Slowing down

Deep breath.

I've been taking a lot of those lately.

It seems like the past few weeks have flown by...especially with the whole break-in craziness. No new news on that, by the way. Still hoping something will turn up.

Other than that, I just haven't felt much like writing. I'm usually good about updating the blog, but I just haven't felt like doing anything on my computer recently. I've been reading a lot, so I guess I was way into the books I was reading. I wasn't going to confess, but I will....I have been reading the Twilight series.

I'm so embarassed.

I started reading the first book just to see what the big deal was. So many of my students LOVE the Twlight saga, but I just laughed....I mean, really, vampires? So, I shrugged it off and decided I was too old for it. Then, I saw the first movie. It was okay...I liked it....I saw the appeal. I understood why my high school students love it. When the 2nd movie came out, I saw it, too. I had already seen the first....might as well. I actually laughed out loud at the end of it. It was so melodramatic, but sadly, it did draw me in.

So, I bought the first book.....read it in a week. (I know, many people read them in a day....I'm not a quick reader, plus....I have a life)

I skipped the 2nd book...first because they didn't have it at Target, 2nd....I had seen the movie, so I got the idea behind it.

I started reading the 3rd book, read it in a week.

Moved on the the 4th book.....read it in 4 days. It was by far, the best of the series.

So, I became hooked. I see why people like it so much. I'm not going to be crazy about it like a lot of people are. At first, I did not enjoy the writing style. The author used a lot of the same adjectives....I got tired of that. However, the writing definitely got better with each book. So, now I'm am expectantly waiting for the next movie. Sigh. Now my students will want to talk Twilight with me. That's okay, though. I'm just glad they're reading. It's much better than some of the other trash out there. I picked up the novel, Precious, the other day in Barnes and Noble. All I'm going to say is that I will not be reading that book. As an English teacher, I can't bring myself to do it. First, the language is too much for me. Second, the "writing" is made up on sentence fragments and slang. Now, before people think I'm being all judgemental. No, I'm not. I get what the author is doing. Again, I'm an English teacher. I have a bachelor's degree in English and a Master's in Library Science. I know a lot about writing styles, and it's just that - this author's chosen writing style for this novel. It is written in first person, and the language and writing is relative to the character speaking. I just can't bring myself to read it....the content, language, all of it....just not for me.

Like you really care to have my opinion. Just "thinking outloud".

We are in the process of getting our house on the market. We went and looked at the house I posted on a week ago. I was hoping that I would hate the inside so the decision would be a little easier. Sadly, no. Loved it. It was super cute, and it has SO much potential. We could add a master bath to it, finish the upstairs...which would give us another 700+ square feet, and we just love the location. However, our house has to sell first....and we'd have to be sure we could handle in incurring costs that come with an older house.

I have faith. It'll all work out....whichever way it's supposed to.

Hope you're all doing well. I promise not to stay away as much anymore. I do have another book to read, though, but this one is for school. I assigned Pygmalion for my seniors' as their independent reading, so I need to re-read that and get my assignments together for it. I'm thinking about having them act out a scene and do a character analysis. Many of my students read my blog, so let me answer a question for them real quick. YES you HAVE TO act out a scene. YES you may have a partner, but only ONE. If I have an odd number of students, someone will have to go solo. You can do it. I know how creative you guys are....I'm looking forward to it!

Okay. We're having a movie night, so I'm off for now.

Thank you all for continuing to remember us in your thoughts and prayers. I wish I could say so much more than just thank you, but it's all I can give. We have been so blessed by you all. We are continuing to hang in there....still having good and bad days. We just want to live as we would have taught Ayden to live, so we're focused on that and living to make him a proud little boy.