Grinding to a halt

     There is some serious irony in the fact that my last post was on October 27th.  This long-term sub job that I am in began October 28th.  I was hoping to make it until March 7th with this job but it has been sucking away every ounce of my energy and time so my last day will be this Friday February 7th.
     I hope this week goes well.  Last week didn't end on the brightest note.  I woke up Wednesday with a sore throat.  I went to work, but by 2nd period, I was feeling queasy, achy, tired, and the sore throat was turning into a deep cough.  By the end of the day, I was really dragging, so I called the sub desk and asked them to send a sub for me for Thursday.  I got sub plans ready and went home.  That night I kept getting worse, and eventually was vomiting and feeling feverish.  On Thursday, I called and changed my appt. to see my OB that day.  She prescribed a cough syrup that would help me sleep and was safe for pregnancy and told me to take tylenol for the fever.  I am new to my insurance so I just had the dr. send the prescription to the Target pharmacy.  When I got to Target to pick it up, they told me they didn't accept my insurance.  (I have Kaiser so I didn't know I can only go to the Kaiser pharmacy).
     I tried calling my dr. office all afternoon to change the pharmacy location but they never picked up.  I never got the prescription, but I thought I would be fine.  Thursday night I woke up several times with coughing fits and vomiting.  Yet...I still went to work on Friday.  In my mind, it was easier just to go instead of having to coordinate with 4 different people to get my class covered and plans made (life of a long-term sub..ugh).
     Work was a mistake.  The kids seemed like hellions, probably due to the fact that they saw I was feeling down and were ready to pounce.  By third period, after having to call in the principal to remove some kids from my room, I knew I had to go home.  I called the office and they arranged for my last two periods to be covered.  I went immediately to the Target pharmacy, thinking I would just pay whatever the cough medicine costs without insurance.  The pharmacist told me they had destroyed my prescription.  I started tearing up right there.
     This is kind of a long story...sorry.  All I'm trying to say is that being pregnant and sick is miserable. There is no energy reserve to pick yourself up when everything is going to the baby first.  Daniel was so sweet and came home early from work to take care of me.  We finally got the cough medicine from the right pharmacy and some tylenol so I was able to sleep.
     I need to have better organization if I think I'm going to handle being a mom and a teacher.  The biggest obstacle right now is that I am flying by the seat of my pants planning-wise.  When I have my own class, I hope to be better prepared for sick days.

Almost Halfway!

     Tomorrow we will be 19 weeks pregnant and on Tuesday we had an ultrasound.  It was so exciting!  At first the baby was really active and the ultrasound tech (I don't know the real title of this person but what a cool job!) had to chase it around to get the measurements.  Everything looked normal.  There were so many measurements that I couldn't keep track but I remember her saying that the baby weighs about 1/2 lb. at this point.  We got a good glimpse of 2 baby feet (10 toes!), saw the baby chewing and clenching a fist.  When she went to measure the legs, she turned the screen away from us so we wouldn't see the sex.  She said she could tell the gender but that she would be the only one to know.  She didn't write it down, or tell our doctor so that no one would slip up and say it.  After she had taken all the measurements, she was trying to get a good profile shot for us, but the baby decided to cuddle up with its chin to its chest and made it hard to get a good picture.

     Here is a shot with the baby facing us.  It's hard to see, but hopefully you can make it out.  You can see the eyes (the u/s really just picks up eyesockets) and a little hand up above.

     This one I think is sort of a profile shot?  Like I said, this baby got really shy at this point in the process. When I look at it, I think the lit up part is the head.  Baby sure has come a long way since being a gummi bear!

     In other news, I have been asked to cover a teacher's maternity leave at the school I was at for 3 months last school year.  This time it is 8th grade English.  I have subbed one day at that class a few weeks ago and it's going to be so much easier this time around.  This teacher has all the plans laid out so I won't be doing any lesson-planning and I have 2 Honors classes so the kids are better behaved.  Right now the job is scheduled to end January 8th, but my supervisor said that I should expect that to get extended through February.  I am planning on working up until March 10th so I am so grateful to get out of the sub pool for now.

What we've been up to...

     First off, I found a bunch of honeymoon pics on my camera that we forgot to import on iphoto.  These are two of my favorites...views from the condo in Cayucos.  We're planning on spending next July 4th there.  It is so incredibly beautiful!

     For the most part, things are pretty day-to-day here.  The temperature has leveled off to a high of 90 degrees and the mornings have been nice and cool.  Daniel is still enjoying his job and I have found some familiarity in my job as I have been returning to classes I've subbed before.  I get to sub at a 4th grade class over Halloween and I'm super stoked about that.  

     Over my birthday weekend, we went to a wedding in Malibu.  Malibu was not at all what I expected.  It was very hilly, spotted with ranch houses.  I guess I just always thought of it as a suburb of L.A.  On my actual birthday, the day after the wedding, we drove through the Malibu hills to get to the beach.  Then we drove alongside the ocean to go to Santa Monica.  We explored the pier there, walked along the water, then had lunch.  It was an amazing birthday!  Daniel and I are such good travelers together.  We're both more inclined to take the day as it comes, seeing what we stumble upon.

