7 weeks in...Many, many more to go!

It has been a while since I've written. Primarily, this is due to my busy-ness with work, school, Jack and other, fun activities.

I have successfully completed my first 6-weeks as a full time teacher. It was exciting, tough, exhausting and fun. Teaching 7th graders is far more difficult and more challenging than I could have imagined. Especially, my 7th graders. My 7th graders are especially difficult to handle and "rough". I love them dearly, but I am exhausted all the time, and I often wonder if they are learning anything from me. Then, when I feel hopeless and like I can't do this, they surprise me. They are quite special and I care about them dearly. I hope they learn as much from me as I do from them in the next 32 weeks.

Graduate school is going well. I am working on 2 research projects plus an independent research project and one class. It is keeping me very busy reading and writing. I will be applying to the PhD program later this semester (once the department gets organized and releases the application). I am excited about that and know it will be challenging but rewarding. Additionally, I am in the process of deciding what courses to take in the spring. I have 9 hours left to finish and am considering whether I would like to graduate in May or August. May would be rushing it and would be difficult but I think it will be nice to have a summer with no worries or course work to complete.

Jack is great as usual. Earlier this semester, he graduated from intermediate puppy training class! I was so proud of him and what he accomplished. He really is a hard-working and neat puppy. We will beginning an Advanced training class soon. I'm excited to continue his training. It is great for him to be able to learn things and socialize with other dogs and it helps me be a better owner, too. I love that he will be so well trained as well. It will make our life together easier and more enjoyable. Above is a picture of Jack (left) and his friend (Ari) at their graduation. Ari's mama is a PhD student with me and they will be in the advanced training class as well.

In addition to all of the above, I am just trying to enjoy my first-year teaching. I try to find plenty of time to go out with friends, play Wii, read, write and exercise. Last weekend, I went to visit my family for the first time in 3 months. It was so relaxing and enjoyable. I rode the 4-wheeler, cooked at the deer lease and was pampered incesantly by my family. It was so nice. I forgot how nice it can be to just go visit family. Life at the house is good. I finally began decorating my living room and put up curtains. I still have a long way to go before my house is completely put together, but it is slowly but surely getting there. Give me another year or so and it will feel the way it should. Much to my dismay, I have not had as much time for reading lately as I would like. I am too busy and too exhausted at the end of the day to read. I lay in bed and just fall asleep quickly.

Recent Reads:

Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins
In the Fall by Jefferey Lent
Charlie St. Cloud by Ben Sherwood
Freedom by Jonathan Franzen
Safe Haven by Nicholas Sparks

Stay tuned for more adventures of a 7th-grade teacher!

-Tracey