It's my 30th birthday year.  As part of my celebrations, I thought I would take my birthday month to reflect on my life.  To help, I am using some of my scrapbooked pages to illustrate my life.  For each year, I've chosen a few pages to highlight that year.  I hope you enjoy my look back as much as I do.

2010:  A bittersweet year for my teaching family.  We found out right before Christmas 2009 that the school was in danger of closing.  By April, we knew it was a goner.  And we closed in May.  Everyone felt the loss deeply.  But life does that sometimes.  We just need to pick ourselves back up and continue.

Page 1:  Spriits were low in January when the music teacher suggested we in the trailer park (the six modular classrooms out back) through a passing period rave party.  We set up speakers in the walkway and cranked up the dance music every passing period.  By the afternoon, we had main building teachers coming to check out the party and even join in with the dancing.  It really lifted everyone's spirits for a day.  And yes, that is me dancing on my classroom stairs (top right).

Page 2: Because of cuts and staff departures, the musical was canceled.  The Parent Teacher Organization roped (okay I volunteered) me into helped to create a musical theater, auction, spring concert, appreciation dinner for the Keystone family.  We themed it around the Wizard of Oz.  Four of my juniors played the central characters.  We also had appearances by the Wicked Witch, the Wicked Witch in training, the Wizard of Oz, Glinda the Good Witch, the Good Witches in training, the Wizard's faithful secretary, and the entire elemetnary, middle school, choirs, and bands.  Whew!  It was quite a preparation, but I think we had a great night.  And we made enough money to cover some of our costs until May. 

Page 3:  With the early closing of the school, graduation was up in the air for awhile.  Thankfully, parents, teachers, and students pulled together to get our kids graduated with a proper ceremony and reception.

Page 4:  In May, I had my first experience at the Indianapolis 500.  I can't beleive I hadn't gone before considering I lived only 2 hours away.  The day was a lot of fun, but incredibly hot.  I think once was enough for a lifetime.