Right brain v. Left brain

I am a perfectionist. Rather, I strive for perfection. I am typically a very organized, together person. I like to do everything I do the best that I can, and when I can't for some reason, I feel like I failed. Yes, a bit extreme, but it's who I am.

I love lists. I love making lists, maintaining lists, and crossing items off of lists. Sometimes I write down something that I've already done just so I can cross it off. At the end of a day, a completed list means that I spent that day in a worthwhile manner. Learning to relax when the list goes unmarked is going to be a life-long job for me, and I'm learning to accept that about myself.

Going back to work last year sent me into a tailspin. I never felt like I was accomplishing anything, in any aspect of my life. If work was going well, then my kids didn't get bathed. If the house was clean and my family was happy, then my planbook was empty. This was very frustrating for me, as you may be able to imagine.

It's summer now. My house is almost back in order, and my classroom is neatly packed, waiting to be re created come August. I am relaxed (mostly) and rejuvinated. I am looking forward to diving back into the chaos, and being sucessful this time!

I suppose that says something about me...I didn't give up, even though I kept hoping for a nervous breakdown so I could be locked away somewhere quiet that didn't allow list-making supplies. Just for a little while. I made it through the year, all my students were alive when the left me, and some even cried at the thought of missing me all summer. I know I did a good job as their teacher, but the price I paid was high, at least in my eyes.

I am excited about going back. I'm in a new classroom with a mounted smartboard, but I'm in the same grade. I know what to expect now, and I can't wait to tackle it head-on. Am I done stressing? No, not by a long shot. Cam will be in first grade, which will invite a whole new set of issues, as I try to keep my teacher hat and my mommy hat separate. Sam is starting third grade, and I'm not sure I'm ready to handle an SOL year.

I am making resolutions: I will not work so many hours, I will set higher expectations for Sam and Cam as we work together to keep the household running, I will spend more time sitting outside with the girls, and I will scrapbook on a regular basis. I will keep my paper-grading up-to-date, I will have plans and copies made before they're needed, and I will maintain a high level of communication with the parents of my students. I will also do my best to talk to Anne a few times a week, and not give my husband reason to ask, "Have you taken your medicine today?"

Seems like a lot, but I think I can do it. I just need to start the lists now.

Blogging doesn't seem to be my thing...

I haven't blogged since September?!? Hmmm... not much going on.... that's not true, I'm just not sure how much I can remember...

Highlights:

October
Cam turned 6. He had just a few friends at The Bear Mill (think Build-a-Bear with an ice cream store attached) and was very content with this.

Sam and Cam were cowboys (girls) for Halloween. The Hachtels came over to trick-or-treat with us.

November
Sam turned 8. She had a few friends at The Bear Mill (think Build-a-Bear with an ice cream store attached) and was very content with this. Yeah, right. Samantha, content? Ha!

I took a long weekend over Veteran's Day and scrapbooked with Anne at an amazing timeshare in Masannutten. Heaven....

We went to NC for Thanksgiving. My parents were there, and Tom's girl had just had their baby. Baby Kinsey is just edible. I miss her!

December
Christmas. Cameron really got into it this year. He decorated the kids' tree all by himself, which explains why no ornaments made it to the top third of the tree. He can be so precise, he reminds me of myself. :-)

Everyone had a good time, we kept the REASON FOR THE SEASON at the forefront of our celebrations, and I GOT A LAPTOP! Yeah, me. Yeah, my dear husband who was sick of me messing up the other computer! We had actually started to get in each other's way when we were both using the office. I needed the computer for progress reports, he needed it to buy more comic books.

So, I have my office to myself. I have a beautiful big white table from Target.com and a chair to match. I am surrounded by my stuff: my life; my scrap stuff, pictures of my kids, papers to be graded, piles to be gone through...I love it!

Pat is also very happy (I'm assuming). He has a corner in the storage room in the basement with his desktop computer, his speakers, CDs, comic books, and no interruptions. My favorite thing to do is to be working in my office while he's downstairs on his computer...I am a big fan of IM...So I IM him to say that the kids need a snack. He IMs me back to say why don't I take care of it since I'm right here, and I IM back to say that it's his turn. TECHNOLOGY IS FABULOUS! He has the computers all networked so I can watch tv shows that we DVR on his computer.

