Couch to 5K

Yesterday morning my DH asked me if I wanted to work out with him this morning.  He works out every morning, pretty much.  And because our lives are crazy busy (mine not so much right now) and I like to hang out with him (I know, married 13 years and we still like each other...weird), I said yes.  I don't think he believed me.  Well fast forward to 5:36 (random isn't it?) and up he was changing into his workout stuff (at least I think he was based on the sound as my eyes weren't open, yet).  I heard him go downstairs.  Then, the guilt set in.  I said I would join him, but I hate working out.  Hate it.  So I struggled out of bed, changed into my running shorts and shirt, and down to the workout/family room I went to hit the treadmill.  I brought with me my couch to 5K in 10 (!?) short weeks plan.  I have no intention of entering a 5K, but I do like an organized plan and this was it.  So there I was at dark-thirty...sweating to KLOVE.  I'm not sure if I'll join him tomorrow, but I don't like starting over all the time.  Plus that, I didn't put "add one size to your pants" on my summer to-do list, but have managed to accomplish it anyway (thanks a lot nearby Russell Stover's outlet).

I Can Still See the Forest

BUT, not for long.  In a few short weeks we all will be in it (I'm just assuming that nearly everyone who reads this is a teacher as well).  I was talking to my sister before heading to my new room to work (I forgot how time consuming it is to set up a classroom from scratch).  Anyway, I said that summer vacation has two sections...slowing down followed by careening.  Slowing down is the first few weeks where we teachers sleep, laze around, possibly take a vacay, and basically just recover from 180 days of working with small people.  We are on the slow uphill of vacationing.  Then...BOOM!  We hit the summit of vacation and suddenly begin careening toward August.  That has happened to me already.  I am quietly freaking out that there is no way that I can possibly get everything that I want to do done before the 16th.  No way.  I know that I will, but it's hard to feel that when there are still 10 boxes in the middle of my classroom floor.

So far, I've settled on a few things...
Daily 5 and CAFE are a must in my room
My classroom will have a superhero theme
I'm going with PBS and a fancy behavior movement chart for classroom management
In case of apocalypse, I will not be hurting for any sort of office supply (I believe the teacher before me had some sort of supply hoarding issue).

So here's to the last few precious weeks of summer and not having to eat too many Tums.

Times they are a changin'

Have you ever wanted something, but didn't really know it?  So, you didn't try to get what it was?  Well, I did, and here's the story (sorry I couldn't tell anyone until it was all official).

For the past 14 years, I have taught in the same district about 17 miles from my house.  I've taught 1st, 2nd, 4th and 5th grades.  This year, I spent the year with the Autism program.  I loved my district (though sometimes more than it loved me).  I got my MSE in administration and said the only way I would leave was for a principal job.  So this year, I applied for the AP job at the Middle School in my town (also where the monkeys attend).  I didn't get it, but they still had my file. 

Fastforward to the end of the year this year.  On the last day of school, my placement for next year was uncertain.  It was contingent on the skill set of a new hire that hadn't been made (I am good at MS Autism but also would like to try out Elementary, but if the new hire was better...I'd stay put).  I wasn't really worried. 

Then, a 2nd grade position opened up in hometown district.  My sister was on me about applying (she came from my district and now teaches in hometown district).  So, my mom called me one day and told me, "You should apply for that 2nd."  I said, "I don't know.  I'm not really feeling it.  But, if God wants me there, they'll call me."  This was in the parking lot of the library (we patronize the college library during the summer because it allows me to check out professional books and the children's collection is huge because of it being an education college).  So I hung up and we went in.  Whilst in the stacks, my phone rang.  I dashed to hit ignore and we proceeded to check out our finds.  When I got to the parking lot, I checked my voicemail.  It was the principal of Elementary #2 in hometown district calling for an interview.  Apparently, the superintendent's secretary (aka my sister's mother-in-law) moved my file from the administration stack to the teaching stack.  I called back and the interview was set up for the following Wednesday.  On Wednesday, I went in and pretty much hit it out of the park.  The principal said she would call on Friday or Monday.  However, on Thursday morning (less than 24 hours since the interview) I was offered the job.  I accepted (my DH and I had already had discussions about the scenario).  Then, I headed to my district to resign.  I made it with 15 minutes to spare before June's board packet had to be turned in (in July, there's a possibility of being fined).

Yesterday, I went in to sign my contract.  I am so excited for this change.  I feel like I was almost recruited to be here (the extra money without the commute is nice, too).  I am a little sad about leaving special education/letting people down, but I know those opportunities may present themselves here later on.  It's just amazing to me how God saw fit to make everything fall into place/open doors that couldn't be shut.

P.S.  Gold star to you if you knew that the title is a Bob Dylan song (two gold stars if you knew that song before it was on the Watchmen soundtrack).