Hey guys!

Guess what? This is my last blog of the semester! I know you are all heart broken that you won’t hear from me again until January, but it’s a good thing! I mean this because these next few weeks will allow for some quality time with the people I love, my family. And you all should do the same! This holiday season means a lot to me because I lost my Great Grandmother last February and gained a nephew in September. So there will be a lot of changes this year and I’m ready to welcome them and enjoy the heck out of them! And I hope you all are too!

This holiday season is especially important also because its right before my student teaching begins at Oak Hills High School next semester. To me, student teaching is the beginning of my professional life and the end of my student life. Kinda sad, kinda exciting, but nonetheless, the Christmas season will give me time to prepare and get energized by it.

The only thing I’m worried about for this Christmas is the gifts. I’m way behind on by shopping list. I only have my parents covered so far. I NEED IDEAS! If you guys have any bombshell Christmas present ideas for a brother, sister, or girlfriend, hook me up cuz I have a feeling I may be strugglin here in a little bit.

Well anyway, whatever you have on your plate for this holiday season, I hope you find time to spend with the people that are really important and reflect on the year. It doesn’t matter if the year has been good or bad, you’re still here and still able to enjoy the time you have with the people you have and look forward to the future.

Happy Holidays and Merry Christmas!!!!!!!!!!!

See ya next year!

>Eric M.

Well this is it! It is now technically Wednesday of exam week for the S109 semester. I am still awake because I have been spending the past couple hours going through old papers from the semester and beginning to set things up for next semester. I fortunately do not have anything to study this week because I have no scheduled exams so this is my way of preparing to finish the term papers that i have to write. this paper work though has been on my mind for weeks and as i've always said, i need organizaion in order to truly finish anything off. so now that i'm physically and mentally prepared i can focuse on doing my best job with finishing the term papers. tonight was the exam jam, so it was able to set me off in that great mood. i spent time with some good friends just relaxing and having fun. I was able to eat some free food which was served by the teachers, get a free AMAZING back massage, attend a session of 'blessing of the brains' from campus ministry in which you could join in meditation through prayer, and also we were given the opportunity to pie some of the RAs in the face. that was definitely amusing! oh and how can i forget the kareoke. i was able to witness some very interesting performances from some of my friends as they attempted to ...i believe sing... is the word several popular songs from the ages. it was definitely a fun night. and come saturday i will be able to travel home, again through the megabus, for just less than a month. i am hoping to work A LOT at home with my lovely ladies at Hallmark and to build closer relationships with my family! i've realized a lot this year how much i really would like to bond with my family more. i don't want to be cheesey, as some might think. but really, i do love my family. of course we fight and bicker and tease each other and oh my gosh do we get on each others nerves sometimes. but i love them. hey, family is the one thing that will always be there anyway! so whether i like them or not. i'm stuck. but i'm glad i'm stuck with this family. a big irish family in the southside of chicago is one of the greatest things ever known. i'm glad i'm a part of such a community!

 oh and i want an ipod and the twilight series for christmas ;)

 Merry Christmas and Happy New Year everyone! It's been a great semester!!!