My Double Life

Secret's out. I have a double life.*

Most of you know either one or the other. Chris knows both and is most likely scared.

The first is school-year Laura. School-year Laura exists 10 months out of the year. She doesn't blog. She is always tired. She has no friends. We don't like school-year Laura.

The second is cool, fun, no-school Laura. We like her a lot!

She is crafty.

For my mother-in-law. Mississippi State wreath.

She can knit.

My first blanket. Currently working on blanket #2.

She makes delicious Shepherd's Pie for this little Irish family on New Year's Day.

What's luckier on New Year's Day than a traditional Irish dish. It might be touched by leprechauns.

She gives herself awesome manicures.

No stickers. Just paint. I always wanted to work in a nail salon.

She goes out to dinner with friends.

Sunset Grill, Nashville, New Year's Eve

She stays up after midnight.

New Year's Eve at Tyler and Emilee's!

Tomorrow, school-year Laura must return. She'll be here until May 29. I think I'll miss my friends and family the most, but duty calls. I'm still working on how to fuse school-year Laura and no-school Laura, but no such luck. They are divided by a great canyon called room 201. 

*I promise I'm not bi-polar, nor do I have multiple personality disorder.

Also, happy new year! Blah, blah, blah...2012 has some memories. Looking forward to the promises of 2013...blah blah. All major events will be documented on the blog.

Percocets and Milkshakes

I had my wisdom teeth taken out on Thursday. Let's all take a moment and give God a high five for only giving me 2 wisdom teeth on the top! I have been completely grossed out by teeth since my own baby teeth starting getting loose. My dentist actually had to pull some of my baby teeth because I was too grossed out to do it. So, huzzah! for only having two wisdom teeth!

I went to bed on Wednesday night and woke up on Friday. But Chris tells me everything went well. No "David After Dentist" stories, but I did make demands for pizza, Sonic, Mountain Dew, and queso on the drive home. Sounds about right. When Chris told me I couldn't have queso, I apparently just sobbed until we got home. Also sounds about right. Later, he informed me that we went to the pharmacy while I was crying about being denied queso. That's a little embarrassing...

I also decided to be left handed after we got home. I have no explanation for that.

On Friday, I woke up feeling much better. I had intentions to go to my school's fall festival Friday night, so I took a nap to rest up. Then it was Saturday. Weird.

My biggest fear throughout this whole thing has been dry socket. I understand it's rare on the top teeth, but I don't take chances. I've had 6 milkshakes, 5 pudding cups, mashed potatoes, and spoon fulls of peanut butter. You know, for protein. I think I got diabetes Saturday night, but then I found some thin-sliced deli meat in our fridge. That was a lifesaver.

Overall, no crazy swelling. (Just one minor chipmunk cheek on the left.) Barely any pain. Lots of milkshakes. And a Percocet/anesthesia combo that was quite wonderful for 2 days.

O'Brien Remedy for Wisdom Teeth Surgery:

• Ice. Don't fall asleep with the ice on one cheek. The other cheek WILL swell by itself.
• Milkshakes. 4 times a day.
• Rest. If you wake up, time for another Percocet/Phenergan combo pack!
• Peppermint tea bags. Stops the bleeding, and makes your breath smell all pepperminty!
• Wiener dog. For cuddling.
• Mashed potatoes. BreakfastLunchAndDinner.
• Turkey sandwich meat. To stave off the diabetes.
• Pajamas. I'm really gonna hate putting real pants on tomorrow.

Thank you to Chris, my mom, and everyone who called or texted to check on me! Also to Itchy, who was determined to cuddle, even when I didn't want to anymore.

Losing the Waiting Game

I'm blogging during the Tennessee-Alabama game. Things are not going well. But to be fair, the only teams we have lost to are top ten teams. Tough break when your conferences is exclusively top ten teams.

