Happy News!

Ok, first the bad news to get it out of the way: I still have a cold from last weekend. I started Sunday with a scratchy throat and it's a full blown head cold. In 6 years of marriage, Matt's never seen me with one. Other bad news, I was on duty last night and went to bed late (can't help that!) and this morning I couldn't sleep in past 6am!! Aaahh that's 30 minutes EARLIER than usual, when I have the WHOLE MORNING OFF!!!! 

And now to the good news: my only class today is from 2 to 3 pm !!!!!! The Junior class is going to Philadelphia for a field trip (even though the government shut down and their itinerary had to change). Since I teach mostly Juniors, off they go and my classes are cancelled! I was SO hoping to do some shopping, but Matt's schedule is heavy today and won't be back until 5 pm with the car, instead of 10:30 am. Bummer. 

Back to good news: last night was our dorm bonding night and we did the Top Chef cook off by house. We were Hufflepuff against Griffindor and Ravenclaw. The girls made roasted veggies (peppers and zucchini), grilled chicken in this yogurt Indian-ish sauce that was super yummy (considering they just mixed whatever I had in cupboards), potato chips (these came out more like dried out roasted potato slices, but kudos for being adventurous), and a spinach salad with grated carrots and avocado slices on top. The deans came over as judges and then we all dug in for supper. We lost, but we had fun. 

On Tuesday, my department chair observed my AP class and it was a killer class--really. So great. We talked about the 2004 law about keeping obvious religious symbols out of public schools. They were all shocked and up in arms about it that it made for a great debate. Little do they know (yet) about the 2011 law about keeping one's face uncovered in ANY public space. They're going to go crazy.  

Just this week, it became official: I am taking 7 girls to France for spring break. They are SO excited: two of them have never left the country and need to get passports. They are happy the first stamp they'll get is France's. Many of them are in my dorm, so all they want to talk about is what to pack. 

I'm working on a pen pal exchange with a high school in France. Those kids are learning English so we each practice the language we are learning. My students have (finally) received an introduction letter from the French kids and they were SO thrilled to read their words in their (cute) broken English. Sure, some parts were hard to understand, and some parts were really funny direct translations, but I assured them that the Frenchies are laughing at them too. I asked my kids to write quick blurb back in English, like "it's nice to meet you" kind of thing. They send them to me, and I send all of their messages together in one document. Well, wouldn't you know Americans had trouble in French AND in English. I said: "I'm not naming names, but some of you clearly don't know the difference between "its" and "it's". I didn't correct you either. We'll see if the French kids can teach you a little something about English."

This weekend, Matt and I are going camping with Jared and Caroline again in Assateague State Park where apparently there are wild horses! It's a no-class Saturday, so we're leaving ASAP on Friday afternoon. It's been a while since we've camped so late in the season, but it's been so warm: close to 80 all week and next too! 

What am I going to do with the rest of my day?!? Sure, I have some tests to make up, some grades to enter, but if I can get that done in record time, maybe I can read some of my novel or do some sewing? Or take a nap? YAY!