Finish Line? or deadline...

My job search is an emotional roller coaster. Many many highs and lows and one very quickly approaching deadline. I think most schools are starting the last week of August. New teachers probably start in-service two weeks before the first day of school, so I need to get hired by... ummm... Monday? Not looking good. I've had four interviews at four high schools, and one more scheduled. I've also got a few other prospects in the works, but again nothing serious seems to be happening. I cannot takes the ups and downs of this process, maybe I'm just way too emotionally invested, but I get incredibly excited when I schedule an interview. My mind starts wondering... where should we move if I take get this job, when do I need to put in my notice at my job, when will I get my first check, how much will it be... all very exciting, then I don't get it, sad day.

My dogs have a new friend... a cat that loves to hang out in my front yard. She's a cute gray cat with green eyes. She seems pretty nice and not scared, obviously if she's brave enough to hang out around those two idiots. The problem is they LOVE to bark at her through the window when she's out there, which is a lot of the time, and its getting old, fast. They are also still into digging in the trash. Ridiculous, but I guess it's better than chewing on shoes or the furniture, or the sheet rock. They're pretty good boys.

Wedding planning as hit another wall... We book the DJ... and that's it. Next on the list: (1) Reserve a block of rooms, I've already decided where I really just need to call. (2) Order and send out Save the Dates. (3) Find a place for the rehearsal dinner, probably decided just need to stop looking for some magical better cheaper place. (4) Dress shopping! but probably not until I've got a job lined up...

Running is not happening, ever. It's way too hot. It's even too hot at the gym. And I seem to be too stressed out for yoga. I can't imagine staying in one place for an hour, too busy.

Starting Training, Again

The goal of this blog was to write about the general happenings of my life, including training for a marathon. If you've been reading, you've probably noticed I never mention running. This is because I hadn't had a good run in about 6 weeks. Maybe I ran Rascal around the block a few times but nothing marathon worthy. Well I'm officially re-starting my training, I've got a little more energy and momentum lately, a few job leads (nothing serious), and some progress in the wedding planning (again nothing serious), but the balls are rolling. So I'm super inspired! I really want to be in shape for wedding dress shopping in about a month and I do really want to run this marathon in December, though I am considering pushing it back to the February one, and forcing my bridesmaids to run as part of Bachelorette party celebrations. Would that make me a Bridezilla? Of course they wouldn't have to run the Marathon, there are shorter races... Ugh, I am running into one problem with my plan, these bigger events are starting to get so big that they are splitting them into two days, short races on Saturday and long races on Sunday, lame... doubtful I can convince people to run a half marathon or more just to support me.

So I ran two pathetic miles on Tuesday. Actually not too bad, 23:51... okay it's bad, and it was hard. Then I ran another two miles yesterday. So I'm feeling good. Now I just have to gradually add miles until I get to 26.2. Keep in mind me about six months ago would not have considered a two mile run worth going to the gym. (in February, I ran my Half Marathon in 2:46:04, this is averaging 12:41/mile)

Also, I'm really into cleaning right now. Anyone who's ever been to our house knows Matt and I do not care about neatness. I mean, we care, but not enough to exert extra energy to make it happen. Plus constant losing the dog hair battle makes me want to surrender all together. Dog hair is my whole life and I'm acclimated to it, does not bother me at all. But I'm feeling the urge to clean. The idea that we may move if I find a job is motivation, eventually I'm going to have to clean this place, might as well be now so I can enjoy it... There really isn't a prospect of moving, just a thought.

80,000 miles

My Saturn's odometer rolled over to 80,000 miles today on my way home from my Grama's birthday breakfast. We've been through a lot together, I'd guess about 700 trips to Denton, 1 very long trip to Florida, another trip to Missouri, and many many trips to Fort Worth. When I bought her she had only had 17 miles on her. She's been a great car for me. No real problems, except blowing through tires. I really need her to keep up this good behavior for another at least another 20,000. Keep your fingers crossed.

