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. :)

yawn...and a meme

i'm a little tired.
last week wore me out.
apparently, the weekend was not long enough.
this week isn't too busy...yet.
it's only monday.
can't believe it's almost may.
and i also can't believe we've been married for almost a year.
how time flies...especially when you're having fun and loving life. :)
all is well.
that's all for now.
so i will leave you, my special (and few) readers, with a mindless meme. :)
happy week to you all.

~~~~~~~~~~~

Either/Or

james brown or marvin gaye? the marvin - of course. so many lovely memories of friends and groovin to 'let's get it on' at mel's. :)
chinese or indian takeout? indian - yum, yum yum!
fleece or knitted blanket? i love fleece - better coverage and it's oh so soft. :)
girls with makeup or without? depends - some people can go without - i like a little concealer for those 'problem' days. :/
costco or whole foods? costco - if only for the free family membership and their delicious lunch menu (i love the pizza, hot dogs and cheap sodas). also, my husband amusingly calls whole foods 'whole paycheck.
wildflowers or arrangements? wildflowers.
tradition or shakeups? tradition...i'm a traditional old lady at heart.
cello or trumpet? cello - i love the sound of strings.
watch-wearing or no? when i remember. i have a fun nike watch. but, i sometimes feel like my left side is too 'busy' with my wedding bands and the watch. weird...but true.
salt water or fresh (for swimming)? fresh - the taste of salt water makes me feel icky.
pants or shorts? pants - but my all-time favorite is capris (or 'sh-pants' (as in short pants) as my dad calls them. shorts are only for hot days when pants simply will not do.
chatspeak or absolutely NOT? not sure what 'chatspeak' is - does it mean 'lol' and things like that? i think i'm too old - i'm not a twelve anymore.
digital camera or old-school? digital - i love to be able to take as many pictures as i want and save/delete as i choose. and it helps me make sure my eyes are open - i am a notorious picture blinker. :(
wireless or plugged in? we have two laptops and i am so anal about not letting the battery die that i am 'plugged in' all the time. matt is trying to break me of the habit because it's bad for the laptop battery. i'm taking baby steps.
waltz or tango? tango - more fun? i have zero dance training =- but i think the tango could allow some room for creativity? i'll have to ask my mom which is more fun, seeing as she is an avid (and closeted) dancing with the stars fan.
brian williams or anderson cooper? anderson cooper - i remember when he was on the reality show 'the mole' a few years ago. i liked it, so i like him. :)
time or newsweek? um...entertainment weekly? :)
waterbed or mattress? mattress - particularly, our 'homemade' memory foam bed. my husband, the nerdy engineer, did a bunch of research and recreated a fancy pants memory foam bed.
cream and sugar or not? i like whatever is in girly starbucks mochas. so, yes - bring on the cream and sugar and whatever else they put in. :)
iTunes or something else? no iPod (and i the only one left without one?) so i get my music fix with the radio and my outdated cd collection.
scented candles or unscented? mildly scented - nothing too overwhelming or it can give me a headache.
prairie or mountain? mountains - especially on a sunny, summer day. :)
socks or barefoot? socks in winter, flip-flops in summer (so quasi barefoot) and barefoot inside only.
matt damon or ben affleck? i'll say matt damon - he's alright to look at and i like most of his movies.
wool or cotton? cotton - nice, comfy and easily cleaned in the washing machine.
willow tree or pine? pine - i love the smell of pine trees. :)
gerald ford or jimmy carter? jimmy carter - i admire his humanitarian and overseas work.
france or italy? italy - such a lovely (and delicious) place
electric or gas stove? i like gas...except for when i lived in a drafty old house and the pilot light went out every other day.
thrift store or outlet? outlet - thrift stores are fun and i've had some luck...but it gets a little frustrating when you can't find the right size.
japanese garden or english garden? english - i love all things english.
sophia loren or liz taylor? liz taylor - she (and the other stars of that hollywood era) fascinates me.

almost there...for this week ;)

phew.
it's thursday.
afternoon.
my kiddos have been gone for a few hours.
and i'm 'done' for the week.
sure, i have to teach tomorrow.
but all of the other stuff - not related to educating 7 year olds - is done.
miraculously, i found 80 hours worth of evidence. so $500 is coming my way someday. :)
i finished my btsa (beginning teacher program in ca) action plan...only to find out last night that it is due in late-may. part of me fumed because i was stressing and working late to finish it. but, on the upside, at least i'm done. one less thing to worry about.
since this is only my first year, i did not anticipate how busy the spring would be. i kept thinking, "i have (6,5,4,3, etc) months left to squeeze in (social studies, science, review, p.e., etc) - i'll do it later." and here it is, mid-april, with only two months left, and my science and social studies curriculum have collected a good layer of dust. and p.e. - does recess count? oh yeah...and some of them still aren't the greatest readers, writers or mathematicians.
i'm working to realize that i cannot realistically expect every student that passes through my door to be proficient in absolutely everything. i can hope, but each kiddo is unique and at works at their own level/pace - all i can do is support them along the way. the perfectionist in me is raging...but i'm gently telling her to shut up. all i can do is keep trying and hope that they can master the basics and be successful second graders. time will tell...and i just hope it's not blatantly obvious which future second graders were in my class. :/
keep my kiddos in your thoughts/prayers these next two weeks. we have a two big tests coming up - one writing and one everything-language-arts - and they are already feeling the stress. i'm trying to be as stress-free - but they must be feeding off of it because some of these little kiddos have serious test anxiety. how sad that 7-year-olds have test anxiety - but sadly, it'll be there reality until graduation. (my thoughts on standardized testing and the weight/importance it's given in terms of a teacher's competence/ability is a topic for another blog.)

