Vacation

I am officially on vacation. It feels great! It honestly couldn't have come at a better time. I have a bit more school work to do, but mostly I'm looking forward to the next two weeks.

Today our first day of vacation greeted us with a solid blanket of snow. It was a nice surprise, and even now as I sit here typing on my laptop with the fire roaring in the fireplace, it feels a bit more like Christmas. I guess maybe it is because I grew up in the Midwest, but for some reason I always think it seems more like Christmas when there is a nice layer of snow on the ground. Of course, the gorgeous snow is already melting as the rain now seems to be pouring down, but it was lovely nonetheless. We met with our friends, Chris and Seren, for breakfast to make plans for the cruise and it was wonderful to sit in the cozy warmth of White Spot eating a yummy breakfast while watching the snow drift to the ground outside the windows.

Speaking of the cruise, by this time next week we will be in Ft. Lauderdale! That seems a bit crazy to me, as the whole idea that we are going on a Caribbean cruise still seems a bit surreal. I think the insanity of the past month has prevented the four of us from truly thinking about it and today as we sat at that table and discussed it and looked over options for the in port activities I began to feel the seeds of excitement growing within me. It's a new adventure for us. We have never done a big vacation like this with friends, but for some reason I'm not really nervous about that aspect of it. We had to laugh. We all realized that we tend to be more laid back and easily agreeable to whatever everyone else wants to do. We have visions of waking up on the mornings we are in port and saying, "What do you want to do?" and having no one come up with a valid option and wasting the day away. We know that won't happen, but it's nice to know that we will be able to be relaxed and look at options and not have the schedule be dictated by one person. I simply can't believe that in a week I will almost be on a huge cruise ship heading out into crystal clear blue waters! YAY! I'm so excited!

The course work is coming along. I need to do a few assignments over the next week, which may be tough as once I get into vacation mode I tend to want to lie around and read or sleep. I think I'm going to have to set aside specific time to do what needs to be done, and probably leave the house to do it. I need to get two more assignments done before we leave next Friday. I can do that, right???

It's only 6 more days until my birthday. I'm turning 28. Twenty-eight on the 28th. I'm not sure why, but for some reason I'm having a bit of a tough time with the whole idea of being 28! Maybe it's because I know my ten year reunion is this year and for some reason it just makes me feel old. Maybe it's because I'm no longer the youngest teacher at my school-a post that I held for quite some time. Maybe it's the fact that I now have students talking about things that I have absolutely no clue what they are. Or maybe it's the fact that I have come to accept the reality that I simply cannot stay up nearly as late as I used to, but for some reason I'm feeling old! I know that some of you will laugh and say that I have no idea what old really is, but it's true...I'm feeling it! I am thankful that I have such a great birthday present this year, as it is taking away some of that "old" feeling. We are still young! We are still hip! I am just being ridiculous. I don't know...I think part of it has been being in touch with some of my classmates from high school. Many of them have multiple children and seem so settled. Sometimes it feels like Kev and I are still taking things in such a day by day manner. I think most of the time that I absolutely love that, and wouldn't want it any other way, but sometimes I think my mind plays tricks on me. Ah well...it really doesn't matter! I have a feeling that I will wake up on the morning of the 28th and all of this will not matter, as I look forward to the adventure before us and getting on to that plane and heading off to SUN!

Christmas is coming! It's just a few days away. For some reason this year it seems like Christmas is a bit of a side event. Maybe because all of my focus has been on making it through these last weeks of school or the cruise. I think when the actual day comes I will be happy to spend it hanging out with the family. My perfect Christmas is just a relaxing day spent at home. Hopefully there won't be too much fuss and we are definitely looking forward to seeing Kevin's brother, Scott, who will be home for a few days.

So far my vacation is going well! Hopefully the next few days shape up to be all that I want them to be!