embark on this journey called life. I am excited for the road ahead.