Sunday, May 30, 2010

great weekend ruined

so I had a fabulous weekend! Woke up late yesterday and today and will do the same tomorrow. On Saturday night my husband treated me to a concert Silk, Ready for the World and Mint Condition. It was sort of a belated four year annivesary gift ( I guess the house wasn't enough!). We had a great time. Ready for the World was awesome. Even after thirty years, they still got it! Mint Condition was amazing! Great performance! Kept the crowd going. They were just really energetic and I loved it. It was great spending time with my husband. I love walking around downtown Dallas near where we got married. It just brings me back to that exciting weekend that occured one year ago. Plus, we just love attending events in downtown Dallas whether it's a museum or concert, we always have a good time.
Today I woke up and met my friend, Christina at the Studio Movie Grill to watch SATC2! Oh, the glamour, the drama, NYC, oh the everything sexy! I just love that movie. I loved the original and I knew I'd love this too!
So tomorrow is the last day of the weekend and you know what we get to do tomorrow. We get to go to our old apartment and take the last of our stuff out of it and clean it. So not fun!!!! what a way to ruin a great 3-day weekend! I'll be glad when we give them the keys. I'm so done with that place! It's weird. At first I was sad to see the apartment go and I almost started feeling that buyer's remose when we moved in here. We made so many memories in that apartment. But guess what...our house is AMAZING! So good riddance to the apartment and I'll keep the memories!

Saturday, May 29, 2010

to buy or not to buy


so, I posted a pic of a sofa I liked, but then it went off sale and I couldn't afford it. I found another sofa I liked for $450. However, I think I'm not gonna buy it. I just really need to save money. Mr. Soup and I will become parents to an 8 year old full-time in a week and we need all the extra money we can get. I also need to start saving for a new car. Plus, it's not like I need the sofa. So, no sofa for now.

I'm trying to make better decisions in spending. I've gotten in the habit of not using credit cards anymore. However, it's still hard for me to determine what is a need and what is a want. I feel like I have to go back to 7 year old Mrs. Soup. I remember my parents helping me determine what was a need and what was a want. Little did I know that was the upcoming lesson at school. We had to bring in examples of needs and wants. I just wonder if I ever got that lesson down right. And honestly, a lot of our needs are wants for others. To some we live an affluent life. Mr. Soup tonight goes, "we're really blessed!" And he is right. We can pay our bills each month and afford to treat ourselves every now and then and we're in good health. So, if I have to wait for a stupid material possession than I will. I'd rather have peace of mind (BTW, growing up I always thought the saying was "piece of mind" I didn't learn until recently that it was peace of mind. way to go English teacher)
I did however get a few treats this week:
fridge- well it's a need, but I love, love, love it
laptop-my husband surprised me with it
dining table- one of the girls at work is moving to Ireland and she's selling her $500 dining table to me for $250! Score!!! It's so cute and perfect for our formal dining room.
okay, so on to bigger and better things...this summer! So, my darling stepdaughter arrives in June and will spend the month with us. I'm not "working" this summer. Meaning I'm not teaching summer school like I have in previous summers. I'm subbing for summer school, attending the AVID conference and Pre-AP Summer Institute. I will also attend my 10 year high school reunion. One of my goals this summer is to start writing again. I tried last summer, hit a writer's block and gave up. However, I feel this need to write in my bones. I have so much to say on what I see going on as a teacher and in my personal life. I feel like I can merge it into a good fiction piece (peace?)So, my goal is to write this summer and read, of course. I'm hoping that my followers will read some of my work if I post it on here? maybe give some feedback? let me know what you think! I really benefit from help throughout the writing process rather than just at the end.

