Life is Busy...Back on the Wagon!

Can you believe that it's been over a year since I have posted on my blog?! I sure can't! But I know my dear friend, Lynn Hart can believe it! She's been stalking the blog faithfully all year just to see if something has been posted! So in Lynn's honor, I am getting back on the bandwagon!

So much has happened in the year that's gone by...

My allergies have increased and required a special trip to an allergist who didn't know that cattle was plural for cow or other members of the bovine family. I found out that I am 100 times more sensitive to rabbits than the average person, hence my throat swelling shut when I went to teach the kids all about cleaning cages to my standards. YIKES! Now I have an epi-pen and an inhaler.

Abby started (and is now almost done with) 4K and loves school like no one else! She gets mad on Fridays when there is no school.

The new high school is open and everyday I pull into the parking lot, open the door and just say thanks for being able to teach in a top notch facility with a great admin and staff.

Animals have lived with us in school - Buttercup the beef calf, sheep, horses, rabbits (even baby bunnies were born this spring), ferrets, bearded dragons, guinea pigs. We've even partnered with our local Farm and Home store to help rescue animals that need new homes - like a 7" Fun Fest fish and a guinea pig who had been abandoned at their store.

I started farming crickets to be able to feed the two bearded dragons and worms for a vermicomposting project in order to be more green. (Dad will be so proud to find that out!)

I have been working hard to overcome the first year teacher life again as the facility has grown and so has the workload, coupled with all the technology that I have figured out and still need to work on. Thank goodness that Dean and Abby are relatively okay with my long hours. They don't hesitate to call me at school to let me know that supper is ready and they think I should come home.

I have traveled near and far with family and friends - doing our tradition family get togethers over the holidays and a trip to Vegas with my aggie peeps for the NAAE Convention back in November. I presented with some colleagues at the conference all about our state's New Teacher Program. We were well received and I believe many states will follow in our footsteps in creating or supplementing their programs with our ideas. :)

Abby and I have grown closer with her ever increasing need to be a fashion diva and wear jewelry and fun dresses. We relish our Mommy-Abby days together. It's so fun to watch her process things. I am continually amazed each day as she knows things that I am not quite sure how she knows. Of course we still butt heads sometimes, but I fear that's because we're quite alike. ;)

Dean has been busy with the spring flood and the Fountain City house. He was proud to pay that baby off and now has new renters moving in May 1st. His parents were gracious enough to live in the house through what was going to be the roughest time for the flood. It turned out not to be as bad as everyone thought, so we are grateful for that. Dean's also made some vast improvements to the little house, so we are excited about that too - new linoleum, tuckpointing the roof, building a deck, etc.

I am still enjoying scrapbooking and stamping in my free time and have lots of artwork to show you! I started taking pictures of the artwork after I started this blog, so there is plenty to see in the coming weeks.

We have lost some loved ones in the last year, most notably a dear community member whose funeral is today. I have been in a reflective mood the last week as I have been reminded that life is short and we can't take for granted the gifts we are given each day.

I am one week into a new diet as well. Reflecting on life being too short, I am long overdue to begin making healthier choices for myself and my family. The Game On diet, a competitive venture with colleagues, is what is presently motivating me. I am down 5.5 pounds in a week and can't wait to see what the next 3 weeks bring.

Finally, in recent months I have become more of a political activist than I ever thought I would be. If you've been keeping up on Wisconsin news since the beginning of the year, you know all about my pal, Scotty Walker. As a result of his decisions, I have been laid off (along with all 203 of the teachers in NR) and have recently survived the first round of permanent lay-offs as our school works to cut around $1.5 million. As of April 15th, I am still laid off of FFA Advisor and summer positions, but the principal feels as if those things will continue. This means that as of July 1st, those things would fade from my life and that would be a sad, sad day for me. I don't want to change professions. I love what I do! Teaching the students, parents and community about the value of agriculture has been my goal since 7th grade. It stinks that one man's decision, could take that all away from me. So I have been part of history as we worked to recall Senator Harsdorf, held public marches in support of public workers and had Dean and Abby alongside me all the way. I am proud of what we've accomplished so far...but there is more work to be done.

So much for a quick update...thanks for reading these reflections! I am back! And Lynn Hart, thanks for the extra push I needed to begin refecting here again. I appreciate you and all those who care about Rachel's Reflections!

Enjoy your day,
Rachel