Hey, Life is Good Today

Well, I can stop whining about the unknown and finally enjoy the beginning of this great, new adventure! I don't know why I continue to get worked up over things, when it's exactly like people say (and I tell myself repeatedly, believe me) that everything will work out. Yes, it does. It's just the torturous cycle of worry that gets me every time. I LOVE-LOVE-LOVE the school I am working at 3 days/week. It is a turn-around school, which means that they are working on rebuilding a good educational system for the kids in that area, which I don’t think was the case prior. It's not in the nicest area of town (actually, it's kinda scary - on the North side), and there are minimal resources for me to work with (when I say minimal, I actually mean none). It’s also a magnet school –a performing arts academy where they combine academics with music, dance, and art. It’s perfect for me. The principal is wonderful, the teachers are wonderful, the resource specialists are all wonderful, and I'm sure the kids will be wonderful as well. I am working on getting my "office" ready and somewhat organized. It is a cluttered storage room that would send any claustrophobic person over the edge, but they are slowly moving crap out so I can turn it into a therapy room. There is something exciting about that transformation -I think partly because I have the opportunity to start from scratch (like I feel I am doing with most other aspects of my life at the moment) and make it my own. I am still getting used to the fact that I am the therapist now (not the student) and that I make decisions. It is WEIRD but fabulous. What I cannot get used to is being called Ms. Stillwell. Gosh, I laugh out loud (literally) every time someone calls me that. It’s just odd. Makes me feel old! ☺

I haven’t received my caseload list yet because everybody in the office is new & still having to enroll kids …the counselor is new, many teachers are new, I am new. Normally I would freak out at such in unstructured environment, but I’m feeling just the opposite. It actually gives me a sense of home and comfort. I’m surprisingly not overwhelmed (yet) because everyone is learning & trying to get things in order –not just me. The school is not perfect. The teachers are not perfect. And I am not expected to be perfect. The only expectation they have for me is to do my job -without perfection–which I am confident I can do.

I feel like a turn-around school will fulfill my desire to help people in a warm way because I will be providing services to kids who, as the principal stated, were once “predicted to fail in life.” That sounds like I should be talking to Oprah when I say that, but as cheesy as it sounds, walking into that school each day makes me smile. I need to smile. I deserve to smile. I hope I like my other assignment too. That one is still up in the air at this point. It’s another story in itself, but I’m okay with it for now.


St. Augustine is a beautiful town. It is the oldest town in the U.S. and has a wonderful history. I had the opportunity to meet an old friend there for a day (it’s only about 40 minutes from Jacksonville) and enjoyed it much more than I anticipated. I can’t even begin to describe the best facets of the town other than to say GO SEE IT! Everything there is spectacular, and I can’t wait to take my sister there one day; however, she may never leave. I hadn’t seen my friend Amber since high school. She is now doing an internship at Disney World & said she will get me in for free. That’s exciting considering I’ve never been, and I am the biggest kid ever! It was nice to catch up with her. I’ve also had a lot of fun hanging out with my new friends here in Jax. It makes being here so much better. I actually went surfing at a really neat beach/park with a couple of girls. The tide was too strong, so it would be more accurate to say that we all attempted surfing, haha. We had a great time doing so, though. I also LOVE my CF supervisor, Stacie. She has been tremendously helpful thus far. I knew I was going to like her when I showed up at her condo, & she put on a pair of pajamas and poured me a glass of wine before helping me with my work. We hung out a few nights this weekend and had a blast!!!! She doesn’t know anybody in the area –she moved her from Atlanta –so we will spend a lot of time together, I’m sure. She’s a ball of fun. YaY again for friends!


Random comment: I love the half-popped popcorn kernels at the bottom of the bag! Yeah, they are crunchy & delicious. That’s all.