Wrapping up....

Well, I've been away from here for two weeks now.....longest gap since I started writing! Life has been pretty crazy the last two weeks.

Graduation was nice. Some of our mentors and most of our teachers were there as well as some execs. Carolyn's mom gave a short speech. This was a real treat because throughout the program we received the wisdom of Carolyn's mom in our e-mails and interactions with Carolyn but had never been able to actually meet her. So during graduation we got to reap her wisdom straight from her mouth! :)

Chris Wakeland, Sorenson's VP of Interpreting, spoke as well. We were presented with a book and a plaque. We showed a video that we made of our time in SLC, and we all got to say a few words. (sign them actually!) Then there was a nice lunch provided and time to chat with all who attended. It was a nice way to end our time at the VRSII.

The afternoon was spent packing and weighing suitcases. (My checked bags were 50 & 51 pounds and my carry on was probably pretty close to that as well! Thankfully they waived the extra fee since I was only one pound over.) Friday evening all 15 of us went out to dinner and then to karaoke with a few new friends we had made.

Saying goodbye was bittersweet as we had become quite close but we also knew it meant we were going HOME!! :) I went to bed at 1 am, got up at 3:45 to say goodbye to a roommate, and got up again at 5:30 to leave shortly thereafter for the airport. The travel home was uneventful. Arriving home was AMAZING! :) I got to spend the night hanging out with the family, eating pizza and playing games.

It was great to be back in my own church on Sunday and see lots of friends. I was even able to work two days that first week. It felt so good to be working again and to feel the difference in my interpreting! I had just gotten unpacked when I had to pack again. Thursday I left for Atlanta to be involved in an ASL Weekend of Worship. It was a GREAT weekend! I taught a workshop on basic ASL signs, helped interpret for a couple of different things, and attended some workshops. The two interns from Atlanta even showed up so we had a little mini, one-week reunion. I stayed with my grandmother and got to see aunts, uncles, and cousins too. My cousin, Josh, was involved in the weekend, and it was a blessing to serve along side of him.

As I drove home Sunday afternoon, my clutch went out on my car. Thankfully I was able to pull into a parking lot in a safe location and wait for Mark to come rescue me. In the meantime, I was able to meet a friend who lives there and catch up. Monday we towed my car home on a tow dolly. It is half apart in the driveway right now thanks to Trey, Amanda's fiance. Mark wasn't able to work on it right away, so Trey got a good start on the project. In spite of no car, I have been able to work four days this week!

So now life returns to normal. I'm home and pretty settled and dealing with the same old things of cleaning house, paying bills, being with family, going to church, and working. I really appreciate all of you following my blog, praying for me, and encouraging me during this adventure! I have enjoyed sharing it with you, and have found writing to be quite beneficially personally. While I don't plan to continue writing this blog, I may take up journaling for other reasons. Rest assured that when I hear the good news that I passed my certification exam, you WILL hear about it. Again, thank you for all the prayers and support!!!