Just Mimmsy

Thirty days of Thankfulness, catching up

2010-11-12T08:08:00.016-06:00

November 4, today I am thankful that I can blow my nose. I know that seems silly, but my poor little man can't and he is so stuffed up. I have to use saline spray and a bulb syringe to help him breathe. He hates it and screams the whole time; it just kills me. So, yes I'm grateful for being to expel my own mucous.

November 5, today I am thankful that Jack has such amazing grandparents. My parents watched him last night so Shane and I could attend an anniversary party. Shane's parents are driving up from Houston this weekend to see him. He is a very blessed little boy to have such amazing people to love on him. On a more frivolous, but still equally important note, I'm thankful that I'm wearing pre-pregnancy jeans today!!! Whoo-hoo, yay me.

November 6, today I'm thankful for the new couch that's being delivered to later today. I know I should probably be posting about my gratitude for non material things, but I'm really excited about this couch. I've never had furniture that wasn't a hand-me-down, used or purchased from an as-is room.

November 7, today I'm a thankful for sweet baby smiles. He's been giving them out a lot lately.

November 8, today I'm thankful for my health and the health of my family. We are truly blessed beyond measure. I pray we continue to stay healthy and well, especially as flu season gets going.

November 9, today I am thankful for my mom. I was blessed to grow up with such a loving, godly, generous woman. I pray that I can raise my children the way my sisters and I were raised.

November 10, today I'm thankful for the women and men I call friends. There are some I talk to and see often and I am blessed they are nearby. Some of my dearest friends are far away, yet each time we talk or get to see each other face to face it's like no time has passed. Still, I have other friends who for one reason or another I have lost touch with, but who still mean the world to me. If ever you called me friend, please know that even over time and distance, my friendship still stands. You are one of God's richest blessings on my life and I'm grateful for you.

November 11, today I am thankful for all those who have chosen to serve their country through military service. The freedom and safety we enjoy so freely is because so many others paid the price for us. I am especially grateful for my father, Ret. Chief Master Sergeant Ronald D. Mimms, USAF. I am also proud to have several good friends who have or are serving in the military right now.

Thirty days of Thankfulness, day 3

2010-11-04T00:10:00.001-05:00

Okay, so technically, I'm posting this on November 4, but...........November 3, today I am thankful for my father, Ron Mimms. He is a strong man of God. I am blessed to have grown up in his home. As the father of four daughters he definitely had a soft side, but also knew when we needed him to be hard and tough. I love you, Daddy, Happy Birthday.

Thirty days of Thankfulness, day 2

2010-11-02T21:08:00.002-05:00

Today, I am thankful for Shane. I love him so much and I love raising our son together. There is nothing sweeter than watching him with Jack, except maybe listening to him talk to Jack. Jack loves his Papa so much, and definitely shows it. He "talks" to him all the time, and reserves some of his cutest faces for Shane. I'm excited to continue this journey of parenthood with him.

My camera is a phone

2010-11-01T18:46:00.001-05:00

Since the birth of my son Jack photos have taken over my phone. I've been meaning to upload them ton the computer, but taking care of Jack is a full time job.

I've been so excited to do this, because a good friend of mine has turned me on to Shutterfly. I'm so excited to upload photos there so I can make a photo book. I've seen hers and they are so cute. I'm thinking about using them as Christmas gifts for the grandmothers.

I'm going to create some birth announcements and Christmas cards as well.

30 days of Thankfulness

2010-11-01T14:57:00.002-05:00

I've been inspired by some facebook friends and I'm jumping on the Thirty Days of Thankfulness bandwagon. Besides, who couldn't benefit from a reason to count their blessings, so here goes.......November 1, I'm thankful for my beautiful son, and for the swing he is currently napping in.

Confessions of a New Mom, Part I

2010-10-21T17:32:00.002-05:00

So, I feel like I've been a Mom most of my life. I've really felt like a Mom since this past New Year's when I found out I was expecting. I've officially been a Mom since September 20 2010, when my son Jack was delivered. So I'm still figuring out all this Mom business. To that end, I'd like to begin to document some of the lessons I learn, mistakes I make, and surprises I receive.

I have a confession, today during a diaper change at Toys 'R Us when my newborn son began to pee didn't cover it up because it wasn't getting all over him, instead, I let him pee all down the wall of the bathroom. I knew that if I threw the diaper over him that we would have needed to change clothes and wipe down the whole changing station, basically have a huge mess on our hands, rather than a puddle on the floor. I mean there was already a wet floor sign on the floor below me, I tried to clean it up with some paper towels, but it was really wet down there. I'm guessing that's not the first time that's happened.

Ba(B)ywatch

2010-08-30T11:10:00.005-05:00

Some people stand in the darkness
Afraid to step into the light
Some people need to help somebody
When the edge of surrender's in sight

Don't you worry
It's gonna be alright
Cause I'm always ready
I won't let you out of my sight.

I'll be ready
I'll be ready
Never you fear
No don't you fear
I'll be ready
Forever and always
I'm always here.

In us we all have the power
But sometimes it's so hard to see
And instinct is stronger than reason
It's just human nature to me

Don't you worry
Its gonna be alright
Cause I'm always ready
I won't let you out of my sight.

I'll be ready
I'll be ready
Never you fear
No don't you fear
I'll be ready
Forever and always
I'm always here.

(Instrumental)

Cause I'm always ready
I won't let you out of my sight

I'll be ready
I'll be ready
Never you fear
No don't you fear
I'll be ready
Forever and always
I'm always here.

Forever and always
I'm always here.

So those are the lyrics to the theme song from Baywatch. I thought it was fitting to sharer them today, because we are officially on Babywatch. Not as many red bathing suits or lifeguards running around here, but I'm definitely thinking "I'll be ready." I'm done being pregnant. I know it's a miracle, and I'm experiencing something magical, but this miraculous magical 9 months has been painful. I haven't exactly loved being pregnant. I wish I could say differently, because I'm so excited to be a Mommy, but all the work my body has done to get me here has been tough.

There are still a few things that need to be done around the house before I'll really feel ready to have Jack here, but like I said I'm done with the pregnancy. I'm trying to take it as easy as I can, especially since I'm on early maternity leave because of my blood pressure. So, resting helps ease some of the discomfort, I just want to badly to be up finishing last minute things. I'm praying for calm and for the ability to be still and rest.

2010-08-13T07:41:00.003-05:00

I went back to the doctor a few days ago, it was a much more positive experience. My sugar was back to normal, thank goodness. My blood pressure was still a little high, but I think that was due to my experiences with the Terminix guy that morning.

We have a bug problem in our home, a big one. A few weeks ago Shane found two black widow spiders in the backyard. Scary. We've also been battling fleas. Our dogs have been bathed and treated, but they still have fleas. We've treated the yard, front and back, but we're still getting them in the house. Shane is being eaten up, I hate it, I havent been bit at all. There is nothing like a flea problem or a bug problem to make you feel like you have a dirty home.

So, in a effort to get this problem solved before Jack makes his big debut, we decided to call in the professionals. They came and sprayed about two weeks ago. The lady that came and did it was awesome, truly wonderful. She helped me get things up off the floor, explained everything she was going to do, gave me time to ask questions. She was really great! Whatever she put down was not so great, b/c we still have a bug problem. Since the first treatment, we've found three HUGE spiders in the house, not black widows, but still. Also, the fleas have not gone away. We've been following their post treatment directions and vacuuming every day, but so far it hasn't helped. So we called them back. As part of our service we have free treatments in between our quarterly visits, so they came back out to spray again and it was a completely different experience. The guy that came was two hours early, and then was mad at me because I wasn't ready. When he came back FOUR HOURS later, he was so incredibly rude to me. So I went to my appointment in tears, I tried to stay calm, but just couldn't.

So, now if my blood pressure doesn't go back down and stay down, I won't be able to start school. That's going to be really hard, especially financially. So I'm just praying that this all works out.

Laying around, not by choice

2010-07-29T08:59:00.002-05:00

So I am currently experiencing my first pregnancy complication. I went to the doctor yesterday and my sugar was high, it was also high at my last appointment. I passed my gestational diabetes test earlier in my pregnancy, but it seems now that my body is not tolerating sugar very well. My blood pressure was also quite high, so I've been put on partial bed rest to see if we can get those two things under control.

I'm not sure how well I'm going to handle this. It's one thing to wake up and decide, "I'm going to relax and lay around all day and possibly for the rest of the week.". It's quite another to not have a choice about that. I feel very much like I'm under house arrest. I know that it's best for my health and most importantly Jack's but still.

It is possible that it's just that I've been busier these past few days. School activities have already started up so I've been a lot more active and the heat has been tough. My mom told me it was best not to worry, take a few days and follow my doctors orders exactly, then go back and have my blood pressure checked. If it's gone down, I'll just have to be more careful and not over exert myself. If not, we deal with it.

Time flies

2010-07-16T09:33:00.003-05:00

I was sitting in the office the other day at my Dad's church, and looked up at the calendar on the wall and realized that I only have two weeks left of uninterrupted summer- next week and one week in August. Every other week i've got school events two if not three days of he week. How crazy is that!?! I can't believe that it's gone so quickly.

