Ch-Ch-Ch- Changes

I think I like the minimalist look a little better, but above all, I think I like change best. It keeps me happy, and keeps me on my toes. Thanks, Mr. Bowie, for giving me a theme song.

Ha Ha!

Thanks for the help! Look! I did it and it ain't half bad. I picked this background for two reasons: 1. Adam started school this week, in full-blown engineering courses and I haven't seen him during waking hours in the last three days. 2. I also started school this week with 48 kindergarten students, a brand new school, and a brand new laptop. It couldn't be any better.
It still surprises me that I ended up teaching small children. There are still moments during the school day when a 5 year old looks at me and says(insert the whiniest voice you can imagine) "But I don't want to learn math!" and I'm at a loss as to what to say back. I think, "You're right, I can't make you do anything and no one should make someone else do anything they don't want to do" and in the 15 seconds it took me to think that through I've already lost complete control of the whole class. My co-worker must have noticed my slack jawed lack of a verbal response and leaned over and said "That's okay, you don't have to want to." I think I might be in the wrong profession, I can't think that fast on my feet with all those little eyes starting back at me. Regardless of my shortcomings, the moment of truth happens at 6 a.m. every morning when the alarm goes off and before I can really form a fluid thought, I find myself getting up happily, and without complaint. The only explanation for this is that I think I might love my job. I love these wonderful little people with which I get to spend my entire day, and while I might not be discussing great literature or calculating varied integrals, I think sitting on the floor and reading A Bad Case of the Stripes (by David Shannon) with 18 brilliant and beautiful 5 years olds is a joy unto itself. I think I couldn't be happier.

Okay, who really loves me and can help me?

I can't figure out how to post a beautiful background on this hideous blog. I've been told countless times about wonderful websites to make it easier, and it makes me feel like an idiot because I do not understand what they are saying, and I think I'm an intelligent person so it must be the computer's fault and not my own. My dear friend Kaija came over tonight, and we looked at many different blogs on Adam's 52 inch computer screen, and it felt like a giant homage to my inefficiency. I'm great with paint and paper, and my classroom at school is absolutely adorable, but my blog looks like I'm trying to be a minimalist (which I definitely am not). So please help.

P.S. Don't just tell me that I should go to some website and just follow the directions. I've tried that. I'm stupider than I look. I can't just follow directions. I need to date the Apple guy.

Look at me GO!

http://nikeplus.nike.com/nikeplus/v1/html/milestones/print_certif.html?id=1956836946®ion=us&language=en&locale=en_us&dateFormat=MM/DD/YY

NOT TOO SHABBY

My siblings

I think I have the most fabulous looking family on the planet. This a picture taken the day before my older brother Andy's wedding in September. It goes Emily(29), Andy (27). me (25), Ben (22), Angela (18) and Becca (16). It was the first time we had all been together in 5 years. We've added three spouses and two kids to the group since then, and I can't imagine where we will all go from here.

I haven't blogged in months and I'm embarrassed

I'm not making this an official resolution but I will promise to take a look at this log more often than I have. So far, this is a tri-annual event here, and I'm looking to upgrade it to bi-monthly. So here goes a recap of the last three months:

1. I now work at a school in Los Altos, and I love it. Next year it looks like we're piloting a new program (very hush hush, I'd give details but I'm afraid you might steal my ideas) and it looks like I might be in charge of a quite a bit of it and I'm excited. Some days I still can't believe I'm in early childhood education, but you can't fight fate.
2. We went to Lee Lee's wedding in DC in November, and I'm not so sure she would have gotten to her wedding reception if I wasn't there, and I was SO happy to be a part of it. What a beautiful bride.
3. We spent two weeks in Utah for Christmas, and I actually cried (Yes me! I CRIED!) when we left. I have vowed that I will never live in Utah, they have enough mormons and I am needed elsewhere, but it's hard to wave goodbye to my entire family.
4. Adam started Rigoletto rehearsals this week, and so begins another opera fiasco. He will more than likely be wearing tights again, and at one point his part is 'the storm blowing in' and he wears a large gray costume and makes wind noises. I'm laughing already and the performance isn't for another month. Don't tell Adam, he gets really mad when I laugh at him.