~~~~~~~~~

besides school - life is lovely.
the husband is sweet, supportive and reminds me to tell the perfectionist to shut up. :) our life is simple (dinner, netflix, snuggles, walks) - but it's going really great. we're nearing our one-year anniversary, which is crazy to think about because it's been a quick year. we're trying to figure out what to do. being that we are both so frugal (and every penny goes into the 'future house' account), we're having trouble justifying what to do. any suggestions of fun, but inexpensive ways, to mark this milestone? let me know. :)

hope you all have lovely fridays and weekends.

drowning in report cards

just wanted to come up for air and take a break from the all-consuming world of report cards.

egad...it feels like there is so much to do.

i had a lovely spring break (in idaho...blog with pics to come soon) and came back to school yesterday and had two days to get my act together and fill out report cards (eld and academic) for my kiddos.

the reports themselves are not too bad.

just a check here.

and a number (between 1 and 4) there.

but then comes the comment space -- where in a few short lines i get to explain how their kiddo is struggling to read/add/subtract/write/function in first grade. i wish i could do this all in person, but getting parents to come in and talk to me is like pulling teeth. and even when they are here, unless i have a translator, it's pretty useless. lots of gesturing and spanglish spoken by me and confused looks by parents.

so...hopefully my online-translated messages make some sense and parents will know where i'm coming from.

but the workload doesn't stop there.

in addition is a beginning teacher class tomorrow afternoon (complete with busy work...i mean, 'action plan') and a folder full of proof that i have dedicated 80-hours of my life to developing as a teacher. i wish that working in my room 'til all hours of the night counts...but there's no documentation. i'm scrounging around for any proof. maybe blogs about teaching can count...i'll have to ask. either way, i hope it comes together by friday so i can get the credit (and the $500 stipend). :)

alright...enough complaining from this teacher. :) it's time to get back to work.

hope you are all having restful and lovely weeks. i think mine will be magnificent come friday at about 2:20. i think i'll make it until then.

spc ~ body parts ~ feet :)

feet.
to be honest, they kind of gross me out. :/ but, at the same time, i have to say 'wow'.
these two heels, two arches and ten toes have carried me through so many places and phases.
together, we've enjoyed tall grass, squishy mud, plush carpet, european sidewalks, a specific church aisle and so much more. (by the by...they're not so fond of dusty garage floors (weird, huh?))
there were the days when the world felt heavy and my body was weary...but they helped me keep on keepin' on. and there were the days when i had an extra spring in my step...and they carried me long.
too often, i beat them up with uncomfortable (but adorable) shoes - sometimes sacrifices need to be made. :) so, in honor of my faithful travelling companions...i think i'm inspired to give my tootsies a little love. maybe some color...and some comfy shoes tomorrow. :)
happy tuesday, friends.

a rant...and then an update

thanks to cesar chavez, i have the day off. and it could not come soon enough.

