A New School Year Already & Training Time...

Wow! How are we almost half way through August and about ready for another school year? It doesn't quite seem possible. Yesterday and today while I was doing bulletin boards and hanging posters at school I marveled at how it feels like just yesterday I was tearing everything down. I'm kind of a decorating freak at school, and love to get all my stuff up and ready. This year I put everything up super early because I have some extra trainings next week that will eat up a lot of my prep time. I had such fun picking out a new bulletin board set (this year's theme "Go Green!") and figuring out where I wanted to place all my posters. I'm such a NERD! I have to say I am by far the MOST excited about this school year than any other year in the past few years. For the first time in a long time I have an actual TEAM of science teachers to work with, I do NOT have to teach 7 blocks (only FOUR--YES FOUR!) AND I get to mentor a few really super cool and awesome new teachers. They have so much energy and motivation it is truly going to be a joy to mentor them and learn together with them. Plus, since I'm only teaching four blocks, I have four other blocks to mentor, do curriculum work, and just work on being a better teacher myself. It will be SO refreshing to have time to breathe. I won't hardly know what to do with myself not teaching 7 blocks and not having grad school work (wait, who am I kidding? I'll just make sure I'm busy with 5,000 other things--haha!). At any rate, I am super pumped for this school year! I'll take and post some pictures of my classroom soon.

In other news...I'm now in training for my first 1/2 marathon. I'm not a runner, I never thought I would be a runner, but a few old friends and co-workers have been inspiring over the last year and have made me realize that I CAN do it. I'm finishing up my fifth week of training and so far, so good. I've always tried to start running in the past, but got hung up on my hip hurting. This time I just kept pushing through it, stretching and icing it, and now it's virtually pain FREE! Yay! I'm up to six miles for my long runs, and still have 10 weeks of training to get ready for the 1/2 marathon. Plus, it's for a GREAT cause! The race is called "Chosen-Marathon for Adoption" and will help raise funds for Christian adoptions. Our team will raise funds for our church's newly established Abba fund which will give low interest loans and grants to families wishing to adopt. (So, look for opportunities to donate soon!) It's fun to be becoming a "runner", and know that I'm doing it for such a great cause. Unfortunately, my running partner hubby has injured himself (and he's the former runner!!), so I'm not sure if he'll be able to do the race with me, but he's been a great encourager and cheerleader in my journey so far. There are also a few others in our small group running, so race day is sure to be fun. Plus, running in October, in Texas, should be BEAUTIFUL!

That's our most exciting news for now, aside from the fact that everything in our house is finally falling into place after our summer of renovations. After tomorrow our entry way tile will be re-done and everything will be complete! I'll post some pictures of all the new finishing touches soon.

And since a post is not complete without some fun pictures...here are some recent pictures of our 'children' and of our adorable nieces--three of my favorite little girls on the planet!!!


This is how I found these two 'buddies' one morning. Justin had left for work and I had slept in...and apparently these two had as well. I love how Sierra is using Mozart for a pillow =)



Hailey swinging...this was the least blurry...she really was having a good time, I swear!



Abigail and McKayla swinging...I LOVE the hat =)



McKayla hanging out with me and all my fragile toys (who are sort of all hiding behind me)...she insisted they pose in the picture with us =)