Is it Sunday already??

Weekends have always been too short, but now they are even shorter. They basically consist of Friday night and Saturday, since Sundays so far have been completely consumed by planning for the coming week. It's insane how long it will take me to do a week's worth of lesson planning. I'm waiting for it to come more naturally and get easier, because everyone assures me it will. I just wish that would happen sooner rather than later, so that I don't have to spend ten hours on Sundays.

Mary and her big trophy!

 Yesterday was Saturday though, and it was a good one. Mary and I ran a 5k race in the little town where I teach (she won overall female, of course). It was my first 5k race since March, when I ran in my last track meet at Emory. I realized this during the race, because it was ROUGH. Haha. To put it in perspective, I would have been happy to come in under 23 minutes yesterday...at Emory I was trying to break 19 and I did it. I ended up running a 23:15 yesterday, which I was fine with since the most I have been running is three times a week. And usually more like one or two. I miss running every day, but most days I get home at dinnertime, cook and/or eat, have a little schoolwork to do, and then decide that sleep is more important. I'm also waiting for the day that this part of my life gets easier, so that I can get back into a routine that will keep me in shape enough to run a 5k under 23 minutes if I want to. But I did win my age group...maybe I haven't lost it all :)

The race was really small, and the lady working the registration table had never done something like this before. Here's how I knew that: the man registering in front of me asked (granted, a dumb question), "So when do we find out if we won our age group?" and she answered, "Um, well, not until it's over." Yeah. Duh.


After the race, while we were waiting for the awards ceremony, Mary and I were exploring the little farmer's market in the square, and one lady's table had some really beautiful zinnia bouquets for sale. There was a lady buying one, and we started talking about how pretty they were.
She said, "You should get some! Do your mothers live close by?"
"No, :( they live in Pennsylvania and New Mexico..."
"Are your grandmothers close by?"
"No :("
"Are you students?"
"Actually, we're teachers."
"You're both teachers? Well here, (holds out money) count out $6 out of there, I'm buying! If you're both teachers, you deserve it."
So now we have two bouquets of homegrown zinnias brightening up our little apartment.

So bright and fall-y!

All this for $2. Pesto heaven...

It was so kind, and reminded me how grateful I am to be in this community where we are so appreciated. That has been one of the best things about being placed here in South Carolina. TFA is so new here, and everyone in education that I've met is so positive and optimistic about what we can bring to the state. They're excited to have us here. I also was thrilled that the zinnia lady was sellling huge sprigs of basil, 4 for a dollar!


Mary and I met our roommate Holly at Waffle House on the way home where I almost ate my entire All-Star Special. I love Waffle House so much. Then I took a shower and a fabulous nap, went to the pool to grade papers, got an email saying I had won a Pampered Chef drawing that I entered at the farmer's market (Pampered Chef cookbook and an orange peeler, ohh yeahhh!), and met the dog and cat that we are babysitting for a TFA staff member for the week.

Bossman...one of the cutest puppies I have ever met.

Biscuit is the dog, and Socrates is the cat who alternates between hiding under my bed and coming out to brush up against everything and walk around purring. I had to kick him out of my room last night because he was walking all over me and meowing when I was trying to sleep. We are soooo happy to have pets in the apartment even just for a week. Our heads know that we can't handle our own pets right now...but our hearts melt every time we see a puppy and it's so hard to resist! Mary and I met one of the cutest puppies I've ever seen at the farmer's market, named Bossman. Really, Bossman. Or that's what the guy told us.

Then I cooked dinner, Holly went to Charlotte to visit a friend, Mary and I hung out with some other teachers for a while, and I got to Skype my best friend Kristen in China. I wish it was Saturday again instead of Sunday, but I am thankful for friends, weekends, great weather, and everything else I'm blessed with.