On second thought...

It's only been a few hours since I wrote that daunting post and I'm already feeling bad about it.

I chose my career, and I LOVE my career.  It has, quite simply, been a long week. 

Here's to hoping I can learn some things along the way and next year this month (and next) won't be so discouraging.

It's been a rough one...

To be modest, this week has been rough.  Endless days, sleepless nights, daily meetings, early mornings, and work like I've never known it.  I haven't spent much time with my husband either, and that's always draining.  Between my insane week and his evening work schedule, we've managed to miss each other most nights this week. And to top it off, we're out of food.

The kitchen is a disaster (it's probably not the only disastrous room in the house, but I haven't ventured into other rooms this week), I need to do laundry, and as previously mentioned.... groceries are few and far between. 

This morning I taught at our school's Saturday Academy.  I'm glad I'm doing it, and it's only a 6 week commitment (today was week 2).  I got home from school a little after 11:00 with a million things on my mind to be completed before Monday and quickly realized it wouldn't get done at home, and I didn't have any food to sustain me.  I packed my bags and headed to Panera. 

I've been here for 4 hours, got a few of the more serious and pertinent items completed, but in all only crossed 7 things off my "to-do" list of 23 things.  It's the truth.  And I know this is rather gloomy, but the light at the end of the tunnel is 2 weeks and 2 days away.  And even then, it's only a temporary 4 day Spring Break.  Oh yes, 4 days.  The rest of our break was taken away to make up excess snow days.

Lately I've been wondering what's it's like to have a job that doesn't come home with you.

V-day

I'm a day late - but yesterday was Valentine's Day.  Eric and I don't celebrate the day.  I find it quite disgusting that chocolates, flowers and balloons can be twice their average price on this fancy holiday.  If you want to buy flowers, great!  But do it on a different week and save a buck.  Anyway, we were in Target on Saturday so we picked out cards for each other, traded, got a good laugh from the cards we had chosen, and placed them back on the shelf.  And that was our extent of "celebrating."

I planned a Valentine's party at school basically because I knew the kids would want to trade cards.  So I sent a little letter home about our party with everyone's name so students could accuractly address cards :)  I let parents know that I would be making cupcakes, and they were free to send other goodies if they chose.  I expected a few bags of chips.  I was blown away!  The "goodies" just kept coming!

Also new to me, the way kids show appreciation for their teacher.  Here's a taste of my gifts from the day.  Though most of these are trinkets you could pick up at any dollar store (except the carnations, and single rose), I do feel loved and appreciated.  Especially so with this obnoxious pink-heart mug.  The precious boy said, "I wanted you to have this for the tea you drink everyday."  Awww!  I had to re-heat my tea about 5 times today before it was gone because it got cold so fast, but I just had to use the mug.  And the child had a huge smile across his face all day long. 

I do love teaching.

Atlanta Weather

I've been watching some of these reports - they're all good, if you're interested - but I just had to post this one.  It compliments my utter frustration over the weather.  And while I know I don't live in Atlanta, the weather is similar enough for this to be accurate.

Snow Days

Today I was reviewing my blog from last January (2009-2010) and found a post about snow days.  After just 4, I realized I was unproductive, irritated, and needed something to do.  Well friends.... today officially marks snow day #11 of the 2010-2011 year.   Yep, you heard right... 11!  Not only that, but we've let out early on 2 other occasions, really making a grand total of 12 snow days.  How much snow, you ask?  Oh, an inch here are there.... once we got 3 inches.  That put us out of school for the entire week.  Anyway, just imagine how I feel now. I try to be ambivalent.  I mean, there really is nothing I can do about it.  But it's hard.  I hate that school is cancelled when it's 40 degrees and sunny and seriously all snow except what can be found hiding in dark sheltered and shadowed crevices is MELTED.  I hate that we can't seem to string together 5 uninterrupted school days.  I hate the lack-of-anything-structured that leaves my children running around like they simply forgot how to do school.  I hate that after-school tutoring and Saturday Academy have also been cancelled far more than 12 times due to additional "fear of snow" warnings.  And I hate that my summer break is getting shorter by the minute. 

Here's to 2011.... Please get better, soon.