Pre-Deployment Leave and Random Thoughts

Dustin is officially on his pre-deployment leave, and it is really starting to sink in that he is leaving soon. For the last few months it hasn't bothered me at all, but all of a sudden I am starting to get a little freaked out and nervous all the time! Dustin is in Illinois this weekend, spending some guy time with my brother, David. I am actually taking my first day off EVER at my current job, so that I can have a nice long 4-day weekend with the hubby. We are planning to get some daytime errands done on Thursday morning, and then head out to Asheville for a fun weekend in the outdoors.

Then we have one more "down time" weekend before our trip back to Georgia for Thanksgiving, and the busy weeks in December. We have two holiday parties to attend already, and Dustin is being my "plus 1" for a teacher grant banquet I was invited to attend. I received a $420 grant for multicultural books and parcel materials for an international pen pal project I have wanted to start. The grant is from JOEMC, the electric company, and I am super-excited that there is a fun little dinner reception I get to attend for the occasion as well.

I am planning some fun activities for my class this week for Veteran's Day as well, especially since over half my class is military. We are going to be making some popsicle stick American flags, paper cutout Marines, and a giant American flag hand print banner. I found an adorable poem on Pinterest, and am planning on having each student read one line from the poem to make a video for posting on my classroom Web site.

Source: jbonzer.com via Jennifer on Pinterest

Can't wait for my short 3-day week to begin and then end!

Now that the Christmas decorations are coming out, I am thinking I need to get a move on buying Dustin something for Christmas. I think I will send it with him when he deploys, because if I wait to mail it to him, who knows how long it will take for him to receive it! Now to start thinking, what should I get him? Aaaah! Too much on my mind at one time!