I could draw a giant metaphor between my life and the Tennessee football team right now, but I won't. I'm not sure if my readers have crossover interests between football and emotional things. I'm not sure I have readers.

I'll just say that I'm up against a lot right now.

I've been playing the Waiting Game for quite a while now, and I'm pretty sure I'm losing. I didn't realize you could lose the Waiting Game until now, but you can. My patience is very short. I've waited, and it should be my turn now. But it's not.

What makes this ridiculous is that I actually know when the Waiting Game will be over, and I'm still losing. ?!  Chris will graduate in 2014. Then we'll be FREEEeeeEEE!  (That's how you type words that you sing, right?) I should start a countdown. Every time that number gets smaller, I can metaphorically punch the Waiting Game in the face. (I told you...my patience is very thin.)

So things are not great, but just like how those refs gave Tennessee a huuuuge break by calling back a Bama touchdown, there have been some wins recently. (Sorry, I made the metaphor. You'll have to learn about football now.) Chris' summer semester will be starting a week later in 2013, so we get 4 WHOLE DAYS between my school ending and his beginning. Vay-cay!

We have had the chance to go to Knoxville a few times this fall. Our friends Adam and Megan got married last weekend, and it was a gorgeous fall wedding!

My roommates from college (and beyond) had a Nashville reunion weekend! We shopped, ate good food, and saw a movie about a college a capella group. Sounds about right.

Catherine left too early for pictures. Boo vet school.

So I'm trying to focus on those small victories and forget about the big picture for a while. Random cheesecakes delivered to my door could help. Just sayin.

Derek Dooley Gets Pumpkin Roll'd!

It's been quite a while since my last blog, mostly because I've been awake for 34 days straight. The 2012-2013 school year has started; therefore, my 2012-2013 life has ended. Except for an obscene amount of testing, the school year has been pretty good. There are challenges to any job, but I am very grateful to have a job at all. God continues to provide for Chris and I in the midst of a very challenging season of our life.

This week is fall break, hence the blogging.

I'm very grateful that my school system gives us a week off in the fall. I can't tell you how much we need it. Chris and I have not been on a vacation since our honeymoon 2 1/2 years ago. So these breaks are my chance to pretend I'm on vacation. Every morning, I wake up and put sunscreen on. Then I turn off the a/c and pretend I'm at the beach.

I'm just kidding.

But I seriously have been enjoying sleeping again...and baking...and doing dishes...and hanging out with long-lost friends. I even had lunch with a new friend today! I'm so jealous of people that get to meet friends for lunch. But that is neither here nor there...

Let's catch up for a bit. Chris and I went to Knoxville in September for the UT-Florida game. We didn't quite pull that game off, but it was so great to see our friends and be on campus again.

We had lunch at the UC. Petros are the bomb. (Excuse the college lingo from my era.)

ESPN's College Gameday was on campus for all the excitement. This is the back of the setup.

We found Elvols. I think he had been at Gameday. He was sweaty.

We went to the Vol Walk and cheered on Coach Dooley. We were also right behind one of the Orange Men. Awkward....

We couldn't get into the game, mostly because tickets were $300...each. So we watched it from the strip. We were fairly happy with that decision.

This fall break, I have gotten back in touch with my womanizing roots. (That doesn't sound right. Oh well.) I actually made plans for meals and went grocery shopping for all the applicable items. 

I did get one item that was not on my list.

You buy the cookies, and they will GIVE you free Pizza Rolls. FAT. KID. WIN.

I MADE A PUMPKIN ROLL FROM SCRATCH. And so many of you worried I would never be able to make anything except frozen chicken tenders...

I also have time to make all the recipes on Pinterest that I've been saving since July. These are healthy cheeseburgers! We don't have a grill, so we haven't had homemade cheeseburgers since...ever. But these taste exactly like cheeseburgers, except they are grilled on a George Foreman in a tortilla. You can get the recipe HERE.

