2009 turned out to be a pretty good year, even though I didn't get a couple of the things I really wanted, like being accepted into the doctoral program and conceiving a child. I'm still working on the latter ;)
In August, I began a new job as a 4th grade teacher at Cesar Chavez Elementary School in San Luis. I'm also a reading tutor and Pom Squad coach at the school. I'm very happy there, and I plan to stay there until life tells me otherwise. I took on a few extracurricular activities as well, including "So You Think You Can Moonwalk?" (a tribute to Michael Jackson and dance contest), a fashion show, the Nutcracker, and coaching the AWC Dance Team. So, I was very busy, but this semester should be a little slower.
Chris and I began our foster care/adoption training and certification process, which is STILL in the process of being completed. Ugh! My hope is that we'll be certified by February. Eleazar, our agency liason, was in the process of moving and, subsequently, ignored us for a few weeks. But, no, I'm not bitter! His delay did give me the opportunity to make two trips to IKEA, in Phoenix and San Diego, to buy everything I needed and wanted for the bedroom.
After trying to conceive a child for one year, we began testing for infertility. I had bloodwork done and a few tests and exams, and my doctor concluded that everything with me is normal. That was a very expensive and painful relief! Chris recently had a semen analysis, but we have yet to get the results. My doctor seems to believe that nothing's actually "wrong" with us, but we're part of the 7% of couples who take two years, or longer, to get pregnant. It has been a year and a half, so time will tell.
Chris experienced a lot of success during the football season this year! They won their conference, and went to Biloxi, MI for a bowl game. He began using the P90X workout system this semester to help him get through the grind, and itpayed off! This was the first football season that he didn't lose weight. Instead, he gained weight and now I call him my muscle man :)
We spent the holidays in a few places--Phoenix, Tucson, Thatcher, and San Diego. I drove Barry, our RV, to Phoenix to shop for kids furniture at IKEA. Then, through the high speed winds, dust, and rain, we proceeded to Tucson (Chris was following me in his Yota). There, we dropped off Barry and Zeus. Then, we drove to Thatcher to visit our friends, Jeff and Laura, and there new baby, Isabella. It was a great trip, regardless of the fact it was sooo short. Isabella is a doll!!! Then, we went back to Tucson to visit with family and friends. We met Ari and Genna's second daughter, Teagan, and got to say 'Hi' to Hailey also :) On Christmas Eve, we went to my dad's house for the evening and looked at old photos and gabbed. Christmas morning was spent at the Murphy's, and we spent the evening at my mom's. It was a day filled with nieces--Imara, Samantha, and Peyton.
We spent a day back in Yuma, and then we headed to San Diego. There, we spent time with our friends Glenn and Jeff. We went to a few U of A events and parties. I just love San Diego! Jeff got a flying lesson for his birthday, so we took him there. The real reason for our trip was the U of A holiday bowl, a football game. We were one of the 67,000ish crazies who sat it the cold and rain only to see the U of A break a record--they were the first team to be shut out in a holiday bowl...how embarassing! But, we had a good time!
Now, we're home. Chris already had to go back to work covering some basketball practices. I was attempting to complete my online traffic class for the ticket I received back in October, but it turns out I have to send in some identity verification forms first. So, instead, I'll probably try to convince Chris to start putting the furniture together for the kid's room :)
Happy belated New Year to you and yours!
