Greetings, everyone! Its been a bit over a year since I last logged on here...its been possibly the most intense year...my mother was battling ovarian/lung cancer and passed about a month ago. I was her primary caregiver as she fought valiantly for the last three years, and its taken its toll, as those of you who have walked that road know. I was on FMLA twice this past school year, which was horrible as I still had to take care of classroom responsibilities, and didn't have much support from my brothers. Finally beginning to feel like getting off the couch...but am ovewhelmed with thank you notes, home projects that we started when we thought Mom was going to move in with us, and a whole new class to teach next fall--Honors Anatomy & Physiology--first time in 25 years!! Also during the last year, my DD had another major fainting episode at school, and hit her head hard on the floor as she collapsed, (lots of follow up testing for that episode), was diagnosed with juvenile idiopathic arthritis, and had surgery on her knee. She's had to come to grips with the fact that her HS athletic career is over, moving on from a toxic relationship, not having her mom around as much as she needed, and losing her grandmother, all while prepping for college entrance exams during the last year. As I type this I am amazed that my marriage has withstood the stresses and that I haven't fallen off the edge of the cliff. I'm trying so hard to get my groove back...and I know its a one step forward, two steps back kinda thing...so I hope that jumping back in here will help me restructure my time and get some things done so that I can be a MUCH better wife, mom, and teacher next school year. We start two weeks earlier than we have in the past...but I just need to get things together!!! ARRRGGGGGHHHH! A light begins to faintly glimmer in the darkness...thanks for listening...
