Change is a good thing

First change in the Lionhead den: WE'RE MOVING!!!! Mason's babysitter's husband works with a guy (who also goes to our church) who was selling his house. I guess it's been on the market for 6 months, and he hasn't had any luck with it. So, he decided to put it up for rent. We got word of it, and went to check it out on Sunday. We pretty much fell in love with it right away. It's twice as big as our current place, it has a dishwasher (which I have been without for 2 years now!!), 3 bedrooms, a fenced (actually cement wall) yard, fireplace, security system, vertical blinds, a 2-car garage, porch swing, big storage, and it is squeaky clean for being 12 years old. It's sooo nice. At first, we weren't real sure about it, because it'll be about $300 more a month in rent. And although we're both about to start making more, it's still a little scary to jump into something like that. Plus, we've been in the same place for 2 years. Change scares me. A lot. But we prayed (a lot) and left it up to God. And you guessed it, we told the owner of the house yesterday that we'll take it. We move in on August 26!! Yes, that's a month away. And yes, school's starting in a week. But oh well. We are moving, and we are so excited about it!! We will be sure to give everyone we know our new address soon. And oh yeah, we're having a luau, when we're all moved in, and we want EVERYONE (well, everyone we actually know) to come!! It'll probably be in October or something. Yes, we know most people have luau's in the spring or summer, but too bad!! We're having a housewarming party, and it's gonna be a luau, and it's gonna be in the fall!! Anyone have a problem with that? No? Good!!

And the other change is the upcoming already known change: school starts in a week!! I had my first training today, on some 6 + 1 Trait Writing. I've already been trained and have been implementing the traits in my classrooms in the past, but you never stop learning. And I got to meet some fellow Language Arts teachers and get chummy with my principal. And they gave us breakfast and lunch! And we got paid! And we got training hours!! Can't beat that! Afterwards, I worked in my room for a couple of hours. I'm pretty much done, except for stacks of textbooks that I'm unsure what to do with, and a few odds and ends. Tomorrow we're continuing some more training. And then next week is filled with inservices, I'm sure. Monday I know is a new staff training at the district level. It's all day at the high school, listening to people from the board and district and blah blah blah and filling out paperwork. Fun. I just can't believe before I know it, the school year will be starting. But after all the trainings, I'm sure I'll be hyped up and ready to go. Today I learned a fellow 8th grade Language Arts teachers shows "Napoleon Dynamite" in her class, and discusses character and they do a writing activity on it. That's awesome!! Now, if only I could find a way to use "Billy Madison" or "Son-in-Law" in my class!!!

Oh yeah, and camp was over for me yesterday. It was bittersweet. Some kids I will for sure miss, because I never stopped laughing. Others, (like The Man and Angry Carrot), I am not too heartbroken about. I was sad to say goodbye to Sunshine (my fellow counselor), but I'm sure we'll see each other again, because Old Navy just opened, and we're both big fans!

It's weird that summer's over. It's gone by in the blink of an eye. I guess that's what happens when you leave one job and go to the next twice in 3 months.