Eating Healthy

In the past few years I've really changed my diet. Growing up I used live on rice and beans and a few veggies here and there. When I went to college it definitely got worse. I remember down at UM, I used to subsist on Easy Mac and Hot Pockets. After I studied abroad, I started to get a little bit better about food. I saw how they ate over in Spain and it really motivated me to try some new things.

Now that I'm trying to get pregnant, I really want to make sure that I'm as healthy as I can be. I have pretty much cut out red meat - I saw pretty much because I slip every now and then and have a burger. I'm cutting down on processed foods. I also stopped drinking diet soda and cut back my regular soda drinking. I'm totally into this organic eating thing.

Steve and I have started our own container garden in an effort to affordably get our hands on some organic stuff. We are growing cucumbers, tomatoes, and green beans. Then we a shelf full of herbs - basil, oregano, parsley and cilantro. Everything is starting to sprout up and it looks lovely!

Another option

Yesterday I received my acceptance letter to UCF. I have the option of going back for my Nursing degree if I should choose to do so...

I'm pretty set on the idea of starting a family though. Very set on it actually. The problem is my job. It is slowly killing me.

OK, I know I'm being melodramatic... but some days I leave there thinking, am I getting paid enough to deal with the stress? Trying to teach people's kids the basic skills of how to deal with other people? No hitting, don't push, treat others as you'd like to be treated.... AHHH on top of the curriculum (which is demanding in itself). I feel like sometimes I could honestly use a clone of myself in the classroom; there is so much to do.

At the end of the week, I feel jaded and exhausted. If someone asked me right now if I enjoy teaching, I'd tell them no.

But ask me on one of those days where my kids are well behaved, I feel well rested, and I have lots of "AHA" moments in my classroom... and I'd tell you that I wouldn't give it up for anything.

*sigh*

Musings

Today was absolutely awful. I didn't feel like I was in control of my classroom for most of the day and I kept trying EVERYTHING to get them focused. This class has really challenged me in ways that I never knew were possible.

I was driving home and wondering - how in the world am I going to teach all day long, go pick up my child, and then be a good mom? How do working women do it? I'm so mentally and physically drained after a day with my class, that all I want to do is veg. That won't really be an option when I have a small child around.

I know it can be done... lots of teachers do it... but HOW?

Changes

Steve and I have decided to have a baby.

I took my last birth control pill today. We are going to wait for about a month to get me on a normal cycle... and then we're going to try and make baby Heydorn.

I'm planning on using this blog to write about the whole experience. Right now we're in the planning stage. Getting me as healthy as can be so that I can have a healthy pregnancy. I've stopped drinking coffee and started taking prenatal vitamins. I'd still be going to the gym if it wasn't for my broken foot... but by next month I should be all healed up.

This is a big decision for us, but we are ready! How exciting...!

I'm applying for this job...

... if I get it, this blog will become extremely more interesting...

Name: Aci School
Location: Turkey
Address: Konaklar Mahallesi, Akagac Sokak No:2, 4. LeventIstanbul, 34330 Turkey
Telefone: +902122809191
Fax: +902122790910

Description:
AÇI SCHOOL Istanbul, Turkey Açi School is co-educational private school, from pre-Kindergarten to Grade 12, with an enriched curriculum. Açi School is located in a central area of Istanbul, Turkey. Our enrolments are currently just over 650 students; we have a dynamic teaching staff and access to the latest in educational supplies and equipment. Açi School is a private Turkish school with an advanced English program. The Açi preschool program, which is taught in English, was developed to compliment the inquiry based primary program.

Salary: Competitive and tax free

Benefits: annual r/t air ticket, furnished housing, health insurance, work permit expenses Requirements: According to Turkish Ministry of Education, candidates must have both bachelor degree and a teaching certificate. Native in English Language Positions for the 2009-2010 Academic Year: Kindergarten Teachers/Primary English Teachers/High School English
annual round trip airfare housing and utilities paid for, except telephone and cable work permit expences private health insurance 2 year contract hot lunch when school is open

General Qualifications:
According to Turkish Ministry of Education, candidates must have bachelor degree and a teaching certificate. Native in English Language

Fireproof

Steve and I watched this last night, and I really enjoyed it. At first I was a little iffy about it, but it ended up really impressing me. As I mentioned before, Steve and I tried The Love Dare a few months back and that's a big part of the movie. Basically, a couple is ready for divorce and the husband's father suggests that he gives it 40 days more and try out this Love Dare. It has all these ways to bring the life back into your marriage and to do little unexpected things for your partner.

I highly suggest it for anyone that's a newly (or not so newly) wed. It made me and Steve really appreciate each other just a little bit more.

Opportunity is what happens when your plans fall through...

I've pretty much decided to go back to school. I know that I have toyed with this decision for the past year or so, but I think that unfortunate circumstances are pushing me towards it again. I don't really have anywhere to move up in the teaching field right now and going to school for my Master's in teaching is a lost cause. I'll never make the money I deserve and for the next few years at least I'll live in fear of losing my job.

This summer I'll start by taking a few science classes and I'll keep on until Spring of '10. At that time, I'll apply for the accelerate RN program at UCF. I already talked with the advisor and it looks like I could be completely finished 15 months after that. So we're talking Fall 2011. It was a hard decision to make because that puts me at finishing school at 29. No children until then. No children until early 30's actually. But at least when we do... I'll have a career that's in demand. I'll be able to find a good job and not worry about having to lose it.

Life is so confusing sometimes. I think I'm on the right path and that I've found a career I'm good at. I feel like I'm naturally a good teacher. I just know how to deal with children. It's not something that was taught to me, I just feel it. But now that's all been pulled out from under me. My chances of leaving Engelwood are 0% and even if I could suck it up and stay at there... the stress of working with this population of difficult children is really taking a toll on my body. The creativity and joy of teaching has been taken away and the children are suffering for it. I don't believe in what I see... and I can't support something I don't believe in.

I'm excited about the prospects of being a student again. I feel like this might be my chance to repair some of the mistakes that I made as an undergrad. I was completely unprepared to be a serious student at 18, and now I feel more confident and infinitely more motivated.

Here's what the schedule will look like:

Summer '09 - Human Nutrition, Chemistry and Lab
Fall '09 - Anatomy, Microbiology, Sociology
Spring '10 - Physiology, Statistics, Developmental Psych
Fall '10 - Enter RN program... finish 15 months later

Here's to hoping things will look up for me.