WOW

Okay, okay, I know it's been FOREVER! To sum it all up, since September I have been teaching and have the most wonderful team-teacher this year. I took a grad class in the fall, and just finished another one last weekend. I'm just about at the halfway mark! With 15 hours under my belt, I can apply for an increase in salary, which is wonderful since we haven't gotten a raise in two years, and that includes no COLA :(

BUT, the REALLY big news lately.......JOHN (OJ) PROPOSED! and I said yes, of course!

So, I'm finally sitting down to write the story so everyone can read it.

Let's start with about a week and a half ago...Saturday (3/6) OJ and I take the girls into DC for the day, and he mentions that he wants to do a date night Thursday night and maybe go into the city. I was going to be leaving Friday morning to speak at a conference at JMU for the weekend, AND my grad class was ending that same weekend, so I had a lot on my plate. I told him it would all depend on my work load. Wednesday rolls around and I am stressed! I was trying to make sub plans for Friday, prepare the presentation, AND get all my assignments done (which at the time, I thought were due at midnight on Sunday). Wednesday night, OJ's at the house to help me on homework and I look and realize that I had assignments that were due THAT NIGHT! Okay, so I had a bit of a breakdown/freak out moment and was beyond stressed and overwhelmed. At this point, dinner Thursday night was out of the question!!
Now, back up a few months to last school year...John used to be a music teacher (and still is at heart). He used to come in early in the mornings to play the grand piano in the auditorium at school. I used to go in and listen some mornings and it was a special time for us, to just sit, listen to the music and enjoy each other's company. He hasn't been able to play as much this year, as life has gotten in the way, but he's been trying to go in when he has time.
SO, Wednesday night, in the midst of all my stress, he asks me to come in early and listen to him play...he had just downloaded a new song and wanted to stay learning it and wanted me to come listen. At first, I told him I couldn't--I was too stressed, too tired, etc. But, in the end, I told him I would come by for just a few minutes.

Thursday, March 11, 2010 at 6:30am
I woke up and was not excited about going to work--I was so tired! Threw on jeans and a t-shirt (not looking cute at all) and headed off to school. As I walked into the auditorium through the stage door, I didn't hear piano music, but instead Beauty and the Beast music (now, this is my favorite Disney movie, and being around two little girls a lot, we talk about Disney movies all the time). All the lights were off but a single spot light shining down on the center of the stage where a little round table was with a single rose standing up (like in the movie). John walked up to me, all dressed up in his suit, and led me to the center of the stage. We danced and when the song was over, he got down on one knee and asked me to marry him. Then "our song" came on and we danced some more. Now, granted, I had only had one sip of my coffee at that point, and I wasn't quite awake...but from what I remember, it was a very special morning!

So now I better get ready to see my students for the day. No plans are made yet as for the date and whatnot. I'll keep you posted!