One Down, A Bunch To Go

Well, my 6th year of teaching is officially under way.  I am teaching first grade again and am lucky to only have 19 students at the moment.  With Texas budget cuts, $4 billion was taken from education (Thank you Governor Perry) and therefore, many classrooms have 24-27 students at the moment.  This first week has gone pretty smoothly.  I have 9 girls and 10 boys and lots of varying personalities.  It's going to be a fun (in a good way) year! 

With back to school comes extreme exhaustion.  I spent 2 weeks preparing my classroom and plans.  When I got home, I was physically exhausted.  Add in 3 nights of softball for Anthony in 105 degree heat and I was done!  Then, this week, I have become mentally exhausted.  I spend so much time during the day talking, making decisions, teaching, singing and comforting that when I get home, I just want to sit and be silent.  Unfortunately, no one seems to get that and I have worried quite a few family members. 

Since I've been so exhausted, I still have to get around to posting about our vacation.  I'm actually looking forward to reliving it.  How I'd love to be sitting on a beach where it was only 85 or 90 degrees!

Anger and Sadness

The past 365 days have been full of so many emotions, especially sadness.  And honestly, I'm angry about that.

A year ago today, I found out that my sweet 5 month old neice had passed away.  Anthony was still deployed.  It was a devastating.

In February, my grandmother was diagnosed with breast cancer and had a mastectomy.  Since then, she has been undergoing chemo and radiation.  Hearing that devastating news, finding out it had spread, and watching her as seh goes through the side effects of the chemo has been heartbreaking.

In July, my dear Grandad passed away.  While he was a rich 93 years old, it is always sad to lose someone you love.

And then today, 365 days after losing our neice, we learned that Frankie (our shih zu) has a tumor.  It is pushing on his intestines and if it continues to grow will completely block his intestines.  We are currently treating him with steriods in hopes that it will shrink.  Please pray that it works.  He is like a child to us. 

As I reflected on this today, I became angry.  I'm so tired of heartbreak.   I am so angry that those I love become sick or pass away.  I'm just angry to feel so devastated.  Why does it keep happening to us?