2. I have been asked if I'd like to teach again next semester and which classes I'd like to teach! I am so grateful! I have asked for one night class that I've taught many times plus 15 student teachers so I won't have any preps or 8:00AM classes next semester.
3. I was able to get a new glasses prescription on Wednesday, and someone at Sears Optical measured my pupillary distance (no charge) on Friday night so I was able to order my first pair of bifocals that night. Once
4. Paul took the kids on a field trip to Hershey Gardens today. They were having their semi-annual homeschool day. They had a wide variety of activities for the kids to do (for 2.5 hours) and since most of the activities related to insects, I wanted the kids to go because we are studying insects, birds, and bats (flying creatures) this semester. Before I bought the tickets, I asked Paul if he would be willing to take the day off because I teach on Tuesdays. He agreed. I had mixed feelings. I've gone with the kids almost every single field trip. Part of me was disappointed to miss out on that experience with them, but I was also glad that they still got to go AND that Paul got to go with them, and he doesn't get to go on many of their field trips. Also, I was able to teach at the university today, which I also really enjoy. You can't do everything! Saying "yes" to one thing means saying "no" to something else. I suggested he take them on the free Chocolate World ride afterward, which he did. It was their first time on that ride this year, but they've done it many times over the years. He also stopped at the library on the way home from Hershey, which saved me a trip there this week. There are a few differences when Daddy is the chaperone instead of Mommy. #1 The kids get to spend more time watching dvds in the van during the drive, #2 Daddy stops for a treat for the kids and lunch for himself at McDonald's because he doesn't pack a lunch for himself whereas I pack myself a lunch, and #3 there aren't any pictures of the field trip (because I am the photographer in our family). Nadia told Daddy he got a B+ as his grade for his chaperoning skills. I have zero idea why she gave him that grade. Not that it's a bad grade, but considering he let them watch a screen more than I would have and let them get a dessert from McDonald's, I thought they'd give him a higher grade than me, ha ha! I'm glad they had a good field trip!
5. Oliver has started reading! We are working on three letter words with the short "a" sound. Yahoo! I had a really good day of homeschooling with him yesterday. I did math, handwriting, art, and reading with him. He's in Kindergarten!
6. Sunday was promotion Sunday at church for the kids. It doesn't mean anything for Ian or Nadia because grades 1/2 are together and grades 3/4 are together, but it was a big deal for Oliver to move from the 4 year old class in the preschool wing down to the K-2nd grade wing of the building. There was an unexpected parade of some sort in our town on Sunday morning, which meant it took us longer than usual to get to church. Because of this we didn't take Oliver to his classroom for the first service but just had him come to the worship service with us. He was so disappointed so I let him go to his class during the second service even though the Soul Patrol choir started up again on Sunday during the second service. Nadia and Ian attended the rehearsal. Next week Oliver will go to his Kindergarten class in the first service and the Soul Patrol rehearsal in the second service. Hopefully he'll do a better job in the kids' choir this year. He did fine this summer at the Alliance Church. I'm so glad Oliver is back to wanting to go places even when it means separated from me. What a relief!
7. I have slept better than past three nights. I am very thankful. My body is adjusting to my new schedule.
8. The kids love going to Tab's house - they love her two kids, her two dogs (especially Ruby, the longhaired dachshund), etc.
9. Today I finished revising my lesson plans and the PowerPoints for the one class that is not a new course this semester. That is a relief! Now I just need to keep plugging away on the two new classes. I think I can, I think I can, I think I can. I asked Paul to take the kids to flag football practice. I usually have that responsibility each week, but since he was home (due to taking the day off for the field trip) I asked him to do that this evening so I could work on my course preparations.
10. I attended a Bible study last night on Nehemiah. I was tempted to just back out of the group in light of my overwhelming workload at the moment, but I decided I can't cut everything out. I already gave up Facebook, reading fiction, playing Words with Friends, etc. I managed to finish my homework while we were at the Toyota dealer yesterday for the annual inspection of the van. Aside from emailing some students, I didn't get any work done for the university yesterday, and I think I needed a day off. Instead I focused on things like homeschooling (takes longer this year), a little bit of exercise for me, cooking, Bible study, and the van inspection. I love being in a Bible study! I did it once a week last spring, but I think once every other week is all I can handle at the moment. I've been doing Precepts (Inductive Bible study by Kay Arthur) over the past year. At some point I still want to try a BSF group.
