My Top 10 of 2010

At the stroke of midnight 2010, I was in New York City celebrating the year with a bunch of teachers from Uganda. I looked around me wondering how my life had gotten so good. My life was turning out quite different from the way I planned it 30 years before. Little did I know that 2010 was the year my life would begin anew. The year of reconnections.

10. The Unexpected

From chickens to unemployment, private school to public school, house of four to a house of two, Sean moving back and a pimping Caddy, the unexpected continued throughout the year. It began with Stu Pecker Feathers, the chicken that wandered into our yard in the middle of the city of Pueblo. Stu found herself a place to roost and laid a dozen eggs before we said goodbye. As the school year ended, I found myself questioning if private school was where I wanted to be and Tony found himself out of a job. I found myself living in North Carolina with Patti, while Tony lived in New Hampshire with Sana. Surprisingly, Patti thrived in a public school setting.  Thanksgiving time found Sean moving in with us. Throughout all of these unexpected events, something wonderful has been a result. At the end of 2010, I find myself enjoying all that life throws my way.

9. Baseball games

I have always enjoyed watching baseball games. But with so many other things, I lost sight of my enjoyment of them as more ‘grown-up’ responsibilities came my way. In my younger years, I knew all the stats of the Red Sox. Even though I had the privilege of watching the Red Sox beat the Rockies at one of the 2007 World Series games, it was this past baseball season that got it into my blood again. During the season, I attended games in three different ballparks: Coors Field, Turner Field, and Nationals Park. I even ended up on the third base line at a couple of those games. The highlight of my baseball viewing, though, would have to be the Red Sox/Rockies series Tony and I went to. Great baseball with a great man. Seeing my favorite player, Dustin Pedroia, hit three home runs in one game was pretty awesome also.

8. Benson, North Carolina

I landed in Atlanta, GA on a Wednesday. I had three interviews scheduled around the Raleigh area for Friday: Durham, Albermarle, and Benson. Riding through Atlanta, I received a phone call asking if I would be willing to do a phone interview for Benson instead of doing one in person. He returned my call at 9:30pm. (Please keep in mind, I am coming from mountain time and have been traveling all day.) At the end of the interview, he told me he wanted me for the job and didn’t want to interview anyone else. Due to paperwork issues, it took two weeks to get the official offer of the job. The next day, I packed my suitcase and off I went with no car or place to live. Within two hours, I had both a car (a Cadillac!!) and a place to live. I have embraced country living, Mule Days, and Benson Middle School; spent time at the beach and state parks; and, most importantly, made good friends.

7. Spank Blasing 5K

Sometime during spring break I woke up and decided I was done with being fat. That morning I began to run. I found that I really enjoyed getting lost in the music as my feet carried me away. Running and finishing a 5K has been a goal of mine for awhile. I mentioned it on facebook and before I knew it a friend asked me if I wanted to run one with her in only three weeks. After much contemplation about whether to run in my age group as an old lady or to run with the overweight women as a fat lady, I registered as a ‘filly’ (the fat lady) and came in second in my category. Each time I look at the medal, I am reminded of the goal I accomplished in a short period of time and an injury to boot. After that race, I went out and bought myself a pair of real running shoes.

6. Facebook reunions

If so many incredible events had not happened in my life this year, this would have been closer to the top of the list. I first got a Facebook account to keep an eye on what Sean was up to. However, it didn’t take long to discover what was in it for me….a social life, support, and, most importantly, friendship. In the last year, I have reconnected with relatives as well as many friends from high school, college, band days, and students of the past. As a result of these reconnections, I was able to spend time with many of my friends face-to-face during my summer road trip. (see #4) Others, opened their homes to me when I needed a place to stay. (Thank you, Janet.) Friendships that had gone dormant for 25 years or so have been rekindled. My family laughs about my relationship with Facebook. (I have even been called a Facebook whore, whatever that means.) However, during difficult times this year many offered support and a listening ear at a time when I needed it most. Thank you!

5. Team Mac

When my school husband was fired after my first year at McClelland, I thought I would never find another teacher who I would click so well with. Then came Scarlet. Even as we ate bagels from Panera, we were like two peas in a pod. The next year brought the most incredible team of teachers I have ever worked with. Team Mac. Scarlet, Mickey, Jed, and I had a blast as we raised academic standards and laughter at McClelland Middle School. How refreshing to have the entire team invested in the activity at hand whatever it was – teaching, field trips, integrated units, or just enjoying the students. I forged friendships with each on of them and even took our tradition of Friday night team meetings with me to North Carolina.

