Lobsters! Happy New Year!

We made it to Jackson.  J. wakes up H. around 9AMish.  Our departure time was 9:30....which we'd reminded over and over and over.  H. gets PO'd at J. for 'waking me up so far before we are leaving' and then proceeds to take forever to get ready.  We departed closer to 10.  I should have known.  H. slept most of the way there.  (He's not sleeping well - takes after his mom, I guess).

The buffet was great and the play was fun.  We didn't have any big wins but we had fun trying.  We were a little 'late' heading home (according to H.'s schedule, anyway) but I was on a hot machine...which I had to finally just leave 'cuz H. had plans.  That's the one 'hard' thing about taking the family with me and they are rushed - 'cuz a hot machine is not something to walk away from.  Oh well - we all had fun and it was a nice day.

I'm also treating myself to an overnight stay on Sunday at Thunder Valley - room is free.  Just a nice way to wind up the break and we have Monday off, too....so will enjoy a nice stay up there.

Tomorrow and Saturday will be puttering around the homestead.  Starting 2016 with some chores.

2015 was a great year.  J. had three international trips - Rome in February, Paris in March, and Playa del Carmen in October.  I was with him for two of those trips and H. got to make his first trip to Europe (Rome).  We also wedged in a long weekend in Arizona and visited the Grand Canyon with Brooks in September.

At work, my boss and I are getting along great and enjoying the work.  There's always plenty of it and I think he and I make a great team and help offload each other if/when we can.  On January 5th, the newly modernized (rebuilt, basically) school will open - the construction has taken 18 months and the finished school is absolutely beautiful.  We will host a public open house on January 23rd, which coincidentally is B.'s 25th birthday.  In March, we will also finish the other big construction project - a new gymnasium at one of our K-8 schools.  It's been a lot of work and I have to give huge kudos to my boss because he's really been on top of every single detail.

Also in 2015, our district has started working on becoming a Professional Learning Community which is really exciting.  I'm quick to say I'm not a teacher and honestly don't think I ever could be but I'm so excited to be a part of this process.  The progress being made already is astounding and it's been so fun to watch light bulbs go off in people's brains as we all start to 'get' what this is all about. The process will be ongoing forever and the milestones happen sporadically and infrequently - but it will happen and it's a very exciting process to be a part of.  I love how the admin team is more 'together' than we've ever been - being a good sounding board for each other and also a great support to each other.  Our solidification as a team is more real this year than any other year in my tenure and it's a joy to experience.  Makes work so much more fun and meaningful when you feel you are a part of a great team of people who support each other - vs. some do and some don't and many don't even try.  It's been a great year at 'the office' and I am very grateful for that - since working is hard and I need to keep working for as long as I can.

H.'s health is stable though I still worry - and today, in the casino, for no apparent reason I felt an overwhelming sense of worry - and got teared up about it.  Very unusual for me.  There are just so many things that happen with that kid - and things trouble me.  I still run a lot of 'what if' scenarios in my head - and when I think of the 'what ifs', I still feel afraid at times.  No reason to think he's not fine but sometimes, logic goes out the window and pure emotion takes over.  But for now, we are thankful that he's post-treatment by many months and so far, all is OK.  Nothing (more) bad has happened yet - and hopefully won't.  Ever.  He's doing well in school - though he has to retake the math class he needs as a pre-requisite for Chemistry - and he's enjoying it - and that's a fantastic thing for a guy who's struggled with school.  He likes to learn and is naturally curious so it's great he's found something he's interested in and is excited about pursuing.

B. is enjoying the Army though he's also excited about moving to a new base soon.  His knee recovery is slower than he anticipated but it's going well.  He has a good attitude about his job and his work and is planning to sign another 3 year contract in the next couple months. I worry about him being deployed at some point but then I have to acknowledge that's a huge part of his 'job' so it's sort of inevitable.

J. holds down the home front ensuring there is food in the pantry, clean laundry in the closets and manages the team of people we pay to help us keep this house going.  We are planning to make a trip or two to Nevada in the Spring to start scoping out new homes and I'm keeping my eyes open for jobs in my field in Nevada as well.  No imminent plans but if the right job came along, I think we'd move in a heart beat.  I say that and then I think of moving all this 'stuff' and think 'no, let's just stay here forever'.  But we won't.  I'm sure we won't.

2016 will be a year of huge change for me at work - our long time payroll person is leaving the district at the end of January and my assistant is moving to be the assistant to the Superintendent.  I'll return to work in January and interview for two key positions in my department - I'm excited about the chance to hire to great people to fill these really important jobs - but I'm also apprehensive.  I'm trying to go into the start of the year with a positive, excited spirit about it all - but even with the two week break, I'm not sure that's how I feel about it.

Then I remind myself that how I feel about it doesn't really matter one iota 'cuz it is what it is and it's my job to make the best of it - whatever it is.

Happy New Year to my readers and my family and friends.  J. and I just opened some bubbly and it's pretty delicious.  I expect I will be heading to bed long before midnight but not before sharing another glass or two with my sweet husband.