the boys went to the casino, i drove. reminded that without God, i suck. thank you.

before school started, sunday night, i was restless and bored. the boys knew it, so they asked if i'd take them for a drive. and so i did! i'll often just take off up the toll road, but this time, i decided that there was really no reason to limit myself and pay for it! so we headed up 35. i wasn't really keeping track of where exactly we were at what time-and i don't think i realized that the oklahoma border was really as close as it was. when the music is good, these things don't even matter. before we knew it, we were at the casino...at that point, i really should've called bmayes and had her meet us in ardmore for a late ihop date--who says you can't act like a college student, years removed? i mean, she is still actively participating in all things college, while playing sorority games, so she could handle it and is probably used to it!

we weren't too far from italy and new york...? the boys didn't understand why they couldn't go in, as they really felt they were prepared for a little black jack after watching my dad play solitaire...i guess to dogs, cards are cards...

school started back up on monday, and i was certainly ready. not so much ready to work, but ready to be around people so that i could appreciate coming home to be alone. does that make sense? tonight i was reminded that i really do like being around people, but really i don't like just being around any-ol'-people, i mostly like to be around certain types of people-people who share the same values...not that i don't like people who don't share the same values and that i won't hang out with them, but the people who actually do energize me, my inner circle (which is small) are those who have a very similar set of beliefs. don't judge.

something else that was brought to my attention tonight was something that i really don't think of very often as often as i should. i think a lot of it is in the messaging, and it was good to humble myself within the message. i am going to agree with one of my friends- there is nothing about me that would be nice, were it not for God. my words, my actions, if it weren't for God, i don't think i'd be a happy person. life is full of too many disappointments to be truly peaceful and joyful without God. i'm so thankful i got to hear that tonight, because sometimes i put more stock in myself and forget that really, me without God = hot mess. thank you.

yesterday was day two of pd with no students, and i was supposed to present for writing, but we ended up with one group. nafia, a teacher and dear friend from my school had also been asked to present. now, i LOVE presenting and doing these trainings, in part, because i am a performer-i remember after a piano recital in 9th grade, my piano teacher approached me and didn't comment on my tantalizing agility and the dexterity of my phalanges...nope, she approached me and said, "julie, a parent came up and said you'd be a great actress with that type of presence." umm..thank you? i wasn't even sure what to say, so i just pretended it was a good thing...but i digress. i do so enjoy being in front of people, but this was an opportunity to let one of my teachers shine and take the lead in a subject area that she truly loves. i was proud to see her flow through it, and there were moments that i was able to help out with certain areas that she was not as familiar with-it was fun, and hopefully we will get more opportunities to present together in the future.

then i ran last night a little over a mile (gotta' keep working on this so that i can be ready for the firefly fun race in march!) but then i continued to walk the three more miles home, and i tried to run again, but my knee said no, so i walked until i was about 3/4 mile from home and i said, "knee, you don't have a choice, let's go!" and so we went, and today i am feeling every single year of my age! yikes. so today is an off day, and i am hoping that tomorrow brings rain so i can blame the rain for an off day..just sayin'.

seriously though, if i hadn't stopped, i could've kept going; my body was able, my mind is weak. but once i stopped, i was going to switch to interval running the rest of the way, but for real, the knee...i must take aleve before my next outing-i'm sure that will help. also i now know that i need to just keep going until i really cannot, otherwise i won't be able to just pick up again so quickly (hopefully it was just a weird night).

the kids came back today, so there was noise. the down side- i cannot jog down the hallway to my room to get what i need, as i have to be a model of all things elementary-school-appropriate. sigh. so fast walk it is.

and...i may or may not have made a purchase that i am super excited about! thank you bmayes! my keurig is great, although recently, i'll have to agree with b, it seems that my coffee has been a bit watered down. so i am really excited about my soon to be new aeropress because in the words of b: ALL THE HIPSTER COFFEE SNOBS SAY AMAZING THINGS ABOUT IT SO IT SEEMS LEGIT. that sold me. see video here. i am like a kid waiting for Christmas...only not really at all. i'm like an adult waiting for a better coffee. much better!

goodnight!
julie