Time for my Yearly Update!

As much as I wish I could blog more... I don't. And probably never will. I do my little snip- its here and there to update but overall its more of a once a year thing :)

Fish and Fins Swimming School
WOW Where do I even begin with this..
--I opened a website (www.fishandfinsswimmingschool.com-- check it!)
-- Taught over 650 lessons this summer--WOWZA
-- Worked roughly 12 hours a day... everyday
-- Fell in love with what I do.. even more than I did before. HOW DOES THAT EVEN HAPPEN!?
-- Met some amazing parents and kids
-- Saw my sweet babies (except they are growing up... Each year they get older and older. This really needs to stop)
I absolutely LOVE what I do and I cannot wait to see where my future is in this.

Graduate School
--Back in school. UGH but loving it just the same :)
-- Trying to stay on top of what I have to do.. HA!
--Still working on that friends thing... I really am a homebody and love to be a recluse... I really need to get over that haha
-- I have about 2 years left.... Hopefully it goes by super fast but super slow at the same time :)

My Fur Babies
As you know we had a sweet baby join our little family. Emma Jane was found on the side of the road and brought into our family. She is such a sweet spirit. Poor baby has been through so much in her 8 months on earth but she is quite loved and makes it known :) Pixie is adjusting well. She loves her but can tolerate her in small doses. Pixie and Emma keep me busy for sure!

SEWING!

I bought a sewing and embroidery machine! WOO HOO! I feel like an old lady haha but I LOVE creating something that other people can really benefit from. I have made some baby blankets, burp cloths, wash cloths, etc. I am loving it and hoping to expand into it more. I cannot wait to see what I will be able to with it!

Well.. Like always it is short and sweet. 

XOXO

Katie

HeyHeyHey

Katie here....
Busy like always. GRADUATE school began in August, I moved back to Oklahoma, I got 4 jobs (no surprise there) and began my life back in Oklahoma.

I am LOVING it here. My apartment is pretty dang cute (Thanks Mommy and Daddy!) Pixie has moved with me as well and that has been an adjustment but we are both doing well with it.

As always I will break down a few things I have been doing...


1. Summer 2013- IT WAS AN AMAZING SUMMER!!!! I had my amazing students who I have fallen in love with. I miss their smiles, their hugs and kisses, their splashes and even their screams and cries. The parents I encountered were amazing and so supportive of what I do and what I plan to do with my life. My dream is to open up my swim school in an indoor pool so I can teach year round. Oh I hope that dream will come true!

2. Started Graduate School- Oh what a crazy time. I have been reading about 250 pages a week, writing papers, having anxiety break downs, the usual. haha! But seriously, I have learned SO much the past few weeks in graduate school and I cannot wait to see where I go with this career. My sweet boyfriend has to deal with my crazy outbursts and tears but I cannot thank him enough for the big hugs he gives me when I need it and the encouragement he provides. My parents have been amazing with helping me. My dad always sends me encouarging texts and my mom edits papers, deals with my anxiety and always answers my calls at 2am when I am freaking out over a project.

3. I got several jobs- 
A & B. Research Assistant for 2 different professors. The first one is doing a study on Marriage and Relationship Education the second is doing a study on Grandparents raising Grandchildren. Both of these are so interesting. It is amazing what I have learned from doing these studies and I am looking forward to continuing on with this over my graduate school career.
C. Preschool Teacher- oh yes, teaching 4 year olds Monday- Thursday has been quite exciting. I have fallen in love with my kiddos- they are seriously the cutest things in the world! (besides my swimmers of course) I get things ready each day, clean up their areas, give hugs when tears are flowing, and anything else the Preschool Directors need me to do. It is an amazing job!
D. Working with my sweet Matt just like I have the last few years. He has a place in my heart that nobody can take <3

4. Making Friends!- As many know I do not make friends easily (I may be talkative but I am quite picky on who I call friends) But I have met amazing women here who I am so blessed to call my friends. They have made the transition back to Edmond/ Oklahoma much easier.

5. Raising my sweet Pixie- Pixie has been raised by her grandparents for the past 5 years and I have finally gained custody back :) (haha!) My parents were sad to give her back to me but since my apartment finally allowed dogs I was able to bring her with me! YAY!!! She is so dang cute I can't get over it. We both have transitioned well. She is attached to me 24/7 and if I am at school or work she just chills at the house watching Animal Planet, taking naps, howling, and barking at the UPS guys who drop off packages. We have our system of how we go about our day and what we do. She has also been going to training at Petsmart and she is doing so well. She has learned some new tricks :)
I am so glad she is with me. Thanks mom and dad for letting me have her back! She misses her Kissy and Big Bear though!!


