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Say hello to the new three year old class teacher... yep, that's me!

My first official day is Monday... woo weee!

Oh Baby!

So... recently Dusty and I found out that we... are... going... to... have... a... niece/nephew! Yaay!

Pictured below is Dusty's lil sis Aubrianna (Aubri for short). Due date: October 27th. Pictures and updates to come so stay tuned!!!

Sudden Urges

How many of you all ever get sudden urges? For instance, I happen to know that Dusty has sudden urges to destroy things (such a boy-ish urge I've decided and he's usually satiated by setting off fireworks at the lake late at night with a couple of friends.)

Today I had this really random urge to move to Vermont. Dunno why... so weird. I mean really, so weird. I think of Vermont and I think of beautiful fall days and milk and quaint towns and me living in a big old house surrounded by trees.

Old School

It seems hard to remember a time in life that Dusty was not around. Silly, I know. However it seems like we've been together so much longer than we have. That's why I find it amusing that I have pictures of us together from almost exactly a year ago and what were we doing? Scoping out wedding venues! We didn't even get engaged until 5 months and an overseas trip later!

But what's really funny about this picture is how Dusty looked a year ago! Feast your eyes on this:

There are two things that I love about this shot (besides the fact that we were being uber cheesy at that moment.) One is he's still rockin' the eyebrown stud. Two is his hair! It just got progressively longer through the summer, but I guarantee he'd never go back to it now.

What about ya'll? Has your style/look changed much in the past year? For me, my one big thing is that my nose stud is gone, gone, gone. And I miss it terribly. (Andrea, I'll repierce if you will!)

Funny Kid Story

Yes, I post things all in a row because I am at my fiancee's parent's house and they actually have internet. Here is a daycare story for the hall of fame; it's a one-liner but it's classic. We'll call this child John, though the name is changed for his protection. He's two, soon to be three, and a bit of a hypochondriac.

As he's showing me his latest scratch (note, there was nothing there... no scratch to speak of) he exclaims, "Miss Emily, look at my new booby!"

Boo boo? Perhaps I'll teach my children the proper names for things, just in case they get their anatomy confused some day. :)

In One Month From Now...

As I write this blog it is 12:22 am, Saturday April 19. Thought the one month mark was two days ago, the four week mark is right now. As I type. This time four weeks from now I will be laying in bed, tossing and turning, sleepless like I used to be in elementary school on the night before my return from summer vacation.

Why, you ask? Because in four weeks I will become Mrs. Dusty Snyder! Emily Snyder. Get used to it folks!

I've often said that the four years you're in college packs about eight years' worth of life experience. I'm beginning to wonder how much can be packed in just the last four weeks of college. Here's my running list of things to do before the BIG day:

1. Interview for the new job. This happens at 6:55 pm on Monday... like this Monday. Fingers crossed this time next month I'll also be the three's teacher at Campbellsville Child Development Center.
2. Nurse my beloved back to health: he's having a tonsilectomy on Wednesday of next week. Awesome timing as he will still be covered by his parent's insurance!
3. Finals week: while I only have three finals, two of them are big and one of the two is critical. Like if I don't pass it, I may not graduate. Word to the wise: chemistry is not all its cracked up to be.
4. Last minute wedding preparations: this could take up four weeks in and of itself! I've got programs to make, flowers to arrange, and a rehearsal dinner dress to buy. Not to mention, I could stand to lose some weight as my wedding dress is a smidge on the tight side. Sad day.
5. Graduate from college! This happens exactly one week from the wedding. So this time three weeks from now I will be sleeping peacefully knowing that I am done with higher education forever!

Overall Stress Level (scale from 1-10, 1 being a chill vacation in the Bahamas and 10 being a brain surgeon operating on the President): 3. Bring it on!

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Guest Blog: Dusty Snyder

Recently my fiancee Dusty spent some time in Louisville. No, it wasn't for Thunder. The following is his experience from his night on the streets.

Ok, so a couple of friends of mine came up with the idea to head to Louisville to spend the night as homeless people. The point really wasn't to actually be homeless...what we planned to do was meet some homeless men, donate some clothes and blankets, and gain a new perspective. I thought this was a brilliant idea.

I don't know, maybe right now you're thinking we're pretty crazy. Who in their right mind would want to leave the comfort of their own bed, the company of their friends for a night (or for one of us, their wife!?) Especially to spend their time with a bunch of bums?

