the good stuff.

It feels good.

It feels good to have a clean house, thanks to my hero, whom I also call Mom.  I would fall apart if it weren't for her.

It feels good to have had a Friday night last week without a basketball game, so Tom and I could attend a fabulous Christmas party and just relax for the evening.

It feels good to have sore abs and an aching face from laughing so hard at said Christmas party.

It feels good to know that my happy little boy was taken care of while we were away, and not having a single worry about him.  Again--I love my mother.

It feels good to have another grad class done and checked off the list...I will now be endorsed to teach TAG.  How crazy is that?  "Here is our music teacher, and oh yeah--she also can teach TAG if we need her to."  It's laughable, right?  But it is also totally me.  I'm thrilled to carry this "ability" and add it to my credentials.  Gifted learning is so, so often overlooked which is a huge problem.  I am passionate about these talented learners who are, in my opinion, just as entitled to extra time, effort and funding as our special needs kiddos.  They are the ones who have the skills and capabilities to do amazing things in the future...so why are districts shoving TAG programs to the side and focusing so hard on at-risk learners that the gifted ones get forgotten altogether?

Geez...sorry.  Sometimes I create soapboxes without trying sometimes.  And, I realize that I might be controversial.  Moving on.

It feels good to have hosted our first formal dinner party last night with some wonderful people.  We had Italian Night, complete with ingredients that made the trip from Italy with John and Donna (pasta, wine, even olive oil!), gourmet cheese, an AMAZING tiramisu, Prosecco, bruschetta, opera music, and gelato.  Our next dinners will be German (YAY!), then fondue, then Greek (COLOR ME EXCITED!  OH MY GOSH!  I ADORE GREEK FOOD!).  Food, friends, and laughter are my favorite things.  The world needs more relaxed, strung-out meals where guests stay for hours and just enjoy the food and each other.  If you're ever stressed out, please call me and say "let's make dinner."  :)

It feels good to know that we have 8 days of school left before a two-week break.  Ha.le.lu.jah.  You know me -- I love my job.  But if it weren't for our guaranteed breaks, I'd be a crazy person.

It feels good to have my house decorated for Christmas.  The past two years in our shoebox house, we didn't have room to decorate, so we didn't.  No tree, no garlands, nothing.  Tom hung exterior lights but that was all.  This year we've got the tree.  We've got garlands.  We've got wreaths.  We've got sparkly things.  I love it!  I'm realizing quickly how expensive decorating is...so I'm taking it one room at a time.  How fun will it be to pack it away, knowing next year I'll be able to drag it all out again?!  I'm feeling very, very blessed with this gorgeous space.

It feels good to have the Gents back in the rehearsal room upstairs, gear out and tunes flying.  We have a gig on the 20th and it feels like it's still so far away, but it'll be here before we know it.  I sent them a text a few days ago that said "let's practice soon, because I miss my sanity."  :)  There is a part of me that can only be calmed down with music-making.

See?  This is serenity.  Even my arm hair is glowing because I'm so happy.

*Gig is at Mason City Brewing, from 8-11 pm.*

Lastly:  it feels good to sit here and write.  In my perfect world, the day would have more hours so I could do this more.

Goodnight, my dears!
Betsy