Wednesday, May 26, 2010

in love

despite the ramblings of my previous post (see below), I am in love with this time in our life.
1. our house - I absolutely love our house. It is so spacious. it has character and most importantly our dogs love it. They love having a backyard. I have sat out there everyday this week and watched them run and run. Mr. Sam has lost weight as well. Oh and we don't lock them up during the day and they don't pee, poop or tear things up like they did in the apartment. It is also fun to see Mr. Soup get excited about house projects. I love our new refrigerator. I love the couch (40% off the asking price, I'm such a good shopper!) I am about to order I love that we will spending the next ___ years in this home.
2. our careers - Mr. Soup is really doing well as a caseworker and I am becoming more stressed by my job, but more in love with it everyday.
3. marriage - I love being married to him. he makes me feel special and needed. he also surprises me every now and then. any time I saw I want him to buy me something, Mr. Soup will figure out how much I need to save and for how long until I can afford to buy it. I've been wanting a laptop for a while and he came home last night with one for me. Granted it is refurbished, so he got a good deal on it, but it is the thought that counts. Oh, did I mention that it's one of those cute little laptops? During this 3-day weekend I plan to hang with some friends in town and go see SATC 2 (SO FREAKIN' EXCITED!) with my friend, but Mr. Soup and I are also celebrating our 4 year anniversary by attending the Mint Condition concert on Saturday night.
4. family - I feel like my brother is in a good place in his life. He's working at a bank and seems to be taking steps toward securing his career aspirations and financial future. My dad is finally getting some relief for his back. He just recently underwent a procedure to see about getting electrodes to prevent him from feeling the pain in his life. Right now he has the temporary box, but if that works out well, they will insert permenant ones. However, he still battles with his immune system, but we're hoping now that he's retired he'll stay healthy and continue to love a quality life. My dad really is the strongest man I know as I don't know anyone whose body and brain have been through what he's been through. He keeps perservering and keeps a smile on his face while doing it.
5. the unknown - I don't know what will happen with my stepdaughter, but I have faith that everything will work out. I don't know what the future holds for us, but I'm excited to see where this journey takes us.

do we want fathers in our lives or not?

When I first met Mr. Soup he was embroiled in an ugly battle with his "baby mama." For those of you who don't know the story, my husband has a beautiful daughter. She truly is a gift from God. When I married Mr. Soup I was lucky in not only gaining an amazing husband, but also a lovely, creative, energetic stepdaughter.
Unfortunately, there are a lot of things that keep him from being the father he wants to be to his daughter. Like I said, there was a time when his daughter's mother did not want him involved in her life. Luckily, she and Mr. Soup have developed a great relationship for the sake of their daughter. His daughter's mom is one the biggest supporters of Mr. Soup being in her life. In fact, she would like for his daughter to come live here. Despite this, there are other major obstacles. Since Mr. Soup did not learn he had a daughter until she was almost two years old, he is not listed on her birth certificate. And while, this can usually be cleared up by going before a judge and adding his name to it, it's not that simple for him.
In the state of Kansas paternity is assumed by marriage. Meaning that if two people are married, they are assumed to be the parents of the child the woman gives birth to. Since his daughter's mother was married at the time, her husband was automatically assumed to be the father of my husband's daughter. Are you lost yet? so were we. We now have to locate this guy (he's been out of the picture for years) and get him to consent to relinquishing his rights.
It makes me angry, but I have no one to be angry at. I admire my stepdaughter's mother for getting married and trying to make a family when my husband wasn't there. I admire my husband for not giving up and continuing to be there for his daughter despite all the legal issues. I understand why the state of Kansas has this law, but it still makes me upset. Kansas is very conservative fiscally and morally. They want to preserve families and save money. I get that. If a child is born to a woman and the father is not around, then when the woman is not able to care for the child properly, the state has to step in with welfare and other monies. However, if there is a father in the picture, no matter if he is biological or not, he can be forced to pick up the financial slack.
However, in doing this we're not preserving families, we're dividing them. In the case of my husband, and countless others, they are not able to provide for their children because someone is standing in the way. There are probably thousands of children who grow up not knowing their biological parent because of this stupid law. We are stripping children of their identities before they are old enough to spell the word. The fathers aren't given the opportunity. And is it fair for men who are not the natural father to be stuck paying child support for a child who is not theirs? We need to examine if we really make it easy for fathers to be there for their kids. Sure there are deadbeat dads, but there are those who have pride in their children and in their role as fathers.
So, anyways, keep us in your thoughts and prayers as we challenge the system. I try not to blog about it too much here because it's not about me, but sometimes you just have to vent. We all want what's best for her and I'm hoping that this summer a judge will make that possible.