Speaking of going quickly, I'm 31 weeks pregnant! It seems like just yestereday I was looking down at that little stick and watching that second line become more and more pronounced. I was crying, Shane was practically dancing, I think he may have teared up as well, it was a beautiful moment. We both began to think about how we would spend the next 9 months, which at the time seemed like an eternity, now here we are. I get bigger every day, literally. Two weeks ago, people kept commenting on how I didn't look more than five months along. I no longer get those comments, now I get, "you look bigger every day!" . Awesome, thanks. They aren't wrong though, I can almost feel Jack growing. I watch the number on the scale creeping higher and higher. The weight is coming on very quickly now, four pounds in the last two weeks. Jack's movements are much stronger now, I can see them, which i think is really cool, Shane on the other hand is a little freaked out by it. He moves a lot when I laugh, not sure if it's because he likes it or the shaking disturbs him. He also moves a lot when I listen music. I hope that is because he likes music. We love music in our house and I hope my little man will as well. I read out loud to him a lot. I'm trying to soak up as much of the last weeks of pregnancy as I can. I'm also trying to remember little things about this time, so I can share them with Jack.

I've been uncomfortable for the entire pregnancy and now is no different. It feels as if Jack has taken up residence in my ribcage. My hips ache. There is still the backache that started almost immediately after I became pregnant, the heartburn that struck with a vengeance in the second trimester and has not let up since. Plus now the general discomfort of carrying so much extra weight in my midsection. Also, i really can't eat much these days without getting a gurgly tummy, it's awful. These are not necessarily things I hope to remember, just documenting them to whine a little electronically.
We were in childbirth class the other night and I was noticing how every woman's ankles were swollen, I looked down at mine with delight. I had some swelling back in April, but since then my ankles and feel have been fluid free, until the morning after class. I think karma came to get me. My ankles have been swollen all week. I think today I'm staying and keeping them propped up. I often wonder if all women experience the kind of discomfort during oregnancy that I have. I'm sure that it will all be worth it like everyone keeps telling me, but seriously the next person who looks at me with that bemused stare and says that might just get punched in the face.

I've been sewing on nursery stuff a lot this week. It's been fun to work with my Mom on it. I hope it all turns out as cute as I imagine it.

2010-05-02T16:52:00.002-05:00

Shane doesn't care at all about baby stuff. Every time I try to get his opinion on anything he asks me why we need all this crap, tells me to stop wasting time looking at useless stuff, or asks me how much it is. I'm seriously wondering is all men, or just this one? I'm left feeling like he doesn't realize that this baby is a big deal and feeling like I'm in this alone. All he seems to care about is how much it's going to cost or griping that the baby doesn't care what his car seat or nursery is going to look like. He thinks I'm hung up on having all this stuff to project some sort of image or status to the world and he thinks I want to waste money. I am only trying to find the best and safest items for my little man, but is it wrong for me to want nice and cute things? I swear I was looking at a travel system this morning and asked his opinion on it, he just asked me if that was something we really needed, is he retarded? of course we need a car seat. The way he talks we should put the baby in a drawer with a flour sack towel and call it good. I realize that most men are not into details and this may just be a case of that, but it feels like something more. It feels like he doesn't care at all.

We have four months until the baby comes, that's it. "WE" haven't started a registry, I have b/c I was tired of waiting on him to care, so I started it myself. I'm not picking out the most expensive or nicest items, I'm picking the ones that make the most sense or seem to be the safest and highest quality. He keeps saying we need to come up with a budget for what we can afford for baby items and work from there, then he talks about wanting to research products online to find out what is best. I've been doing that for months, I would love for him to join me in this, but every time I ask for his input, he's disinterested. Is this an isolated occurrence or is this something all of us have to put up with? I know that people way a woman becomes a mother when she realizes she's pregnant and a man becomes a father when the baby comes, but I'm wondering if that's enough.

Big News..........

2010-04-22T19:09:00.003-05:00

a day late.

Okay, sorry forgot to post this yesterday. Shane and I are having a baby, a boy to be exac t. My due date is September 15. Let me say, first off, before you continue reading, I am so excited about this baby!!! I have always known I would be a mother, that is the number one job God put me on earth for. I can't wait to meet my little man.

It's been a roller coaster of experiences to say the least. First to address the biggest question I'm sure many will ask. We're not married, yet and are not officially engaged yet either. I've prayed a lot about it, and am trying to rely on God to give me peace about that. Having a baby before being married is definitely not how I pictured my family starting, but I am super happy about being a mommy. If I had my way we would be getting married prior to Jack (that's the baby's name) coming, but Shane has really strong feelings about people who get married b/c of a pregnancy. When I listen to him talk about it, it makes perfect logical sense to wait, but when I really think about it, I want exactly what he's saying doesn't make sense.

It's been a real struggle for my parents as well, and that have been really hard onme. My father is basically not speaking to me, and every time my mother and I talk, she asks when we're getting married. It's pretty terrible of them, but I do understand why, every decision I've made or am making about my new little family goes against everything they believe about family and marriage. And in concept and theory, I totally agree with them. I also, realize that there are special circumstances that must be looked at, each situation is unique. (Maybe that's just my justification.) However, it's hard for me to not feel like I'm being treated unfairly or like a child. There biggest concern is the not getting married choice and the Shane and I getting a house together choice. I'm still praying about how to handle that. I never thought I would live with a man before marrying him. I do sleep over at Shane's some, but I still have my own apartment I can go to. I guess that little technicality makes me feel better about it. It does make sense to share a home, it will cost less, we'll be raising the baby together, I'll have help. My parents want me to do it all by myself, basically let Shane see the baby evenings and weekends until we get married, which I am not okay with. However, I've been feeling quite a sense of conviction about the choices that led to this beautiful, but messy situation. I spoke with my mother about it, she was pretty brutal and asked if we hadn't essentially gotten "caught" would I feel this way, and the answer is "I don't know." Our intimacy and living situation, so while I don't want to share a bedroom and a bed with Shane till we're married, I do want to share a home so that we can parent our son together. I know that is a fine line to walk, but what else can I do?

I have faith that Shane and I will be married, sooner rather than later, in the sense that it feels that it will be months rather than years before an engagement and marriage happens. We talk about it and make plans all the time.

Okay, not to vent or ramble on too much. This blog turned much heavier than I intended. I had my ultrasound yesterday, and it was wonderful. He is absolutely perfect. He seems to have big hands and feet and he is definitely not shy, if you know what I mean. I can't wait to meet him.

Exciting News........

2010-04-20T22:55:00.001-05:00

It's going to be big! It's going to be huge! It's going to be tomorrow!

Such a bad blogger

2010-03-16T08:29:00.002-05:00

I am such a bad blogger, as the title clearly states. Here's why, first off I hardly ever post on here. I check it every few days to read up on what my friends and people I blog stalk are doing, but then find that I am down when there is nothing new to read. What a double standard I have about this bloggity-blog-blog. Why should I get to read new posts from my friends, when they clearly never have anything new to read from me. Not that any of them check it out that often, b/c they know that it's going to be that same post from back in January and before that the one from November. I never know what to write about so that is a big part of my problem.

March finally got here and I am so excited for several reasons. I'm on Spring Break this week, Whoo-Hoo! I love my job, especially all the holidays we get. I know that a lot of people resent teachers for all the breaks we get, but seriously we earn them. Shane gripes a lot about how much time I get off work and get paid for, but I just ask him if he would like to trade jobs for a week to see if he could handle it, he never seems to take me up on that offer.

Also, Spring is right around the corner. Spring time always makes me think of my time at OSU and those first few warm weeks in Spring each year and how hard it was to actually go to class instead of hanging around outside to soak up the sun and see who you might see. It was just so easy to skip.

Whoo

2010-01-24T19:59:00.002-06:00

Twenty-four days into 2010. Is that it? I feel like 2010 is dragging by. Why is it that when you want time to slow down it goes so quickly, but when you actually want time to move a little faster you feel as if your days are slogging through mud? The kind of mud that sucks your boots right off your feet.

I am very conscious of the passage of time right now, counting each day and week. Big things are happening in my world right now and I can't wait to see how 2010 turns out.

I'm directing my first Shakespeare play at school. We're doing A Midsummer Nights Dream this spring. I am so excited about it and so it the cast. Auditions just wrapped up this past week, and rehearsals will begin in February.

Shane and I have fallen in love with each other all over again, not that we fell out of love ever, but there is definitely a new fervor in our relationship. I have been spending more time in prayer, which has been great for me. I'm keeping up with several of my new year's resolutions, so I feel really good about that. Maybe I am turning into a real grownup after all.

My first Thanksgiving

2009-11-26T22:33:00.002-06:00

Obviously, the title is a bit misleading. I did not celebrate my first Thanksgiving today, but I did serve my very first Thanksgiving meal that I was almost entirely responsible for. I don't mean to brag, but WOW! Everything was so good. I cooked way too much food, but I wanted to have a variety of side items to choose from. Then even after I had planned my menu, Shane made a few requests, so that added items to it.

Here's what I made:
Turkey (DUH)
Mashed Potatoes (I got a make ahead recipe from The Pioneer Woman, FAN-TAS-TIC!
Stuffing (Shane and his mom made this, thank you for the help)
Candied Sweet Potatoes (I didn't eat any, but got compliments on them)
Butternut Squash, Apple, Cranberry Bake (new recipe, needs tweaking, but still good)
Green Bean Casserole (I use garlic cream of mushroom soup, makes it even better)
Glazed Carrots (whiskey in the recipe, anybody drink Jack? I've got some for you)
Corn (not much to say about this)
Gravy (once again, nothing exciting here)
Rolls
Orange Stuff (family recipe for jello/cool whip deliciousness)
Pecan Pie (my first ever, turned out really great.)
Pumpkin Pie (tried a new recipe from Paula Dean, so yummy, much creamier than usual)
Pumpkin Cookies (recipe from my sister, Mary)

I think that's all, and now since I've been cooking for a week, I'm going to bed.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO ALL! Thank you for being my friend.

Lots of....

2009-11-01T09:15:00.003-06:00

New posts below. Keep reading. Also, lot's more photos and posts to come, Star Wars: The Concert. Babysitting Henry, play pictures.

Self Portrait Practice.

