Blog #7: October, November

Hi All,

September has come and gone, and would you believe we are almost in the middle of OCTOBER?! I can't wrap my head around it. You have been in school for about TWO months now, which means it's crunch time! Grades are due this Friday for first quarter, you will soon begin second quarter, and before you know it, we will be on Thanksgiving break and Winter break to enjoy some cold weather.

You may have heard by now from Mr. Lang that I will not be returning quite yet. If you recall, I was set to return on October 3rd. Sadly, I wasn't able to do so because some unexpected health issues arose for me. If you have ever experienced a serious health issue, you know that it can be scary and stressful. Even when a family member or close friend experiences a serious health issue, it's stressful and scary, especially not knowing what the outcome will be. I'm happy to say that, so far, I am doing better. As a teacher and professional, I don't like disclosing every little detail of my life to my students. But, my way of connecting with you all is to share some aspects of my life (as you can probably tell from my blog), as I hope you will all share tidbits of your life with me. Perhaps one day I will share a tad bit more about this scare, but for now, please know I wish I was there with you already. Because of this chaos, my doctor extended my leave an additional month. That means I will be starting work on Tuesday, November 1st. And if all goes as planned, that will be the day we meet. (Finally, right?)

Meanwhile, in the past week/two, I've been going to doctor's appointments, and when we're feeling up to it, my family and I have been keeping busy with a couple events. We went to Mikaela's first MLB game (Dodgers vs. Giants) and her first pumpkin patch, we walked down Bear Creek, and we even attended a wedding. I'm trying to soak in spending as much time as I can with this little peanut because she grows up! No health issues are going stop me from enjoying this little girl. Perseverance, kiddos, perseverance. And drive. But mostly, love. That is what pushes me forward.

Okay. Now back to YOU guys. With the end of the first quarter approaching, I urge you all to aim for the best grades you can possibly achieve. If you kept up with work the entire quarter and your grades are good, keep it up and know that I am proud of you! Now, if you have a ways to go, don't give up. Never give up. The end is near but the end has not yet arrived. Study hard. Work hard. You're a Gaucho. You got this. And if you're up at this hour (12:09 a.m. Wednesday), finish up the last of your assignments (if you're doing homework) or close that YouTube channel, and get some rest. Grades are important, but sleep is vital.

Good Night, kiddos.

Sincerely,

Mrs. Valenzuela