Just Sayin'

My last day of undergraduate classes: April 24 (a day full of exams).
That's 11 weeks.
Or 22 days, since I only have classes on Tuesdays & Thursdays.
264 HOURS of class time.
Um. Wow.
Last week my Grad School folder came. No, not the one that says "accepted" (although that one will be so much more awesome!)  - the one that gives all the details for what I must do for admittance:

• GRE Score
• 2 Professional Letters of Reference
• 3.0 GPA

I am a little anxious about applying (Deadline is March 15), but it's still what I want to do.
Master's of Library & Information Sciences.
I'm already dreaming of literacy programs & books clubs; of ordering new books & putting them out for my students to read; for helping with research & pointing kids toward books they'll love & bringing in authors & holding writing seminars.
I'm actually getting giddy just typing this.
So ... 22 days of this preparation for the next thing.
And there will be a next thing.

Tuesday, Tuesday, Tuesday!

Today has been sweet.

• I had a quiz that I was totally prepared to take, despite its being of the 'pop' quiz variety.
• I got my newly-turned-four-year-old enrolled in preschool for the remainder of the year. 
• I got to have lunch with my husband. 
• My eight-year old brought home another stunning report card - beautiful A's in academics and S's (for satisfactory) art, music, P.E., computer & library. The best part? He's as excited as we are and loves challenging himself. 
• I went to film class and got to watch a great movie that I would've never chosen to watch on my own - the 1941 Best Picture Award went to How Green Was My Valley, set in a South Wales coal-mining town and narrated by the youngest of six siblings, Huw Morgan. Yes, you should look it up. Yes, you should watch. Yes, it's in black & white - get over it.
• I came home to my sweet girl who wanted nothing more than to snuggle - with me.
• I got to watch The New Girl and Parenthood. 

You know, it's pretty easy to get caught up in the - to put it bluntly - crap of when our lives aren't going exactly right, or exactly the way we've planned. I am so guilty of that.
I am ashamed to say that sometimes I put my children off until bed time.
Sometimes (okay, most of the time) I don't take the time to 1) watch and 2) appreciate a film that has stood the test of time.
Many times (more so in the past), I have taken school for granted and not put in nearly the effort that was necessary for me to do well.
Today was one of those days where things just seemed illuminated for me.
I'm thankful to be in school.
I'm thankful for well-done movies.
I'm tremendously thankful for my beautiful, sweet, smart, funny, certainly-not-perfect-but-who-cares-'cause-they're-mine children.
I'm awfully thankful to be married to my best friend and even more thankful that we still enjoy having lunch together and talking about the details of our life.
Tuesday - you have been a good day.