Here i am...

Hi -  especially to Deb!
Thanks for asking after me, I've been incredibly slack with this blog for the past couple of months. so much has happened. I started at my new school in my new position and not long after that I also entered in to a new relationship with a wonderful, wonderful man. I am blissfully happy.

I'm not going to say much about my gorgeous boy, except to say that orginally I met him online through RSVP. So to the single girls out there, that site does work. We had been chatting for about six months, and through circumstance, kind of met up and things have just taken off.

Becoming Head Teacher at a much more difficult school really challenged me in terms of my exercise routines and WW journey. I'm afraid the extra travel and responsibility, coupled with a new relationship has meant I have fallen off the wagon and I am currently struggling to climb back on. I've vowed that with the new term I will find my new routine. I also quite sick toward the end of last term and this niggling cough is still hanging around complicating things.

I'm enjoying being HT, although am still very much trying to find my feet and establish myself in a new school. I'm getting a lot of support from other staff and some of the executive and it is great to be in such a collegial place. That is all I'm going to write tonight as I have a bucket load of work to do and also have a massive headache. I really just wanted to post an update in response to you, Deb. Thanks for asking after me.

Belinda

overwhelmed

I have been completely overwhelmed by the out pouring of emotion and good wishes from the news of my being successful in getting the Head Teacher, English job. I am also completely overwhelmed by the amount of work I have to do in wrapping up at one school and starting at another. The fact that it is also exam and report time does not help!

On Thursday I had to break the news to my classes and my year group that I would be leaving. Although they could all see that this was the best thing for me, many of them were devastated. I wasn't prepared for this -  not at all. I thought some of them might be disappointed, but I didn't know I would have so many in tears. Friday was my last lesson with my extension year 10 group as they are on work experience this week. They through me a party and all brought in food. there were three cakes - one even in the shape of a book! I had to have a piece of each, how could I not? They had gone to so much trouble. I have had a stool in my classroom for years, that I sit on when we have discussions and when I'm reading to them etc.I always make a big thing of it, making sure they all knbow it is my stool and it is where I hold my one woman shows and so on. The year 10s stole the stool, painted it and then they all signed it. One of the boys, Jackson, was to present the stool and the poster they made to me, but he completely broke down and started sobbing. And I mean sobbing! It was both the saddest and most touching experience of my career. I've taught most of the kids in that class since they began high school and we've developed quite a connection, but I still didn't realise how much I meant to them. Thursday night had been music night and the year 10s dedicated a song to me' "This one goes out to Miss Bower." The audience clapped and cheered and they performed so well. I cried through the whole song!

I've had another  few students in year 11, who I've only taught for a term and a half, also in tears. One wrote me the most beautiful email and then her mum talked to me at music night. It was incredible. Tomorrow will be the last time I see my year 12s, so that will also be sad. I finish at Blaxland on Friday, and begin in my new role on Monday.

I went to the new school this morning to meet my new faculty and gather programs etc. They were all very nice but it is going to take me a little while to find my way around and work out how they operate. I'm terribly excited, but also terrified. I am full of doubts as usual, but will most likely rise to the occassion. That's what usually happens in life when we take on new challenges, isn't it?

Thanks to all those who posted and congratulated me. You words also mean a lot.

As for tracking etc - I've been doing it loosely. This week will be tough, I know every class is throwing me a party and there will be drinks with colleagues on Friday afternoon. I'll have to controlo what i can and try to find time to squeeze in as much exercise as I can. Hopefully things will be back to normal soon!

Job update

I got it! I got it! Details later...

Holy crap

I got an interview.

I am pleased I got one and would have been mightily offended if I hadn't. But now I'm scared out of my mind. In the last 14 years I've only had 2 interviews. I usually just fall into most things. Any advice is most welcome!

Life is beautiful

I have been quite slack in updating this blog. I'm afraid in the list of priorities it has come last.

