The Kohlmans

I just realized I never posted this news. It got lost in the shuffle of giving birth and raising a kid, since it happened about a week before he  made his appearance. Next year I'll be the high school librarian in Augusta. I'm feeling excited. Nervous. Scared. Giddy. Intimidated. Confident. Eager. And a lot of other emotions I can't quite name right now. The last librarian left in the middle of the year on not-so-good terms, from what I can piece together. So the expectations of what a librarian actually does are pretty low. But I may have interviewed really well, which would mean the expectations of me are pretty high. (At least, from what the superintendent told Brad about what the principal told him, if that makes any sense.) I met with the middle school librarian on Thursday. I'm so excited to get to work with her guidance. (Her name is also Megan, and she's a Bethel grad.)  There's a lot of work to be done. I have lots of books to buy bec...

I've been waiting for prints to go on sale at Walgreen's so I can order these: Several months ago, we chose this verse and quotation for Baby K's nursery. One of the reasons Brad got me Photoshop Elements for Christmas was so I could make these (Microsoft Word just wasn't cutting it). I had so much fun making them. I can't wait to see what they look like framed and on the wall! This morning in church, someone was asking how I'm doing. I mentioned that this week will be #34. It doesn't sound like I'm that far along, but then I added that this means we're only about 6 weeks away from the due date. And that sounds really, really soon. We have a lot left to do, but I know the time will pretty much fly by.  In other life news... I passed my licensing test on Friday. Now I just have to wait for the official results to be mailed to me, the state, and ESU, so I can apply for my new endorsement. I'm pretty excited. I'm also excited that ...

I was so excited when this came in the mail on Friday: For some reason this makes it feel more real than finishing classes or even graduation. Praxis test (for licensing) this Friday, then continuing the job hunt!

I am now, as Brad likes to call me, a "Master of the Library." Part of me can't believe it's all over, that I actually did it. Another part of me is so relaxed now that it's over. I am so grateful to my family, in-laws, and friends for all their support over the last 2 1/2 years. There were definitely days when the only reason I came home from work and did my homework was because I didn't want to have to tell them that I was quitting because I knew that they believed I could do it (even when I didn't). I could go on, but I'm starting to get emotional just writing that. Now for the Praxis test and the job hunt!

A lesson on perspective... In the span of 5 minutes today, I was told: "You hardly even look pregnant!" -co-worker "Your belly is getting really big!" -student I'm going to have to agree with the student. Today marks 25 weeks of pregnancy. Some days I can't believe I'm this far along already. After all, this was the point at which I was going to let myself stop running without feeling at all guilty. (Instead I ran 2 miles this morning and plan to keep going as long as I possibly can.) A few weeks ago we hung up the curtains in the nursery. This nighttime picture does not do the room justice, but I promise the paint and the curtains look great in person. Baby's room is going to be, by far, the most put-together/decorated room in our house. By far. I have my one-hour glucose test for gestational diabetes next week. Yuck. I've gone back and forth on being worried about it, but I'm pretty sure that there's not a whole lo...

I'm down to the very last task on my MLS (Master of Library Science) List. Just one. Unfortunately, I have no control over how soon this one gets done, otherwise I would be on it this weekend. I have to present my portfolio on December 8 in Overland Park. It's a little annoying that this is a whole month away. Once again, this link possesses the culmination of my two and a half years of education: http://mkohlman.weebly.com/ just in case you want to check it out. I do still have to wait on feedback from my professor and make those edits before the presentation, but that's such an incredibly minor detail I'm not even counting it. I got really excited about this today, so I ordered my graduation apparel package. We can't rent them; we have to buy. (I guess that means I'm for sure walking!) I get to wear (and own) a lemon-colored hood... Of course, after graduation I have to schedule my licensing test and pass it and apply for a new license. But I think...

I'm not totally done. I actually haven't proofread any of it. Or checked any of my links. (Though Brad tells me they're okay.) But I just hit the "publish" button on weebly to put my portfolio out there for the whole world to see. So if you're interested ...or just really bored... here's a little bit of what I've been working on the last 2 1/2 years. http://mkohlman.weebly.com/index.html It seems a little weird that what I've poured so much time and energy and money into over the last 27-ish months is reduced to a little corner of the internet. It's also strange that my work is "out there" for everyone to check out. I know I'm not supposed to be prideful, but I'm kind of a little bit proud of myself (or will be until I check for mistakes).  And I kinda feel like I can breathe now. The list looks like this: proofread/revise portfolio write two more reflective journal entries (out of the ten total for...

I've mentioned about 25 times that this is it, my last semester of graduate school. But just in case you forgot, this is it. On Monday, I made a list of the assignments/projects that I have to complete in order to graduate. There are 11. That's it. Just 11 things. Of course, those 11 things all have several major and time-consuming components (like "make an online portfolio" - aka website - with 8-12 artifacts from the past two years of classes that prove you actually did learn what you're supposed to learn and reflections on each of those artifacts). But still. Only 11. And since I finished one (yes, it probably was the easiest one), I'm down to 10. Hopefully by this weekend I'll be into single digits. I teach a lesson tomorrow, so if I put the finishing touches on the plan, type up my "results," and submit it early I get another check mark. I took a picture of the list so you, too, can appreciate the beauty and joy of being oh so close. ...

The single most amazing lasagna in the whole world? My Grandma Donna's. The only thing is... you have to plan ahead because it has to refrigerate overnight (which might be the reason we always have it a day or two after I'd intended). Otherwise you probably have to cook the lasagna noodles. (I don't know this for sure because I've never made another kind of lasagna.) And then the sauce isn't as thick, and that I do know, because I have eaten other kinds of lasagna. I'm telling you - it's worth it. 1 1/2 lb. hamburger uncooked lasagna noodles 1-2 jars spaghetti sauce 3 c. cottage cheese 2 beaten eggs 12 oz. shredded mozzarella cheese, plus extra for topping 2 tsp. dried parsley 1 tsp. salt 1/2 tsp. pepper Brown hamburger, mix with sauce. In separate bowl, mix all other ingredients. Layer in 9x13: hamburger/sauce, uncooked noodles, cheese mixture. Repeat layers as needed (I usually do two full layers). Let sit covered overnight in refrigerator. ...

If you've noticed that I've been absent lately, this might have something to do with it. I'm still alive, but some days all I do is work, workout, eat, and do homework. And when I do see that precious thing called "free time," I like to spend it doing nothing. I don't have time to process my actions and emotions, much less to figure out what to blog about. So try not to expect too much from my end. But do feel free to comment or leave me a suggestion for what to write.