Sunday, May 16, 2010

Why I do what I do

Most days I love my job. I feel like I've become a much better teacher over the past five years. I think part of my passion lies in helping kids feel like they matter in this crazy world. Three years ago I was asked to coordinate the Student Assistance Team. I didn't know what the job would entail, but over the years my team and I have redefined the team. I think we're more visible on campus among students and teachers. This year our referrals reached an all-time high. Most days my job isn't easy. I hear lots of horror stories. I've learned to keep my emotions in check for the most part because what my students do not need is my sympathy or tears. They need someone strong. They need someone to lean on. The goal of the Student Assistance Team is to help students in their personal lives so that they can succeed in their academic studies. I hope we do that, but most importantly I hope our students become themselves. I hope they love themselves and see all the good things we see in them. I also want to brag on my team. Without them, I would be lost. They work hard to meet with students and find out what we can do to help them. I've been so lucky and I know if it weren't for them, we wouldn't be as successful as we are. I am about to conclude my third year as coordinator. There are days when I don't know if I'm cut out for this job, but after this year I know it's my calling. I need them too.

Friday, May 14, 2010

Our Very First Home!


Today has been a shitty day and also a great day! For the past two days our pups have been ill. We usually can pinpoint what's wrong, but they have had diarrhea for two days. I know, I know, TMI. So yeah, no sleep and cleaning constantly is not fun! One of Mr. Soup's groomsmen graduated tonight with his doctorate in English, so he's gone while I'm at home making sure that they don't poop everywhere or die of dehydration. They're doing good so far. They even ate some rice, so I'm hoping that settles their stomachs.
So, I got a call from my realtor today saying we could close a little early on our house. It just so happens our new closing date is Wednesday which happens to be the four year anniversary of the day I met Mr. Soup! Amazing, huh? So, we will close on Wednesday, get the keys on Friday and move on Saturday. Hard to believe we're moving in just one week! I'm so excited. I love our home. So since it's pretty much official....I'm posting a picture of our home. I would post some inside pics, but it still has all the furniture from the current owner. I love our new home. It has so much personality and it's just overall a great home. It is on a corner lot, so we have lots of room. While we don't plan to stay there forever, it is a great starter home. It has lots of room to grow. I'm just so happy we are going through this phase in our life. It's so exciting! Okay, well good night to you all. I have to take the dogs to the vet in the morning and then a wedding in the afternoon.

Tuesday, May 4, 2010

Headaches

Oh man do I have headaches....I can't seem to get rid of them. Today at work I was the world's worst teacher. After the bellringer and explaining directions, I simply had my students work on their assignment by themselves. Usually I walk around and monitor their work, but today I made them bring it to me (that's how lazy I was) and I checked it over before they turned it in. Talk about teacher of the year here. Luckily, I have pretty good kids and they asked questions when they were confused, but still. I think I'm going to (in addition to taking massive quantities of Ibuprofen) pick up a Coke in the morning on the way to class.

Well, the end of the year is approaching! June 4th is the last day of school. I'm not teaching summer school for the first time in a while. I am attending the AVID conference and Pre-AP training. I also applied to teach an online college course (comp & lit) and they emailed me back, so that's a good sign! If that doesn't work out, I'll either find something else or just take it easy. My hubby is fine with me not working, but I do like to pad our savings and of course buy some furniture.

We close on May 25th. I'm getting nervous, but I'm so ready to be in our house. I just love it so much. The sofa I wanted went off-sale, but I found another one that is a true sectional, but doesn't have a bed feature. However, it is really cheap and I think it will go better in our living room, so I'm going to get it! I'm so excited.