When we pulled out our old, rusty George Foreman, we found this note inside it. I don't even know the story behind this anymore, but it takes me back to Chris's Head Resident days during college. Obviously, we haven't used it since then.

So that's my fall break so far. I'm looking forward to hanging out with more friends tomorrow and most of my FELLOWSHIP HOUSE girls this weekend! THAT surely beats the mean old beach any day. Unless we were on the beach, and then THAT would be the bomb. ....dot com.

Begin Again

As a rule, I don't talk much about school. ("As a rule"...get it? And I rhymed. I'm an awesome teacher.)

I had so much to say before this new school year started. Then the new school year started, and I barely had time to sleep, eat, or think. If you know a teacher who is starting school right now, give him or her a hug. Like a long one. They need it.

I was so hopeful to start this school year, and I still am. I think every teacher is hopeful and excited right now. (Contrary to popular belief, we do NOT spend our whole summer just laying by the pool. We actually do a ton of work preparing for the next year.) We are hopeful that this will be the best year we've ever had. We are hopeful that our past experience will make this year smoother and better than before. We are hopeful that we'll get more sleep, eat better, and be a positive force in our students' lives. At least for me, I'm always hopeful that at least one child will completely change for the better while they're in my class. I'm completely aware that it's not always my doing that causes the change, but I still love to see it happen.

This year, I'm excited that I have things a little more figured out at my new school. I wasn't a brand new teacher last year, but being in a new school, new grade level, and new school system sure make you feel completely lost. We have new standards this year, which will change what we teach, but it's nice to know where the music room is--rather than sending the kids down the hallway and hoping they remember.

In the short time we've already been at school, I've realize I'm going to learn a lot this year. A new group of kids can be daunting, but I'm excited to think about how different they'll (hopefully) be by the end of this year. 

I do have a few requests on behalf of teachers everywhere right now:

• Pray for us. I, especially, need prayer for wisdom and patience.
• Pray for our students. A lot is asked of them these days. 
• Pray for their parents. They are in a precarious position of advocating for the BEST for their child and also understanding that their child is not perfect and is one of MANY in a classroom.
• Pray for our school leaders. They are under tremendous regulations and requirements, while also trying to give their schools what they need. A decision from up-top is never as easy as it sounds.
• Give what you can. We desperately need supplies and time. I would estimate that every teacher in America has spent about $300 so far this year. SO FAR. When was the last time you spent that much of your own money without completing an expense report? What kind of time can you give? Pay attention to school board meetings. Vote for the right people. Spend a day with your niece, nephew, cousin, friend's child--every positive adult in their life makes a difference. 

Even if you don't have kids, they need you. Not to be cliche, but they will be in charge of you someday.

Go Timberwolves.

Things We Learned in Texas

1.     Jean shorts (on girls) are still cool and acceptable in public, as long as the lower half of your butt hangs out. Unfortunately, I don't have any shorts this short, but I was excited to wear my jean shorts with pride. They just fit the best.

2. The police are called Constables. And they wear cowboy hats.

3.     Everyone has a truck. And it is huge. Our little Nemo almost got squished every time we parked.

4.     Whataburgers. Everywhere. You are shunned if you do not like Whataburger.

5.   Frontage roads. These are roads that parallel the interstate. 
Pros-Restaurants and businesses can be along the complete length of the interstate, instead of perpendicular to the interstate along exits. 
Cons-You have to memorize where things are on the frontage road because if something is coming up on the  left, you must exit onto the frontage road BEFORE you pass it, drive approximately 1 mile, make a U-turn under the interstate, then basically retrace your steps to get back to your destination. I may have cursed several times at the frontage roads.

6.     Some people in Houston are still bitter about the Titans. Chris and I listened to an awkward conversation in a little shop between four Texans. They discussed the Titans move to Tennessee and how they refuse to acknowledge them as a real team. The group then each bought Oilers t-shirts. To be fair, the shop was called "Big Texas."