The kids are really into Webkins right now...We set Sam up on one, and Cam up on the other computer and they can "play" together with out annoying each other. Again, FABULOUS!

I'm digressing...
January
We had another New Year's party here, and thank goodness for my head, stomach, and liver, it wasn't as rowdy as last year. Anne and the family were here, which made it perfect. Good friends/neighbors came over, and it was nice to be surrounded by people that mean so much to me.

JESSE IS HOME! My sweet baby brother (or Marine-trained killing machine) is out of Iraq, and in the save little haven called Oklahoma. I am thrilled, and can't wait to see him! He has a couple of weeks to play, then another couple of months to be debriefed and processed out, then he will no longer be a miltary boy.

February
We went to the Hannah Montana Concert Movie last night. We couldn't get tickets to the actual concert, but we did make it to the sold-out show at the theater. It was in 3D, it was loud, and I left with a headache, but I thought it was great. Cam just wanted to be cozy on the couch the whole time, and kept his hands over his ears...Oh, well. Each to his own...

School is going well. I have some days that I come home in a great mood, then other days when I want to stop by Target to see if they're hiring. That's pretty typical of teaching first grade, from what I'm hearing from other prospective Target hirees. I'm up to 25 kids. Started with 26, went to 24, 23, 24, now 25. One will be on a trip oveseas long enough to be withdrawn, then I'll be to 24. When he comes back at the beginning of March, I'll be back to 25. Mrs. McQuillan's revolving door gets oiled frequently...

I have pretty much gotten myself onto a regular schedule. I get there around 7 am. Pat drops the kids off around 8:40 for a 9:00 start time. (Except on Wednesdays, when they come in with me.) School get out at 3:30, and I finish with bus duty by 3:45. We try to be out of the building by 4:30, but if the kids find something to occupy themselves I can stretch them and get more work done! One night a week I go back from 7 to 11. This is my favorite time! No one is there except for me and Mr. Daryl, and he comes by every once in awhile to check on me. Crazy? Yes. Anyone surprised? Didn't think so.

The kids have a birthday party from 1-4. I will enjoy cleaning up, doing lesson plans, and grading papers in peace and quiet, then when they get home we'll all lay down for a nap. Sounds great, doesn't it? My favorite kind of Saturday that doesn't involve the beach and warm weather...

Off I go, I have pictures to go along with this but who knows when I'll get them posted. Keep checking back, and don't give up on me!

Sayrie

I got a new car!!!!!!!!!!

Good price, too!

My favorite holiday

September 15th. My birthday! It started early, with an awesome charm bracelet from my bestest friend, a Brighton necklace from my parents, a subscription to People magazine from Niki, a cake and little presents from the first grade team, and my first paycheck!



Saturday morning was bright, sunny, and cool! I got my first birthday surprise soon after getting up.


My daddy calls me Sayrie (why? See an earlier post.) and I graduated from JMU. I love, love, love them!


Next we went to IHOP for breakfast, and I got to talk to mom and eat eggs benedict. Then we cashed my paycheck and went to Haymarket Days. I found a quilt rack that I have been looking for for a couple of years now, and it was only $42.50!

I took a nap when I got home, then my kids gave me a cross charm for my Pandora bracelet, and Pat gave me the Coach purse I've been dying for since....February maybe?

We went to Musashi with the Hachtels, then to Pickle Bob's. Today Pat took the kids to a Nationals game, and I'm home by MYSELF for about 7 hours!!!

I guess turning 35 isn't all that bad....

It's been awhile..

Pheww! A lot has happened since the last time I posted. June flew by, and the 15th heralded not only the last day of school, but my last day of "in home child care" EVER! By 6:00 I had my house de-babyproofed and was celebrating in the street with my neighbors. Still no news on a teaching position at this point, but I was playing Cleopatra (Queen of deNile).