2009-11-01T09:10:00.001-06:00

Aren't we a handsome couple? I've been trying to improve my self-portrait photo taking skills. This is one of my recent attempts.

2009-11-01T08:56:00.002-06:00

Shane's company took us to the Season Opener for the OKC Thunder. It was fun. The best part of the game was watching the Thunder girls in the bleachers. So, there is no room on the sidelines (are they called sidelines in basketball?) under the basket for them to congregate so they sit in the bleachers behind the basket. Each girl has a stool on a separate row and they sit up there and chair dance. Now I don't mean to be rude or offensive but, have you ever seen an aerobics class at a nursing home or a senior center? The kind where everyone sits in a chair and moves their arms all around or bends and straightens their legs out in front of them. Well, that's what the Thunder girls looked like, they look like their are doing chair aerobics. It was classic and hilarious.

2009-11-01T08:49:00.002-06:00

This what Shane and his roommate did to solve the what game to watch dilemma last night. OSU Texas was on the bigger TV with audio. The OU game was on the smaller TV with no sound. Course, the OSU wasn't much to watch, we turned it off midway through the fourth quarter. Something about seeing hopes and dreams crushed on a 50 inch TV makes it so much more painful.

Going Gray

2009-11-01T08:37:00.002-06:00

Here's a question for the ages, How many gray hairs do you have to have before it's time to start coloring your hair?

I find new ones every day and some of them are getting pretty long, so I know they've been there for a while. I do not want to be going gray at 30. My mother who is almost 60 only started to gray in the last two years or so. Apparently I take after my father who has been gray or going gray as far back as I can remember.

I do not feel like a real adult, but it seems like the gray serves to remind me that yes, I am getting older. Of course then there is the inevitable voice that always pipes up in the back of my mind, tick tock, tick tock, running out of time on the old biological ticker. Then again, lately everything reminds me of how much I want to start a family, so this is just one more.

Ugh, what's a girl to do? I refuse to grow old gracefully this early, but I don't know if my gray hairs require drastic measures just yet. What would you do?

In other news, what happened to the cowboys last night? That was brutal.

Loved the extra hour of sleep this morning, also love that it will be lighter outside when I wake up. These past few weeks of getting up in complete darkness is really kicking my butt. I've been rolling out of bed later and later. Luckily, I still manage to make it to work on time, just not looking my best. The days when I have the time to apply my face, the kids are so complimentary. It makes me wonder how terrible I look when I'm not fixed up, must be pretty scary.

2009-10-17T14:13:00.000-05:00

This is a picture I took of my nieces and nephews at Lake Arcadia on my 30th birthday. Pretty cool, huh?

2009-10-15T10:01:00.002-05:00

Okay, so it's been far too long since I posted anything. Not much new on the horizon. It's fall break today and tomorrow, so that's good. I'm watching Ellen on the DVR this morning and Taye Diggs is her guest. He is so awesome! I think it's unfair for people to be that attractive. It makes all us average looking people look so much worse.
I'm in the middle of directing a play right now at school. It's called All the Bases. It's about a group of students who decide to put on a play, but before doing that they send out a survey to their audience asking them what they would or wouldn't like to see in the play. Then they spend so much time trying to fulfill the audience's wishes that they never get around to the play. I'm trying a very interesting concept, because I want the kids to understand the play within the play that we're doing, I'm really pushing the idea that it needs to be student centered and focused. Our rehearsals this week were all student led. I observed, but let them run the rehearsal. They helped one another with lines and blocking, helped each other stay on task, discussed the set and costumes. The rehearsals were so productive and smooth, it made me feel totally disposable. However, I'm sure that they work we've been putting in the past few weeks had a lot to do with how smooth the student run rehearsals went.
It's been hard for me to relinquish control over some of the aspects of this show to allow the students to experience the theme and idea of this play. I wanted them to feel as the students in the play do that they have created this production, I want to give them ownership of it. That means though, that I have very little control over the set design or costume choices, which is hard for me because I have very specific ideas about what the set and costumes should be. I don't want to take that privilege away from the cast.
In addition to the play, I'm busy with yearbook stuff. I'm the yearbook adviser this year, I wish I could say that it's going smoothly, but it is definitely a learning process for me. I'm trying to remain positive about it and know that each year will get easier. Once again, I run into my control issues, I want to design every page, but it's important for the staff to do that. So basically, I'm a control freak.

End of Summer = Back to School

2009-08-22T09:41:00.003-05:00

I don't believe it! I just don't believe it! School started this past week. The summer went so quickly. I think I blinked and then it was over. What a great summer I had. Just a lovely, relaxing time.

The summer began with the birth of my newest nephew, Henry David Hatkoff. What a joy he is. I am actually keeping him this weekend while my sister and her husband enjoy a much deserved weekend away. We're starting to figure each other out. Henry is a good baby, but it took me a couple hours to figure out there's only one way he likes to be held and I was not doing it right at first. I think we've got the kinks worked out now. He's chilling in the swing right now and will probably be up soon. It's been awesome to watch my younger sister mother her child and what an amazing transformation it is to watch a man become a Daddy. It's just so neat.

I spent time at the pool and read some great books. Went to the lake several times. Got to go to Colorado for Nuts and Bolts again. What a great way to get ready for school. A conference specifically for Middle Level Educators that gets me excited and rejuvenated for school. Although this year the highlight of the trip was definitely White Water Rafting!

I didn't get to see many of the friends I would have liked to over my summer break. Somehow I always have the best intentions, but always fail.

The first of August I turned 30. Wow! Really? I can't believe that I've reached this milestone. But for all my fears and complaints about everything I haven't accomplished that I thought I would before now, I'm liking it so far.

I'm super excited about this new school year. I love my students! My classes are full of students who seem excited about drama and genuinely seem ready to try new things and explore their talents. The new sixth graders are just little blessings. It is such a joy to help them transition into this next phase of their lives. My last hour of the day is filled with the quietest students I have ever known. What a peaceful way to end the day!

All in all I think it's going to be an awesome year! Now if I can just pick my plays out, we'll be doing good. I've got auditions coming up so soon and I haven't any clue what play I'm doing first semester. Think I'll spend some time this weekend reading some shows and hope that I find one by Sunday night.

It's the Last Day... .........

2009-07-31T08:47:00.003-05:00

of my twenties.

Here's a list of things I will be doing today on my last day as a twenty-nine year old. In no particular order, although the shower will be first.

Taking a Shower, pretty standard.
Grocery Shopping, quite mundane.
Paying Some Bills, Why must they insist on taking all my money? I worked for it, they get it. Not fair.
Possibly buying a new dress, something fitting of a thirty year old. Something with long sleeves and a turtleneck, made out of wool or something, with a lovely bit of lace trim around the collar and wrists. (Just kidding.....all my friends who are already thirty are still very hip.)
Cleaning my house up a bit. Feel as if I should enter into the next decade of my life with some semblance of adult housekeeping habits.
Return some library books. Might even get some more, look out world she's crazy!
Rounding up the camping/lake gear for my birthday gathering at the lake.
Going to see if the magazine I left at the laundromat is still there. It was a really good magazine, Real Simple. Do you know it? Awesome, get it.

Basically, it's just a day like any other. However, I can't help feeling that it should be a momentous occasion. Like everywhere I go today there should be a herald who enters before me, proclaiming to all within earshot, "Hear Ye, Hear Ye, all who are present. Let it be known that on the morrow this maid you see before you wilt be celebrating the thirthieth anniversary of her birth. She will pass from her twenties unto her thirties" And then they will all say, pass it well good lady, pass it well."

Not Sleepy

2009-06-16T00:54:00.003-05:00

I'm not tired yet, i probably should be. I'm going to be quite the droopy drawer, saggy face tired tomorrow, but I can't sleep so I thought I would sit down with ye ole laptop to blog a bit.

About what? I have no idea. Umm, thinking...............okay, here's something-Talked to a my best friend tonight on the telefono. It was so good to catch up. She and I have been friends for almost 12 years. We met the weekend before our freshmen year at the BSU. I remember seeing her from across the room, liking her smile and knowing that we would be friends, and then just like that kids Mommy and Mommy fell in love. Just kidding, but the story of how I met Jen does sound a little like a love at first sight, "Tell me the story of how you met Mommy?" kind of story, but I remember it like that. I saw her and just knew that we would be friends, and we still are. One of the secrets to our lasting friendship is that we never lived together in college. There is simply no way that she and I could have shared an apartment. That's not to say that everyone I ever shared a home with while in college is now my sworn enemy, there are many people that I lived with that are still very good friends of mine. Another secret to our success is that of the many wonderful things that she was put on earth to do and be, Amanda's friend is on that list and I'm so blessed. I get her and she gets me, and that is saying something. It's nice to be gotten. Thank you Mrs. K for being my friend, all these years.

What else...........Ooh, I cooked something on the grill tonight. By myself. I think the pork chops were quite tasty.

I've been working out, faithfully. I did skip on Friday, but I had just gone on Thursday and I worked out for two hour both Monday and Wednesday. I think I'm okay. Did another two hours today. Know that I will not always be able to do two hour sessions, nor should I, but I think it's a good way to kick this off.

Summer is going well, got some books from the library after paying some hefty fines for keeping some DVDs out for too long. I rented some theatre documentaries for use in my classroom. I think teachers should have extended check out privileges, especially if something is for school. I'm sure people weren't foaming at the mouth to watch the movies I had out, but whatever Pioneer Library System, I'll pay your fines, but I don't have to like it.

That'sall.