I shall update everyone soon! It may not be until Christmas break though :)

Katie
XOXO

The question:

I came across this quote the other day and I wanted to share it:

"The question: How does a girl who jumps into a rabbit hole, plummeting into chaos, come out unchanged? The answer: She doesn't"

My life the past 6 months has been like plummeting into chaos. I am definitely not the same person I was in December.
I did post some highlights in a previous post but things just seem to keep on rolling.
My business is taking off like crazy (good but keeps me on my toes) I am planning a trip with my best friend, started grad school, my job at the hospital... just so much going on. I love it though. It keeps me focused on the important things.
My sweet Pixie is super attached to me. Its like she knows we are moving in August. Her life will change as well. She loves my parents so so much and loves being around them.

As much as I am on the go, I need to take a step back, enjoy my summer, and rest.
Lets just hope I can remember to do that more often. I finally have a day off tomorrow (well technically today) and I plan on spending it at the river reading and studying and laying out..... ok ok so not a full day off but I do have to do homework :)

I just began my swim blog. I am so excited about it! I hope it helps my business grow and has me building connections. I hope I can continue to make changes in these kids lives that I am teaching. It is a passion of mine and I really hope I influence one kid just to make the most of everyday and to always smile.
www.fishandfinsswimming.blogspot.com

I should probably head to bed now.... I have a big day of rest tomorrow :)

Ta ta for now....

Katie Green, CTRS ( I just had to!!)

Camp!

Last summer I was a camp counselor at Camp Carter and I get to go again this year!!! Camp was so much fun... slip and slides, treasure hunts, swimming, ga- ga ball, a week of amazingness! My campers were amazing and I cannot believe it is finally time to go back!!! My week will be pretty crazy with lessons, camp, and my job in Dallas. Long days but so worth it!!

Until next time...

Katie

Just Keep Swimming...

Oh what a week.... wait tomorrow is Thursday? Not the weekend?

These past 3 days have been insane. Literally insane. I wake up, go for a run, come back and get in my suit, and teach till about 4:00 then hop in my car and drive to Dallas to go to my other job at Scottish Rite Hospital- Summer All Stars. Don't get me wrong I LOVE my jobs. I have the best jobs in the world... but 14 hour days in the hot sun are tiring!!

Yes Grandmama I am wearing my sunscreen and reapplying it every 60 minutes :)

I am loving seeing the progress in my kiddos!!! A couple of my 4 year olds could not even float on monday and today they are swimming across the shallow end!!! I am so happy for their progress!


Each night I come home and read a little bit for my Graduate class then answer emails for scheduling lessons.
It keeps me busy for sure!!! Just keep swimming just keep swimming...

I am excited for my next day out in the water!

Happy Swimming everyone!

Crazy Beautiful Life

Lots to update on. It has been about a year and a half since my last update. Lots can change in a year... let alone a year and a half.

Here are the large highlights:

• I got accepted to Grad School! I am attending the University of Central Oklahoma in Edmond Oklahoma. I am living by myself in a cute one bedroom apartment and I have been getting lots of cute things to make it "home" I am really looking forward to moving and starting my life there. I have several friends who live there already so it will be nice to be around them more. I am beginning my first class June 3! (thats tomorrow!) It is an online class so I will not be in Edmond yet but I will have 3 hours under my belt before August. I am also enrolled in 11 hours for Grad school. Probably overloading myself once again but thats how I always do :)

• I chopped my hair off!!!! Well ok, not totally! I did take 5.5 inches off and donate to Wigs for kids. I had to make a change in my life. A new start! Plus I needed my hair healthy again!! Since I am in the water so much I thought it would be a good change. Here is the before and after!!!
  
  
    
• I graduated from OSU! I walked across that stage on May 4, 2013. I DID IT! It was 5 years but it was the best 5 years of my life. It was also the hardest 5 years of my life. I went through lots of ups and downs but walking across that stage to get the empty diploma case (don't worry it will be mailed to me in about 6- 8 weeks haha) was a fabulous feeling :)
  
  
  
• My degree is Therapeutic Recreation basically means nothing unless I pass my certification exam. I have to be certified by the National Council Therapeutic Recreation Certification (NCTRC). So if I pass my exam I will be a CTRS- Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist. The exam is only offered 3 times a year and it is an extremely hard test. My mom helped me study and she was a trooper. Seriously.... a trooper. With my freak outs of worrying about not passing  and my high anxiety I am surprised she didn't murder me!! She is such a good mama- may be a crazy mama but shes the best :) The good news is I passed!!!!!  My mom was the first person I called. She was amazing... Praying the entire 3 hours I was in there. The moment I called her was probably better than walking across the stage at graduation. All my hard work paid off. 5 years of studying for my degree then my 3 weeks of studying for my certification exam (after NCTRC processes all my paperwork and internship placement) I will be--------wait for it......------- Katelyn Elizabeth Green, CTRS (but not until I get my certification paper!)  and Oklahoma State University Graduate :)    Thank you so much Mom and Dad for putting up with my insane freak outs, crying fits, random outbursts and mean streak and Madeline appearances :) Without your support I could not have done anything or accomplished what I have. I am thankful for all you do and I love you both so so much

