And still more tennis

This weekend I've been suffering with a nasty head cold . . . sore throat, body aches, massive headaches. I think life caught up with me and is forcing me to slow down for a minute. My crazy intense reading class ended on Friday. Hallelujah! That means one more class down just in time to start another one tomorrow. Most days I have to keep telling myself I can do this.

BUT, the great news is I accepted a job to teach next year at Willow Elementary. I've been interviewing for upper elementary jobs so when the principal called to say they'd like me to teach 2nd grade, I sat there stunned for a moment and then said yes.

What. Was. I. Thinking?

I've got to start somewhere. After mulling it over in my head for an hour or so I got excited. It means a big mind shift from thinking I would be teaching 5th grade to teaching 2nd grade. They aren't even from the same planet. However, during this whole process I've prayed to God that he would put me where I needed to be. I've felt at peace with this decision. I know one of the other 2nd grade teachers and love her. Who you work with makes a huge difference.

Now I've got a summer of preparation ahead of me. I won't lie. I'm feeling very overwhelmed. That's why I'm a list maker. To help me manage my priorities.

Tennis also came to end last Thursday. Part of me was sad and part of me was relieved to recapture some of my badly needed time. Erik's first match was an intense 2.5 hours. He lost the first set. The second set went to a tie breaker which he won forcing the match to a third set. The third set was a killer. He had his opponent 6 games to 5 and was up 40 point to 15. All he needed was one more point to win. Unfortunately, his opponent got that point which deflated Erik. He was also hurting from leg cramps. That set also went to a tie breaker which his opponent won. And afterwards, instead of walking, he sat causing both legs to cramp intensely. He was in such pain that the trainer came by to help. We fed him pickles and mustard which supposedly helps with cramps. I had no idea that was the remedy for cramps.

Had he won his first match, he would have forfeited the second because he was in no condition to play another hard match. He gave it his all and slept a lot the next day to recover.

And then we came home to find his picture in the paper as the athlete of the week

and a mention of him in the Deseret News as a "monster" tennis player. He's a tough player and Nate's not far behind. Nate lost rather quickly, but it was a good experience for him to play at the state level to see what real competition can be like.

Kiersten and Jason found an apartment to rent, and Kiersten was able to sell her summer contract. She will move in sometime in June. Things are falling into place for those two.

We took a year off from planting last year due to limited funds. This year we're back at it again, replacing dead things and adding some new stuff. Tyler has been wanting a Katsura tree for quite awhile and the local nursery was able to order one for him. He was a kid in the candy shop picking that tree up.