Too cute not to share...

These pictures are from the TNT reommitment party. Jason and his sons came with me and I just thought I'd share.

No Nike For Me

I realize many of you have received letters asking for support as I raise money for the NIKE Women's Marathon in San Francisco. I wanted to let you know that I am no longer fundraising for this event, but for the San Antonio Rock 'n' Roll Half-Marathon in November. I came to this conclusion last week at our recommitment party. The fundraising wasn't an issue, but the timing of the race versus tight substitute teacher money at school. To attend NIKE I would have to take two days off of work and I just wasn't feeling comfortable about doing that this year. I dislike leaving school for a day as it is, but this year is particularly tight.

So, I am still running with TNT and raising money for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, just for a different race than I originally intended.

To donate, please click here for my secure donation website.

New Beginnings

The room is in order. The pencils have been sharpened. A pile of blank sketchbooks are at the front of the room awaiting the imagination of adolescents wanting to learn, but fearful of making mistakes. Mistakes in class, mistakes within peer groups, mistakes that will seem unrecoverable at the time.

I love the beginning of the year. It's a blank slate. That's what I'm going to try to impress upon my freshmen during class meetings on Monday. Almost half of our school is made up of new students this year. It's awesome and scary at the same time. The freshmen class is made up of almost all girls--literally, there are two boys and about twenty girls. Great odds for the guys...not so cool for the girls...at times. My concern with the girls is that most of them have gone to school with each other, or competed against each other in junior high. It's reinvention time and they have to allow each other to do that. That's my message tomorrow. They can reinvente themselves and it's okay. It's okay if they don't talk to each other everyday like they may have once before. It's okay if new friends are made.

I'm blessed with friends that go back as far as sixth grade. And while we are the dearest of friends now, even through high school we didn't hang out with each other all the time; we didn't talk everyday; our friendship evolved, and continues to today. And it's okay. I'm praying the message is clear that's okay that life is changing...that's what life does.

Pictures from the past will accompany the message and I just hope the message gets through so some hurt and confusion can be reduced.

One last post before working...

This is comliments of the class of '08. They threatened all year and finally got around to it. :) I feel loved, I really do.

Be sure to scroll down if you haven't visted in awhile. I've posted three times in two days. :)

Three States in Three Days...

As per usual, I crammed in as many people as possible during my short trek up to the Midwest. It began with the flight into St. Louis, where Crystal's Aunt and Uncle picked us up and took us to Quincy, IL to stay the night with Crystal's parents. We played two rounds of ladder-ball--a very fun outdoor picnic game!

The next day we drove to Lafayette, IN for Shel's wedding. It was so much fun to see our Indy girls again! Shel is one of the most creative people I know and her wedding had all sorts of touches that are uniquely hers. They rented a photo booth for us all to play in and then leave pics for their scrapbook. There was a candy bar--which seems to be the new trend, the last three out of four weddings I've attended have had one. From there the program, table decorations and everything else were simply just Shel. It was a ton of fun and I couldn't be happier that I got to attend the wedding and see the girls--Shel and Adrianne. Crystal and I spent the night at Adrianne's and then we headed back to St.Louis the next day.

Sara Jane and Mandi picked me up in Springfield, IL and we spent a couple of fabulous nights talking. I completely underestimated the St.Louis humidity--yuck!!! I also got to meet with Mark Kiessling and Jim Lohman to discuss NYG '10. So really, I could write it off as a work weekend too. :)

I've jumped back into school mode and it's not going too badly. We have a gigantic hole in the ground, so gym construction is moving right along. It's so nice to be in one place for a third year in a row. We might actually have bells that work on the first day! What a thought!

Watermans in Wisconsin

Forgive the horizontal pictures that should be vertical--I just wanted to get them up finally without taking a lot more time!

Enjoy!