Saturday, September 10, 2011

I survived

Well friends, I survived the first week of school.  I am also dog-tired and my lower back is not feeling great.  The tile on cement floors at school are brutal until you get used to them again.  And since I started off the week with a few middle-aged twinges resulting from Monday's race, I'm really feeling it.  Sore hip flexor/groin from the race too (that uneven field section?!  likely), so no running this week.  Not that I had the energy.  That would have detracted from my mouth hanging open, feet up time.  Not nearly as much yoga as I wanted either.  Please see aforementioned reasons.  This weekend, and next week bring new opportunities.  And the second week is always easier than the first.  Everyone's back into routines, things start to settle down.

Both my boys seem happy with their first week too.  Jackson is already on the volleyball team at the high school, and Shim is working on charming the ladies.  Not just at his school either.  He's working on the crop of grade 8 honeys at MacPhail too.  It's going to be an interesting ride through adolescence with that one!

On the diet front, nutrition has been great this week!  I am following my new plan, eliminating carbs except for slow carbs (legumes, like beans and lentils).  And it's actually fairly easy.  I did have a small meltdown one evening when I came home and Shimmy was baking chocolate chip cookies.  That boy can bake!  And those are one of my favourites.  But I got right back on track the next day, and only had a bun at supper at Subway.  Other than that--easy peasy.  And I have to admit, I'm feeling much better for it already!

On Thursday we took Jess to move into her room for university.  Which is why I ended up eating at Subway.   And I have to tell you, that was one yummy sub.  I also have to admit that I was hungry enough to eat my own young at the time.  But they were saved by Subway :)  And the move in went quite smoothly.  Jess was super anxious, but managed to settle down.  We hung around until it was time for  her to catch the shuttle from her hotel to another for a huge rez meeting.  I cringe to think how much it`s costing Lakehead to house the rez students, since rez isn`t ready.  As my sister, whose hubs is involved in the construction industry said, somebody is getting sued.  Big time.  Anyhow, Jess is settled at the Best Western, and according to her texts and phone call, having a really good time.  She`s met a couple of girls from our area (carpool!) and is thinking leaving home is a good thing.  Which is a relief.  Her boyfriend came with us the other night, and while they are going to miss each other, I think the time apart is a good thing.  Great guy.  Really great.  Very helpful helping us move her stuff, and helping to keep her calm.  And a really good sport to ride home and make conversation with her dad and I.  Not just any boyfriend could do that!

The first week of school went well.  So nice to hear from a few parents that both they and their kids are glad to have me as a teacher again.  Really nice note from one parent, and her son brought me a squash from their garden.  We had a chuckle at that when I ran into her in the parking lot after school.  Some kids bring flowers, but not this guy.  He informed his mom that Mrs. Bolyea loves squash.  So he brought me a squash.  Did I mention that I love this kid?!  I taught him in grade 2 and I'm thrilled to have him again.  Along with the rest of the little guys I had when they were in grade 2.  I'm a lucky teacher.  Those ones, plus a few others I didn't teach equals a great group of kids.  It's going to be a great year!!

As I sit in my family room writing this, and surveying my kitchen/family room area, I am reflecting on my decision to declutter in my pursuit of happiness.  I didn't do so well.  It looks very lived in.  And cluttered.  But you know what, I'm ok with that.  It is what it is.  Not a whole lot of pretence Chez Bolyea.  We are authentic.  And that's worth striving for.

One last note.  At our school, every Friday we have an assembly for YARFY.  Which stands for You Are Responsible For Yourself.  And guess who got the very first yarfy of the year?!  That's right, Mrs. Bolyea.  The boss totally embarrassed me in front of the whole school, giving me a yarfy for picking up garbage in the hall.  And then insisted I needed to have my picture taken just like the kids.  So I of course really hammed it up, and posed for a picture (looking like a complete dementoid in the process).  It was fun, the kids and the staff had a good chuckle.  It's good to start the year off on that note.  And I will be immortalized on the yarfy bulletin board, looking like a lunatic, totally unphotogenic and beet red from the intense blushing.  But as one of my colleagues said, I made the boss laugh.  In front of the kids.  A difficult feat to achieve.  I love my job.   

How was your first week of school? 

2 comments:

Eco Yogini said...

wow- what a busy and huge transition time for you!
my first week of 'school' was alright- Andrew went back to university and had his first day of classes on wednesday (for his second degree... sigh). He was happy though, and we have a path set out for us.

Speaking of the weeks getting easier, this time is also right smack dab in the last full moon of summer- lots of emotional upheaval just predicted to happen ya know?

Also- wow on your daughter staying at Best Western- you sound so calm about her going back- my mom had a huge case of empty nest for YEARS. (and i have a brother who lived at home... lol).

Summers and first week of school have been weird for me in the past five years of working as an SLP for preschoolers- although we're very connected in many ways to the schools, with clients transitioning, meetings, evaluations etc, but i always feel so disconnected during this time to the system.

Nicole said...

@ Eco Yogini-Maybe it's the moon phase that is having me feel all out of sorts this week?! As school gets busier, and my sons' activities start, I feel all out of sorts. Not a nice feeling. Kind of like a cat having its fur rubbed the wrong way.

Congrats to Andrew on his new adventure, I am envious! I would love to go back to school (again...), but I will content myself with another teacher course. Someday another degree, someday :)

My sis said the same thing about the first week of school--she is a social worker. She's at home with my very cute nephew right now, but the first week of school brings all kinds of weird feelings.