Let me check my calendar.....

The last 26 days have been a whirlwind of activity.

At times I have felt a little like I was playing that game where you put your head on the bat and spin around a dozen times.  Then you stand up, or try to stand up, and walk a straight line.  It is a funny feeling being all disoriented and dizzy.  You are giggling a little because it is fun, but then your head feels like it is going to explode because it can't quite figure out which way is up.  Sometimes you fall and somehow that is both painful and fun.

That is my May 2013.

I kicked off the month with an official job offer and start date.  Day one of the job almost had me in tears.  It wasn't until 30 minutes before my first students arrived that I was told I had no curriculum to teach the 50+ students I would see that day.  What?  Not only do I not have any curriculum to teach the kids, I don't really even know what they are working on in class and what it is they are struggling with that deemed extra Math help necessary.  I made it through the day though!  I believe I rose to the occasion and tricked the kids into believing that I knew what I was doing.  After that things got better, and easier each day.  I started finding things for the kids to do and rapidly refreshed my memory on things like order of operation and dividing fractions.  I have thoroughly enjoyed working with the two teachers that I share the "learning center" with, and most of the kids are great too.  I just got word last week that the position I currently hold has been approved for funding for the future.  A job announcement will be posted some time soon and I will have to interview for the new position which is a "continuing position" not just a "year only".  The teacher I work with has been quite impressed by my sweet kid wrangling skills and word in my little circle of peeps is that the principal intends to hire me.  That is just rumor though, the position is open to anyone else who is interested.  The principal is observing me on Tuesday.  Is is wrong to bribe my students to do their work, not throw fits, and not cry for just that 30 minute block of time?

AWANA is over.  The kids did great this year.  They both finished their books and truly impressed me with their positive attitudes and dedication to getting their work done.

Baseball is almost over.  It has been so much fun but I'm not going to miss it. A lot of time is involved in this sport.  I think everyone had a blast this season.  Matt enjoyed helping with the team and a little sampling of coaching, Eli loved playing, I had fun watching, and Gabe probably had the best time of all playing at the ball field playgrounds with other siblings every week.  What more could an 8 year old boy ask for? He had buddies, acres of sticks, trees, dirt, and freedom to be really loud and really dirty!

My race is over.  I distinctly remember the day I signed up for it.  I just got turned down for a job and felt like my life was missing purpose.  I signed up for the race and committed to the training schedule.  I love training for a race.  It is the best way to ensure that I get my booty moving on a regular schedule.  I ran the race last Sunday morning. The weather was perfect, cool but not too cold or raining.  I trained well and was ready to make it happen.  I was nervous at the start line but then just kept telling myself "its just a Sunday morning run".  It was a very tough race.  There were two sets of hill climbs.  The first was 2 miles of climb and the second was 1 full mile of a steep climb at mile 10, it was painful and spirit crushing!  At mile 12 my feet were still moving swiftly and my body was strong, but my emotions were starting to get to me.  I couldn't believe I was almost done, that I had improved my time so much, and that all my training and hard work paid off.  I crossed the finish line with my boys and wore my finisher medal with pride.

Matt's coursework is over.  He too finished strong.  He earned his BS in Aeronautics and we celebrated with a weekend full of fun.  His dad came up Friday, the two of them spent the evening together at a local casino donating their hard earned money to our local Indian tribe, they golfed Saturday, we all watched movies and sports, went bowling, and will finish off the weekend on Memorial Day with a trip to Safeco field to watch the Padres and Mariners.

Because that just isn't quite enough for May, we have a fancy ball next Friday, and a few more baseball games this week.

I've been busy.  And in a spin around a bat kind of way, it has been tiring, fun, rewarding, and down right enjoyable.  I fell down this month too.  Sometimes the stress of all that was happening sent me into a tizzy, but thankfully I got back up and didn't let the spin get the best of me.