     In baby news, we have an ultrasound scheduled for Tuesday.  We are 18 weeks along on Monday.  My body definitely tells me if I do too much in a day.  I start to get aches and cramps.  I'm still waiting to feel the first kick!  I'm pretty excited about that, but by the looks of my stomach this is a pretty tiny baby, so it might be a few more weeks before I feel anything.

     I have decided to go ahead with my last semester for my teaching credential.  The timing is good.  The semester ends around the time the baby is due, but I'll finish well before that.  The more time I spend in the classroom, the more I am convinced I have found my life's work...I think it's best to be prepared before the baby comes.

Weekend Projects

     I have been back at work now for 3 weeks and things are going better every day.  The more I sub, the less anxiety I feel about it.  I am finding that I like elementary much more than middle school or high school.  I'll continue to do all grades because a job is a job, but I have much better days at elementary.  They are sweet, eager to participate, and they don't have cellphones!
     This weekend I worked on a few projects for the nursery.  It might seem like I'm getting the room ready too early, but Daniel works weekends and I need to entertain myself somehow.  So I'm putting the nursery together a little at a time.
     The first project I did was a paper pennant banner to go above the crib.  Just this morning we felt an earthquake so there's no way anything heavier than paper is going above that crib!  I got some scrapbook paper, cut it into triangles and strung it along.  It was super easy and I think it turned out cute.  I added a little teal to the color scheme, which I think works these days as a gender neutral color.

     The second project I copied almost exactly from a watercolor I saw on Pinterest.  I just fell in love with it and knew I could duplicate it.  Here's the inspiration:

     Here is my process:

     And here is the finished product!

     I'm more than a little proud of it.  I think it turned out awesome!  Since I already had the frame, canvas, string and tools, both of these projects cost me a total of $2.98 at Michael's.  So far this nursery is far from breaking the bank.

     Tonight we are starting our two night stay at Daniel's work.  They are celebrating the opening of a new building and pool at the resort and letting the managers' families check it out first.  Stay tune for pictures! :)

Origami Obsession

     My sub job ended abruptly this week when the teacher who was on jury duty walked into class yesterday afternoon.  There's nothing more unpredictable than a jury duty assignment.  Today I was unable to pick up a job but I have two elementary jobs later this week.  I have only taught elementary once and it can be kind of a tough position to sub for so I know I need some bribes up my sleeve.  I've found a few games and some easy origami activities that I can reward them with at the end of the day if they behave.
     I was practicing the origami this morning and the dog, cat, and fish are really easy for kids to do.  Here's the website if anyone feels a little origami-ish. :)

First Week Down and an Origami Fox

     I made it through the first week of school and I'm ready to start week 2.  I'm in the same classroom again this week because the teacher has jury duty.  I LOVE long-term assignments.  I am a creature of habit most of the time and I like to know what I'm getting into each day.  This week I have had the pleasure of teaching some great 9th graders including a bunch that I taught for three months last year in middle school.
     This is the first "start" (if you can call it that) to the nursery.  The chest has blankets in it.  I want to cover it with something soft like the faux sheepskin rug from Ikea, and put stuffed animals on it.  This bear has been mine so long that I don't remember when I got it.  I carried it onto the plane from SLC to Portland to make sure I wouldn't lose track of it.  It's going to belong to this lucky baby now.  Don't you just love that plaid bowtie?!

And this....is the first piece of diy artwork.  I stumbled across this origami fox on pinterest and decided it needed to be folded and framed.  It's the first of many nods to the adorable fox in this space.

     If you want to make an origami fox (and you should), the instructions are here.

Ticking Time Bomb

     Tomorrow I am going back to work and I am feeling a little nervous.  Lately I have been only throwing up before bed but I still can't shake the feeling that I'm a vomit-ticking-time-bomb.  I am teaching HS English this week and I'm taking with me an arsenal of crackers, plenty of food since its unpredictable what will sound good, and a just-in-case plastic bag.  Haha, I'm sure I'll be fine!  I've just been so spoiled to spend most of the first trimester at home that going out into the real world is a little daunting.
     Today we are 11 weeks pregnant so I should come out of this morning sickness thing this month.  I can't wait to be done with it!!