Theatre

2009-06-11T15:49:00.002-05:00

Watching the Tony's on the DVR right now, I'm been brought to tears several times, whether by an especially meaningful acceptance speech, the In Memoriam tribute, or just the sheer magnificence of the theatre. It just solidifies my knowledge that I need theatre in my life. Like an allergy sufferer needs a epi pen, it is a life preserver for me.

gittin' in shape

2009-06-08T21:56:00.005-05:00

Well, I joined the Cleveland County YMCA and actually worked out today, for real. As you know I'm turning 30 this year, August 1 to be exact and while I know this may not be a big deal to some.... specifically the two male principals at my school who make fun of me every time the subject comes up, I'm terrified of that number. Specifically the lack of what I believe to be the accoutrements of adulthood in my life. I don't expect them to understand, neither one of them has ever been a 29 year old unmarried, childless woman with a fridge plastered with wedding, baby and other similar announcements. Whoo, this turned into a hole nother blog, back on track.......N-E-way, I joined the Y in an attempt to turn the state of my health and body around before I hit the big three-0.

You see I have this idea in my mind that once I turn 30 my body will no longer be able to improve it will only deteriorate, due to the effects of gravity and hopefully child growing, birth and rearing (god willing, please can it happen soon, big guy, getting really antsy about the whole motherhood, bio clock biz) So, that's my big fear that ,unless I start getting in shape now, I will never be able to, I know it's irrational and nonsensical, but it's my fear and it was enough motivation to get my a$$ to the gym, so there.

I don't expect miracles, but I would like to hope that I will drop some weight and inches this summer. I'll give you this for my before info. I am a size 12 to 14 in dresses, 14 in pants, and generally L in shirts. I weigh 86.1825 kg (if you're that curious do the conversion.) I'll keep you posted.

Auntie Manda

2009-06-07T20:29:00.002-05:00

My sister Ronda is the one who got all my nieces and nephews calling me Auntie Manda. The only exception is my 14 year old niece Jenelle, but she doesn't call me anything. She barely speaks. Ahh, moody teen angst. Those were the days, except I was never moody or angsty.

Here's me and Henry the morning after he was born. Obviously it is hard work being born. He's tuckered out.

Oh, Henry!

2009-06-07T20:26:00.001-05:00

More pictures of Henry and his beautiful Mommy, my younger sister Becky. I am so proud of her. I think she's going to be a fantastic mother.

2009-06-07T20:23:00.000-05:00

I wanted to share some more pics of my nephew, Henry. I haven't seen him since he was in the hospital. That is on my to do list for this week.

2009-06-07T20:03:00.002-05:00

Okay, this should work. This is my boyfriend Shane and his roommate, lip syncing during karaoke. The song is Blue.

2009-06-07T19:53:00.000-05:00

Trying to upload video. Let's see if it works. We went out to watch the stanley cup finals last night, and it was karaoke night at Buffalo Wild Wings. I never knew Shane was such a Leanne Rimes fan, but he knew all the words to "Blue"

2009-06-07T19:46:00.000-05:00

I decided to start planning my grocery list based on a menu. This week pizza and fruit pizza were planned. I haven't made fruit pizza since eighth grade, and I've never made a pizza that didn't come out of box. I wanted to share some pictures of what I made. Shane made fun of me for taking pictures of my food, but I don't care.

2009-06-02T20:30:00.000-05:00

Meet my sweet, sweet nephew Henry David Hatkoff. He was born on May 24 to my younger sister Becky and her husband, David. I love, love, love him.

Middle School Musical

2009-05-23T10:30:00.003-05:00

Well, the show went great and by great I mean it was amazing, wonderful, stupendous, fantastic, phenomenal, fabulous, stellar, outstanding, inspiring, and just plain jaw-droppingly awesome!

We made well over $2000 in ticket sales and got a standing ovation! A real one, not just a "well that's my kid up there, I better stand and cheer for them." People loved it, really and truly loved it! I was sitting in the front row and the response was astounding. Shane was telling his roomate about it the other day and I came in on the tail end of the conversation, I heard him say, "I felt like I was at a rock concert people were cheering so loud."

People couldn't believe that we accomplished such a feat with middle school students. They keep saying things like, "I can't believe those were middle schoolers," and "Wow, you're so brave to do this in middle school," and "How did you do this with middle schoolers?" etc. I know those comments are meant as compliments. I can't help but wonder, do they know anything about middle school students? I could understand their shock if I had done Pirates of Penzance with, say, a troupe of dancing, singing squirrels, but not with my students. I think people greatly underestimate children, they look at young teens and just see their age. Spend time with an adolescent and you will learn very quickly that they are bright, clever, entertaining, engaging, and a whole slew of other things, that we as adults don't often expect them to be. I have such high expectations for my students when it comes to our performances and they never disappoint. I never once thought that this show would be too difficult or outside of their capabilities. I think this blog went an entirely different direction than what I intended, so back on track.

The Show! I cannot begin to express how glad I am that we did it! As hard as it was, as time consuming and stressful as the process was, I can't help but start thinking about the next one. It won't be next year, I think if you do two big shows in a row, people start expecting that every year. I think every other year will be just fine. I was sitting in the teacher's lounge not long after we finished the school matinee and teachers started coming in for lunch, all of them giving me suggestions for our next musical. I'm thinking Into the Woods, Jr. Any suggestions?

2009-05-10T21:51:00.002-05:00

Well, I cried again the other day, about the show, but this time it wasn't a stress cry or an angry cry or a "this is never going to happen" cry. I was crying tears of joy. I was so overwhelmed with pride, Friday's rehearsal was amazing!!! Everything I've been trying to get these kids to do for the last month and a half came together that afternoon.

We are going to have a show!! People are going to be amazed! I have a fantastic group of students, who are immensely talented. My mother has sat in on several rehearsals and has said several times she can't believe she is listening to middle school voices. I knew they could do it, but I didn't know if they would.

Rehearsals have been difficult, but obviously productive, even if it wasn't immediately apparent.

It is really coming together. The set is almost finished, just a few small touchups here and there. And I have some really talented student artists helping, so that's taken care of. There were a few ideas I had to scrap b/c of time and budget constraints, but still we're going to have an AH-MAY-ZING SHOW!!

I just realized something though, tomorrow is the final dress rehearsal which means it's going to be crap. I'm going to cry again.

What was I thinking??

2009-05-02T13:59:00.002-05:00

I teach Middle School, you all know this. When I do a show I am responsible for everything, from actors to the set. So, please explain to me what I was thinking when I decided it would be fun to do a Musical for this years Spring production. Musicals are so much work. I knew this, but I was thinking how great it would be for the kids and I thought it would be fun and it is both of those things, but boy am I stressed.

I do have help though, the choir teacher at school, who is one of my favorite people, is directing the music and teaching it all in class. But like I said before we are resposible for every aspect of the show: the costumes sent out for sewing and slowly getting done, they all look fab; and set, painting every day, still so much to do, but it should get done, even if I have to paint all weekend next weekend; lights, no idea, we need more, but don't know if we have the power for them; and props have to paint a British flag, a pirate flag and one that combines the two,yay for art projects; and sound anybody know a good sound guy?; and programs and tickets (so much paper,) and the list goes on and on.

I'm going crazy. I have about 14 different to do lists and keep leaving them places, so it never fails that when I leave home I get to school and realize there was something I meant to do the night before and forgot. Or I go home and realize that I left something at school I wanted to work on. I went to Lowe's last night to buy more paint, got there, realized I had left the Purchase Order at home and began crying as I walked into Lowe's. I'm sure the paint guy thought I was crazy, which I think I must be.

We had our first full run today, which is such a huge accomplishment. It went fairly well. The giant holes in songs, blocking, and choreography are getting smaller. It is all coming together, not as quickly as I would like, but I know it will get there.

2009-03-28T10:21:00.002-05:00

Really, Gary England? So the snow didn't really happen. Not a big deal, just funny. Haven't really checked out the news yet today to find out what happened throughout the state. I'm sure the Northwest got a pretty hefty amount of snow.

Started rehearsals for our school musical this week. Not sure yet how that's going to turn out. I have no doubt I have an amazing group of talented kiddos to work with. Just unsure of how I'm going to be at directing a musical.

This past week was the start of the last 9 weeks of school. This year has just flown by. The next 8 weeks will be quite a blur, especially once April starts. April is always crazy.

Right now I'm praying about some major life changes. Not going to talk about what they are but they are huge. The fact that I'll be thirty in a few months has really got me thinking about where I am, who I'm with, what I do with my time and if those things are right. Hoping that I can see God's plan through Amanda's plan, and have the strength to change if I need to.

2009-03-08T22:28:00.002-05:00

Back in December I was asked to direct a reader's theatre production of To Kill a Mockingbird for the Pioneer Library System. That is the library system that covers Cleveland, McClain, and Pottowatomie Counties. This past week was our performance week. I was out of school the whole week, which felt weird. I had meetings on Monday, finalizing performance details, gathering materials, and then Tuesday and Wednesday my cast and I had three shows each day. Thursday we had two shows, then Friday was our final performance, so this week was super busy.

It was quite a big deal, and I was so proud that they asked me to take on this project. I was shocked when they approached me to direct the production. I took the job thinking it would be a fun and exciting challenge. In our second production meeting they asked me what they needed to pay me. I couldn't believe that I was going to be paid for doing something I love. It was fantastic!

The production was amazing. I was very lucky and blessed to have a remarkably talented cast who somehow thought I was a great director. I had never directed adults so that was a learning experience. I think I did a good job, and I was able to bring out some amazing things from my cast. It is making me consider getting my Master's in directing rather than youth theatre or Acting performance. Hmmm, lets ponder that.

Three Snow Days!

