My Little Girl

I've been at home sick the past two days due to a 24 hour bug (I'm crossing my fingers that it was just a 24 hour thing... I've never been one to say I can predict the future).  Today was by far the better of the 2 days, offering me time to do some much needed things and some not-that-needed things.  But one thing I feel certain I did get a slight dose of was what it's like to be a stay-at-home-mom (SAHM, what those people refer to it as, I believe).  

No.  I do not have a child.  No.  I am not trying to have a child.  No.  I do not stay at home.

Yea.  I have a sweet puppy.  Yes.  I would like to have kids at some point.  Yes.  If I could, I would love to hold the title of a SAHM.

Today, Huntley, my sweet 6 month old MaltiPoo (half Matisse half Poodle) gave me a glimpse of this lifestyle by:

-Looking at herself in my floor to head mirror, stratching it to see who that was she was looking at.  (Much like a toddler would).  But then went beyond the capabilites of any toddler and climbed behind the mirror where she proceeded to sit and hang out for awhile, perhaps forgetting about the mysterious 'twin' that earlier held her captive.  When she left behind the mirror, this process happened again.  Twice.

**I tried my darnest to capture this on camera.  But alas, I had the wrong setting so the first shots were off focused and the few that I did get didn't do it justice.  And needless to say, I can't even find the cord to my camera to show you the bit that I did capture.  This blog will have pictures one day, promise.  And that is more of a challenge to me than a promise to all you followers... Because there are SO many of you...

-Talking with her mouth full.  Multiple times, just even within the past 10 minutes, she has had her teething bone in her mouth but tried to speak at the same time...  It didn't turn out good for anyone invovled.  Her bark sounded muffled and made me believe she was choking or about to throw up dinner, aka I was convinced I had given her my 24 hour bug.

-Potty Training!  We use the Puppy Pads with her since I can't come home during the day and I live on the 3rd floor currently.  But, recently, we have started putting her on the pad and saying "want a treat?!  Go potty!".  Sometimes it works brittantly.  Sometimes she likes to show me how brillant I am not...  You would think after 30 times of her running to me, jumping on my leg and then shortly peeing after I would catch on and take her to the Pad at first jump.  I've learned that now.  You would also think that I would put 2 and 2 together and know that my girl is kinda high maintenance and doesn't/WILL NOT pee on a Pad that has been used more than 2 times.  I can understand that and appreciate that.  I like her cleanliness and will honor it!  Plus, that girl can pee her some BIG pee spots.  You would wanna give her a new Pad too.  Promise.

-Understanding Mom is sick.  When I throwing up, she was by my side.  Yes, she did jump back each time but that didn't keep her back.  She stayed in bed with me ALL day, even though she had the opportunity to play at any chance; which is never gets to do because every other day the 2 dogs are locked in their perspective corners of the apartment.  She gave me love (stopped when I pushed her off, knowing her limits), cuddle with me like she was getting paid for it and was on her best behavior!  **This mostly happened yesterday when I spent the entirety of the day in my bed, unless I was cradling the great Porcelain god. 

-Loving her in ways I don't normally.  Like allowing her to chew/destroy a pair of my unmentionables she found because she has a weird obsession with it..  I don't put it too far past her though because my room mate's dog does the same thing.  But I usually take them away from her as soon as I see it but today I didn't.  I know she loves it, and it was an old pair I had literally just placed in a donation pile.  (Plus, what her Ditty doesn't know won't hurt her...)

All these things, and many more, made these past 2 days at home relaxing and enjoyable at times when it seemed not possible.  If you asked any of my friends from high school and heck, even college, they would all probably tell you I'd be the absolute last person they'd imagine having a dog... And I'd most likely agree.  But, I have lived with one of my best friends for the past 2 years that has a Maltipoo and its hard to tell if Layla (the dog) fell in love me first or I, her.  It doesn't matter though, it was love and still is the sweetest kind of love!  I got Huntley on Halloween this year as a early birthday present from my boyfriend and Hunt has brought the 2 of us so much joy, happiness, fun and rewards!  Neither one of us are 'dog people' but we are soaking up the endless possibilities of trying to prove we are.  And hey, little girl with the brown nose doesn't know we aren't her kind of people but to her, we are the ONLY kind of people she needs. 

apparently I love making lists.....

