Friday, August 29, 2008

TGIF

It's been the world's most hectic week. Monday, we took the cats to the vet because they had been puking for about a week. Now they had stopped by Monday, but we still thought it warranted an appointment. The vet told us it was probably because we had recently changed food. She said we should switch back. Well, we aren't switching back. At least not just yet since apparently they've adjusted.

Anyway, I caught the stomach bug on Tuesday and spent all night in bed. Wednesday, I managed to pull myself out of bed and come to school because I felt I really needed to be here for Back to School Night. I've been secretly hoping that Suellen would go into labor prior to Back to School so I wouldn't have to attend, but no such luck. It went well, but it was a long night.

Last night was an equally long night, but for better reasons. I got offered a free seat in the 15th row on the 50 yard line at the Colts game. Now, the game pretty much sucked because it was the preseason, and I don't even really like the Colts but the new stadium is pretty awesome, and the seats were amazing so I couldn't pass it up. If you are thinking I'm horrible for leaving Suellen alone, she wasn't alone. She got to hang out with Amy, and she even gave me permission to go; so, I'm choosing to not feel guilty about it.

And now I'm tired and very thankful that it's the end of the day.

Saturday, August 23, 2008

Very Quick Update

Suellen is 36.5 weeks along.

The baby already weighs 8lbs 10oz.

This is causing Suellen's back to spasm repeatedly.

I am now fully into a back to school head cold.

Both our cats are stressing out and puking non-stop.

In an hour and half the women doing our adoption home study is coming to decide whether or not I can have legal rights to the baby that's already going to live here anyway.

Awesome!

Friday, August 22, 2008

Friday Fill Ins

1. Dancing to the radio while being completely goofy because I haven't slept in 4 days makes me happy.

2. The last time I went to the doctor with Suellen I nearly fainted. At 36 weeks our baby weighs 8lbs 10oz!

3. When I drive I sing to stay awake, and I swear...a lot.

4. I saw zero moose standing anywhere in New Hampshire. For the whole year we were there, everyone - and I mean EVERYONE - said we'd see moose. We didn't see any the whole time. We even spent our last night there in the car in the woods waiting and nothing! Last night Suellen and I found this particularly funny since now she is apparently going to birth a moose.

5. Give me lower gas prices, give me more time to read and write , give me a good night's sleep.

6. Next week I am looking forward to potentially having the world's largest baby.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I’m looking forward to cleaning in preparation for our adoption home study, tomorrow my plans include our adoption home study and Sunday, I want to nap and grade and prepare to have the world's largest baby!

Wednesday, August 20, 2008

Confession

I've been in a funk lately. If I've seen you lately, I've probably expressed my extreme desire for Suellen to have this baby soon since neither of us has been sleeping now that she's entered the uber-pregnant stage. That, combined with the start of school, has left me really drained. We did go to the doctor today (visit 2 of 3 this week) and Suellen got some pain meds for her lower back spasms so hopefully I'll get some sleep this evening.

But lack of sleep is not what's bumming me out.

I'm pissed because I can't find this poem I wrote when my cousin died. I've been looking for it ever since Kate passed away for no real reason other than I just feel the need to have it. But, it appears to be no where. In searching for it, I re-read a bunch of stuff I'd written in grad school. Then I got more pissed because: A. I haven't written much of anything since grad school, and B. I haven't been able to really access the feelings I'm having lately because of it.

And now I can tell you that pain meds are not solving our sleep problem. Better go try to help.

Thursday, August 14, 2008

Thirteen observations about the start of school

Yes...we started school this week. So, here it goes...

1. When I drink a lot of coffee, I pee a lot. I wasn't really drinking coffee over the summer because I was reasonably well rested and the coffee isn't good for my heart. Now that I'm back to school, my trusty cup of Joe is constantly by my side. We were only about 3 hours into the first day when Amy asked if I was going to continue peeing every 5 minutes. Yes. I apparently am.

2. It is dark at 5:45 in the morning. I'm sad about returning to the time of year when it is dark when I go to school and dark when I come home. At least there is still sun for the evening commute right now.

3. It has been over a year since we moved into our new $8 million building, and the roof still leaks when it rains. Right over my desk! How's that for symbolism!

4. I need to control my potty mouth. Now, I do teach in a pretty relaxed environment, and I do teach mostly upperclassmen, but I need to reign it in. It's not like 'driving in Chicago traffic swearing' (which if you've ever ridden with me, you understand) but it's creeping there.

5. Teaching multiple sections of the same class is kind of boring. Now, I am finally in a position of luxury this year in that I am actually teaching some of the same classes twice a day (instead of having to make a completely separate plan for EVERY PERIOD). I'm probably sniffing a gift fish here, but I'm already sick of saying the same things.