2009-01-28T19:29:00.002-06:00

I can't believe I don't have school tomorrow! I was so bored today. Must be more productive tomorrow, like first snow day. Today was complete waste, although did get a lot of rest. I started re-reading (I don't know if that dash is necessary, but what the heck) three books, and finally put away all my christmas decorations, but that took me all of 15 minutes, the rest of the day was spent lounging in bed drifting between sleep and wakefulness.

I don't know what to do with another day off. I must be the most boring person on the planet.

Snow Day!!!

2009-01-27T13:48:00.002-06:00

Oh how I needed today. I realize that by not having school today we will have an extra day at the end of the year, but who cares about that. That's not until May!

So far today, I've slept in, cleaned my bathroom (which was in desperate need of a good scrubdown) worked in my kitchen, baked some cookies and now I'm blogging. It's not even 2 o'clock yet. I feel so productive!

It snowed here. I was not expecting snow, the weather forecasters were just calling for ice. So the snow was a nice surprise when I got up to take my dog Gussy out this morning.

I'm going to try to put some batteries in my camera and takes some pics later on. We'll see. I have a feeling that my productive streak may be coming to a close.

2009-01-26T20:00:00.001-06:00

I don't have school tomorrow! I'm so pumped. I hate the icy weather, and I pray that everyone is safe, but I get to sleep in. Heck Yeah!

Stories of my family.

2009-01-23T22:26:00.004-06:00

My Granny died last week. I had to make a rush trip to Gallatin Tennessee last Thursday for the funeral on Friday. We were blessed enough to get to spend Christmas and New Year's with her this year. After visiting with her I was struck with the idea that I should write some of my family stories down, maybe even put them in a book. I knew that I might not be able to get them exactly word for word, but I could write stories based on the stories of my family. This is one of the stories my granny shared with me at Christmas.

It's roughly titled, "A Girl can't get married in bare legs!"

When your Grandfather and I decided to get married it was a spur of the moment decision. (On a side note, they were married almost 60 years before my grandfather passed away.) He hadn't even told his family yet, I wouldn't let him because I didn't know if they liked me. He just kept telling me "Evelyn I like you enough for everyone, I don't care a lick what they think." He told me one evening, "We're getting married tomorrow, I'll be by around 11:00 to get you and we're going to the courthouse."

I woke early the next morning filled with excitement, joy, and a whole wagonload of anxiety. I began to dress and realized I didn't have any hose to wear. I knew that I simply could not get married without stockings, so I hurried and dressed and rushed the Bernstein's Mercantile. The stockings along with many other rationed items were kept behind the counter. I waited in line and when I got to the front of the line, I plunked down my money and said, "I need one pair of stockings, Mr. Bernstein." I waited in anticipation, knowing that I had already purchased stockings this month and he might not sell me any. He told me just that and I was crushed. I almost turned to leave, but I reconsidered, I raised up to my full height (My grandmother was not more than 5'3") and looked him in the eye, gave him a big smile and said, "But Mr. Bernstein a girl can't get married in bare legs...." This was a very scandalous thing for me to say, so I hurried and said "......and I'm getting married today." That's when I felt a presence behind me, I turned to see Gladys Mimms, your grandfather's older sister. She gave me a look that made me want to turn and run as she said, "Just who are you marrying today, Evelyn Cauley?" Well, you can imagine her reaction when I quietly told her, "your brother." I quickly paid for my purchases and left the store. She never mentioned that meeting in the store and I never told your grandfather.

2009-01-06T22:29:00.003-06:00

One of my New Year's resolutions is to get myself back in church. I started the year off right and tried a church on Sunday that is really close to my house. I liked it. It was nice because two of the women I work with attend there, and I just happened to choose a seat that is exactly where the two of them sit. (For those of you reading this who were not raised Southern Baptist, you may not know that we have assigned seating in church, not like the Preacher assigns us a place to sit, more like the seat you have has been your family's spot for years and you inherit that seat. Woe to the visitor who happens to sit there.)

Anyway, as I said before I liked the church and will probably go back there again this Sunday.

In other news, I was reminded today of the provision of God. I am broke, (I know old news) but seriously I had no cash today and had been on "E" in the car for about two days. I was digging in my wallet today, not sure why, I knew I didn't have any money................I found a dollar and do you know what I pulled out when I brought that sad little dollar out from the depths?!? A Wal-mart gift card that I forgot I had. I returned a Christmas gift that I purchased for my nephew, it turned out his parents had already purchased this gift for him. I had lost my receipt, so they put the money on a gift card. What a blessing! I was able to put some gas in my car and get a few groceries. Now, I know that God didn't put the gift card in my wallet today. The employee at the Customer Service Desk is not my guardian angel, but for some reason I looked in my empty wallet today and received a blessing.

Thank you Lord!

2008-11-29T18:35:00.001-06:00

Well, it's Thanksgiving Break and I don't have much time to post, I just want to say,

"GO POKES!!!!"

2008-10-26T08:24:00.002-05:00

Stupid Texas!!!!

2008-10-18T18:53:00.001-05:00

7 and O, baby!!!!

HOW 'BOUT THEM COWBOYS!?!

2008-10-11T23:11:00.003-05:00

Okay, first off so pumped that my boys won against Mizzou today. It was an awesome game! I love that my team came out and played with Missouri the whole game. Everybody talked about how OSU's defense would not be able to shut down Chase McDaniel, well how's this. Missouri hadn't had a 3 and out series until this game and my Pokes handed them several. We picked little Chasey off four times I think, I lost count. I mean they came out and took care of some business. Both teams played excellently, I am just so glad my team came out on top. And nobody thought they would. I know lot's of people were pulling for us to win, but I'm sure none of them thought we would do it. Well, we did, so there. I don't know that much about football, but I think they looked pretty stinkin' fantastic!

No idea what's going to happen in the rankings after this weekend, but there have been quite a few shakeups. Number 1 goes down, as does number 3 and number 4. Crazy times in BCS land. What's going to happen? Who knows. Let me take a moment to say, I think the BCS is WACK!

Now, in other news..........the good girlfriend in me wants to feel bad. The good Norman resident wants to feel bad. The good friend in me wants to feel bad. The OSU grad in me wants to jump up and down and cheer. OU lost today. I have been living and working in Norman for three years give or take a few months. I have been dating an OU fan for over five years. I have many good friends who went to OU and are diehard fans. It is tough on me, being in the minority down here. I root for OU when they are not playing OSU. I am happy when they win, but there is that small part of me that is a little happy when they lose. Does this make me a bad person? I'm sure my boyfriend, friends, and principal (sorry Peter) would say yes, but I know that all my other readers, fellow OSU alums would give me a resounding NO!

I watched the game. I really did feel terrible at the end. I felt so bad for my boyfriend and other friends who I know shelled out major cash to go down and watch OU play Texas in what I'm sure they felt was a sure win. I know how mad everyone must have been watching that game, but there is that little girl dressed in orange inside of me who is giggling. Oh, I'm terrible, I know it. I can't help it. I am and will always be a Cowboy(girl.)

GO POKES!!!

Pacey is back on TV!!

2008-09-14T23:34:00.003-05:00

So I caught the first episode tonight of the latest show produced by LOST creator J.J. Abrams and his production company Bad Robot.

FRINGE is going to be pretty cool I think, plus Joshua Jackson from Dawson's Creek and Mighty Ducks fame is one of the stars. I think I'm going to love this show! I'm pretty much hooked already.

Where, oh where to begin........

2008-09-03T22:04:00.002-05:00

Oh so many things have happened since I last posted.

--School has started. So far it's been great!

--I took a anniversary trip to Possum Kingdom Lake in TX, to see the Toadies play.

--I moved, wait, that may have happened before my last post, but I know I haven't posted about it.

--Probably some other exciting things have happened that I should post about, but all that can wait.

BIG NEWS!

I went to my first audition in almost three years a few days ago. I received a flier at school about auditions at Sooner Theatre in Norman for Into the Woods and Annie. I called and scheduled my audition for Tuesday night and began searching through boxes (remember, I just moved) for my music books and binders. Luckily, I have a wide selection of songs that I prepared for auditions while I was in college and had a private voice teacher. I found my music and planned on taking it to school with me on Monday so I could work on it, I forgot my music. I remembered it on Tuesday and b/c I am blessed with such great friends the Choir teacher at my school who is one of my best friends, helped mewith my songs. She plays the piano, I can only play parts. She and I narrowed my choices down to two numbers, made the necessary cuts and when I left her room I felt sufficiently prepared.

I got home from school on Tuesday and began to get ready, b/c I didn't get home until nearly six o' clock. I spent some time relaxing, drank some warm tea, tried on about four different outfits, fixed my hair and make-up and was ready by 8:00pm. I am feeling really good about myself as I leave my house. I am confident, looking pretty good, I'm really feeling it. Then I get to the Sooner and walk in to the lobby, I immediately feel out of place. Everyone in there looks to be still in college, beautiful, skinny, and I can see the talent on their faces. I suddenly feel old, fat, and like an untalented hack. I briefly considered walking out. Looking back now, minus the anxiety, I know that there were some older folks in there and not every girl waiting was perfect. I know that from what I could hear coming from the theatre that not everyone had perfect voices and oodles of talent, but I wasn't thinking or seeing clearly at that moment. I began to doubt myself. I felt as if my voice was seizing and there was no way I was prepared. I began to question my choice of songs, not too mention I still hadn't decided which of the two I was going to choose.

A couple of my students walk in, (there was a part for a young girl in the show) they see me and squeal, "Ms. Miiiimmmmmmzzzz!" and come scampering over. I am incredibly aware that not one of the other people in the room has probably ever been called Ms. or Mr. whoever. It makes me feel even older. I tell the girls, jokingly not to call me Ms. Mimmms, cause it makes me feel old, then one of them says, "Okay, Amanda." Well that felt even weirder, so it was back to Ms. Mimms.

