Wednesday, November 16, 2011

Boyfriend

It's been  8 weeks with my man.  Boyfriend has not become a word I like anymore than I did before, but it is what it is.  He is my boyfriend.  There, I said it.  For his privacy, I will continue just to call .him Boyfriend.This is my blog and my willingness to share so openly. It's not for everyone and I whole heartedly respect that.

I am having so much FUN with him.  We laugh all the time together.  He treats me like a princess.  Everyone morning, I wake up to a text message wishing me a good day.

Katie and  Boyfriend have met.  She calls him "HA." Don't read into that for his name--sounds nothing like it!  We've had a few nights where Maggie has had something else like a sleepover or during the day activity with my mom where  he and I have taken just Sissy out to play.  Naturally, he's smitten by the crazy sweetness that is Sissy.  He's met my brother, mom and grandma.  We're having an adult Thanksgiving with just mom and "Mom Mom" since neither  Boyfriend nor I have kids at all that day.  My mom describes him as a keeper and says she really likes him.

We won't meet Maggie or his girls for a while.  My goal is by my birthday at the end of January, he has met Maggie.  I want to wait to get through the holidays though.  I broached the subject of a boyfriend by telling her about Tracey and her now fiance getting engaged.  "You know, Mr. M was Miss Tracey's boyfriend for a long time.  What do you think if Mama had a boyfriend sometime?"  Giggling, she responds with "Oh MAMA, that would be SO SILLY because then you would have to KISS him!"  His girls are a bit older and I want to really be respectful and go slower on that.  We have time.  He's not going anywhere.

So, there you have it.  I'm someone's girlfriend.  A pretty special someone at that.

Friday, November 11, 2011

Je suis Madame Scott

I loved teaching when I did it before.  Quitting to take care of my baby girl when she was sick was an easy decision.  Missing it every day for years after was the tough part.  I tried convincing myself that it was ok.  I didn't need to teach again.  I had already taught the best students, I told myself.  I was content with Heroes for Children and liked my new career.  I was ok.  Except I wasn't.  I missed teaching.  I missed the constant interaction with students. I missed the school environment and speaking French.  So, in October last year, I made the final decision to return to teaching and starting telling a few people of my plan.  As luck would have it, my mentor teacher was retiring after 39 years of teaching, and the principal trusted her to help find the right replacement.  This job was meant to be mine. 

We announced in December to the board and staff that I was leaving.  It was the same day that we closed on our new home.  I remember saying that my life would be so different and everything was changing.  I had NO IDEA how true that statement would be a few months later.  In January, we sent an email going out to over 11,000 constituents announcing my stepping down.  No turning back.  It was out there and this was happening. 

In March, A ended our marriage.  Panic set in.  My marriage was over, my career was changing, and I was panic stricken.  Was this the right time to then make a massive career change?  Would this, including a significant pay cut in salary for me, put me too far over the edge? 

Could I do this?

More than three months after returning the classroom, I know without a doubt, the answer to this question is a resounding YES.  I could do it.  I AM doing it. 

I LOVE TEACHING AGAIN.

Granted, there is the tediuous exhausting and frustrating parts to this job.  The grading consumes me and I am often behind.  The curriculum is entirely new from what it was before and is proving to be more of a challenge for me every day to figure out how to navigate my way through it.  I have to get three of us to three different schools before 8am which is often a race of the clock that I lose.  It's a lot of work, but boy do I ever love it.

I am the co-sponsor of National Junior Honor Society as well as the Department Head of Foreign Language. NJHS is a tremendous amount of work. We have over 150 8th graders in the group and there is a lot of activities and high expectations of the students. I love my co-sponsor and working with her makes my job even better (we even were twins on Twin Day for Red Ribbon Week!)

I've found ME again this year and in this.  In so many ways.  One of the biggest things, I found myself happy again professionally.  I am EXCITED to go to work each day.  I love my students who are silly and fun.  They write me notes and hang pictures they make for me on my board.  We have "video vendredi" every Friday with my 8th graders where we watch something silly on YouTube.  Today is a video of Mr. Bean at a restaurant because we're reviewing food. 

Je suis Madame Scott et je suis très heureuse. 

Wednesday, November 2, 2011

DIVA

Last week, my DIVA turned six.  How is this possible?  How has it already been six years with this child and WHO WILL MAKE TIME SLOW DOWN SO SHE STAYS YOUNG?!?!  My sweet and beautiful Maggie is now six.  I think it will just be a blink of an eye before I find myself saying sixTEEN instead of six.  This does not please me. 

Here are six things about my diva six year old--

1)  She's a fashion girl through and through.  Maggie loves all things about fashion and wants to be a fashion designer when she grows up.  She loves nothing more than to go shopping. Doesn't even have to make a purchase.  She literally hugs clothing in stores when she sees something she really likes.  She loves dressing Sissy and picking out her clothes.  She dresses up her stuffed animals and dolls.  I walk in her room some mornings to find Minnie Mouse dressed in a hot pink sparkly top and a baby doll dressed in Maggie's pajamas.  Cracks me up. 

2)  Crafts are our fun thing together.  For her birthday, she wanted lots of craft projects.  From coloring her own umbrella to making lip balm, we have plenty of projects to do.  We love sitting together and doing crafts after Sissy goes to bed.  She begs for craft night. 

3)  Soccer.  NOT.HER.THING.  We tried it.  Our last torturous game is this Saturday morning.  We're the parents on the sideline yelling "Maggie, run!  No, follow the ball!  Get in the game!"  She says she likes to play, but we really think it's about cheering her friends and playing with everyone on the sidelines.  Going to games is just a beating. 

4)  This is her first year in Daisy Scouts.  That's more the pace of my delicate flower.  She loves it.  This weekend, they are planting their garden that they will watch grow this year.  She is always asking if it's Daisy Scout meeting day. 

5)  We just got into American Girl Dolls.  Someone gave Andrew a new Kit doll that he gave to her.  Our first trip to the American Girl Store/Bistro was for her birthday on Sunday just Maggie, me, and the three grandmas (A's mom, mine, and my grandma).  We bought Kit a new outfit and the movie and Nana bought Kit's bed set.  Maggie picked out what she is asking Santa for (Kit's best friend Ruthie and two outfits).  She is so happy with this new interest for her.  We loved our lunch at the store.  She declared it the best day of her life with that and the birthday party a few hours later. 

6)  Maggie is a terrific big sister who loves her Sissy so much.  I asked her the other day who the funniest person she knows is.  She giggled and laughing said "Sissy!!" No matter what mood Maggie is in, Katie makes her laugh.  She loves her and never fails to kiss, hug, and play with her Sis.  She gets excited for her time away from her to have one on one time with just me or just A for her date nights (we plan one a month with each parent/each child) but she is so excited when reunited with Sissy again.  Her love for her makes my heart burst. 

Looking forward to what this year with Maggie will bring us.  No doubt there will be drama, sparkles, lots of pink, plenty of snuggles, and so much love.  Happy birthday to my sweet diva.