Yes, Carol, I am alive....

I received a lovely "motherly concerned" email today from Carol (Cornfield Quilter) inquiring if all was well with me. Yes, Carol, all is well; just a very busy week. Between working Double-Header basketball games, writing drafts of a Technology Acceptable Use Policy, writing drafts of an 8th grade Retention policy, writing a district-wide Mathematical Processing Rubric, researching and writing a proposal for a SmartBoard purchase, playing league volleyball, spending three hours online and playing phone-tag with another tech-lady in our district trying to debug the web-based grading system the district uses, researching volleyball summer camps and drills, and then all the other "normal" daily mom-things such as dishes, laundry, making dinner, bathing children, cleaning house for visitors............yeah........it's been a busy week! Thank goodness tomorrow is Friday.

My load around school has suddenly just gotten really LOADED! I just can't believe how it's been one thing after another this week. One of the biggest changes being that I have applied for and have been the "acting" Head Volleyball coach for the past month. Our AD (athletic director) approached me quite a while ago, and many times since then, inquiring if I would take the position. I coached for 8 years as the Assistant Vball coach under a WONDERFUL lady; but when Candace was born, I turned my resignation in; and the Head Coach did as well. Watching the program over the past three years dwindle has been difficult, and.....long story short, the administration did not ask this season's coach back due to ..... well..... a few things. So, the night of the Sectional Final game way back in October, I knew I needed to get back in. That game was amazing! And I want our district's program to be just that-----a DISTRICT program and not just a VARSITY program. So.......once I voiced this to our AD, he essentially said it was mine, but "official procedure" needed to be followed. The administration posted the "in-house" memo last week and I submitted my letter of application. Together with the AD, we have been finalizing the schedule for next year's season and I've been trying to get all the inventory organized. *shaking head* What a minor disaster. One thing I DO admit and take quite a bit of pride in is my organizational skills and "anal-ness" towards statistics, etc. *shaking head still*....oh dear, oh dear, oh dear..... Trying to make sense of the "stuff" I've found from the past three years has been quite "interesting." Budget looks scary for sure! No new balls have been purchased so I foresee ALL of next year's budget going to new balls, which really can't happen, because new knee pads and shorts also need to be purchased. Not to mention little odds-n-ends for safety and injury issues.......*heavy sigh*.

BUT.....I'm optimistic and up to the challenge. The two assistant coaches are wonderful and are OVERLY excited to be working "under me" even though I've told them we will be working "along side" each other. They are co-workers and had a stressful season this year so they are also VERY optimistic for the "new and improved" coaching staff.


On the Quilting front-----(YES, there has been SOME quilting amongst all this hecticity!)....I have completely finished the Oklahoma Backroads top. It will be a nice and full throw/lap quilt, roughly 68"x84". WOW----I didn't realize it was that big until I just looked at the pic to calculate the size.

Bernina update: I was informed on Monday that she was ready. No major damage; just some realignment of the needle-housing and then I also requested a "tune-up." Thankfully.....no severe wallet damage! Whew! My babysitter, who is also my student-aide, is going on a college visit tomorrow. She will be traveling through the town where the shop is, so she will be doing me a BIG favor by picking it up on her way and dropping it off. How lovely!

My DH's brother and family will be visiting us this weekend. DH and BIL will be working on the plumbing of the downstairs bathroom; I guess DH is finally ready to start working on the basement to get it a bit more "functional."
I was hoping to get some quilting done, but I may find myself being more of a hostess instead; at least until they leave on Sunday. Many of the Quiltville followers are doing the StripTwist Superbowl quilting; I had planned on doing this also, BUT have now decided not to. Just too many other projects that have more priority. There is only so much time in a day and week.

So, one more time.....Yes, Carol, I am alive :0) Thank you very much for being concerned and sending such a touching email. Even my husband was surprised and "happy" that there are concerned individuals "out there." :0)

Happy Thursday