Making Progress

Here is where we are at...

I wouldn't let Chris do much earlier this week... I wanted to make sure he didn't push it after running 26.2 miles on Sunday! :-) He worked on it most of the day on Wednesday and Thursday morning. He came home last night and did some more. The desk is in place... it isn't secured down just yet, but that is the plan for tonight. I was hoping to be all moved in before the end of the week.. but I don't want to rush it. I really want to have things organized BEFORE they go up into the pretty new space.

With that in mind, I really should return to cleaning my current scrapbook room. It's amazing what you find when you clean!

Colorgenics...

I love taking these personality tests... sometimes they are right on, and other times they are way off... this one seems to be right on...

Try it for yourself: http://www.paulgoldinresearch.com/

You are constantly trying to make a favourable impression and endeavouring to be considered as that someone 'special'. You are pretty good at using various tactics and strategies that give the impression that you are in control. Maybe you are - but you are constantly watching to see whether or not your endeavours are truly appreciated. Be careful... just as 'you' may be endeavouring to influence others, 'they' may indeed be influencing you.

Most people are conditioned by their environment and you are no exception. You are an extremely emotional person - so much so that 'the wrong word' can lead you to tears. You feel other people's pain. You feel the need of sympathetic relationships and a pleasant work environment in order to develop and grow. You are an impulsive, loving individual with a great deal of inherent feeling.

Everything seems to have gone wrong and the situation at this time is such that you are not quite sure which way to turn. So it would appear that you are 'holding back', re-consolidating your position and relinquishing all fun and games for the time being.

You are holding back. You need to find friends in whom you can trust and once they have proved themselves beyond all possible doubt you will be prepared to give them your all. The existing situation is not of your liking - you have an unsatisfied need for mental stimulation with others whose standards are as high as your own. Trying to control your instincts the way you do restricts your ability to open up to others and the way you feel at this time is suggestive of 'total surrender'. This is not to your liking as you consider such thoughts as weaknesses that need to be overcome. You feel that only by control, controlling your innermost thoughts, are you able to maintain your air of superiority. You want to be admired for yourself alone and not for what you can do or for what you may have done. In essence 'you need to be needed' and at the same time 'you need to need'.

You are greatly impressed by individuality and have interest in people who have outstanding qualities. You try to imitate those people that you admire and their characteristics, hoping that you will be able to display similar qualities in your own personality.

26.2

Chris is one amazing man... And he just keeps on setting goals and going for it. Running the Chicago Marathon was one of his "to-do's" in life. I am proud to say he achieved that goal on Sunday! He has been training since April, all while working full time and coaching. He was lucky enough to have a wonderful training partner who also happened to be his coworker. They were able to schedule runs during the day so he could fit it all in.

I was able to play "Amazing Race" and run around the city with my best friend, one of Chris' swimmers and her mom, and Amy's family. We were able to catch them three times during the race. What an amazing adreniline rush on the sidelines... I can only imagine what he must have felt as he ran! They finished the race just as they planned... in just over 4 hours!

My only regret is that I didn't take more photos. I was so caught up in the moments, that I totally forgot I had the darn camera around my neck. :uckily there are some amzaing photos taken by the folks at marathonfoto.com. I will be making a LARGE order with them as soon as they are finished identifying the photos.

Chris is trying to convince me that I should run in the future... we'll see. I am not much of a runner... in fact I am NOT a runner at all!

Making Progress in my Studio!

It is hard to beleive that this is even the same room! Chris has been working hard to get the painting done. The color is very calming and the lighting is perfect. In the morning, I just go in there and turn on the light. I can't beleive that I will soon have my very own studio! The floor is done and we are hoping to get the built in desk done this weekend.

My current room is a MESS! I haven't scrapped in almost a month. I am hoping to get some time in there this weekend. I keep dreaming about what I am going to do in my new studio.... Chris had to tell me to go to sleep on Sunday... I was just too excited! I will have space to spread out, but I will also be able to teach classes again. My friends and co-workers are already asking when they can come! :)

Romeo wants to play too...

Rules?

Warning... this is a vent entry! ;-)

Maybe it is because I am a teacher. By nature, teachers like to enforce rules. One of the challenges in any teacher's room is getting kids to follow the rules and understand the consequences of breaking those rules. I don't know of a teacher that doesn't struggle with the concept in the classroom. Sure, most of us have good classroom management, but getting the kids to understand the need for rules is tough.