(begin of rant)

life in room b-07 has been rough.

my kiddos have been struggling lately.

i'm not sure what happened. is it spring fever? or the sudden presence of sunshine? are they getting tired of eachother? what can i do?

in the simplest of terms -- they are being mean to eachother.

and, at the risk of being a big whiner, some are starting to be a little mean to me.

daily there have been physical fights (some minor, some requiring visits to the nurse), unkind words spoken and tattling galore amongst the kiddos. daily there are kiddos who tell me they don't want to read/do math/write/participate. i don't mean to be bossy...but what the crap? some of my little ones seem to forget that i'm the teacher and that it is my job to help them read/do math/write/participate. it makes me sad because they are only six/seven and they already think that there is no problem with defying adults and people in 'authority'.

how can i undo that kind of thinking?

(end of rant)

okay...now i can move on to other things. it's been awhile since my ode to chocolate milk, so here are some things going on lately (in bullet form, so i stay organized):

--my brother-in-law james has been in and out of the hospital due to the doctor's inability to control his seizures. something is amiss with his meds and they just aren't working like they need to. luckily, my in-laws have been able to get more attention from the doctor's at kaiser and they are working to determine what needs to happen to help james. keep him in your thoughts/prayers. and also, i just wanted to give kudos to matt's parents. i have no idea how they can deal with it all, but they're doing it. so keep them (brian and mary) in your thoughts/prayers, as well. :)

--not everything related to my kiddos is negative, so i wanted to highlight some recent fun we've had. :) on wednesday, my kiddos and five chaperones (including my brave husband) ventured to the monterey bay aquarium for a day of aquatic exploration and fun times. i was able to divide the kiddos among the chaperones, leaving me to wander around the aquarium and hang out with all my kiddos as they poked and prodded various sea creatures. they had a wonderful day...and i'll try to put some pictures in a future post.

--we've stocked our netflix queue with loads of tv shows - so we have been a bit reclusive as we catch up on an entire season worth of tv in a weekend. i don't think i could every pay for cable and watch tv the regular way ever again - i'm getting too used to the instant gratification of an entire show at my fingertips.

--spring break is only one week away. this break will include a muse concert in san fran and then a road trip to boise to check it out. pit stops to visit my parents in rocklin will bookend our trip...and cut down on our time in the car. :)

--a little bit of sad news - charles ezra rockway died last week. :(

for those not 'in the know', charles ezra (a.k.a charlie, chuck, and tubs) was one of my family's dogs and he was such a lovable curmudgeon. he had a stroke two weekends ago and gradually lost the ability to move, so my parents decided to put him down. we think he was 15 years old, so he lived a good long doggie life. :)

(charlie is on the left, heidi is on the right)

i'm off now to get caught up on all the things i never have time for when i'm working. i love the free time...but kind of wish i could just be a lump on the couch. i guess i have a whole summer to practice and perect being 'lumpy'.

happy friday/weekend all! :)

does a body good :)

one additional perk of working at an elementary school is the daily access to chocolate milk. there is just something so fun and refreshing about a half-pint of chocolatey dairy goodness. :) and it's only 1%...so it balances out, right?
i'm enjoying some now on my lunch break and just had to share because it puts me in such a good mood.
happy friday and happy milk drinking. :)

little bit of everything

the past week has been busy.
come to think of it...i think this is how many of my blogs begin.
i think it is safe to say that all weeks will be busy from here on out. :)

anywho...since my last post, i started liking my kiddos again. :) the kiddos who were there on thursday stayed home and my normal class showed up friday morning (and this week, thank goodness). so my job is once again a source of joy, not headache and insanity.

we visited my parents in sacramento this past weekend to see them and also catch a theater production of 12 angry men (starring none other than norm from 'cheers' and john boy from 'the waltons' - good times, but no autographs). it was the first time that matt and i visited sac when just my parents were around. on the way home, we remarked how grown-up it was so spend a weekend with just parents - usually siblings and extended family are around. it was nice to spend time with them and talk about stuff that would have bored my siblings (or anyone, for that matter) to tears. hot topics of conversation: mutual funds (ooh!), the california housing market (bleh!), work (only briefly!), car shopping (options, options!), etc. with all of those lively topics, i swear there were also many moments of laughter and good times. seeing my mom and pop just make me happy and i am so glad that everyone gets along to swimmingly.

matt and i are in the process of planning trips to boise and austin. why...you might ask? in simple terms, california (especially the bay area) is super expensive. we aspire to someday own a house and on our salaries and with the cost of housing, it doesn't seem to add up. matt knows of companies (and people) in boise and austin, which make them viable options for our relocation in a couple years. we're planning to visit boise in april (during my spring break) and texas in july (which will make or break me - heat is not my favorite). so, my few (but wonderful) blog readers - i have a question for you: have you ever visited/lived in/driven through either of these places? any suggestions on where to go/what to see? we're open...and want to get the best idea of each place duringour short visits. anything would be appreciated. :)

okay...that's all for now. i think. :) i'm off to help the husband prepare some homemade indian food. we're being adventurous. hopefully it pays off. however, we were adventurous with a crockpot tortilla soup the other night and ended up making something that we called 'mexican upchuck'. not good. :(

happy (almost) friday/weekend! :)

oy vey!

