dude, why is the east coast so freaking cold??

having returned from boston 10 pounds heavier and significantly windblown, i say it again, with gusto: GOD BLESS CALIFORNIA. it really is the best place on earth. there is no snow to shovel. no black ice to break your neck on. there are sandals. and cheap fruit. i'm never going to complain again about it being 50 degrees. no sir.

i have to say, i was completely dreading coming to school this morning. there's something freeing about vacation that allows you to blot out all the icky things that are going on your real-time life. i wasn't quite sure that i was ready to face the music. but here i am, skulking around certain peoples that i am afraid of (big fat wimp, i know) but tickled pink by how cute the outside reading posters i assigned for break are. the seventh graders are so creative! despite all the whining about "alinnaaaaaaaaa ... homework over breaaaaaaaaak? come oooooooooooooon!," they really came through and made some good stuff. even most of the eighth grade came through, which is astounding, i promise you. for this reason, they remind me why i need to finish this assignment well, despite whatever issues or fears i have about this job and its sudden ending. i owe it to them ... and to my God ... to be faithful to what has been apportioned to me. for right now anyways.

it's sure hard though. but truck on, we shall ... and He has not given me a heart of fear.