WORK. & birthdays.

Before I fill in some blanks, I just want to say that today has been pretty near perfect. It was a CRAZY week & I am happy to report that i survived the two-orientations-in-one-week. Long story, and i think i already explained on this blog or perhaps in an email or two, but basically we normally have students on both schedules come a week early for ONE orientation, but now they just come on their scheduled days of school & so orientation = their first week of school. Which means, since there are two schedules, we do orientation TWICE.

I won't bore you with all that that entails, but it's a LOT. 

Seriously, though... A LOT!

My part in the actual orientation is speaking to them about academics, attendance, what gets you on probation, how probation affects you, all the details of if you need/want to take a leave of absence from school, how you will get sent home if you are even one minute late (true story), etc. Then they go to dinner while i set up the room for them to receive their kits (cosmetology kits which include everything they'll need for their year of school...which is a lot!). I also get them to sign a zillion forms & take their pictures for their ID badges, which is always fun because they feel silly. ;)

That's what i actually do with the students... and i have to tell you, i actually enjoy it. They love me & it is fun. But all that isn't including the CRAZY amount of time that goes into setting it all up. And sometimes setting it all up ALONE since those that usually help me are doing a zillion other things. 

Just a crazy week.

Last night, my feet were THROBBING. Note to self: Don't wear flats on orientation days. NO SUPPORT. I got home, crippled to the door (i kid not), got in some comfy clothes & sat in my favorite chair. More than two hours later, my feet were still throbbing. 

So today, because i reached well over my usual 40 hours a week, I took off a little after one and went to my favorite pedicure place (if you are wondering why i don't just get a pedi at my workplace, i just feel weird about my students shaving the callouses off of my scary-looking feet. Did you know my second toe is so much longer than my first that it looks like I'm flipping the bird? Seriously. I do get my eyebrows waxed & my hair cut at Aveda, though).

ANYWAY - i went to get my pedi & the massage chair was AMAZING! Also, the woman that does my toes puts this stuff on your legs & massages your feet/legs up to your knees & it is HEAVEN!!! And the massage chair was digging into my shoulders & rubbing out the knots - a CHAIR! I am for real! 

Ahhhhh.

So after i made it home, i got settled in my comfy chair again, fievel curled up next to me, pandora on the crystal lewis station (love her), and ahhhh. Tomorrow is Saturday. Life is good.

1. The age I will be on my upcoming birthday is 35. Gah.

2. The best birthday present ever would be a baby. 

3. My favorite birthday to date was when i turned, i think, 23? I invited 15 of my closest friends - i had a lot of both guy & girl friends back then - to my parents house where mom made a delicious catfish dinner. Every person i invited came & I felt very special. :) This one guy, Joey, told me he couldn't come & ended up surprising me by showing up right on time. And that just made my day! (No crush on him or anything, he was just one of those people that everyone liked having around. Very friendly & sweet guy.)

It was amazing!

Sweet 16 was pretty great too, my parents did a huge bonfire in our backyard & the decor was turquoise & purple. I can see it. Fun times.

4. Birthdays make me feel excited. This lady at work told me she turned 70 last weekend, and we got to talking about age. I will never be someone who says "i'm 30 for the 10th year" - i am all about aging. I know in some ways it's scary, because you don't know what lies ahead, but i just think there is something beautiful about age. With it comes wisdom & beauty. I also like thinking of what the next year holds, kind of like new year's eve. :)

5. The worst birthday I ever had was.... ???? I can't remember a bad birthday?!!? 

6. When i was born it was back when husbands were not allowed in the delivery room (I was born in March 1978 and my sis-in-law was born in August 1978 - when babies were allowed in the room! So at some point between those months, hubby's were allowed in the delivery room in LA). ANYWAY. The doctors told my dad to go back home & get some rest because it would be a long time before i was born. Dad obeyed, but mom said to him, "Don't take your pants off." Ha! She KNEW she would be having me very very soon. Sure enough, he got home & before he even got to his bedroom (it was the middle of the night), he got the call to hurry back!

So funny now that i am old enough to understand the drive from where they lived to the hospital... not all that close. I wonder what he was thinking about on that drive! Haha!

7. So far my favorite age has been 25. I just think that was an incredible year. God did a lot in my life, I had a lot of amazing friends, and i was very happy & content as a single woman. Don't get me wrong, 30's have been amazing because i am married to the love of my life! But i will always remember 25 as a fantastic year.

{Happy weekend, friends.}