Energy

Yesterday I put some positive energy out into the universe (after Matthew pointed out, yet I again, I was being super negative). So I completed and updated a few applications, e-mailed some principles and was feeling pretty good about it. I also discovered I can do part of my online training, without doing anything, just pressing play every few hours. Is that cheating? So I'm feeling really good, motivated, positive, great...

Matt and I saw Eclipse, loved it : ) I think Bella got hotter. Everyone else got less extreme, Edwards - not such a creeper, Jacob - not as big/ridiculous, Emmet - also not as big as I remember, Alice - not so weird... you get the idea. It's like Friends, in the first few seasons everyone was really weird and different, then they tone it down later. The theater was still packed! and this was 3:30 on a Tuesday afternoon. We actually moved seats because this annoying group of kids sat behind us. (but really its standard practice for us to move seats because people annoy us, either by talking, or sitting unnecessarily close, or sitting right in front of you so you can't put your feet up... I hate people...) Overall a great experience though. Glad I got to see it with Matthew. Still very much TEAM JACOB!... though I have a feeling that's not going to work out.

During the movie, due to all the positive energy I put out there : ) I get a phone call for a pre-screen phone interview. So exciting!! Not for the job I've been hoping for, but I'm getting desperate, and upon further investigation, it seems like a great job at a great company. Hopefully I'll get a real interview in the next week or so.

Then, Ugh, I'm driving to work and I get pulled over by a motorcycle cop who saw my registration tag is expired. I tell him I have renewed it, I just never got the new tag. He can't look it up because motorcycle cops don't have computers, and he gives me the ticket anyway. Fine. Then I call the registration people, they look up my account and tell me I never renewed it and I should check my credit card statement to make sure I actually paid for it, sometimes it get rejected for various reasons. How am I supposed to check a bank statement from 9 months ago... so annoying, what to do now. I KNOW I paid for it back in November. I'm always so on top of these kinds of things. I remember asking my dad if he'd seen it in the mail.

The dogs have discovered they can pretty easily get the lid off the trash can and dig stuff out of the trash. I've had this trash can and these dogs for almost two years with no problem until the last few weeks. Whats the deal? I've never been a fan of trash can in the pantry, but I guess that's whats next. At least Rascal is eating again. I think the antibiotics they are on are giving him an upset tummy. I skipped his morning dose and he cleaned his bowl tonight. Freckles always cleans his bowl, and Rascal's too if he get a chance.

Happy Birthday Gramma!!

Gaining Ground

At the eye doctor with Matthew, he hates it so much, so weird. There is this super type A mom here with her three teenage-ish children. She's made me realize I need to tone down my type A-ness so I'm not sitting in some waiting room in 20 years micromanaging every aspect of my almost adult children's lives. Yikes!

I got to leave work early today, a much needed break, hopefully I'll get to catch up on a few things. I'm feeling overwhelmed by my ever growing to do list. But I'll probably just hang out with Matthew and see Eclipse, finally.

Nothing else new to report really. Still job hunting. Still waiting on my sample save the dates to come in. Still trying to get the hotel
organized.

Check out the wedding blog, I'm doing this instead of The Knot. Not much on there yet but more coming soon : )
lovedenwedding.blogspot.com

Rain and Pain

For the past 36 hours I've had the worst headache ever. I tried a million things... meds, water, caffeine, beer, sleep... nothing helped. I've finally found some relief through keeping myself distracted and sinus pressure meds. I think I irritated my sinuses by dusting... I'm also working 11 days in a row, tying not to complain because I could use the overtime pay and I have two long weekends on either side of the stretch. Work has been emotional lately. We've had some really sad cases and I'm always glad to come home to my happy healthy puppies, even if they are trouble makers. I'm also struggling with the fact that I may not find a teaching job this year, and my plan to "stick it out" until August is turning into "stick it out" for another year, no thank you.

My save the date project is in full swing. I even created a wedding blog lovedenwedding.blogspot.com to put on the announcements so friends and family can find out all about wedding stuff, registry, etc.

Going to see Eclipse tonight! super exited! hope there aren't a million stupid little girls running around.