Aw, I'm Growing Up (How Cute) and Other Random Word Vomit

This past week I've gotten a glimpse of how I'm (finally) growing up.  As the reality of heading back to school is setting in for both of us, I am realizing how much I will miss spending time with my family.  A week from Monday I am supposed to be going to a dinner/spa night/ladies night at a restaurant that is "local" but is a bit of a drive for me.  I have been to these dinners before, they are fun and are relatively inexpensive for a night out.  The other night I sat back and thought to myself, "I don't really feel like going.  I'd rather come home from work and spend time with Justin and McKenna."  Doesn't look like I'm going to go to the dinner then, which is fine with me. 
Another instance of growing up this week has been putting the concept of compromise into action.  My husband can be a horrible procrastinator at times.  Especially when both of us are teaching.  I could never understand how he wouldn't start on his lesson plans until 9:00 P.M. on Sunday (for the week that was starting the next day) and wouldn't finish for 2 or 3 hours because he did his plans while he was watching TV and was therefore probably a bit distracted.  Of course since I am organized beyond all belief and somewhat anal when it comes to lesson planning, I would go in to work each Monday morning and write my lesson plans for the next week to come, therefore I was always a week ahead with my lesson plans (see where I am going here?  Total opposites when it comes to some school things).  Well, with being a counselor this year I am free from lesson planning, at least for the most part.  I will still have to plan for when I do classroom guidance, but that's O.K.  Justin is going to be a permanent substitute for second grade and it is his first time ever teaching second grade-he has taught kindergarten, third grade, and when he student taught he taught first grade-but never second.  I used to get very frustrated when he would follow his procrastination pattern on Sunday nights, seeing as he had taught kindergarten for seven years I never understood how it took him so long to write his plans.  I told him the other day that I would not nag him or whine to him when he does his lesson plans, since he is teaching a new grade in a new school district, but in exchange he has to write his lesson plans in a more timely fashion (e.g., not at 9 P.M. on a Sunday).  He told me that this year it should be easier for him to write his lesson plans as he has actual materials for each subject (although the verdict is still out on Science; we haven't seen any textbooks for that subject yet) and he won't have to create items or supplement items like he had to do all the time when he taught kindergarten.  We haven't gotten to the point where he has written any lesson plans, so I'll have to see how it turns out.  I am trying to be a better spouse by compromising with him though.
In other news that is not really related to growing up, I had my excision done yesterday at my dermatologist's office.  I don't remember if I mentioned it before, but back in July I went in for a full body check and they removed four moles because they looked darker than the others.  These moles were sent to a pathologist at a lab and it was found that one on the back of my right thigh had "abnormal cells" around it.  I had to set up an appointment for an excision around the spot, which basically means that they took out a football shaped chunk out of the back of my right thigh and then had to stitch it up.  Originally the doctor only wanted to put in the interior stitches that dissolve, but the spot is in such an awkward location (basically when I sit in a chair or in my car it hits that spot) that he wanted to put an extra row of exterior stitches in.  He was concerned about it leaving a scar, but I told him that it was fine, it's on the back of my leg and no one is going to see it.  The procedure took less than an hour, was relatively painless, and leaves me with the peace of mind that I could possibly have prevented skin cancer from developing in that spot in the future. 
Other changes are coming too.  In addition to Justin getting a job (as previously mentioned above, but not many specifics given) as a second grade permanent substitute I will be starting my first year as a school counselor also in a new building.  I am in the same district, though.  I am excited but a bit nervous as there is a lot to do and a lot to learn.  I am looking forward to doing and learning new things though.  Justin will be a permanent sub for five months but I have been assured by other people in his building that the teacher he is subbing for will not come back and will be out for the rest of the school year.  This is good for him because it can possibly lead to a more permanent teaching position for next school year.  I am so glad that things worked out for him and that he was able to find something good this late in the game (he just got hired a week ago)!
There are some other changes on the horizon that are coming up that I have mixed feelings about.  I don't feel like going in to much detail about that right now, but we'll see how that all pans out. 
I am happy to see that I am finally "growing up" and doing things that will strengthen my family life and my marriage.  It feels good to be a grown-up.
Until next time, I remain,
Jenuinely Yours

The One in Which I Try to Start Some Controversy

Earlier today I was catching up reading blogs on my iPhone and I came across the perfect one.  It was written by Brooke, of By the Brooke, and it was able to get across an idea/belief/concept that I have never quite been able to get across.  I couldn't say it any better than Brooke did, so if you are interested, you can read her blog entry here http://bythebrooke.blogspot.com/2011/08/in-which-i-get-annoying-philosophical.html
If you have ever said to someone in a time of strife, heartbreak or utter devestation, "Everything happens for a reason" then I think that you should read Brooke's post.  If you believe in this concept or theory then it is even more strongly suggested that you read Brooke's post.
If you know me, you know that I love to stir the pot from time to time...if you do have a chance to read Brooke's post, let me know what you think of it.  Also let me know if your belief/thought/subscription to this theory changed or not.
In case you were wondering, I do NOT subscribe to this belief or theory.  First of all, I am not even sure if there is any God or any type of higher being.  In my life there have just been too many things that have happened that are NOT explained by the "everything happens for a reason" belief/theory, at least not to my satisfaction.  Maybe if you believe in this particular theory, you can explain why my father died at the ripe young age of 48 due to liver cancer when he had always been previously healthy.  Maybe you can explain to me why my first husband had to go and screw around with other women and break my heart almost beyond repair.  Maybe you can explain to me why it took 10 months and a (fortunately) successful round of Clomid for Justin and I to conceive McKenna.  Perhaps you can even explain and justify to me why James just died this past July 31 at the ripe young age of 35 and couldn't unfortunately beat the alcoholism that had plagued him for so many years.  Don't try to convince me that the "everything happens for a reason" belief/theory is correct, because this wise consumer isn't buying it.  If you choose to believe in that, it is your decision, but don't try to twist and fit your beliefs into the terrible things that have happened in my life. 
My Dad said at one point when he was being eaten alive by cancer, "These are the cards we've been dealt and yes, they suck.  We have to work with the hand that we've been dealt."  Yes Dad, that is so very true.  There doesn't have to be a reason or justification for why things happen...sometimes they just do and it just sucks.  I wish that people would just take things for what they are and not try to rationalize them with some bullshit theory.