6. I can actually get a fair amount of work done at work. I'm trying to keep control of my work better so that I don't get swamped this year and so that I spend more time at home with our family. I guess in previous years, I spent more time than I thought goofing off. Granted, I'm also not on 5000 committees for the first time in a long time, but I'm actually being productive. Who would have thunk it?

7. Though I am getting a lot done, I have serious ADD. I can't seem to do something for more than 10 minutes without needing to get up and do something else. I guess its good that I have to pee so often.

8. I heart Amy Pfanschmidt. She may hate all our clapping and crazy scheduling, but I'm glad she's at University, even if she did volunteer to sponsor the prom and quit all in the same faculty meeting.

9. Our building is either freezing cold or smelling like feet. I wish they had built it with windows that could open.

10. Seventy-five new students in a school of two hundred is a large amount. I used to be able to recognize everyone's face pretty much in the first week. That's not going to happen this year.

11. Having your baby shower announced at the opening assembly is odd. I turned red. I'm not sure I've done that very often before.

12. Witty sarcasm will save anything. That's about it for that one.

13. My school community is really really good at taking care of what matters. If you haven't heard, one of our recent graduates passed away last week. It was hard on a lot of us, but the community really came together, and it's good to get back to a sense of normalcy again.

Friday, August 8, 2008

Friday Fill-ins

1. You know you're old when sleeping in 'late' means 8:30.

2. My heart is divided between my devotion to my family and wanting to do a good job at work.

3. A good night's sleep is what I need RIGHT NOW!

4. I have felt the wind on my face in the Alps, I have known the depths of the deep end of pool of the Willowbrook Swim Club.

5. Gah, won't these people stop with the forms. Adoption is a lot of paperwork

6. Sleep as soon as you can!

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I’m looking forward to free pizza for teachers, tomorrow my plans include errands and schoolwork and Sunday, I want to eat casserole at the UHS pitch-in!

Wednesday, August 6, 2008

One Word Distraction

It has been a hard day for me and my UHS family. I'm trying to keep my mind off of things and working on a plethora of distractions.

USING ONLY ONE WORD.....
1. Where is your cell phone? pocket
2. Your significant other? preggo
3. Your hair? blonde
4. Your mother? worried
5. Your father? sick
6. Your favorite thing? books
7. Your dreams last night? none
8. Your favorite drink? diet
9. Your dream/goal? stability
10. What room you are in? living
11. Your hobby? sleep
12. Your fear? spiders
13. Where do you want to be in 6 years? basement
14. Where were you last night? band
15. Something that you aren't? fit
16. Muffins? no
17. Wish list item? house
18. Where you grew up? 'hood
19. Last thing you did? facebook
20. What are you wearing? jeans
21. Your TV? on
22. Your pets? lathargic
23. Friends? amazing
24. Your life? tiring
25. Your mood? sad
26. Missing someone? yes
27. Your car? dirty
28. Something you're not wearing? dress
29. Your favorite store? Borders
32. Your favorite color? blue
33. When is the last time you laughed? Fogo
34. Last time you cried? today

A) Four places that I go to over and over: school, home, Kroger, gas
B) Four people who email me regularly: Amy, Carolyn, Vicky, Facebook
C) My favorite four places to eat: Palomino, Bistro, Aesop's, Bucca
D) Four places I would like to go right now: bed, Leeland, East, England
E) Four TV shows I watch all the time? Scrubs, Runway, Shear, Will

Sunday, August 3, 2008

What You Will...

Adapting Twelfth Night for high schoolers in two days when you were supposed to have spent the summer on it is hard.

'Nuff said.

"If music be the food of love, play on!"

Friday, August 1, 2008

Friday Fill-ins

1. If I could travel back in time, I'd go to the late 50s and early 60s, spend sometime in New York at the peak of the beat movement, live mostly in poverty, and witness the significant cultural changes of the period.

2. Give me more time to cook or give me cheaper, healthier fast food. It's no real secret that I need to lose a few pounds, but we've been pulled in so many directions lately that most of our meals have been on the run. I'm hoping that the school year will regulate us a bit. Baby carrots here I come.

3. I am listening to reruns of Will and Grace. They are great to nap to.

4. Somewhere, someone is thinking 'I wonder if LaMags will notice that I didn't do my summer reading'. Every year I have kids try to fake it. Sorry Charlie, I'm not that dumb.

5. I'll always be tired, but I really don't mind it - except for the headaches - because it means I'm doing things and mostly being a productive member of society.

6. My idea of a good time includes a good meal and a good movie.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I’m looking forward to Suellen's family coming into town and lawn mowing (can you hear Julie Andrews singing 'My Favorite Things' - I can't), tomorrow my plans include baby errands and Sunday, I want to try to forget that I need to finish an adaptation of Twelfth Night before school starts (I haven't really started that yet)!