back to work

It felt good to be at work today, like life is off hold and things can get going again. We started the second unit in Contemporary Studies (even though they still haven't had their culminating performance for the first unit--the film festival--which won't happen until February 21st) and the energy was totally in that place where things are when you begin something. They were all buzzy and active, doing their pre-research in the library and grappeling with the new ideas. I was asked by at least a dozen of them something to the effect of "but what REALLY is U.S. Foriegn Policy?" or "This is a topic I'm interested in (global climate change, AIDS, hunger, etc.) how do I find out what Foriegn Policy the U.S. has about that?" And it is funny because even as they are asking me it is clear that they know that I won't give them all of the answers, that the point is that they need to construct their understanding on their own and let their questions guide their research.

And so we move forward.

Oh, I did something I am proud of today. When I sat down during my planning period my head was swimming with the million and one things (so it seems) that I need to do. And regarding Contemporary Studies there is still a lot to do. I still have the film festival on my plate and there are many details to see to with the current unit--lesson planning, support documents, coordinating and prepping for the culminating performance...a lot. And then there is the internship component of the Senior Culminating Project to plan for and coordinate. So I decided to ask Angie to take responsibility for contacting the internship placements. She seemed like she was containing her disappointment that I had asked her when she said OK. But I need to ask other people for help, and this was a huge step for me in this direction. We will have the first two periods on the 31st to do some more planning together, so that is nice.

Enough about work (I could go on and on...and that is pretty sad).

Yesterday when I was walking to my car after my appointment with Dirk, Erin was walking across the street toward me. It was so good to see her. We talked for a bit and decided to get together on Saturday morning to go for a run. I really am glad that we ran into each other because I have been meaning to call her but haven't. I wonder what running will feel like, since the last time I went for a run was??? I suppose I could figure it out if I wanted to, but I'm pretty sure it has been almost three weeks. So we'll see how it goes.

Today I used one of the OPKs, my first one. I am on cd 9, so I guess I jumped the gun a bit (I think they say to start OPKs on cd 10 and then continue until there is a definate surge). My body definately feels like things are "working" in there. Maybe that is wierd to say. And maybe it is because I am paying attention to every little twinge and whatnot. Oh well. I told Mr. C on the phone when I was driving home that I had to pee really bad (he had asked me to stop off at the store to get something for him) and that I had to hold it so long because of the OPK (they recommend "holding it" for 4 hours and taking the test during the day rather than in the morning). So he once again reinforced to me his perspective on the whole TTC issue. He doesn't think it really matters when I ovulate, just have sex at least every other day and we should be fine. Which is basically the SME plan anyway, only without the three days in a row when you know you are about to ovulate. But even the SME plan says that if you fail to detect a surge then you should continue with the every other day thing until day 35, when you should take a HPT. But I got the darn OPKs and I am going to use them.

I've shared my "news" about the peri and plans to TTC soon with three people at work--Angie, Travis, and Katie. Angie and I have become very close, and I tell her everything. Katie was pregnant with her second child last year. Her office was at the entrance to my classroom, so I saw her every day. Her baby girl was due in February, so she had left for maternity leave right before I went into labor with William. She is very special to me, just a gem of a person. That is a term that I never use, but it so fits Katie. She is just cool in every way. And Travis, well he walked with me through every step of my pregnancy. Since he and I were teaching partners and co-Teacher Leaders, we were pretty much together all of the time at work. He is so dear to me and he is supportive and protective of me. So it is helpful for me to share what I am going through with these people.

According to Travis, the Farmer's Almanac says that we have more snow coming. I think I'll check into that. He said that it was right about everything that has happened so far this year and that it is extremely accurate on the whole. He cracks me up some times with how earnest he is about such things.