Has It Been 20 Years???

It truly feels like it has been 20 years since I've put my fingers to use pounding out a useful blogpost.  This year has been insanely busy with my new position.  Most days, I am working well into the evening hours - sometimes 10:00 on work and the last thing I want to do is sit down in front of a screen and type any words of wisdom.  And truth be told, I haven't felt like I've had anything worthy of sharing.  My nuggets of wisdom this year would not necessarily be student based, but would encompass how to deal with negativity, name calling, and bullying from adults, how to manage your schedule so you actually see your husband in more than passing, how to manage your day so you have the energy to cook and keep the house somewhat clean.  But, I would be no expert in any of these either because they are the very things that I am struggling with EVERY. SINGLE. DAY.

I feel like I've used the word overwhelmed quite a bit in the past few months, but today, I discovered that overwhelmed doesn't begin to cover it.  Talk about drowning in obligations, responsibilities, etc. - I need scuba tanks to keep me breathing because if I don't have them, I think I may die.  So, if you have any useful tidbits in the above mentioned areas, I would greatly appreciate it.

My job has bled into my personal life so much that I honestly don't know who I am any longer and I think I've forgotten what I enjoy. That makes me an unhappy stressed-out lady.  I have forgotten that writing was my release, that reading was my relaxation, and running was my sanity.  I have got to get it together - fast!

But, I did carve time out of crazy land to head to Louisiana for my 20th High School Reunion - Yes, I am in fact that old!  Hard to believe.  So, while it may seem like it has been 20 years since I've written, it really has been 20 years since I've graduated.  The weekend was fabulous - Friday night football game, Saturday afternoon picnic, and Saturday night event.  It truly was one of the best nights I've had in a very long time.  I was able to visit with girlfriends who truly mean the world to me and reconnect with a slew of others who I miss greatly.  There is nothing like 20 years to heal the old hurts and burned bridges that ignorant 18 year olds create.  This reunion was truly a coming of age get together for all of us.  Our class had a significant amount of success - 3 doctorate level professionals, lots of fabulous parents, a large group of teachers who are changing the world one student at a time, pastors, free spirits, etc.  It was fabulous!  Below are a few pics of the weekend's events.

I was also able to spend some much needed and valued time with my family while I was home.  2 weeks ago, I almost lost my daddy to kidney failure.  Thank the good Lord that he fought and made it through the battle.  As we prepare for biopsies tomorrow, I would appreciate your thoughts and prayers as we move forward in this process.  But, that is a story for another day.  I tried to soak up as much time with my nieces as humanly possible.  We went to the football game on Friday night, had a sleep over Friday evening, spent Saturday morning together, Sadie (the youngest) came and helped me get ready for the reunion, and then we spent ALL day together on Sunday ending it with smores.  Needless to say, Auntie needed a LONG nap when I returned home.