School Days, School Daze

School's back in session, and so far, so good. In accordance with the prophecy, my fellow teachers and I are scrambling to get organized, figure out our routines and schedules and not catch the germs the wee ones love sharing with us.

My hands are getting chafed from my devotion to hand sanitizer and the harsh, bark-like substance schools like to pretend are paper towels. I was down with the flu for two solid, misery-fueled days. My feet are perpetually swollen, my brain is working overtime to remember new students' names, and my partners-in-crime (Guidance and RtI) and I are struggling to keep everyone calm and get our new office ready.

I am tired, and immensely grateful that the Beast* is in final form. The first round of rejections from agents stung more than I expected it to. It takes a little shine of the polished and gleamy pride I feel that I actually wrote the book I wanted to. I waited, did a little more research and a lot of praying and now I'm waiting semi-patiently for my next 5 rejections.

I am eager to get started on Son of Beast**, but I have a complete and total mental block. I can't find the blind faith to assume that the Beast* is going to be published, and it feels... impractical? to start writing book 2 without knowing that book 2 will be needed by the world. For now, I have a couple of smaller projects in mind that are less ambitious. Whether I can get them published or not, they will be useful to my students, and that appeals to me.

My gardens have been all but deserted. A friend with a very green thumb is coming to stay with us for a little while soon, and I hope that will inspire Mr. Smarty Pants and I to action. The puppies seem more like doggies now, and only destroy small amounts of property weekly, which is a vast improvement.

A friend introduced me to couponing, and I am enjoying it and getting good at it, I think.

Mr. Autism has started sixth grade without much trauma. Mr. Smarty Pants began in a gifted classroom, which happens to be taught by a gentleman I graduated from college with. I am very content, and he is making friends and learning stuff.

Life is pretty sweet right now. When I find an agent, it will be super-oh-my-goodness-fantastic.

I can't wait.

*I wish this was the actual title.

**Not the likely title for Book 2, but it sounds catchy, doesn't it?