PENANG!

It took me exactly six years, two months and 27 days to get here (well, something like that), but I finally arrived. I say six years because my hubby brought the girls six years ago while my oldest son and I visited the States for a Christmas vacation. Penang, Malaysia is a clever little place.

We walked around Georgetown this morning, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, in the dripping heat (sky was dripping humidity and we were dripping sweat) yet still thoroughly enjoyed seeing the unique architecture. Can't say my kids were quite as thrilled, but the idea of 30 cake varieties for lunch at CHINA HOUSE seemed to help us make it.

Georgetown seems more traditional to me than KL--the rickshaws, the classic British buildings (stop at the St. George's Cathedral! Bookmarks are 2 for 1 RM and the ladies are quite knowledgable about the history of the building), the view of the ocean, the street art. It's a special place.

To cap things off we enjoyed a fantastic lunch plus dessert and fresh juices (hubby got milkshake!) at CHINA HOUSE, an awesome little place recommended on The Yum List, Malaysia's premiere food blog. Visit it if you haven't yet (the restaurant and the blog!)--you will regret neither.

So, as I write this from my balcony with a view of the ocean, I say congrats, Malaysia. A gold star from one happy teacher on spring break.

A Little Pocket of Wonderful

Adults don't get many accolades. Do our children greet us in the morning with a hearty, "Thanks for all you do, Mom!  Thanks for tucking me in last night!" or "You're great at filling out my permission slips, Mom. Thanks."???

Clearly, many things we do in the course of a week and year go unnoticed.  So, to get an award for something I have been working hard at--my writing--has been sweet indeed.

Here's a huge thank you to Midwest Writer's Conference (http://www.midwestwriters.org/) for all the hard work the organizers put in this past weekend, and for many months, to make it a fantastic event. You guys rock! And winning the Manny award for long fiction was such a splendid surprise. Thanks to the committee for this award.

The award was for the first five pages of my latest project--a women's upmarket/ historical fiction set during the Revolutionary War. It is such encouragement for me to know that this is all worthwhile and that people appreciate my work (besides Mom and my husband, of course. Thanks to my constant cheerleaders.)

If you didn't make it to Muncie for the conference this year, you should consider it in 2014. It's a little pocket of wonderful right in the middle of Indiana.

The End of Things

Well, this is it.  The end of the year at an international school.  We say our goodbyes. We flutter into our summer lives which may be across the globe or across the street.  Most of us go back to our "home," the land where we grew up, and see family that has been missing us for months and in some cases years.

The end of the school year is the quintessence of bittersweet for me.

It's YES to summer and free days and family, and ice cream and biking and barbecues and potting flowers (did I just say that?  I rarely pot flowers).  Yes, to the place where I grew up, where "everyone knows my name."

But, as a teacher, this is also the end of a certain close-knit family that is created as you interact with students over a year.  They probably have no idea just how attached I become and how much I will miss them.

It's hard for me to say those things at the end because I get choked up, and it feels "showy" somehow, even though saying warm sincere words shouldn't be held back.

But I'll miss them.  I'll miss the know it alls, the smile a lots, the do gooders, the goof offers, the purely lovable ones, the naughty ones, and all the in-between ones.  I will miss every last one of them.

The good news?  Maybe I'll get them next year!

Happy Summer to all of you.

The Breakup

It's been ten days since my breakup.

I'm past the mourning, roller coaster, freaking out stage.

I'm over the nights of tossing and turning, the sleepless interludes.

I'm over the fatigue, the heaviness all over--my legs, my arms, my heart.

My head no longer pounds when I try to talk or even think about what I've just been through.

My love affair is over.
I've kicked the coffee bean to the curb and don't plan on inviting him back in any time soon.

Let me tell you, quitting coffee is the hardest thing I've done in a long time.  It's taken about 10 days for me to feel like I have my energy back.  I've had headaches, fatigue, flu-like symptoms, heaviness in my legs (walking up a flight of stairs!  killer!).  I never would have thought it would be so rough.

I never thought coffee had it had such a hold on me.  But it DID. And like an idiot, I kept returning to it over and over.

But not any more!  I doubt this is a forever state of being, but for now it feels good to wake up in the morning and not have to stumble to the coffee maker for that cup of java before I can even crack open an eyelid.   Or to not spend my thirty minutes getting ready while thinking about that first creamy, bitter sip.  Maybe I was obsessed, but with only a two cups a day habit, I didn't think it was really that bad.

Now I have a renewed desire to stay healthy.  I'm staying low on sugar and dairy, eating loads of dark veggies, and I've started exercising again.

I can't guarantee that a relapse won't happen this summer.  If it does, I'm hoping my new lover will be slightly less demanding.

I'm going to try a date with decaf.

Kids Say the Cutest Things

So this happened on April 1st, incidentally, although this is not an April Fool's joke.

I was in my daughter Rania's first grade classroom yesterday, taking the kids cupcakes for her birthday.  A cute little classmate of hers came up to me and said, "Hi Mrs. Woodward!"  (amazing poise and volume for a six year old).

I leaned over very far. "Hi. What's your name?"

"I'm Joel, and I was wondering if Rania can come to my birthday party?" (eager voice and face, complete with big white teeth)

"Why, I would guess so!  That's so sweet to invite her. When is it?"

"September 28th."

Endearing six year olds awaiting their birthday with breathless anticipation?  Priceless.