…And here I am!
So, today at 9:00am, I was sitting in my classroom at my desk, grading papers and waiting for the school day to start at 9:30, when my phone rings. It’s my kids’ school calling to tell me Bean doesn’t feel well. Like any good mother, I said very sympathetically to the school nurse, “Oh, no! Poor baby! Can I speak with him for a minute?” and then when he was on the phone, I lowered my voice to a threatening whisper and said, “OH, COME ON, BEAN! It’s not even 9:00 yet, dude!”
Eventually, I convinced him to hang in there for a few more hours until my planning period and I would bring him some medicine then. But when I got to his school later in the morning, he just looked pitiful. He was running a low fever, had pink cheeks, glassy eyes, and I could just tell he felt lousy.
Which made me feel lousy.
So without a plan in my head for what the heck I would do for the rest of the day, I signed him out and took him to school with me. Today is one of those days where Chris and I both have busy, busy schedules. He couldn’t get all the way home to get Bean, so I rearranged my classes and ended up taking Bean home.
And as I sat here on my couch with Bean sleeping next to me, I thought to myself, “I used to do something I loved in my spare time. I think it had something to do with writing and pictures and telling all my family’s secrets. I wonder what that was… Wasn’t it something like b-b-b…boggen? Bogin? That’s close. A bog? Oh! I remember – A BLOG!!!”
Honestly, I never planned to stop blogging last year. Chris and I got really busy with ClassMax (more on that soon), I started teaching at a new school, and life just kind of took over for a while. And I wanted to come back here and post a little hello, just to tell everyone that I was alright and hadn’t, like, been kidnapped by a drug cartel or something (wouldn’t that have made for an interesting blog post…), but every time I thought about reaching out into my imaginary world again, I got all awkward and weird. Because in real life, I am awkward and weird in situations like this. Do I say something? Do I not? Should I just walk away? Should I wave? Should I storm off dramatically?
So, I did what I normally do in real life. I avoided eye contact.
But, this is just silly Imaginary Friends. I miss you all, and I don’t care how long we’ve been apart or why we broke up! I MISS YOU AND I WANT YOU IN MY LIFE! I MADE A TERRIBLE MISTAKE, IMAGINARY FRIENDS! TAKE ME BACK AND START SILENTLY JUDGING MY LIFE CHOICES LIKE WE USED TO DO!
There. I said it. Now, let’s not be weird and awkward. Let’s just move on like it never happened. Because that’s also how I handle things in real life.
(I should probably see a therapist.)
Anyway, things are going good over here in my corner of the imaginary world. My teaching gig at my new school is really great. It is super different than where I was before, both in terms of students and peer teachers. I miss my teacher friends from my old school, but I am learning here that my work life doesn’t have to be my whole life and I am really loving that new balance I have found. My students are definitely more challenging here. Discipline seems to be a struggle at this school, but I am getting a handle on what works and what doesn’t here and I feel like I hit my stride around Christmas.
ClassMax is doing unbelievably well. Chris and I are amazed every day with what we have created and where we are right now. We have over 1,000 teachers using ClassMax in classrooms all across the country and are in schools and school districts, too. We have put together a rock star team to keeps reaching farther and farther, and Chris and I are both really loving this experience of owning and operating a startup and we love that we get to go through this together.
The kids are doing just as great as we are. Both kids are playing tennis right now and somehow even ended up in the same lessons group, which means I only have to go to the tennis courts twice a week (whoop whoop!). Gracie is still doing Girl Scouts and my mom is still leading it, which is a hoot and a half twice a month. Bean decided he didn’t want to do Cub Scouts anymore, and so Chris and I stepped down from Scout leadership. It ended up being the right timing because ClassMax started taking off right around the same time and our schedules were just about to burst.
My family is doing well right now, too. My mom is in the process of moving again to a smaller place still in The Villages and she is even seeing someone! I’m really happy for her. I get to meet the special someone in a few weeks and I’m really looking forward to that. My sister’s family is happy and healthy, too. They are at Disney right now, so we got to spend Easter with them. I can’t get over how fast her kids are growing up! She started a blog, too, called “Roots, Wings, and Other Things,” and it chronicles her life as a working mom. Be sure to check that out on your adventures into the internets.