11. Ian pulled another tooth tonight! I am excited because a permanent tooth had erupted on his top jaw before any of those teeth fell out, and it was literally perpendicular to the other teeth. I'm hopeful that now that he's pulled the teeth closest to it that it will hopefully move into the correct location and the correct position/angle. This was a canine tooth. He has some other wiggly teeth; the tooth fairy has delivered money for four teeth between Ian and Nadia over the past month.
12. Hair grows back. I have to keep reminding myself of this because Nadia decided to cut one section of her hair about 10 days ago. Ironically the boys have never cut their hair (yet anyhow). Nadia did it one other time several years ago. It's worse this time around because she had grown her bangs out. We shall see what the hair dresser says the next time I take her for a haircut. For now I've been trying to have her change her part to basically hide her "bald" spot.
13. I emailed someone in the faculty union office on campus to ask if I was eligible for dental and vision benefits. I had been told by HR that I wasn't eligible for any benefits because the contract was for only one semester, but I decided to see if that also excluded the benefits provided by the union. I had assumed based on what HR said that I wouldn't get those either. She wrote back and said YES - I, my spouse, and my kids are eligible for dental and vision benefits this semester. YAHOO!!! I'm going to test the waters by first submitting my vision bills (once I get them). If they do indeed reimburse me for those, then I'll schedule eye appointments for Paul and Ian so they can also get exams and new eyeglasses.
14. I haven't quite gotten access to using the copiers on campus yet, which means I can't print from the computer in my office yet because they don't use printers any more. I *should* have access starting tomorrow. All that to say, I have been really, really grateful we have a laser printer at home because I have been printing a lot more than usual lately!
15. It is such a relief to not be under the financial strain we had been under the past few years. This manifests itself in so many ways - mostly small ones but some bigger ones (like I'm planning on making some extra payments on our mortgage). I'm a saver not a spender by nature, but pinching every penny because we *have* to is stressful for me. For example, when I got the kids' order forms for their flag football pictures this coming Saturday, I didn't think "we can't afford this." I picked a simple print instead of a big package, but last fall I didn't buy anything when I got an order form for their soccer pictures. I'm very thankful to have an income again! I had assumed I'd just be PT if I went back to work, but actually I've returned to my role as the primary breadwinner of the family. I was in that role for the first 11 years of our marriage, and after Paul being the primary breadwinner for 5 years, I am back to being the primary breadwinner for at least one year. Time will tell if I continue to be able to teach at BU or not. Maybe just maybe I'll be offered a permanent position at some point. We shall see!
16. My kids make me smile and laugh! I do miss them when I'm at BU. Yesterday the funniest moment was en route to the Toyota dealer for the inspection for the van. Oliver kept talking about Star Wars, and I finally figured out he thought I was talking about a toy Yoda. Let me tell you it was very hard (impossible) to get him to understand that Toyota was the name of a car company and had nothing to do with Star Wars. When we walked in, he looked around and said, "Mommy they don't have any toy Yodas or even any Darth Vaders." LOL!
17. The five of us enjoyed attending a picnic at one of the pastor's houses on Sunday night. Paul enjoyed playing cornhole with some other men. A good time was had by all and lots of yummy food was eaten!
18. The Steelers won on Sunday night! I would have liked to see a more resounding victory, but a win is a win. Unfortunately the Giants didn't fare as well that night. Paul didn't stay up until the end of his game. When you get up at 2AM it doesn't really make sense to watch an entire game that starts at 8:30PM. Hopefully he'll get to see his team win next week.
19. Last week we finished an EXCELLENT chapter book - The Bronze Bow. I don't think I had every read it before. I highly recommend it. It was perfect for our study of Rome this semester. Now we are half way through Monster in the Hollows (book three of a four book series).
20. We have been enjoying yummy apple treats from our apple tree - applesauce, apple crisp, etc. Now hopefully some other people will take some of our apples because we will never use all of them.
21. AWANA started last Wednesday! Oliver is in his first year of Sparks, and he seems to be having an easier time memorizing his verse (John 3:16 this week). Memorization was difficult for him the last two years. Ian is in his third (last) year of Sparks, and Nadia is in her 2nd year of T&T.
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