Stressed? No. Tired? YES!

Hey Kids,

I know, I know, it's been awhile since I've written anything of substance (not entirely true, but more on that later), but better late than never, right? Right!

This is Wednesday night of the first week that I have all 5 of my classes again (6th, 7th, 10th, 11th and 12th grades) and I am EXHAUSTED! I correctly predicted that 3 weeks of only 2 classes would spoil me and I would be soooo not ready for full time school. Darn. I wish I had been wrong. How often does one say that?

I am happy to see my high schoolers, though! I missed them! They probably wouldn't believe that if I told them that, but I did! They are such a good group of kids and their levels of English make it possible to have some really great conversations! Plus, they're funny! I am happy to have them back, but the schedule will take some getting used to again. I'll only be here for another 3 weeks after this one and then it's another blissful vacation of 12 days! I'm taking 2 days before and an entire week after the wedding so that I can spend some quality time with my new hubby and visit with all of my lovely guests! :)

We're preparing for the 25th anniversary of Montessori (Feb. 14th) right now so I've been rehearsing 'Somewhere Over the Rainbow' with all of my classes so much that the dang-on song has popped up in my dreams! It's such a cool song, I hope it's not ruined for me forever! That also means that a lot of class time is stolen from me and dedicated to rehearsing for the big day. That's always mildly stressful because it means that I'm having to hurry up to stay on track for exams. This time around it's even more stressful because there is a certain amount of info I need to get to my kids before I leave for my wedding-stravaganza. Oh well, it's Montessori, I don't know what else I was expecting?

Wedding plans are pretty much on track. Within the next 7 days I'll be ordering the beer and wine and that will be the last of the major purchases. Everything else will be smaller details and won't be on my radar as much. Neither Pako nor I are feeling very stressed yet, but we are feeling fatigued! We've been (slowly, but surely) working on this wedding for about a year now and we are tired!!! I am SO excited to marry my best friend and to celebrate it with my friends and family, but I am also exceedingly excited for the planning part to be done! On Friday we're meeting with the caterer to discuss layouts of the hall and other details. The guy is a godsend! He is so organized that I don't even have to pretend I know what is going on! I can just nod or shake my head when he asks me something and then his people take care of it! Yes! I wish I had a person like him in my life all the time. Do you want fajitas for dinner? *nods* It is taken care of! Oh wait, I am getting a husband... they do those sorts of things, right? Right? Hahahahahahahahaha! Actually, my future hubby makes a mean chicken fajita!

My parents have settled right into their own routine here in Zihua. There apartment is nice (I think I probably like it more than they do, solely because of the hot water - which I use as much as possible) and in a pretty nice location. I'm sure you'll here more of that as I am going to ask my dad to guest-write the blog in the near future. Although, if he writes anything about my dog and crocodiles or hibachi grills, he will be in big trouble! Consider yourself warned, dad! Pako has been working the 3 - 11pm shift (the worst, in my opinion), so I head down by the rents after he leaves for work. We usually take a walk somewhere and then make dinner or eat out somewhere, then I shower (it's SOOO nice to have a hot shower!) and I cab home to my boys (Teki and Pako).

I had a momentary brain-fart and forgot what I was going to write next. And to think some people call me a writer! Ah yes, that's it! Apparently, I'm a writer... or so says my byline on Imagine-Mexico.com, the local Ixtapa-Zihuatanejo internet magazine that has just hired me to write 1 - 2 articles a month! Yeah, I know... what?!? I didn't even apply! Remember when my seniors participated in the peace conference and gave those AWESOME speeches that made me so proud I could have cried? Well, the woman who organized the entire peace summit is also the co-founder and editor in chief of this magazine and she asked me to write up an article about Montessori for a follow up on the conference. Luckily I had the anniversary to write about because I was majorly stumped otherwise. Anywho, she must have loved it because after Christmas she invited me to meet with her and talk about a possible position as a contributing editor. Wooo! Check me out! Here's the link to my first article (after the Montessori one, which I totally do not count). I'm going to write my next article on a program called Niños Adelante, which is a program that works with local kids and connects them with sponsors who help offset educational costs. It sounds like a really cool program and I'm looking forward to interviewing in person, face to face some old fart that I know around these parts :)

Last, but DEFINITELY not least, some uberextremelysupertotallyandcompletely awesome news: I'm going to be an AUNT!!!! That's right, my very own Lorena (haha, I've already become totally protective and possessive of her.. just imagine her husband!) is preggers! HOORAY!!! I am SO excited (if you can't tell)! Unplanned, but an extremely happy surprise! Tito can't stop smiling. She can't either, really! Neither can I! Not having siblings, I'm totally reliant on Pako's brother and sister to make me an aunt and here we go! Technically I am already an aunt as Pako's brother has 3 kids, but they're all older and I don't get to see them as much as I would like to! This is a NEW baby! I love those!!! Especially when I can give them back to other people! I know my mom's grandma gene is kicking in hardcore, but she is just going to have to wait another 2 - 3 years! She will make an excellent great-aunt to this little bebé!

Ok, that's all for now folks! Time for me to drag my tired nalgas into bed! Look for a guest blog from my father (as long as he's willing to behave himself) some time in the near-ish future!

XOXO - stay warm!

Leyah

PS. One of my all time favorite teachers is here for the month (and the wedding) and I am blown away when I think how much this one person has influenced my life! Great teachers really impact their students and often unknowingly turn into mentors and friends. I hope to someday have the positive effect on my students that this man has had on me! Go teachers!