I haven't posted about our Christmas, anniversary, New Year's, or how my first semester of teaching ended, I see. As you know, the last several weeks have been difficult, and now, looking at them here from the other side, I mostly marvel that we made it through without any major casualties at our house. I guess sometimes that's all you can really hope for, right? To survive?

I submitted grades for my first two college classes just a few days before Christmas. All of the grading of final papers, portfolios, and then calculating final grades was tedious, time-consuming, and well, crazy. I have already modified my syllabi for spring semester classes, which officially start this week, to have a little less due all at once at the end...if only for my own sanity's sake. I mentioned earlier in the semester that I had some difficult students and growing pains getting used to teaching college kids. Though I still have a lot of room for improvement, I was beyond surprised to have students send  me thank you notes for a successful semester. (I know, right? Even for the profs I really liked and enjoyed in college, I don't remember doing that, so I guess I must not have completely scarred these students for life. Phew!) As you can imagine, I have been busy planning this semester's courses ever since the last two ended (well, technically, before they ended). Have I ever mentioned that I have more respect for teachers than I've ever had in my life (and I had a lot of respect before); it really is a never-ending task.

To briefly re-cap the holidays for us (even if it seems a bit silly to be doing so this late)...

On Christmas Eve, Drew and I had our own little celebration. We made dinner and dessert together at home and exchanged the little gifts we put in each other's stockings. It wasn't much this year, but that made it even better, I think. Gift giving and receiving is so much nicer when it's about thoughtfulness rather than cost, size, or quantity.

Christmas morning, we packed up ourselves and gifts and drove down to K'Zoo to spend the day with Drew's side of the family. His older sister, Luanne, and her husband hosted this year, and it was nice having it be just the immediate family this year, rather than the whole rolicking crew of Polish relatives (not that I don't love 'em, but it takes away from the quality time with each other when that's our main get-together). Brie and Charles were up visiting from Kentucky with our nieces Mikayla, Kiya, and Kaitlyn, and Luanne and Tim's son, Lucas, we soon found out, had really come out of his shell since we'd last seen him this summer. It was nice spending time with our four little squirts. A few snapshots can be seen here.

On New Year's Eve, we both took the day off work for our third wedding anniversary. We booked the suite in which we were married at the Khardomah Lodge in Grand Haven. Unfortunately, our stay was disappointing. Although it was nice to re-visit where our small ceremony took place, the room itself was cold (and even the fireplace didn't help warm up the space much), the bed was hard, and the other guests were LOUD. We had people staying above and below us, and both were groups (one a dancing group, I might add). It did little to enhance our romantic mini-getaway. The noise kept us awake most of the morning hours, and at about 7 a.m., we looked at each other, bleary-eyed, and decided to just pack up and go home.

Though neither of us had the full time off of work between Christmas and New Year's that we used to have at our previous company, this past week was our first full week back at work. We've been getting a lot of snow this weekend, and more is forecast for much of this week. It definitely feels like early January around here. I don't have any resolutions this year (haven't decided whether this is good or bad), but I am appreciative of a fresh start. A blank slate, with many open, unwritten months ahead is always good for the psyche after another difficult year. There is potential in those empty days ahead...hope for something better.

-Em