no cute title, just info

I'm quite sorry for my lapse in blogging. There was a situation that worried me for quite a while, and I didn't feel the need to chatter about holidays, resolutions, etc while this worry was hovering over me. Luckily, I *think* the situation has resolved itself. Suffice it to say, I love my dog and I'm so happy that he is just as he is. He's my sweet prince!

Okay, but on to wonderful remembrances: After a fantastic Christmas in Fort Wayne, Adam and I drove to Alabama and celebrated Christmas down there. :) Adam's brother and sisters, and their spouses, came in throughout the week after Christmas. So it was fun to always have new people to play games with and just to relax and hang out. We ended up having Christmas on the 30th...and it was weirdly fun to keep thinking "I still have Christmas presents to open...my break seems so long!" We also saw his little cousins make some gorgeous gingerbread houses at Adam's grandma's house; it's a really sweet tradition that the Butler/Copeland women do to care for their Spivey grandchildren/nieces/cousins.

Of course, we also got to watch the mad smack-down that was Alabama football! Take that, Big Ten! I am sad, though, that it was apparently Julio's, Ingram's, and Barron's final game. :( Sad, sad....but Richardson is going to be a BEAST next year...and I'm oddly excited to start the tally of how many times Nick will smack the new QB (McClarran?) on the bottom. Hey, it's the little things in life.

On January 2nd, Adam and I drove back to Virginia. We were incredibly lucky through the whole holiday season that we didn't run into bad weather. Thank goodness! And, wow, when we got back it was SO WONDERFUL to realize that we didn't have any more 9- or 10-h trips in the near future. :)

Last week, Adam went to work, and I worked a bit at the Arboretum, finished making and copying my syllabi, and took down the Christmas decorations. It's always so sad to take down the decorations; it's like the world is taking pleasure in saying "It's cold for NO REASON now! And no presents! And you have to work again!!" Oh well, I suppose I just need a winter house in Australia or Brazil or someplace nice in the southern hemisphere.

Anyway, class have started at JMU, and I'm quite liking my students already. And, of course the real reason I'm writing this blog has already reared it's ugly head: They did some draft writing in class and now I have to start grading, commenting, etc....i.e read: procrastinating on grading commenting, etc. However, I'm so thankful to be teaching three wonderful classes and to be doing some fun stuff this semester at the Arboretum. A lot of fun things to do in the next few months! Let's just hope the weather warms up so I can enjoy it all while NOT dressed like an Eskimo.