Well, I successfully completed 2 weeks of student teaching and I am still alive and well. I have really begun to feel comfortable at Brenham Junior High, which is something because there was a time in my life, and not too long ago mind you, that I didn't feel comfortable anywhere. I really like my students, my teacher has let me teach quite a bit so far, and the other teachers have welcomed me nicely. I've caught myself wishing that I didn't have to move up to the high school in October. I would have never expected to like junior high so much! That just goes to show that you never know until you try something whether you'll like it or not!

As much as I like going to school, I am so glad for this three day weekend. My house needs some serious attention. Yesterday I planned to get started but we all know about best laid plans. Pretty much all I got done was my classwork for my PE class. Oh boy, let me tell you about that.

Last weekend Steven and I went to Houston to celebrate our 3 year anniversary. Ok, we went to celebrate and so that I could go to the orientation of my online PE course (i know...PE online, I'm ashamed) which was at the Lone Star College campus in North Harris Co. I think the school used to be called North Harris Comm. College. Anyway, the last credit I need before I graduate excepting my student teaching is PE. Let me explain... I tried to take the class at SHSU some years ago but it was an 8:00 AM class, I had another class at 9:00 across campus and it was taught by a guy who had bricks for brains. All he could talk about the first day was how "ripped" his muscles were and his football stats. I already had an aversion to PE because of traumatic junior high days and this guy was dumb. So I dropped the course. And every semester following, classes that were way more important conflicted and honestly, I do not understand going to a class so worthless three times a week for one hour of credit. I have had to work my way through college and my time is valuable. Last Spring I tried to take PE online through Lone Star but we couldn't afford the class at the time. So here I am, at the end of my college career, needing a PE credit.

So I enrolled in this online class and found out you have to go three times in the semester, one orientation day, one pre-fitness test, and the real fitness test. Ok, I had heard about the fitness exams at SHSU. You walk or run a mile, just however long it takes you, as long as you do it, you are ok. WELL -- Lone Star takes the same class, for the same credit, MUCH more seriously. Boo.... By December I have to walk 3 miles in 36 MINUTES. Um...excuse me? Coach Bricks-for-Brains was looking pretty good when I heard about that. This is how I look at it:

1/3 of me wants to complain and moan about how unfair it is that this class which is supposed to be the same credit is so much harder. Lone Star and SHSU work together on this. They are partners. Why then are the classes so different! It isn't fair!

Another 1/3 says - this is what you get for waiting so long and now you have no other option so suck it up.

And the last 1/3 says, hey, this is a good opportunity to get yourself together and start a real exercise routine. I have been so busy and am so tired when I get home from school that I just crash. But my hours are never going to get any better. I am now working the hours I will work as a teacher. So being forced to work towards this crazy goal of 3 miles in 36 mins, can be a good thing. I had to do an initial health profile that included my weight (yuck) and I found out that I had lost 10 lbs in three weeks before even starting the exercise. So that was also an encouragement. I just really hate working out. I am not athletic, I am not coordinated, and I always feel out of place. But we have a nice walking trail around our apartment complex that I walked this week and it wasn't too bad. I turned on the Beatles on my MP3 and started walking. I'll try to update about how I'm doing. So far I am only walking 1/2 a mile in 20 mins. I have a long way to go.

So since I had to go to that awful class last weekend in Houston, Steven and I used the opportunity to celebrate our anniversary. Some of our family had suggested using Priceline - Name your own Price and I am so glad we did. We stayed at the Intercontinental Hotel for less than we would have paid to stay at a LaQuinta or another regular hotel. It was so nice!!! We went to the Downtown Aquarium on Saturday after my class and had a fancy dinner to celebrate and then went to the Houston Museum of Natural Science the next day. Since Steven had never been to the museum and I hadn't been since I was a kid, we skipped the special exhibits and just saw the main hall. I'm really glad we did that because the special exhibit was the Terracotta Warriors of China, which I am definitely interested in but it cost $30 a person to get in! Just to that one exhibit!!!! So we opted for the main hall, the planetarium, and the IMAX. I was looking forward to seeing the IMAX because we chose to see "Under the Sea." It was a really awesome film but I was a bit disappointed. I understand that we need to treat the earth with respect and not pollute the ocean. But I really just wanted to see some cool marine life. Instead the last half of the film we were preached to about how the evils of men have ruined the oceans. I get it, we ruin everything. I've switched from bottled water to a tap filter. I turn off my lights when I leave the room. Could I please just enjoy these beautiful ocean creatures?! Does HALF of the film need to be about pollution? The film was called "Under the Sea" not "The Sea which is Disappearing Because YOU are Polluting It." I find it very ironic that they would show that film and then you walk 20 feet to the oil and natural gas exhibit where they talk about how beneficial Houston's oil production is to the world. Ok...end of rant. You get the idea.

Overall we enjoyed our trip so much. We hadn't been away by ourselves since our honeymoon to Kemah three years ago! Every time we've been anywhere it was to visit family so this was really a great things for us. It was a good refresher and great to be away from the daily grind. I am so thankful for my wonderful husband. He has changed my life in so many ways.

In other news, (my, this post is long - I should probably post more frequently), Mema is not doing so well. She has been in and out of the hospital quite a bit and cannot walk without someone being there to help her - even with her walker. She is really weak. Her dementia is much worse and her eyesight and hearing are not great either. But she still remembers when it is time for medicine or coffee without fail!

Daddy had another MRI a few weeks ago because he has had some new pain in his neck and arms recently. He went to see the neurologist and unfortunately there is nothing that can be done. The damage to his spinal cord is too extensive. The new MRI shows that at one point in his neck, the cord is severed over halfway through from the front, back, and one side. The doctor has recommended a power chair for him because any more surgery they may do would not be helpful. When I talked to him this week he was in good spirits which is a blessing. He has come a long way in a short period of time.

I guess I'll end this incredibly long post. I love to blog and I probably should more often. A writer must write, or at least that's what I've been told. :o)

Everyone have a good Labor Day! I'll be cleaning because my mom always told us Labor Day was for laboring. Her dad always told her that so I guess I'll keep up the tradition despite its historical inaccuracies!