"You're so wise, you should be an owl."

Tonight I was talking with my friend Julie when she said the aforementioned quote. "You're so wise, you should be an owl." Oh how I wish I were as wise as Julie thinks. However, I'll take it, and even more, I'll gladly take having an awesome friend like Julie. The past entire semester has been crazy, and she has been SO wonderful.

I noticed the other day I've been saying, "Wow, it's been a crazy start to the year." Then, I'm reminded that it's DECEMBER, and in just a week, I will start Christmas break! How did that happen, and how have I dealt with so much in such a short time? While I wish a blog were the appropriate place to recap all that has happened during the past several months, I know it certainly is not. Let me just say, that this year started interestingly...and continued to progress even more interestingly. I have had more than one co-teacher this year, and I've dealt with harassment. I know there's no age requirement for harassment, but I just really never thought at 24 I'd have to deal with it! However, one perk of both situations is that have I grown a lot. I've learned how to handle myself professionally when at times all I wanted to respond in the most unprofessional way. If I can make it through my first year and a half in the classroom, I have no doubt I can last much longer as a teacher.

As all the stress fades away, however, I find myself truly tired. Yes, I'm always stressed, and yes I'm always busy...and yes, I do often take my weekends to get at least 10 hours of sleep each night. It is rare, though, that I feel and look as tired as I do now (at least I think so!). I've come to the conclusion that now I am actually getting a GOOD night's rest, and so I am trying to make up for the past several months. Sure I got a decent amount of sleep, but even when it was enough or more than I needed by "numbers" (as in 7+ hours a night), I don't know that my body ever truly relaxed. Now, with all of this hopefully behind me, I can sleep and enjoy it.

Before I get to sleep now, I do have to mention that not only am I grateful for Julie, but I'm also very grateful for a few other people...ahem, Holly, Sarah, Kat, and Kristin. They make me feel sane about the craziness in my life. Holly hosted a wonderful Thanksgiving for me AND Chloe... Sarah is my new co-teacher (who just gave me a phenomenal Christmas present--there was Coffee Bean mix AND a holiday armadillo, so amazing)... Kat always reminds me of "normalcy"... and Kristin of course is my saving grace at school. I do not know how TFA knew to put us together (or if that was Paddy's doing), but I would not have survived this year without her. Plus, she is always up for Indian food.

Alright, my bed is way too comfy right now...and I actually can sleep without feeling stressed and anxious, so I'm going to take advantage of this wonderfulness.