As the list auditioners dwindled and the clock inched closer and closer to my audition slot I began to feel the pressure even more. I had thought that it would not be difficult to choose between my two songs, here I was about to walk in and I couldn't decide. I called my friend Jeanne, the choir teacher and told her to pick for me. She did, and I went in.

I told the Music Director/accompanist (sp?) what my song selection would be and he asked me what my second piece was. I thought, well Thank God I brought two, so I told him the name of my second piece, and he said okay. I took the stage smiled my most brilliant fill-the-theatre-smile, introduced myself and my song and waited for the piano to start. I began singing and every nervous feeling of self-doubt and fear melted away and I remember what it feels like to sing on a stage under those blinding lights. It was amazing! I finished, smiled again and looked down at the music director he asked me if I could sing my second song. I said, of course and waited once again for the introduction. I sang my second piece thanked the judges, smiled one more time and began to walk off the stage. I knew that I had, forgive the expression, kicked my auditions ass! It was the best feeling I've had in a long time. They asked me back for a callback. Which I went to on Thursday night.

That on the other hand didn't go as well. The only part they read me for was the part of Jack's mother (Into the Woods is about fairy tale characters.) Jack's mother is old, tired, and haggard. Every other woman that they were reading for the part was over 40 (some were way over 40) or they were really round. I felt a little insulted and I don't mean to be rude, but seriously I know I'm not a size 2 and I'm not 20 anymore but come one. I'm not sure what the director was thinking. It seemed like he was going for a definite look, either old or fat or both. I don't feel that I fit either of those criteria. I felt like one of those Sesame Street, One of these things doesn't belong here things. I don't mean to sound catty or rude, I just don't understand what he was doing. I think he looked at my age and grouped with with the older actresses automatically. I don't think I look my age, so on my next audition form I'm lying.

I'm pretty sure I'm not going to get a part. I don't think I fit the director's vision for any of the parts. Oh well, it got my face into the Norman Theatre scene and it was a great experience at least the audition was.

Life Sucks, and then it doesn't as much.

2008-08-06T17:40:00.002-05:00

The first half of today was such an awful day. This morning I went crazy on a customer service rep from my bank and I'm sure he thinks I am certifiably insane. He probably hung up the phone with me and then immediately played the recorded conversation back with his co-workers so they could all laugh it up at the crazy, crying lady. I'm so embarrassed.

It's always about money and I am just so tired of always messing up. I feel like after eleven years of so-called adulthood I should be better at this. I truly suck as a grown-up. When does this get easier? It is a major problem and I think I could truly benefit from some counseling, or advisement or something. It just seems like I get so far off center, in the red, over budget, in the hole whatever you want to call it and it's like I can't ever make up the difference. How in the world can I expect anyone to look at me as a responsible individual? If they knew how messed up my finances are they would take their children away and never bring them back. Not to mention, how in the world am I going to take care of a child, when I eventually have one? I can't even take care of myself. I think it's shameful. I am so embarrassed that this happens to me all the time.

On a brighter note. I stopped by the school this afternoon during enrollment and was bombarded at the door by hugs and screaming middle school girls. There is nothing like the adoration of a student to bring my day around. It always feels great to be around people who genuinely like you. My kids like me, I have no idea why sometimes, but they like me. It is truly a blessing, an amazing, wonderful, makes my life better, blessing. Thank God for my students.

My life as a Graphic Designer

2008-08-04T20:27:00.002-05:00

Okay, so the post below shows one version of the birthday party invitation I designed with my boyfriend last night. I'm going attempt to post the other two as well, we'll see how that goes. I really enjoyed working with Shane last night, we make a great team. He is a graphic artist by profession. I was worried that I might annoy him b/c he is much more efficient than I am, but I think he had as much fun as I did.

If you click on the image you can see the whole invite on photobucket.

We also designed a post card as well that I'm going to hand deliver to some friends.

Look What I made!

2008-08-04T20:26:00.001-05:00

I'm a mess

2008-07-28T20:07:00.003-05:00

Okay, it's official. I'm a "cryer" a big bawl baby cryer. I know those of you who know me well are thinking.....well duh, we knew that. I knew it too, but there are moments that surprise even me, but more about that later.

Obviously I cried as a baby, and then as a toddler from frustration, pain, etc. I still cry when I experience these things, only now I can add many other things to the list. I cry when I'm really pissed, like so pissed all I want to do is punch something in the face. Then the fact that I'm crying makes me even more angry, b/c people misinterpret the tears and just assume that I'm overly sensitive. If they knew that in my head I'm wondering what their face would feel like as a punching bag and the tears are the emotional release that ensures I won't find out I'm sure they wouldn't continue giving me that "Ohh, she just looks so sad" look. I'm a big happy cryer too. I always cry at weddings, even if I'm not particularly close to the couple. Shane gave me a really meaningful gift a few years ago for Christmas, and the minute I saw it I was bawling.

Movies are major cause for tears. I remember the first time I watched The Man in the Moon I went through two boxes of Kleenex. I wish I were exaggerating. I watched it two more times that weekend. The Notebook are you kidding me? I cried so hard that I thought my entire face was going to melt off. Watching Titanic I cried so much that I had to cover my face while leaving the theatre because there was so much snot running out my nose. I didn't want to leave and go get a Kleenex so I just sat there and let it run. It was truly disgusting.

Animals can always bring out the tears as well. A few years ago I was walking around a pet store, we were just looking for fun. I fell in love with all the puppies, of course and when it was time to leave began to cry because I couldn't take all the puppies home with me. Did I go in looking for an animal to buy? NO. Did I understand that didn't have 20 dollars, let alone the $300 that most of the puppies cost? YES. Did I know that my crying was silly? YES. Did that stop the tears? OF COURSE NOT.

Movies with animals, well that's just stupid. I remember in second grade we were watching Ol' Yeller at school and I, as many people have before me, lost it. I just couldn't take it, I mean they shot that dog! I know he had the rabies, but there are children watching folks, wasn't there something else that could have been done. Where the Red Fern Grows well there's just no avoiding the tears and snot on that one. Homeward Bound well there was no way I was coming out of that dry. Animated movies are just as bad. I know everyone probably cried during The Lion King but did anyone cry during Aladdin? I did, like a baby.

Well, check out this video and I'll let you guess, did I cry or not?

I'm getting old.

2008-07-21T17:00:00.010-05:00

In eleven days I will be turning 29, which means that I'm something like 376 1/4 days away from 30.

I'm not excited about getting older. I don't believe that 30 is the new 20, I believe it is the same old 30. I have no big plans for my birthday, I'm going to a bar-b-cue at my principal's house, but it's just a coincidence that it's on my birthday. I have no idea what I'm getting, if anything for my birthday, other than older.

I'd like to get one of these.

Or one of these

with one of these

If I'm being completely honest what I really want is this...........

[Sigh] A girl can dream can't she.

Is there anything more beautiful than a Bride?

2008-07-14T11:35:00.001-05:00

Summer Fun!

2008-07-14T10:58:00.002-05:00

2008-07-11T09:53:00.002-05:00

I watched the best movie last night.................LITTLE MANHATTAN.

An innocent love story that makes you feel something. It's a film about first love, the good and the bad. It shows the times where the heart is so happy it just might explode and the times when the heart hurts so much, ripping it out might be less painful. It's a pure love story, it's about two kids falling in love over summer break. I love a good romantic comedy as much as the next girl, but there is almost always some gross humor or a generic sex scene and sometimes it's nice to see a film explore the more innocent side of romance. I think it's movie everyone should watch.

Watch the trailer below. Then go and rent it.

Let me just apologize

2008-07-08T23:52:00.002-05:00

for the length of the last post. If anyone reads it, please know I may be willing to pay you for your time.

I think I may be a terrible person.........

2008-07-08T23:07:00.002-05:00

I tried to go to the movies today and my attempt was a dismal failure. I have been known to make the occasional jaunt to the movies solo in an attempt to rack up some quality me time. I decided today that I would try to do just that. I went to yahoo movies to see what was playing in my area and noticed that there were a couple of movies playing at the $1 movie in Norman that I wanted to see. I looked at the clock and realizing I could make the 5:00 shows hopped in the car and headed down.

I got there and was driving around looking for a parking spot. I spotted one and drove toward it, just as I got close enough to turn in I noticed the guy parked in the space beside it. He sat there lounging with his cell phone glued to his ear, his door open, and his flip-flop clad foot resting on top of his side mirror between his door and the rest of his car. If I had turned in I would have taken his door and quite possibly his leg off. I didn't turn in, I kept driving and left him there to continue yapping on his cell phone while taking up an extra parking space. I'm not sure why this kid bothered me so much, but he did. I drove around to the other aisle and found comparable parking space there.

I went inside and was pleasantly suprised to learn that my ticket would only cost me 50 cents. That's awesome, of course my popcorn and drink still cost me $8.00, but seriously, a date with myself for $8.50! That's great! I decided to see Made of Honor. My other option was Baby Mama, and I'm pretty sure Shane would watch that with me, Made of Honor is one of those movies that he will be more than happy to sleep through.

I take my popcorn and drink, walk to the theater and pick my seat. Choosing a seat in a movie theater if crucial. You must sit in the center, not only of the row you select, but also of the theatre. I was glad to see that I was the only person in the theater, so I had my pick of any chair I wanted. The $1 theater in Norman has center aisles, so I chose a seat on the aisle midway down. I sat for a bit enjoying the solitude. I like going to the movies solo, but it's always better if there are fewer people in the theater.

