Hey everyone!  Now you’d think that since I had gone back to my old job I’d actually have been posting more like I used to…but it’s been so busy in the new lab and starting new projects…and learning all about parasites instead of viruses, that I’m swamped as ever!

But I’m going to start catching you all up slowly.  Last month I ran my first half marathon and scheduled my second!  What an experience!!!  I’ve always been a runner, but am now committing myself to competing more.

B is now TEN!  She’s still amazing, still the love of my life and I still am grateful every single day when I wake up and see that face.

I’m going to post more regularly, but I’ve thought often of you all and can’t wait to catch up again!  I hope all your babies are happy and healthy!!!  And you too!

Lying in bed a few nights ago, chatting with my girl about her day, she confided that recess was sometimes tough, because lots of the kids were playing kickball and it wasn’t like how it’s played in gym.  They change the rules as they go, there’s yelling and so on.  You guessed it, the typical playground pick up game.  It changes dynamic when you don’t have a gym teacher as director.  B mentioned that she likes kickball in gym, but she’s too afraid to play in the recess games, because if she screws up, she’ll be embarassed and yelled at.  We talked about possible solutions, my contribution being that we would work on practicing in our yard that next day, so she could feel more confident.  I also told her my neat little trick of laughing at myself first, when I screw up, so that it doesn’t really feel all that painful if anyone else laughs.  We also talked about the possiblity of pulling in a few other “new” to kickball kids, so that she wouldn’t be the only fresh face.  All this wrapped up with, the closing statement that she didn’t have to play, but now she had the tools to participate if she felt inclined.  She mentioned that she’d started to a few times, but always backed down.  My girly is not ultra-competitive about team sports-she does NOT like yelling on any level.  It’s something she’s not really familiar with, thank God.

Driving home a couple days later, I asked how recess went and she casually said, “Oh I played kickball today”.  The look on my face must have been priceless.  “What?  Already???”.  “Well Mom, N was on the swings and he looked really bored, so I said hey, do you want to play kickball with me? And he did, so we took a ball and started playing and these other kids came over and I said that we could have a group that plays and is learning the rules and stuff.  Then the Coach that helps N out during recess time came over and gave us some instructions and tips!  We all had lots of fun and N was so happy that knows how to play kickball now!”.  I can’t help it.  I cried.  N is a little boy who has had a rough year and a tough time fitting in and B always tries to include him with the group. How wonderful it must have been for him to be part of this new fun kickball team!

My girl one-upped me.  I never thought of starting her OWN kickball group.  This is what she does.  She sees social injustice and she acts on it.  She sees a need and she feels it.  This girl is a do-er.  And I’m so very proud she’s mine.

So I’m currently reading “The Road” by Cormac McCarthy. (WHY can I not get pictures to upload to my blog?  They show up in the gallery and after insert post, they don’t appear here…it could be because I’m at work and so many things are blocked”.

And I love it.  So far.  But one quote contained this line, “each the other’s world entire”.  And it moved me.  I mean REALLY moved me.  Now for those of you who know me, words in general move me.  I love words.  My first blog was called “sesquipedalianist at heart”  I love that long word which means “characterized by the use of long words”.  I still love words, big and small and I adore how people put them together.  Cormac McCarthy tapped my maternal instinct when he wrote that line.  It was meant for B and I.  Which is why I believe that for her 10th birthday, I need to have silver bracelets engraved with that very phrase.  I think it would look best wrapped around a bangle style bracelet, but I’m not sure yet.  What do you think?

Yes, that’s me.  It’s probably my best and worst trait all wrapped into one.  If I know I’ve got something to do, I am not going to postpone-I’m going to do it right this very minute.

This could also be why I end up with my “free” time at 9 pm every night now.  I go downstairs, sit on the couch with NewHusband (who is not so new anymore, but it’s what you know him as) and reach behind me to the stand near the sofa and grab the glass of my favorite Argentina malbec he’s had “airing” for me while I tuck the princess in.  So although I don’t really go out dancing anymore, each night home is exactly what I look forward to every night.  I never, never thought that would be appealing.  Or that I would look forward to it so strongly.  But  I do.