today is over.
finally.
apparently, my kiddos were quite the treat in my absence.
first thing upon entering my room, i found three names on the board, indicating those students who chose not to listen all day.
after that, two separate parents came up to me and said that yesterday, their kids were bothered (hit, pushed, hair pulled, scratched) by another member of the class.
school had not even started and i was already up to my ears in 'talks' with various students about appropriate conduct at school. i usually like to save those talks at least until recess. and i felt compelled to address the class and tell them how disappointed i am to see that they were rude to the sub.
once the bell rang, i knew we were in for a long day. to put it mildly, i was ready to run for the hills by recess. not good...and i think it's against the law. :) the day continued to go downhill - i was scheduled to do some observing today, so another teacher came in to corral my group.
she was forewarned.
basically, they were rude to this teacher (who are these children?), ran amok in the library with this teacher (much to the horror of our sweet librarian) and engaged in some fights (and subsequent principal office visits).
today was not the proudest day for the smart sharks of room B-07. :( maybe it's me? maybe it's them? maybe it's spring? i think i'll blame spring for now...but it's probably a combination of all three. i just have to hope to never be sick again.

all this said...i hope tomorrow is better. it has to be. right? :)

the eye - an update

so, the nice people at kaiser gave me some eye drops to get rid of my current condition.

i don't think i've ever mentioned that i get the eebie-jeebies when anything gets near my eye. i don't even like touching my own eyes (so how can i still get pink eye?). contact lenses terrify me - i hope to never need them. :)

so, you might wonder...how are those eye drops working out? i think i can honestly say that it is the most pathetic thng anyone could ever see. i think i have gotten more drops on my cheeks and eyelids than in my actual eye.

i hope i can get the hang of it soon - otherwise, i'm still contagious and unable to go to school. wish me luck...i'm off to 'drop' again. :)

the eye

i've got 'the eye'.

for those not in my family, that means i have pink eye. :(

the man at kaiser said i am highly contagious and should not go to school. so i am home today. i'm not sure who i got it from...i just hope it's looking better by tomorrow.

i don't like to miss school.

latest

over the last few days, i've sat down to write about a number of things - both positive and not so positive - that have kept me busy. and every time i start to write, something comes up - dinner to be made, lesson to be planned, phone to be answered, husband to snuggle (this one isn't much of a sacrifice), [insert other lame-o excuse], etc. since i am too tired/lazy to dedicate a post to each thing individually - here is a mish-mash of the latest:

~seeing my sister in slo was good fun - but at the same time, it felt a little odd. as previously mentioned, our age/life stage gap wavers between appearing non-existent and being so obvious we have little to talk about. it's just...odd. our relationship has been something on my mind off and on lately. i want to delve into it more (and seek the advice of other bloggers) when i have some more time.

~amy and i spent a lovely and absolutely refreshing day in lovely berkeley. for nostalgia's sake, we ate some delicious diner food, then proceeded to wander around a half-price bookstore (i love discounted things) and then concluded with some warm starbucks drinks. intermixed with all this was some wonderful conversation and genuine communication. she is one of my favorite people and i was just so blessed to spend a day with her. so yeah...i have an awesome friend. :)

~matt and i enjoyed a relaxing weekend where we watched movies in our jammies all day, then spent time with family and/or friends at night. things have been good with us lately - being married definitely suits me. being the wonderful and generous man that he is, matt decided (without any prodding or suggestion from me) to sell his motorcycle and to trade in his leased car - all in the name of saving money for our future. we've both been worried about saving money and whether or not we'll be able to afford a home any time in the next 5 years - so he decided to alleviate some of those worries. he's just swell. :)

~speaking again of my awesome friend, amy, she recently posted about her interactions with other people. as other people's blogs always do, it got me thinking about my interactions with others. mildly put, i can be awkward and a little bit of a worry-wart. my mind is go garbled with thoughts of 'what do i say? am i being completely annoying?' the sad thing is - this isn't just with people i've recently met. sometimes, spending an afternoon shopping or having lunch with my mom/dad/brother/sister/old friend can make me fret about how the one-on-one time will 'go'. i worry - 'will i have anything to say? will i put my foot in my mouth ? what if there is awkward silence?' i've been considering why i feel this way with people i feel comfortable. i haven't gotten too far in my considerations...but i know that it's something i need to not worry about, which is easier said than done.