People slowly began to trickle in, a group of girls here, a Mom and her daughter there, a couple of couples. Then the doors at the back of the theater burst open and my ears are filled with an obnoxious giggle and a loud voice talking to the entire theater, "Hello Everyone." I don't turn around, but listen as this couple make there way into seats somewhere behind me. Judging by the sounds they made bumbling through the aisle to their seats I'm guessing they chose seats in the last row beside the wall. Once seated, I can hear them both pro their feet up on the seats in front of them as they settle in for a nice pre-movie chat.

I hear someone back there rattle there keys every so often, not just a few keys either, but a janitor worthy set of keys. It reminded me of when parents give their children keys to keep them occupied. Once the kids begin to tire of the keys, the parent reaches over to shake them and bam, the kiddo is once again enthralled. I can here the guy say "Hello" to every new person who enters the theater. Then when they don't respond I can hear him commenting to his date about how people just aren't that friendly. Okay, maybe I'm Sally Unsocial, but unless you're four years old or younger it's not okay to say "Hello" to complete strangers and expect them to respond to you. I consider myself a fairly nice person, but I firmly hold to the unspoken rules of society............You don't speak to strangers in an elevator unless you make eye contact, then you only comment on three things 1) the weather (i.e. Nice weather we're having.) 2) some article of clothing they have on (i.e. I like your shoes. Where did you get them?) 3) Baseball (i.e. How 'bout them Yankees?) You don't talk to the people standing in line with you at the bank or anywhere else, unless of course to comment on how long you've been standing in line. You absolutely do not greet every single person who walks by you unless you are a young child, as previously mentioned, you are soft in the head, or you are simply trying to be annoying.

This kid was trying to be annoying and it was working, because at this point I was running through my mind each possible scenario in which I would be able to confront him and not come out being the bad guy. After all, the movie hadn't begun and he didn't seem to be bothering everyone else, I was just wondering if he was going to continue talking like that the whole time. That's when the singing began. He started singing "Thriller" while Gigi Gigglebox, sat beside him just laughing it up. I could tell from the sound of her comments that she thought he was the bees knees and sooooo funny, (I know that last part, b/c at one point I heard her say, "You are sooooo funny." I also know that her so had five "O's" in it. Don't ask me how, I'm a linguistic genius. After about a minute and a half of Wacko Jacko's rousing rendition of the pop classic I pasted my best teacher face on and turned around. Well, what do you know, it's they kid from the parking lot. I am not surprised. The young lady stopped giggling immediately, Captain Conversation stopped singing and said "Do I need to be quite?" I stared at him for a moment longer and then turned slowly around. He said to the back of my head, and said quite politely, I must say, "I'll stop singing now." I gave him a thumbs up without turning around and continued eating my popcorn. Then they began talking about how the movie hadn't even started yet and they weren't making that much noise. I know, I know I'm a bad person, but whatever.

Meanwhile, back at the ranch a older couple had meandered into the theatre and chose the seats directly in front of me. Why is that so bad you ask? It's not really except that they gentleman had on a fedora of sorts and didn't appear to have any intentions of taking it off. It was blocking a bit of the screen, but I'll deal. Here's what I don't understand there are still open seats everywhere in the theater. At first I thought that maybe they were related to the couple who sat in the row in front of me two seats over, but after observing them for a few minutes I realized that they weren't speaking to each other at all and in fact the young man seemed a bit uncomfortable that this stranger was sitting right next to him. So not only were this couple blocking my view they are those people who will choose seats next to strangers rather than finding a more isolated spot to sit. Once again, I have to fall back on my rules of society 1) Never take the seat directly next to a stranger if there are other seats available unless 1) that stranger is ridiculously hot 2) You are the new kid in school and have been given an assigned seat by the teacher 3) that stranger is ridiculously hot (I cannot stress this point enough.)

(I think I'm socially estranged, or maybe I'm just a real bitty)

So, now I have Indiana Jones and his wife in front of me, Jacko the singing clown and his giggly girlfriend behind me and then one of the theatre employees come in to say that they are having some problems with the projector and the movie will start in about 10 minutes. The ten minutes slowly tick by, I have figured out how to see around the hat and am enjoying the way the couple in front of me whisper to each other and hold hands. They were really cute. The couple behind me have quieted down. Then two guys from the theatre come in with handfuls of what look like carnival tickets. "The projector is down and we have to have someone come in from the city to fix it. You're all going to be given a pass to any movie you want to see another time. We're very sorry for the inconvenience." They timed it perfect, because I had just finished my popcorn. I got up followed the group to the back to pick up my ticket and leave.

I'll guess I'll try going back tomorrow. Anybody want to go to the movies?

Time flies whether you're having fun or not

2008-06-30T23:54:00.003-05:00

I am having fun, do not be mislead by my title, but there are a few things happening this summer that have been less than enjoyable. Namely, where the "H" is it going? It's already July!

I've talked about the no money thing before, so I won't bore you with the details. I'm still broke.

I tried to get a job for the summer, just something part time that I might be able to continue on weekends after school started. Well, apparently a certified teacher with two bachelor's degrees is not qualified for any of the jobs I applied for. Get this, one of the jobs I applied for was working with children in a supervisory capacity. I'll let you do the math.

I've been searching for an apartment or house. I have to move at the end of July, right after getting back from a teacher's conference in Boulder, CO. I think I may have found an apartment today. Say a little prayer or a big one if you so choose that I will get this place. It is stupid close to my school, and is cute. The price is right, and it allows pets, so I can get my kitty out of my parents hair.

I took a road trip with a couple of friends to Charleston, SC for another friends wedding. I have tons of pics from the trip. I think I fancy myself an amateur photographer, so I took a lot of artsy fartsy pictures, I'll post them once I figure how to do that. I'm sure it's crazy easy, I'm just putting it off.

One really fun thing, my friend was not all about the wedding planning, so once I got there she pretty much gave her mother and I free reign on the wedding decorations and such. I got to build her bouquet, which I think turned out gorgeous! I'll post pictures of that too. Of course, I made it so I'm a little partial, (okay, I'm a lot partial) but it really was pretty. Even the rent-a-preacher said so.

Rent-a-preacher, you ask? This guy is employed by an agency called Charleston Weddings or something similar and he showed up about .02 seconds before the wedding was set to begin and he performed the quickest ceremony this side of a Vegas drive thru and then left. He was charming and kind, but it was weird to me. Of course, my dad is a preacher and I'm one of two single ladies left in my bunch, so I've been to something like 14 million weddings.

I went to see The Happening this weekend and to be quite honest it didn't happen for me. I went to The Warren theatre in Moore, I love that place!

I'm going camping this weekend, so that should be ridiculously stifling, I mean fun.

Ummm........that's all.

2008-06-07T12:08:00.002-05:00

I got to spend some quality time yesterday with Heather Rose and her precious boy J.J. We played blocks and kitchen, J.J. and I not Heather (I wish I knew how to spell phonetically what he was saying, it was something like tishtchen.) Heather and I spent some time in front of the TV catching up on DVRed episodes of Jeopardy, Millionaire, and the best stand-up routine from one of my favorite comedians, Eddie Izzard.

It was a lovely visit. I'm glad she got to see me. (Just kidding H)

On the job search front, no word yet. I'm really praying that the Lord will send something my way. I do have quite a bit of free time this summer, but I do have two trips already planned that will take up about two weeks of time total, not together. I think that might discourage some people from hiring me part time. I've contacted several of my contacts here in Norman that I think might be able to help me out. I've put in three applications and will probably do some more searching next week.

2008-05-27T21:09:00.002-05:00

Not much to write about. I had a conference today on classroom management. It was good, the best part is that I get professional development credits for it. I am really close to completing all the requirements for the Oklahoma Alternative Placement program.

Tomorrow is check out day and if I can clean my room and complete everything on my end of the year checklist I am officially done until August. Well, not technically. I'm enrolled in several technology courses over the summer but they are all half day events. Then I do have quite a bit of work to get ready for next year, but I can work by the pool if I want and not at a desk.

Except that I don't have a pool or know anyone who does........minor detail.

Anybody know anything about Dave Ramsey? I'm tired of being broke and have heard that his system is really great seeing as how it is scripturally based. Any info you can pass along would be appreciated. I need to really mend my finances. I am supposed to go to South Carolina at the middle of June and don't know how I'm going to pay for it. I am so tired of having this problem. My wallet and I would appreciate your prayers. It is time to grow up about money, but it's hard for me to figure it all out.

One Week Left

2008-05-16T18:07:00.005-05:00

Well, my time with students is almost over for this school year. Next week is the last week of school, then we have four days of professional days then I'm done till August! Oh, Glory! Oh Rapture! I love my job!

I'm going to spend some time under the sun, while making sure I'm covered in sunscreen as to avoid the skin cancer.

I'm taking a trip to South Carolina for my friend Corrie's Wedding!

I just love weddings. Did you know South Carolina is called the Palmetto State?

I'm also taking a trip to Colorado for a Teacher's Conference.

I've never been to Boulder I'm excited for that too!

2008-05-04T10:10:00.000-05:00

Just wanted to share this beautiful image with you my lovelies.

The Hunt for Red Comforter starring Amanda Mimms

2008-03-22T21:45:00.004-05:00

I got a new comforter today. It looks like this.

I've been looking for a comforter for years and haven't ever found one that I really, really liked. I purchased a really crisp white quilt from Target a month or so ago for half off and I've been on the hunt for a red comforter to go along with it. I'm going to accent the bedding with aqua.

I love it. I'll post pictures once I get it all put together. I'm so excited. It's Martha Stewart's and I got it from Macy's. It was on sale for $80 from $220.

I KNOW, RIGHT?

Maybe this is why I'm single!

2008-03-20T11:24:00.002-05:00

You know the phrase always a bridesmaid never a bride. That phrase was coined by Listerine in the ad pictured at left in an attempt to get more woman to buy their product. The ad first appeared in 1920’s, and claimed that a single woman remained so because of bad breath. Can you belive that?

