Sprinklings of Gratitude

I'm finally seeing the light of the end of the tunnel. My class is having their big performance for the school tomorrow morning and the dress rehearsal went swimmingly (aside from having to admonish one student who complained that he didn't want his role in the play -- tough luck buddy, I wanted to be a seven foot tall astronaut when I was eleven years old but I got over it). I'm 60% done my last assignment for this part of my online course, but it's just citing articles that I've read (easy peasy for a veteran student!). I also decided that I wasn't going to a planning meeting at church tonight because I really didn't want to sit in a room full of old people mulling over little details. Someone will send me an e-mail with what I have to do, I'm not worried. 

I'm finally listening to my own advice! Woohoo!

I was a little tense this morning because it was "grade placement day." I tried, for a second year in a row, to get the library position at my school (my current librarian sucks ass, doesn't do her job and is all around a bad teacher). I decided that I was going to stop complaining and get my qualifications so I could be an positive agent of change. I'm such an idealist, I know. Unfortunately, despite my principal trying to juggle teaching assignments and numbers (our school is shrinking fast and we're going to lose at least one teacher for next year), she just couldn't swing it. 

My principal and I have butted heads in the past, but after telling her about our struggles to get pregnant she's become quite an ally. She didn't give me a hard time in the fall for taking mornings and afternoons off to go to the evil fertility clinic and she pretty much lets me do what I want with my class -- which is definitely not the case with the other teachers on staff, so I know that I'm lucky.

So this morning during my prep time I was in the computer lab trying to make up a test when the lone male teacher on staff asked to speak to me in the hall. He already had his meeting with the principal regarding his placement and he wanted to discuss it with me. C and I have a great relationship. He was my neighbour up until the end of last year and he was a great support for me when I started out. I pestered him for years that I thought that we would be great team teachers. He's a little off the wall, a great disciplinarian (read: he yells really loud and is scary) and he's also a veteran with more than 25 years under his belt. So when our principal told him that he couldn't have the position that he requested he told her that he would consider staying on for another year (he's eligible for retirement in June) if he got to work with me. And she said yes! 

Although I love my current partner (who is off on maternity leave), I cannot wait to work with C. I also cannot believe that he chose being my partner over retirement! After all of my hard work on the school-wide retreat and my presentation tomorrow, the news almost brought tears to my eyes. I know that I'm liked, but to know that someone with so much tenure and experience regards me with so much respect really touches me. 

I've also found a few things to get my mojo back: 

1. Since getting Leonard Cohen tickets on Saturday, I've rediscovered his music. He's great to listen to while writing boring old assignments and he's just so darn cool! 

2. I wore my bright red winter jacket to school today. It was so gloomy, but just putting it on made me feel like a million bucks.

3. Lent is almost over and I can go to Starbucks again. Woohoo!

4. March Madness is starting tomorrow night. My boys from Duke are playing a team that sucks, so it should be a stress-free sports night.  

5. Lastly, when we left for work this morning it smelled like spring. And that in itself brings me enough hope to get through anything. 

I'm feeling a change in the universe. I can't quite put my finger on it, but it definitely feels like something good. 

P.S. When I was in the bathroom checking on my CM this morning it looked like there was a happy face in my underpants. Never in my life have I seen that before!