It's been awhile.

Life has been interesting to say the least in the last few years since I've posted. I'm still working at a local high school. My first year there was challenging and I can honestly say it was the most tiring, both physically and mentally, in all 17 years of teaching. The science department is awesome and we all get along really well. I'm amazed by the apathy that the kids have and just can't understand why they don't want to do well in school. It's a battle changing the community viewpoint regarding education but I'm there every day hammering away. I'm loving the classes I'm teaching and even have started a new lab science class which brings me back full circle to my first year teaching Earth Science. I'm being challenged teaching Chemistry this year and am loving it. How can you not love Science?!?!

Bob has changed jobs and now works in the city. The 4:30 wake-ups and the commute is nothing to write home about and can be wearing on the body and soul but he is doing really well where he is at so we are just enjoying the blessings while they came.

All of our parents are now officially retired and enjoying having the all that spare time. My folks moved from Virginia to Ohio and are enjoying every minute with the grandkids. Of course, they can't sit still and dad is working at a local Lowe's store and mom is trying to get into teaching in a local middle school. My nieces and nephews are all growing like weeds and its hard to believe that the oldest nephew is graduating this year. Time really does fly! It was an adventure hosting the younger nieces and nephew during their Spring Break this year. We went into town to the Children's Museum, the Science Museum, the Aquarium. We made and decorated sugar cookies and jammed out on Uncle Bob's drums and guitars. Guess they had fun because they are coming for Christmas this year.

We've been able to head off to a few more cool places in the last few years. In 2013, we took off to Little Cayman during February. It was amazing diving the walls around Little Cayman and the place we stayed at, Little Cayman Resort, was awesome. I got to visit the Cayman Marine Institute while there and would love to take a group of students there for a break one year. This year instead of taking off during February break, we decided to hold off and go during the summer. We were able to stretch our money and do 2 weeks in the Philippines. Of course, we had to deal with several typhoons that just so happen to go that way before and during our time there but we really enjoyed our stay at the Magic Island Resort. We meet some really cool people during our journeys and came back with a ton of photos and memories to last a lifetime.

The summer of 2014 was the first summer that I didn't work with the Center for Student Coastal Research. It was strange not being out in the wetlands doing field work with students or spending time analyzing data and writing a report for Coastal Zone Management. I did enjoy being able to visit with my sister for a good week at the end of June and with friends throughout August. I was able to spend time in the gardens and do a lot of pleasure reading. A few books I read were, Stung! On jellyfish blooms and the health of our oceans  and Octopus: A Natural History. 

It all hasn't fun times. I lost some really great people over the last two years. All of my grandparents are now in heaven. First we lost my dad's dad, then my mom's mom, then just recently my dad's mom. Though they lived full lives, it still is sad not to be able to talk to them or just hang out with them. I also lost a really good friend in Feb. Dr. J. Philip McLaren was my college advisory, landlord, boss, colleague, mentor, and friend. He was like a second dad to me. We would chat about school stuff or traveling to Hawaii to visit him and his lovely wife Lynn. It's hard to believe he isn't just a phone call away. His death left a hole in my heart but I know that he is in heaven and is no longer suffering. I catch myself thinking about him many times during the week and it brings a smile to my face. 

That's about it for catching up. I can't promise I'll have time to blog more frequently than before but I will try. It's November, so winter is upon us soon and if it is like they say it will be, I'll have plenty of time to blog since it will be too cold and snowy to do anything else!