Hello life... are you still there?

I know, a lot of time has gone by without a word from me. It's true, I really have been stuck in my own little world for the last 3 months. But I'm back! Has anything changed?

In January I started taking a class from the community college. It was supposed to be my last class in order to receive my Director Permit from the Santa Clara Office of Education. And then I found out I was short a HALF of a credit, even with this last class. Argh. So I enrolled in a one credit course on top of the class I was already enrolled in. No, it wasn't strenuous, per se, but for Heaven's sake it's not like I had a ton of free time in the first place! My friends tell me "you're the busiest person I know. How do you find time to sleep?!" Answer: I take sleeping pills. Just kidding! I pretty much crash at the end of the day. And I have learned the art of multi-tasking.

For instance:

I can cook dinner with one hand while correcting homework with the other.

While I am brushing my teeth, I also do ballet leg lifts and plias... um, pleas... er, pleeyays... ack! Julie how the heck do you spell that word? Help! I don't write french!

I write emails at work while I'm smoothing out a situation on the phone with a nervous parent.

I make my important phone calls while taking the kids to gymnastics, picking the kids up from gymnastics, taking the kids to cub scouts, picking the kids up from daycare... (And yes, I have Bluetooth on my GPS: hands free, people!)

I listen to the RS lesson I was just asked to teach in two days (I'm the substitute teacher in my ward) on the Internet while I'm billing tuition for next week.

I fold laundry on Friday nights while the boys and I watch a movie together and load the dishwasher while we're waiting for the popcorn to pop.

I do sit-ups while reading the scriptures to the boys every night.

Oh, there's more. But this list is getting boring. Let's just say I enjoy being busy. But I am VERY glad last Tuesday was my final and I'm all done with school! Of course, now I get to look forward to my next big goal: a Masters in Human Relations. But I think I'll put that one off a while until the boys are a little older. When I got home from class Tuesday night my eldest was still awake and he asked me, "Mom, was tonight your last school night?" I confirmed it was, and he heaved a big sigh and said, "oh good!" Do my kids love me, or what?

Other updates:

I'm the boss!! Yes, I was promoted to Director of the Preschool and School-age care at Don Callejon Elementary School. We have almost 100 preschoolers and 40 K-5th graders. This week was my first official week of being in charge. It still feels like the real boss is just on vacation, though. I remember after my first son was born I kept feeling like I was just babysitting and his "real" parents would come any minute to pick him up from us. That's kind of how this feels, too.

Last Sunday I got to share my birthday with Easter. It was really interesting and very cool. It's never happened before, and probably won't ever happen again in my life-time. I loved it. I usually feel grumpy when I'm not the center of attention on my birthday, but not so much this year. Okay, I did play a solo on my flute in church, but it was for the Easter program, not the Happy Birthday Sheila program. And my boys made home-made cards for me while I was in the shower and spelled out "Happy Birthday Mom Love Benjamin and Nathan" on our scrabble board and left it on my bed so I would find it after I got dressed. And my sister (who shares her 1/2 birthday with my whole birthday) sent me a text message with birthday wishes (as did my cousin, my elder brother, and two friends), and my family gathered after church for a combined bday/Easter dinner and we put candles in a pan of brownies. So yes, many people gave me birthday wishes, but you know what? I think I would have been happy even if they hadn't. Saturday night I sat on my recliner and watched a movie all by myself and the thought occurred to me: "I'm doing EXACTLY what I want to be doing right now!" I'm usually wishing someone would secretly throw me a party, or take me out on a date, or stop by unexpectedly with flowers and balloons, but not this year. And I don't remember when I've been happier just being all by myself thinking, "tomorrow I'm another year older. Yippee!"

And last but not least, I finally met "mystery guy" my long-time friend has been trying to set me up with since before Christmas. Okay, I've dated a lot of really handsome men. But when this guy walked into the room it took all I had in me not to stare at him! In fact, I may have been trying so hard NOT to look that I think I gave him the wrong impression! At the end of the evening he gave me a hug (dang he smelled great) and said it was good to finally meet me. Our mutual friend confided in me that he had no clue what his friend was thinking. "Sheila, I couldn't read him at all tonight! I have no idea what he thinks of you, and I can't even tell you how much that annoys me!" Poor guy tried for so long to get us together, and by the end of the night he couldn't tell if it was even worth it or not! He complained that he thought his friend would have at least asked for my phone number. I confessed I wouldn't have given it to him even if he had. "WHAT? Why not? Didn't you like him?" Oh heck yes! But I think if a guy wants to call me, he'll figure out a way to get a hold of me. And what could be easier than asking his best friend for my phone number? And guess what? Two weeks later I got a phone call. And then another... and another. He figured it out, just like I said he would. Games? No. Smart? Yes! I'm not difficult, but I do think it's important to let the guy work a bit... at least in the beginning. Otherwise, where's the chase? When a woman makes herself too available the man loses interest too fast. If she makes herself completely unavailable, he stops trying. Balance. I think I've finally learned it. Has he asked me out yet? Nope. But I'm not going to help him out, either. If he wants to see me, he'll figure out what to do. For now, I'm enjoying our conversations... and just thinking about how great looking he is sends adrenalin shooting to my fingertips! Been a while since I've felt that. And I like it.