Grr..

No internet. No cable. And I just broke my shoe walking into the doctor's office.

Good news, though. Mommy is here and almost everything is put away from the move.

But the shoe?? It makes me angry. Cute strappy black flats that are work appropriate--they are hard to find.

The World is Ending...

No cable/internet for a week. I might just poke my eyeballs out. Seriously, what am I going to do without internet? I can handle the cable-- there's a way to fix that, just watch lots and lots of movies. But no cable? Seriously, the world might end and I won't even know because I can't check facebook or msnbc to find it out.

If you don't hear from me by next Saturday, please send a search party. And be sure the search party has access to internet.

Squirrel Update..

Zoey got her first taste of squirrel fur. She actually caught one by the tail, but only got a mouthful of fur. I about died. (I suppose the squirrel felt the same way..)

Apparently she's learning how to catch squirrels. She sneaks up on them while they are on the ground and chases them when they are far away from the tree. She's faster than they are (that's the Whippet in her) so she has the advantage.

Wow. That was a close call. Seriously, what would I have done if she caught it and killed it? I know it's natural for animals to chase and eat each other, but this would have been a domestic animal killing a "wild" animal. I use the term wild loosely because those suckers have no fear and see humans all the time. Seriously, I think I could pet them if I wanted to, which I wouldn't want to because those little jerks like to drop nuts on my head. Jerks.

UPDATE: Zoey has a cut on her leg. Now? Now it's on like Donkey Kong. Stupid squirrel hurt my baby. Nobody hurts my baby.

Sorry..

Dear Mr. or Mrs. Squirrel,

I'm sorry that I often let Zoey run after you, but did you really need to look me in the eye and drop a nut on my head? I mean really. That's not cool. She will never catch you and I really only let her chase after you because of this. I don't want to deal with a dead squirrel any more than you do.

Stop throwing nuts at us. It's not cool.

Signed,
Lori and Zoey

Morning

The World's Worst Morning turned into a Good Morning, with a very unlikely cast of characters.

The villain today will be played by none other than Little Miss Zoey (I know, strange...she's a princess) and the hero will be played by my ex. (Wait! It's not what you think..)

Zoey pooped, if you can even call it that, all over the living room in the middle of the night so I woke up to about seven runny areas of feces on my sparkling hardwood floors. Seriously, they are sparkling-- I just super cleaned them. So instead of sipping a nice glass of coffee and eating breakfast after I woke up, I was cleaning up after the dog with an occasional dry heave thrown in for good measure. My annoyance with her somehow reminded me that I needed to find someone to watch her this weekend, as my original dog sitters are going out of town and my backup will be on vacation (that's what I get for knowing so many teachers-- they are all on vacation!). In a near panic, I decide that I'm going to text my ex. After all, she is his dog, too. Turns out, he's available and was able to save the day. Or at the very least, the morning.

I'm so lucky to have a decent relationship with my ex. I know not everyone can say that. It really makes dealing with all of the emotions that much easier when I get to take hate out of the equation.

And now? Now I'm off to do math all day! The nerd inside me is super excited. Seriously.

Phew.

I thought long and hard about doing a play-by-play of the day because I just knew it was going to be hil.ar.i.ous. My little angel students cannot handle change and a lot of them have some attachment issues while others have some separation issues. It's actually quite a comical combo.

 

Here are some highlights:

 

"Ugh! Lil Mr. Squirmy is making me so angry I just want to growl!"

 

"Ms. L, why do the boys tell you they hate you but now they tell you they love you? I think they're confused. Are all boys confused or just them?" Oh Lil Miss Drama Queen, it's all boys.. they're really confused.

 

"Ms. L, what are you going to do all summer when we're not here? Isn't summer boring without kids?" notsomuch

 

"You know how sometimes I make bad choices? If I promise to not make bad choices, will you be my mommy?" hellz no! I can barely tolerate you for the 8 hours I have you in class. I'd die if I had to live with you!

 

School's out for the summer!

I can see the light..

Tomorrow is my last day with the kiddos. Part of me is sad.. but an even larger part is ready to bust out the champagne as soon as they leave. Seriously.

As I reflect, though, on this school year, I realize that I have grown a lot both personally and professionally.

Personally, this school year has been pretty rough. My marriage ended, I moved out of my house (and on my own for the first time), and I lost my grandmother. There have been some pretty dark times, but I've learned a lot about myself through these challenges. Life truly is a journey. And through this journey, I have made some lasting friendships that I will treasure for the rest of my life.

Professionally, it's been one of my toughest years as well. I have worked with some tough co-workers, challenging students, and an insane number of students were added to my class throughout the year. I started with 4 and ended with 10. I also added two assistants, meaning I was managing 10 students and 3 adults. That's a whole lot of crazy in one classroom. Again, I've learned a lot about myself as a teacher, as a woman, and as a leader. All of these things have not only challenged me, but changed me as a teacher and as a person. A change for the better, without a doubt. Although it hasn't been all rainbows and butterflies, it truly has been a time for growth.

Bring on the champagne. This teacher is ready for summer vacation!