A Little Bit of Everything

Man, I am so incredibly glad to have the 365 Photo Challenge over and done with and off my shoulders.  I made a photobook through Shutterfly that should be here in the next few days, cataloging all 365 photos with dates and small captions, much like I did in this blog.  It's my reward to myself to have accomplished such a feat.  It's my 2nd time completed, and my 2nd book.  It will go on the shelf next to the first Challenge book that I did back in 2008. 

That was such a great year.  My 2nd trip to Wolf Park and my first time to Wolf Creek Habitat.  Both, wonderful experiences that I carry with me daily.  Anytime I start feeling down, I remember my time in with WOLVES and that never fails to put a smile on my face.  I'm planning to go back next year.  Maybe for my birthday? 

This year we're doing a trip to see David's parents again.  David's actually kicking around the idea of driving, which I'm all about.  It's a 23 hour drive, but I've done those before, no problem.  Plus we'd be able to stop at the replica of the Pantheon of Greece that's located in Nashville, TN.  THAT could be nifty for a Greek/Roman mythology buff like myself.  My mom may or may not be going with us.  It's all very still up in the air at the moment.  We're shooting for mid-June, which would work for her (as she works for our small town school district and gets summers off).  So we'll see.

This weekend, we're headed down to Houston to finally do our family Christmas.  My brother and his new wife were in Dhabi most of December, so we held off on our Christmas until they made it back State-side.  And awesome news = I'm going to be an AUNT.  They'll know in 2 weeks if it will be a boy or a girl.  I haven't been able to say anything about it yet on Facebook, as they didn't want to jinx it so early into the pregnancy.  But you bet your butt, as soon as I'm given the go-ahead, I'm bragging on Facebook.  I'm quite excited at the prospect of having a niece/nephew.  I'm just ready for it to be like 7 years old and I can take it to the zoos and aquariums and all that great animal stuff.  *smiles*

Starbucks continues to go well.  It's quite challenging, but I'm rather enjoying it.  I truly feel like I've accomplished something at the end of each shift, and I'm just utterly spent, regardless if it's a 4 hr shift or an 8 hr shift.  Though, I will totally admit, I like the 4 hrs more than the 8 hrs!  *laughs*  And that's not to say that I don't feel like I'm accomplishing great things with my students in the after school program, only that with Starbucks, there's a very real, very tangible accomplishment.  That, and after a Starbucks shift, my after school program feels like a vacation.  It's so much calmer (even on its crazy days) and I can truly relish interacting with my students.

Allison, my favorite aide, has put in her two weeks' notice.  Her last day is the 22nd.  She's having to resign because for her master's degree, this semester she has to log 500 volunteer hours WHILE taking two graduate level courses.  And there's just not enough hours in the day to get all that accomplished and work in the afternoon.  She will certainly be missed.  I do hope the person we get to fill that spot is at least half as awesome as she is.

I'm all geared up for the Full Wolf Moon on Thursday.  I'll be celebrating on Wednesday though, as I don't have a Starbucks shift that day.  *smiles*  I'm re-dedicating a wolf statue David gave me in 2007, when I got home from my first trip to Wolf Park, plus re-charging the snowflake obsidian necklace my Spirit Wolf likes.  I've got a white candle, rubbed down with my Wolf Spirit oil (smells heavenly) that I'll light in my SheWolf's honor. 

Then I need to start getting ready for Imbolc/Serpent Day on February 1st.  I'll do the ritual I wrote last year for my Coven.  And I still have the small token bags and shed snake skin needed for that ritual.  Just got to figure out what I'm outgrowing (symbolized by the snake skin that I'll bury in the woods) and what I'm growing into (symbolized by the wooden token) and I'm set for that.  Might even wear Leviathan around my neck for that ritual, just to bring in a little more serpent power.  She's never been in ritual so I'm curious how she'll do. 

I've come to realize I'm less crazy off my meds than I ever was ON them.  Starbucks is super close quarters with a lot of people constantly moving.  Used to (on meds) that would send me screaming for hills as I can't stand people being inside my personal space.  Which goes double for men.  But now, off the meds, it doesn't phase me one bit.

And then there's the fact that I'm down 31 pounds just off the meds.  I haven't really changed my eating habits, and I'm a little more active, but not enough to explain the 31 pound loss.  Yeah, so I definitely don't want to go back on anything.  And while I stay stable, I won't put myself back on that.