my forgotten smile...and a WHOLE lot of stressors

“You haven't lost your smile at all, it's right under your nose. You just forgot it was there.”

So...I survived this week.
Most of you probably aren't surprised...I actually kinda am.
'Cause I not only survived going another week without him...but I am actually feeling really good.
Again... most of you probably aren't surprised.

It takes a LOT to take me down and keep me there.
...and trust me, I was there.

But I am on the mend...Thanks to a LOT of kind words and gestures by friends (old and new).

My ex-husband (strangely enough) even had some heart-felt words to share with me. (Just FYI, when he reads this... he will be doing some sort of little happy dance that I mentioned him on here...and yes, I think it is just as weird, as you do, that he follows my blog.)

Not only was this week hard because I was mending a broken heart, but because I had Parent/Teacher Conferences this week.

For all of you out there that think that we, teachers, love this time of year. BOY are you wrong!

I had to tell a set of parents today that I think that their daughter needs to be retained. I have taught 9 years and this is the first, dead-set, without question, needs-to-happen retention I have had to say. Needless to say, it was not easy on the parents...but it wasn't easy on me either.
A week ago, I'm not sure I would have been mentally strong enough to press on and show them exactly why retention would be the best thing. But God gave me the foresight to know to hold the meeting without the principal, the counselor, and the Title I teacher all present. (which they normally are, when retention is considered) These parents said that they didn't feel like they were being bombarded like they had in the past when retention was mentioned. They also were appreciative that I let their daughter have a voice in the decision... she said she did want to be retained. Overall, for as stressful as it was, it went very well.

I also found out this week that my car needs about $500 worth of work done to it. So now I am faced with the decision of whether or not to spend it on my 12 year old car or start looking for a new one... This is a day I had hoped wouldn't come for at least a little while longer. Thankfully a friend's husband has agreed to change my brakes so that I can drive it a bit longer and I won't die in the process.

Today I took Colby to the Ear, Nose, and Throat Specialist today. The doc said that his tonsils need to come out. He said that it could wait until summer though, which is good since I don't want Colby to miss any more school than he already has...and I don't want to miss any more school either. Plus, it will be SOOOO much better to have to eat all of that ice cream in July, right??

I think I may have re-found my smile...it will promptly be placed back where it belongs. I'm headed into a week of Spring Break, relaxation, and my favorite holiday where everyone in the world wears green for a day.

"Happiness is not the absence of problems, but the ability to deal with them."