Decisions, Decisions

It's October! In case you missed the memo, that means 2015 is officially winding down and it's time to look ahead to 2016.

Specifically, I'm looking ahead to February! Next year I turn the big 3-0, and I'm actually really excited. I know stereotypically women are supposed to feel like thirty is the beginning of the end, but I'm joyfully anticipating my new age group. I don't see the end of my 20s as a deadline of some sort, so saying goodbye to 29 isn't giving me anxiety or bringing up any regrets.

WRONG.

Here's my dilemma. The Fort Lauderdale A1A Marathon is during my birthday weekend again this year. It's a long weekend thanks to President's Day, and the race itself is on Valentine's Day. Originally, I wanted to spend my birthday at home. Our kitchen should be done by then (hopefully) and I thought having a party or big dinner with friends would be a fun way to celebrate.

A1A's 2016 medal...I want, I want!

Then I saw the medals. And I reread my recap from last year's race. And now I'm totally torn.

At the finish line last year! This really was the perfect birthday.

Obviously this is the best kind of problem to have, because no matter what I choose to do, I'm going to have a fabulous weekend celebrating thirty. But that doesn't mean the decision's easy make!

At least I have some time to think it over, right?!

What are you looking forward to in 2016? Or is it still too early for you to think about?
How do you like to celebrate milestone birthdays?

ABK

Dancing is Totally Cross-Training, Right?

This was a good weekend. Before I say more, let me start by saying this is my first post on my (possibly) new (to me) computer. My sister's laptop was stolen some time ago, and by stolen I mean "lost under the bed"; now that it's found, I may be its new owner. I usually work on a PC, and her old laptop is a Mac, so we'll see how I like it. If my formatting or font is weird, you know why.

Anyway, this weekend. It was full of old friends and lots of sweat.

On Saturday morning, I met up with Montana for a long run and our virtual Patronus 5k. It's funny how running completely breaks down inhibitions. We haven't seen each other since 8th grade, but we got along as if no time had passed!

We had to stop and get a picture...too pretty not to!

Pausing for a sunrise pic.

Mind the squintiness...just a little Sub30 picture post-run!

Although this was a fantastic run for me, my left knee was really hurting afterward. I knew immediately that it was IT band stuff, so I foam rolled and did some hip exercises, then took Sunday morning off.

I really liked this 3.5 mile loop...It was perfect for pausing to get water/fuel without having to carry anything.

Sunday night was Jenn's wedding. We drove up to Clearwater, and although the wedding was postponed for a bit due to weather, Jenn got her rooftop wedding!

The ceremony overlooked the ocean, which was choppy and gorgeous that evening.

We clean up nicely :)

We danced the night away, and my thighs are definitely feeling the squatting/jumping/twisting that goes along with partying in heels. I think that counts as cross-training!

Mr. and Mrs. Camison

The flowers were perfect. Jenn's family is Dutch, so the tulips were a nice touch!

Celebrating hard!

Jenn and Tommy's last dance.

On my way back home Monday (Matt and I drove separately because he had a race Saturday morning in a different city), I stopped by Brittany's to see her and Kaya.

Me with Kaya when she was brand spankin' new! We had too much fun catching up to take pictures today.

I was only supposed to hang out for about an hour because I have a whole slew of things to get done before work Tuesday, but catching up was so fun I ended up spending the better part of the afternoon. That's okay - I'd much rather see friends than do laundry!

How was your weekend?
Are you a dancer at weddings?
Have you stayed in touch with friends from middle school?

ABK

5 Reasons to Smile

This week, I'm beginning to pull out of the funk I've been in.

Just to clarify, I'm not wondering why things have been so hard for me lately. For the last few weeks I've been really preoccupied with Archie's death, my grandma's hospitalization (she had a heart catheter put in, then went into sepsis, but is doing better for the time being), and Matt's Nana's hospitalization (she's been dealing with stroke/seizure issues for awhile now). I'm a realist-bordering-on-pessimist, so I was trying to compartmentalize my emotions and it really got the best of me and wore me down. (There was one day that I cried in my classroom during planning, then got it together to greet my kids at the door minutes later. Any teachers relate to that?)

Doesn't it seem like when things fall apart, they all fall apart? (That reminds me of one of my all-time favorite Yeats poems...)

Anyway, I think things are looking up. I'm beginning to get a handle on the storm of emotions I've been dealing with. And that means it's time for some purposeful positivity.

1. LeadingEdge - I applied for a promotional program within my charter school family and was accepted! I'm really excited for this. I'll be training to be a CRT (curriculum resource teacher), and while it means I may eventually be leaving the classroom, I'm excited for the chance to challenge myself and put my skills to good use. A CRT helps train and guide teachers, which I really enjoy doing.

2. Running with Montana - I was in 8th grade when I met Montana, aka Pretty Lil Mudder, but we weren't exactly friends. We reconnected randomly when I saw her in one of my running Facebook groups, among 3000 other members! Small world. We got in touch and buried the past, and this weekend we'll be running a virtual Harry Potter race as part of a long run! There are so many things awesome about this, I don't even know where to start!

For you HP fans out there...can you guess what House I'm sorted into? (I'm not even a little ashamed of my continued love of HP.)

3. Jenn's wedding - My little Jenn is getting married this weekend! With all the kitchen brouhaha going on, I wasn't able to go to her bachelorette party last weekend, but nothing could stop me from being there for her big day. Jenn has been one of my most steadfast friends, and I can't wait to celebrate with her.

Matt and I visited Jenn in Panama for our first wedding anniversary. She's from the Netherlands, so she speaks Dutch, Spanish, and English fluently. Amazing.

4. Lightbulb moment in class - This week I introduced memoir writing to my students. When we begin this project, the kids read an excerpt from Annie Dillard's An American Childhood that's heavy on metaphor. I literally got goosebumps the other day as I listened to a student work his way through the metaphor of the mason jar and then watched as his face cleared and his eyes lit with understanding. That, folks, is what I live for.

5. Furiously Happy - Jenny Lawson, the Bloggess, has a new book out. I loved her first collection of crazy, true stories about her life growing up (Let's Pretend This Never Happened) and was sure I'd like Furiously Happy, especially because it's focused on living with mental illness. Even as an avid reader of her blog, I had no idea how absolutely hysterical it would be! I've been reading it during reading challenge in class and literally laughing out loud. I can't share snippets with my students because it's mostly inappropriate, and they're all totally baffled by my laughter. If you like really random, insane, hilarious, non-fiction vignettes and can identify with having a kooky family, I highly recommend it!

 

So there we go...five reasons to smile this week. And here's hoping next week brings along five more.

What are you smiling about this week?

ABK