yee-haw :)

the long weekend was delightful.
lots of relaxing and good times with the husband and friends.
and then i went back to work.
and worked until 8:00 tonight.
but the reason for the long night is for a good and worthy cause.
we're going on a little vacay.
we're off to texas, y'all. :)
for some community hunting, family visiting and wedding attending.
we're off tomorrow night and return on sunday.
and i hope to have some fun texas pictures upon my return. :)

have a great week.

amy.dina.hilary. :)

i'm fighting some sniffles...but just can't dwell on them after the wonderful weekend i had.
on friday evening, three women who i have grown up with and shared the good/bad/awkward times with came for a visit. we sat, chatted, laughed, ate dinner, took pictures, ate cheesecake, laughed, sipped, shared, and caught up on everything that's transpired since we last met. it was a treat to rest and enjoy their company and listen to them talk about their lives - the good, the bad and the in-between.
at 2 a.m., we turned in...only to depart hours later ('early' for a saturday) for golden gate park. we spent a lovely day wandering, talking, taking (more) pictures, sipping tea (some good, some bad), laughing and enjoying the beauty of the day. we separated (too soon) and went our separate ways, but it was a delight to spend so much time with these women. we've grown up and changed in many ways over the last six years - some could say we're so different. but there's that link, that common bond that keeps us eagerly coming back to eachother whenever we can find the time.
i hope the next time isn't too far away. :)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
(fun pictures coming soon) :)

one

on may 14th, 2006, matt and i were married.
and yesterday, we celebrated a happy first year together as husband and wife. it's hard to believe it's already been a year - but it has been a wonderful journey thus far. sure...it hasn't always been sunshine and roses, but we have grown together and created a strong base for the rest of our lives together. we've learned about each other and i know we'll continue to evolve and change throughout our marriage.

to commemorate this momentous occasion, we did a little celebrating. to satisfy the paper tradition of the first anniversary, we exchanged some books we wanted (this for me and this for him) and then went to dinner in monterey here. we ate in this beautiful room and enjoyed a super delicious and very satisfying meal of steak, garlic mashed potatoes, and vanilla creme brulee. yum yum yum. i'm still stuffed. :)
hope you all have a great week. mine got off to a lovely start with our anniversary...and will end nicely with a visit from three of my oldest and dearest friends.
i think i can safely say life is good. :)

report

as a teacher in the state of california, i am a mandated reporter. this means that if i suspect or witness any behavior that could indicate that a child is being abused, i am required (by law) to report it. i've heard about this in college courses and teacher seminars, but i never thought i'd have to do it. this evening, i did.
to make a long story short, i was at school late tonight and witnessed a mother seriously hurting her child. this child (a fourth grade student at my school) was on the ground, screaming and crying, while his mother kicked him in the back and legs and jabbed her keys into his neck and arms. the mother was being so violent and the child looked resigned to this kind of treatment. i can honestly say i was shocked by what i saw. unsure of what to do (get involved? make my presence known?), i decided to call 911 and see what that could do. i described what i was seeing to the dispatcher and an officer was sent to the school.
by the time the police arrived, the woman and her son were already gone, but other people on campus recognized them as living on a nearby street. i went to the office and found the emergency card with the address and an officer went over there to talk to the family. i gave a statement about what i saw...which was a little nerve wracking as i tried to accurately recall exactly what i saw. i hope it can help the police to ensure this child is safe at home.
i know i did the right thing and am just wondering what's next with all this. will someone press charges? do these kinds of thiings go to court or do they get filed and (sadly) forgotten? i'm just waiting to see where this all goes.
apologies for the serious tone of this post...i know it's not pleasant. it left me a little shaken this evening and i figured getting it out of my mind could help me calm down a bit. i just have to remind myself that i might have helped this kid from future abuses. better to err on the side of caution that let it go.
hope you all have a great rest of the week. :)

past, present, future

brief update of my daily doings. :)
past: busy week (as usual) as we geared up for the big test we take tomorrow. so nerve-wracking for all involved. hopefully all will go well and they will show the state just how smart they are. i swear - they are little whiz-kids but they get choked up on tests. on thursday, my mom and dad stopped by my classroom on their way to visit my sister at college and were tickled at seeing me doing what i tell them about all the time. my kids were equally excited at seeing that i had a mom and dad and they have requested a return visit everyday. they don't quite understand geography yet...we're working on it. :) then, our weekend was spent house-sitting for a friend and watching his defiant (but adorable) dog, inviting friends over for some cinco de mayo festivities (and discovering that two margaritas makes me silly and sleepy...i am a lightweight), and then heading home to relax and start the week all over again.
present: today's forecast promised some beautiful sunshine and clear skies - something we have been lacking during this fairly gloomy spring. today was maybe in the low 90's but, somehow, it feels like the sun is beating down on my little a/c-free classroom.
oh - and the poor children. based on their behavior and their constant moaning ("it's soooooo hot. can't you do anyyyyything?"), you'd think they were being tortured. i had to remind them that, while i am capable of many things, i cannot change the weather. the last moments of the day were spent with heads down, in the dark, taking deep, calming breaths - kind of for them and very much for me. i can't be too upset at a gorgeous day...i just hope it cools down a bit before it gets any warmer. but i suppose it does give me a good excuse to enjoy delicious and cool starbucks frappuccinos. :)
future: so many wonderful and delightful things to look forward to. this weekend, we will pay our moms some visits to thank them for being amazing. then, monday (the 14th) is our one year anniversary and we are headed out of town for a nice dinner by the coast. i cannot believe it has already been a year. it feels like we've been married longer, but at the same time the wedding seems like it just happened. does that make sense? who knows...i'm suffering from mild heatstroke. and then...to add to this weekend/week of goodness - i get to see some of my most favorite people in the world for a mini-weekend of catching up, eating well and laughing until our sides hurt.
even on the days when things seem a little nuts, it's nice to sit down and reflect on the good, the not-so-good and the greatness to come. hope you all have a wonderful week. :)