Work has been so busy and I have been so tired. I lost the plot last week and barely exercised and ate too many bad things. I wasn't tracking or drinking my water and I had 3 meals out. Somehow, I managed to avoid a gain and stayed the same weight this week. I did acknowledge what I had done and held myself accountable. I got up yesterday and weighed in as normal, went for a massive walk and tracked. I am back on the wagon. I don't want to stop losing weight as I am feeling so good about myself. I get compliments nearly everyday and am fitting into some of my old clothes and looking good.

I was anxious last week waiting for news of the relieving HT English position I applied for. I still haven't heard anything but apparently the principal of the school is still trying to convene a panel. She should have done that before she wrote the ad, so it is all a bit disorganised. I'm hoping I hear sometime soon. In the meantime I continue as normal and it is a very busy time with marking and reports. My year 7 reports are due tomorrow and I haven't even started them yet so guess what I will be doing today...

Mother's Day last week was lovely and the girls and I went on another bushwalk. This one was ridiculously easy, basically a road through the bush, but we had a lovely time. Yesterday I did a big walk out on the streets and through the bush near home, it was glorious. I haven't done much walking outside since I fell and sprained my ankle a few years ago as I lost confidence and was scared. Being outside at this time of year is just wonderful and I couldn't resist yesterday. There is something about walking outside that clears the mind so much better than walking on the treadmill. The sun is coming up and I'm going to get dressed and head out again soon. Tomorrow I will get back into my running program, but I will have to do that on the treadmill.

The girls are off to the Writer's Festival today, well Ella is. I'm  not sure what Mark and Emma are doing with Alex. I was missing them so they came around for a few hours yesterday afternoon. I had wanted to go out but Alex was very reluctant, I guess she was tired from swimming and piano lessons. She talked me into baking and having a tea party out the back. I'm so glad she did. The afternoon sunlight shining on the back yard was glorious. We set the table down in the yard, made vanilla cupcakes with lemon icing, hot milky tea and it was great.  I sat out there for a long time, watching the girls play and drinking up the sunshine. I'd done all the sweeping and tidying up earlier in the day so was very relaxed and enjoyed a blissful afternoon with my daughters.

10 kilos and 20 minutes

This week saw me reach my 10 kilo mark. I lost 1.1, bringing me to a total of 10.3 kilos lost. Pretty happy with that.

It also saw me complete week 5 of my C25K running program. Day 3 was a 20 minute run and I did it! No stopping, no slowing down. I was very proud of myself for that.

Today was Mother's Day and we had a lovely day. The girls bought my presents in to bed and then gave me breakfast in bed. I was rather spoilt this year. A pandora bead from each of the girls, a mug that says 'Shakespeare was a redhead ... so screw thee', a set of lip balm, hand cream and soap, and from the mother's day stall at school a thing of bath bubbles and an oven mit set. I was given tea and toast for brekkie.

After we got uo we went up to Blackheath to do a bushwalk. We did the Fairfax Trail to George Phillips lookout and Govett's Leap lookout. It was an easy walk and we had a lovely time.

I guess I will hear tomorrow if I have an interview for the HT job I applied for. I'm starting to get a bit nervous about it. I also have a bucketload of marking to do and reports to write. I'd better get on to it.

Hope you all had a good day, too.

A quick note

I've been quiet on my blog and the WW boards this week as I've been working on my EOI for the Relieving HT job. It is due on Friday. I am so luck to have so many people support me and offer guidance through this process. I really dislike having to write about myself like that, and having people read and give feedback is invaluable.

I've been flat out with worry about little one and her latest antics have caused a bit of stress. Her father and i are meeting with the teacher tomorrow afternoon to try and work out what is going on with her. I think she is having trouble settling into school and making new friends.

I've got a student teacher observing me this week and I can already tell she will make a good teacher. There is nothing like having a student teacher to make you reflect on your teaching!

I did Day one week 5 of C25K today. FELT AMAZING.  Am actually looking forward to do my first 20 minute run!

More later in the week when the job application is done.

Belinda