Back in a Routine

So, I guess the holidays are really over! I woke up Monday morning with a not so pleasant attitude for sure. I wanted to throw my new beloved iPhone across the room when that alarm sounded at 5:00 AM. Of course I would never do such a thing since it was such a hassle to get one in the first place. But the thought crossed my mind for a mere second. The great thing about waking up Monday morning for work was that my hubby was laying there beside me! For those of you who don't know, Russ has been working in Corinth since the first of November. Yes, living with his parents and being fed home-cooked meals each night, no doubt. Unfortunately for him, he's back to MY cooking. Ha! I haven't woken up to him on a work day in a while, so my attitude became a little perkier. I sat in the parking lot of the school and said a little prayer for my sweet ones and for me! I needed the strength to get back into a routine. All went well. My students came in (mostly sleepy like me), but happy to be back. Excited to tell me what they got for Christmas or what fun thing they did. They all couldn't wait to tell me that Charles couldn't swim at Lyric's swimming party. We laughed. We learned. We got back into a routine.

I've returned to work with a new attitude. I was completely stressed and close to miserable last nine weeks. Not for any reason other than my own stress and overwhelmth (I do realize that is probably not a word!). My new attitude when coming into the building on Monday was - "work." That is exactly what my day is. It is work. Although I love my work, my students, my coworkers, and have the greatest administration support. My job is simply that. I love my work and I can have my work. But, my new attitude is that my job is my work...not my life. My work does not need to keep me up til wee hours of the morning working on paperwork, lesson plans, and test data analysis. I will do my best at my job because God tells us to. He tells that in all we do, we do for His glory. But, Russ is home now and I'm tired of being tired from work. I want to enjoy my students, enjoy my friends at work, and I want to TEACH. So, that's what I'm doing. Of course, we had deadlines and paperwork due immediately upon our return just like all teachers did. However, I did not work on school over my break and I did not stress about it. I did what I could do and I was fine with that. I worked on lesson plans Monday night - completed five plans to be exact (out of the ten that were due the next day). I did not average grades. (I finished those today at 10:30.) I sat down with my husband for a few minutes, went to the gym, took a car to Gateway to fix a flat tire, fixed supper, and played a couple of games of Mario Bros. on Russ's new Wii. THIS is my life. And my work is my work. I will try to do both for the glory of God. I will work hard because that's what I do. I do it full out. And, I will live hard. Because that's what I want to do. And I want to do it full out.

With that being said, I am pleased to announce that my life just got fuller!!! Because, we now have our own internet!!! Woo hoo!!! Those of you that know us know our internet story. We love our sweet neighbors! Ha! But, we have been without internet completely since before Christmas. So, yesterday we got connected! It was a little more difficult due to some major rigged up connections in the attic, but they got it figured out. So, woo hoo! No more taking the lap top to Barnes and Noble to blog and schedule five posts at a time. I am blogging from my very own living room!

While Comcast hooked up our internet, my mom, Maw Maw, and Pops stopped by. Maw Maw has been in town getting a treatment, visiting with friends, and taking care of her house that is for sale. My mom came in town to take Pops to the cardiologist and bring Maw Maw back to Corinth. Anyhoo...Russ is the only one in the family that knows how to clean and fix Pops's hearing aids. (I do realize you may be laughing now!) So, Mama brought those by for him to clean. In the meantime, Pops just looks around and every once in a while says, "Huh?" Bless his heart! Can't hear a thing without those hearing aids! After the internet and hearing aid ceremony, Maw Maw treated us to supper at Cheddar's. We had a great time!

Maw Maw, Russ, and me

Pops and Mama

Mama and Maw Maw headed home, and Russ and I came home to tidy up (me), study (Russ), take a Tylenol PM (me), and let our heads hit the pillows!

Tonight, we are having friends over for supper. So, I'm about to go get to cooking! Life is good!

Yes, I am back in a routine. Work AND life! And I love it!