Paris

{07.02.10}

We are back in Paris! We left Brittany this morning and this time it only took us 5 hours! Only 5 hours! Thank goodness for the GPS and Maggie's great driving skills. We arrived about 15 before meeting Richard at the hotel! He walked up in a long shirt, jeans and sweaty hot. Instead of taking a cab, he took the subway which is brave after a LONG trip to France and not ever being here. What a guy.

Trying to cool down in the hotel as I type. Reed is looking for a few of the students that are arriving today. Richard is napping. Sabrina is complaining about her sweaty shirt. Maggie is crashed on the bed attempting to cool down.

Tomorrow we will be gathering ALL of the students at the airport and transporting them back to Brittany (oh, boy, a 5 hour drive) in 5 vans. My bet is that we don't get 5 vans and there will be some changes in the plan. This is all part of the fun being in France.

Until next time.

8.13.09

I am back! Back from France that is. The last time I posted here was....well....a long time ago!

Here are the highlights from the past few months:

• completed my National Boards; waiting for results which should be in November
• completed my 6th year of teaching
• went on the Alaska cruise with my folks and Richard's family in July
• left for France mid-July and stayed for three weeks

My summer has been AMAZING! It has been great to travel and see what the world has to offer. Above is a photo of me in France. Alex swoonhoggled these T-shirts from the local grocery store after he explained our love and fondness of their store! We went to this store several times in one day for several days in a row. We shopped and cooked for 27 people. That's a lot of groceries.

I have a few more weeks before school starts. Until then, our schedule is jammed packed. Camping, boating, visiting friends, company picnic, and just plain getting ready for school to begin.

Richard made me a wooden leg..just in case the surgery didn't work.

NB Portfolio DONE!

ACL and NB

On April 1st, I had ACL reconstruction surgery. Way back in Decemeber I was playing kickball after school with other staff members and to make a long story short and less gross, I tore/disconnected my ACL.

I think I am healing well. The first few days were miserable. Hobbling around on crutches is tedious. I am able to move around pretty well by now, but it takes quite a bit of concentration. It is hard for me to believe that I will be able to bear weight on my left leg in the next few days. The past few days I have had some cramping in my calf, but after talking to the nurse this morning, she reassured me that it was part of the process and as long as it is not swollen, hot or red, there is no need to worry. Instead, just keep taking the pain pills to get through it.

As of March 29th, I was done with my NB (National Boards) portfolio. After several long days and nights, I sent it off! It has officially been signed for and is being processed. I won't hear until November...painful. So, I have been forced by my ACL to recover from NB! I have to say it was touch and go for a while. A roller coaster ride that I don't want to go on again.

Happy Birthday, Mara!

Mara has become a dear friend of mine and it was her birthday today! Mara passed away in September from DIPG, an inoperable brain tumor. She was a student at AJ and was in my class up until her death. She was there on Friday, September 19th and passed away Monday, September 22nd. As her mom shared today at her birthday celebration, "Mara didn't come to school because she had to, she came because she wanted to."

The birthday party was grand in my eyes. My students have been anticipating this day for a very long time. They made butterflies and posters to decorate the gym. Family and friends added balloons, pink tulle netting, a banner....add some children and you have a birthday party! It was a beautiful sight.

The family dedicated a plaque to our school. It is amazing. If you are ever in the area, stop in to see it. It is worth the trip! A cherry blossom tree will be planted in Mara's honor on the school grounds. Under the tree, "forget me not's" will be planted.

An amazing day for an amazing child. Happy 7th Birthday, Mara!

3.2.09

March Already?

• STILL working on National Boards. I wonder what I will blog about when I am DONE?!
• Tuckered out because I have been working on National Boards so much.
• Still buying books for National Boards.
• Still need to video tape my classroom setup for National Boards.
• I will be taking my National Board exam in May.
• ACL being replace the day after I turn in my National Board portfolio.

Can you tell what is on my mind?