Can I complain about starting work when everyone else works year-round?

I'm starting school in 1 day. I'm terrified. I don't know these kids! They could be monsters! They could be...kids! Oh wait...I really have nothing to be terrified of but that doesn't mean I'm not. It's not as bad as the first day of school last year, but I definitely will need to find my groove again.

I've spent the last 3 days organizing my room. The teachers are totally rearranged, so we have 3 new 2nd grade teachers. Luckily, my English partner teacher is the same awesome Mrs. C (can I just tell you again what a blessing she is in my life? she teaches me how to simplify simplify simplify, have fun, have a life outside of work, love the kids, organize myself, and be happy teaching. she's so what I need). One of the other new 2nd grade teachers is the most O.C.D. woman I have ever met - her classroom is more organized than any classroom I've ever seen. I mean, think handmade zebra-print labels matching handmade zebra-print stickers and handmade zebra-print...everything. It's overwhelming. She OWNS, and I mean, OWNS, little devices that keep your chords together so that they aren't a huge mess. She's crazy. Crazy brilliant. She came into my classroom and said "your flow is off" and rearranged everything in my classroom so that it flowed better. ? I didn't even know what "flow" was. Let's just say I've learned a lot from her obsessive organizing skillz/O.C.D. Bless her heart. And don't worry, I won't let her rub off on me too much (to be honest, I don't think I could even be like her if I wanted to).

That's beside the point. Point: teaching is still scary but I know from experience it could be worse (last yr) so I'm not complaining. Although sometimes I may think, "wouldn't it be nice to not have to work ever!?"

This past week I went on a hike to dog lake up Big C Canyon. I'm so glad I have hiking - it's been my sanity and my outlet and my happiness this past week when I couldn't find it anywhere else. Yes, another post about nature. You can tune out if you want.

 

I'm also so glad that I have a friend like Bethany. She's a saint and understands me and forgives me when I'm a bad friend. BHH

 I also had the special treat of having my brother Ryan and Kiyomi along with their 3 wonderful kids BJO come and visit from L.A. We had Ethiopian food downtown SLC and then toured City Creek. I love their family, and I loved spending time with them.

my search

I went to the temple recently and had a wonderful experience. I feel completely inadequate at communicating what I felt within those walls as I was being taught, but if I tried, the one word that would come to mind would be love. Isn't that the whole purpose of our existence? To learn and understand God's love for us? Sometimes it's hard to feel or find in the experience of life, but I always find it if I search hard and long enough. 

I feel God's love for me more deeply and more tangibly when I am in His beautiful creations, like I was today when I was on the top of a mountain just a few miles from where I live.

"...and all things denote there is a God; yea, even the earth, and all things that are upon the face of it, yea, and its motion, yea, and also all the planets which move in their regular form do witness that there is a Supreme Creator." Alma 30:44