Video ~ Road Trip Part 1

Video ~ Road Trip Part 2

4. Summer road trip

Before I knew Tony was going to be unemployed, I bought a plane ticket to head back east to see my family, specifically my grandmother. After much discussion, we decided I would still take the trip. It began in Columbia, MO. I am still trying to figure out why Dorothy wanted to get back home to Kansas so badly. Driving through Kansas is enough to make anyone lose their mind. Luckily, I had a movie to watch as we made our way from Colorado to Columbia, MO for the big Victor Fourth of July celebration. In Missouri, we reconnected with many of Tony’s relatives (some I met for the first time), tasted Hillbilly Steamed Corn for the first time (YUM!), ran with my niece, watched an incredible pyrotechnic show designed by two of the Victor brothers, ate blackberries, and got lost running in the neighborhood. The next leg of my trip took me to Massachusetts where I stayed with my cousin in Boston for a couple of days. I was in New England. I was home. I got myself in and out of Boston, walked the Freedom Trail, and got reacquainted with Kael and his fiancée (now wife), Natasha. On to the Parker picnic where I saw many people I had not seen since I was about eight. Do not ask me their names because I don’t remember them all. However, I do have great pictures. After spending the night Holden helping out a single parent in need and staying up late chatting with my childhood friend, Kim, (I saw her just 35 years ago!) I headed on to Maine where memories were made through Jello bowls and karaoke in Bangor with Lorraine (my BFF from Woodland High School); enjoying the coast, conversation, and Pat’s Pizza with Terry (a friend from Rockland High School); honest conversation during a walk in the park with Sue (a friend from Glen Cove Christian Academy); and felt loved while reconnecting with many students-of-old. The road trip continued to Atlanta with Sean. Before any visiting was done, we rented a car and drove to Charleston where he immediately said goodbye to me to go hang with his ‘special friend’ while I did more reconnecting with an old high school friend and enjoyed a bike ride on a hot summer day with Stephen (another friend from Woodland High School days). Before heading back to Atlanta, Sean and I frolicked in the waves together at Folly Beach. In Atlanta I said goodbye to Sean and continued my adventure with my brother and his family through front yard parties, a Braves game, cruising in the convertible, boiled peanuts (YUCK!) and just hanging out. While in Atlanta I also enjoyed CNN, the aquarium, and the MLK center with my cousin Rick who I hadn’t seen in many years. I said my goodbyes and headed back to Colorado.

3. Sibling get-together

It had been at least six years since we had last been together. The rule was no spouses or children. It was going to be the three of us doing what we do. I don’t think we were quite sure what that would be. It ended up being an absolutely amazing time doing things we had never done together. Originally, the weekend was to revolve around a U2 concert for Jamie and I while Jennifer was going to go bike riding up in the mountains – until Bono broke his back. Instead it was a weekend of tattoos, white water rafting, lobster, and Frisbee golf sprinkled with laughter, big birds, and an inappropriate joke or two.  (The video tells the story best.)

2. Closing my eyes and jumping

This whole blog is about the incredible experience and the choice I made with no idea what the outcome would be like. In a nutshell: I quit my job without another one lined up, moved to Atlanta with my brother with nothing but a suitcase while I looked for a job, took a job sight unseen, moved to Benson with nothing but a suitcase, and took advantage of every opportunity of an adventure put in front of me. There were times I questioned if I had done the right thing. It gets awful lonely having a family separated. On the other hand, the time we do spend together means that much more. I am back in public schools and loving it. The students are fantastic and I have made some great friends in my colleagues.

1. Time with Tony and the Girls

It was not until we began living apart that I realized how much I treasure the time we spend together. Memories of Tony and the girls in the forefront of my mind include walking in a winter snow late at night in Pueblo; watching the girls read at a Red Sox/Rockies game; driving to Missouri for the Victor Fourth Celebration; starting our own rock band; and welcoming our Ugandan friend into our family for three weeks. With Tony, I enjoyed spontaneous dates of movies, dinner, and events on the Riverwalk. My favorite date would have to be the entire series of the Red Sox/Rockies games. Not only were the games spectacular, chatting, singing, and enjoying each other’s silence on the rides back and forth was pleasurable as well. In August our relationship took a different turn as Tony took a job in New Hampshire and I took one in North Carolina. It makes for a challenging relationship. Recently, it has been the daily phone calls and online chatting that have kept our relationship tight. Tony may not live with me; however, he is still the love of my life.

 Road Trip Part 1