Things that have made me smile this week:

1. The girls on the soccer team saying, multiple times mind you, "Peters, you are legit. Why did you ever quit soccer?! Your high school needed you!".
2. A teacher coming into my room to just sit and talk while her class was at lunch.
3. Going on a quick Wal-Mart run with my room mates, and making 'over an hour' the new definition for quick.
4. Running.
5. Tripping 3 times in a row as I walk through the halls of the school, in front of a massive group of students. Each time. (Okay, so that didn't really make me smile, made me very self-conscious actually but I'm smiling now.... )
7. Honesty.
8. My sweet little puppy, Huntley girl, and her precious brown nose.
9. Thinking about my blog and imagining it with SO much more potential... I see pictures in each entry, edited with word art and decorative banners; pictures taken with a Cannon Rebel, and maybe at some point a Cannon 50D. I'll keep smiling about that idea for a LONG while...
10. Love. And how lucky I am to have it in my life in so many forms. And how all I want to do with my life is love.

Ode To March

10 Reasons Why I Am Looking Forward To The Coming Month:

1. A week off of my job, aka Spring Break.
2. Finding reasons to reference Leprechaun, rainbows and pots of gold at any time.
3. A new friend's wedding events!
4. The Bachelor finale.
5. Seeing Peter Pan 360 in Atlanta!
6. Soccer tournaments.....
7. Saving some Day Light Time (Daylight Savings Time)
8. Wearing green on March 17th and making sure everyone who isn't is made aware of that. (Especially thankful I won't be at school that day; the potential for awkward moments is far too high, even for me.)
9. SPRING!
10. Hopefully, maybe, my fingers are crossed for, finding out more stable plans for where I'll be and what I'll be doing next year....

Hope you make you a list too- enjoy the small things today friends

I Gotta Stay Fit

Two freshmen boys just left my room after we briefly discussed how I got shafted with my room, or as some students call it, my office. My room is in the corner of the 3rd floor, right next to the stairwell that is used constantly throughout the day; meaning I hear the opening and slamming of the door so much that I have literally grown immune to the noise. My room is in the shape of a really demented triangle, forming a awkward point in the back corner where virtually nothing can fit (except my bag that contains a change of clothes). My room has no windows and barely has room to fit the 2 tables that it does because its shaped so poorly. But I love my room. I love that it's new (my school is in its first year in this building) and that I am the first person to spend an entire year it in. I love that there is not a single other room like it in the entire building that is occupied by a teacher- the 3rd floor teacher lounge located on the opposite of the lecture hall (which my room is directly across from) is the exact shape as my room. I love that I have made it so 'me' by bringing in pictures of my loved ones, colorful carpets, comfy chairs and the coziness of the room. I love everything about it. And secretly, I think all the students do too.

Anyways, as they brought that up, one said: "Why don't you have a mini-fridge in here?"
Student 2: "Yeah- they are tons of teachers to do."
Me: "Because its not allowed."
Student 1: "Break the rules. I'd totally have a mini in here. Especially with all the other teachers that do!"
Student 2: "Yeah.... But all those teachers are fat. And that's probably why because they be keeping a mini-fridge and microwave up in their room. That's why, yeah."
Student 1: "Oh yeah. Well never mind. I just gotta stay fit. I gotta stay fit. I just do."
Student 2: "Yeah. Stay fit until your married. Then you can get fat. I'm gonna stay fit till I'm married man. Then I'll get anything I want."
Me: "Good to know guys. Good to know."

Times like these are when I am SO glad I am the kind of teachers that students feel comfortable with talking about anything, openingly and freely. I can NOT imagine how bored I would be all day, every day if all I heard about was math. Maybe that means I'm not the 'teacher' I need to be but if thats the case, then I don't even want to be that kind of teacher!

When they left my room, Student 1 looked at me and said, no joke: "I'm gonna leave but trust me, it's gonna hurt me a lot more than it's gonna hurt you. Trust me Ms. Peters."

Like I do most of the time here at my job, I smiled, chuckled to myself and shook my head as I watched them go.

Chew On This!

The head football coach here at the high school I teach at is infamous for many things around this small town. A few things, I will NOT repeat, ever. But the one thing that I am rather fond of is his inspirational pep-talks that he gives during practices, before the Friday night games or at the school-wide pep-rallies. Some of the football players here hang out in my room during different periods of the day, this happened through me knowing volleyball girls that know them- No, I did not just invite high school boys into my room. During those times, in particularly during football season, they would share with me different stories about the Coach. Apparently, one day, I really got a lot of inspiration out of his talk and wrote down different quotes he said on the HUGE notepad that covers my desk.

