It is what it is

Does it ever stop? Two days until Christmas and the challenges abound. Shopping done. Wrapping done. Laundry done. Cleaning done. Andrew, Brian and Amanda are home and Matt is on his way. I guess life is full of challenges. My classes this year are a challenge. I love teaching middle school but they don't let me teach. A few are wonderful, many are tolerable and a few are unbelievable. I know they are coming from places we will never know about but geez,.....why make my life intolerable? The budget cuts are unrealistic, our paychecks make us feel unprofessional and it is the only job where you are abused daily and return the next day for more. Thinking bout how lucky I am with the best family in the whole world and the support they give. Some days I want to go in my back room and cry. Enough! I have 2 weeks off and I want to enjoy every minute. Lasagna is in the oven and everything will work out....it always does. Hope 2012 is better for all of us! It is what it...

Happy to have everyone home and back together again. It has been too long. Very tired last night but napped a bit until about 2:00 before going to bed. Made lots of food and have lots more to make. Turkey in the oven soon, frying the other, Brian's mashed garlic creamed potatoes and Brussel sprouts with bacon, green beens with mushrooms and shallots, and one or two others. YUM! There is apple pie bread and strawberry pie bread brought from the Chicago Farmer's Market by Matthew, homemade pecan and pumpkin pies flown here by Andrew (x-rayed!!!!), Carol's rolls, cranberry frosted bread, apple bread, cinnamon frosted bread and a baked turkey with my mother's homemade stuffing recipe, the guys deep frying the other and I am sure more more more. Like I said we will gobble 'til we wobble to the stores for the sales! It is what it is and we plan to enjoy every minute.

So busy these last few months that there has been no extra time to blog and vent! Decided I don't like teaching 8th grade. They are so mean and teaching is no longer fun. It is an event and a challenge on a daily basis. Always defending myself. This is probably the only job where you are abused verbally daily and return for more the next day. I don't like 8th grade, 8th graders, my job or my school. I have never felt this unhappy before. Trying to deal with it but the kids lie, steal and look you in the eye and lie and steal some more. Consequences don't exist and we are restoring them....for what? to lie and steal some more? Bitter I am! Was trying to make it better with rewards and praise but it is too much work and the rewards are not there. Had them stolen from me last week.....it is what it is. Feel totally defeated and deflated. Wish I could retire.

I didn't blog the whole month of September this year and it is almost the end of October. So busy and overwhelmed with school and everything that I have no extra time. Just wanted to do a post for October. Saddened that the months are flying by but don't really love what I am doing so in some ways it is ok. Miss my kids, miss the summer, miss what I love. I miss writing, I miss 5/6th grade, miss Holbrook, miss my peeps at Holbrook, miss being in my 50's, miss math, I miss Kalamazoo, the kids being babies, Portage, the lake, the farm, my parents.....gotta get focused because....it is what it is.

Not liking that it is dark at 8:44 pm. Wonderful day! Up early, I can't seem to sleep late and go to sleep really late (like 2am) Too much stress! Spent the afternoon in Jackson with girlfriends from high school "catching up". So much fun! Horrible accident on I-94 on the way home. So bad the vehicle was not identifiable Took almost an extra hour to get home. Spent a little time in the pool.....winding down. Still not official in my assignment...what a summer. Going to de-stress further at the "lake" tomorrow. Getting carpet cleaned, finishing trim paint, 2 fridges to clean, basement to finish and a classroom somewhere to put together. 4 huge bags of my Dallas clothes are on the porch for pick-up along with about 1/10 of the stuff I should get rid of. Helping Matt move next weekend, enjoyed Andrew home last weekend, our 39th Anniversary and trying hard not to get depressed about anything! It is what it is!

Still not sure what I am teaching this fall. First I was given 4th at West, then 6th at West then 4th at East and protesting that I was moved AGAIN. Sick of this crap! About 5 weeks until school starts, maybe 4 .....I don't know. Amanda returned to AZ on Friday, Matt & Dana were here for the weekend, the Dr.s don't know what is wrong with Amanda...all her test came back clear...all biopsies and blood work was negative. She went home to face unhappiness on Apache. Went to Eastern Market for the first time on Sat....very cool place. Having the lunch bunch over tomorrow for salads and margaritas....hope it doe not rain. Spent the day cleaning the 6 closets upstairs and weeded out all my 1980's stuff. I have bags of stuff but don't know what to do with it as it is all "period" stuff!!! You know, when your future principal tells you you may not have a place when school starts and will just have to wait....where the hell did that come from???? It is what ...

Finished the trim in the living room, after spending the entire day painting yesterday, put it all back together, cleaned the crystal cabinet and the antique cabinet, washed all the windows on the main floor, inside and out, went to workout at Heartland, did a couple loads of laundry..can I go in the pool yet? So upset yesterday after finding out that I was bumped into a 4th grade. Babies, barely out of 3rd and I am middle school. That is where all my experience and training is, especially math. I can only hope that somehow I can get back to 6th without spending another wasted year like last. Title I math...what a joke. Place to put me to get off general funds and into federal funds. I hated being treated the way I was....like not a real teacher. I needed a classroom back and the way I have been kicked around in this district for 12 years makes me wonder how undervalued we all are. And pay cuts to boot. And pay more for our insurance. And watch out, a financial manager may b...