Where I've Been Lately

It's hard to say where I've been lately. I've been everywhere. 

My school year started with a few bumps I wasn't expecting. I lost a lot of things that I had acquired in my first five years of teaching because of summer "cleaning" that no one was aware of. I am also missing my portable hard drive that held all. All. ALL of everything I've ever created. So I'm somewhat of "first year teacher" this year and Pinterest is seriously my best friend. I most of all miss my PowerPoints. All my review games I had created.. And all my practice problems I had to pull from. 

In the meantime we've been to California for the 4th cousin wedding!!! My first time to LA and Pasadena and Venice Beach! It was fantastic family time in beautiful California! 

We've also been to Houston for another friends wedding! We've only watched our college teams on our phones. And I got to spend 15 minutes with my pretty horses on a quick lunch stop in Huntsville. 

I've coached my first volleyball game where my girls came back from down 2-10.. To win 25-21.. And then crush them 25-12. They also added 2 wins from a tournament this past weekend to give them a total of three wins. They were beyond excited because last year they only won two games. I really love this team and am working so hard on improving their skills! They are better than they know and I will prove that to them with more wins through the season. Our shirts say "work hard today"... And that's what we're doing. Every. Day. 

We've celebrated 6 months of marriage!!!!! Sept 7th. I swear it's been six days.. I don't know how it's already been six months. I was sick with congestion crud on the actual day.. But my husband still brought me beautiful flowers that I put right beside my box of Kleenexs. He is the best. 

An update on my students:

The one that spent last year in alternative school.. We're bff. He's my best participant in class and he works for me. That conversation worked.. And I'm gonna keep him on my side as long as possible.

The one with a 24 year old mother is actually my favorite. I love her. And I want to take her home with me. She is still so responsible and I am desperate for her to succeed in life. 

Two new girls who I didn't know when I blogged that first week got in the biggest fight my school has ever seen.. They're both in my class of 13. They come back to school on Monday and I'm not sure how to separate them across 11 people. 

I'm a competitive person. Anyone who knows me knows this. This year I am not teaching gt (gifted and talented). I've taken it on as a personal challenge to make sure my students increase their scores more than ever. I am determined to get them to grade level or stretch them in ways they have never even thought of. I've always said I would teach on level classes the same way I teach gt.. And now. It's my turn to prove it!!! 

After the first week of not blogging, I promised myself I would begin blogging at night. That just hasn't happened yet either. I haven't hated it though... And I've often thought about what if I stopped blogging. 

My husband won't eat his food until he knows I've taken a picture. At one of the weddings he was complimented on his picture taking skills. He is a wonderful boy behind the blog.. But I've really enjoyed this time with him without blogging. So..... Where are we?! I still don't know. Our weekends are full through October with phenomenal activities and life isn't slowing down anytime soon.. it would be easy to say I am finished with this area of my day to day schedule, but I don't think I'm ready to give it up yet. So I'll still be here.. But maybe not so frequently. Not because I don't love this space... I've just got some livin' to do!!