Today while talking with Andy we realized that when we stopped counting the weeks, somehow it turned into 5 months. We have been out here almost 5 months! It's already Christmas break. At my school they call the gym, music, art, computer classes "Specials". "We are going to specials", "when you go to specials", etc. At my old school we called it specialists. I started to call it specialists the other day and stopped myself and said "Wait, you guys call it specials, right?" and my teammate looked at me and said "We aren't you guys anymore. You are one of us". Just a few months ago I was 'funemployed' and now I'm part of another team of people that I didn't even know existed before August. Our journey to PA has become our new life and it's amazing how easily we slid into it.
Along the lines of school I think it's time to point out how incredible my new coworkers are. Teammates, coworkers, colleagues, friends. All of those words describe these people that I get to hang out with every day. I look forward to coming to school because I get to see them. We talk work, we talk life, we talk school and we all get along really well. No drama, no gossiping, and no negativity. We all have our good days and our bad days but they come and go and that doesn't affect how we work together. I am lucky enough that my 'team' does not just apply to my grade level, but all the people who work on our 2nd floor 'wing'. I am surrounded be genuinely wonderful people. My job is technically a one year position as the 5th grade class is large and so an extra teacher is needed. The group next year is smaller and it will be back to 3 on the team. There may be an opportunity to stay at this school and I'm not sure what the future is right now, but I am loving my current reality.
We have had some pretty busy weekends again lately, but they have been so much fun. For Thanksgiving we headed back out to the shore to celebrate with our friends, who are our chosen family. We walked the beach with Deb multiple times a day, ate all day until we were sick or went into a food coma (I might have fallen asleep around 8pm one night) and generally did a lot of wonderful nothing. It was in the 60's so we were in t-shirts on the beach and it was spectacular. The following weekend we headed back to MN for a quick weekend to celebrate Christmas with some work friends. We got to hang out with our PA friends who came to MN as well and it was fun to show them around. We also got to meet our new nephew, Brooks! The timing worked out and he was only a few days old when we got to snuggle him. The weekend after that we had my school Christmas party, and then last weekend the PA office Christmas party. It's been fun and busy and entertaining.
One of our relaxing weekend activities was that we went to a place called "Longwood Gardens". I drive by it every day on my way to and from work, and everyone talks about how beautiful it is. There is an outdoor display where you walk through trees and bushes all lit up. Then there is a conservatory that goes on forever. It was incredible. It's a bit hard to describe so all I can say is that I didn't think it would be all that great and I was floored. I took a bunch of pictures and keep going back to look at them because it was just that beautiful. I will add a few pictures, but you might just have to take my word for this one. It was so fun and worth every single penny. I will be getting a yearly membership to this place.
Now Andy is off to MN and I will join him and our family on Christmas Eve. I finally get to spend some quality time with my MN family and friends. When we come back to PA we are thinking we will go to New York for a day to fulfill my wish of seeing the Rockefeller Christmas tree. Then, nothing. We will sit, watch movies, and do nothing. In reality, I'm sure that nothing will turn into plans and going out and being with friends, but that is basically the best kind of nothing. We are surrounded by such great people and I can not believe how lucky I am that this is where our life has taken us.
Coming up: House hunting. We aren't starting to actually, really look, but we actually, really have to start thinking about it. We've been discussing where we think we might want to live and have narrowed it down to about 5 cities and a 30 mile radius. That's not helpful. For sure in the spring we will have to get serious about picking some areas and starting the search. Until then, Zillow and I are spending a lot of time together.
Along the lines of school I think it's time to point out how incredible my new coworkers are. Teammates, coworkers, colleagues, friends. All of those words describe these people that I get to hang out with every day. I look forward to coming to school because I get to see them. We talk work, we talk life, we talk school and we all get along really well. No drama, no gossiping, and no negativity. We all have our good days and our bad days but they come and go and that doesn't affect how we work together. I am lucky enough that my 'team' does not just apply to my grade level, but all the people who work on our 2nd floor 'wing'. I am surrounded be genuinely wonderful people. My job is technically a one year position as the 5th grade class is large and so an extra teacher is needed. The group next year is smaller and it will be back to 3 on the team. There may be an opportunity to stay at this school and I'm not sure what the future is right now, but I am loving my current reality.
We have had some pretty busy weekends again lately, but they have been so much fun. For Thanksgiving we headed back out to the shore to celebrate with our friends, who are our chosen family. We walked the beach with Deb multiple times a day, ate all day until we were sick or went into a food coma (I might have fallen asleep around 8pm one night) and generally did a lot of wonderful nothing. It was in the 60's so we were in t-shirts on the beach and it was spectacular. The following weekend we headed back to MN for a quick weekend to celebrate Christmas with some work friends. We got to hang out with our PA friends who came to MN as well and it was fun to show them around. We also got to meet our new nephew, Brooks! The timing worked out and he was only a few days old when we got to snuggle him. The weekend after that we had my school Christmas party, and then last weekend the PA office Christmas party. It's been fun and busy and entertaining.
One of our relaxing weekend activities was that we went to a place called "Longwood Gardens". I drive by it every day on my way to and from work, and everyone talks about how beautiful it is. There is an outdoor display where you walk through trees and bushes all lit up. Then there is a conservatory that goes on forever. It was incredible. It's a bit hard to describe so all I can say is that I didn't think it would be all that great and I was floored. I took a bunch of pictures and keep going back to look at them because it was just that beautiful. I will add a few pictures, but you might just have to take my word for this one. It was so fun and worth every single penny. I will be getting a yearly membership to this place.
Now Andy is off to MN and I will join him and our family on Christmas Eve. I finally get to spend some quality time with my MN family and friends. When we come back to PA we are thinking we will go to New York for a day to fulfill my wish of seeing the Rockefeller Christmas tree. Then, nothing. We will sit, watch movies, and do nothing. In reality, I'm sure that nothing will turn into plans and going out and being with friends, but that is basically the best kind of nothing. We are surrounded by such great people and I can not believe how lucky I am that this is where our life has taken us.
Coming up: House hunting. We aren't starting to actually, really look, but we actually, really have to start thinking about it. We've been discussing where we think we might want to live and have narrowed it down to about 5 cities and a 30 mile radius. That's not helpful. For sure in the spring we will have to get serious about picking some areas and starting the search. Until then, Zillow and I are spending a lot of time together.
Awesome writing, Miss Diane! Would love to meet those chosen family peeps!! xoxo
ReplyDeleteGreat blog, Diane. Would love to meet your 'chosen family'!! xoxo
ReplyDeleteDad and I are so happy that you have been so blessed. Merry Christmas to you all and looking forward to seeing you soon. lots of love coming your way.
ReplyDelete