As an aside, B wanted to have some recognition of Earth Day and we decided to start our own tradition.  We walked a mile around our development picking up trash on both sides of the street.  For a nice neighborhood, there sure were a lot of cigarette butts.  We took a pictoral representation of the results, I’ll load a few here.  And yes, my girl has some interesting clothes on…a plaid jacket, plaid skirt and argyle rain boots.  But for her, it just works.

So, I’ve never really been bored. And honestly, I do have things to do. I really do. I just don’t want to do THOSE things. I’ve always been swamped single mama with several jobs, a house and a daughter to raise. Since the new marriage a little over a year ago, I’ve really had some adjusting to do. But I do have some help I didn’t have before. And B is 9 now…she needs me still, but differently. And not as often. We still spend more one-on-one time than most parents and their children, but it’s not as demanding as it was when she was little. All these things are good right? I know…they are supposed to be. BUT, I’m getting bored. I’m not used to this sort of life. And second of all, I think I really like being busy. I have hobbies, I have friends…it’s just still so new and odd. And I feel guilty when everyone says, “I am SOOOO busy, I just can’t stand how stressed I am”. Although I’m never really a stressed out kind of girl-but I am kinda bored.
It almost feels like my life has had all of it’s most exciting moments already. Has anyone else ever felt this way?

So I’m going back to my old job.  Teaching is not the job for me. 

Although it involves a two hour daily commute, the benefits are better, I’m more sane, and the people are like family.  AND I need the intellectual stimulation.  I’m going back full-time to start with and after the new lab is up and running, we’ll establish a schedule/plan that works better for me (as per the new boss).  It’s a management position and I’m excited to go back to my old “family”.

Perk-I’m paid by the school until the end of August and I left my old job at the end of August last year…as long as I return within a year I still get all my old “perks” back just like I never left.  Extended vacation time that I earned after ten years of service there.

Drawbacks-it’s a long commute.  I don’t totally mind the drive, but I have to keep a gas-friendly vehicle and it won’t make sense to get a new fancy car.  Oh well…I’d rather wake up happy to go to my job.  I know I’m crazy to sign back up for that commute, but I’ve missed that place.

I won’t ever go back to teaching.  I was going to use this year to close out that “student teaching” requirement and I won’t even bother to go through the steps required to finish out certification.  I don’t like it and I’d probably wait tables before I ever went back to it.  Let’s call that almost completely Masters in Education degree a complete waste of time and money.  Oh well.  I’ll kick myself each time I pay that student loan each month but honestly I really am happier to go back to research.  And the job is pretty flexible and like I said, we’ll modify accordingly once we get my new lab going.  I’m excited to work for such a brilliant guy with such cool research!

And oh yeah, I won’t have to do any work at home and I’ll be able to blog more.    Thanks for your support guys, back when I made the decision to try teaching.  I should have just taken my boss up on it when he said, “Is there any way I can convince you to stay?”.  I should have said three days a week, ten hour days, and I’ll stay.    Eventually, I hope to do M,T, Th, F with Wednesdays off and a workday of 8-4 on the other days.  Should be ok right?

I’ve been slacking again!  I’m headed to St. Maarten on Friday and I wanted to get a post in…but who knows, maybe I’ll actually have time to post while I’m there!

I wanted to talk about Twilight.  Although it was targeted to a teen audience, I read those books so fast, it was like they were magazines.  And I dragged the husband to the movie.    I joke that he officially lost his “man card” on that one.  So, let’s talk about it…all my girlfriends lament over the fact that guys aren’t more like Edward.  What do you think?  Are there some Edwards out there?  Are we too picky?  I think even when we’ve got it really good, there are still things about our significant other, that just aren’t what we dream of when we think of marriage, as a child.  I know this because my daughter talks about what her “prince” will be like…and I tell her that we need to not set the bar so high.  We shouldn’t make a cookie cutter “Edward”…appreciate people for all of their different attributes.

But anyway…don’t ya just love Edward?