I should tell you that our experience was more than a night among bums. We had the opportunity to meet a lot of really beautiful men with beautiful stories. I would beg you that the next time you find yourself being asked for money on the street, instead of dismissing that person as a degenerate, take the time to learn something about them. Sure, they may just want to buy some booze, but what they really need is love. We all make mistakes and we're certainly no better than they are. I promise that if you took just a little bit of time out of your busy life to give one of these human beings a bit of your attention you'd really learn something.

We spent about 18 hours on the streets and I can't accurately record for you here everything I learned. We shared a few meals, walked the streets, and even spent the night in a shelter on the floor in a room with about 60 other guys. Every guy we met had a story to tell. Most of them used to have great jobs, but found themselves on the streets after getting laid off. Others put themselves on the streets because of addictions, but I met many men who were honestly trying to turn their lives around and get off drugs (one man was actually leaving for rehab the Monday after our excursion). Another man I met was someone who used to be on the streets because of drug addictions, but had gotten clean, turned his life around and now was helping other men on the street also get their lives back on track.

Something I learned on the street was that there is a lot of help for the homeless in Louisville. Several guys told us how there was no reason to go hungry because there are so many organizations feeding them. This gave me some much needed hope in humanity. It's easy to look at myself and how rarely I actually look beyond myself to help another human being. Look at all the people in the world who are left out, marginalized, and disenfranchised and feel hopeless for the human race. Africa is just one example. I'm really thankful for this new perspective and new found hope in people and how selfishness is not always the motivating factor in our actions.

I guess it's really hard to summarize this experience in just one blog. Honestly, its been two weeks and I don't know if I've completely digested the experience either. I almost feel like I need to apologize for the heaviness of it all. I'm not quite the humorist Emily is so I'll leave you once more to the blog stylings of the beautiful, the wonderful, the extraordinary soon-to-be Mrs. Snyder.

I Spy Way Up High Something In The Sky...

Raise your hand if you're glad you aren't flying American Airlines this weekend! Over 3000 flights cancelled leaving thousands stranded at airports. The reason: government mandated electrical work! Its said that this glitch will cost the airline millions of dollars.

Just Finished

I hereby admit one of my guilty pleasures: Jan Karon's Mitford series. I started reading it because it was recommended by Lauren Winner, author of Girl Meets God and The Mudhouse Sabbath.

I have just finished book two and picked book three up at the half price book shop. I'm sort of feeling bad about myself for my sudden interest in light fiction. Somehow I've got to get back into some serious stuff... maybe over the summer when my thoughts will (hopefully) be given back to me after four years captive in higher education.

Until then, bring on Mitford!

Weclome Spring

I surely didn't realize that when I chose to go out of state for college that I would begin to make my home there at the end of my schooling. But as it turns out the Lord saw the big plan and I only the small, miniscule glance at the larger picture.

As is the case since I arrived in Kentucky, there has always been something about spring time that makes me want to be at home. Instead of dwelling on where I would rather be, I will celebrate the fact that I have experienced these things enough to miss them at all. Here's a quick list of some of my top favorite things that I miss. I wish I had a picture for each, but I am on a borrowed computer so will just have to make due!

• The lilac bushes that greet you on the path to the front door of my parents house. Beautiful!
• Royals fever! Though I couldn't tell you a single player on the roster, I love going to games, especially on Buck Night.
• The smell of my parents house airing out after being shut up all winter. For some reason it is really comforting.
• The sound of frogs beginning to croak at night in our back yard. Sleeping with the windows open and listening to them is one of my favorite things in the world.
• Sitting on the deck with the parents while the sun goes down, being bombarded by our black labs and having to go in because of the mosquitos. (A regular occurence in the Hamlin household.)
• Campfires in the backyard with my Dad... guitar in tow.

So I say welcome Spring, especially with all the memories that you bring!

A Monumental Moment

I hold in my hands my last ever paper to write for my college career.

I remember so many years ago when I was assigned my first five page paper, as a freshman I believe it was. That's the most I had ever written.

As the years went on, my paper lengths increased from 8 to 10 to... 15! (Thank you so much Dr. Whitlock! I can't even remember what I wrote on.)

I'd like to give credit to three of the main men that got me through so very many excruciating hours sitting at the computer, willing my brain to just b.s. a little more... a little more... a little more...

If it weren't for you urging me to Try! (try!), not Wait Until Tomorrow, and realize that Something's Missing I would not be where I am today.

Good night Campbellsville! We love you!