Apparently, lots of people did because the sales of Listerine jumped from $100,000 in 1921 to 0ver $4,000,000 in 1927!!!

Well, I guess I'm going to the store.

Mouse in the House

2008-03-19T23:01:00.003-05:00

Okay, so in recent weeks I have seen a transformation come over my........let's just say boyfriend. I'm not technically sure that's what he is, we did break up in late December, but lately have been spending a lot of time together, and acting as if everything is back to normal. However, that is another post for another day.

Anyway, I've seen some major changes come over him. Typically Shane is a humanitarian (is that the right word for this?), he doesn't believe in the senseless killing of animals or insects. He kill spiders. No matter how much I scream and beg him "Just kill the spider!" that I fully believe is "Crawling toward me!" He will do all he can to scoop it onto a piece of paper or a paper plate, inside a Joe's cup or a Frisbee (this actually happened once,) whatever is handy and transport that little creepy crawly outside. It doesn't matter how big it is, he'll try to save it. He saved a spider once, and it's body was as large as my thumb, I wish I was exaggerating. That one I could understand a little bit, I wouldn't want to step on something that large. However, I also didn't agree with just cartin' that trooper outside. That's just begging for it to come back inside, in my mind. Heck, why not just buy it a cage and move it into the house?

He just doesn't like to kill bugs, I guess that's great and sweet and all that, whatever. I would rather he do what I ask, and kill the little buggers.

There are some things he has no problem disposing of though. He hates ticks with a passion, and will actually gleefully take a lighter to them if he sees one. Apparently, he's the same way with mice.

He's dealt with mice since he moved in in July. He tried to ignore it for a while, but the first time he cleaned out his garage he had to throw out a lot of stuff he had stored out there because it was covered in mouse poo so he decided to take action. First, he bought some traps, and some spray foam sealant to cover the hole they appeared to be using to get into his garage. The day he set the traps, he hadn't been back in the house five minutes, when they started snapping all over the place. It was like someone lit a whole strand of black cats. POP! SNAP! CRACK!

He went outside to check, of the four traps he'd set, three were the final resting place of Cinderella's little helpers. I couldn't watch as he carried the traps one by one to his dumpster on a shovel. We went back to the store and bought two more packs of traps and set them out. By the next morning, they'd all been tripped. Shane said when he got up the next morning, he went to the garage to get a bottle of water, spent the next twenty minutes or so disposing of mouse traps. He said he could hear them in the wall trying to gnaw through the sealant he'd sprayed. He bought more traps that evening when we went grocery shopping. I helped him set them and noticed that they had been successful in their attempts to dig themselves out. There was a hole in the wall again. We set another four traps, it took about four days for all of them to fill their purpose. We've begun to lose count of how many mice we've killed.

About two weeks ago, I was helping Shane clean out his garage again. We thought, naively that the mouse problem might be getting better. I mean, we've killed so many, surely there can't be that many left. WE WERE SO WRONG! Once again, we found mouse droppings everywhere. We saw two or three mice running around. I did what a girl is supposed to do when she sees a mouse, screamed, jumped up and down and jumped on the closest chair to me. This is where the change came over Shane. He got pissed!

He started following the mice around when he saw them! Trailing them like a predator follows it's prey, just waiting to pounce. His first weapon of choice was the broom. He found one and began to sweep it out of the garage. This was fairly normal for him. He hates to kill these mice, but he can't have them in his garage. So, he was trying to be nice and just get it out of the house. This little creature kept running back into the garage! Each time Shane would get it out on the driveway, it would dodge the broom and try to duck back in. Shane got it over into the grass and he watched as the mouse quickly began making it's way back over! Shane had had enough, he flipped. I couldn't believe my eyes, he began to wallop this mouse with the end of his broom, not the bristles, but the plastic that holds the bristles and attaches them to the handles. He bludgeoned this mouse! BLUNT FORCE TRAUMA! He felt so bad afterward, he nearly started crying. That's the boy I know. That lasted for about two minutes till one ran across his foot. He took that one out with a spare piece of slat for the fence. He killed two mice with his bare hands, well okay, with some household items in his bare hands.

Early tonight, I walked out into his garage and saw him with a baseball bat in hand, waging war on the "Nasty little creatures" that have taken over his garage. Apparently, some of them have taken up residence in the coils on the back of his garage fridge, which makes it possible for them to climb up on top of the fridge. They've been getting into the dog treats. I'm pretty sure this is going to get worse before it gets better. I've just received word from the front lines and there are no casualites to report, but the general is setting some land mines. We should have some of the enemy by morning.

Spring Break!!

2008-03-15T14:33:00.002-05:00

It's the first day of my Spring Break and I'm wondering where the concept of this weeklong break from School started, so I did a little research. Here's what I found.........

Someone, somewhere believes that Spring Break began with the Greeks! Yes, the same people that gave us Theatre, Democracy, The Olympics, and Math, (thanks alot, couldn't you have left that one out, Greece?) also, alledgedly, created the beginnings of what we now lovingly call, Spring Break! It's been said that Socrates himself, proposed a festival or rite in which the young people of Athens would travel to small seaside villages to celebrate the coming of the Spring.

Well, I can only find one article that talks about this, so I'm thinking that it might be a bunch of hooey. But I can't help but think that there may be some truth to this. I mean, almost all of the holidays we celebrate today have their origins in yester-year as festivals honoring Gods and trees and the sun and may-poles, so why not Spring Break?

If we skip forward a couple of thousand years, we find a collegiate swim coach in New York State who, 1935, began a yearly trek with his swim team for spring training in Ft. Lauderdale, FL, the home of the first Olympic Size Swimming Pool in all of Florida. This trip to a warmer clime was born out of concern that his team had packed on some extra insulation during the cold winter. Word spread like suntan lotion on a beach bunny, and soon swimmers all over the country were flocking like wet birds to sunny Florida for a spring swimming tournament.

By the 1950's "Spring Break" was in full swing, as more than 20,000 students each year were pounding beers on the sandy beaches of Florida and it's been downhill ever since. Eventually, the good people of Ft. Lauderdale put their collective foot down. They imposed stricter laws against public intoxication and in the late 80's the mayor went on Good Morning America and told the students they were no longer welcome. Ouch! Spring Break got dumped by her boyfriend of over 30 years on National Television.

She bounced right back and soon found other, sunny, beachy, beery destinations! Students travel to other cities in Florida, Texas, and Mexico to find their Spring Break. I never took a trip such as this, I spent my Spring Breaks doing Mission work, and in later college years, working. Do I feel like I missed out on something because I never experienced the STD-fest that is Spring Break on a Beach? H-NO! I've always just appreciated it for what it is at it's core, a chance to skip school for a week, and not get in trouble for it.

For those of you in the working world, who don't get a Spring Break I can only say one thing.........Sorry 'bout your luck, Suckas! You should've gone into teaching.

I'm new here.

2008-03-08T16:32:00.002-06:00

This is not going to be as easy as I thought. I don't understand any of the settings for this site. I will not be deterred though. I will prevail. I didn't know anything about myspace when I started and now I'm like a Myspace genius. Okay, not actually, but I do know my way around a profile page.

I am excited about this new online venture. It does seem like a more adult internet pastime. I love myspace-ing and will probably keep that up for many moons to come. However, I'm drawn to this online journal of sorts.

It seems very cathartic, in the most public and voyeuristic way. I love it. I'm going to contact a few of my blogspot successful friends and plead for their help.

Nausea, Heartburn, Indigestion, Upset Stomach, and it stops there, don't even speak the rest.

2008-03-07T18:53:00.000-06:00

Well, I have been inspired by my some of the most lovely woman I know (Jenny, Julie, and Heather) and I'm going to attempt to keep a regular blog. Not that there is anything all that interesting or exciting about me, but I think that is the point. Those who love me best will enjoy reading my blog, even if it is just about me, Just Mimmsy!

I have been sick off and on for the past two weeks. It's been the most awful kind of sickness as well, the kind of sickness that that can only be spoken of in public as a "stomach ache." I'm sure you all know to what sickness I am referring. There was a point last weekend where it hurt so much to sit down I was in tears. It was terrible!

I thought it had gone away, but today it reared it's ugly head again, oh and this time I thought it would be fun to throw up at school in front of some students. Talk about, being made aware of your own humanity. There are times as a teacher that I feel superhuman, almost like a mythical creature, complete with wings and immortality. I think back to when I was in school and my teachers did seem to be a different breed or species. They could not possibly suffer the same kind of ills and ailments that a mere human such as myself dealt with. Well, today I'm sure I brought a few students to a shattering reality.

I had just gotten to school, early for my morning meeting, so I stopped by my room and put my bags in my office, and as I was standing up from having put my purse into my filing cabinet I was struck by the feeling that I was going to be sick. I had this awful premonition that I wasn't going to make it to the bathroom. (My classroom is in the same building as the gym, and right now because of construction delays there are no bathrooms in my building.) I had to try to rush to the ladies bathroom in the seventh grade hallway. I only made it as far as the doors into the school, where I promptly retched all over myself. I was able to rip the lid off of a nearby trash can for my second attempt. There were a couple of 7th grade boys standing there, gawking at me. When I looked up, I couldn't believe the looks on their faces, they were terrified. I felt like I was that little girl from the Exorcist and had just shot Pea Soup out my nostrils. The boys immediately turned and ran away. I felt so abanoned, but what did I expect? Seventh grade boys have the nurturing capacity of a paper bag.

I'm better now, I think. Only time will tell. It's been going around and around and around. I wish whatever this crap is that everybody keeps getting will go away.