7.    No one in Texas cares about organic or natural food! It was pure joy to not be given the stink eye for buying the regular bananas instead of the organic bananas. I also realized how much Nashville is becoming more and more a "Little Hollywood." I wonder if the Nashville hipsters would rebel AGAINST organic food in California...because they wouldn't be different anymore.

8.     Tex-Mex. I was most excited to experience authentic Mexican food in Texas, as well as authentic Tex-Mex. I learned that authentic Mexican food is wonderful, and Tex-Mex is exactly what we've been eating this whole time. My Mexican food experience, in the heart of Mexican San Antonio, consisted of a chicken taco, rice, and beans. The taco was mostly vegetables with some chicken. The cheese dip was yellow. Very thick chips with no salt. My Tex-Mex meals were much more Americanized--lots of meat, white queso, buttered rice--but still delicious.

9.     Last but not least......Buc-ees. This is a gas station the size of Walmart. There were at least 200 people inside. The line to the bathroom was out the door. People were buying Buc-ees bumper stickers. Chris and I were baffled.

Well, there you have it. Chris and I spent a wonderful month in Houston, Texas. 

We went to the beach.

I rode in Corvettes.

I have finally shed those awkward middle school years when I first rode in this Corvette.

HUGE thank you to my Uncle Eddy and Aunt Kathy for letting us bum off them for the month!! They are just great!

At the end of the day, I still love my Tennessee.

Texas

We've been in Texas for about 2 1/2 weeks now. Chris is in Houston for a month-long clinical rotation, and my aunt and uncle have been kind enough to let us stay with them. (It's not easy keeping two O'Briens for a month.) I'm just so grateful that I could come with him on this rotation. Hopefully, I'll be able to go along on the next rotation in summer 2013. His last three will be during the school year, so let's all start praying now that he gets rotations in Nashville. It's been pretty cool learning about life in a different part of the country. We started our adventure on June 30 with a stop in Memphis. Shaving 3 hours off the trip didn't seem huge, but it helped a lot.

We arrived in Houston on July 1, and our first stop was a Texas BBQ joint. No plates. Just bbq on wax paper. Be messy!

It was hot the first week. We celebrated the fourth of July with a neighborhood cookout.

Then there was an adorable bicycle parade.

We watched fireworks from The Woodlands, TX. Of course they played Lee Greenwood's "God Bless the U.S.A." and of course Chris shouted "Go Vols!" when he mentioned the hills of Tennessee. It was, however, quickly overshadowed by cheers when Mr. Greenwood sang about Houston. Funny--I've never noticed the song mentioned Houston, probably because it was always drowned out by "Go Vols."

Our second week was wet. As in, there was major flooding in Houston. But you already know that since you've all been so worried about us over here. It rained for six days straight. And I sat inside for six days straight. Have I mentioned we only have 1 car out here, and Chris drives it to work? But it's cool. I stole the car today.

Last weekend, Chris and I took a mini-vacation to San Antonio. It was gorgeous and NOT rainy! First, we paid homage to Davy Crockett at the Alamo. Again, go vols. Then we walked to Market Square and enjoyed some really authentic Mexican food. Chris and I were thankful many times that we both know some Spanish. Most of the signs and menus were in Spanish. San Antonio has a beautiful riverwalk that runs throughout the city. They were offering boat tours, but the boats were in the sun and the sidewalk was in the shade, so Chris and I walked the whole riverwalk. Go, go, gadget healthy O'Briens! We experienced a Texas steak house that night, but we were too entranced by the CrossFit games on TV to remember much of the restaurant. Those CrossFit women are nuts!

We have about 2 1/2 weeks left here. I'm leaving a little earlier to get my classroom back in order for the new school year. My only goal for the rest of our time in Texas is to make it to the beach. I've never lived this close to a beach, and I refuse to go home without touching the ocean.

Chris and I are working on a blog of things we've noticed about Texas. It should be good. It includes Harry E. Butts.