New starts...

As some of you know, I have had a really rough year this year with my job and politics. From my viewpoint, all the teachers that I have worked with have liked working with me and if they have had concerns, have come to me... however... from my supervisors viewpoint (in her office away from the district) I am a very different creature than what I think of myself and others think of me... This year I have been told that I am unprofessional, I don't work well with others, I am difficult to work with on a team, I don't understand my role as a SLP in the school setting or my job in general, I don't communicate well with others or follow outside advice when working with students to name a few.

After shedding more tears than I care to count and drinking more bottles of rum than I should have, I am ending my career with Mtn BOCES and am moving on... on Friday, May 28 I was offered a SLP position in Westminster at a school that is 2 years old. This school has a very strong special education TEAM (yes I said TEAM) with programs for children with autism (programs being language, social skills, and pragmatics to name some), a mild-moderate program and a severe needs program. I am extremely excited about being part of a team that functions as just that, a TEAM. A TEAM that works TOGETHER to diagnose a child rather than as individual pieces and one person makes the final decision... a TEAM that writes collaborative goals and teaches together!!!

My new principal sounds very nice and she is excited to have me on her team next year. Now the search is on to find a place to live and to figure out when Ian and my babygirl Kodi will be joining me!!!

Thank you for your thoughts, prayers and continued support this past year. I don't regret moving to Colorado for a minute and honestly I wouldn't change a thing that I did this year either. I did my best to work with the team at all my buildings and to collaborate and co-plan with other professionals. From what I have been told, and what I have read in the letters of recommendation that I have received from teachers, I collaborated, supported and communicated with the team more than some of my other counter-parts.

I'm moving on...

Update on 101 Things in 1001 Days...

First let me start by saying, I did the math wrong when I first tried to figure out my end date for this project... somehow I managed to do 1101 days NOT 1001... so...

Start date: Feb 10, 2010

End date: Nov 5, 2012

Progress on my goals... 93 days later...

Life:

3) Train Kodi to stay, heel and COME when commanded -- waits and comes most of the time

4) Do laundry weekly, fold and put away after finished --started bi-weekly, but putting all away...

5) Keep house cleaner- vacuum, dust, clean rooms weekly -- started and improving

8) Have ONE night during the week for a DATE night -- improving

Organization:

11) File statements and receipts monthly -- March & April...

13) Paint bedroom in OK for Kenz -- walls painted, design left

15) Decorate room in OK for Kenz -- plan in mind... need to paint

Technology:

22) Update blog at least once a month... -- so far so good...

23) Read Nikon camera user's guide -- started half way finished

Relationships:

No progress made in this area :(

Health

34) Drink only one soda/day -- almost there...

37) Compete in a 5K run -- Full Moon 2010 43:23!!!!

40) Try 15 new recipes -- lasagna, cheesy noodle bake, chicken fried steak, fried chicken, fried chicken fingers/tenders

Career:

42) Organize Autism info into one file --started Feb 2010

44) Organize Personal Library Index of books --started March 2010

Education:

No progress towards goals... BUT... 2.5 grad hours completed through Adams State University

Adventures

No progress but will start working on it this month!!!

Travel

62) Organize information (type up) for travel notebook -- started Feb 2010

67) Go on 5 roadtrips with Ian (Ok does NOT count) --1/5 Estes Park

Hobbies

68) Read 100 books --10/100

69) Learn to knit --started 02/10 knit, purl, some basic combo stitches

70) Knit something functional --"coin purse" 02/10, pot holder 03/10

Photography/Scrap Projects

No progress towards projects...

Other

98) Open savings account in Co -- opened 02/10

Full Moon Follow Up...

After going for ONE "training" walk/jog while in Colorado before heading home for a week and the Full Moon 5K I set off to try to accomplish a very amazing feat, at least for me... 5K in 45 minutes or less... Jason (stupidly) agreed to do the 5K with me and Val on the pretense that I didn't leave him behind... well... I left him behind... but not too far behind... I managed to jog about 75% of the first kilometer... walked most of the second, jogged part of the third... most of the fourth and the last quarter mile of the 5th... my official time was...

DRUM ROLL please... 43:23...

I will post other pictures after I send them from my phone to my computer...

Oh and Jason wasn't too bad of sport about me leaving him behind... he finished 48:50 or something like that... Val finished 38:24 or something like that... not bad for our first times!!! After the run, we (Jace and I) went to Zio's for dinner and Sangria's and back to my parents house to pass out!!!

What a day! What a run!!! My next 5K I hope to run more and be faster than 40 minutes...