So, that’s about it. That’s what’s been going on. I’m so glad we could chat about it together. I missed our chats. Let’s chat more. In fact, let’s chat tomorrow, okay? Same place? Same time? I’ll bring pictures and silly stories and you bring stretchy pants and snacks.
P.S. I cut my hair and am wearing it straight now. I’ll tell you why later. But it had something to do with being mistaken for a middle schooler twice. Actually, that’s really the whole story. Twice at my own school, different teachers thought I was a student. So, I cut my hair to look like a real adult.
P.S.S./P.P.S (I can’t remember which one is right) It has taken me an hour to remember how to upload pictures on my blog posts. Blogging is, apparently, NOT like riding a bike.
P.S.S.S./P.P.P.S (still can’t remember which is right) Make sure you follow me on Instagram (user name: katiebeeeeeeeeeeee) (that’s 12 e’s) in case we ever get separated again.
P.S.S.S.S/P.P.P.P.S. I haven’t blogged in so long that all of my accounts have logged me out and I can’t remember any of my user name or passwords. Is this is universe telling me it’s not a good idea to start blogging again? EFF OFF, UNIVERSE! MY STORIES WILL BE TOLD! YOU CAN’T SILENCE ME!
P.S.S.S.S.S./P.P.P.P.P.S. Never mind. Found my login.
23 Comments
Kelly
Good to see you back – I follow you on Instragram, so I feel haven’t missed too much. 😉
Claire S
Saw the update on Instagram and came straight here 😁 I miss your updates!
Julie S.
YAY you are back! 🙂 Still a chronic instagram stalker, just so you know.
Nikki
So happy you’re back! I’ll be honest, I dropped the ball on reading your “last” posts because life indeed got int the way. But I feel like things have settled down and I’m so excited to see oh back in action.
Vera
Soooo good to see you back!
Ashley
Miss you! Though I am an IG stalker, so not too much
p.s I think you mean 12 E’s?! 😉
suburbanmom2
glad you’re back !!
Msjaarda
Missed you! Welcome back
Laura
Oh Matie! Hello, and I’m totally leaving that autocorrect of your name in here…
so glad you’re still living the dream, and that thighs are going well. And we get it… motherhood just sucks us all into a black hole sometimes, doesn’t it? My blog is also somehow defunct… I’ve paid for the domain but it won’t load and I still haven’t found time to figure out why… for 8 months now. Oops? Ah well, it’ll happen some day. For now, thanks for sharing on IG,and please don’t apologize for living your oh-so-full life to its fullest! We’re still here!
Laura
Haha… matie, thighs…. it’s real life, right?
Joke
Yayyyyyyy!
Merce M
Yay!
I’ve kept you on facebook and it was a delight to see this pop up on my feed! In the course of a year I’ve gotten married and started Graduate school for my MA in Art Education, AND I started teaching. So it’s cool to see a blog I’ve stalked since I started dating my now husband have a revival. (Don’t worry, revivals are a thing this season so you’re so totally ‘in’)
Shelbey
I love blog posts! Keep em coming!!
Sally Case
So happy to hear from you, Katie!
Lisa
Welcome back! Is it just me or has Bean had a major growth spurt this year? Sometimes he looks like a teenager!
Imaginary Friend
I think it’s multiple P’s for “post” as in “post script”…I think..but if I made that up it sounds really good
norrey
I am so happy you are back. I have checked from time to time to see how you were doing. Glad you gave us an update.
Monique
Happy to see you back, Katie, and happy to find you all well!
Jenna Stacey
You’re just the best. So happy to read this!
Beckie
I’ve missed your updates. Glad that things are going well for you.
Not that I think you’ve ever mentioned it, but I had no idea that your mom lives in The Villages. My in-laws bought a house there in 2014 (I think) and then officially moved there in May 2016. They love it there! We’ve been to visit a few times and have another trip planned for later this month.
Hannah Olsen
Yay you’re back!!!! I went and looked not too long ago and was sad to see the sudden stoppage and so I’m glad to have it confirmed that life just got busy! And I have now followed you on Instagram 🙂
Nicole
I am so happy you are back! I get that weird, imaginary thing too…sometimes I will see it ready something and think, oh! Katie would like that! But then I remember, she doesn’t REALLY know me so…😉
Nicole
I am so happy you are back! I get that weird, imaginary thing too…sometimes I will see or read something and think, oh! Katie would like that! But then I remember, she doesn’t REALLY know me so…😉