Who are the people in your neighborhood/ The people that you meet each day?

Guys, I just can’t. The blogging thing is just not a thing I can do above maybe once a month, now. On top of that, I JUST wrote a long and thoughtful post and was nearly finished when I hit something that navigated me away from the page and I lost. it. all. There was swearing.

This is the first time I’ve been back to teaching since I started this blog when I was pregnant with Miles, and it’s kicking my ass to try to do anything beyond the essentials. As it is, I’m astounded at myself. I’m teaching full time, parenting two, singing in choir, teaching children’s chapel and keeping my pets alive. That would have put me in the hospital back when I was 26, but I’ve grown a lot since then.

Now, however, I have to discipline myself to say no to whatever is not integral, so blogging will probably become a monthly thing. 

A few weeks ago we had a Saturday that reminded us how many new friends we’ve made and are still making. Our friends Justin and Alisha (Alisha watched Adele last year) were having an emergency in which Justin was hospitalized, and I took Loki, her five year old, for the day.

 
We hunted butterflies at Belmont, and then were joined by Miles’ best friend, Robert. They were our little herd all day and were so happy with each other. At the end of the day we walked to Alisha’s good friend’s house to drop off Loki with them (they’re only a few blocks from us! So, potential new friends in our neighborhood? Maybe?).

Then as the sun was setting we walked Robert to his house, talked to his mom for a while, and then headed back to our house, where we lingered outside talking to our next-door neighbors, Aura and Gustavo, and their eight year old, Angie. And we just felt lucky to have all these good people within walking distance from our house. It’s pretty cold and vulnerable-feeling to be so far from our families and friends; the world seems cold and alien, sometimes. So this day warmed us through.

Miles and Robert. They are scientists and book-lovers and dreamers and best friends.

The kids are in ballet, now in separate classes. They are doing MUCH better that way.

I got to attend the Chile and Frijoles festival and have some Mexican food from a truck while I watched a gospel concert. Bliss.

We also had our own ER visit a couple of weeks ago when Jon pushed his arm through a pane of glass and sliced several gashes down his arm. It was ghastly; I'm only back to baseline like, now. There was blood and glass everywhere and it was 18 stitches for Jon that day. We were so tired that weekend. But I got more Epsom salts and we're trying hard to focus on rest and peace, and we're in good order now. 

In other news, Adele has a brand new relationship with Madame Tooth Fairy!

And I am growing as a teacher and really finding a lot of satisfaction in it. It’s just bloody exhausting! They sent me on a conference in Aurora this past week for two days, putting me up in one of the worse La Quintas I've seen, but I got to spend more time with my team-mate, the other sixth grade ELA teacher, Katelyn, whom I love. And get Thai food, which there ISN'T in Pueblo. So we got a lot out of it and ate a lot of free food. And we're probably about caught up on sleep by now.

My classroom wall.

I am also being PAID, now. So that’s making a massive difference to our morale! We can go to a restaurant or buy that thing we’re out of or get Halloween costumes without a second thought. It feels a bit like the promised land, except I’m working a bit too hard for that.

Celebrating Pay Day at a real restaurant

It's getting homier and homier around here, too. 

We hit up OctoberFest at the preschool yesterday- and Robert came with! He’s expressed interest in coming with us to church sometime, too. All the kids enjoyed the ponies, but Adele waited in line to go THREE TIMES. She split her face grinning; maybe she’ll be my horse-lover someday.

Also, the October weather is here! And so is the October sky. And the scents. One of the things I bought myself this month is an Autumn-scented candle. I’m pouring out the contents of my bucket every day on my students and my children, so I’m making a daily effort to do what I can to fill it back up.