• My senior Internship began on January 7. I moved from the small town of Stillwater, Oklahoma to the large city of Dallas, Texas. Mind you I am from Fort Worth so I was basically moving home :) I got to live with my awesome and amazing Aunt and Uncle. They were simply amazing. Providing me with a roof over my head and food in my belly. My aunt always joked and asked if I actually lived there cause I was always so busy and at work or the gym. But I am so grateful for them for providing a wonderful place for me to live :)
• My internship was at the wonderful hospital for Children called Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children. Seeing kids in different struggles made me see how blessed I truly am. I was able to look at life in a totally different way. I may have my bad days, my EXTREMELY bad days, my good days and my iffy days but everyday I wake up I am able to put my feet on the floor walk in the other room and hug my parents, and go to work doing what I love. Not everybody can do that and I take it for granted. 
•  I was extremely blessed to have another amazing supervisor. Albert taught me more than just Therapeutic Recreation... He taught me life lessons, ways to handle different things, how to have a positive outlook on each thing that happens and he did more for me than he realizes. I am extremely grateful for all that he has done. He wrote this short passage that I taped into my planner- and everyone knows that I look at my planner about 24 times a day so I figured that was the best place to put it. 

                                    Be Positive
Each morning you wake up you have two choices.

You can choose to be in a good mood or... you can choose to be in a bad mood,.

I choose to be in a good mood.

Each time something bad happens, you can choose to be a victim or... you can choose to learn from it. 

I choose to learn from it.

Every time someone comes complaining, you can choose to accept their complaining or... you can point out the positive side of life. I choose the positive side of life

Albert Estes

Albert, I am blessed to have you in my life. I learned so much from you and you impacted my life in so many ways. Thank you for teaching me to look at the positive side of life and to enjoy each moment.

• I am doing my summer swim lessons again! I am already booked for a couple weeks so I will be spending about 8 hours a day in the water teaching kids of all ages how to swim! This year we redid our back yard. For about the last 6 weeks our entire back yard has been torn up and completely demolished. Concrete was jack hammered out,  a tanning ledge was added to the pool to change the shape and add a place for us to lay down in the water :), new drains were put  in, a new waterfall, new coping, and a new texture at the bottom. We are on the last stretch of the remodel... they are finishing the deck and then the backyard will be complete! I am so excited to spend the summer floating on a raft and soaking up the sun with a margarita in hand :) I will just close my eyes and imagine I am at the beach!

• Bikram Yoga- Yoga done in 105 degree heat. You sweat out toxins in your body, go beyond your flexibility, learn things about yourself that you had no idea you could do. It is a 90 minute class and it is seriously the best thing I have ever done. I bought a 10 class card for mom and I for mothers day. We go together and my mom is seriously a rockstar!! She can still do the splits at 29 years of age!! ;) With  my anxiety it is extremely helpful. You have to focus on breathing. JUST BREATHING. You do each pose twice. It doesn't matter if you do each pose all you have to do is breathe. I learn something new every single time I go there If you ever want to test yourself mentally and physically... try bikram yoga! You wont regret it!

• Last but not least I have another job! While I was interning at Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children I was working for free for 15 weeks. It was hard but totally worth it. well I am now an employee!!!!! Only a temporary position for 8 weeks but it is still exciting! I am overseeing the adaptive sports program for patients of the hospital. It is called Summer All Stars and they provide 3 different sports taught by professional in the field. Monday night is Basketball, Tuesday night is Golf, and Wednesday night is Tennis. It is amazing to see every kid who has a disability feel like a "normal" (as normal can be) child. They are learning how to play the sport that they love or want to pursue. They are able to participate without ridicule of other kids and are learning to be good team players. It is an amazing program and an amazing hospital. If you ever have a chance to volunteer for this hospital I guarantee it would be worth it!

I believe that is all the big news that has happened to me in the last 6 months. It is extremely overwhelming but what part of my life isn't overwhelming? I am looking forward to a crazy amazing summer with my best friends, Catherine and Riley, and my parents and my friends here in Fort Worth before I move back to Oklahoma. 

Make the most out of everyday. Look for the beauty in the smallest things and never take anything for granted. Stay positive even when things get rough and remember that you have a purpose in this crazy world. Be kind to one another.

Until my next blog-- which wont be another year and a half away :)

Katie

Busy Busy Bee!!

Lots of things going here in Stillwater. I have met with my advisor about enrolling for my... FINAL SEMESTER!! I only have to have 4 hours to graduate. 4!! I think I will take one extra class so I can get a jump on my masters... That will put me at a whopping 7 hours for next semester. I think I will try to get another job because I will only have class on monday wednesday and friday. So why not get a little extra cash and work :)

I have been meeting mom in Ardmore the past couple weekends. I also went home to run in the cowtown race. I have been doing great on my training. I am so excited for my race... 8 weeks left!!

Time to head to work, the gym, then homework!

XOXO
Katie