Day 27

What a beautiful day!  Today has been a day of renewal.  After my frustrating day yesterday, I approached today with a new positive lens!  It is amazing the difference my approach to the day makes on the outcome!  Why can't I remember that more often?  I think I am like the Israelites with short term memory problems! 

I was able to check several things off my list today and I get to spend some time with my beautiful daughter tomorrow.  That always makes the outlook on the day bright!  

Enjoy your day and your weekend and remember, our approach to the day and issues is a great indicator of how things will turn out.  Today is a great day!

Day 26

WOW!  What a day!  When you have been working all year on a very big, intensive, and important project with a due date quickly approaching, you are more than frustrated when someone tells you that you may consider some changes.  That is how my day went!  While I agree with the recommendations suggested.... they are better than what we had before, the implications for making the change are HUGE!!!  It does not affect just one document, but all documents!!! :(  My team has been so committed and focused this year as we have worked on this project.  I am so proud of their effort and what has been produced.  However, because our team was focused on meeting the deadline, we are much further along with our project than my colleagues.  What this means for them is they don't have to change all their documents, they can simply use the new suggestions as they create the documents.  I know, I sound bitter, and maybe I am.  I hate doing work for nothing! I promise my post on Friday will be positive!

Day 25

When I was initially asked to come and be a guest at one of our schools to teach a writing lesson, I thought I would be teaching a classroom of children.  "Of course," was my response!  Then I discovered that I really would be teaching all the students.  I will have to say that I was shaking in my boots.  I don’t remember ever teaching 80+ kids at one time, and this had me completely scared.  I lost sleep, had intense nerves, and even felt sick as I walked into the school.  Well, I quickly discovered that all of this worry was certainly unjustified.  I got to work with the most awesome group of kids ever.  The students entered the cafeteria with smiles on their faces that looked eager to learn and engage.  I immediately realized I was going to be okay.  The students really amazed me with their ability to identify a meaningful problem, collaborate, and compose.   These students made an impact on me, and I only hope that I impacted them a little.  What an amazing day!

Day 24

Today is always one of my favorite days.  It was a curriculum writing day, which may not sound like much fun to most.  However, I got to be with some of the smartest, gifted, and committed educators in DISD.  These people are passionate about children, making the curriculum accessible to teachers, and learning how to write curriculum better.  My head is always spinning after a day of writing curriculum, but in a good way.  I feel so blessed to be among all the talent in the room, listening to the buzz of conversation and outward thinking.  It has been a great day!

Day 23

What a beautiful day!  I was well rested and ready to start the week.  Dale suggested I take his car this morning so that he could take mine and get it cleaned up.  He knows how much I hate driving a dirty car, and even knows more how much I love having a clean car with the top off on days like today.  I received a text from him around lunch time that he just traded cars with me and that mine was ready to go.  I really do have the best husband ever.  He is not only my companion, but he is my best friend!

A great start to a great day, and I know this will be a great week at work!  

Day 22

Today is the last day of spring break.  The day has come to hook up the trailer and head back into town.  However, not before one last breakfast, hot coffee, and a fire!

It rained so hard last night for hours and hours, it is amazing that we were able to even get a glimpse of a fire burning this morning, but my husband is persistent.  Maybe he is persistent because I am so pushy, but nonetheless, we had a fire!  Now it is time to load the kayaks, hook up the trailer, and take things home so they can begin the drying out process!  It has been one amazing week for which I am most thankful!

Day 21

Saturday!  Dale is here with me and the "stir-crazy" has set in.  We decided to drive the country side today and see if there were any houses we could not live without.  We have had the desire to move out of the city for sometime, and it seems like that time is getting nearer and nearer.  We know it is an excellent time to sell our house, but not a great time to buy.  He thinks we can live in the trailer while we find or build the right place.... I just don't know if I could do it day in and day out.  While this has been my happy place this week, I am looking forward to the spaciousness of my house.  It just seems to have more freedom!  

After driving through Tioga, Lake Kiowa, and then through Gainesville again, (I know, twice in one week!), we decided to have lunch at one of my favorite eating places in the area.  Dieter's BBQ.  When I was growing up, it was Metzlers, but then the name changed as the Metlzer's brought their BBQ to Denton.  The food is the same, the turquoise booths are the same, and even many of the employees are the same.  I always stick to their sliced brisket plate, and Dale is just as predictable with his chicken fried steak and french fries order.  Oh well, since we do not do this all the time, we can both afford the splurge!