Everyday Excitement!

I am so very busy! Yet feel like I still have so much to do! Life gets that way very often around here...

So I need to stop and remember that life is exciting and fun!

This is what I received last week from Chevron- Thank you, thank you, thank you!!! I had written a grant requesting graphing calculators for my classroom, and Chevron funded my grant- second year in a row that this company has helped me out... yes, I am VERY EXCITED- even though it means many hours of lesson prep to help my students figure these out. They will definitely make my class better! Now if someone would like to purchase 5 more, I will have a complete set... maybe next year.

 And here is a small part of this year's juice. I had thought I had dodged the canning duty when I discovered my own grapes had been found by the birds... (I thought, 'yeah' but then 'darn!') Then my father called: 'You know, Lee has a lot of concord grapes at his house...' (I thought, 'darn! but then 'Yeah!') Imagine my surprise when the kiddos didn't want to help pick grapes! (But of course, they both have school and a job- Char has three jobs actually) So many hours later between my teaching school and my other various smaller jobs and of course, being mom, we have grape juice (and a broken juicer- but my sis came to the rescue on that score- Thank you, Ardis!)... and yes, I hate to open the bottles after all that work!

And: 

had a party/get together with my kids, my parents, and many from my soon-to-be family! Great reason to make Challah bread- Yum! I am so grateful to soon be a part of such a wonderful family and, of course, for my kiddos and parents! 

I may be busy and over scheduled- but I am so blessed!

And did I mention?! JON AND LUKE FIXED MY DRYER!!! I can complete more than one load in the same day!!- I didn't appreciate that sentiment until the last 2 1/2 months without a dryer...

Life = Wow!

Life is always changing, but this past few weeks, life has been changing so fast!

Luke is the absolute best thing to happen to me in so very long! But not just because everything is wonderful... There are so many challenges awaiting this new adventure, and so many challenges that are already here... But that is what makes life so grand, correct?!

And Jon hopes to leave on his mission in June... Almost six months earlier than I had planned. I am so proud of him, but I will so miss him!

And then there is my Char! 

Soon-to-be-Sister Troff! Yes, she will be turning in her mission papers within the month, if not the week! Just the thought of saying goodbye to her makes me weep! And yet, I AM SO PROUD OF THIS GIRL!!!

Now just waiting to see what the Lord's timing will be...

If you haven't watched the following video, you really should! Reminds me so much of sitting on the floor with Luke and Baby Charlie this week- and of playing in the rain with my kiddos!

Sing with Me Here: 'One of These 'Things' is Not Like The Others...!

One of these 'things' just doesn't belong!

Can you tell which 'thing' is not like the others

By the time I finish this song?'

(Don't you just LOVE Sesame Street?!)

Matt: "It's pretty strange when I'm the non-normal one!" Ha, ha, ha!!! Jeans and a t-shirt being not-the-norm in my family... who knew. right? Guess we need to get Matt some orange glasses for the family parties!

"The Story"

The 'moment' started when we loaded the dog run into the back of the truck...

OK- so everything really started LONG, LONG ago... but the end of this last March was the season of the turkeys! (all the con-men and unemployed or 'divorced' men I kept meeting online and Tracy repeatedly telling me to stop already with the bad Internet experiences...) And then on April fourth, I wrote this in a blog post: Big sigh here...considering joining a dating site that will cost a bit more- maybe all these creepy guys will be too cheap to stalk there!

I had at that point been feeling prompted to join eHarmony, but I had hesitated because it cost quite a bit (at least for me!) and didn't have a really great picture of myself... But after General Conference, I knew I had to give it a try! And 2 days later... Luke.

First mention in my blog? April 19th: 'Me as Dear Abby'

First frustration recorded on my blog? April 22nd: My Don Quixote feelings! I have been divorced for many years and had so many experiences, but Luke has not had those experiences or very long... so he didn't want to date just me- all these years of being taught to be patient and guess who couldn't be patient!?

But I survived... and by May decided that 'Life is like The Spooky Old Tree', meaning that yes, I dared to continue dating Luke despite his reservations, despite having to wait it out, despite my own insecurities...

'I survived!' all of the drama that comes with dating, getting to know each other, getting to know each other's families (and the camping!)

So, we loaded the dog run in the back of the truck and then took the most amazing trip up Butterfield Canyon! It is gorgeous right now!!!

And then went on to the Copper Pit overlook (first time for me). These pictures do not do it justice, but my camera did the best it could!

You can't see in these pics, but I could see the temples in Salt Lake County.

And also see Tooele County!

Luke living in Tooele and me in West Jordan... we could see both places here! 

Then he simply took my hands and asked, 'Will you marry me?'

If I remember correctly, I said yes!

And we didn't eat at Taco Bell after dropping off the dog run at his sis' house... we had a great time at Kneaders- because Luke and I can talk about things and because he listens to what is important to me!

I am so blessed to have such a great guy in my life!!!

But I may just have to change the name of my blog!

Wonderfully Weird & Weirdly Wonderful!

In just five short months, it's weird but the best dates have been:

1. Old person off-roading... Older car, NOT going fast, but you should have seen the ruts! Some were more than two feet deep! So much fun! And we never did really get to where we were going- actually had to turn around!

2. A date to the dump! He had helped cut down a tree and borrowed his dad's truck... What made it fun was the great conversation on the way, of course! But then again, how many girls can say they have had a date to the city dump?!

3. Cleaning the church- twice! (two different buildings on two different dates, that is!) it was actually great to help out and to do it together! 

4. And the BEST dates by far? The temple dates! Who would have guessed that spending most of the time apart could be the most wonderful of all!

Life is wonderful when this type of date is great!!

Eternity Includes the HERE and NOW!

And after spending time with a face like this, I say, 'YEAH!'

Such a good life I have and such the great weekend!

Started with these faces:

It was so much fun watching them play with my iPad! They are so creative and full of joy!

Then time with Luke's family on Sunday and a day at the beach!

with jet skis! Thanks so very much, Sue!!!

Of course, Charly had her own idea of 'fun' at the beach...

Ha, Ha!!!

Life/work still has lots of stress, and my desk already looks like this:

My desk! AKA: the organized mess!

But life is also full of joy! 

And there's even more where that came from!!!

May I just say...

I TOTALLY LOVE MY JOB!!!!

So weird because I was so stressed this last week: I have all of my classes just about at capacity (which is 5 more students than I can comfortably help during class time for each and every class period)- which for special ed is a disaster or 200 waiting to happen... I have 42 students on my caseload as of this afternoon- 30 is ideal and 35 is doable- meaning this year: 

• I have 42 hour-ish IEP meetings (with parents, administrator and gen ed teachers- plus the hour or so to arrange the meeting and do the paperwork for EACH ONE!
• I have 42 kids to first learn about their gen ed accommodations and then communicate to each of their separate gen ed teachers what those accommodations may be- EACH SEMESTER!
• I have 42 kids to track on grades and attendance, ideally each week, but may be more like once or twice a quarter- yikes and not so good
• I have 42 kids to listen to, help when I can, and to just make myself available to when possible
• And about 1/3 of those 42 kids will be up for their 3 year re-eval, meaning an additional 5-6 hours of work time for that process for EACH RE-EVAL!
• I could continue this list, but you get the idea... I just need to never leave HHS and never sleep. Then it will be a piece of cake! And then I will be able to prep for my actual classes and do the 'less important' business of actually teaching, grading, and providing the services on all those IEP's...

So why do I totally love my job?

All of those kids!!! They are the best part of teaching. Yes, it's still that 'honeymoon' period...

SO HERE'S TO THE HONEYMOON LASTING ALL YEAR!!!!