Whew! Glad that's over...

... oh wait... it's just started.

So the test is over. I am pretty confident about my results. I took the test twice. When I finished the first time, I looked around and saw so many people (none whom were taking the same content test as me) barely cracking the first half of their tests. So rather than skip out of the room, I went back over the test. It is a good thing I did. The very first question...THE VERY FIRST QUESTION... I didn't even read. I was so nervous about the test that even though the question clearly stated "improvisation", I read "pantomime" in my head, and I had answered accordingly. Other than that slight jump of the gun, I kept all my other answers the same, short of maybe 2. I had 5 hours to complete the test but I was out in an 1hr 1/2. I had no idea how stressed I was about the test until I was walking out of the testing room and the top of my head was swirling.

I have been between a state of excess energy and sleep of the dead. I went to bed last night, woke up at 5:00 am, went back to sleep at 7:30, woke up at 9:00. Then around 2:30-3:00 ish I had this overwhelming sensation that I had to lay down... immediately .... and since my bed had folded laundry all over it, I grabbed my pillow and headed to Ben's bed. I laid there thinking, I guess I am not as tired as I thought I was, and then the next thing you know it is 2 hrs later.

I have to say that I am relieved to be able to focus on the closing on this house and moving to the new one. It was very hard to juggle studying one night, then packing the next. I have no idea when I am closing, but the contract says on or before March 8th, so I know it will be on or before then! I am secretly hoping it is not until then, because I need the time to pack.

I am done... I have given enough of my energy today, and it is time for me to go and replenish so I can plant my feet firmly on the next stones in this path tomorrow.

Gratitude
It was hard, this is hard, but it feels good.... no... GREAT. It feels great to be given a challenge and rising to meet it. I thank you for this opportunity for growth and I accept all the details involved with love in my heart and an open mind to the possibilities it may lead to......

Testing...1...2...3....

Tomorrow is the big day. I take my content test tomorrow, the first of many hurdles I must jump in order to get certified to teach.

2:00 - please send all prayers, white light, good ju ju, or even a small kind thought my way to help me.

I am either going to pass it with flying colors or I am going to fail it miserably. One of the problems with preparing for this test was the lack of study guides, prep materials. The one study guide from the state paid much more attention on HOW to take the test, and not necessarily what content you should be studying. The people I emailed who had taken the test recently all said, well there were soem parts that were hard, but mostly it was okay and I passed.... well THAT doesn't help me much!!! Do I need to know how iambic pentameter further advanced the depths of Shakespeare's plays or do I just need to know that there was a guy named Shakespeare?!?!

I am very confident. What I studied was a great review overall. I felt good that most of the time as I was studying was a stroll down, "Oh yeah, I remember that!" rather than, "What the hell is that?!?! I don't remember anything like that!"

Any hoo... test tomorrow... no results for 4 weeks.... luckily I will have packing the rest of the house, move to new house, put in new floors/countertops in new house, unpack in new house, settle/adjust in new house to occupy my thoughts until I get results.

Somebody's getting married.......

For those of you who have read my blog awhile, you may remember a couple of blogs referring to a nasty situation that was hurting someone I love very much...it was my sister and the very nasty breakup and divorce of her marriage. It was hard, unexpected, aweful, and ugly. But it was over and my sister came out on the other side a stronger woman. She was able to work through the anger and pain. She was able to pull herself out of the drama and learn from the lesson.

Well, last year she met someone. A wonderful someone. A someone who made her realize what love truly means, what partnership means, and how a healthy happy relationship can help both souls reach and surpass their common goals. We were so happy to see her so happy, her children so happy, and the new light that was shining for their new extended/blended family.

And now to make it official, they are getting married. I just couldn't be happier for my big sister. I think Victor is wonderful. I think he brings out the best in my sister. I think his children are great and their presence in my neice and nephews lives has brought them great joy and happiness.

Congrats, my loving sister... you deserve it more than anyone I know!!

Tag! I'm it!

So a great distraction from packing/studying has come my way in the form of a blogger tag from the Giggling Universe. Hold on to your seats... the following is

6 WEIRD THINGS ABOUT ME:

1. My husband and I have never made love the same way twice in 8 years
2. I rehearse dialogue in my head/out loud all the time - in the car, in the mirror, etc. I will come up with scenarios in my head and think of how I will respond to them, how I will phrase a resonse. I will work out difficult conversations in my head before I have the conversation just so I can be prepared and not freeze or miss an opportunity to share how I really feel.
3. I love to get dirty... like gritty grimy nasty oily hair dirty just so I can truly enjoy a shower and how clean I am afterwards.
4. I am petrified of bees/wasps/flying stinging bugs even though I know I am much bigger than they are and the sting would probably not hurt as bad as it does in my mind. The really sad thing is that my children have picked up on my sheer terror and silence and now they do it.
5. I am obsessed with popping zits/boils... and not just my own. The bigger, the nastier, the better!
6. If I am in the passenger seat of a car with an emergency brake in between me and the driver, I want to pull it, just to see what would happen. I will even secretly hold it and mentally DARE myself to just pull...do it.... you know you want to...PULL IT!!!

This was actually really fun to think of.... so I am going to tag
Tiff (Yes, I know you are not blogging, but do it in the comments)
JuJuBee because I know she is packing right now too and deserves a break.
The Princess since she just finished moving/unpacking.
Rich Girl Poor Girl because she just started a new job, career, passion!
The Mommy Files because after her most recent weird brazillian waxing story just after her Justin Timberlake stalking, I am sure she has a great list!!
SunShine because even the brightest sunshine has dirty little weird secrets!

and last but not least...

April Fool because she just got a new beau, "Ted", and he needs to know the weird stuff too!!

Who's on first?

So conversation with my 2 yr old, Ben, has become similar to an Abbott and Costello comedy sketch. In his very young mind, he has managed to take the few words he knows and create his own conversation completely void of any new information that you may give him during the conversation. Example:

Ben: (B-U-R-P)
Mommy: Ben... say 'Excuse me, I burped!'
Ben: (turning around in complete fascination at the coincidence)... I burp, TOO!!
Mommy: No angel, mommy didn't burp, you burped. You should say, 'Excuse me, I burped!'
Ben: (Again, in awe of what we have in common) Mommy... I burp, TOO!!!

Lists

I don't have time for free form thought, I must resort to lists. I do this when the details overwhelm the journey. So, here we are:

- Grandparents - panicked when my mother went to get them and return to Houston. They decided to give an assisted living place one more look. It is wondereful. We went down the next weekend and helped them move in to an apartment. Took the best of a 3 bedroom house and put it into their apartment... only catch... my grandmother wants a 2 bedroom...what is wrong with the women in my family??? We always need just ONE more room and then all would be perfect!

- School - kicking my patooty right now. Not that it is hard, but it is a lot of theory thrown at you, and I am a "give it to me when I need it so I can use it" kind of person. Problem arises, research problem, solve problem. Plus I am watching the days countdown to my content test and I have barely cracked a book.

- House - WHEN DID WE GET ALL THIS CRAP?!?!?! Boxing, packing, moving packed boxes from one room to the next.... no official closing date yet, but will keep you posted.

SOLD

There is a SOLD sign in my front yard.