The kids and I left the following weekend to go visit my parents in Oklahoma. Oklahoma was in the midst of the longest rainy stretch...I think when we left they were going on 20 days straight of rain. Kind of put a damper on the visions of laying by the pool for 10 days, but we did manage to swim...in the rain.

Jesse left for Iraq just a couple of days after we arrived, and that was very hard for all of us. The kids drew pictures and wrote letters, and mom and I went to Brighton and bought each other the new "peace" bracelets to console ourselves and commemorate the occasion.

Isn't he handsome? I don't like the mustache, but he looks so handsome and grown up... More on Jesse later.

While I was in Oklahoma, I got the horrible sick feeling in my stomach about the fact that I had no income, no job, and was getting ready to spend 2 weeks at a rented beach house. So, I went ahead and emailed my resume to the principal of the one school in the area to which I had not yet applied. As I was typing the email to the principal, I got the feeling: "This is the one. This is where I'm going to end up." Sure enough, the principal emailed me that night, and I was awakened the next morning by the secretary, wanting to schedule an interview for the next day! I explained that I was out of town, and set the interview up for the following week.

We got home from Oklahoma on July 3rd. We celebrated the 4th with Julie, Ron, Teresa, and Matt. We went to the Plains and had a wonderful time! It was actually very relaxing.

I had my interview the next day. As I got in my car afterwards, I realized the interview had lasted 1 hour and 15 minutes! Either it went really well, or I talked way too much and she didn't know how to shut me up...now the waiting begins.

The kids and I left for Topsail Island 2 days later. The Zirkles and I had rented a townhouse on the north end of the island. There were 3 bedrooms and we were kind of cramped, but it was oceanfront! The beach was never crowded, the riptide only got the kids one time, and the shark didn't show up until the day before we left... Pat joined us for a few days. We were concerned that his Kia Rio wouldn't make the trip (cheapest 4 door in the US) so he rented a car for the drive down. Imagine his surprise when he saw what they gave him...

What a blast! Anne and I dealt with early risers, lots of shoes, a broken dryer, and a leaky roof, but we still felt like we were in heaven! The kids have grown so much!

3 days before we left, I finally found out that I had gotten the job at that school! First grade, and I was thrilled! I used the next 2 weeks to clean out the garage, schedule playdates, get school supplied, and mentally gear up for working outside the house. I spent the first week getting my room ready. The next week was taken up with inservices and training. The last week was staff meetings, first week prep, and open house...I was wiped out! The kids felt neglected, the house was neglected, and Pat was traveling for work. So...the mommy guilt kicked in...One day when I got home from work we went to PetSmart and got 2 gerbils. It turned into an event, as our good friends Niki, Ty, Kayla and Shelby came in right after we did, for the same purpose.

So we welcomed Jasmine and Midnight into our home. Everyone said I was crazy, and maybe I am, but the kids think I'm cool, and I actually like the gerbils.
So, it's mid September and we're all finally getting used to the new routine. Cam and Sam both love their teachers (I took them to my school with me) and I see them all the time. They ride in with me in the mornings and home in the afternoons, unless I have an early meeting, then Pat drops the kids off to me around 8:40 am. I've gotten into the habit of going back to work one night during the week, usually from 7:30 to 11. Yes, I know it's not a great habit, but it has restored my peace of mind. I love how quiet it is, and how much I can get done! Back to School night is this week, and after that I can relax until conference time. I would rather be home, just being mom, but since I do have to work, I'm very happy where I am. The staff is amazing, and the kids are typical first graders: chatty, eager to please, and wanting to learn. I can work with that.I've talked to Jesse twice since he's been in Iraq. He's doing fine, everything considered. He's kind of bored, and really sick of sand, but he's hanging in there. We write and send pics as often as we can. He sent the kids awesome t-shirts, that they wore to school on September 11th

So, that's what's up!

Catch-up Entry

Muggles

Whooooo Hooooooo!!!!!! My last Harry Potter book just arrived from Amazon.com. Pat says I can't read it until I unpack from our 2 weeks at the beach (another post later about that) and fill out my new employee information packet (another post later about that). Yes, I GOT A JOB!!!!!!