I think I might know why.... it seems that there are adults breaking rules everywhere. It is one of my biggest pet peeves. There is a reason behind the rules, really. Today I was at the Y (starting to really get into a workout routine) and went into the locker room to change. There is an "adult only" section. I love kids... but sometimes I just don't want a child staring at me when I am changing. I like to keep things clean and dry when I am changing... kids don't always understand. :-) There I am with another woman changing in the adult only area. The rest of the locker room is almost empty. In comes this woman with her young daughter. She walks right into the adult only section past the curtain and the signs. I resisted the urge to say something.... but come on....

Issue number two... one of the rules is no cell phones in the program areas. Has to do with camera phones... and the annoying factor. I am walking away on the treadmill and the lady next to me answers her cell phone... not once but TWICE! Again, I resisted the urge.

I know that it shouldn't bother me... but as a teacher it does. How can I teach children that they need to follow directions when so many adults don't?

Vent over.

Too much on my plate

It is the start of a new school year... (we are really already halfway into the first quarter, which means the year is 1/8th over!) I swore to myself that I was not going to get myself so overwhelmed this year. So much for that theory!

The students in my classroom seem to have more and more needs each year. It seems that I am having to recreate my lessons each and every year making more and more adjustments to meet the lower abilities of the students. You would think that after 5 years teaching the same program, I would be able to use some of the same materials. I can, it just seems that I need to adjust everything. I want to be the best teacher I can be... I think any good teacher always wants to be adjusting to the needs of the kids. There are so many things that I want to do with my students. I get all of these great ideas during the day. I just don't have the time to initiate or develop most of them. My mind is spinning... I just can't seem to get things done.

I am the first to admit that I am a Type A person. I love doing things and need to feel a sense of accomplishment. I am my best when I am busy. However, I need to learn to find the balance. I need to accept the fact that there will always be more that I can do. There will always be more creative teaching ideas, there will always be more projects here at home, and there will always be creative endeavors that I want to pursue. I can't do it all. Sometimes you just can't give 100% to everything. In the end, there is only a total of 100% to give anyway... so how can I give 100% to teaching, 100% to my home, 100% to my marriage, 100% to my creative side, and 100% to my family & friends? It just can't be done. I need to come to terms with that.

On another note, I am excited to be the captain for TEAM McCLURE for the Walk for Hope here in Chicagoland. We are walking in honor of an amazing and courageous woman, Barb McClure who is battling breast cancer. If you can, please check out our team and donate if at all possible:


I need to go grade some quizzes, clean up the mess that Romeo made in the living room today, and also finish the design for our Team McCLURE T-shirts. Dinner is in the microwave, too....

9/11

It seems fitting that I am finally updating today. Today marks five years since our life as Americans was forever changed. I am never really understood when my parents explained that they remembered exactly where they were when JFK was shot or other events in American history. Sadly, I now understand. I will forever remember the moment I learned about the horrible attacks of 9/11/01.

I was in my first year teaching at Carl Sandburg. I was reading aloud to my students. My assistant was out of the classroom taking care of some things. She came in and told me quietly what had happened. I was stunned. At first, we thought it was a terrible accident. When the second plane hit, it became obvious that this was a planned attack on America. I was torn between my own emotions and protecting the students. I put the kids to work and started researching online to see what I could learn.

I remember an overwhelming unsettling feeling. I didn't know anyone in the buildings or on those planes, but I was scared. All of the wars that had been fought in my lifetime we on far away lands. I was removed from all of it. This was different. Would a war be fought on American soil? Would my life be forever changed? What did this all mean for the long term?

I couldn't get ahold of Chris right away. Unfortunately, he was at our infertility clinic leaving a sample. When I finally got in touch, I just wanted him to come home and be with me. I was scared. However, he needed to stay at work and be at the YMCA for people to feel safe there. I was angry... I wanted him to worry about my safety. In hindsight, I was simply scared. I mean really scared... terrified!

In the days that followed, I was obsessed with the news. I watched HOURS of tv. I needed to get all of the information I could. Information has always been my #1 defense mechanism.

Today, five years later, I am so grateful to feel safe and secure in my home. Life is different now in many ways. We are at war and have been since that day. I know how blessed we are that the war has not physically landed here on American Soil. My political beliefs are strong, and I also know just how blessed I am to live in a country where we have freedoms to disagree with our leaders and not fear for our lives.

I am proud to be an American. I am grateful for the freedoms I have and for the people whose sacrifices make American safe and secure for us. My heart still aches for the families of those who were savagely taken from us on 9/11.

In the end, I will hug my family a little tighter tonight and reflect on how lucky I am to be an American.