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...I am a human being first.

Saturday, December 17, 2011

Nothing profound

This post has no real purpose, other than simply having an itch to write/compose/create. As someone who grew up on stage pretending to be characters from the various plays/musicals I was in, I sometimes feel an overwhelming urge to pamper that side of my brain in creative ways. As a teacher, though, I must admit- I get to "act" all the time. I act EXCITED about a novel I have read 23 times and don't actually really like that much. I act enthralled by a student's horrendously LOOOOONG story, even though I already know in the first 5 minutes that it is going to end with some ridiculous fight and details about how hard she hit someone. I act out the parts in the various short stories we read, for purely entertainment purposes. Hell, sometimes I even have to paste on a cheery smile and act excited to SEE some of my kids.

Don't get me wrong. I love my job and my students remain some of the funniest, brightest people I know... for the most part. But I do have that one kid (or in this year's case, 5) who tests my patience every day, and for whom I have yet to find one=godforesaken redeeming quality.  "Good morning! I'm so glad you're here! I had heard you were suspended! Well, come on in! We have a lot of fun stuff today!" (inner monologue: holyhellnottodaywhytodayicouldhaveswornhewassuspended)

Alas- I digress.

Life in Petersville has been busier than ever. Quinn has started playing on a basketball team, which pretty much looks like football at this age - lots of hogging the ball and running (what's dribbling?). It's a hoot and he is loving it. My husband being quite the basketball star in high school sits on the sidelines, ever so patiently, DYING to scream things like, "WHAT ARE YOU DOING?! ARE YOU BLIND?! THAT GUY WAS WIDE OPEN!" but holding it in as he should.

Work has been a whole new can of worms this year. I would not be lying if I reported that this year has been my MOST challenging year to date, including my very FIRST year, which made this one look like a trip to the circus. I have started teaching the "babies" again, as I call them (i.e. sophomores) after 4 yrs of having a strictly SENIOR schedule. I clearly had gotten rusty at how to manage the youngins. I cannot believe I still have to say things like "We don't flick boogers on people" or "Don't make me put your name on the board." I came home every night for the first 2 months and literally collapsed. I have one particular class of misfits who include jailbirds,3 time-repeaters, ADHD poster children, pharmaceutical specialists and 8 month pregnant girls who still say "ax" instead of "ask" and "LI-BERRY." Now, however, dare I say, I am enjoying it? I have FINALLY established a working class order where they know I am Head Hefe and they aren't. And I kind of like them a little bit... okay, I love them.  This would be my classic "I'll wait..." pose to get them quiet:
                                                      
Sean and I leave for Mexico in exactly 60 days and I couldn't be more excited. I can hardly believe it has been 10 years since we got married. It has flown by in the blink of an eye and I wouldn't trade a moment of it- even the harder years. I can't tell you how many times we have both commented how lucky we are to have the friendship we have. I look at some unhappy women my age and I can see that their relationships aren't friendships. They are partnerships, sure. But let's be honest - I have a partnership with my gym. I need more than that to sustain me, and I am so lucky to have it. When I look at this picture, I cant believe how much I had NO CLUE what great blessings were in store for us.

That is enough for tonight. I had a profound thought earlier this week that I would like to expand into a blog, but for now, I will only say this... I cannot BELIEVE how much of my EARLY life was preparation for the life I live NOW. There are so many examples of how God laid a path for me before I ever even knew it - experiences I had that have come in so useful now, knowledge He planted in me juuuust before I would need it, love He taught me to show for people who would benefit... I have never doubted that God drives my life - but it hit me last week just HOW much He set me up to succeed. Crazy.

Love and blessings for this holiday season!!