Give me a D-O-N-E!

What does that spell? Done! What am I talking about? Class! That's right, tonight I finished my last class for my admin certification. I'm so glad to be done studying, writing papers, and paying tuition! I'm not sure if (well, when, I guess) there will be more school in my future, but for now I'm going to enjoy life without it. Woo-hoo!

Thanks, Mom!

Moms always seem to know when you need them. A week ago, my mom and I were talking and she decided to book a last minute flight to come spend the weekend with me. I hadn't seen her since January, which is way too long, and with so much happening in our lives, we needed to spend some time together. My mom got to town Friday morning, and we spent the weekend relaxing, watching movies, sitting by the pool, and catching up. She headed back to MN this afternoon ... it was a quick trip, but a much-needed one. Sometimes only a mom can make things right, and I'm so glad mine was here to do just that this weekend. Thanks, Mom!

**Side note: I have had many requests for baby news. While I remember writing a while back that baby news would be the primary purpose of this blog, we've been in the midst of a "baby news scare" of sorts. Please don't panic or worry ... I think everything is going to be perfectly fine. However, I wanted to let you know that while I've been avoiding baby updates and belly shots on purpose, I do not intend to continue doing so for long. I'm a little over 16 weeks now, and feeling great. More soon!

Wish Me Luck!

Tomorrow morning I take my admin certification test. This is the assessment that tests everything I've learned in my classes, and determines (based on my score) whether or not the state will grant me certification ... yikes! If I don't pass this time, I can always take it again, but I'm not even considering that an option. A passing score is 240 on a 300 point scale, which is the equivalent of an 80. It doesn't leave a ton of wiggle room, but I'm not going for any records, either. I'll gladly take a 240 with a smile. I'm nervous, and more than ready to have it out of the way. After tomorrow, I wait until scores are posted on July 11th. Nothing like a little more waiting in limbo ... Wish me luck!

"Inundated Iowa"

There's plenty of news to report in Dallas, but as I grabbed The Dallas Morning News from the driveway today, I noticed the headline above. Cedar Rapids made the front page. The flooding there continues to worsen; many are seeking shelter, the hospital has been evacuated, and the drinking water has been all but cut off, according to the article. I'm sure many of you have seen coverage of the storms and the flooding on the news this past week, and unfortunately for the people of Iowa, the conditions are not quickly improving.

We have friends who live in various parts of Iowa, including Cedar Rapids. Please keep these families in your thoughts as they face the dangers and frightening reality of the flooding and possible evacuation. Also keep in your thoughts the many in Iowa whose livelihoods depend on the quality of the land; a successful harvest is at the mercy of the storms.

The Summer of 2008 will surely go down in the record books in Iowa; lets hope for relief shortly.

12 Weeks, 6 Days

I wanted to share with you a new baby picture. I went to see the perinatal specialist today, who conducts tests (through sonogram and blood work - no harm to the baby) to determine whether the baby may have certain developmental abnormalities. At this point in the pregnancy, she'll look for Downs Syndrome and a couple of other more servere disabilities. Later on, around 18 weeks, she'll be able to see whether all of the organs are forming correctly (without holes, etc.) ... at least this is what I understand of the process; I'm sure many of you can correct me if I'm wrong.

Her machine was very high-tech, and the clarity at which we could see the baby was amazing. She showed the view from the top of the baby's head, and we saw both parts of the brain (yea). We also saw the spine, arm and leg bones, fingers, the bladder, the stomach, and other organs that just the doctor could make out. It was incredible! The doctor told me that the organs are all in the right places, and everything that should be there is there. The baby's heart rate, which was 173 last time, has dropped to a healthy 156.

The doctor got a kick out of the fact that the baby was bouncing around non-stop, making it difficult for her to get the right shots. She said, "This is a wild one ... you'll know this one's personality well before birth." YIKES!

No More Pencils, No More Books

School's out! Around February, I was wondering if this school year would ever end, but when the final bell rang yesterday, I found myself in a serious state of shock. Where did the time go? Technically, I'm on contract to work today and tomorrow. However, our school is undergoing serious renovation this summer (it actually started in April and will completely finish August '09), so we had to be OUT by 6:00 yesterday evening, and we can't get back in until August 1st. So, grades are in and everything is boxed up (that makes 4 moves for me in 5 years) ... and we're officially done!

The close of this school year was more bittersweet than usual. Sweet for all of the obvious reasons, and a little bitter because I'm really going to miss teaching English. It's so rewarding when I can find something to spark a 13-year-old's interest in writing and literature and I know I'll miss that challenge. The teachers reading this will understand what I mean when I say it is so hard to part with certain materials, even if they won't be used again. I managed to pack full just one lonely, large plastic container with the items that I hold near and dear. Many other items I'm "handing down" to the new teacher taking my spot, and I hope she'll do them justice! Isn't it funny how we get so attached to lessons, management styles, just a way of "doing things"?

A side note: My friend, Christine, is leaving teaching this year ... just for the time being, I think ... and I don't know what Congress will do without her! She was my first real mentor in education, and I know I've become a good teacher because of what I've learned from her. I'm sure she's feeling the same nostalgia in packing items, and possibly parting with some. I'm not sure there's anyone who could replace her and serve the incoming students even half as well as she has in her tenure.

