La Primavera

¡Aquí está! Llega la primavera! It's official. Spring is my all-time favorite season. Don't get me wrong, I love the summer with no school, and Christmas is merry, and leaves turn all pretty in the fall, but there's nothing quite so good as springtime. And it's coming! In fact, in Texas it is already here.

I spent an absolutely fantastic weekend in New York and it was wonderful. We saw incredible shows, wandered through Central Park, and just marveled at the sights of the city in general. But I'm not going to lie, it was quite cold. Saturday we had snow flurries all day and I thought, "Wait a minute, isn't this March?" It turns out it was actually cold in Dallas on Saturday too but that's beside the point. On Sunday, we got back and stepped into the sunshine and it was as if my eyes had been opened. Something seems to happen in the winter and a haze falls over everything. Everything is just a little more gray, even on those sunny days, I'm not sure what it is. There's a good chance it's all in my head. But on Sunday when we landed in Dallas and felt the warm breeze in the air and even more so today, when I was outside for recess duty, it just seemed to hit me how much I missed Spring and didn't even realize it until now!

You see the thing about Spring is that it's filled with hope. It's that warm breeze in the air that whispers that something wonderful is coming. It's when February happens and everything is looking really dismal and then March arrives and says, "Don't worry! I'm here! The sun is shining and it will all be fine!" It's when you've been inside all day and you step out the door and it hits you like a breath of fresh air. Everything begins to thaw out and look a little prettier. There's more energy in the air and the wind makes you feel revitalized, not like you want to curl up into a ball and die. I love that feeling of being all cooped up but then you walk outside, stretch out your arms and just want to bask in the sun! That moment when you're chatting outside with a friend, looking at the stars and it's actually warm enough to drink iced coffee and still be comfortable.

When we were exploring New York I felt the need to put on every article of clothing I owned before venturing out doors, even if we were only walking a few blocks. I'm not kidding, Saturday I wore socks, boots, leggings, jeggings (that's right, 2 pairs of pants!), an undershirt, a sweater, a coat, a scarf, a hat, and two pairs of gloves. But then today it was sunny, breezy, and 85 degrees, and I was reminded of how much I love skirts and dresses, or even short sleeves shirts! Spring brings back all the best things!

But superficial thinking aside, there is something really joyous and hopeful about Spring. I feel like it's a season of looking forward to wonderful things to come (like weddings!) and embracing the new life and beauty all around us (flowers! trees! baby animals!). Say what you will about the season officially starting March 21, I for one am very thankful to live in a place where wonderful primavera dances on in a little early.

La Vida Comprometida :)

Crazytimes funtimes. Life is crazy right now, but I can definitely say that I've never been happier! I'm teaching all day, traveling on weekends, and planning a wedding to my very best friend! What could be better?

So first of all, planning a wedding is crazy! Before Ethan proposed but when I knew we were probably getting married this summer, I was nervous. I had heard from so many people about long it takes and how there's so much to do that you really need more like a year. Maybe some people do, but I am definitely not one of those people and fortunately my sweet fiance knew that. We got engaged on Thanksgiving and already so much has happened! Fortunately for us, everything is working out very quickly. Some of it is stressful at times, but it's also a lot of fun. With all the major things arranged, I'm looking forward to things like bridal showers, picking up bridesmaid dresses, and deciding what decorations to use for the reception. Funtimes.

It's also crazy thinking about how different my life is now and how different it's about to be. In less than half a year I will be moving my life again, but this time not by myself. This time I'll have a husband to go live with :) Which is one of the happiest things I can imagine. I'm very glad to be home and have this time with my parents this year, but I just cant wait to get to move in to a new house! A house that will be mine as well and we'll both be there together! After so much long distance I am beyond ready for Ethan and I to be in the same place. Funtimes.

Teaching is crazy too. It's hard. Really hard. We've got so much pressure because of standardized tests that this time of year is pretty stressful. It's difficult trying to help my kids grow into critical thinkers who solve problems, treat others with respect, love learning AND succeed on the infamous STAAR test. But despite these immense challenges, my job is exciting, rewarding, and always entertaining!
My kids are loving my engagement almost as much as I am! I get asked on a regular basis how that whole name change thing works and if they can come to the wedding. Now that would be some funtimes!

Weekends are wonderful because they mostly involve Ethan. Most weekends one of us travels to visit the other and let's just say we're racking up the airline miles! I've also been able to go to Oklahoma City to meet up with college friends and even maybe have a trip to Florida coming up! Traveltimes funtimes!

SO this blog post is maybe a little bit boring but that's pretty much a synopsis of my life right now!