Lovely

The art of simplicity is a puzzle of complexity. Doug Horton
Simplicity is not something I have experienced these past few weeks. I finally had my "I can't do this anymore, I'm tired!" breakdown yesterday. Twice actually, once after school, and once right before bed. I am still tired, but I feel better. Looking forward to sleep, organizing my home, cleaning, putting laundry away, fresh clean sheets on the bed, and thank you notes written. (Finally).

Here is a documentation of what my life 'looks' like right now.

My dining room table, full of wonderful gifts and wedding invitations.



My work table, that is in my bedroom. Covered with scrapbook pages, jeans to iron, papers to be filed, pictures to be dealt with, and one sun hat.


One corner in my dining room, filled with full and empty water bottles, one birthday vacuum, two big tubs with stuff to be moved, and one space heater no longer needed in my classroom.


Another corner in my dining room. Stacked with a bridal bag, one crock pot, one printer box, and another box full of computer supplies. However, no computer. =)


And, last but certainly not least, this is what I woke up to this morning. A kitchen sink full of dirty, hand wash only, coffee cups. Also, three empty beer cans, one empty diet coke can. Lovely.

One great weekend

175 inner envelopes addressed
1 tan sprayed on
2 trips to the grocery store
2 presents wrapped
1 party attended
100 miles driven
1 baby rocked to sleep
3 loads of laundry done
1 apartment dusted
4 rooms vacuumed
1 bathroom mirror cleaned
1 bathroom counter wiped down
1 kitchen counter wiped down
4 bags of garbage taken out
1 tank of gas purchased
30 min. out in the sun by the pool
4 hours in my classroom working
2 dresses purchased
1 application worked on
1 HUGE pile of magazines gone through
1 boyfriend visited with
1 awkward dinner at El Cazador
LOTS of smiles and laughs (mostly at El Cazador)

Fridays

Why are Friday's so hectic? They are one of my favorite days of the week... but they are so crazy!
Fridays:

• up just as early, or earlier than the rest of the week.
• trying to pack or get ready for the weekend.
• to Starbucks for my weekly treat.
• to school early to get ready for the day.
• trying to eat breakfast.
• social meetings (sometimes).
• saying goodbye to Jill, and hello to Brandon.
• craziness at school.
• last minute errands at the store.
• lots of driving.
• correcting lots of papers for school.
• getting ready for next week at school.

The list goes on and on! Oh well, this is my life and I love it. I like doing all of these things, I like knowing that next year will be different, because I will have Brandon near me all the time- not so many transitions with us. I like what Fridays mean, the weekend is here and the week is ending. I still have to get up and be motivated, but I also know that tomorrow is mine (not usually, but it's a nice thought).

Rain, Rain, I'm glad you came

Rain. Either you like it, or you don't. I grew up not liking the rain. Maybe it was because I grew up in Eastern Oregon. It was just a pain. You couldn't work, you felt trapped inside or you went out and got muddy, it was just not our favorite kind of weather.
Then I lived in the Willamette Valley. It rained ALL the time there. I met friends who were as new to this as I was, and we enjoyed it. (Mostly).
We danced in the rain.
We walked slowly in the rain.
We would get as wet as we possibly could, then go change into comfy clothes and laugh at ourselves.
And I learned a couple of things from these rainy moments with my friends.
1. Rain can help heal you.
2. Rain can cleanse you, and your soul.
3. Rain brings life.
4. Rain lets you cry, it lets you deal.
5. Rain is an excuse to stay in and clean, or read a book, or stay in bed and write in your journal.
6. Rain should be danced in.
7. Rain can be calming.
8. Rain is like chocolate. You only need a little bit to satisfy a craving.
I'm glad you came rain, but I am ready for some sunshine and summertime!

Headaches

I thought of so many things to write about earlier in the day- but my days are WAY too busy to stop and write myself notes to remember the things I want to blog about.
So, here it is, 3:30 pm. I am at my desk, all of the chairs are up, the garbage has not been sacked yet, the floor is still a mess, the computers are shutting off, and I am left with one of my huge headaches. Again. This is week number two of this horrible headache. I went a few weeks with out a headache, now I have had one for days and days in a row. Yuck.
I still need to go to Costco, Target, visit with a friend, pick up my room, get something to eat, grade papers, enter scores, and prepare myself and my room for another fun filled day of 25 little kiddos.
I know I can do it, but it is going to be painful in the mean time.

life temperature

I recently read some advice about taking your 'life-temperature' periodically. You know, that little voice in your head and in your soul that tells you if you are really living life, if you are really the person you want to be, if you are accomplishing the goals in your life. What a great way to check yourself. We go day to day, we are so busy, so into all of the micro elements in our lives, and rarely stop to check the macro elements. The overall big picture.
I know that there are lots of people in my life that could stand to do this, I mean REALLY do this. Not just think about it, or kinda do it, and this totally includes myself. I do all of this stuff, wedding stuff, school stuff, house stuff, art stuff, but am I really the person I want to be? This same article of advice went on to say that if you are so busy/crazy in life that you are having a hard time to stop and check, you should make lists.
Who I WANT to be:

• kind
• generous
• humble
• funny
• trustworthy
• reliable
• organized
• specific
• put together
• confident

What I want to do:

1. find a job
2. be a good finance
3. be a caring teacher
4. finish planning this wedding
5. have a beautiful/ fun wedding
6. be more organized in life
7. be more organized on my desk at work
8. be brave enough to call people on the phone
9. get the red stain out of my white carpet
10. vacuum out my car
11. be a GREAT wife in two months and for the rest of my life
12. find a HOT swimsuit for my honeymoon
13. go to Costco for work
14. go on more walks
15. take more pictures
16. have a warm/friendly tone of voice with my students
17. stay calm with my students

I think I am going to use these lists as an ongoing way to check my life temperature. I am looking forward to crossing things off my list, and I know I will add lots of stuff to my list as the days go by. And one more list:

What I accomplished this weekend:

1. drove to PR Friday night
2. went on a walk with my mom (got back in the dark-oops!)
3. visited with mom and dad and watched TV
4. typed in nearly 300 addresses to mom's computer
5. found lots of addresses I didn't have yet
6. chose a font and color to print those addresses in
7. drove to Pendleton to buy a pen, look at guest books, look at kitchen stuff at Sunshine Gourmet, looked at paper at the Scrapbook Station.
8. went on a walk in the sunshine with my mom
9. ate dinner with my mom and dad
10. took pictures in my moms yard
11. picked out the computer I want to buy
12. talked with Brandon
13. talked about how to make the programs for my wedding
14. talked about who I could get some wheat seed from for the wedding
15. started working on other papers to include in the invites
16. drove back to Hermiston!

Friday!

It is finally Friday. I got up extra early, like every Friday. (5:10 today)
I showered, filled the dishwasher, moved laundry, made my bed, and put clothes away.
I stopped at Starbucks for my Friday morning treat.
I was in an extra good mood. =)
I listened to good kids argue all day.
I dealt with many fights.
I gathered up bridal shower addresses.
I sharpened pencils, gave one extra long math test. (yuck)
I had recess duty, graded papers, recorded scores, checked AR goals, and gave a spelling test.
I am now looking at the piles of STUFF on my desk, it is in no order, and has no sense of organization. I am going to go home, pack, clean, drive to Pilot Rock, stop in Pendleton and look at wedding cakes, and hopefully enjoy some of this wonderful sunshine and a drink before the night is over.
Then, I will talk to my future husband and fall asleep.