Not THAT big of a procrastinator...

Okay, I realize I haven't written in FOREVER. But, I'm back now, and, as every good procrastinator does, I have a good excuse. :)

I actually haven't written for awhile because, for the last several weeks, I couldn't type without significant pain. You see, one of the items on my list this summer was to get a large lump called a ganglion cyst taken off of my left wrist. I has been getting in the way of watch for 10 years and I finally decided to do something about it. It still isn't completely healed so I haven't decided yet if it was worth it. I hope so.

I've had a great fantastic summer and a frustrating summer, depending on which parts you look at. I reinjured my back halfway through the summer and have been unable to exercise for 6 weeks so my goal of losing a little more weight went down the tube. It also put a damper on some of my fun with my daughter. On the other hand, I got to spend a lot of special extra time with Katie and we have made some great memories that I, at least will always remember. We went to Pullen Park, the Museum of Life and Sciences, the pool and, just this weekend went to the splash park. We spent time with friends, ate lots of good food, and spent a lot of time laughing at each other and ourselves. We even added another member to our family when we, at the last minute, agreed to take in an exchange student from Germany whose host family backed out.

Balance
Last fall I was talking with a friend about how her key word for this year was balance. Finding a better balance between working and motherhood and time for herself and her husband. I thought that was going to be my keyword last year too but it turned into survival. As a first year teacher with a one year old, it was all I could do to keep my head above water. It didn't help that I spent most of the spring semester sick with one thing or another just as I took on a third class to prepare.

I'm stressed now about being back at work. Last year I was part of a two-teacher team and now I am alone at a new school. The learning curve is steep and I feel the pressure keenly to serve all of my students to the absolute best of what I can do. Despite this I want my keyword to be balance this year. I am working towards being more efficient, working less at home and not staying so late at school each day. This way I can spend more time doing the other things I value in life, being a mom, a wife, a friend. I will give myself a little bit of leeway while the learning curve is the steepest to work late but, within a few months, I will be ramping up my expectations and working a little harder to meet those goals.

One step in that direction will be making a pact with my teacher friend and her son to get out early on Fridays to go somewhere together with our kids. By having a date, a person to meet and a place to go, I will be able to remind myself to get out of my classroom and back into the world. :)

I also have gotten farther on my to do list than it seems. I'll update you more on that soon. For now, however, I will leave you with one of my to do list items. Learn how to use One True Media to make fun videos. Here is a little of my own piece of heaven.

Make photo slide shows at www.OneTrueMedia.com