Happy surprise for a blah Monday

Have you ever had one of those days that you just feel blah? Nothing seems to go right, the world seems against you...and it's Monday? Well, today is one of those days.

BUT (yes, thankfully there is a but)

I'm sitting here during my one and only off period today taking a breather and thinking about when to take my next "sick day"...when I got a call. Now on Saturday, Matt and I stopped by a teacher supply store (*note: this is the only time I have ever been during the school year. I usually go once a year at the beginning when they give us our gift certificate. Don't worry, I don't intend to call myself an overachiever teacher.) Anyways, while we were there they were having a drawing for all the people who came in that day. I submitted my slip with name and number, not expecting much...but they called me today to tell me I won! I never win anything. That's right. I will be treating my wonderful husband to a movie with my newly acquired $25 gift card to the movies. Thank you teacher supply store!

It brought a smidgit of joy to my day. :)

And I think I might take my sick day on Wednesday.

Bright Idea

Upon noticing the iPhone on my desk, one of my students expressed his jealousy and informed me that "my dad said I have to weigh 88lbs before I can get that phone".

I think that's genius. Especially since his size is on the smaller end of the class. :)

Perspective

Since I started back up working, life seems to be restricted to the following regime: early rise, work, gym, eat, spend a little time with Matt, sleep, and wake up to do it again. Nothing says a fruit-filled life like routine. :)

The school year has started off to be challenging (more to come on this later probably). I had high hopes for a great year and was determined that God wanted me to return to my current school. So here I am. But it is not completely what I expected nor hoped for. There have been ups and downs, but each day I wake up and know I need to spend time with God before I go to work (something I've never routinely been able to keep up in the mornings) which has been such a blessing. I can tell by my thoughts and immediate responses when I start the day with eternity as my perspective and days when the five feet in front of me is my limited perspective. I have to take each day at a time and chose to be content with my circumstances. I've been continually reminded that God put me in my job for a reason and I need to rejoice in it and look for the opportunities available to me while I'm here. He's growing me and reminding me of the mindset I once had not too long ago, about the joy found in life despite circumstances and situations - about focusing on God alone and finding my rest and peace in Him.

This past week, a friend and co-worker, was telling me about a high school friend who at age 26 had just passed away from a 2 year battle with melanoma, leaving behind her husband. Her blog is an incredible example of God's work through an individual - www.fisherags.com. Gregg Matte did the memorial service and spoke about it on Sunday during church. What a reminder of how short life is. What a conviction about the reality of the small problems that I think are so big and complain about. What an example of the way Christ can work through someone in such hopeless situation. What a reminder about the joy available to us.

I feel like I have been learning a lot recently, and being convicted of even more. I've decided transitions do that to me. Maybe that's why I like change so much, because it makes me grow. But I guess staying at the same job for 3 years is also making me grow, so God is not limited. Anyways, here are a few areas that the Lord has been teaching me:

• what it is to be a godly, loving, selfless wife (obviously, a work in progress)
• how to be patient when I have 26 8 year olds not paying attention...again
• how to be a good friend while being married and learning to balance my time appropriately
• what it is like to not be my own anymore, but the joy of sharing life and decisions with the man that God gifted me with
• that my job is not just where I have to spend the majority of my day, it's a ministry and I need to allow Christ to reflect in my attitude
• year after year (going on now the 6th year...) that God's plan is bigger than man's and He has a purpose for every decision and timing of freedom
• that the circumstances provided are exactly what God is using to shape and mold us and we need to rejoice in that, whether it is true suffering or not

Lessons in Home Ownership

When Matt and I tied the knot, I contributed a dog and Matt contributed a house to the marriage. There are definite wonderful characteristics of both, but we are each having to learn to adjust to each of our "gifts". For example, about a week before we were married I discovered that Mocha had somehow contracted heart worms - and they had gotten pretty bad. For those of you wondering, it is quite expensive to treat and very hard on the dog :(, so make sure you are consistent with the heart worm preventative! We just finished up with the treatments last week and Mocha is back to her peppy self - yay! I figure Mocha is good practice for when we decide to have kids.

But as Matt learns how to take care of a dog, what I am having to learn is how to take care of a house. My whole adult life, I have always rented out a room. Never having to deal with the maintenance. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE living in a house that is ours, but I have also learned a few things - tips, if you will - along the way the last couple months.

1) Paint can do wonders to a room. An easy, cheap fix. But be warned, if you decide to paint a room red be prepared to do at least 3-4 coats. And make sure they dry in between coats or you'll get clumps of paint and dripage in random places. And it is very frustrating. (Thank goodness we decided to only do the bottom half!)

2) If you discover that you have a spider problem, they have things called 'spider bombs'. However, unless you want to take all of your nicely organized kitchen out and any or all furniture/decor throughout your house, return it and purchase a secondary spider spray. It is yet to be determined if it works, as just yesterday I killed 2 spiders. Oh well.

3) A big yard is a nice addition to a lovely home. The problem lies in how long is takes someone to maintain it and make it look nice - and it has to be done once a week! So my tip #3 is as much as I don't like yard work, be willing to help in order to spend more time with the hubby. Yes, I mowed last night while Matt weed-eated. Isn't it pretty? (and freakishly HUGE!?)

4) My forth tip is dealing with hidden fees. Did anyone realize how much they have to pay in taxes on a house each year? Geez. That's all I got on that one.

5) It's amazing how dirty it gets with just two people living in it. Even the back bedrooms which hardly get used need cleaning all the time! My tip is be prepared to vacuum often if you are like me and are slightly OCD about clean living quarters.

6) And my last tip - be prepared for the house to creak and make a lot of noises. So, if your husband is gone, let's say on a trip to London for work, just turn up the radio and tune them all out. You will sleep better that way. :)

Oh the life...

This is what our dog, Mocha, does when she think nobody is watching.

Must be tough being a dog.

Newly discovered perk

I'm learning the oh-so-many perks of teaching (b/c I have decided to solely focus on the positives of the job that I am walking into for the next nine months):

1. Summers off. I could stop there, but I will continue...

2. 2-week Christmas break

3. Discount at my gym, 24-hour Fitness

4. Discount at Barnes&Nobles (if you can prove it will used for your classroom)

5. Really fun gifts and gift cards at all major holidays.

6. I get off at 4pm every day (never mind what time I go in though...)

7. and my latest favorite....discount at Ann Taylor Loft! Just print out the coupon on their website - 15-20% off every purchase! Yay!

See, it's not so bad...right?

Job, please!

It's funny how life takes you on unexpected turns - like right back where you started. Over the last several months, I have been debating, praying, applying, interviewing and experiencing much unneeded stress (and it seems endless talks with my poor husband who sweetly sits there and listens and tries to help)...just to end up back where I started.

So, for all of those that were wondering, I have officially decided that I am returning to my previous job, doing the same thing (in addition to learning how to teach social studies along with my previous schedule) at the same place (but a different and unfortunately further commute) - but I feel completely at peace about it. I was SURE 3 months ago that I was going to head in a different direction job wise...and now I'm confident that I need to stay put. Amazing how that happens. How God can change your heart very unexpectedly. I guess He knew that I needed to venture out - to find nothing better - to know that He will draw me back, in His timing and unique ways, reassured I made the right decision.

*For those of you out there who are currently looking for a job, I have complete sympathy as I know that it is very exhausting and often discouraging. I think I would rather break my leg than have to go to another interview and try to sell myself. Ugh.