Now, you are probably thinking, why the heck is she just telling us about this when football season has been over with for MONTHS?! And to that, I would say, my desk consistently has piles of paperwork, math problems and tests all over it. But today, I decided to clean it all off to start on a clean slate Monday. Okay?!

I thought about listing off all the quotes but I will spare you time, as well as myself, and just leave you with this one:


'Sometimes its not good enough to do your best, Sometimes you have to do what's important.'


Have a good weekend, bloggies! I am going to my home church's D-Now to spend my weekend with crazy high school girls and my best friend!!! Hope your weekend is as fun as mine will be!

Oh The Irony

Let me begin by saying this: I am extremely thankful to have a job. Most days are good days here. I love the majority of students I come in contact with. I have met some really great co-workers who have helped me get my feet wet in this profession and some I will keep in contact with for years to come.

I got my degree from the University of Alabama in Special Education (k-12). I got a job in the secondary level because I wanted to coach volleyball, which I do. I should not have, however, put that desire in front of my passion for students who receive Special Ed services. Because, yes, I got my 'dream' job. But am I doing what I studied 4 years of and what I know I am good at? Absolutely not. Am I putting to use any of the strategies, accommodations, lessons or interventions I learned, practiced and studied while I was at school. Not even close.

In High School, I got tutored once a week, every week, for 4 years. For Math and Math alone.

Go ahead and ask me what my title here is. Dare you.


MATH Resource/Inclusion Teacher.

Now, here comes the irony.... Today marks the 3rd attempt of students here starting a 'petition' for Ms. Peters to be their Math teacher. I spent 3 weeks last semester covering a teacher's position in Math, in which the first 2 petitions started. That, I could justify. It was for the 2 Special Ed Math classes and because of my DEGREE, I think I was able to give them a good dose of what it's like to actually learn a subject that is hard. But today, a petition was started for the Algebra II with Trig class.

**** I have NEVER taken Trig before in my life****

Now, these petitions are harmless manners and simply involve students passing around a sheet of paper to get signatures. There has never been any follow up with any administrators or actual fight for cause. And I am 100% fine with that, prefer that actually.

But something about this Math Challenged High Schooler is able to help other Math Challenged High Schoolers and to me that shows that weaknesses can be made strengths when needed. And to me, that is enough irony to last a lifetime.

Firework

Last night 2 of my roommates and I decided that we were going to work out. How we were going to do that, was yet to be determined. So we stood around the apartment for a bit throwing out different ideas of how to obtain our cardio, such as:
-Jumping Rope
-DirectTV Video
-Making our own Jazzercise routine
So, when no clear decision was made we decided on doing 3 minute intervals:
Set 1. Jumping Rope (with an imaginary rope....)
Set 2. Strengthening (lunges around the apartment)
Set 3. Abs circuit
We turned on the radio perfectly timed to a station that basically was in sync with our work out with Katie Perry's new song "Firework". The 3 of us started jumping our ropes at the same time, like we were apart of the Olympic Synchronizing Swimming Team (most likely the USA or Greece). Seeing as this new release has been our current jam since around New Years time, we were totally soaking it up. Our imaginary ropes started to criss-cross and we began to double jump them. And once Katie got to that pivotal part of the song where the music gets slower and she starts telling you to ignite the light, to let it shine and the like...

We became Fireworks.

We started running around the apartment acting a fool. Literally looking like chicken's with our heads cut off. I look to my right and see RC walking across the bench that sits at her kitchen table and running into a forwards roll, to my left I see NB running around alternating kicks and punches and then focus back on me and my self proclaimed full body firework explosion.

Our 3 minute timer ends before the song but that barely stops us. All 3 of us are out of breath, gasping for air in between laughs and each of us trying desperately to give a short synopsis of what we just saw from the others. At one point, we all agreed that none of our heart rates had been that high in probably 3 years.

Then we continued with Set 2. Forward and backward lunges were done from the door to the kitchen, weights were squatted and arms were toned. For 3 minutes we were in the zone.
Set 3 left us exhausted, fighting for motivation to repeat the series. And that motivation came from the decision for us to select the jam for Set 1, round 2. The final cut was 'Tonight's Gonna Be A Good Night' by the Black Eyed Peas (our traditional jam for our senior year).

All 3 of us are sore today, sadly. Its hard to imagine that did it for us. But you gotta do what works, right? And if its fun, even better! Working out has to be made enjoyable some how- and if it can be done in an easy, convenient and exciting way; we are going to jump on board without a doubt!

Cause Baby We're a Firework!!!!