Friday, April 30, 2010

End of the year...almost!

We are so close to the end of the year. My school is all about teaching until the very end, and I totally agree. Our kids are very behind, and we cannot afford to blow off a month of school.

However, it is taking great effort on my part to stay focused and driven. It's so easy to lower expectations and just kind of coast through the last couple of weeks. The kids are expecting that, and I am feeling it. Our state testing ended last Friday (the 23rd). We have another round of tests May 10-14. I am thinking it will get even harder to stay focused once those are over. The kids are asking me why we come back after testing, and a small part of me agrees. I would like to push back state testing, I think. I mean, student performance also begins to slack off, so maybe it's good to have it earlier.

Whoops. Fire Drill. 10 minutes of planning... It's okay, I really wasn't planning anyway. I was looking at blogs. :)

Have a happy weekend! I was supposed to have a relaxing one involving lounging around and doing nothing. Somehow, that has disappeared, but still--no traveling, no packing bags. I can just cruise around Nashville in granny the car. That's a happy thing!

Monday, April 26, 2010

What a weekend!

This weekend was COMPLETELY packed! I mean, I was in Lex and SOOO wanted to visit friends. However, from 1:30 pm on Saturday till 4pm on Sunday, I was doing nothing but wedding showers. 3 in 24 hours may just be a record, and I co-hosted two of them.

Woosh. It was intense, but they all went so well, and it was sooo happy. I did get to see some friends (as part of the showers), and it was sooo wonderful to catch up. It's so awesome when you hangout a friend you haven't seen in a YEAR, and you're as close as you were when you lived together. Love to my Lincoln County ladies! I had so much fun with you this weekend! (I have used "sooo" way too many times all ready--sooo annoying!)

I had a great time at all the showers, but I actually got to relax some at the one on Sunday that I did not help host. It was so fun just to visit with people I hadn't seen/talked to in forever. I especially enjoyed visiting with many of my former teachers.

I mean, I was unusually blessed with teachers. I know I had some of the best ones ever. I had all female teachers until middle school, so almost all of my favorites are ladies. As I was talking to some of these ladies on Sunday, I got to thinking about what a huge impact they had on me. I would have done anything to impress them and to help them. They were such role models, and I used to hang on every word they said. They are still ladies that I look up to, and it's so crazy to think that I am now a teacher. (I can't imagine how this makes them feel.)

It got me thinking about how I measure up. These ladies were so calm, cool, and collected. Their classes ran smoothly, and I remember them teaching with such finesse. I knew the teachers I loved also loved me. They didn't pet on me (I had some of those, and they really are not my favorites), and they didn't show favoritism. They loved all of us (or so it appeared to me). They were also tough. In high school, I had many teachers who just wanted to be my friend and be cool. My favorites were always the teachers who held me to high expectations. And when one of them was disappointed in me--oh, brother. Nothing (except disappointing my parents) was worse.

Thinking about these teachers reminds me about the kind of teacher I want to become. Hope you're having a happy Monday!

Thursday, April 15, 2010

Hola and Happy Thursday!

Can you believe it's all ready Thursday? It's easier for me this week, because I took a sick day on Tuesday. (My first one since the swine flu in September). I have had just gross drainage, sore throat, and allergy issues since last weekend.

I am feeling lots better but I still have a lingering itchy cough. It just pops out, and my kids (being paranoid of ALL diseases) are very concerned that I am still sick/contagious. I never know if I spell contagious right, but spellcheck says that it's okay.

Anyway, it's been a happy week, with dinner last night with a teacher friend + Target. Monday and Tuesday were totally chill (I even missed Bible Study on Tuesday night). Tonight, I'm going to stay late for a visitation and then go home and work on Lipscomb jazz. On Friday, I am going HOME for shower numero dos. I'm pumped, but I hope it doesn't rain. Sunday is another shower for a friend, so lots of wedding-y stuff all weekend.

Next week is the big state test week at my school. Please say a prayer for my little bees as they try their best and for the teachers who are getting gray hairs hoping they don't forget everything they know. State tests = stress. And then the weekend after that = MAJOR STRESS, when I am hosting (or co-hosting) not one but TWO wedding showers/luncheons. I need to store up my energy and get way ahead in planning to get ready.

Cheerio, and hope you are having a lovely day!

Sunday, April 11, 2010

I am so blessed.

So I'm sitting here today on this GORGEOUS spring time Sunday. I am a little puny, yes. I woke up and showered for church and then had to get back in bed. This was very sad.

However, the extra sleep has made me feel at least 89.5% better. I mean, I slept from 11ish--9 am this morning. And then I went back to sleep from 9:45 am - 1 pm. Whoosh.

Now, I am feeling pretty good but my voice still sounds kaput.

Cutting through all the sickness and wah-wah, I am so thankful. Here are 10 things that I am super thankful for and blessed with:


10. Being able to sleep in on the weekends.

9. Perfect sunny days that do not go above 85 degrees (I love this weather right now)

8. Sonic tea -- half sweet and half unsweet with light ice (cut in half is what we call it at my sonic at school)

7. Being able to have 25 minute phone conversations with friends you haven't talked to in weeks and it's like you still live together.

6. Feeling such happiness and joy when one of your besties gets engaged or BUYS A HOUSE! I just close my eyes and think about the first day I met them. wow. (Getting a little weepy) You think about how much you love that person and feel so excited for them. (YAY JS!)

5. Wedding showers. Perfect opportunitiese/excuses to dress up, catch up, and eat up.

4. Weddings. It turns out wedding season is extending from May - September this year. (Go AP!)

3. Fans. Perfect white noise with a refreshing cool breeze.

2. Even knowing friends I have not talked to in way too long (EF, AP, JL) are still there and loving them from afar.

1. Being able to just close your eyes and thank God for putting all these amazing people in your life.

A list of ten is really not long enough. I could probably make a top 1000 list. Hope you're feeling thankful and blessed on this beautiful Sunday!

Tuesday, April 6, 2010

Happy Spring!

It is so beautiful here! 80 degrees and sunny for the past two days. I could get used to it. It makes me think tulips and baby calves. :)

I cannot believe Easter is all ready over! Last Easter was so happy with the Easter party with the Garden Girls. This Easter was happy, too--I was with the fam and we celebrated Pop's birthday and did general Easter happiness. We were out Good Friday, so we had a long weekend, which somehow seemed to go even faster than a regular weekend. Now, I have nothing left to decorate for.

Those of you who know me well know that I like to decorate big for every holiday. Last April/May, I did (with KB's help) a whole graduation theme. This year, I'm drawing a blank. Maybe I can find some general "Happy Spring" decorations?? I don't know. I don't want a dismal house...

The little bees have been happy this week. We had some crazo power issues on Monday, but they still were okay. Today, all the little bees did well and I am loving them. I also met one of the new teachers who will be on my grade-level team next year. She was visiting on her spring break. She seems AWESOME and makes me excited to be on the same team with her.

In this season of tea invitations, pretty flowers, and fresh sweet tea, I hope you will take a moment to enjoy all your blessings. I am feeling pretty thankful today.

Quick serious note: One of my good teacher friends lost a parent this past weekend. Please keep the family in your prayers. Call your mom and dad and love on them.