Today I am 35.  My mom was 35 when I was 15!!!  I remember her being that age.  Hmmm.  Something to ponder.  But I DID wake up with a cold sore tingling on my bottom lip…and just when I’d been saying I didn’t have many in the recent past.  I used to have them often…B gets them…my stepson had one of the worst cases ever this past week.  Actually last night I was applying his medicine before bed and told him I’d be fine because I was washing my hands.  Yep.  Shows just how little I know after 11 years spent working in the viral immunology field.    That unpredictable HSV-1.  Bane of my existence.  How dare you sabotage my little fairy-tale life?

All in all, I’m thrilled it’s my birthday.  After work, my daughter will practice violin, then head to dance class and at 5:30 pm, my parents and my brother and his family will be at my house.  My mom always make me Shephards Pie for my birthday and white cake with 7-minute frosting.  That stuff I wait all year for.  I need to get the recipe.  Last year, one day ago…my grandmother who introduced me to that frosting and who made it for me until she was unable to do so, passed away.  I was flying home from Hawaii and found out about her death when I landed at my Chicago layover.  I had spoken to her before I left and told her I got married the day before…on a beach, in Hawaii!  Can you imagine???  Ok…no tearing up here at work…more later.

My lovely nephews sent me a video this morning…where the older one, my buddy to the max, said “Happy Birthday Aunt Shann…I LOOOOOOOVE you.”.  In that incredibly heart melting voice.  Yep I cried.  No wonder I spoil those two.  Can’t wait to see them tonight.  I’m the new baby’s godmommy…we celebrated the special event on Sunday.  Lucky me…Baby Nate is extra special too.

Anyway, I wanted to give you guys an update…I’m getting better at posting…it’s all uphill from here…it’s finals week of this semester now.  Lots of time to post next week.  And yes, it’s been one year since I was married on Kukio Bay Beach in Hawaii.  Lovely memories.  We’ll be celebrating in a few weeks in St. Maarten.  With the mixed blessing of a kid-free vacation.  Mixed because B and I aren’t good with separation…we don’t really do it much.  And for that length of time or distance…only once before….my 30th birthday trip to Mexico.  I miss her just thinking about it.  But she’s 9 and we’ve been preparing ourselves mentally and I seriously do need a break.  I’ll have to mentally prepare to enjoy it. 

Have a great day ladies and if any of you are on FaceBook, I’d love to add you there…I’m definitely more regular on that one because my BlackBerry gets FB.  Hope all your babies are healthy and happy and all my single mama bloggers are staying strong and raising those powerful people.

Much love to all…

-Shannon

Sorry, but the posts will be short and sweet.  At least for awhile.  I’ve never, ever, ever been this busy in my whole life.

Teaching Chemistry comes naturally and still is a lot of work, but Physics consumes my life.  I get home and work until bedtime planning, correcting, reading…re-learning.  I’m hanging in there, but just barely.  All for the excitement of a summer off with my girly.

Thanks so much to all of you who have been checking in on me.  I’m still here, just barely reading blogs and not really posting, but I’m going to try to do one a week at least.

B has been very ill, rather unusual since she’s got such a great immune system (don’t you feel like you are cursing yourself by saying something like that?), so I’ve had that on my plate too, but other than that she’s her fabulous self and picking her up every day makes the crazy day a bit better.

In addition, there really are some very nice teenagers out there.  Hardworking, with a strong belief in God.  Some of these kids are nothing like what I remember 16-18 year olds as.  Others…well, I remember those.  It’s a learning curve for me too, but I’m working my butt off!

In January they take the Regents exams and then I get a whole new batch of students!  And only Chemistry for the second semester.  That will be when I can finally breathe and work on creating newer, more fun curriculum.

I sure do miss you guys. 

I have a post in mind, but prepping for this starting school year and the new job has me in a frenzy.  I’m teaching Chemistry, Physics, a couple labs for each, AND a study skills class.  I’m going to take it one day at a time and with lots of prayer.  For now, I’m enjoying the last few days before my girl goes back to school next week (and me too)-and life gets more hectic.  Thanks for bearing with me and I will certainly be back soon!

I’m checking my reader sporadically so most of you are still hearing from me somewhat.