so...in summary...there are currently lots of things floating around in my noggin. there are more that i am too tired/lazy to write (students making me crazy!!!!, loving the beautiful weather - yay (almost) spring!, summer plans). i want to get them all out soon - it is taking up valuable room. :)
hope this post finds you all happy and enjoying some beautiful weather - it feels like spring is in the air...can't help but smile about that. :)

we're back

we're back. in full swing.

this morning, i decided i would come home and post about all of the fun i had on my lovely week off. but when i actually got home tonight (around 6 - i'm getting better), i was feeling a little tired.

i'm glad to be back with the kiddos - but wow...they really take my energy. it is only 9:30 and i am off to bed. i feel so old. :)

happy monday/tuesday to you all.

happy birhtday kaykin! :)

happy 19th birthday to my beautiful, hilarious and wonderful sister, kaitlin.

we're five years apart and, as i complete a milestone (like high school or college), she's just beginning it. it seems like we're always in different places. but as we've gotten older, we're moved from just being siblings to developing a real friendship.

she is one of most favorite people and i'm super excited to head down to slo tomorrow to visit with her and give some birthday love. :)

happy birthday kaykin! :)

rhythm

the past week and a half at school was busy - but what's new? but this week (thanks to presidents washington and lincoln), i don't have to think about school. i can focus my attention on other things i've neglected.

a friend from our bible study went on a business trip to paris (oh, how i wish i could go back) and asked us to house and dog sit for him. so, even though we were only about 15 miles from our own house, matt and i were lucky enough to have a mini-vacation from our everyday lives. we spent way too much money on all kinds of delicious food (vacation = no cooking), watched some movies we've been wanting to see for a long time, vegged on the couch watching hgtv and dreaming about our future home, took the doggie for walks, talked about anything and laughed about everything.

it was perfect. it was everything that we needed. a time we established as being just for us. not time squeezed in between eating dinner and collapsing into bed. we were able to reconnect and get caught up on eachother. it was great - but also made me sad when i considered, how did we get so distracted that our relationship almost became an afterthought? it almost became something we'll get to when we have time.

over the last few weeks, our church has been doing a series on the balance between work and rest - finding the rhythm God desires for our lives. it's gotten us both thinking about the balance we strike between our jobs and the other aspects of life (eachother, friendships, family, fun). the service this weekend discussed the importance of making time to 'listen' to the rhythm - to slow down the pace of life and enjoy the moments where we can rest or play or just be.

this week off is a rarity - a time when i am not busied with work. but, once things pick up again, i want to make sure that my job does not become the thing that consumes me and takes up the majority of my free time. being the perfectionist i am, i can't just do the bare minimum - i want to do what other teachers are doing, and then some. but i need to realize that i'm just starting and i can't try to be perfect right now - that will come with time. :) as much as i enjoy my job and want to give it my time and energy, this exact job is not what i will be doing for the rest of my life. i want to be the best teacher i can be - but need to remember that being a teacher is not the only role in my life.

the next few weeks will be an attempt to embrace the other roles in my life (wife, daughter, sister, friend). now, i will not neglect my responsibilities to my students, but i need to prioritize and do what needs doing - and just leave it at that. with more time freed up, i want to:

• relax and enjoy quality time with matt (without the next day looming in my mind)
• talk to my family more than once every week or two
• plan and cook yummy meals at home
• stay in touch with my wonderful friends
• send cards to people (because who doesn't like snail mail)
• keep our apartment picked up and clean
• read more books (the pile on my nightstand is tipping dangerously)
• blog more - less updates, more things on my mind

who knows how much i'll be able to do. i don't know if i can free up enough time to do it all. :) but i want to try. when i really sit down and think about it, nurturing relationships and pursuing things that make me happy is a far better use of time than staying at school until after dark. it won't be immediate...just a work in progress.

happy tuesday, all! :)

spc: black.and.white

my first attempt at spc. hopefully not the last - i just need to make an effort. :)

i wish it were prettier. but this has (sadly) been my existence since friday. so here i am...in a 'color' world - but feeling a little black and white.

it's like a metaphor or something. or not. i don't know. back to nap time.

happy tuesday all. :)