For those of you who cannot relate to the teacher talk, I'll stop. Sorry. Steve and I traded cars a couple of weeks ago just for fun. Yesterday as I was driving to school, I heard a relatively normal "beep, beep" from his car (same sound it makes when it needs gas) and then the word STOP started flashing on the dash. I panicked, but because I was within feet of the school, I decided to STOP once I pulled into a parking spot. The message on the dash then said, "check coolant." Great. Steve came to school and traded cars with me, hoping to get his to the dealership. Before he could make it there, though, the car started to overheat, and he had to be towed from the Academy parking lot. Once he got to the dealership, he was told that they probably won't even be able to look at his car until Friday, and while they don't give out loaner cars, they'd give him a free ride back to work. Gee, thanks for the perk. So, after lots of running around yesterday and a lengthy wait at the train station, Steve managed to get some work done, pick me up from school, take me to class, and then pick me up from class. I know many people survive with one car, but it's pretty much just a pain in the @#$ for us. And the real kicker is that we just finished paying off Steve's car ... it's only fitting that it will now completely fall to pieces. Anyone reading who has come into lots of cash recently and would like to share??

Today is day #3 of a wind advisory here. Not sure what the advisory advises for or against, but it sure is windy. I'm calling it quits on doing my hair for a while.

The Big Apple

Warning: Long Post.

We spent the long weekend in NYC, and had the time of our lives! I know many of you have been there, and some of you have even lived there for a period of time, so my feelings won't be hurt if this post is not a novelty to you.

A few months ago - for my birthday, actually - Steve surprised me with the trip. Its original purpose was to serve as a 5-year anniversary trip, and I'm so glad he planned it when he did because, knowing us, we wouldn't have planned it at all after finding out about the baby. Anyway, we had a blast. We arrived in the city on Friday afternoon, checked into our hotel, and then set out to explore. We didn't stop until we were back at the airport on Monday afternoon ... we were sad to leave, but definitely saw all we could see in a few short days.

I won't recap everything, but here are a few highlights --

1. Steve's feet: Let me start by saying that Steve never complains about pain, so this particular situation truly was noteworthy. Steve made the decision (under my influence) to bring his tennis shoes that are slightly more stylish than your average Nikes. Not only would they go with all of his outfits, they would also serve the purpose of a tennis shoe. Wrong. By mid-day Saturday, he was in so much pain that we found ourselves in one of the 37 Footlockers (37 is not a huge exaggeration, by the way) purchasing brand new shoes for Steve's incredibly swollen feet. They were so bad that I took pictures of them when we got back to the hotel much later that night (not included in the photos here because he was embarrassed). I laughed about the situation frequently, even though I know it wasn't super funny to Steve since he was in pain. But, I've never been one to hold off on being entertained, even if it is at another's expense. Steve summed up this experience in a short phrase: "I could never be a woman and choose style over comfort." I sense a hint of appreciation ...

2. RENT: O.M.G. It was ah-may-zing. We had seen it a couple of times before - once in Des Moines and once in St. Paul - but nothing prepared us for the Broadway production. The performance was unparalleled. As I was reading through the playbill, I noticed that a member of the ensemble had been a lead on one of the traveling tours. The traveling tours were awesome, so the fact that that person had been demoted to ensemble for the Broadway production speaks volumes about the caliber of the actors. I will never tire of RENT. Also, they've extended the theater run until September, I think ... still time for some of you to go see it.

3. Confrontation: NY brought out a confrontational side of me that has been rather subdued recently. When we went into the theater for RENT, they were selling concessions that could be brought into the theater. Steve purchased a beer for himself and a water for me (yum). When we got to our seats, the usher told him he had to get rid of his drink, so he proceeded to chug it in the hallway like he was 19. Over the course of the next few minutes, a number of people came into the theater with their beverages. Every time someone new walked past the usher with beer in hand, I grew angrier and angrier with the usher who, Steve claims, just didn't like the way he looked. Rather than sitting and stewing, I decided to take the matter into my own hands. I walked to where the usher was standing, and she and I had a conversation that went like this:
Katie, "Why did you make my husband get rid of his drink?"
Usher, "I didn't know."
Katie, "You didn't know the theater's policy?"
Usher, "No, I'm new here."
Katie, "But I'm only visiting and even I could read the signs regarding drinks."
Usher, "I didn't know."
Katie, "OK. I think what you need to do is find a way to get him a refill."
Usher, "I'll check."
Katie, "Thanks."
Not five minutes later, an older, wiser usher, came and told Steve he was welcome to a new beer on the house. SUCCESS! I know it wasn't much, but the whole experience made me feel like I could hang with the New Yorkers.

4. Food: Papaya Dog. Ray's Famous Original Pizza. The patio on a warm, sunny afternoon at Puglia in Little Italy. Yum, yum, and yum.

5. The view from the top of the Empire State Building: It was breathtaking. I was mesmerized by what appeared to be a very swanky rooftop party happening below. I was dying to know who was on the roof ... someone famous and important, no doubt.

Sadly, we didn't run into any real celebs, but we pretended to do so at Madame Tussaud's. We did tackle the subway and only got on the wrong one once (my fault), and we successfully hailed a cab. Woo-hoo! I could go on and on, but I'll spare you for now. Check out pictures here.