Transitional Summer

     In the past, summer has meant job hunting.  Being the introspective introvert that I am, I would typically spend the springtime reevaluating my life, decide that my current job was not aligning with my goals, put my two weeks in, and then spend the summer looking for a job.  Granted, sometimes the change in employment was due to a change in school schedule or graduation.
     This summer is different, yet strangely similar.  I tend to put enormous pressure on myself...pressure to achieve, to be my personal best.  The way I have handled jumping into teaching is no different.  I didn't know I wanted to be a teacher.  I wanted to be an actuary..i.e. I wanted to attain the crown jewel, the holy grail of being a math major.  It was the job that said, "Wow you're really smart, you must make a ton of money."  Then I started taking the actuary exams and stressed myself out, studying for them alongside my senior year classes.  And when I stress, I draw inward.  I began talking to Daniel about what our future family life would look like, and through those talks, the teacher image emerged.
     Upon moving here, employment was key, but also getting on the teacher track.  I found both in being employed as a substitute teacher.  Substituting is good for me.  It is more money than I have ever made and the pressure is over when the last bell rings.  But where am I going with this?...oh yeah, this summer.
     I am stressed again, but slowly unwinding myself.  I started WGU April 1st, and since then I have been on the fast track.  It's a "competency-based" program, which lets me go at my own pace, which in my world means hyper-speed.  The average student completes the program in 18 months.  I was determined to complete it in 12 months, the main motive being to start student teaching in Jan. '14, vs. Sept. '14 (I only have those two options each year), so that I could get a teaching contract for the '14-'15 school year.
     This summer, I was planning to complete most of my program.  I have done a whole lot since I started.  In fact, I am on track to graduate in March '14.  But my aggressive plan means studying for 3 major math exams this summer, and this task has left me paralyzed.  I have reached that point of overworking myself, and have spent the last three days watching TLC and reading psychology books.
     So I am rethinking.  A teaching contract is getting less and less attractive at this stage in my life.  I really enjoy substituting, and I especially love the flexibility.  Daniel's career requires mobility at this stage, and I can substitute anywhere.  I'm not giving up on getting my credential, just considering slowing the pace.

Online Personality

What's your online personality?  I just finished my schoolwork this morning (online) and looked across my Bookmark Bar and realized that I spend a lot of time (but also accomplish a lot) online.  Here's a snapshot of my online personality and how I am developing it.

#1. Blogger  - Why not start right where we are?  Femmecheri has become a journaling outlet for me.  I know people outside my family (or even inside) would only find it nominally interesting, but it is cathartic to me to write a new post and to look back on my past posts.

I am also in the works of forming a blog about Substitute Teaching.  I have a lot to say about this subject like advice to new subs, advice to current teachers about how to set a sub up for success and my view that the whole sub system is outdated and cruel.  More on that to come.

#2. Facebook - There were times that I considered leaving fb.  I was getting tired of seeing who shared "yogadork"'s photo, and some people's almost constant status updates were (and are) nauseating.  But then I started to see fb in a different light.  We are lonely these days, lacking community, and fb provides us with a little bit of that.  My new goal when I log on to fb is to say something nice about someone in a comment or like a few pictures.  That's the whole point right?  Why post a picture if you didn't want the world to tell you they approve?  I do it too, and when people like my photos, I feel a sense of comradery (sp?).

#3.  Pinterest - Announcement, if you're following me on Pinterest and you don't want to see a million "how to use legos in a math class" pins (and the like), you might want to unfollow me and choose a few boards of mine to follow instead... because it's about to get real this summer with the math pinning. I love Pinterest, it's like list making on steroids, and you all know how much I love to make lists!  Enough said.

#4.  Twitter - Twitter is an educator's professional development gold mine.  Don't follow me on Twitter for social reasons.  I'm still navigating the waters, but I'm learning a lot from following some really good, experienced educators on Twitter.

So what's your online personality?  What do you use social sites for?  Are you using them in a way that gives back to you or are they sucking up your precious time?

Reflecting on the First Week of Teaching

So far, I LOVE being a teacher.  I love choosing my own clothes for work.  I love getting there early and setting up my room for the day.  There have been times this week when my patience has been tried.  I had to give one girl a referral for saying "Shut up b***" when I asked her to move back to her assigned seat.  I issued a quiz to a class of 30 and got 11 papers back with nothing written but a name at the top.  Who puts there name on an empty quiz?  Do they think I offer participation points?  I don't think so.

My students might not know it, but I am learning every day.  I have learned that one class responds to lecture/note-taking while another responds to a discussion format.  Some classes can handle working quietly on their own while others need constant instruction to keep order in the classroom.  Towards the last 10 minutes of one class, there was a boy in the front row that just couldn't keep his mouth shut while we were trying to work through problems as a class.  I moved him to another desk to keep him from distracting his classmates, but it turned into a game of moving the desk forward every time I looked away.  Of course, the class was in stitches and it was extremely disruptive.  I pulled him aside after class and asked him why he was behaving that way.  He showed me his paper and he had the whole homework assignment finished and every problem was correct.  The lightbulb went off in my head.  He's bored!  I talked to another teacher about this and she suggested that I ask him to be my T.A. and when he's finished he can alphabetize class homework by last name to make it easier for me to grade.  I can also have him and another student that's finished play math board games at the back of the classroom.  SO MUCH TO LEARN!  I get so excited to get back in the classroom and try to be a better teacher each day.

There really isn't any other news.  Since I have to get up at 5am every day, I am so tired by 9pm every night.  My feet get so sore from walking up and down the aisles that I have had to postpone my running goals.  But all in all, I am very, very happy.

Daniel showed me this video that one of his friends posted on facebook.  For some reason, this is one of the funniest videos I have ever seen!  Hope it makes your weekend. :)