Hallelu, hallelu, hallelu, hallelujah!

The last course of my school librarian certification is finished--I submitted my final paper last week. By the way, I cannot emphasize enough the idiocy of my decision to return to college again with a toddler and husband and household to tend to. Nonetheless, it is finished, we are several thousand dollars poorer, and I'll soon have that additional little certification in my pocket.

The last two rounds of high-stakes testing for my students were also completed this week. I am moving into a new position next year--a position in which I will still be working directly with students (good), but without the pressure of having my name attached to a specific group's set of test scores (VERY good). And no, funny enough, I will not be working as a school librarian. That would make way too much sense, you know.

Do you see what has happened? In a matter of just a few days, two of the largest, most time-consuming, most energy-consuming, most all-consuming stressors in my daily life have gone away. And I am left with my life, and the potential to do just about whatever I want with it.

Because it has been years--I believe the last time was around 2003--since I've faced this much freedom and tranquility, I think I should make a list of ways to spend my time, now that it is again, well, mine:

1. Duh--spend more time playing and snuggling and talking with the Mr. and Al. They are nineteen kinds of wonderful, those two.
2. Garden. I started a little vegetable garden several weeks ago, and it just might make it. That will be a big accomplishment for a girl whose former neighbor used to announce each spring when he caught me bringing home bedding plants, "Ahhh, it's the killing season again, I see."
3. Read. Oh-em-gee, I cannot wait to read some quality trash. Suggestions, anyone?
4. Finish decorating our home and finally redo the master bath. Yes, we've lived here for three years already, and the place is still not finished. And no, my last name is not McCord van Kempen.
5. Go for more walks, eat more popsicles, take more pictures, and bake more cookies.

My little garden. It's a good thing I like tomatoes.