Reflecting over morning tea...

The past couple of weeks have been insane (or at least felt that way at times)! I feel like I'm just now starting to recover from the events and set backs I've experienced. The biggest event was the Senatorial Conventions here in Texas. Those were interesting, hard, frustrating, but rewarding. I am glad I did it, but sad it was how it was. Apparently, the Democratic party is well known for their disorder and rough-around-the-edge running of things. Little did I know how true this was until I was neck deep in one of the biggest events run by Texas Democrats.

The day started early and ran late. I left at one thirty a.m. and the convention had still not ended! The good news is that I was selected as the delegate from my precinct to represent us at the Austin state-wide convention coming up. That is an exciting honor because it allows me to learn more about the process and hopefully make a difference for Hillary. Its a strange system because although it seems like the process was over back on election day, it is still 1/3 incomplete.

That day was the longest time I have ever been away from my daughter. It was a strange experience, but good in the end. She did fine and enjoyed spending time with my parents and her dad. It was a good "break" for me in that regard, but one stress was replaced with another one!

I could go on and on about the senatorial convention, but I will spare you. :) Your welcome!

My courses have been insane and I've fally behind due to the other stuff going on in life. This is fine and dandy really, except for one thing. I got a notification that I will be getting peer-reviewed this session. The peer reviewer, of course, was assigned my *worst* class to review. If that isn't the worst luck, then I don't know what is! I have three other courses they might have selected to review! But noooooooooooooooooooooo...they want to see the ONE course where I have been late more than I ever have in my entire college teaching career! They want to observe the train wreck that is this course. Darn the luck!

The good news is that as of today I'm pretty well caught up in there, but the damage is done! I cannot wait (sarcasm) to read *that* review! Egad.

Weight loss has slowed lately. Mostly because my gym trips aren't quite as frequent and my eating was not as regimented due to the running around and craziness of the past two weeks. So that is pretty much unchanged. I've teetered back and forth with the same pound for a couple of weeks. While that is disappointing when you want to see a loss, it is not entirely so since I am quite happy to see myself maintaining. The difference about this time around is that I wanted to acquire changes that would last a lifetime, not just until i finished "losing" weight. I think I have done that and that makes me very relieved.

It will be interesting, if we are blessed with another child in the future, to see how I can keep up my lifestyle changes over the course of a pregnancy and after that. I intend to stay in the gym and remain active. I plan on also maintaining healthy eating habits. It will be a very different experience from my last pregnancy but I look forward to it and hope that it means things will end in a better way than they did last time around. While my pregnancy ended in a happy and healthy child, the experience itself left quite a bit to be desired. I was miserable leading up to it and that feeling lingered and left resentment afterwards. It was a very difficult time that I hope I never have to relive!

And speaking of my little one, she's started school! I'm excited to begin this regimine with her--for me and for her. She gets to socialize and learn a new language (in a Spanish-immersion program) and I get three hours two mornings a week in which to grade and sip coffee and have uninterrupted mommy time. It has been a long time in the making and as Len likes to say, "It was worth the wait!"

Just last week, on her second visit to school, she got her first invite to a "friend's" birthday party. Strangely, its a gathering at a tea house in the middle of the week, but I'm excited about taking her. I believe the birthday girl is a year and a half older than mine, so I have no idea what a girl that age wants! I will have to call the mom to find out! :) It is a nice moms & daughters only event which seems like a cute idea and I'm sure Len will have a great time!

I thought her "firsts" were over, but it seems she has quite a few ahead of her that I had never thought ahead to! It is still a very exciting ride we are on and for that, I am thankful!

Back to my current cup of Green Tea before it completely goes cold on me!